Let's just start this out with the most obvious statement of all time: Both parties involved in this video are not obeying the rules of the road.
The driver of this minivan must have a lot of very good things going for him, because I'm sure his pick up line of, "Hey mama, wanna get it on in the front seat of my sweet minivan?" did not work.
I don't know who he is, but his name should end with "The Amazing". You know, like if his name was Jon it would be Jon - The Amazing! Find out why below.Let's run down the list of things that make this video unlikely.
1. They are driving a 1 ton piece of metal on the expressway.
2. There is no way that the driver can see the road due to the high volume of breasts in his line of site.
3. HE IS DRIVING A MID-90's MINIVAN!
There is only one logical explanation, he must have had this in the tape deck . . . because there is no way that thing has a CD player.
At least they weren't texting.
There is really only one thing more dangerous that you can do in a minivan.


Two people are reunited after over forty years. When they last met they were in love but events had come between them. She married his best friend. Forty years later they are reunited.


Stereotypical portrayals of Eastern European Jews and Native Americans.
Cats terrorizing mice and being terrorized by dogs.
Violent & not appropriate for young ones.
Guns are not allowed in our house & the first segment shows Fievel shooting guns at a circle of "bad guys" - we had to shut it off.
definitely a great yet sometimes overlooked example of a sequel that is better than the original.
Life in America isn't easy for the Mousekewitzes, so they head off to the frontier. What they don't know is that they and all their friends are being lured there by the evil Cat R. Waul (brilliantly voiced by John Cleese), who plans to turn them all into mouseburgers. But with the help of Wiley Burp, the worn out old dog of a sheriff (James Stewart's final film performance), Fievel manages to save the day.
AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST is an uneven but entertaining sequel to An American Tail. There is an annoying subplot involving Fievel's friend Tiger the cat. Although Tiger does help in the final showdown, he's generally just loud, stupid, and irritating. There are some nice musical numbers featuring Fievel's sister Tanya, but Cleese and Stewart steal the show here.
Families can talk about the idea of the frontier and what drew people to the West.


- You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol. - If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories. - When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups.


Design Engineering : Design process and Design quality, Design concepts, the design model. Creating an architectural design : Software architecture, Data design, Architectural styles and patterns, Architectural Design.
Class represents a different layer of design architecture. Five types of Design Classes 1. User interface class -- Defines all abstractions that are necessary for human computer interaction 2. Business domain class -- Refinement of the analysis classes that identity attributes and services to implement some of business domain 3.Process class -- implements lower level business abstractions required to fully manage the business domain classes 4.Persistent class -- Represent data stores that will persist beyond the execution of the software 5.System class -- Implements management and control functions to operate and communicate within the computer environment and with the outside world.
What is SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE The software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software components, the externally visible properties of those components and the relationship among them.
Analyze the effectiveness of the design in meeting its stated requirements. consider architectural alternative at a stage when making design changes is still relatively easy . Reduces the risk associated with the construction of the software.
The data design action translates data objects defined as part of the analysis model into data structures at the component level and a database architecture at application level when necessary.
Data structure at programming level Data base at application level Data warehouse at business level.
Principles for data specification: 1. Proper selection of data objects and data and data models 2.Identification of attribute and functions and their encapsulation of these within a class 3.Mechanism for representation of the content of each data object. Class diagrams may be used 4.Refinement of data design elements from requirement analysis to component level design. 5.Information hiding 6.A library of useful data structures and operations be developed. 7.Software design and PL should support the specification and realization of abstract data types..
Shows the flow of input data, its computational components and output data Structure is also called pipe and Filter Pipe provides path for flow of data Filters manipulate data and work independent of its neighboring filter If data flow degenerates into a single line of transform, it is termed as batch sequential.
A template that specifies approach for some behavioral characteristics of the system Patterns are imposed on the architectural styles Pattern Domains 1.Concurrency --Handles multiple tasks that simulates parallelism. --Approaches(Patterns) (a) Operating system process management pattern (b) A task scheduler pattern 2.Persistence --Data survives past the execution of the process --Approaches (Patterns) (a) Data base management system pattern (b) Application Level persistence Pattern( word processing software) 3.Distribution -- Addresses the communication of system in a distributed environment --Approaches(Patterns) (a) Broker Pattern -- Acts as middleman between client and server.


There is no such thing as compliance with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (FTC). In September, the FTC dispelled a commonly held misconception regarding the NIST Framework: It “is not, and isn’t intended to be, a standard or checklist. . . . there’s really no such thing as ‘complying with the Framework.'” The Framework provides guidance on process. It does not proscribe the specific practices that must be implemented. Rather, the NIST Framework lays out a risk-based approach to assessment and mitigation that is “fully consistent” with the concept of “reasonableness” embedded in the FTC’s Section 5 enforcement record. Takeaway: Organizations should consider using the NIST Framework—or another framework—to guide their cybersecurity investments and program development. Use of the NIST Framework alone does not signal that an organization is secure.
Ransomware attacks may constitute a breach (HHS OCR). In a surprising move that is likely to be followed by other regulators, Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR), which enforces the HIPAA Security and Breach Notification Rules, issued guidance stating that ransomware incidents may be considered breaches requiring statutory notification. Specifically, HHS OCR proclaimed that where PHI is “encrypted as the result of a ransomware attack, a breach has occurred because the PHI encrypted by the ransomware was acquired (i.e., unauthorized individuals have taken possession or control of the information), and thus is a ‘disclosure not permitted under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.” HHS OCR noted that notification may not be required if the entity can demonstrate a “low probability that the PHI has been compromised,” but warned of the need for very thorough forensic analysis to take advantage of that exemption. Takeaway: Organizations subject to a ransomware attack should conduct appropriate technical/forensic analyses to determine whether an incident constitutes a data breach that triggers notification obligations under various state and federal laws.
Ignoring ransomware vulnerabilities could violate FTC Act (FTC). FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez announced that preventable ransomware attacks may violate Section 5 of the FTC Act. Specifically, “[a] company’s unreasonable failure to patch vulnerabilities known to be exploited by ransomware might violate the FTC Act.” Although what precisely constitutes an “unreasonable failure” is not entirely clear, a review of past enforcement actions suggest that failure to address pervasive security bugs that leave systems vulnerable to malware will be a key factor in the FTC’s decision to open an investigation or pursue an enforcement action. Takeaway: Organizations should stay on top of security vulnerability announcements and implement a robust patch management program, tied to periodic vulnerability assessments, that includes regular audits to ensure the effectiveness of their program.
You may (or may not) have insurance coverage for business email compromise scams (Northern District of Georgia). Business email compromise (BEC) scams ran rampant in 2016, hitting over 22,000 victims and racking up $3.1 billion in damages, according to an FBI report. In September, a federal district court in Georgia ruled on summary judgment that a commercial crime policy covered a BEC scam in which a fraudster sent a spoofed email to the company’s controller, tricking her into wiring $1.72 million to an account in China. The court rejected the insurer’s argument that the wire transfer was not directly caused by the BEC scam. In 2010, a Connecticut state judge ruled that there could be coverage for a BEC scam under the computer fraud insuring agreement of a crime insurance policy. A California federal judge, on the other hand, found no coverage for a BEC scam under a policy’s forgery coverage, computer fraud coverage, and funds-transfer fraud coverage provisions. Takeaway: Organizations should carefully review their policies every year, in light of these developments, to determine what coverage they need, and what coverage they want; insurers have been marketing specific products that ostensibly cover such fraud.
We aren’t doing anything to regulate drone privacy (FTC). In a much-anticipated drones and privacy workshop that was part of the FTC’s Fall Technology Series, the national privacy regulatory body said surprisingly little about future plans to regulate drones, leaving attendees with more questions than answers about its role in the future. It would seem that the FTC has elected to substantially defer to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), which notably neglected privacy in its most recent proposed drone-related rules, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which published recommendations on privacy best practices for use of drones. Takeaway: Organizations developing drones, software and apps for drones, and marketing drone-powered services should consider fair information privacy principles, while keeping an eye on developments from the FAA and the FTC. This story is not over yet.
What you say and do after a data breach matters (Federal Courts). Federal courts across the country scrutinized actions that organizations took, and statements they made, after a data breach to infer that plaintiffs were “harmed” sufficiently to establish standing under Spokeo and Clapper. In finding that plaintiffs had alleged non-speculative harm, courts relied on broad offers of credit monitoring (Neiman Marcus), admonishments to monitor credit reports (P.F. Chang’s), and most recently, informative recommendations about fraud alerts and security freezes on credit reports (Nationwide). Takeaway: Organizations should carefully consider post-breach actions and communications in light of how they may give plaintiffs a foothold to “stand on” in court.
Six weeks is too long to announce a breach (Northern District of Illinois). In an often overlooked district court case, the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois became one of the first to say (at the pleading stage) how long was too long for a company to wait before announcing a breach. Specifically, it held that the “nearly six weeks” it took Barnes & Noble to provide notice required under California law did not satisfy the “most expedient time possible” standard. Timing requirements for notification in most states are fairly flexible, from “as soon as practicable” to “the most expedient time possible, without unreasonable delay.” Many states also provide an upper limit deadline on when notification must be made with some allowance for organizations to determine the scope of the breach. Takeaway: The court’s announcement that six weeks is too long should act as an important reference point for organizations considering timing of their announcements and notification, regardless of what accommodations state laws make to conduct an investigation.
In late 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota issued a decision rejecting class plaintiffs’ move to access privileged and work product materials arising out of Target’s 2013 data breach. Although it was in 2015, not 2016, this decision was noteworthy in providing an insider’s look into the “dual track” investigations that often follow from a cyber-incident. Target’s counsel established a “Data Breach Task Force,” to investigate its breach, and also retained consultant Verizon through counsel to run technical forensic activities. These investigations were separate from a non-privileged PFI investigation that Target was required to undertake pursuant to Payment Card Industry (PCI) rules. The court upheld Target’s privilege and work product arguments for all materials except for a few documents that reflected CEO updates to Target’s Board.
The Target decision is fully in line with a prior Middle District of Tennessee‘s holding that cybersecurity forensic analysis and work are potentially covered under both attorney-client and work product privilege deserves an honorable mention. In the ongoing litigation between Genesco and Visa, the court denied discovery requests by Visa for analyses, reports, and communications made by two cybersecurity firms Genesco retained after it suffered a data breach on grounds that those materials were protected by the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine. Not only does the Genesco opinion offer a roadmap for confidentiality protections, but it underscores legal counsel’s critical role in cybersecurity―both before and after a breach―especially with the rise of regulatory scrutiny and investigation into data breaches by a growing slate of federal agencies, including the FTC, SEC, FINRA, HHS OCR, CFPB, and FCC, not to mention the state attorneys general. And organizations need to look no further than FTC Assistant Director Mark Eichorn’s roadmap for breach investigation to conceptualize precisely what regulators will ask for in a data breach investigation. As he outlined, the FTC will likely request, either informally, or formally through legal process: audits or risk assessments that the company or its service providers have performed which are precisely the kinds of materials that may be protected by privilege. Accordingly, companies are well-advised to embrace counsel’s important role in cybersecurity risk assessment, mitigation, and incident response strategies to take advantage of attorney-client privilege and work product protections, and provide a “safe place” for clients to request and receive legal advice, and therein, to deliberate over issues such as the remedial efforts that will—and, more importantly, will not—be undertaken in response to a cyberattack or identification of a vulnerability.


Imagine a robot stacking boxes in a warehouse when it suddenly sees that one box is in the wrong stack. It goes back and puts the container in the right place. How did the machine know it had made a mistake?
The robot's human boss didn't punch any codes into a computer to have the robot correct its mistake. The boss didn't say a word. She simply looked over, recognized the robot's error, and the robot was able to recognize her thoughts and correct its mistake.
This may sound like a scene out of a sci-fi movie but it's close to reality.
Scientists from Boston University and MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have joined efforts to develop brain-controlled robots.
The goal is to make robots a more natural extension of humans, so that the human/robot relationship becomes more of a partnership.
"The process brings us one step closer to seamless interaction between robots and humans," said Frank Guenther, a BU professor of neuroscience. "I think it will allow humans to easily interact with multiple robots."
The project, which has been in the works for about two years, is intended to enable a robot to detect a signal in a human brain that recognizes an error.
The simple act of a human noticing a mistake leads to a fairly robust brain signal that can be detected outside the person's scalp, according to Guenther.
In the MIT/BU project, Guenther said a person in the human/robot partnership wears a skullcap with electroencephalography (EEG) sensors that monitor and record the user's brain activity.
The researchers' machine-learning algorithms enable the "feedback system" to classify brain waves, such as signals created when the person notices a mistake, in the space of 10 to 30 milliseconds.
The robot then picks up on that particular brain signal and corrects its actions because of it.
"It turns out that just the act of noticing the mistake leads to a fairly robust brain signal that we can pick up outside the scalp with these EEG electrodes," said Guenther. "This provides an example of reading the mind of a human, using perfectly safe, non-invasive technology."
In the experiment, the robot is told to pick up one of two cups. A human observer is told which cup the robot is supposed to pick up. If the robot does not pick up the correct cup, it will recognize the human's brain signal indicating that the robot has made a mistake. The robot will then stop, correct itself and reach for the other cup.
"These signals can dramatically improve accuracy, creating a continuous dialogue between human and robot in communicating their choices," said CSAIL research scientist Stephanie Gil, in a statement.
Such an ability could one day be transferred to robots working in the home or in the enterprise.
"With a system that a worker could wear, we can use the information from the user's brain without them having to do anything," Guenther said. "It's an effortless process for the user, and they're simply watching for something to go awry."
Guenther acknowledged that robots being able to read humans' brains might make some people nervous, but he said that's not an issue at this point.
"This system requires a very sophisticated and expensive set of equipment to read these signals," Guenther explained. "We're nowhere near a system that can read the mind of someone who is not a willing participant. The technology isn't about reading random people's minds, but just for people who are wearing equipment that will let that happen."
He added that the researchers are working to strengthen their algorithms and make the system more efficient.


Does any of this sound familiar? Presbyterians discuss marriage at General Assembly; discern teachings of Scripture in light of new social relations. And no, this isn't from 2014, or 2006, or 1991, or 1980.
Presbyterians have been talking about marriage and divorce since 1647.
The humble advice of the Assembly of Divines, in Chapter XXIV, in addition to proscribing marriage of believers to papists, idolaters, and heretics, permitted only two grounds for divorce: adultery and willful desertion. The innocent party could remarry "as if the offending party were dead."
Fast-forward to 1858. Maria C. and William A. Cowles were married in January 1839 in Massachusetts. Cowles was a drunk, "ill-natured and abusive," and Maria fled his household for Iowa after eleven years of marriage. In 1853, the Wayne County court granted Maria's appeal for divorce, and she promptly married the Presbyterian minister James H. Shields. Learning of their marriage, the New School Presbytery of Des Moines charged Shields with adultery, convicted him, removed him from the ministry, and excommunicated him. The Synod of Iowa reversed Presbytery; Presbytery appealed to the General Assembly.
Since Maria proved neither that William had committed adultery, nor that he had deserted her, the Assembly upheld Presbytery, voting 106 to 52 to excommunicate Shields. "Lying, as the institution of marriage does, at the foundation of order, purity, and prosperity in the State and the Church, the Assembly cannot view without abhorrence any attempt to diminish its sanctity or to extend beyond the warrant of the Holy Scriptures the grounds of divorce." Adherence to the Westminster standards trumped compassion for abused women, in a decision the New York Times called "unwarrantably severe."
But in the tumult of America's nineteenth century, faced with an increasingly mobile and rootless population, Presbyterians worked to modify the Confession of Faith to remove even willful desertion as grounds for divorce. If the Shields decision was the necessary outcome of a brand of Presbyterian originalism, the late nineteenth century saw an outpouring of hyperorthodox activism. The 1869 United Presbyterian Church of North America General Assembly appointed a task force to study the legitimacy of marriage after divorce by willful desertion. Its majority report refused to admit desertion as grounds for divorce, identifying, contra the Assembly of Divines, only adultery as the "one justifiable cause of divorce."
The Assembly tabled the report, but in 1888 the issue resurfaced, with the Presbytery of Westmoreland asking the Assembly to remove the willful desertion clause from the Confession of Faith. In 1883 the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbytery of Cleveland offered a resolution decrying the newly-prevalent practice of divorce, writing that the bonds of marriage were commonly "sundered for insufficient and trifling reasons." Following overtures in 1902 from the Presbyteries of Baltimore and Washington to strike willful desertion from the Confession, the PCUSA General Assembly passed the question to its Committee on Marriage and Divorce. The Committee continued work through the 1905 Assembly, ultimately adding a one-year waiting period on remarriage for innocent parties, a restriction nowhere found in the Westminster standards.
The PCUSA continued work on the issue through its Special Committee on Marriage and Divorce, which operated from 1927 to 1931 and was reorganized in 1947. In 1952 the PCUSA General Assembly moved to amend sections of the Westminster Confession, eliminating "innocent parties" language, broadening the grounds for divorce. The Confession of 1967 framed marriage in terms of compassion rather than discipline, saying, "[...]the church comes under the judgment of God and invites rejection by society when it fails to lead men and women into the full meaning of life together, or withholds the compassion of Christ from those caught in the moral confusion of our time."
Searching for new means of strengthening marriages and supporting families in the early twentieth century, a number of Southern California congregations organized Schooner Clubs, first among them one at Calvary Presbyterian Church (Wilmington, Calif.). In pastor Louis Evans' words, the clubs would support couples in "the Good Ship Matrimony on the Sea of Life." With the Church their Anchor and Christ their Pilot, other nautical-themed couples' clubs sprouted in the next few years. On June 22, 1936, the Schooner and Clipper clubs of Southern California gathered at Evans' next church, First Presbyterian Church (Pomona, Calif.) for dinner and fellowship as Presbyterian Mariners, with one enthusiastic member carrying a banner which read "FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION."
Though suspended during the Second World War, the annual gathering served as the high point of Mariners' life: they met in 1940 at Big Bear Lake, at Lake Tahoe in 1946, and at Red Rocks, Colorado in 1949, where the convention was officially named the Annual Cruise. Presbyterian Mariners bonded through their accoutrements: promotional material for the Eighteenth Annual Cruise in Monmouth, Illinois asked families to bring their "club gear" and "family flags." Mariners sponsored week-long family vacations at Presbyterian camps and conference centers, the first Family Camp being held in 1955. With a newfound political awareness, Mariners revised its program in 1968, calling fleets not merely to care for the Christian life of families, but to work actively for social justice. As part of this work, Mariners published guides for families, such as the filmstrip Pigeonholes are for pigeons: freeing men and women from restrictive roles (1972).
Presbyterians have responded to changes in the makeup of the American family, and to the transformation of the rights and responsibilities of women and men within the family, with anxious discipline and mutual aid, seeking wisdom and ultimately acting with simple compassion.


How do I replace a gas oven / cook top?
I have an old gas cook top and a gas wall oven. I need to replace them with a stainless steel model so it matches my kitchen. Could you give me some pointers?
Just a note.........I thought it would be a quickie job......until I found out, by law, gas connections must be made my a licensed person. It was a quickie job...someone else did it.
Only thing I can offer is make sure the vent over the stove is the right size for your cooking surface......not only lenghth but also for the BTU level of your stove. People moving to the higher BTU stoves also need to upgrade their hoods.
Was it just my budget or wall oven size that prevented me from getting a self cleaning model? Bummer.
See if combo oven...convection is available. Friends with such really like them. As to cook top, I'm with you......stainless.
Gas is inherently dangerous, so best left to a gas fitter.
If your appliance is connected with a flexible stainless steel gas supply then you could replace this with a new one.
NEVER re use the old one. I repeat.. NEVER use the old one for any reason.
Shut off the gas supply at the appliance before doing ANY work.
There is a leak detecting liquid (not dishwashing liquid) that you put on all the joints to check for leaks. If it bubbles, there is a leak there and it would need to be tightened slightly and tested again.


1. Spray four 12x18 inch pans with cooking spray. Spread frozen hash browns out evenly in pans so that potatoes are layered about 1-1/2 or 2 inches deep. If you have two people working together, the first person can spread potatoes in pans while the second person does step 2.
2. Dice onion. Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until onion is soft, 3-5 minutes, stirring a few times.
3. In a small bowl combine hot water and chicken bouillon, stirring until dissolved. Add to cooked onion mixture in pot, and let heat.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, garlic salt and cornstarch until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to onion mixture in pot, and continue to heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is bubbly and beginning to thicken. Watch carefully and stir often as mixtures gets near the boiling point.
6. Pour cheese sauce over all pans of potatoes, dividing sauce as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the top of all the casseroles. Finish by finely crushing corn flakes and sprinkling those atop all casseroles.
7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until cheese is hot and bubbly and is getting some browned bits. Enjoy!
Just make sure your cornflakes are gluten free. Not all are.


This is the abstract from the original paper describing this potential, from 1990. This potential is an updated version, appearing in the 1994 paper given in the citation.
The letter grade A was assigned because the normalized error in the computation was 4.21936e-10 compared with a machine precision of 2.22045e-16. The letter grade was based on 'score=log10(error/eps)', with ranges A=[0, 7.5], B=(7.5, 10.0], C=(10.0, 12.5], D=(12.5, 15.0), F>15.0. 'A' is the best grade, and 'F' indicates failure.


I've clicked on the link at the top of the Order Confirmation, but nothing happens?
Some older browsers will not open a link in a new 'tab' or 'window' - however you can print the tickets from your Order Confirmation email; this will contain a link to the PDF for your tickets.
I accidentally closed my browser, before I printed the ticket!
Don't worry, you will receive an email of your Booking Confirmation; this contains a link so that you can print your tickets.
You can also print your ticket from your order history, simply login to your account and go to 'My Shop'; select 'Order History'; click on the order number from the list shown and when this opens you will see a link to the ticket PDF, or you can re-send the email to yourself.
I've received the email, but the link still doesn't work?
If clicking on the link does not open your browser automatically, then 'right-click' on the message, and this should offer you the option to 'copy the hyperlink'.
Copy the link, open your browser, and 'paste' the link directly into your browser's URL bar.
My printer has lost/damaged the printout of the tickets, can I re-print?
Yes, you can use the link again to re-open the PDF of your tickets.
Of course you can print the ticket several times, but please note that our turnstiles will only work once for the same ticket!
I don't have a program that will open a 'PDF'.
Our tickets are written in the standard ©Adobe format. If you don't have their reader installed you can download this from here.
I get an error message when I try to open the PDF.
Error: The file is damaged and could not be repaired. - this indicates that you may have either an older version, or a corrupted copy of Adobe, or the browser was unable to retrieve the file quickly enough (a page 'refresh' will resolve this).
Error: The application 'Adobe Reader' has unexpectedly quit. - an issue on Mac.
Visit the ©Adobe web site, and follow their instructions for upgrading or repairing your reader.
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That's the way the Big Boys talked in the old days...when conversations with the Lord were commonplace and Amalek and his pals were freely labeled as the rabid, evil animals they were for picking off stragglers and attacking and killing Jews out of hand just for the pure sport and profit of it as the Jews moved through the desert after leaving Pharaoh's Egypt. No illusions there...you have to defeat evil, not negotiate with it. G-d said so,and He most likely knew what He was talking about. In any event, He'd been right enough times so that Moses, Aaron and Joshua weren't about to argue the point.They girded themselves, defeated Amalek and then proceeded on their way in peace.
Some things never change, just the names of the players. Appeasing evil never ends well.
Note another thing about the above passage...it says there will be war with Amalek from generation to generation, and gives the Jews the responsibility of fighting in that war to defeat evil wherever it rears its ugly head at them.
The Jews commemorate one of those victories over a latter day manifestation of Amalek Wednesday night when they celebrate Purim, the victory of Queen Esther and Mordecai over the evil Haman, who successfully manipulated the King of Persia into signing on to the murder, enslavement and plunder of every Jew in Persia.
Yes, crazed, genocidal Persian maniacs are not a new situation for the Jews. Like I said, only the names of the players change.
The Megillah known as The Book of Esther which is read in every synagogue in the world at Purim relates how Queen Esther,wife of the Persian king initially reacted like a great many people do even today, by simply pretending that what was going on didn't concern her,and rationalizing it. However, she came to her senses and realized that a threat to her people was a threat to her, even in her place as high up and removed as the King's palace. Esther realized it wasn't enough to save herself. She knew she needed to save her people as well, or perish with them. She took the commandment to battle Amalek to heart and risked her life and position to defeat Haman and his evil allies and, along with her brother Mordecai, lead her people to victory.
Purim is preceded by a fast in honor of Esther, and then, it's party time. Many Jews observe the custom of sending a special basket of goodies to friends and family, the Megillah reading is a noisy and joyous affair especially loved by children, celebrations, noisemakers and costumes abound, and even a bit of liquid libation is quite common..along with some traditional special pastries known as humantashen, shaped like the three cornered hat Haman traditionally wore.
Think of it a sort of like the Jewish equivalent of carnival.Without the steel pan music and bare midriffs, but still lots of fun.
As far as I'm concerned, Purim may have special meaning for the Jews, but it ought to belong to the whole world. It's a joyous occasion celebrating the triumph of good over evil, as well as a lesson we badly need to take to heart, given what all of us face today from Amalek's modern descendants.


The part of the mind that is aware of itself; the consciousness.
Aware of one's own existence; aware of one's own awareness.
He had counted upon blindness, the unsuspicion of perfect confidence; but a passive, conscious conformity such as this--The thing was unbelievable, providential, too unnaturally good to last.
Although acutely conscious of living in a 'wilderness,' they stoutheartedly refused to yield an inch to pioneer prejudices or frontier values.
Meaning of conscious for the defined word.
Grammatically, this word "conscious" is an adjective. It's also a noun, more specifically, a countable noun.


Comrade Obamanation -- er excuse me, he is actually just a Socialist - issues statement that is a lie at best. Please read that last phrase - "at best"
The Treasury says that the debt ceiling needs to be raised by Oct. 17 to avoid potential default on some U.S. obligations. After that date, the Treasury would have only approximately $30 billion to meet all of its commitments. On some days, expenditures can go as high as $60 billion.
So was the Treasury Report intended to provide actual and useful information or to just be used for scare tactics?
I think you know the answer. If government spending is actually around $7.8 Trillion dollars then our deficit is much higher than is reported to the people stuck with the bill! In 2013 Federal [sic] government revenue was $2.7 Trillion dollars. So this would mean that our true deficit for 2013 was $5.1 Trillion dollars. That would be roughly $17,000 for every man, woman, child and unborn baby in the entire country!
If the $30 to $60 Billion dollars a day is greatly inflated - then the Treasury Department is engaging in propaganda scare tactics.
If the numbers are accurate - then the actual spending in Washington, deficits and debt are being mis-represented.
Neither is very good and "at best" they are just lying to us. The other alternative is that they are destroying your future, non mention your children and grandchildren!
Early Thursday morning, Potomac Research Group analyst Greg Valliere predicted that if the debt-ceiling deadline grew closer, President Barack Obama would play his "trump card" in the debate. He would remind seniors that if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling, seniors wouldn't get their Social Security checks.
"GOP strategists like Karl Rove surely know that it's just a matter of time before President Obama throws a game-changer — warning senior citizens that their Social Security checks won't be mailed because of John Boehner," Valliere wrote in a note to clients.
A few hours later, Obama did just that during a speech at M. Luis Construction Company in Rockville, Md. He spent much of the speech warning that while the ongoing government shutdown was damaging, failure to raise the debt ceiling by an Oct. 17 deadline would be even worse.
"In a government shutdown, Social Security checks still go out on time. In an economic shutdown — if we don't raise the debt ceiling — they don't go out on time," Obama said. "In a government shutdown, disability benefits still arrive on time. In an economic shutdown, they don't."
Earlier on Thursday, the Treasury Department warned in a big report that breaching the debt ceiling could inflict economic calamity "more severe than any seen since the Great Depression."
"The United States has never defaulted on its obligations, and the U.S. dollar and Treasury securities are at the center of the international financial system," the report said.
"A default would be unprecedented and has the potential to be catastrophic: credit markets could freeze, the value of the dollar could plummet, U.S. interest rates could skyrocket, the negative spillovers could reverberate around the world, and there might be a financial crisis and recession that could echo the events of 2008 or worse."
Obama says that he won't negotiate over raising the debt ceiling, calling it Congress' responsibility. House Republicans, meanwhile, have looked to extract some kind of concession out of Obama in exchange for a debt-ceiling hike.


Searching / Search Engines are an essential part of every content specific software or web product. The essential part of a good search engine might involve indexing of the content to be searched so that the content can be stored like a hash table to access the content at O(1) complexity.
How do we achieve this indexing? There are two conventional ways to achieve this, which are Forward and Reverse Indexing. While Forward Indexing involves storing the indexes on a sample to token hash table format, Reverse Indexing stores the indexes as token to sample format.
For example if the sentence to be searched is - 'what is love?', the tokens would be 'what', 'is' and 'love'. Now the entry as per forward indexing would store the key as 'what is love?' and the value as a list of tuples 'what', 'is' and 'love', while as per reverse indexing, we would append the keys 'what', 'is' and 'love' withe the sample 'what is love?'.
One major problem to address while indexing is the generation of correct tokens. Finding the root word of each tuple is quite important as it reduces the index size drastically, say equal, equals and equally can be just stored in one root word equal. Here Stemmers and Lemmatizers come into picture.
Stemming strips down a word into a root word using standard english patterns and does it's job pretty efficiently most of the times. It is fast and involves less computation and is widely used in search algorithms.
Lemmatizers are used where a more precise result is required while finding out the root words, where the number of keys and data size is a constraint and we need more realistic keys. Lemmatizers are a common concept or branch of Natural Language Processing which intelligently find out the root words of the tokens using heuristics and stored language dictionaries. There are various dictionaries being built for various languages which are pretty efficient.
One of the good implementations I experienced which is still at a nacent stage in building it's English dictionary is the Lemmagen. Extremely efficient, pretty good algorithms used and easily portable via platform invokes / c-library. Completely written in native C++ without using any external libraries. I have written a python-usable exposed makefile and other stuff which creates a shared object of this project when complied and exposes its lemmatization functions to the python interpreter. The code for which can be found HERE.


What happens when a Labour council signs a £2 billion Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract with a multinational corporation to manage its streets for the next 25 years? It ends up with local residents being arrested by South Yorkshire Police for peacefully protesting to save mature roadside trees being felled by Amey plc.
This is what has been happening in Sheffield over the last few months. It's cheaper for Amey to cut trees down than it is to maintain them and the pavements. Amey has a clear profit motive - if it blitzes the city's trees in the first five years of its 25-year contract, it can spend the next 20 years with much lower maintenance costs.
Because of the furore caused by this, the council set up an 'Independent Trees Panel' to assess whether trees were "dying, diseased, decaying or dangerous" but then ignored its advice and cut the trees down anyway!
In November the Labour council colluded with Amey and South Yorkshire Police in a dawn raid to cut trees down on Rustlings Road. This resulted in two pensioners and a passer-by being arrested on charges subsequently thrown out at court.
After that public relations disaster the council said that there wouldn't be any more 5am operations. But the tree felling has continued with over 4,000 axed so far and another 14,000 planned.
This has led to huge and well organised opposition of local campaign groups coordinated by Sheffield Trees Action Group (STAG). Sheffield's Labour council leaders have dismissed this as being "a middle-class issue". While it's true that most protests have been in 'leafier' areas, the future of the environment is not just a 'middle class issue', as nature and pollution affect us all. In any case, many of the tree protesters are being politicised as they connect together austerity cuts and privatisation with the role of the council, Amey and the police.
The issue has split the local Labour Party and Momentum. One Labour councillor was suspended from the Labour group for abstaining on a motion critical of the council's handling of Rustlings Road. Resolutions critical of the council leaders have been discussed at Labour ward meetings. And a "Labour Against PFI" banner is now often seen on protests.
Last week, nine more protesters, including a Green Party councillor, were arrested under 1992 anti-trade union laws for "preventing lawful work". Police appear in big numbers before every felling to facilitate Amey contractors. Two residents were even arrested who were standing under a tree with the property owner's consent. South Yorkshire Police are acting as Amey's private security firm!
This is what happens when Labour councils refuse to fight the Tory government cuts; they end up down the privatisation road, backing corporations against local residents and sending police to use Thatcher's anti-union laws to arrest people.
The first two protesters arrested under anti-union legislation back in November go to trial on 9th March in what will be a big test case given the increasing number of arrests.
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 13 February 2017 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.


Dr. Dre to Star and Produce -- in an Apple Original?
You've probably heard about the growing popularity of Netflix originals -- and maybe even watched a few. But what about this?
Dr. Dre will be starring in Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) first scripted television series, according to a Friday report from The Hollywood Reporter. The company's move to produce original content follows Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG), (NASDAQ:GOOGL) YouTube, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN), and other streaming video companies. Here's why Apple may be joining in with its own originals.
Dr. Dre. Image source: Apple.
Apple's Beats Electronics acquisition in 2014 has served a number of purposes. But one of the clear takeaways from the start was that a key asset acquired in the acquisition beyond the Dr. Dre-branded hardware was the human capital in Dr. Dre and co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Both have continued to play key roles for Apple, and Dr. Dre is now apparently even starring in the company's inaugural foray into original content.
The new series, which is currently called Vital Signs, will be a six-episode semi-autobiographical series, according to Hollywood Reporter. The show will focus on a distinct emotion in each episode, showing how Dr. Dre's character deals with them. Sam Rockwell and Mo McCrae are reportedly included in the cast, too.
"The series likely will be distributed via Apple Music, the company's subscription streaming site, but it's not clear if Apple TV, the iTunes store or other Apple platforms (or even a traditional television distributor) will be involved. Apple and a rep for Dre declined to comment."
This could signal a move for Apple Music toward the way Alphabet is packaging YouTube Red. That service offers an ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music experience, as well as recently launched YouTube originals.
There is an undeniably strong case for producing original content -- a case that first started gaining steam with streaming-video company Netflix. Netflix has seen immense success in funding its own aggressive expansion of original content, so much that it wants to rollout 600 hours of original content during 2016, up 33% from the 450 hours is rolled out in 2015. Companies such as Netflix, Amazon, and now Alphabet's YouTube, are using original content to distinguish their services, helping to attract and retain subscribers. Amazon uses it for its Prime shipping service, and YouTube hopes it will beef up its new YouTube Red service.
Apple likely hopes original content on its platform can help set the company's Apple Music -- and whatever it may morph into -- apart.
Apple could leap onto the scene of "originals" very quickly and with great volume. Thanks to the company's massive balance sheet of over $200 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, any of the company's film projects could have access to considerable financial support.
With Apple reportedly putting plans for a bundled television service on hold, the company could be shifting its resources and energy for television toward a ramp in original content. For now, however, Hollywood Reporter says that Dre's series is "currently the only scripted original on deck at Apple." So, it's not clear yet just how seriously Apple could be taking this new initiative. It's possible investors may here more about this new show at the company's rumored March 15 event.


The applicant second defendant (X) applied to adjourn a trial date in a claim brought by the claimant (H) where the first defendant was (F).
The trial date in the claim was set for February 2011 after two previous trial dates had been vacated. Once the current trial date had been set, the witness statements were due to be served towards the end of September 2010 pursuant to directions. X's solicitors wrote to H's solicitors shortly before service of the witness statements was due, informing them that they were not able to serve and needed 7 more days. H's solicitors agreed to that short extension. Shortly before the later date for service X's solicitors wrote again to H's solicitors stating that they were not prepared to serve any witness statements until after the date fixed for trial, and asking for consent to vacation of that date. One reason given for the delay was that X wished to listen to 50,000 voice recordings to see if any were relevant. Subsequently, X's solicitors refused to disclose any such recordings obtained, to disclose a list of documents, and to allow H's solicitors to come and listen to the recordings. X's solicitors were also unwilling to listen to the recordings, so X would do it. At first, F took a neutral position on the application for adjournment, but then supported it on hearing X's submissions. At the hearing, H produced to the court a timetable showing how the existing trial date could be met.
X submitted that (1) in September X discovered that recordings of phone calls might exist, which X had previously thought destroyed. The transcription of the recordings would not be finished until January 2011 and then X's experts would need three-to-four weeks to consider them. Thus, the trial date needed to be vacated; (2) H's timetable was wholly unrealistic.
(1) It was necessary to consider any other option that would avoid another postponement, and whatever steps could and should be taken should be considered. It was wrong to allow a further adjournment unless the judge was satisfied that X's failure to comply with orders should be allowed to lead to postponement, which was a last resort. X had not satisfactorily explained their failures to comply with the orders as to disclosure and witness statements. X had not dealt with the recordings in a satisfactory way. The trial date was not to be adjourned. (2) The judge was not satisfied that H's timetable was unrealistic.
The trial date in an action was not vacated for the third time on an application for adjournment where it was possible to maintain the trial date.


i think you are NOT supposed to use citrus fruit juices (so i have read)with mms.
there is probably too much natural occurring vit c and that cancelled out much of the chlorine dioxide --- thats probably why it tasted better. too bad though-- would've been nice LOL. i have found that natures promise concord grape masks the taste pretty well and so does r.w. knudsen pure black cherry juice. neither of them have any vit c at all.
Hey, guys, how about using lemon juice as both an activator *and* a mask for the taste?
I've recently started squeezing a fresh lemon (strained) into a glass of water for liver cleansing/maintenance. This is in addition to taking my Miracle-Mineral-Supplement , which I've been activating with c. acid solution and then drinking separately with just water.
But what if I combined all these steps?
1. Squeeze one fresh lemon into glass (about 1 oz of lemon juice).
3. Wait 3 minutes, add water, and drink.
I wouldn't even have to use the citric acid solution, and I figure I would taste mostly lemon.
As I recall, it's OK to use more activator than you need. In this case, it would be an abundance of fresh lemon juice that would also help the liver and mask the Miracle-Mineral-Supplement taste. Right?
Finally, regarding the grapefruit warning above: What about eating a fresh grapefruit? Could I do that for breakfast after taking MMS? Or should I wait a while?
Just to reiterate, using grapefruit, orange or even lemon juice as the dilution or any other citrus juice or anything with Vitamin C in it will render the Miracle-Mineral-Supplement useless. Lemon juice in the small quantity used for activation does not have enough Vitamin C in it to cause a problem, though from what I've read, citric acid is better, which is what I use.
I've been taking the Miracle-Mineral-Supplement with just distilled water. I worked up to 15 drops at one point, but I got too nauseous. I don't like fruit juice because it just has too much Sugar (and I'm talking about 100% juice.) But I've finally gotten sick of the taste of just water diluted solution, so I got some 100% apple juice and tried that for the first time this morning. It's much better.
I wouldn't recommend using grapefruit juice with the Miracle-Mineral-Supplement solution as it is not listed as an acceptable juice in the book nor on the bottle I bought from Global Light Network. You are not supposed to use juice with any Vit C content because it competes with the C in the activator (lime, lemon juice or citric acid ). Doing so can diminish the affects.


Make a closed loop that visits all the given circles and does not visit the same station twice.
At a black circle, you must transfer to a different-colored line, and must not transfer at either the station before or the station after.
At a white circle, you must not transfer, but must transfer at either or both of the neighboring stations.
For each listed pair of stations, determine how many of the stations (0, 1, or 2) each route visits. Read the resulting three-digits number as a ternary number and convert each to a letter to get the answer PEARL HOMINY.


As an architect, I often ask myself, what is the origin of the forms that we design? What kind of forms could we design if we wouldn't work with references anymore? If we had no bias, if we had no preconceptions, what kind of forms could we design if we could free ourselves from our experience? If we could free ourselves from our education? What would these unseen forms look like? Would they surprise us? Would they intrigue us? Would they delight us? If so, then how can we go about creating something that is truly new?
I propose we look to nature. Nature has been called the greatest architect of forms. And I'm not saying that we should copy nature, I'm not saying we should mimic biology, instead I propose that we can borrow nature's processes. We can abstract them and to create something that is new. Nature's main process of creation, morphogenesis, is the splitting of one cell into two cells. And these cells can either be identical, or they can be distinct from each other through asymmetric cell division.
If we abstract this process, and simplify it as much as possible, then we could start with a single sheet of paper,one surface, and we could make a fold and divide the surface into two surfaces. We're free to choose where we make the fold. And by doing so, we can differentiate the surfaces. Through this very simple process, we can create an astounding variety of forms.
Now, we can take this form and use the same process to generate three-dimensional structures, but rather than folding things by hand, we'll bring the structure into the computer, and code it as an algorithm. And in doing so, we can suddenly fold anything. We can fold a million times faster, we can fold in hundreds and hundreds of variations.
And as we're seeking to make something three-dimensional, we start not with a single surface, but with a volume. A simple volume, the cube. If we take its surfaces and fold them again and again and again and again, then after 16 iterations,16 steps, we end up with 400,000 surfaces and a shape that looks, for instance, like this. And if we change where we make the folds, if we change the folding ratio, then this cube turns into this one. We can change the folding ratio again to produce this shape, or this shape.
So we exert control over the form by specifying the position of where we're making the fold, but essentially you're looking at a folded cube. And we can play with this. We can apply different folding ratios to different parts of the form to create local conditions. We can begin to sculpt the form.
And because we're doing the folding on the computer, we are completely free of any physical constraints. So that means that surfaces can intersect themselves, they can become impossibly small. We can make folds that we otherwise could not make. Surfaces can become porous. They can stretch. They can tear. And all of this expounds the scope of forms that we can produce.
But in each case, I didn't design the form. I designed the process that generated the form. In general, if we make a small change to the folding ratio, which is what you're seeing here, then the form changes correspondingly.
But that's only half of the story -- 99.9 percent of the folding ratios produce not this, but this, the geometric equivalent of noise. The forms that I showed before were made actually through very long trial and error. A far more effective way to create forms, I have found, is to use information that is already contained in forms. A very simple form such as this one actually contains a lot of information that may not be visible to the human eye. So, for instance, we can plot the length of the edges. White surfaces have long edges, black ones have short ones. We can plot the planarity of the surfaces, their curvature, how radial they are -- all information that may not be instantly visible to you, but that we can bring out, that we can articulate, and that we can use to control the folding.
So now I'm not specifying a single ratio anymore to fold it, but instead I'm establishing a rule, I'm establishing a link between a property of a surface and how that surface is folded. And because I've designed the process and not the form, I can run the process again and again and again to produce a whole family of forms.
These forms look elaborate, but the process is a very minimal one. There is a simple input, it's always a cube that I start with, and it's a very simple operation -- it's making a fold, and doing this over and over again.
So let's bring this process to architecture. How? And at what scale? I chose to design a column. Columns are architectural archetypes. They've been used throughout history to express ideals about beauty, about technology. A challenge to me was how we could express this new algorithmic order in a column. I started using four cylinders. Through a lot of experimentation, these cylinders eventually evolved into this.
And these columns, they have information at very many scales. We can begin to zoom into them. The closer one gets, the more new features one discovers. Some formations are almost at the threshold of human visibility. And unlike traditional architecture, it's a single process that creates both the overall form and the microscopic surface detail. These forms are undrawable. An architect who's drawing them with a pen and a paper would probably take months, or it would take even a year to draw all the sections, all of the elevations, you can only create something like this through an algorithm.
The more interesting question, perhaps, is, are these forms imaginable? Usually, an architect can somehow envision the end state of what he is designing. In this case, the process is deterministic. There's no randomness involved at all, but it's not entirely predictable. There's too many surfaces, there's too much detail, one can't see the end state.
So this leads to a new role for the architect. One needs a new method to explore all of the possibilities that are out there. For one thing, one can design many variants of a form, in parallel, and one can cultivate them. And to go back to the analogy with nature, one can begin to think in terms of populations, one can talk about permutations, about generations, about crossing and breeding to come up with a design. And the architect is really, he moves into the position of being an orchestrator of all of these processes.
But enough of the theory. At one point I simply wanted to jump inside this image, so to say, I bought these red and blue 3D glasses, got up very close to the screen, but still that wasn't the same as being able to walk around and touch things. So there was only one possibility -- to bring the column out of the computer.
There's been a lot of talk now about 3D printing. For me, or for my purpose at this moment, there's still too much of an unfavorable tradeoff between scale, on the one hand, and resolution and speed, on the other. So instead, we decided to take the column, and we decided to build it as a layered model, made out of very many slices, thinly stacked over each other.
What you're looking at here is an X-ray of the column that you just saw, viewed from the top. Unbeknownst to me at the time, because we had only seen the outside, the surfaces were continuing to fold themselves, to grow on the inside of the column, which was quite a surprising discovery. From this shape, we calculated a cutting line, and then we gave this cutting line to a laser cutter to produce -- and you're seeing a segment of it here -- very many thin slices, individually cut, on top of each other.
And this is a photo now, it's not a rendering, and the column that we ended up with after a lot of work, ended up looking remarkably like the one that we had designed in the computer. Almost all of the details, almost all of the surface intricacies were preserved.
But it was very labor intensive. There's a huge disconnect at the moment still between the virtual and the physical. It took me several months to design the column, but ultimately it takes the computer about 30 seconds to calculate all of the 16 million faces. The physical model, on the other hand, is 2,700 layers,one millimeter thick, it weighs 700 kilos, it's made of sheet that can cover this entire auditorium. And the cutting path that the laser followed goes from here to the airport and back again.
But it is increasingly possible. Machines are getting faster, it's getting less expensive, and there's some promising technological developments just on the horizon. These are images from the Gwangju Biennale. And in this case, I used ABS plastic to produce the columns, we used the bigger, faster machine, and they have a steel core inside, so they're structural, they can bear loads for once. Each column is effectively a hybrid of two columns. You can see a different column in the mirror, if there's a mirror behind the column that creates a sort of an optical illusion.
So where does this leave us? I think this project gives us a glimpse of the unseen objects that await us if we as architects begin to think about designing not the object, but a process to generate objects. I've shown one simple process that was inspired by nature; there's countless other ones. In short, we have no constraints. Instead, we have processes in our hands right now that allow us to create structures at all scales that we couldn't even have dreamt up. And, if I may add, at one point we will build them.
Siamak Hariri: How do you build a sacred space?


Venus Williams will look to win her sixth Wimbledon singles crown - and first since 2008 - when she takes on Spanish star Garbiñe Muguruza on Saturday morning at the All-England Club. Venus, 37, looks to become the oldest women to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era.
- Williams has won five Wimbledon Finals, but none since 2008.
- Venus has missed time in recent years, as she has battled through injuries and illness. In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease - Sjögren's syndrome - which caused her to miss extended time.
- Despite her success at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open (7 total singles titles), Williams has never won an Australian Open or French Open.
- Venus is fourteen years older than her finals opponent. Muguruza, 23, will attempt to win her second Grand Slam title.
- Muguruza's first Grand Slam title came against Venus' sister Serena in the 2016 French Open.
- Venus is 3-1 vs. Muguruza head to head, the most recent meeting coming at the Italian Open in May (Muguruza won in three sets in the quarterfinals).
- Venus has four career gold medals (Singles title in Sydney in 2000) and three doubles titles with sister Serena (2000, 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London).
- Venus has earned $36,520,636 in prize money during her career, including $2,088,888 this season.
First Round — def. Elise Mertens, 7-6 (7), 6-4.
Second Round — def. Wang Qiang, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Third Round — def. Naomi Osaka, 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Fourth Round — def. Ana Konjuh (27), 6-3, 6-2.
Quarterfinals — def. Jelena Ostapenko (13), 6-3, 7-5.
Semifinals — def. Johanna Konta (6), 6-4, 6-2.
First Round — def. Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-2, 6-4.
Second Round — def. Yanina Wickmayer, 6-2, 6-4.
Third Round — def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-2, 6-2.
Fourth Round — def. Angelique Kerber (1), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Quarterfinals — def. Svetlana Kuznetsova (7), 6-3, 6-4.
Semifinals — def. Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-1, 6-1.


Is the e-Pragati scheme of Andhra Pradesh govt. a ploy to create a surveillance state?
George Orwell, in his one of the most celebrated works, 1984, writes about the surveillance state. In George Orwell’s surveillance state, the government places microphones and television screens in homes of the people and also in the public places. The state detects each and every movement of its subjects. The state uses the technology to alter the consciousness of people and to take control over their lives. According to Huffington Post, we are seeing something like that unfolding in the present-day Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh government has initiated a scheme called e-Pragati, a digital initiative aimed at connecting citizens to 34 departments, 336 autonomous organizations and 745+ services. According to Huffington post report, through e-Pragati, Andhra Pradesh government intends to realize its vision of “Sunrise AP 2022”.
This data can be easily pulled up on the screens in the control room, opposite of CM office of AP, called the Real-Time Governance Centre (RTGC). In the control room, people continuously monitor government programs and schemes in order to improve the implantation, reduce inefficiency and to make sure that welfare schemes are reaching to its targeted beneficiary.
According to Huffington Post, state has data of all 43 million people of Andhra Pradesh: GPS coordinate of their homes, what they are buying, where they are going, what food ration they are eating and also what are they saying about their Chief Minister on their social media accounts, real-time footage from thousands of cameras (people can even request to place CCTV cameras inside their homes), caste and sub-castes of people, religion and many other things including Aadhaar numbers. Such a system has been created without any public debate or discussion.
The Andhra Pradesh government claims that e-Pragati project would be a catalyst in the strong implementation of various developmental projects and welfare schemes. It will cut down red-tapism. The problem of the digital divide would be addressed. It will empower the state to focus on the quality of life of its citizens with a special emphasis on quality of education, healthcare, skill development, agriculture, infrastructure, and services. E-Pragati would help to improve law and order. And it will also bring more transparency.
In its quest to bring transparency the state is blurring the line between transparency and right to privacy. No doubt that this project would do many good things but it can cause so much unimaginable damage as well. It can be exploited to create an Orwellian world. It gives massive power to the state to control the people. It’s alarming. In India there are no laws to safeguard people from something like this. It can be very dangerous the moment it lands in the wrong hands. This is a huge security risk.
All this is based on a Huffington Post report, and they even claim that they have seen all this and verified it themselves. If the report is true then it is a matter of concern. Along with the advantages of e-Pragati, the danger which it invites cannot be ignored. India needs better laws and a better security system in this regard. There should be a clear-cut distinction between what can be stored, tracked and used, and what cannot. Without these things, people and their privacy will always remain in danger. We should not forget that the road to hell is always paved with good intentions.


Q: Is being a "tattooist" a job or a lifestyle?
 A: Being a tattoo artist is both a job and a lifestyle. Fortunately it is a job that you can make a lifestyle. Most people who tattoo enjoy what they do greatly and want to absorb themselves into the field as much as possible, to further their ability to create awesome work.
Q: What is your ideal tattoo shop like?
 A: My ideal tattoo shop is clean, professional looking bright and unicorn-tastic.
Q: Who does your own tattoos?
 A: I get tattooed by several people. Shane ONeil, Neil England, Mike Areheart, Robbie Kells and I have also since been tattooed by Roman and Jon from Best Ink.
Q: What was your first tattoo and why did you get it?
 A: My first tattoo was "Harley Quinn" from Batman on my shoulder. I had wanted that tattoo since I was in grade school. She was my favorite character.
Q: Do you think every tattoo has to have "meaning?"
 A: I absolutely do not think every tattoo has to have meaning. Sometimes it may just be an awesome piece of artwork that looks rad.
Q: If you could do tattoo work for one celebrity who would it be? Why?
 A: Mike Patton because he would want some f*cked up cool sh*t and he is my favorite!!
Q: What celebrity tattoo do you think is the best?
 A: I dont think Ive ever seen a good celeb tattoo.
Q: Do you think some tattoos are pointless or stupid? Why or why not?
 A: I think some tattoos can be pointless or stupid if someone gets it for the wrong reason, like trying to look cool or fit in.
Q: What makes a tattoo "great?"
 A: A great tattoo is well designed well-placed, well-executed, creative and satisfies the needs of the client and is also something that the artist can be proud of.


The statutory special needs trust (SNT) - sometimes called a supplemental care trust or qualified disability trust - has become the preferred method of settling personal injury cases for plaintiffs on Medicaid. An SNT is an irrevocable trust established for the sole benefit of a disabled person. It is funded with the proceeds of a personal injury tort, medical malpractice claim, or a workers' compensation claim. There are two requirements, however: 1) that the person be under 65 years of age, and 2) the person be physically or mentally disabled.
What are the Benefits of an SNT?
Typically, disabled persons are receiving local, state, and/or federal government benefits for daily living needs and medical care, such as Medicaid, SSI, subsidized housing, vocational rehabilitation, and others. If properly drafted, the trust will preserve actual or potential public or private benefits for the beneficiary because SNTs are specifically protected from the current attribution rules that apply to trusts created with the assets of an applicant/recipient of public benefits. Thus, the purpose of a Special Needs Trust is to provide a source of funds, such as those that are received in a settlement or jury verdict, without disqualifying the beneficiary from receiving further benefits from the government. SNT funds are meant to be used for supplemental care in addition to the care made possible by government benefits.
In addition, the SNT funds are protected from creditors and bankruptcy. The SNT can also provide professional management and investment of assets without the formal court supervision required in a property guardianship. Lastly, an SNT is tax exempt which will be later discussed herein.
What Can an SNT Pay For?
The trust may pay for and provide supplemental medical, health, nursing care, dental care, developmental, support, maintenance, education, rehabilitation, therapy, device, recreation, social opportunity, assistive device, advocacy, legal, respite care, transportation, and related expenses, personal attendant care and consultant services.
It is important to note that an SNT for an SSI beneficiary should usually never give the beneficiary cash or a cash equivalent nor pay for shelter or food without first consulting a special needs planner. If an SSI beneficiary does receive cash from the trust (or a cash equivalent like a gift card), his or her benefit will be reduced by one dollar for each dollar received, up until he or she loses their SSI benefits entirely.
Is An SNT Exempt from Income Taxation?
In short: yes! Generally, the amount of any damages received on account of personal injury or sickness is not included as income under the provisions of Internal Revenue Code Section 104(a)(2). The income earned by a lump-sum settlement, whether through interest, dividends, or capital gain, is not exempt from income taxation. However, the imputed income earned within a structured settlement is exempt from income taxation under Internal Revenue Code Section 130. A structured settlement allows a settling plaintiff and those claiming through the plaintiff to enjoy the benefit of this income tax exclusion.
Compared to a lump-sum cash settlement, the structured settlement provides financial security in the form of a lifetime income, and it matches benefits with the plaintiff’s needs. In addition, it provides management of the benefits, a guaranteed payment, and favorable income tax treatment.
The structured settlement periodic payment, however, does not eliminate the need for an SNT. Just like a lump-sum payment, the monthly payment to the plaintiff will be counted as an available resource to the applicant for Medicaid and other public benefits; thus, an individual could be disqualified from receiving public benefits. This is where an SNT comes into play – an SNT will preserve the plaintiff’s eligibility.
The trust terminates when the beneficiary dies. Any remaining funds will be used to reimburse the government for the medical assistance provided to the beneficiary after the trust was established. The trustee must work with Medicaid to verify the amount of its "pay-back" interest for medical assistance paid for the Beneficiary during his lifetime.
For more information, please contact Beam Legal Team to set up a free consultation: (866) 766-3806.


Q: Which of the following reaction when heated quickly produces small amount of chloride gas?
Explanation: 2KMnO4+16HCl 2KCl+2MnCl2+8H2O+5Cl2 KMnO4 is strongest oxidizing agent, which oxidize chlorine ion to chlorine gas.
Q: Which of the following gases is the component of a volcanic gases?
Explanation: Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is component of a volcanic gases.


Are ATP and WTA year-ending Finals becoming a tournament for outsiders?
The last two editions of the ATP Finals and the last four of the WTA Finals seem to have given a very strong and clear signal; the two tournaments are becoming events for outsiders. Those are considered favorites for the title, did not win the title.
There may be an explanation for this fact, but let's see what happened in the last four years for women and in the last two years for men. In Singapore, the last four editions have been surprising. In 2015 , to general amazement, Agnieszka Radwanska won the trophy.
That year, the Pole got the most important success of her career. The following season, it was Dominika Cibulkova who continued the trend, defeating the favorite Angelique Kerber in the final. Also in 2017 there was a surprise.
Caroline Wozniacki overcame all her opponents, including Venus Williams, in the final. The Dane crowned a great moment of form a few months later, at the 2018 Australian Open. Elina Svitolina is the last name to have been added.
Things have gone differently in the ATP Tour. For seven consecutive years, the tournament was dominated by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. In 2017, there was the surprising final: David Goffin against Grigor Dimitrov.
The Bulgarian won, thanks to a display of great tennis. Then the recent story, with Alexander Zverev unexpectedly defeating Djokovic in the final, after beating Federer in the semi-finals. At the end of a long and difficult season, the great champions seem to lose energy as the tournament reaches its conclusion.
All this could be because of physical problems, like injuries. Or this could be because of sudden loss of mental solidity. All these things can benefit outsiders, who, thanks to a week of higher level, can win one of the most important tournaments of their careers.
ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal still has no rivals on clay: not even Novak Djokovic?


"Cash or credit?" You probably get asked this question at least once every day, at grocery stores, retailers, restaurants�pretty much anywhere you spend money that accepts both forms of payment. If you have both cash and a credit card (or more) on-hand, how exactly do you decide which to pay with?
Many people believe that the only reason that you should pay for anything with your credit card is if you can afford it right that second. That way, you can enjoy the points and other benefits that come with using your credit card without worrying about adding more and more interest to your balance over time by only paying the minimum payments each month. Instead, you are able to pay off the entire balance immediately and skip all that pesky interest that can accumulate.
�	Paying with cash can help to prevent overspending. If you only have fifty dollars in your wallet, and that splurge purchase that you weren't planning on purchasing costs sixty dollars, you'll have to say goodbye to that particular impulse buy. On the other hand, if you go with credit, you can plop that credit card down, no matter how out of your budget the product happens to be.
�	Sometimes, paying with credit comes with a more expensive price tag. For example, if you pay your taxes with a credit card, you will incur an extra fee ranging from 1.90% to 3.93%, which could be quite costly depending upon how much you owe. In cases such as this one, paying with cash is your best bet.
�	When you pay with cash, you won't have to worry about paying interest on your purchase, as was mentioned earlier.
�	It's convenient. You don't have to be in-person to purchase something with a credit card. With the increased popularity of online shopping, credit cards are being used for purchases more and more.
�	It's secure. If you lose your credit card, you can call your credit card company, cancel your card, and reorder a new one. However, if you lose cash�well, it's gone, period, and you'll never see that money again.
�	Credit cards can track orders easily. If you order something, pay with a credit card, and never receive your order, you can get your money back. However, if you order something, pay with cash, and never receive your order, you're out of luck�unless the company or individual issues a refund.
Those are just a few pros and cons when it comes to paying with cash versus paying with credit. As you can see, it depends greatly on the circumstances. The best thing you can do is fully understand the pros and cons or cash versus credit and apply your knowledge to each situation as it arises.
Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer and editor based in Charleston, South Carolina. She writes about a wide variety of topics including health, fashion, finance, and credit cards.


Growing up in New Jersey I’ve had the opportunity to see Bruce Springsteen numerous times, dating all the way back to the seventies. I had always seen him in New Jersey or New York, on his home turf, where he clearly draws from the energy of the audience. I’ve now seen him five times here in the Atlanta area, and it appears Atlanta is becoming his home away from home. Perhaps it has something to do with his work with Brendon O’Brien or his recording at Southern Tracks Studio here in Atlanta, but the shows are just as vibrant and entertaining. Saturday night was no exception.
The concert was scheduled for a 7:30 pm start time, but fans who have followed him on this tour say he had been coming on about 45 mins. after the scheduled start time. Saturday night, the concert started around 8:00 pm and wrapped up around 10:45 pm. Some felt cheated he “only” played for 2 hours and 45 mins. However, the Aarons Amphitheater has a curfew which was the likely cause of the earlier than normal start and abbreviated set. Only Boss fans feel short changed when their band plays for 2 hours and 45 mins. Most bands don’t have the material or energy to make the 2 hour mark.
The Boss came out strong covering the Clash’s “Clampdown”. You never know what Bruce will pull out of his hat, but opening with a cover from a band like the Clash was an effective surprise. Bruce made it clear early in the show songs from The River would be featured. He held true to his promise playing seven songs from The River, including: The Ties That Bind, Jackson Cage, Independence Day, Cadillac Ranch, Point Blank and Drive All Night and Ramrod during the encore.
For man of 64 years of age, Bruce is showing no signs of slowing down. The addition of Tommy Morello seems to have reenergized Bruce, as Morello has injected some of the spark that has been absent since the loss of the Big Man, Clarence Clemmons. Morello’s guitar playing seems to have brought out the best in Nils Lofgren and Bruce seems to be enjoying the energy of both guitarist. Morello had several signature moments, but my favorite was his play on The Ghost of Tom Joad.
Highlights of the show for this reviewer were: Adam Raised a Cain, High Hopes, The Rising, Ramrod, and Tenth Avenue Freeze Out. The night ended with Shout and AC/DCs Highway to Hell. The complete set list is below.
I highly recommend catching this tour if it stops at a town near you.


Paragraphs six and seven read: "Meloy testified that Fisch- bacher was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1992 and was taking an anti-psychotic drug and an antidepressant at the time of his wife's death."
"Fischbacher wasn't taking as much of the anti-psychotic medication as he had in the past, and when Lisa Fischbacher came home two hours late one night, he was upset, Meloy said."
When Henry Fischbacher repeatedly struck his wife in the head with a heavy flashlight, he had no conscious thought that his blows might be fatal – he just wanted to hurt her for "humiliating" him, a forensic psychologist told Judge John Leonardo Monday.
In Pima County Superior Court, Leonardo had to decide on Monday what sentence to impose on Fischbacher for the Oct. 6, 2006, death of Lisa Fisch- bacher, 47.
Fischbacher, 51, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder in exchange for prosecutors' dismissing the first-degree-murder charge he originally faced.
The Tucson resident's attorney, Stephen Weiss, put forensic psychologist J. Reid Meloy on the stand Monday in an attempt to convince Leonardo that Fischbacher suffers from bipolar disorder (commonly called manic-depression) and should be granted leniency.
Fischbacher was facing between 16 and 20 years; Leonardo gave him 16 years.
Meloy testified that Fisch- bacher was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1992 and was taking an anti-psychotic drug and an antidepressant at the time of his wife's death.
Fischbacher wasn't taking as much of the anti-psychotic medication as he had in the past, and when Lisa Fischbacher came home two hours late one night, he was upset, Meloy said.
Fischbacher became angrier when his wife refused to apologize, and after she went to bed, he began to strike her with the flashlight, Meloy said. He later dragged her to the couple's pool and dumped her in.
Without a high dose of the anti-psychotic drug in his system, Fischbacher was highly impulsive and unable to distinguish what was reality from what wasn't, Meloy said.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Nicol Green asked for the maximum sentence, saying that any leniency already had been built into the plea agreement.
Fischbacher said his wife cried out when he was bludgeoning her, and she struggled when she went under the water, Green said. After the slaying, Fischbacher packed a bag and called in sick to work.
Court documents indicate deputies found the victim after Henry Fischbacher's sister called 911 to report that her brother had confessed to her.
Fischbacher fled to Canada, where he was taken into custody on Oct. 10, 2006, by the Parry Sound, Ontario, Provincial Police Department.
Fischbacher arrived back in Tucson last November after lengthy extradition proceedings.


I Was Given an Absolute Discharge for a Conviction Under the Canadian Criminal Code (CCC), am I Inadmissible to the United States?
I am a Canadian citizen who currently resides in Quebec, Ontario, Canada. In December of 2012, I was arrested and charged with breaking and entering and assault under the Canadian Criminal Code. As background, I dated my ex-girlfriend for two years; however, during the course of our relationship we would repeatedly break-up and then get back together. On the day of my arrest, I was at her place and we began to argue. By the end of the argument, I told her that I was finished with the relationship and that I wanted to collect all of my property that was in her apartment (e.g. pots, pans, dishes, etc). At one point, my ex-girlfriend tried to prevent me from collecting my property by standing in my way, and I unfortunately made the mistake of moving her aside so that I could leave (I did not push or shove her). She called the police and they came to the apartment to investigate the situation. Subsequently, I was arrested and charged with breaking and entering and assault.
When I attended Court, my case was handled quickly. The breaking and entering charges against me were modified to assault, which I was convicted of; however, the Court later granted an absolute discharge on the assault conviction.
Currently, I work for a company that would like to send me to the United States for business. I am concerned that my conviction makes me inadmissible to enter the United States, and as a result, I may end up losing my job. Bottom line: I do not want my company to find out about this matter. Based on the facts I provided above, do you believe that I will encounter any issues entering the United States? Will I have to inform Customs and Border Protection of my arrest and conviction?
Thank you for contacting the SRW Border Lawyers.
You state in your email that you were convicted by a Canadian Court for assault, but that you were given an absolute discharge for that conviction. Based on a March 2, 1993 memorandum issued by Winston Barrus regarding U.S. immigration consequences for absolute and conditional discharges under the Canadian Criminal Code, the memorandum notes that absolute discharges for all crimes are not considered convictions for the purposes of United States immigration law. This includes all crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMTs) and all drug-related charges as well. However, the memorandum notes that conditional discharges are regarded as convictions for the purposes of United States immigration law, even though Canadian law does not view them as convictions. Thus, based on the information you provided above, it is likely that your conviction would not affect your admissibility into the United States.
While you do not have to volunteer information about your arrest and absolute discharge to Customs and Border Protection, in general, you should answer all questions directed to you by immigration officers. We always advise clients to be honest and succinct in their answers. A sufficient response would explain that you were arrested, pled guilty to the charge of assault and were given an absolute discharge.
However, in order to ensure that the above truly applies to you, and to provide you with a complete and professional analysis of your case, I would encourage you to set up consultation to speak with us. Prior to the consultation, you should provide our office with the certificate of disposition of your case. A certificate of disposition allows our attorney’s to review what you: (1) were charged with, (2) pled guilty to, and (3) were convicted of. It also provides us with important information regarding how the Court may have disposed of your case, e.g. granting an absolute discharge. In addition, I would encourage you to obtain a copy of your Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) file. Your RCMP will provide yet another source to determine what, if any, criminal record you may have.
If, after reviewing your RCMP, you are still uneasy about applying for admission to the United States on your own, we do offer a service called “controlled admission.” During a controlled admission, one of our attorneys will accompany you to our local port-of-entry (the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York) and assist you with your application for admission, to ensure that any issues that may arise are handled appropriately.


AV referendum: What if a general election were held today under AV?
A Telegraph analysis of the alternative vote system shows the Liberal Democrats would be the main beneficiaries of an AV electoral system.
Under all predicted election scenarios under AV, the biggest change would be more seats for the Liberal Democrats.
If the 2010 general election had been held under AV, Labour could potentially have won more seats than the Conservatives.
In this hypothetical election scenario, the Liberal Democrats would have won 60 per cent more seats than they currently hold.
The Conservative Party would have lost nearly 20 per cent of their seats, with Labour gaining 9 per cent, putting them above the Conservatives, but still short of an overall majority.
The increase in Labour and Liberal Democrat seats would have made a Lab-Lib coalition in 2010 much more likely.
Despite winning more seats, Labour would have lost some key figures under AV.
Ardent supporters of the alternative vote, Tessa Jowell MP (Dulwich and W Norwood), Shadow Minister for the Olympics and Chukua Umunna MP (Streatham), a key aide to Ed Miliband, would have lost their seats to Liberal Democrat rivals at the last election.
In her role as spokesperson for the Yes to AV campaign, Tessa Jowell has said "politics will be improved" by the new system.
Many former Liberal Democrat MPs ousted at the last election would have retained their seat, including Lembit Öpik (formerly MP for Montgomeryshire).
Many first time Conservative MPs would have lost out.
New Conservative members who fought marginal seats at the last election, including Jacob Rees-Mogg MP (Somerset NE) and Louise Bageshawe MP (Corby), would not be sitting in parliament today had the last election been fought under AV.
The Telegraph has also analysed how AV would affect each of the parties based on current opinion polls.
Despite support for the Lib Dems dropping to only 11 per cent today, they would only stand to lose 5 seats, while the Conservatives would lose 89 in a landslide election win for the Labour Party.
This new analysis suggests the result of the 2010 general election would have resulted in the Labour Party gaining more seats than the Conservative Party, using predictions for second and third preferences.
Voting assumptions (the likely distribution of second, third and subsequent voting preferences) were calculated using a recent survey by YouGov (PDF link) asking participants how they would rank the parties in your order of preference if a new Alternative Vote electoral system was introduced.
Many previous analyses, which suggest there would be no change in result in the 2010 general election, were based on notions of links between political parties instead of data on the second, third and subsequent preferences.
These voting assumptions are applied to the current political make-up of the country using a mathematical predictor devised by Edmund Harriss, a British mathematician and visiting professor in the Mathematics Department of the University of Arkansas.
The hypothetical alternative vote 2011 general election and First past the post 2011 general election results use the 29 April 2011 poll-of-polls for voting intention from UKPollingReport.
Map built using Google Fusion Tables, inspired by The Texas Tribune.


I think a great feature to add would be a way to collaboratively work on playlists. I am on build 6.3.9720 and currently there is no way that I have found to allow other users to add on to playlists I create or vice versa.
A few different ways I have thought of making this possible, please comment if you have any other ideas that are more efficient/effective.
1. User based permissions: With a user based system, there would be a playlist permissions page when creating or editing a playlist you have created. This page would have 4 columns titled username, read, write, and read/write.
The username field would be automatically populated using the database of users. Read, write, and read/write would be check boxes to allow the creator to assign permissions to a individual playlist.
Pros of this method are very granular control over access to your playlists. Cons of this method are a potential for too many users to be listed and making the system annoying to use or a creator could select everyone to have access, creating a problem where another user is seeing playlists they don't want to see.
2. Group based permissions: With a group based permissions system, the Settings->Access groups would be leveraged to allow for some control over playlist rights. Instead of the current two options of Music or Video, a third option of Playlist would exist that the admin can assign an access group to. The creator of the playlist will still have a permissions page with read, write, or read/write options, this access is only granted to groups that have Playlist checked in Settings ->Access. This is only one way that I have thought of groups being used, I am sure there are plenty of other good options.
Pros for this method is that it is easier on the playlist creator to set up permissions and allows the admin to have some more control over playlist access. Cons are that the playlist creator loses some control over who is getting access since they may not be aware of which access groups have Playlist access and which users are members of those groups.
3. Increase User interation and communication: This is a more ambitious method but could allow for some other good ideas. Essentially I am thinking that there could be more features to encourage user interaction and communication. This would be applicable for playlists as follows. Users are allowed to friend other users. A user can then create their own groups (friends, family, etc) which can be treated as access control groups. When creating a playlist, each user can assign read, write, or read/write permissions to individual friends or user groups. Another example of something that could be built on that system would be individual or group based chats instead of a full public chat.
Please let me know your thoughts on improving any of the ideas I had or if this problem is already solved link me to the solution.


What is the right thing to do do here?
When he was a teen, my son fell out with his father (from whom I am divorced)over 20 years ago over a significant matter. He has not spoken to his Dad since. I sent his dad notes from England about Matthew's life but his father never approached us. I have moved back to Canada.
My son still lives in England and his father lives in a small town in Northern Ontario. Every time my son visits me in Toronto, I suggest some sort of rapprochement with his father and he refuses.
He has just been informed that his dad is having surgery on Monday for an advanced brain tumor - he may not survive the surgery, let alone the aftermath of the surgery.
My reaction was to suggest he come back to Canada and see his Dad but Matthew felt that he did not need to. He said that if his father survives, he might contact but he could not promise. I am so disappointed in my son at the moment - I thought that he could get past this thing of not forgiving his father, but he does not seem to be able.
That is a heavy question and there is not an easy answer.
long time to hold a grudge and he cannot make amends with his father for your sake. He has to do it because he wants to. That is not something that you can force.
I lost my father to an unexpected heart attack over seven years. Although my father was a great man, he found it difficult to have relationships with his children. Even as an adult, I never had a healthy "father-son" relationship. Now that he has passed, I find myself wishing I had taken the time to do things differently. Even though he and I did not have a "falling out" as you describe in your question, we did not have the relationship that I desired. I would give many things to have the opportunity to do things differently now that he isn't here anymore.
With that being said, the question your son has to answer is - "What regrets, if any, will I have if he passes away and we have not resolved this situation?" Only he can answer that question and he has to live with the results of that question.
All you can do is love and support his feelings whether you agree with his decision or not. The worst thing you could do is to let this situation come between you and your son and affect that relationship.
I know it is easier said than done, but he has to make his own choice in this situation. I hope it all works out for the best.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. We wish you the best.


Sea levels could rise by a greater-than-expected six metres (20 ft) over many centuries even if governments cap global warming around current levels, scientists said on Thursday, based on clues from an ancient warm period.
Sea levels have risen by about 20 cms (8 inches) in the past 100 years, with a thaw of ice from Greenland to Antarctica spilling water into the oceans.
Many studies have assumed that rising temperatures are a condition for a much faster melt.
Sea levels could rise by a greater-than-expected six metres (20 ft) over many centuries even if governments cap global warming around current levels, scientists have warned. Sea levels have risen by about 20 cms (8 inches) in the past 100 years, with a thaw of ice from Greenland to Antarctica spilling water into the oceans.
A study in the journal Science, however, said sea temperatures in a natural warm period about 125,000 years ago were 'indistinguishable' from today, rather than up to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) hotter as previously thought.
'The trend is worrisome as sea levels during the last interglacial period were between six and nine meters (20-30 ft) above their present height,' Science said of the findings led by Jeremy Hoffman at Oregon State University.
The experts studied deep seabed sediments, containing chemical signals of temperatures, at 83 sites.
The basis for the study was an analysis of 83 marine sediment core sites, which can give clues to how warm the Earth and oceans were in the past. Each core site was compared to data sets from 1870-1889 and 1995-2014, respectively. The Site locations and types of proxy SST estimates included in this study. Symbols correspond to microfossil transfer functions (red triangles), Mg/Ca of planktonic foraminifera (green squares), and UK′ 37 (blue circles).
It can take centuries or thousands of years for rising temperatures to thaw vast ice sheets.
'The study suggests that, in the long term, sea levels will rise 6 metres at least in response to the warming we are causing,' said Andrew Watson, a professor at Britain's University of Exeter who was not involved in the research.
'The good news is that with luck it will continue to rise slowly so that we have time to adapt, but the bad news is that eventually all our present coastal city locations will be inundated,' he wrote in a comment.
'It could mean that sea levels will respond faster' to global warming, he told Reuters.
He added that there were still many uncertainties about inferring rates of sea level rise from the pre-historic temperatures.
On Wednesday, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization said that average global surface temperatures hit a record high in 2016 for the third year in a row and were 1.1 degree Celsius (2.0°F) higher than in pre-industrial times.