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Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 63 2023 https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/early-childhood-research-quarterly/vol/63/suppl/C

Why open a local bank account in the UK? While moving to a different location, we often need to look after a long list of needs that cater to us in a foreign country. At the same time, opening a local bank account should be a priority on your list. Why? Because as we settle around, we need an account for bank transactions, international transfers, for example, transferring money to your home and also for your savings. If you […]

Renewable Energy Sources Examples In 2023 Jan 8, 2023 energy, examples, renewable, sources Renewable energy infographic Royalty Free Vector Image from www.vectorstock.com What is Renewable Energy? In 2023, renewable energy has become a major source of energy for many countries. Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural sources like the sun, wind, and water. It is a clean, renewable source of energy that can be used to power homes and businesses around the world. Renewable energy is a great alternative to traditional energy sources like coal and natural gas, which produce harmful emissions when burned. Renewable energy can also reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and help protect the environment. Types of Renewable Energy There are several types of renewable energy sources that are used in 2023. These sources include solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass energy. Each of these sources has its own advantages and disadvantages, but all of them are more efficient and cleaner than traditional sources. Solar energy is the most abundant source of renewable energy, and it can be used to generate electricity, heat homes, and power appliances. Wind energy is also a popular choice and can be used to generate electricity for homes and businesses. Geothermal energy is a great way to provide hot water and heat for homes. Hydroelectric energy is generated by the movement of water, and biomass energy is generated by burning organic materials like wood and crop waste. Examples of Renewable Energy Sources in 2023 In 2023, solar energy is one of the most popular renewable energy sources. Solar panels are used to collect the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity. These solar panels can be installed on rooftops or in other places that receive a lot of direct sunlight. Wind turbines are also becoming more popular and are used to generate electricity from the wind. Geothermal energy is a great way to provide hot water and heat for homes, and hydroelectric energy is generated from the movement of water. Biomass energy is generated by burning organic materials like wood and crop waste. All of these renewable energy sources are becoming more popular as people are recognizing the benefits of using renewable energy. Advantages of Renewable Energy Sources The main advantage of using renewable energy sources is that they are clean and renewable sources of energy. They don’t produce any harmful emissions like fossil fuels do and they can be used to generate electricity, heat homes, and power appliances. Renewable energy sources are also more efficient than traditional energy sources and can help reduce energy costs. Additionally, renewable energy sources can help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and help protect the environment. Disadvantages of Renewable Energy Sources The main disadvantage of using renewable energy sources is that they are not always reliable. Solar and wind energy are dependent on the weather, so if there is no sun or wind, then there will be no electricity. Additionally, renewable energy sources can be expensive to install and maintain. Geothermal energy is also limited to certain regions, and biomass energy can produce air pollution if not managed properly. In 2023, renewable energy sources are becoming more popular as people are recognizing the benefits of using renewable energy. Solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass energy are all examples of renewable energy sources that can be used to generate electricity, heat homes, and power appliances. Renewable energy sources are clean and renewable sources of energy that can help reduce energy costs and protect the environment. However, they are not always reliable and can be expensive to install and maintain. Source: ohs9sciencestelr.weebly.com Source: www.nrcan.gc.ca Source: byjus.com Source: www.worldatlas.com Source: www.vectorstock.com Source: legendpower.com Source: blog.constellation.com Was There A Power Outage In My Area Last Night? Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems: Pros And Cons

Available Sites and Financing There are a variety of building sites available throughout Crowley County. Financing is available through a variety of mechanisms. A local Revolving Loan Fund can participate in finance. Additionally, the Business Lending Center is a Certified Development Company under the auspices of the Small Business Administration and can assist in arranging "504" Loan Program financing. Local banks have strong relationships with larger banks in Pueblo and Denver, and can provide a variety of financing. Basic utility service can generally be provided at no more than normal "hook up" charges to the business. If there are special needs, the cost of these developments will be negotiated. Also available are State and Federal Grants-in-aid to support these developments. Rural Enhanced Enterprise Zone Tax Incentives Under Colorado's Enterprise Zone legislation, existing, expanded, and new businesses in the Southeast Colorado Rural Enterprise Zone are eligible for a variety of state tax incentives. To find out whether you can benefit, read the following guidelines and then call Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development, Inc. (SECED) to learn more about your specific incentives. The number is 888-336-3850. Tax Credits for New Employees: $2,500 job tax credit or refund. Businesses that hire new employees in connection with a new business facility located in an Enterprise Zone may claim a tax credit (or refund) against state income taxes of $2,500 for each new employee. (Expansion of an existing facility must be either a $3 million expansion or, if less, 300% the original investment.) New business facilities. During their first two years in an Enterprise Zone, businesses are allowed to take an additional $200 job tax credit for all new employees who are insured under health insurance plans provided by employers. Tax Credits and Exemptions for Equipment and Manufacturing: Three percent investment tax credit. Businesses which make investments in equipment that would have qualified for the former federal investment tax credit may claim a three percent investment tax credit on state income taxes. Exemption from State Sales and Use Tax for Manufacturing Equipment: Businesses which purchase manufacturing equipment and machine tools are exempt from the three percent state sales and use tax. Tax Credit for Agricultural Manufacturing or Processing Facilities: Businesses, which add value to agricultural commodities through manufacturing or processing, may claim an additional credit or refund of $1,000 per new business facility employee. Tax Credit for Research and Development: Effective August 2002, businesses which conduct research and development in an Enterprise Zone may claim a 25% R&D credit against their Colorado income taxes (as defined in federal tax law). County Finance and Budget Office Crowley County Courthouse Ordway, CO 81063

Why Christian Children Don’t Belong In Public Schools - By Aaron Ames Public education neither teaches nor believes in the transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty, the very pillars of the education that built the western world and flow from Christianity itself. Let’s get right to the point: many Christians throughout history shared the idea that God is the fundamental source of all truth, whether religious, academic, or otherwise. But what are we to make of a student who has spent 15 to 20 years studying academics without ever considering God’s relationship to these fields of knowledge? Does this kind of education not actually imply that God is not the source of all knowledge and truth? It should really be no wonder that students so quickly abandon the faith after a year or two of university schooling. God has been left out of every meaningful field of knowledge by the end of high school, so it does not take much more prodding to decide that God never really fits in the first place. In the 1963 court case Abington School District vs. Schempp, the Supreme Court eventually ruled, 8-1, in favor of a father who objected to his son being required to read the Bible in a Pennsylvania public school. This marked the beginning of numerous cases that created a clear precedent for removing elements of religion from schools. Yet the majority opinion conceded “that one’s education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization. It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities” (374 U.S. 225). In other words, while arguing that it was unconstitutional for schools to require student participation in religious exercises, the court decided was equally erroneous to deny all discussions of religion in public education. This, as the majority wrote, would constitute “hostility” toward religion and indirectly prefer secular value-judgments. The one dissenting justice went further, writing that to exclude religion from education is to give “preferential treatment” to those opposed to religion and would help establish “a religion of secularism” (374 U.S. 313). Following this case, a federal study was commissioned to investigate the relationship between religion and education. They concluded that “A curriculum which ignored religion…would appear to deny that religion has been and is important in man’s history.” The point is clear: until recently, no one though “value-neutral” education was even possible. Yet today we insist that it is. Perhaps many of us have been equally convinced that the study of the material world (science) has very little to do with the study of God (theology). Where did we receive such ideas? A Brief History Of Religion in Schools In 362 the Roman Emperor Julian issued an edict forbidding Christianity to be taught in any schools while also instituting devotion to the pagan gods. Julian and Christians agreed that whoever controlled education controlled culture. So, while Christians were barred from teaching in schools, students who were Christians were openly accepted, with the hope that they might be converted to paganism. Since these schools were the primary means by which an individual could achieve elite status and become a part of the noble, political, and ruling class, Julian assumed his edict would eventually end Christianity. Julian underestimated the role the Christian church and home played in religious and educational training. Consider, for instance, the traditional Christian educational requirements, called catechesis, for a new believer before baptism. Often lasting three years, these catechumens would typically hear orations and interpretations of the entirety of scripture, be taught all of Christian doctrine and retain it through memorization of the early church creeds, while also being held accountable for moral and spiritual formation. Much of this process was overseen by the churches’ most educated bishops and priests, Augustine being one notable leader who spent considerable time teaching these courses. Indeed, immediately following Julian’s edict, Basil, the bishop of Caesarea, wrote an “Address to Young Men on the Right Use of Greek Literature.” It was heavily circulated throughout the church and became the lasting foundation for classical Christian education for centuries to come. In it, Basil argued that the Greek education provided a very welcome instruction in language, logic, and truth that prepares students for the much more difficult task of reading and interpreting Scripture. Yes, Basil assumed that reading Homer was preliminary preparation for reading scripture. Or, to put it more bluntly, he thought reading scripture was more difficult than reading Homer. And why should it not be? Homer is only partial truth, and finite. What comparison is that with the infinite truth of the eternal God? One other significant aid to being trained in the Greek academy was learning the careful work of discerning what is true from what only has the initial appearance of truth. Today, we might ask how one can sift through what Martin Luther King Jr. called the “morass of propaganda” that targets us with every glimpse of the screen. It is for this reason that Basil suggested that sifting through what is true and what is false in Greek literature was “preliminary training for the eye of the soul.” Of course, Basil would not have been confident that the students could sift through such had he not been convinced that the church’s rigorous religious instruction and formation would provide the necessary theological vision. The question today, then, is whether we are sending our kids out into the world without properly equipping them with sufficient theological training? That is, do our children have the tools to identify truth when so much of the American church does so little theological training, especially in a society overwhelmed with disinformation? Indeed, one wonders whether the American church could do any serious study when young Christians are being mentally drained for two-thirds of their days by a secular institution. As the dissenting Justice Stewart put it in Abington vs. Schempp: “a compulsory state educational system so structures a child’s life that if religious exercises are held to be an impermissible activity in schools, religion is placed at an artificial and state-created disadvantage” (374 U.S. 313). The point is that the state has ensured that the church gets the leftovers, or, perhaps more accurately, the crumbs. The Transcendentals Ground a True Education As a late professor of mine warned, “I fear that we live in an ahistorical age in which we believe that we are so wise that we no longer need the lessons of the past, perhaps most disturbingly of all that technology has put us beyond the lessons of the past” (J. Rufus Fears, “Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life”). The point is that those with the greatest foresight are equally skilled in the study of hindsight. Today’s public education is not only increasingly distancing itself from great literature but is also ambivalent if not hostile toward virtue as the end goal of education. Both classical philosophy and Christianity agree that the purpose of education is to prepare one to live the good life, but that such living requires robust preparation. For this reason, the classically trained student is nurtured in the habit of reading literary works that have passed the test of time, and so offer a universal insight into the nature of mankind. Contrast this with today’s public education, which is not only increasingly distancing itself from the humanities and great literature but is also ambivalent if not hostile toward virtue as the end goal of education. Traditional morality is being devoured by that one enlightened pseudo-virtue of tolerance, also known as indifference. Bertrand Russell’s first encounter with math captures what so many children are missing: “At the age of eleven, I began Euclid, with my brother as my tutor. This was one of the great events of my life, as dazzling as first love. I had not imagined that there was anything so delicious in the world” (“Autobiography”). It would not seem too far-fetched to suggest that typical students today are rarely incited to such delightful marvel in their own encounters with geometry, much less any other discipline. Yet, for the classicist and the Christian, Russell’s sentiment summarily defines the goal of education, which is, properly speaking, not an increase of information but an increase of imagination. Does Your Child Wonder in the Glory of Creation? Instead, today’s student (and presumably teacher) probably relates far better to the detached and anesthetized paradigm of Charles Dickens’s “enlightened” superintendent in “Hard Times,” Mr. Gradgrind: “Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.” This is, of course, the necessary outcome of dividing the academic disciplines from their transcendental parents of truth, goodness, and beauty. This leaves none other than cold, passionless, uninteresting facts. And these facts supervene on reality, but they have no ability to tell us anything beyond themselves. To set our gaze on that which is ordered, harmonious, and ultimately beautiful prepares us for that final beatific vision of the Triune God. It is for this reason that C.S. Lewis, among others, has suggested that the pinnacle of classical education is to set our gaze on that which is ordered, harmonious, and ultimately beautiful, precisely because it prepares us for that final beatific vision of the Triune God. Perhaps, then, one of the greatest litmus tests for determining schooling’s effects on students is to see, by graduation, whether they still retain that childlike capacity for wonder and awe. This is where public schools are desperately failing and Christian classical schools are thriving. As G.K. Chesterton quipped in his “Tremendous Trifles,” “The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.” The loss of wonder and beauty is one of the greatest tragedies in our modern climate of education. Perhaps the most damning case against public education is that it neither teaches nor believes in the transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty, the very pillars of the education that built the western world. The consequences of this dichotomy are life-changing: classical schools are producing students who are deeply attuned to these objective realities, while public schools are producing students whose spiritual vision is dimmed to objectivity itself. In his treatise “The Devil Knows Latin: Why America Needs the Classical Tradition,” Dr. E. Christian Kopff contends that, “A society without educated citizens will collapse in times of crisis and will wither away in times of ease and prosperity. Simply put, a civilization without educated citizens will cease to be civilized.” In times of cultural and decadent decline, the church has risen to lead the way. Because classical education does not merely differ in content of information, but especially in intent of formation, as its ultimate aim is to leisure in the infinite rather than toil in the finite, it might just be our “last, best hope” to save Western civilization. At the very least, it offers a robust Christian education, whereby young Christians will be prepared, confident, and capable of bearing witness to the gospel in the marketplace of idol gods. Aaron Ames teaches rhetoric, logic, speech, and literature at Trinity Christian Academy in Lexington, Kentucky. He has published essays with The Imaginative Conservative and Circe Institute. https://thefederalist.com/2019/05/02/christian-children-dont-belong-public-schools/ Posted by Crush Limbraw at 9:26 AM Labels: ChristianActionProject, Culture, Education, Homeschooling, Mentoring, Political Correctness The Cultural White Walkers Have Descended - By Ben... Sobran examines hatred of Christ: Disbelievers can... Memorial Day! Of What? Memorial Day! When will the madness stop? The US Army Asked Twitter How Service Has Impacted... War and Young Americans - by Raúl Ilargi Meijer Shielding the World From US Chaos Is No Easy Task ... Washington’s Mighty Warriors: Draft Dodgers and Sc... A CrushNote on our traveling the next few weeks. If it is Official or on The Evening News – it is a... Fake News Reporting is Nothing New - by Gary DeMar The propaganda war on the gilets jaunes - FRASER M... War and the Paper Standard - By L. 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Home/Houses And Villas/The School Hardening Industry Fails to Keep Kids Safe The School Hardening Industry Fails to Keep Kids Safe Photo-Illustration: Lined; Photo: Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images In January 2020, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District updated its safety protocols. Like Texas Grandstand reports, the $69,000 he received that year was part of a $100 million state grant intended to “strengthen” Texas schools following the shooting that killed ten people in Santa Fe High School Governor Greg Abbott called the funding an unprecedented effort “to make schools safer places for our students, for our educators, for our parents and our families.” That summer, in Uvalde, police swept the corridors during active shooting exercises. The city’s SWAT team was brought in to lay out the maps. Law enforcement is gearing up to turn schools into fortresses in the blink of an eye. The school district’s police chief called the drills “very successful,” according to documents obtained by the New York Time. On Tuesday, 19 children and two teachers were killed in their classroom at Robb Elementary by an 18-year-old armed with an AR15 type rifle. Police and federal agents from Uvalde, once at the scene, waited nearly an hour before confronting the shooter to end the murder. In the aftermath, Republicans called for more of the same interventions that failed to keep kids safe at Robb Elementary. Ted Cruz and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick blamed the gates. A former Trump official told Washington Job that schools were targets because shooters “always used the path of least resistance” and that more was needed to “invest in their campus security.” In the absence of any significant legislative effort to regulate the possession of firearms or the volume of weapons in circulation, many schools, like those in Uvalde, have indeed responded to calls to transform into something more akin to security bunkers, often with the help of federal dollars. This drive to reshape schools so they are less vulnerable to mass shootings has spawned an industry of design consultants, technology companies and security professionals. The school safety industry has billions of dollars in government contracts to show for its efforts, but not much evidence that it makes children safer. Academic hardening is the most recent and tragically American development in the discipline of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The school of thought has surprisingly progressive origins: the central idea came from urban planner Jane Jacobs, whose ‘eyes on the street’ theory explained why vibrant, people-filled urban spaces were safer than vacant ones. . Instead of pushing for safety by promoting community, as Jacobs envisioned in 1961, the late 20th century instead saw the rise of what social critic Mike Davis dubbed the “militarization of urban space.“Instead of trying to encourage social bonds which in turn discourage harmful behavior, traditional urban planners, criminologists and design professionals have focused on making the urban landscape hostile to homeless people and impermeable to violation by perceived strangers through “security walls, guarded entrances, private police, and even private roads. The police have been involved in the process of urban planning and architecture. In the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots in 1992, the Los Angeles Time noted that many of the city’s businesses were being completely redesigned as “high-tech riot control” citadels. But it was at the turn of the 21st century that the field has really exploded and spread to schools. Prior to Columbine, school safety focused more on preventing petty vandalism and drug use. As a consultant wrote in a specialized journal, the first interventions were low-tech and limited in scope: the schools began to “chain their secondary sorties against the intruders, then to focus on the problem linked to night vandalism and the theft of equipment from visual aid”. The idea was to protect the building. That changed after the twin traumas of the Littleton, Colorado, and 9/11 massacre. Bill Clinton did tens of millions of dollars available to schools to enhance safety. In 2003, at the height of the War on Terror, the newly created Department of Homeland Security pumped $350 million into local schools to hire on-site law enforcement and purchase surveillance systems and other security systems. Nearly two decades later, around the time of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, school security had become a A $3 billion industry. CCTV has become ubiquitous: The share of schools equipped with video surveillance has increased from 19% in 1999 to nearly 84% in 2018. A professional group, the School Safety Advocacy Council, now hosts an annual convention devoted to strengthening campuses, on which vendors sell educational products that also serve as tactical defense, such as bulletproof whiteboards, and “ballistic shelters”, in which students can supposedly wait for a shooter. The organization also holds a spin-off conference focused only on “active threats” with keynote speeches from school administrators and police officers who have come directly into contact with school shootings. Interest in conferences exploded in 2018 after the Parkland shootings, and Congress passed an industry-drafted bill lobbyists who made $350 million available for even more security expenses. In this way, the criticism that Congress is doing “nothing” in the wake of the school shootings isn’t quite true: In a rare show of bipartisanship, it’s pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into an effort to transform American schools into something closer to high school. security prisons. This effort to reshape the school’s physical environment to withstand shootings culminated in the rebuilt Sandy Hook Elementary School. New 50 million dollar building features self-locking doors, extra-toughened bulletproof glass windows, and a layout that maximizes visitor surveillance. But there is precious little evidence that any of this makes schools safer or prevents shootings. A review by the National Association of School Psychologists found no research showing that safety technology actually reduces violence, while highly visible safety measures contribute to students’ feelings of danger and unease. Even officials at the School Safety Advocacy Council acknowledge that much of the reinforcement effort is half-baked. After the Parkland shooting, the group’s director told the New York Time“There’s going to be a lot of credit dollars going to school districts without much oversight…There are no national standards in terms of school safety products.” And the focus on bolstering schools with design and technology to withstand fire can divert attention and resources from identifying risks and preventing attacks in the first place. As a school safety expert Explain, “A skewed focus on strengthening targets overlooks the time and resources needed to devote to professional development training, planning, behavioral and mental health interventions for students.” The Governor of Texas has cutting public funds for mental healthand the state ranks dead last for access to mental health care. Ultimately, school-hardening efforts are workarounds to avoid the much more obviously effective but politically difficult task of dealing with the deluge of guns in the United States. This cannot be done by throwing money at schools that ultimately gets passed on to contractors or police budgets – it requires changing laws, regulating the gun industry and acting quickly when people make threats. For instance, only a handful of states have so-called “red flag” laws that allow courts to seize weapons from people threatening to commit harm, and of those that do, even fewer allow school officials to seek such an order. The design of a school, no matter how “hardened” it is, can only mitigate so much damage once filming begins. But that won’t stop some lawmakers from pushing for more of these failed efforts. In Uvalde, Abbott called the 2019 spending package which gave the school district money for its ultimately failed safety plan for “one of the deepest legislative sessions, not just in Texas but in any state to address school shootings”, and a model for future action. Texas can expect a repeat of past practices to produce similar results. 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Will a living trust save income taxes? No. The income of the living trust will be taxable to the grantor as if the trust did not exist for income tax purposes. Also, if the grantor is not the trustee or a co-trustee, then the living trust must obtain a separate taxpayer identification number and thereafter file annual tax returns. 1. Will a living trust save income taxes? 2. Can I preserve assets in a living trust and still qualify for Medicaid? No. The assets in a living trust are "countable resources" for purposes of Medicaid qualification. The assets in the living trust are treated just the same as if they were owned by the grantor. 3. Will having a living trust avoid challenges by my beneficiaries or heirs? No. Heirs or beneficiaries can challenge the validity of a living trust on legal grounds similar to those available for challenging a will. It may be alleged that a living trust is invalid because the grantor was incompetent at the time of establishing the trust or was unduly influenced by some person to establish the trust in a particular manner. Further, although the time period for challenging the validity of a will can be limited to 4 months, there may be a much longer time period under which the validity of a living trust can be challenged. The cost of defending the validity of a will, where the executor acts in good faith, is payable from the probate estate. It is not clear under Ohio law whether similar expenses in defending the validity of a living trust would be borne by the trust assets or by the trustee personally. 4. Will I save estate taxes with a living trust, compared with a will? No. It is a common misconception that estate tax savings can be achieved with a living trust, but not with a Will. While use of a living trust will avoid probate proceedings, avoiding probate does not mean avoiding estate taxes. The assets in a living trust are part of a person's gross estate for estate tax purposes, just the same as probate assets. However, both the will and living trust, when properly written and with advice on the proper ownership of assets during lifetime, may include estate tax avoidance techniques that may save substantial tax dollars for the benefit of the family. 5. Will a living trust protect my assets against creditors? Creditors are entitled to reach the assets of a living trust during the grantor's lifetime. Even where the trust is irrevocable, if the transfer is made to that trust while there are unpaid creditors of the grantor, creditors can generally reach the assets of the trust. Creditors may generally reach the assets of any trust to the extent that the grantor can enforce his or her own rights to trust assets. Upon the death of the grantor, creditors of the grantor may or may not be barred from enforcing claims against a living trust, depending on the circumstances of creation and administration of the living trust. A surviving spouse may not have elective share ("forced inheritance") rights against a living trust as would be available against probate assets. 6. Will a living trust help me while I am living? A living trust may provide a structure for the management of a person's assets. This structure could be particularly useful if the trustee has investment expertise, such as a trust company, or the trustee retains investment counsel. The asset management function of a living trust can become particularly important if the grantor becomes incompetent or is otherwise incapable of handling financial affairs. If a living trust is in place, it is not then necessary to have a guardian appointed by the probate court to administer the now incompetent grantor's assets. On the other hand, the execution of a "durable power of attorney" - a document by which an individual (the principal) gives another person (the attorney-in-fact) the power to manage the principal's assets - may also avoid the necessity of a court guardianship. 7. How are trusts classified? Generally, a trust may be classified in two ways. It may be revocable or irrevocable A revocable trust is one in which the grantor reserves the right to revoke the trust, in whole or in part, any time he chooses to do so - but while still alive. A trust may be declared to be irrevocable from the moment the trust is created (usually, this is done for tax purposes), or it may refer to a revocable trust which becomes irrevocable at the moment of the grantor's death

CSECO Demonstrates Density Meter during Recent Promotion in Chile Contacts: Tony Harris (510) 864-8010 September 11, 2015 Alameda, CA – Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO) recently travelled to Chile and demonstrated the company’s density meter, the Buster K910B Density Meter, while participating Anthony ‘Tony’ Harris Is Appointed to Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. Board of Directors By Damaune Journey January 7, 2014 Alameda, CA – Anthony ‘Tony’ Harris, Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. He CBP Awards $16.5 Million Density Meter Contract to CSECO “Buster chosen for 5-year contract.” US Customs and Border Protection has selected Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO) as the sole provider of contraband detectors (Density Meters) to it’s hundreds of customs officers for CSECO Invited to Port of Oakland Meeting with Ukrainian Delegation Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO) Anthony C. Harris, Director of Sales & Training, was invited to a speaking engagement at the Port of Oakland, California on September 28. The meeting was attended by delegates from the Ukraine, which Judge Arrested for Importing Coke A dismissed Mexican judge was recently arrested as he tried to enter the US with nearly 38 pounds of cocaine hidden in his vehicle. Eduardo Francisco Sais Peinado worked previously as a municipal judge in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. His presided

The Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation is issuing a call for papers for its second biennial Emerging Scholars Conference. The conference will […] Read more - Call For Papers

Microsoft Wallop! Got an invite to join wallop through Marc Smith who gave a presentation last week inside the BBC. And I have to say without going into much detail, its looks pretty amazing. And it actually works really well in Opera and Firefox. Except when uploading files it would seem. Anyway I will play with it more later… This is my RSS feed of Wallop, which is basicly Cubicgarden running through Wallop then out again. For some reason it adds all this crazy styling stuff to it. Bad Microsoft, bad! I swear pictures are coming soon, just having problems uploading them at the moment. Author: Ianforrester Senior firestarter at BBC R&D, emergent technology expert and serial social geek event organiser. Can be found at cubicgarden@mas.to, cubicgarden@twit.social and cubicgarden@blacktwitter.io View all posts by Ianforrester Author IanforresterPosted on September 29, 2004 Categories social-hardware Previous Previous post: Skype finally tried and tested Next Next post: Jeanine Salla the Sentient Machine therapist (i love bees) Ian Forrester Senior "Firestarter" Producer at BBC RD, emergent technology expert and serial Manchester social geek event organiser. Cubicgarden.com... 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Can be found at cubicgarden@mas.to, cubicgarden@twit.social and cubicgarden@blacktwitter.io

Home > African American / Black Studies / Author Post/Op-Ed / Current Events The End of Black History? — By Robert L. Harris Jr. and Rosalyn Terborg-Penn Published date January 22, 2009 Robert L. Harris Jr. and Rosalyn Terborg-Penn are the co-editors of The Columbia Guide to African American History Since 1939 Some pundits have predicted that Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States spells the end of Black History. That his election as president is the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream, the culmination of the civil rights movement, the dawn of a post-racial society, and the demise of multiculturalism. Anyone who really heard Aretha Franklin’s unparalleled rendition of “My Country Tis of Thee,” listened carefully to Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, was touched by Elizabeth Alexander’s poem with echoes of Gwendolyn Brooks and Sterling Brown, or was stirred by the black church cadence of Rev. Joseph Lowery understands that Black History is not dead. It is alive and well and was given new vitality by much of the commentary leading up to the inauguration ceremony. For the first time, many Americans learned that enslaved Africans were used to build the Capitol in front of which Barack Obama took the oath of office and that their labor helped to build the White House in which his family will live. Moreover, a free African American, Benjamin Banneker, helped to lay out the path of the inaugural parade. An astronomer, mathematician, and almanac maker, Banneker was probably the first black presidential appointee when he was named in 1791 as part of a six-member team to design Washington, D.C. as the nation’s capital. In elucidating the meaning of American liberty and fundamental beliefs, President Obama explained it was “why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” But how did we reach the point of electing the first Black President of the United States? When sixty years earlier the nation’s capital was segregated. Those pundits who predict the end of Black History have argued that we must change the African American narrative. That heretofore, the black saga has been a story of victimization, of how African Americans have been wronged by the slave trade, enslavement, segregation, and racial discrimination, which allegedly limited their horizons and their achievement But that is not the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, who President Obama invited to witness his inauguration. The Tuskegee Airmen proved during World War II that African Americans possessed the mental and physical abilities to pilot airplanes. They had to fight a war on two fronts, at home and abroad. They did not see themselves as victims but as American citizens who were determined to enjoy all of the benefits and privileges of citizenship. Although they were commissioned officers in the U.S. military, they were denied access to military base officer’s clubs. In one instance, they were arrested and charged with insubordination when they tried to enter an officer’s club. One hundred and three of the black airmen faced court martial charges that were later dropped but which remained on their records until 1995 when they were finally expunged by President William J. Clinton. In many respects, the heroism, bravery, resolve, and example of the Tuskegee Airmen led to the beginning of military desegregation in 1947. Has President Obama fulfilled Dr. King’s dream of freedom, justice, and equality for all Americans? As President Obama declared in his Inaugural Address, we are on a journey toward realizing the promise of America. In his March 18, 2008 speech on race, delivered in Philadelphia, then candidate Obama explained “…I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy…” President Obama understands perhaps more than others that his inauguration is a beginning and not an end. And to understand this “new beginning,” this effort “to remake America,” we must understand what America is and how it began. Not to stick us in the past but to help propel us into the future. Elizabeth Alexander in her Inaugural Poem, “Praise Song for the Day,” remarked “We encounter each other in words…Words to consider, reconsider.” Those words spring from a source and to grasp their meaning, we must understand their source. Black history has been about creativity as much as anything else. To music, dance, literature, poetry, art, sculpture, quilting, and cuisine, we brought our sensibility and in President Obama’s words contributed to the patchwork heritage that is the United States. Aretha Franklin’s voice and style spring from a source rooted in the African American experience and in our encounter with the United States. Rev. Joseph Lowery began his benediction with the words from “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” The Negro National Anthem, composed by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, in 1900, its lyrics a summary of black history, hopes, and aspirations. Rev. Lowery brought a smile to President Obama’s face when he revised an expression well known in black homes, churches, beauty parlors, and barber shops: “help us work for the day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when red can get ahead, and when white will embrace what is right.” It is not just the black condition but black genius that has made Black history, nourished this nation, and now produced a President. Categories:African American / Black Studies​Author Post/Op-Ed​Current Events Tags:Black History African American / Black Studies / Awards Award Winner! The African Diaspora, by Patrick Manning African American / Black Studies / Author Interview Interview with Houston Baker African American / Black Studies / Author Interview / Video Jeffrey Perry on GRITtv with Laura Flanders Interview with Houston Baker and K. Merinda Simmons, editors of The Trouble with Post-Blackness African American / Black Studies / American History / Black History Month / Council on Social Work Education / Events / Psychology / Social Work / Sociology / Virtual Exhibits What is Race-Based Traumatic Stress Injury? In a Time of Racial Unrest By Robert T. Carter and Alex L. Pieterse African American / Black Studies / American History / Art and Architecture / Book Giveaway / Book of the Week / Literary Studies Book Giveaway! The Other Blacklist: The African American Literary and Cultural Left of the 1950s, by Mary Helen Washington African American / Black Studies / American History / Book of the Week / Film Two Early Chicago Films Heading to Blu-Ray African American / Black Studies / American History / Book of the Week Book Giveaway! Down the Up Staircase: Three Generations of a Harlem Family David Kang Advises Obama on North Korea Paul Offit in Huffington Post

Karnataka govt and Isha Foundation inked an MoU to promote agriculture According to its founder Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru), the Isha Foundation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government to enhance soil health, as part of its "Save Soil" campaign. In addition to other ministers, Chief Minister Basavaraj... Gujarat government inked an agreement with Isha Outreach to conserve soil Gujarat's Climate Change Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join the worldwide 'Save Soil' initiative. Sadhguru, the Founder and Spiritual Leader of Isha Outreach, and Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel signed a Memorandum of Understanding in... Published On June 1st, 2022

Franciscans serving the Holy Land The Custody and its History The Curia and the Custos Commissariats Guard the Holy Places Pastoral care and ecumenism Why a pilgrimage Pilgrimages in the Holy Land Christian Information Center The Pilgrim’s Medal The Holy Land is calling you The franciscan formation Franciscan texts Celebrations in the Holy Places The Custody in the Holy Land The Custody in the world "Pro Terra Sancta" Collection Pro Terra Sancta Working with the Custody The Custodial Library: a new digital exhibition The new digital exhibition entitled "The Printer’s Small Library. Books, Reference Works, and Handbooks on the Shelf of the Franciscan Printing Press in Jerusalem" will be online on the site of the Custodial Library from19th May 2020. Curated byPierfilippoSaviotti, the exhibition is part of the initiatives of the "Books Bridges of Peace” project of the C.R.E.L.E.B. (European Research Centre for the Book, Publishing, and Libraries) and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan (Italy), in collaboration with the NGO Pro Terra Sancta and the General Library of the Custody of the Holy Land. The exhibition focuses on the collection of handbooks and reference books that were necessary for the work of the Franciscan Printing Press of Jerusalem, which was founded in 1847 by the Franciscan Friars Minor of the Custody. According to the Curator’s note, the aim of the exhibition is to present some of the texts that have been part of the library of the Franciscan Printing Press, now kept in the “Franciscan Printing Press” collection of the General Library of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. Mainly handbooks and collections of samples, the books on display were overtime essential for the friars-printers, who every day had to deal with problems on the technical, graphic or productive side, as well as finding the characters, or on the maintenance of the machines. The exhibition route is divided into seven sections, based on the source taken into consideration: after a historical introduction with the display of a text by Steinberg which outlines the ups and downs of the spread of printing, there are more technical texts such as typographic handbooks, books on the description and use of printing presses, but also collections of samples and books on graphics and on the binding. The Franciscan Printing Press was founded on 14th July 1864 thanks to the support of Fr. Sebastiano Frötschner and Fr. Barnaba Rufinatscha, sent by the Commissariat of the Holy Land of Vienna, who started this activity. At its birth, during the Ottoman Empire, the Franciscans needed their own printing works so that they could easily circulate books such as grammars or catechisms for the local population, in a non-Christian context. As time went on, the "tipografia de' PP. Francescani" of the beginnings, based at St Saviour’s Convent, changed home and name, becoming the "Franciscan Printing Press" during the British Mandate. There was then the recent decision to move to Bethphage, where it is currently run by local Christians, with another office in Milan (Italy), called "Edizioni Terra Santa". "It is precisely this evolution,” we can read in the introduction by Edoardo Barbieri, a lecturer at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan and Director of theC.R.E.L.E.B. "that has made the experience of the FPP “historic”, such as to allow its reinterpretation and restore the value of its cultural heritage." Giovanni Malaspina The Swiss Guards in the Holy Land, the first pilgrimage after the pandemic It’s exam time at the Magnificat: the examiners come from Vicenza The Nativity on display in Bethlehem with the Marionettes of the Compagnia Carlo Colla Subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated Which is your preferred language?

Discussion helps navigate reusable menstruation products AmericasWorld US to lift Canada, Mexico land border restrictions in Nov for vaccinated visitors By Reuters News Service October 13, 2021 0295 Migrants from Central America walk at the Paso del Norte international border bridge to request for asylum in the US The United States will lift restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico for fully vaccinated foreign nationals in early November, ending historic curbs on non-essential travelers in place since March 2020 to address the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement the administration next month “will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.” The new rules are similar but not identical to planned requirements announced last month for international air travelers, U.S. officials said in a call earlier with reporters. Lawmakers from U.S border states praised the move to lift the unprecedented restrictions which harmed the economies of local communities and has prevented visits to friends and families for 19 months. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border closures. That pain is about to end,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from entering the United States from Canada or Mexico at land borders. The officials from President Joe Biden’s administration emphasized that the White House would not lift the “Title 42” order put in place by former President Donald Trump’s administration that has essentially cut off access to asylum for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking to enter from Mexico. The precise date in early November when the restrictions will be lifted on both land and air travel will be announced “very soon,” one of the officials said. Homeland Security said the administration was creating “consistent, stringent protocols for all foreign nationals traveling to the United States – whether by air, land, or ferry.” Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors for non-essential travel. ‘GREAT RELIEF’ Once the U.S. curbs are lifted, non-essential foreign visitors crossing U.S. land borders, such as tourists, will be able to visit if they are vaccinated. In early January, the United States will require essential visitors, like truck drivers or healthcare workers, to be vaccinated to cross land borders, the officials said. U.S. lawmakers have been pushing the White House to lift restrictions that have barred non-essential travel by Canadians across the northern U.S. border since March 2020, and many border communities have been hit hard by the closure. Mexico has also pressed the Biden administration to ease restrictions. Senator Maria Cantwell said the announcement “will provide great relief to those waiting to see friends and loved ones from Canada.” The White House announced on Sept. 20 that the United States in early November would lift travel restrictions on air travelers from 33 countries including China, India, Brazil and most of Europe who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It also said it would extend the vaccine requirements to foreign air travelers from all other countries. Foreign visitors crossing into the United States by land or ferry will need to be vaccinated but will not necessarily need to show proof of vaccination unless they are referred by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for secondary inspections. By contrast, all non-U.S. air travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding a flight, and will need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. Foreign visitors crossing a land border will not need to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the United States would accept https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-will-accept-who-approved-covid-19-vaccines-international-visitors-2021-10-08 the use by international visitors of COVID-19 vaccines authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health Organization. One question unanswered is whether the United States will accept vaccines from visitors who received doses of two different COVID-19 vaccines. The U.S. land border restrictions have not barred U.S. citizens from returning home. borderCanadacoroanvirusMexicoUSA Don’t panic buy for Christmas, Britain says after port chaos The word, the flesh and the devil New York braces for Trump indictment after ex-president urges protests Dozens arrested in French protests after government survives no-confidence vote (video) Biobank stresses autonomy as UCy auditor general row rumbles on Looming SEC judgment weighs Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) prices down while TMS Network (TMSN) presale collects more than $2.5 million

Researchers Demonstrate Privacy Implications of Selling Used Amazon Echo Dots Northeastern University researchers showed that factory resetting an Amazon Echo Dot isn’t enough to protect your personal information from someone with physical access to the device. The researchers said anyone with that physical access could “retrieve sensitive information such as Wi-Fi credentials, the physical location of (previous) owners, and cyber-physical devices (e.g., cameras, door locks)” from an Amazon Echo Dot even after it’s been factory reset. They also said these devices reveal that data as well as “all previous passwords and tokens” after a reset “due to the wear-leveling algorithms of the flash memory and lack of encryption.” Put simply: Factory resetting a device’s storage doesn’t do what many people think it does. Not that many soon-to-be-former Amazon Echo Dot owners appeared to be concerned about the safety of their information. The researchers said they purchased 86 used Amazon Echo Dots as part of this study, and of those, 61 percent weren’t factory reset before they were resold. The researchers also found that many people selling broken Amazon Echo Dots, most of which couldn’t be powered on, skipped the factory reset process before passing them on to their new owners. It seems many were unaware of the risk of selling used Internet of Things devices. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem the ability to retrieve Wi-Fi credentials, the owner’s physical location, and other information is top-of-mind for Amazon. Instead it seems more focused on the claim that account and payment information can’t be gleaned from factory reset devices. “The security of our devices is a top priority,” the company said in a statement to Gizmodo. “We appreciate the work of independent researchers who help bring potential issues to our attention, and are working on additional mitigations to further secure our devices. We recommend customers deregister and factory reset their devices before reselling, recycling, or disposing of them. It is not possible to retrieve Amazon account passwords or payment card information from memory, because that data is not stored on device.” Car Design: The Package Design Dundrum Town Centre have launched an educational marine sustainability trail

Suicide Victim's Dad Brings Anti-Bullying Crusade To Armonk Carol Reif John Halligan will be giving a talk at an Armonk middle school next week on bullying, cyberbullying and teen depression. Photo Credit: Provided Poughkeepsie native Ryan Halligan was a sweet and funny 13-year-old who killed himself after years of being bullied, says his father, John. Photo Credit: Provided More Articles Events Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade To Return 'Live' This Year COVID-19: Hudson Valley Hosts Fireworks Show As NY Celebrates R… Famed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Coming To Westchester's … ARMONK, N.Y. -- John Halligan doesn’t believe that his 13-year-old son, Ryan, killed himself in 2003 because one person was mean to him. “What happened here was far more complicated than that,” Halligan says in a presentation on teen depression and bullying that he has been giving at schools across the country for the past 12 years. Halligan, a former IBM engineer from Vermont, will tell Ryan’s story at the H.C. Crittenden Middle School in Armonk's Byram Hills Central School District from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18. He will also be making a presentation to students during the school day. Parents with any questions are being advised to contact the school's guidance office by calling (914) 273-4250. His talk, aimed at adults, is being sponsored by the HCC Cultural and Curricular Enrichment Committee. Ryan was born in Poughkeepsie in 1989 just before Christmas, the “best present of all,” said his parents, John and Kelly. The gap-toothed, brown-hair boy struggled academically and physically in elementary school. But with extra help with school work and reassurances from his family that his strengths lay in his warm and sensitive personality, he seemed to be doing well. When Ryan was in the fifth grade, he became the target of bullying. With therapy, he seemed to have developed better coping skills and self-esteem. Ryan grew into a typical teen – moody at times and sweet and funny at others. He loved skateboarding, camping, swimming and playing games on his computer, and instant messaging. Although his parents had set safety rules for using the Internet, it wasn’t until after Ryan died that they discovered the extent of the bullying he had suffered. Halligan said he logged into his son’s account and found written exchanges with others and rumors being circulated that Ryan was gay. Ryan hanged himself on Oct. 7, 2003 in the Halligan’s Essex Junction, Vt., home. He left no note. Hallign said Ryan’s story is sad, but his intent in telling it is not to make listeners sad, but to challenge them to be “upstanders” instead of bystanders. Friends and peers of children Ryan’s age have far more say than parents and teachers do, Halligan said in a video on his website. Halligan argues that Ryan’s friends and the ones that bullied him had “all the power and influence to stop this and they choose not to.” Nevertheless, adults and teens can take back some of that power, he said. Halligan was instrumental in getting laws passed in his home state to improve the way schools handle bullying and suicide prevention. There is no loss like the loss of a child, said Halligan, who has devoted his life to offering practical advice in the hopes it will inspire others to develop their own strategies for preventing bullying and suicide. “Nothing can ever bring back our Ryan. Nothing will ever heal our broken hearts,” he said in his video talk. “But we hope by sharing the personal details of our tremendous loss with students and their parents; another family will have been spared a lifelong sentence to this kind of pain.” For more on Ryan's story and the family's efforts, click here. Nor'easter: State Of Emergency Declared In These NY Counties Plastic Utensils, Condiments For Takeout Orders Banned In Westc…

January 29, 2009 user Circle Limit IV by M C Escher Yesterday I have put up Escher’s Circle Limit IV – Heaven and Hell on my new desk. The Circle Limit series of drawings was drawn by Escher are essentially what are known as his hyperbolic tesselations. The new computer table that I have got has an odd shape. On one end the side is circular and it smoothly metamorphises into rectangle on the other side. Though it is not at all comparable to what Escher has accomplished, I feel bad even when I use the word metamorphosis for this, but I have not found anything better. The table is designed for use with a desktop. So it has sections for different parts of the desktop like the monitor, CPU keyboard etc. Anyways the main point that I want to tell is that the table at one end is circular. Since I had put Escher’s Three World on another table, I thought it would be a good idea to use a ciruclar print of Escher for this part of the table. Of all the prints I had, which I had taken when I had at my disposal A3 sized printers, the one which fitted the purpose seemed to be Circle Limit IV – Heaven and Hell. Let us see what Escher himself has to say about this series of works viz. The Circle Limits: So far four examples have been shown with points as limits of infinite smallness. A diminution in the size of the figures progressing in the opposite direction, i.e. from within outwards, leads to more satisfying results. The limit is no longer a point, but a line which border’s the whole complex and gives it a logical boundary. In this way one creates, as it were, a universe, a geometrical enclosure. If the progressive reduction in size radiates in all directions at an equal rate, then the limit becomes a circle. [1] And he says this about Heaven and Hell: CIRCLE LIMIT IV, (Heaven and Hell) [Woodcut printed from2 blocks, 1960, diameter 42 cm] Here also we have the components diminishing in size as they move outwards. The six largest (three white angels and three black devils) are arranged about the centre and radiate from it. The disc is divided into six sections in which, turn and turn about, the angels on a black background and then the devils on a white one, gain the upper hand. in this way, heaven and hell change place six times. In the intermediate, “earthly” stages, they are equivalent. [1] Like most of Escher’s drawings this one also takes you to a different world. A world which is far away from the reality. A world of mathematics. A world of abstraction. But then as always we can make connections between this abstract world and the real world. The connections that we can make are dependent on the world view that we have. Some people fail to make the connection. They cannot `see’. The Circle Limit series is what brought Escher to the eyes of the mathematicians. H. S. M. Coxeter used Circle Limit II as an illustration in his article on hyperbolic tesselations. Since then the other works of Escher have been examined by the mathematicians, and we find that very deep and fundamental ideaso of mathematics are embedded in them. As to how Escher did it is amazing. The kind of clear insight that Escher exhibits in his artwork is astounding. He could visualize the mathematical transformations in his head and then transform them onto the artwork he was working with. Escher has said I have brought to light only one percent of what I have seen in the darkness. [2] This must be certainly true, as most of his artwork is nowhere close to what we see in the light. I rate the artwork of Escher as greater than that of the renessaince artist’s as they had just beautifully drawn what one could “see.” But with Escher we go a step beyond, imagination takes the control. What interests me in Escher is that he can make you imagine the unimaginable. What you know is not possible is demonstrated just in front of your eyes. Logic is discarded. Rather it is kept in the basement which is upstairs for Escher. Yesterday you start to believe what you thought was impossible tommorow. The way different things merge for Escher is just unparalled in the work of other artists. What has now become known as “Escheresque” is just the typical of his style. Lot of later artists are influenced by the works of Escher, I have found one Istvaan Orosz particulary good. There are others who are equally good but I don’t remember their names now…. Coming back to Heaven and Hell. The main artwork is in a woodcut format in black and white. For me this is a kind of dyad which represents the world. The idea of two opposing forces one termed to be evil and the other good are all permeating in the Universe. Here also the bat-devils and the angels are the representative of the same. There is no part of the Universe where these two are not present. It might seem that somewhere far out there there is nothing, but it is not so. Even there, the design is the same, it is just too far for us to see. This is what harmony in the universe is about. It is the same everywhere, when you have a broad enough world-view. The cosmologists say that the Universe is homogenous and isotropic, if you choose to “see” it at the right scale. The cosmologists often use Heaven and Hell to illustrate this point. For me introduction to Escher came in a talk by a cosmologist who used The Waterfall to illustrate the idea of a perpetual motion machine. Since then I have become addicted to Escher, as has everybody else who has some sense of imagination. For those who cannot appreciate Escher, I can just pity at their miserable imagination. [1] The Graphic Work of M C Escher by M C Escher Ballantine 1975, ISBN 345246780595 [2] M. C. Escher (Icons) by Julius Wiedemann (Editor) Taschen 2006, ISBN 3822838691

Home NEWS INEC Declares APC’s Bola Tinubu Winner of Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election after... INEC Declares APC’s Bola Tinubu Winner of Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election after Final Collation of Results The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday announced Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the 2023 presidential poll. Tinubu defeated his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is candidate of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by over a million votes. Abubakar scored 6, 984, 520 votes while the Labour Party flag bearer, Peter Obi scored 6,111, 533 votes. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) got 1,496, 687 votes. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who announced the results of the election, said the total number of registered voters was 93, 469, 008 while the figure for the accredited voters was 25, 486, 616.

Bible Study, Theology Salvation Begun, Salvation Completed Posted by Daniel Blake Hulsey on July 31, 2017 August 9, 2017 I am confident in this, that the one who began a good work in you will complete it at the day of Christ Jesus. Salvation is a process. To some ears, that may sound like an audacious claim. Many in the evangelical community experienced salvation after hearing a gospel call, walking down an aisle, talking to a preacher, and asking Jesus to come into their heart. That is my experience and testimony. We were then told “once saved, always saved.” I do not find any fault with my own experience in a VBS all those years ago. I still believe in the dictum “once saved, always saved.” However, this common experience gives the impression that salvation is already accomplished. It is a one-time act. It is finished! Paradoxically, this impression is both true and false at the same time. Salvation is accomplished at the positive response to the gospel, but salvation is also a process only completed at the end of this age. Look at Philippians 1:6 quoted above. The good work, which I believe is salvation, is in the process of being completed. Its completion will only happen on the day of Christ Jesus, meaning the end of this age. This is not the only time that Paul has portrayed salvation as a process. In Galatians 3:3, Paul chastises the Galatian circumcision contingent, “Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh?” Salvation is process begun and completed by God through the Holy Spirit and based on the saving work of Jesus. The Galatians were being foolish because they thought that they could complete their salvation under their own power. To bring the idea of salvation as a process into focus, think about the starting point of your own salvation. Did your salvation start only when you positively responded to the gospel? That is a very anthropocentric1 and narrow view of your salvation. When did God start working on your salvation? Was it when he called you through his word and the Spirit? Was it when Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was raised three days later in victory? Did he start your history of salvation when he called Israel out of slavery in Egypt?2 What about Abraham? Could you argue that your salvation began when God chose to create the world? I hope it becomes obvious that God has been working on your salvation for a very long time. The beginning point of our salvation may be a topic with room for discussion. However, the completion of our salvation is a closed and settled topic in the letters of Paul. As in Philippians, it will happen on the day of Christ at the end of the age. He talks about this in rather victorious terms in 1 Corinthians 15. Our transformation into a Spirit-animated and incorruptible body will be completed when Christ returns to transform the entirety of creation into a new earth free of sin and death. Some might argue that Paul is talking about our glorification rather than our salvation in 1 Corinthians 15. I counter that such a nuanced ordo salutis3 is the result of a human need to catalog and and explain. The Bible does not separate the two so neatly. For Paul, our salvation will be made complete in the future. However, it is a sure future. Those of us in Christ have been deemed righteous by God and we can confidently expect a future full salvation because of the power and providence of God. That we have been saved (or declared righteous) is a eschatological judgment that has relevance for our present. Why does it have relevance for our present life? Why would I make such a big point of salvation being a process rather than a one-time event? Our conception of salvation affects how we see our relationship with God and how we interact with the world around us. If salvation is a one-time event, if we pray the prayer and it’s finished, then what further use do we have for God? It may seem like a ridiculous question to some. After all, those who are truly saved understand that God sustains them. The saved know they are dependent on him for their very life. This is true. I contend that if we view salvation as a process, then it reinforces the understanding of our need and dependence on God. It is a work in progress and that progress depends on God. Our view of salvation affects how we perceive our relationship with God (in many more ways than we are talking about here). To see salvation as a process also affects how we interact with the world. If salvation is a one-time event, then we are finished, right? If that were true, then why does the Bible constantly exhort us to live better lives and to endure in the faith? The Bible calls us to constantly strive to love God better, to love our neighbor better, to flee from the temptation to sin, and the list goes on. The moment we accept Christ is just the beginning. It is a call to a holiness that we have yet to achieve. It is to begin a process that is often called “sanctification” in the ordo salutis. If we view salvation as a process, then we know that we are not finished. We can be confident of the outcome, but we know that we have not arrived. We will press on in faith rather than rest on past laurels. Therefore, it is important how we describe our salvation, and it is vital that we think of it as a process. It affects how we describe and understand our relationship to God and the world. We have probably all been asked by a well-meaning evangelist on the street, “Are you saved?” How would you answer that question if you have already responded to the gospel? The next time I am asked I will say, “I am saved, I am being saved, and I will be saved.” 1. In other words, it is centered on the human act rather than the work of God.↩ 2. This would be an obvious starting point for a Jew. A Gentile Christian is connected to Israel through Christ, who is true Israel.↩ 3. This is Latin for “the order of salvation” and a technical term for theologians. Scholars debate the order that our salvation takes place. In Romans 8:30, Paul presents an ordo salutis of predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. I believe that Paul is expressing here a confident future. He would be hesitant to cleanly separate the steps. They are all wrapped up in a bundle you could call “salvation.”↩ ChurchTheologyThoughts Previous Post Every Knee Will Bow: The Political Implications of Paul’s Eschatology Next Post In All Things?: Giving Thanks in the Face of Cruel Reality

How to Play Casino Online With a Live Dealer There are several benefits to playing casino online games with a live dealer. Not only do you get a feel for the real casino experience, but you can also communicate with the dealer. You can also chat with other players, which makes the game experience more personalized and engaging. You can also play games with a live dealer on the go, which is more convenient than playing them on a computer. As the technology behind online casinos improves, so do the games. For example, there are a number of advances in consumer graphics. This allows entry-level devices to render more vivid images than before. And internet technologies like 5G have helped online games become more responsive, which means they’ll be more realistic and exciting. Another important feature to look for when playing a live casino is the quality of the dealer. The right dealer can give you the best casino experience. Make sure that the dealer is experienced and has a good reputation. In addition to live dealers, you’ll want to check if the casino offers your favorite roulette variants. Lastly, make sure that the casino is licensed and uses SSL encryption. The casino’s customer support is another important factor, as is the user interface and minimum stakes. Mobile devices have increased accessibility to online casino games. Most of today’s top online casinos are optimized for mobile play. Some even offer dedicated applications for mobile users. These applications make it easier to access casino games on your phone than to navigate a web page. The apps are also optimized for mobile use and will send you notifications if there are updates. Aside from the usual online games, live dealer casinos offer a number of exciting live casino games. In addition to classic casino games like Blackjack and Roulette, live dealer casino games also feature different versions of classic games such as poker and bingo. Some even offer games based on game shows such as Monopoly. While playing live casino online, it’s important to choose a site that’s reputable and trustworthy. You should also consider the games’ software provider. It ensures fair play and controls the betting experience. BetOnline offers an excellent combination of sports betting and live dealer casino games. Its lineup of games includes over 280 slot machines, twenty-plus sports markets, and a wide variety of table games. Players can also look forward to bonuses and a host of other features. Whether you’re looking for a traditional casino online or an RNG game site with live dealers, there’s a top-rated casino for you. NetEnt is another casino software provider that stands out. This innovative developer has been a leader in slot game design. Many of the top live casino sites in Canada host games from this developer. Although their catalogue isn’t quite as big as that of Evolution, the company has consistently developed new, innovative games and has built a reputation as one of the top developers. Online Lottery Laws – How to Avoid the Gambler’s Fallacy

Jump to: C Crellin, E, Mansfield, KE, Leyrat, C, Nitsch, D, Douglas, IJ, Root, A, Williamson, E, Smeeth, L and Tomlinson, LA (2017). Clinical Code List - Read Codes - Renal Structural Anomalies. [Data Collection]. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.17037/DATA.238.

FBIAS™ for the week ending 11/18/2016 November 19, 2016 July 15, 2017 / bigblue16 FBIAS™ Fact-Based Investment Allocation Strategies for the week ending 11/18/2016 In the “decades” timeframe, the question of whether we are in a continuing Secular Bear Market that began in 2000 or in a new Secular Bull Market has been the subject of hot debate among economists and market watchers since 2013, when the Dow and S&P 500 exceeded their 2000 and 2007 highs. The Bear proponents point out that the long-term PE ratio (called “CAPE”, for Cyclically-Adjusted Price to Earnings ratio), which has done a historically great job of marking tops and bottoms of Secular Bulls and Secular Bears, did not get down to the single-digit range that has marked the end of Bear Markets for a hundred years, but the Bull proponents say that significantly higher new highs are de-facto evidence of a Secular Bull, regardless of the CAPE. Further confusing the question, the CAPE now has risen to levels that have marked the end of Bull Markets except for times of full-blown market manias. See graph below for the 100-year view of Secular Bulls and Bears. Even if we are in a new Secular Bull Market, market history says future returns are likely to be modest at best. The CAPE is at 27.01, up modestly from the prior week’s 26.80, and only a little lower than the level reached at the pre-crash high in October, 2007. Since 1881, the average annual return for all ten year periods that began with a CAPE around this level have been just 3%/yr (see graph below). The “big picture” is the months-to-years timeframe – the timeframe in which Cyclical Bulls and Bears operate. The U.S. Bull-Bear Indicator (see graph below) is in Cyclical Bull territory at 55.40, up from the prior week’s 53.47. In the intermediate picture: The Intermediate (weeks to months) Indicator (see graph below) turned positive on November 10th. The indicator ended the week at 27, up sharply from the prior week’s 19. Separately, the Quarterly Trend Indicator – based on domestic and international stock trend status at the start of each quarter – was positive entering October, indicating positive prospects for equities in the fourth quarter of 2016. In the Secular (years to decades) timeframe (Figs. 1 & 2 above), whether we are in a new Secular Bull or still in the Secular Bear, the long-term valuation of the market is simply too high to sustain rip-roaring multi-year returns. The Bull-Bear Indicator (months to years) is positive (Fig. 3 above), indicating a potential uptrend in the longer timeframe. The Quarterly Trend Indicator (months to quarters) is positive for Q4, and the Intermediate (weeks to months) timeframe (Fig. 4 above) is positive. Therefore, with all three indicators positive, the U.S. equity markets are rated as Very Positive. Stocks added to the strong post-election rally, pushing many of the major benchmarks to new all-time highs. The smaller-cap indexes, typically more volatile, performed the best. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose +20 points to 18,867, up +0.11%, while the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite rallied +1.6% to 5,321. The LargeCap S&P 500 added +0.8%, but was sharply outpaced by its Small- and Mid- brethren: the MidCap S&P 400 index surged +2.75% and the Russell 2000 SmallCap index gained +2.59%. In international markets, Canada’s TSX rose +2.12%, a second week of gains. Across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom’s FTSE recovered a bit more from early November’s plunge adding +0.67%. On Europe’s mainland, France’s CAC40 gained +0.34%, Germany’s DAX ended nearly flat, down just -0.03%, and Italy’s Milan FTSE fell 3.25%. In Asia, China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange was flat-to-down at -0.1%. Japan’s Nikkei surged a very handsome +3.4%, possibly due to views that President-elect Trump’s economic policies may benefit Japan—more on that below. In commodities, precious metals had a second difficult week as Gold fell another $15.60 an ounce to $1208.70, down -1.27%. Silver plunged even further down -4.36%. Precious metals typically respond negatively to a rising dollar, and that has been the situation of late – in spades – as the dollar has ripped higher since the election all the way to a 14-year high. The industrial metal copper gave back some of last week’s gains by falling -1.65%. Crude oil rebounded following 3 weeks of losses, rising $2.95 a barrel to end the week at $46.36, a weekly gain of +6.8%. In U.S. economic news, jobless claims are at a 43-year low as the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell by 19,000 to 235,000. Initial claims have now remained under the key 300,000 threshold level for 89 straight weeks, the longest stretch since 1970. The U.S. unemployment rate also remains near an 8 year low of 4.9%. Continuing jobless claims, the number of people already receiving unemployment benefits, also decreased by 66,000 to 1.98 million – the first time that number has been below 2 million since mid-2000. Sentiment among home builders remained unchanged in November, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) index. The latest reading of 63 matched the median forecast among economists. Current sales conditions and sales expectations were at 69, while the index of buyer traffic rose a point to 47. Readings over 50 signal improving conditions. Robert Dietz, the home builder trade group’s chief economist, said in a statement “Ongoing job creation, rising incomes and attractive mortgage rates are supporting demand in the single-family housing sector. This will help keep housing on a steady, upward glide path in the months ahead.” Construction of new houses jumped 26% last month to the highest level in 9 years, boosted by a spike in multi-family units. Housing starts climbed to an annual rate of 1.32 million from 1.05 million in September, according to the Commerce Department. Economists had expected only 1.17 million new starts. Higher prices and a shortage of properties for sale have encouraged builders to step up construction. New construction accelerated in all regions of the country, surging by more than +44% in the Northeast and Midwest. Construction of apartment buildings, condominiums, and multi-unit dwellings were up +75% last month. Single-family home starts rose almost +11%, the fastest pace since October, 2007. Future building activity also looks promising as permits are running about +5% above year-ago levels. Retail sales surged for a second consecutive month for the best two-month performance since early 2014. October retail sales jumped +0.8% last month, following a +1% rise in September. Economists had forecast a +0.7% gain. With consumer spending a main driver of economic growth, the increase in retail sales suggests that the U.S. economy got off to a good start in the 4th quarter. Alan MacEachin, an economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, stated “A solid jobs market is driving up household incomes and boosting spending power.” A large portion of the gains were due to auto dealers where sales hit an 11-month high following strong incentive programs. Even ex-autos and gas, sales were still up a healthy +0.6%. The New York Fed’s Empire State Index turned positive for the first time in four months following improvement in new orders and shipments. The Empire State Manufacturing sub-index rose back into expansion by rising +8.3 points to 1.5. New-orders surged +8.7 points to 3.1, and shipments jumped +9.1 points to 8.5. Inventory levels declined significantly, plunging -11.3 points to -23.6—a multiyear low. Manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region recorded slightly slower growth, according to the Philadelphia Fed’s manufacturing index. The index slowed slightly to 7.6, down -2.1 points from September. The index has remained above the 0 level, indicating improving conditions, for four consecutive months. Most sub-indexes remained positive with general activity, new orders, and shipments all recording strong results. Inflation at the wholesale level remains low, coming in unchanged for October, but the reading follows several years of weaker prices. Higher costs for natural gas and gasoline were offset by declines in food and services. Taking a long-term view, over the past 12 months wholesale costs have risen +0.8%, the highest one-year change since the end of 2014. Stripping out the volatile food, energy, and trade margin categories yields the so-called core producer prices. That measure is rising at an even faster rate, up +1.6% over the past 12 months, the fastest in 2 years. If these trends continue, higher wholesale prices will eventually lead to higher prices for consumer goods and services. Consumer inflation rose at the fastest rate in 6 months, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading. The Labor Department reported that the index rose +0.4% last month, after rising +0.3% in September. On an annualized basis, the CPI is up +1.6% – the biggest year-over-year increase since October of 2014. The increase was in line with economists’ forecasts. Core inflation, which strips out potentially volatile food and energy costs, climbed +0.1% last month. Annualized, core inflation is currently 2.1% – right in line with the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target. The firming inflation along with the labor market approaching full capacity leads many analysts to believe that the Federal Reserve will have the green light to raise interest rates at its December 13-14 policy meeting. Industrial production—a measure of output from America’s factories, utility plants, and mines—was unchanged in October, said the Federal Reserve, as a sharp drop in utilities production was offset by modest gains in factory output. Economists had forecast a +0.2% gain. In the details of the report, manufacturing output rose +0.2% and mining output jumped by +2.1%, but utilities production plunged 2.6%. High Frequency Economics chief U.S. economist Jim O’Sullivan said in a note to clients “Through the volatility, the trend in manufacturing appears to be at least modestly positive, and the oil-drilling-led plunge in mining seems to have ended.” Capacity utilization, a gauge of slack in the industrial economy, ticked down 0.1 percentage point to 75.3% last month in line with expectations. In international economic news, the Bank of Canada said it won’t necessarily move in lockstep with the Federal Reserve if the U.S. central bank hikes its key interest rate next month, a move which is widely expected. Deputy Governor Timothy stated “We are free to adjust our policy interest rate in the context of Canadian economic conditions—and in particular, we do not need to move in step with the Federal Reserve” in a speech in Waterloo, Ontario. Mr. Lane pointed out that Canadians will no doubt feel the reverberations from whatever the U.S. does. Higher U.S. interest rates will likely push the Canadian dollar lower, boost exports, and push up some Canadian rates. As a net importer of foreign capital, Canada’s economy is exposed to the “vagaries of global flows”, Mr. Lane acknowledged. In France, Emmanuel Macron formally declared that he will seek the French presidency in next year’s election, ending months of speculation. The 38-year-old former economic minister and protégé of President Francois Hollande left his government post in August saying he wanted more freedom for his ideas to repair France’s ailing economy and growing social divisions. Macron created his own political movement known as “En Marche” roughly translated as “On the Move!” and remains a popular political figure. His platform offers voters a pro-EU platform, in contrast with the National Front party of Marine LePen, the current front-runner. German economic growth slowed in the third quarter of the year, hampered by weaker exports. Europe’s largest economy grew by just +0.2%, half the rate of the second quarter and far below the first quarter’s +0.7% advance. Germany’s Federal Statistics Office stated “Exports were slightly down while imports were slightly up compared with the second quarter of 2016. Positive impulses on the quarter came mainly from domestic demand. Both household and state spending managed to increase further.” Some analysts stated that the uncertainty caused by Britain’s vote to leave the EU may have counteracted the country’s solid domestic activity. In addition, worries of a more protectionist U.S. economy added to fears. ING Bank economist Carsten Brzeski said, “If Germany’s single most important trading partner, the US, really moves towards more protectionism, this would definitely leave its mark on German growth.” In Asia, the election of Donald Trump may have put China in the driver’s seat for a new trade deal in the Pacific Rim. A decade-old plan for a free-trade area in Asia is set to be resurrected at a meeting of Pacific Rim country leaders in Peru, as the region works on an alternative to the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. Donald Trump had taken a strong anti-TPP stance during his campaign. Leaders are looking to resurrect the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). Completion of the deal would hand Chinese President Xi Jinping the reins in a most important geopolitical shift. In Japan, Goldman Sachs chief Asia Pacific economist Andrew Tilton released a note that a firmer U.S. dollar is positive for Japan, even as Donald Trump’s victory cast uncertainty over the Asian economic outlook. The dollar surged to a 14 year high against a basket of major currencies and U.S. debt yields hit nearly one-year highs on expectations that Trump’s policies will boost the U.S. economy. Tilton told the Reuters Global Investment Outlook Summit in Hong Kong, “More Fed tightening and a stronger dollar is probably good for Japan. Japan is a very low-inflation country that is trying to stimulate the economy… but can’t really lower rates feasibly much further. So if the U.S. can raise rates and raise the currency versus the yen, then yen can depreciate without Japan having to do anything else. For Japan, this is great news.” Finally, treasury yields have soared following the surprising election of Donald Trump for President of the United States. Theories abound regarding the causes and consequences of the move, but as always it is good practice to step back and take a look at the big picture. Veteran technical analyst Louise Yamada, in a CNBC interview, looked at interest rates in the U.S. over the last 200 years and draws our attention to a few points. First, according to Ms. Yamada, is that interest rates are most likely to only go up from here. Yamada refers to an apparent “bottoming formation” that has been forming over the last several years. On the 10-year Treasury note, a move above 3% would confirm her assessment because that’s the “level at which we can definitively say that rates have reversed”, Yamada states. Yamada predicts that higher rates will boost equity prices in the near term, as in past cycles. However, she will be watching the roughly 5% level where “you’ll start having problems.” 10-year Treasury notes finished this past week at 2.34%, so we’re a long way away from her danger zone. (sources: all index return data from Yahoo Finance; Reuters, Barron’s, Wall St Journal, Bloomberg.com, ft.com, guggenheimpartners.com, ritholtz.com, markit.com, financialpost.com, Eurostat, Statistics Canada, Yahoo! Finance, stocksandnews.com, marketwatch.com, wantchinatimes.com, BBC, 361capital.com, pensionpartners.com, cnbc.com) The ranking relationship (shown in Fig. 5) between the defensive SHUT sectors (“S”=Staples [a.k.a. consumer non-cyclical], “H”=Healthcare, “U”=Utilities and “T”=Telecom) and the offensive DIME sectors (“D”=Discretionary [a.k.a. Consumer Cyclical], “I”=Industrial, “M”=Materials, “E”=Energy), is one way to gauge institutional investor sentiment in the market. The average ranking of Defensive SHUT sectors fell slightly to 23.50 from 23.30 , while the average ranking of Offensive DIME sectors was unchanged at 11.25. The Offensive DIME sectors continue to lead Defensive SHUT sectors. Note: these are “ranks”, not “scores”, so smaller numbers are higher ranks and larger numbers are lower ranks. If you have any questions about the FBIAS™ Fact-Based Investment Allocation Strategy portfolios, feel free to give your Anthony Capital, LLC advisor a call at 303-734-7178 or by scheduling a private virtual meeting/conference call. We work with clients from all over the country and would be happy to help. You can also open up an online account by clicking HERE at our preferred custodian, Interactive Brokers, LLC. FBIAS Anthony Capital Market Update ← FBIAS™ market update for the week ending 11/18/2016 FBIAS™ market update for the week ending 11/25/2016 →

A Strengths Based Biopsychosocial Approach to Treating Bipolar Disorder by YouTube | Jul 13, 2016 | AllCEUs Counseling Education | 0 comments AllCEUs provides counseling education and CEs for LPCs, LMHCs, LMFTs and LCSWs as well as addiction counselor precertification training and continuing education. Continuing Education (CE) credits can be earned for this presentation at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/509/c/ Live, Interactive Webinars ($5): https://www.allceus.com/live-interactive-webinars/ Unlimited Counseling CEs for $59 https://www.allceus.com/ Specialty Certificate tracks starting at $89 https://www.allceus.com/certificate-tracks/ Live Webinars $5/hour https://www.allceus.com/live-interactive-webinars/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CounselorToolbox Help us keep the videos free for everyone to learn by becoming a patron. Pinterest: drsnipes Podcast: https://www.allceus.com/counselortoolbox/ Nurses, addiction and mental health counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists can earn CEs for this and other presentations at AllCEUs.com AllCEUs is also approved as an education provider for NAADAC, the States of Florida and Texas Boards of Social Work and Mental Health/Professional Counseling, the California Consortium for Addiction Professionals and Professions. Our courses are accepted in most states through those approvals.

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter with Schiaparelli Lander NSSDC ID 2016-017A Mission goal Mars orbit Client European space agency ESA Roskosmos Launcher Proton-M / Bris-M Takeoff mass 4332 kg (total take-off mass), 3732 kg (orbiter take-off mass) , 600 kg (land take-off mass) MATMOS, SOIR, NOMAD, EMCS, HiSCI, MAGIE Course of the mission Start date March 14, 2016, 09:31:42 UTC launch pad Baikonur 200/39 End date 2022 (planned) March 14, 2016 begin October 16, 2016 Schiaparelli-TGO separation 19th October 2016 TGO: Entry into Mars orbit 19th October 2016 Schiaparelli: Entry into the Martian atmosphere and landing 19.-23. October 2016 Schiaparelli: Investigation of the surface of Mars December 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter changes inclination to final orbit (74 °) December 2016 Descent in orbit, from T = 4 to 1 sol January – December 2017 Atmospheric braking down to 400 km orbit July 11 - August 11, 2017 Solar conjunction (Sun stands between Earth and Mars) April 2018 Start of the scientific mission; Relay for NASA landers December 2022 End of the main Trace Gas Orbiter mission 2023 Start of relay function for the ExoMars rover The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (short- TGO , English for [ExoMars-] trace gas - Orbiter ) is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the ExoMars -Project in collaboration with the Russian space agency Roskosmos to explore the Martian atmosphere . The orbiter was launched on March 14, 2016 by a Russian Proton rocket and entered orbit around Mars on October 19, 2016. The primary goal is to gain a better understanding of the processes in the Martian atmosphere and to examine gases such as methane and other trace gases for biological or geological causes. The orbiter is also intended to help find possible landing sites for the ExoMars rover, which is Template: future / in 2 yearsplanned for 2022 , and then serve as a relay station to Earth. In addition, the lander Schiaparelli was carried, with which landing techniques should be tested on Mars. When attempting to land the lander, radio contact with Schiaparelli was lost and could not be re-established. According to ESA, there was “no soft landing”. 2 Trace Gas Orbiter 2.1 Structure of the orbiter 2.2 Instruments 3 Course of the mission 3.1 Preparations and start 3.2 Trace Gas Orbiter 3.3 Schiaparelli → Main article : ExoMars The originally purely European project has undergone many changes over the years. As the financial volume grew, it initially came to a collaboration with NASA . When this withdrew again in 2012, it finally came to cooperation with Roskosmos. Trace gas orbiter The TGO was developed by ESA. The scientific instruments were developed in both Europe and Russia. The most important task is the investigation of methane and its decay products, also with regard to possible biological causes. The scientific mission began in April 2018 and is expected to run for five years Template: future / in 3 years. When Template: future / in 3 yearsthe ExoMars rover lands in 2023 , the orbiter will also serve as a relay station to Earth. The most important goal is to gain a better understanding of methane and other trace gases in the Martian atmosphere. With less than 1% constituent in the already thin Martian atmosphere, they can nevertheless provide important information about possible biological or geological activities. Methane has been previously detected and its concentration has also been shown to change over time and different locations. Since methane is very short-lived in geological time periods, it is believed that there are currently active sources for this gas. Causes can be biological, but also chemical processes. On earth, methane is produced by living things during digestion and in digested sludge; Chemical processes such as the oxidation of (carbon-containing) iron or the interaction of ultraviolet radiation with meteorite material are also a possible cause. The instruments are designed to detect various trace gases (methane, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide , ethine (acetylene) ) and exceed previous investigations in terms of accuracy by three orders of magnitude. Furthermore, seasonal changes in the composition and temperature of the atmosphere are to be determined in order to refine the models of the atmosphere. In addition, hydrogen can be detected with greater accuracy down to a depth of one meter. This could be used to find water ice hidden under the surface or possible sources of trace gases that could have an impact on future landing sites. However, despite the high sensitivity of the NOMAD spectrograph, initial evaluations of the measurements by the TGO could not confirm the presence of methane gas in the Martian atmosphere. Structure of the orbiter ExoMars TGO (left) with Schiaparelli compared to Mars Express ; ExoMars TGO is the largest and heaviest Mars probe to date. The structure was derived from earlier ExoMars scenarios and is largely determined by the capacity of the Proton launcher. Probe: 3.2 m × 2 m × 2 m with solar cells (17.5 m span) and 2000 W power Takeoff weight: 4332 kg (including 112 kg scientific instruments and 600 kg Schiaparelli) Propulsion: Bipropellant ( methylhydrazine (MMH) as fuel, Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen (MON-1) as oxidizer), with a 424 N main engine for entry into Mars orbit and other major course corrections Power supply: in addition to the solar cells, two lithium-ion batteries with a total of 5100 Wh capacity Communication: a 2.2 m parabolic high gain antenna (High Gain Antenna - HGA, 65 Watt, X-Band) and three omnidirectional antennas (Low Gain Antenna - LGA) for communication with the earth and an Electra UHF transceiver from the NASA to communicate with landers and rovers on the surface The orbiter carries the following measuring devices: NOMAD ( Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery), three highly sensitive spectrometers , two for the range of infrared radiation and one for ultraviolet radiation , with which trace elements and other components of the Martian atmosphere are to be searched for. ACS (Atmospheric Chemistry Suite), three infrared instruments designed to study the chemistry of the Martian atmosphere. CaSSIS ( Color and Stereo Surface Imaging System ), a high-resolution camera with a resolution of five meters per pixel (from a height of around 400 km) to make color and stereo images of the Martian surface, especially of areas where with the help of NOMAD and ACS the leakage of trace gases was detected. The FREND-like LEND instrument of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter FREND ( Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector ), a neutron detector that is supposed to detect deposits of water ice on and one meter below the surface and thus create an accurate water ice map of Mars. Preparations and start After testing and integrating the entire hardware at Thales Alenia Space in Cannes (France), it was transported together with further ground equipment by convoy to Turin in Italy on December 17, 2015 . From Turin-Casselle airport everything was flown in three flights (December 18, 20 and 22, 2015) with an Antonov An-124 to the Baikonur Cosmodrome and then housed in a clean room to avoid forward contamination of Mars. To prepare for take-off, a makeshift tent was set up inside a hall in Baikonur to ensure that the TGO and Schiaparelli are not contaminated by microbes from the earth. This is intended to meet the strict requirements for planetary protection , as the halls alone do not meet the western standards for the protection of Mars. In the course of further preparations, Schiaparelli was filled with the compressed gas helium and 45 kg of hydrazine fuel in January 2016 . The helium, which is under high pressure, is required in order to be able to convey the fuel into the engines without pumps. The total of three fuel tanks are to supply nine small engines, which should slow down the lander further after being slowed down by the parachute on the way to the surface of Mars. On February 12, 2016, the lander was connected to the orbiter with 27 screws. These connections consist of taut brackets that, without explosives, separated Schiaparelli from the orbiter shortly before reaching Mars. By February 23, 2016, the orbiter was also completely refueled with 1.5 tons of oxidizer and one ton of hydrazine. On March 8, 2016, the entire spaceship was placed on the Proton rocket , which was brought to the launch pad a few days later (on March 11, 2016) and erected there vertically for launch. The TGO was launched together with Schiaparelli on March 14, 2016 at 09:31 UTC with a Russian Proton rocket as planned in Baikonur. After the start, the Bris-M upper stage had to perform a total of four burning maneuvers in order to send the spaceship towards Mars ten hours later. At 20:13 UTC, the Bris-M upper stage was successfully separated from the probe. The first contact from the probe to the control center in Darmstadt was made at 21:29 UTC. After a seven-month flight, the probe entered Mars orbit on October 19, 2016. During the solar conjunction in July / August 2017, the radio connection to earth was interrupted. Full-size model of the orbiter in the ESOC building in Darmstadt Because of Earth's favorable position with respect to Mars, the probe reached Mars just seven months later, in October 2016. Three days before the target, Schiaparelli separated from the orbiter to begin its descent towards the surface of Mars. On October 19, 2016, the orbiter initially swiveled into a high elliptical orbit around Mars, and then came to a circular orbit about 400 km high through atmospheric braking. For an optimal braking effect and to stabilize the alignment of the satellite, its solar modules were used like a kind of wing. Regular corrective maneuvers kept the periapsis at an altitude of around 110 km, and the orbiter sometimes came within 103 km of the surface of Mars. Overall, aerobraking was able to reduce speeds of more than 1000 m / s and the apoapsis was reduced from an original 33,200 km to 1,050 km. On February 20, 2018, the atmospheric braking was completed and TGO with its engine first brought into an orbit of 1050 × 200 km , which was corrected to a circular orbit of 400 km altitude by April 9. Then the scientific mission began, which is monitored by the European Space Control Center in Darmstadt. → Main article : Schiaparelli (Marslander) Full-size model of the lander in the control center (ESOC) in Darmstadt, as planned after the lower and upper protective shields were dropped Before and after image of the surface of Mars by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: The spots detected on October 20, 2016 are the crash site of the lander (black, above) and parachute (white, below). On the right side an enlarged representation of the framed area. The lander should hit the atmosphere at around 21,000 km / h and then reduce its speed first with a heat shield and then with a parachute. The speed was then to be further reduced with brake rockets so long that the lander could finally hover about two meters above the Martian floor. From this height it should fall to the ground - intercepted by a deformable substructure. After landing, communication with Earth should take place, among other things, through a NASA orbiter ( 2001 Mars Odyssey or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ). Shortly after the expected time of landing was announced by ESA that radio contact the lander to the Indian Pune contained Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope was canceled (GMRT) during the landing phase. At the same time, Schiaparelli's radio contact with the Mars Express space probe was broken. According to ESA, the data recorded by both sources as well as the mother ship and sent to Earth showed “that the phases of entry and descent into the atmosphere went as expected, but the events after the rear heat shield and parachute were dropped on a non-scheduled one Indicate course. The launch seems to have occurred earlier than planned. ”At the same time, ESA announced in an initial analysis on October 20, 2016:“ As far as the engines are concerned, it can be said with certainty that they were ignited for a short time, it but it looks like they stopped operating earlier than expected. ”The misconduct resulted in“ no soft landing. ”The impact location of the lander and the dropped parachute was determined on October 20, 2016 using photographs of the surface of Mars MRO recordings proven; at the same time, the ESA reported on October 21, 2016: “It is estimated that Schiaparelli fell from a height of between two and four kilometers and therefore hit at a speed of more than 300 km / h.” It is possible “that that Lander exploded on impact because the fuel tanks were probably still full. " Chronology of the missions to Mars Commons : ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter - collection of images, videos and audio files ESA - ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli Mission (2016) ESA video: ExoMars 2016 rollout ↑ a b ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli Mission (2016). In: exploration.esa.int. October 20, 2016, accessed October 28, 1016 . ↑ Mars probe "Schiaparelli" still missing. In: Sueddeutsche.de . October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016 . ↑ a b c Analysis of Schiaparelli's relegation data is in progress. In: ESA.int. October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016 . ↑ Methane on Mars comes from meteorites instead of bacteria. In: Scinexx. May 31, 2012, accessed December 30, 2018 . ↑ ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). In: exploration.esa.int. October 16, 2016, accessed October 28, 2016 . ↑ ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Instruments. In: Robotic Exploration of Mars. ESA, November 4, 2016, accessed December 30, 2018 (UK English). ↑ Nadja Podbregar: Mars: Mystery of disappeared methane. In: Scinexx. December 18, 2018, accessed December 30, 2018 . ↑ ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars). In: directory.eoportal.org. Retrieved October 28, 2016 . ↑ NASA's Participation in ESA's 2016 ExoMars Orbiter Mission. In: mars.nasa.gov. October 2016, accessed October 28, 2016 . ↑ ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Instruments - Investigating the Martian atmosphere. In: exploration.esa.int. July 25, 2016, accessed October 28, 2016 . ↑ ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Instruments. FREND - Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector. In: exploration.esa.int. July 25, 2016, accessed October 28, 2016 . ↑ European Mars probe arrives at launch site. In: Spaceflightnow.com. December 27, 2015, accessed January 5, 2016 . ↑ ExoMars orbiter and lander mated for final time. In: Spaceflightnow.com. February 19, 2016, accessed February 22, 2016 . ^ Uniting the Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli. Video. In: ESA.int. February 18, 2016, accessed February 22, 2016 . ↑ Filling the Trace Gas Orbiter. In: ESA.int. February 23, 2016, accessed February 24, 2016 . ^ Assembly complete for ExoMars' Proton launcher. In: Spaceflightnow.com. March 8, 2016, accessed March 9, 2016 . ↑ ExoMars launch updates. In: ESA.int. March 11, 2016, archived from the original on March 12, 2016 ; accessed on March 12, 2016 (English). ↑ Armelle Hubault: Aerobraking down, down. In: ESA Rocket Science Blog. February 1, 2018, accessed February 7, 2018 . ^ ESA: Surfing Complete. February 21, 2018, accessed May 9, 2018 . ↑ ESA: ExoMars poised to start science mission. April 9, 2018, accessed May 9, 2018 . ↑ Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter sees Schiaparelli landing site. In: ESA.int. October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016 . Mars probes “Mars” space probes (1960–1973) | Mariner 3, 4, 6-9 (1964-1971) | Zond 2 (1964) | Viking 1,2 (1975) | Fobos 1,2 (1988) | Mars Observer (1993) | Mars Global Surveyor (1996) | Mars 96 (1996) | Mars Pathfinder with Sojourner (1996) | Nozomi (1998) | Mars Climate Orbiter (1998) | Mars Polar Lander with Deep Space 2 (1999) | 2001 Mars Odyssey (2001) | Mars Express with Beagle 2 (2003) | Mars Exploration Rover with Spirit (2003) and Opportunity (2003) | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005) | Phoenix (2007) | Fobos-Grunt (2011) | Yinghuo-1 (2011) | Curiosity Rover (2011) | Mars Orbiter Mission (2013) | MAVEN (2013) | ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016) | Schiaparelli (2016) | InSight (2018) | al-Amal (2020) | Tianwen-1 (2020) | Mars 2020 (2020) Planned missions ExoMars Rover (2022) | Escapade (2022) | Martian Moons Exploration (2024) Missions in italics are active. Canceled missions: Mars Surveyor 2001 | Mars Telecommunications Orbiter | Mars Science and Telecommunications Orbiter | P5A | Red Dragon ( See also: List of man-made objects on Mars | Chronology of Mars missions ) Space probes and research satellites with ESA participation COS-B (1975) • GEOS 1 and 2 (1977, 1978) • OTS-1 and -2 (1977, 1978) • ISEE 2 (1977) • Meteosat (1977-1997) • IUE (1978) • Marecs A and B (1981, 1984) • Exosat (1983) • ECS (1983-1988) • Giotto (1985) • Olympus (1989) • Hipparcos (1989) • Hubble (1990) • Ulysses (1990-2009) • ERS 1 and 2 (1991, 1995) EURECA (1992) ISO (1995) SOHO (1995) Huygens (1997) XMM-Newton (1999) Cluster (2000) Artemis (2001) Proba-1 (2001) Envisat (2002) MSG-1, -2, -3, -4 (2002, 2005, 2012, 2015) Integral (2002) Mars Express (2003) Smart-1 (2003) Double Star (2003) · Rosetta (2004) · CryoSat (2005) · SSETI Express (2005) · Venus Express (2005) · Galileo (2005– 2020 ) · MetOp-A, -B and -C (2006, 2012, 2018) · Corot (2006 ) GOCE (2009) Herschel (2009) Planck (2009) Proba-2 (2009) SMOS (2009) CryoSat-2 (2010) HYLAS (2010) Alphasat I-XL (2013) Swarm (2013) Gaia (2013) Proba V (2013) Sentinel 1A / 1B (2014, 2016) Sentinel 2A / 2B (2015, 2017) LISA Pathfinder (2015) Sentinel 3A / 3B (2016, 2018) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016) Schiaparelli (2016) Sentinel-5P (2017) ADM-Aeolus (2018) BepiColombo (2018) Cheops (2019) Solar Orbiter ( 2020) Planned starts: JWST (2021) · MTG-I1 to -I4, -S1, -S2 (2021-2032) · Biomass (2022) · EarthCARE (2022) · Euclid (2022) · ExoMars Rover (2022) · Juice (2022 ) MetOp-SG (2022) Altius (2023) Hera (2023) Smile (2023) Flex (2024) Forum (2026) Plato (2026) Ariel (2028) Comet Interceptor (2028) Mission Studies: Athena (2031) LISA (2034) This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article "ExoMars_Trace_Gas_Orbiter" (Authors); it is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the CC-BY-SA.

Wellness > Created in Newsletter Library, Wellness In the classic 1944 film noir, "Double Indemnity", insurance salesman Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray), gets into some pretty hot water involving his client (Barbara Stanwyck) and his co-worker (Edward G. Robinson). Neff tries to misuse the concept of double indemnity and he pays a heavy price. Surprisingly, double indemnity works very well for the rest of us. Exercise, healthy nutrition, proper rest, and regular chiropractic care can pay off, not only double, but often in many multiples. However, before we begin reaping these benefits we have to know where to look and how to make use of this property we all get for free. Out in the world, insurance policies pay us a benefit when problems arise. Car insurance, home insurance, life insurance, and health insurance are all financial instruments that compensate people (in some degree or other, more or less) when things go wrong. Inside our bodies, double indemnity is turned on its head. When we do things that are good for our health and well-being, our built-in "insurance policies" pay off double, sometimes triple, and sometimes in ways that cannot even be calculated. Let's consider a person who is overweight, possibly seriously overweight. That person decides, much like Howard Beale in the multiple-Academy Award-winning film "Network" (1976), that he is "not going to take this anymore". He declares to himself that he will begin to lose weight. He makes a commitment to start exercising regularly and eating nutritious food. Change takes time, and sooner rather than later he loses a few pounds. Then he loses a few more. After three months he's 12 pounds lighter, and after six months he's more than 20 pounds lighter than when he first chose to live a healthier life. By now his body's double indemnity clause has started to pay off. He began doing some things, began engaging in a healthy new lifestyle, and he begins to reap the benefits. Owing to his new exercise program and his new diet, his blood pressure begins to go down. His insulin levels begin to stabilize,1 rather than spiking and falling off drastically throughout the day. His blood glucose levels become steadier, too, and his cells, organs, and tissues (particularly his brain) are beginning to receive consistent supplies of oxygen and other precious nutrients.2 His immune system gets stronger.3 As a direct result, his stress levels are going down and his heart rate is steadier. His sleep is more restful and he has more energy throughout the day. There are many other benefits, too, known only to him and his loved ones. Our built-in double indemnity clause is primed for action. It is ready to kick in and begin an open-ended flow of good health and well-being. All we need to do is begin taking consistent actions that will enable our innate powers to function in the ways they were designed to function. 1Bloem CJ, Chang AM: Short-term exercise improves beta-cell function and insulin resistance in older people with impaired glucose tolerance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 93(2):387-392, 2008 2Ahmadi N, et al: Effects of intense exercise and moderate caloric restriction on cardiovascular risk factors and inflammation. Am J Med 124(10):978-982, 2011 3Walsh NP, et al: Position statement. Part one: Immune function and exercise. Exerc Immunol Rev 17:6-63, 2011

Michael DeLuca, Coldwell Banker Residential BrokeragePhone: (978) 973-2702 Michael DeLuca Top Kitchen Design Trends to Try Now The kitchen is one of the most heavily used rooms in the home. While the functionality of the kitchen is crucial, the design and style elements are just as important. If you’re thinking of making some updates to your kitchen, here are some of the top trends to try: Mix & Match Metal Mixing up different colors and... 6 Park Ave. The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange/Broker Reciprocity Program of Property Information Network, Inc. . Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are marked with the Internet Data Exchange/Broker Reciprocity logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. The broker providing this data believes it to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm them before relying on them in a purchase decision. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. © 2023 Property Information Network, Inc.. All rights reserved. Updated: 03/21/2023 06:09 AM

WESTFIELD CENTURY CITY UPS THE ANTE ON THE MALL DIRECTIVE FOREVERMORE. Susan Michals September 29, 2017 It's been nearly 15 years since The Grove opened in Los Angeles. Back then, there was only your standard, run-of-the-mill mall. But this new prototype in centur...

US Navy F-35C Completes First Weapons Separation Test Posted On Tuesday, 29 October 2013 11:03 Defense Industry News - USA The Navy variant of the F-35 executed the first airborne separation test of an inert weapon on 21 October. Marine Corps test pilot Capt Justin Carlson flew the F-35C test aircraft known as CF-2 over an Atlantic test range when he released the 500-pound inert Guided Bomb Unit-12 (GBU-12) Paveway II laser-guided weapon from an internal weapons bay. With Monday's weapons separation, all three F-35 variants have released ordnance from their weapons bays. ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, piloted by Marine Corps Capt. Justin Carlson, assigned to Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., performs the first F-35C weapon separation by releasing the 500-pound inert Guided Bomb Unit (GBU) 12 over an Atlantic test range. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) The F-35C carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants with its larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear to withstand catapult launches and deck landing impacts associated with the demanding aircraft carrier environment. Initial carrier trials for the F-35C are scheduled for 2014. The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries. Link to F-35C technical datasheet

On secondary school selection and the myth of choice My son will be starting secondary school in September this year. So towards the end of last year we spent a lot of time reading up on the policies of our and adjoining London boroughs, visiting schools, and finally applying. The application works like this. You can name up to six “preferences” (not “choices”, note). A central (London-wide, but I’m not sure under what body – I don’t think the GLA handles education) body assesses your application against the entry conditions of your first preference. If you meet those conditions, you get a place in that school; if not, they go on to your second preference; if you meet that school’s conditions, you get a place there, and so on. It’s not quite as simple as that, of course, because schools' entry conditions don’t just apply to your child in isolation; they have to take account of how many people are applying, and how many of those fall into each of the entry conditions, and so on. As well as that, not only do different boroughs have different conditions, but so do different schools within a borough. The entry conditions of most state schools, including the new academies, depend primarily on distance from the school. There are special conditions for children with special needs, but that’s a small minority. Now, all of this raises a number of problems – or contributes to them, at least. First is the fact that different schools have different entry conditions. This applies in particular to the new academies. Our closest, non-denominational, mixed-gender, state secondary, is Mossbourne, the much-cited flagship of the government’s new academies programme. We live about 900 metres from it, according to Google Maps. Close enough, you’d think. But their admissions policy goes something like this: the first 10% if the year's intake goes to kids with special needs; next, you get priority if you have a sibling already at the school; about 60% of the remaining places go to the nearest kids within a 1km "inner zone"; the rest go to kids outside the 1km zone, but not by simple proximity; it now depends on how far away the next-nearest non-denominational, mixed, state school is. Confused? Most parents who have kids going up were. And it’s further complicated by the fact that there’s a test. Not a pass -or-fail test, of course: this is still a comprehensive school, so there’s no selection by ability allowed. Rather, this test is used to split the kids into ability bands. The entry conditions then ensure that an equal proportion of kids from each band is offered a place. This is to ensure that the school has kids of a range of abilities; to ensure that it is truly comprehensive, if you will. None of that is inherently bad: a school can’t take every kid, if more want in than it has places, so it has to have some conditions by which to decide which ones to take. And ensuring that you take on kids with the full range of abilities is egalitarian and in keeping with the comprehensive principle. The problem comes when the school is oversubscribed, and so is the next one in the area, and the next; and when they all have different entry criteria. Such is the situation in our corner of Hackney. Well, across Hackney as a whole, but we happen to be in one of the more problematic corners, since we’re right at the edge of the borough. That wouldn’t matter if the Hackney schools gave priority to Hackney kids, but they don’t: their distance criteria are based on pure straight-line measurements, ignoring borough boundaries. Again, that wouldn’t matter so much if all the other boroughs did the same. But they don’t. Our neighbours Tower Hamlets, for example, not only give priority to Tower Hamlets residents, they also have tied primary schools. If your kid goes to one of these, then they are guaranteed a place in the associated secondary school, if they (you) want it. But this is not intended to be a big bowl of sour grapes. Our boy almost certainly won’t get into any of the Hackney schools, but he should get into the next-nearest one, which is just over the border into Waltham Forest. And all of this may be moot, anyway. But more of that later. I referred in my title to “the myth of choice”, and I was careful to stress above that the application process allows parents and children to specify their preferences, rather than choices. That’s because of what happens next, after the application process has come up with a school for your kid. You get an offer. One offer. That’s it. (Or maybe none, in which you have to run around frantically making further applications.) It’s not like it was when I applied to university (and probably still is for university applications today). There, you could apply to five (or was it six?) institutions using the UCCA (now UCAS) form. They all assessed your application, and up to all of them made you an offer. You could then choose among your offers and decide which place would suit you best. That was choice. For secondary schools. despite what the government might tell you, there is no choice. All you can do is state your preferences. Our particular dilemma had another wrinkle, though. See, he and some of his friends decided that they wanted to go to something called The Latymer School, in Edmonton. I was surprised when I found out that this is a grammar school. Now, some years ago I was surprised to discover that these things still exist in England. I’m pretty sure that when the comprehensive system started in Scotland, it was done properly: we got rid of all the grammar schools and Secondary Moderns, as far as I understand it. So as I say, it was a surprise when I realised they still had some in England. But even then, I thought they were restricted to Kent and a few other places. I had no idea there were any in London. Still, there we were. We weren’t about to forbid him to look at a particular school, despite our natural left-wing reaction to the idea of a selective school. Perhaps of more concern is that he would be going out of the borough, with both a long journey to get there, and a less ethnically diverse mix than he’s used to from primary. When it came time to stating our preferences, we let him have the final word. Which is a lot of weight to put on the shoulders of a ten-year-old, perhaps, but it’s better than pressuring him into going somewhere he’d rather not go, and driving him away from us. One thing I can say: selection by ability is obviously better than selection by ability to pay. And another: we’ll be incredibly proud of him wherever he goes. He got through the first battery of tests, and took the second; and we’ve been waiting since then. And tomorrow, we’ll know.

The Judgement Seat Posted on Mar 19, 2022 12:00:00 AM Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Throughout our lives, we are “judged” for things, like our performance in athletics, our school achievements, and our accomplishments in the workplace. We are measured by what we do or do not do. The same is true in many intangible areas of life. What types of competitions have you been a part of where you were judged for your performance? There may have been times when someone criticized you, and your response was, “Don’t judge me!” None of us like to find ourselves not measuring up. However, Scripture clarifies that when someone calls out sin in our lives, they are not “judging” us. In fact, Scripture commands us to watch out for each other and correct one another in love. Judgment is something that only God can do, and it is something that all of us will one-day face – even if we are Christ-followers. In John 16:8, Scripture tells us: “When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment…” There will be a “Rapture” where Christ will return, and those who are “in Christ,” meaning that they have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, will join Him in Heaven. So, we are to live our lives with one eye on eternity and one eye here on earth. No one likes to talk about God’s judgment, but we need to be reminded that God is, in fact, our Judge. He is the ultimate authority in our lives. But, here’s the GREAT NEWS! He is also our loving Father who sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin. We can confidently approach the throne of God without fear. How can you keep one eye on earth and one eye on eternity? Make church a priority, and be intentional about sharing your faith with the people in your life. Father, I pray for reminders throughout my day to honor You, and I pray for ways that I can be intentional about sharing my faith with others. Topics: judgment

Horizon North Logistics Inc. Announces Closing of Transaction with Dexterra CALGARY, ALBERTA (May 29, 2020) – Horizon North Logistics Inc. (“Horizon North” or the “Corporation”) (TSX:HNL.TO) is pleased to announce completion of the previously announced transaction (the “Transaction”) with 10647802 Canada Limited, operating as Dexterra Integrated Facilities Management (“Dexterra”), a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (TSX: FFH and FFH.U) (“Fairfax Financial”). Pursuant to the Transaction, Horizon North acquired all of the outstanding common shares of Dexterra and in exchange issued 158,929,967 common shares of Horizon North (“Common Shares”) to Dexterra’s sole shareholder, 9477179 Canada Inc. (“Dexterra Parent”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fairfax Financial. Accordingly, Fairfax Financial controls a 49% interest in the newly combined company, while existing Horizon North shareholders maintain a 51% interest. Prior to the Transaction, Fairfax Financial had no ownership interest in Horizon North, and the Common Shares were acquired in the normal course of investment activity. In connection with closing of the Transaction, Horizon North entered into an investor rights agreement (the “Investor Rights Agreement”) with Dexterra Parent to provide for certain governance matters and matters related to Dexterra Parent’s ability to transfer its Common Shares. In particular, pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, Dexterra Parent has agreed not to sell its Common Shares for 24 months. A copy of the Investor Rights Agreement will be filed under Horizon North’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. In addition, pursuant to the Transaction and terms of the Investor Rights Agreement, the board of directors of Horizon North (the “Board”) is now comprised of four members of the previous Horizon North Board (being Kevin Nabholz, Russell Newmark, Mary Garden and Rod Graham) and four new members nominated by Dexterra Parent (being R. William McFarland, David Johnston, Simon Landy and John MacCuish). The Dexterra nominees were appointed to fill the vacancies created by the resignations of Richard T. Ballantyne, Brad Fedora, Ann Rooney and Dale E. Tremblay in connection with the Transaction and effective as of closing. The right of Dexterra Parent to continue to nominate directors (and the number of nominees they are able to put forward) is subject to ongoing ownership requirements as more particularly set out in the Investor Rights Agreement. R. William McFarland, Chairman of Dexterra, has been appointed Chair of the Board, while the Chief Executive Officer role will be split between John MacCuish as Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, Facilities Management and Rod Graham as Co-Chief Executive Officer and President, Modular Solutions. Each of the Co-CEOs will also sit on the Board. About Horizon North Horizon North is a publicly listed corporation (TSX: HNL.TO) operating a pan-Canadian support services platform across eleven provinces and territories and diversified end markets. Our Modular Solutions business integrates modern design concepts with off-site manufacturing processes to produce high-quality building solutions for commercial, residential and industrial clients. Our Facilities Management business delivers operation and maintenance solutions for built assets and infrastructure in the public and private sectors, including aviation, defence and security, retail, healthcare, education and government. Our Industrial Services business provides a full range of workforce accommodations solutions, forestry services and access solutions to clients in the energy, mining, forestry and construction sectors among others. Horizon North has an outstanding record of creating and managing places that play a vital role in the national economy and our local communities. What sets us apart is our expertise in bringing together the right people with the right skills to transform service delivery and improve customers’ experiences. About Fairfax Financial Fairfax Financial is a holding company incorporated under the laws of Canada which, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management. Fairfax Financial was incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act on March 13, 1951 and continued under the Canada Business Corporations Act in 1976. Fairfax Financial’s head office is located at 95 Wellington Street West, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M5J 2N7. Additional information related to Horizon North, including the Corporation’s annual information form, press releases, financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For further information, please contact one of the following: Rod Graham, Co-CEO and President, Modular Solutions Calgary office: 900, 240 – 4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P 4H4 Telephone (403) 517 ‐ 4654 John MacCuish, Co-CEO and President, Facilities Management Toronto head office: 5915 Airport Rd., Suite 425 Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1T1 Telephone (647) 560 ‐ 4549 Scott Matson, CFO Calgary office: 900, 240 – 4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta T2P 4H4 Telephone (403) 517 ‐ 4654 You can also visit our website at www.horizonnorth.ca. An early warning report will be filed by Fairfax Financial in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available under Horizon North’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or may be obtained directly from Fairfax Financial by contacting the General Counsel of Fairfax Financial at 416-367-4941. Share on Linkedin Tweet this Share on Facebook Dexterra Group Inc. Announces Results for Q4 and Year Ended December 31, 2022 and Declares Dividend Dexterra Announces Date of Q4 2022 Results and Conference Call Dexterra Group Announces CEO Transition

Home » Baseball » Telephones and World Series Telephones and World Series Cable guy. My phone rang Friday night. “Hi, this is [I didn’t catch the name] from Charter, the cable company. How are you doing tonight?” I knew I should have forked over the extra bucks for privacy guard. “I’d be a whole lot better if you’d take me off your calling list,” I said. “You don’t even want to hear about our special offers?” he asked. “Nope. I don’t watch TV,” I said. He sounded disbelieving. “You don’t watch TV?” “You mean to tell me you haven’t watched one second of TV today?” “Right.” I hadn’t. Actually I hadn’t watched one second of TV since I fell asleep during the playoffs and was rudely awakened by Frank Sinatra singing “New York” at high volume after the Yankees steamrolled the Mariners. Disgusted, I turned off the boob tube (that’s all it shows during the commercials) and went to bed. “What are you doing now?” he asked. “Getting ready to go out.” “Oh, you’re going to a party or something?” Close enough. “Yep.” “Oh. Sorry to bother you, sir.” And he hung up. This is the one time of year I do watch TV. That’s World Series time. Unless it’s Yankees-Braves, in which case I have more important things to do, like clean my toenails. My phone rang last night right after Curt Schilling plunked Derek Jeter. “That’s my phone,” I muttered to no one. “Don’t they know better than to bother me during the World Series?” No one answered. I picked up the phone. “Hello?” Whoever it was must have wised up. There was no one there. Good thing. If it’d been the cable guy again, I’d have had to tell him it’s not worth $35 a month just to be able to watch seven baseball games with a clearer picture. A few random World Series observations: Yeah, I know Curt Schilling beat the Cards, and I wanted a Cardinals-Mariners series. Even still, he’s one cool guy. He doesn’t care who sees him praying just before each start, and he bought a ticket for his dad, who died in 1988 and never saw him pitch in the big leagues, for this game. Having lost my dad at a similar age, I empathize. And he’s just a class act. At the end of the game, as his teammates were coming off the field, he ran out to give them handshakes and hugs. Starting pitchers almost never do that. I have to root for him. Baseball needs more good men like Curt Schilling. Baseball also desperately needs another commissioner like Bart Giamati. Is it just me, or is baseball commissioner Bud Selig the worst public speaker in the history of public speaking? It really bothered me that he had to refer to a script to present Barry Bonds with his worthless Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award or whatever it’s called. Selig’s speech could be summed up as, “Barry, you had a fantastic season, taking a record that once belonged to Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, and Mark McGwire, joining the ranks of three of the greatest sluggers of all time, while also having one of the greatest all-around offensive seasons of all time. It’s my pleasure to present you with this award, previously awarded to McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn. Congratulations.” But it took him what seemed like several torturous hours to say that. What I just wrote isn’t particularly eloquent, but compared to Selig’s speech, it’s practically Shakespearean. At any rate, I was happy to see Arizona win. I can’t root for the Yankees. Used to be the only team I disliked more than the Yankees was the Mets. But if the Mets were playing the Yankees, I’d have to root for the Mets just because they aren’t the Yankees. Yeah, I know, that sounds un-American this year. But two people I respect–one of whom I respect so much, his picture hangs in a frame in my living room, across from a picture of Abraham Lincoln–feel exactly the same way. So here’s to Arizona. And to the American League, who next season will hopefully put the Yankees in their proper place. Fifth. previousLinux and PC cubes nextWhen bad things happen to good people… 2 thoughts on “Telephones and World Series” Anonymous October 28, 2001 at 1:24 am As a former Phoenician and current Houstonian, I’m pulling for the NL team also. I have rooted for both the Yankees and Braves in past series, but get tired of the same teams year after year. I appreciate Schilling also. I also note that, like Schilling, Randy Johnson has been known for a gesture to his late father. I don’t know if he still does it, but he used to make a gesture toward heaven at the end of a game, in honor of his dad. If I recall correctly, his dad died early in his big league career. I’ve been a fan of Johnson, and took my son to a start in Houston while he was here. I still enjoy his performances, even though he chose Phoenix over Houston. BTW, I’m now up to at least five x-Astros on the Dbacks. Early in Drayton McLane’s tenure as owner, he okayed big contracts for Greg Swindell and Doug Drabek. Both were pretty much a bust, though Drabek was pretty good for a while. I thought Schilling should have been taken out an inning sooner, but hopefully he’ll be ready for games 4 and 7 if needed. Oh yeah, I totally agree. I might have even pulled him after 5. Let him get the win, save his arm for his next start. I suspect Brenly was trying to keep from burning up his bullpen. But sheesh, with a 9-1 lead, they could have had Jay Bell pitch an inning to save a pitcher. I don’t envy Brenly at all because he has arguably the two best pitchers in the NL but the rest of his staff is decidedly mediocre. It has to be hard to know what to do. I forgot about Swindell. I remember when people were comparing Swindell to a left-handed Roger Clemens. Never quite worked out that way.

← #57: Bram Sables-Smith | Hot Topic of the Times – The Price Of Insulin A Look Back at What I Learned and/or Overcame in 2018 → #58: Future Olympian, Kate Hall | Going For The Gold By Amber Clour on Nov 14, 2018 http://media.blubrry.com/reallifediabetes/content.blubrry.com/reallifediabetes/18-DDG-007_Podcast_58.mp3 Kate Hall, is like many of us in the diabetes community – unstoppable and she decided early on that Type 1 diabetes won’t keep her from pursuing her dreams. She is an inspiration to us all and does a phenomenal job sharing her story on the road to becoming a 2020 Olympian. Kate Hall was diagnosed with type one diabetes at ten years old and went on to become a two time NCAA Champion in the long jump. She is also the American Junior record holder in the long jump, with a jump of 22 feet 5 inches. Kate recently has become a professional track athlete and aspires to become an Olympian and an advocate for others with type one diabetes.

Tag Archives: ashes A unique way to preserve your loved one… I came across a company in Seattle, Washington called Artful Ashes. They have come up with a unique way to hold the memory of a loved one – a piece of glass art. All you have to do is send them about a tablespoon full of ashes and they will turn it into art. Their designs are in the shape of hearts or spheres, measure approximately 3 ½ by 3 ½ inches and weigh about 14 ounces. The ashes you provide are swirled through the design and can be seen in the finished piece. If you like, you can include a short inscription on the memorial. Some people I mentioned this idea to thought it was creepy; others liked it. Regardless, it’s a beautiful piece of art and something to be considered. There are many unique ways to preserve the ashes of a loved one. This is just one more new one. For more information about cremation and funeral planning, check out our website diesmart.com. This entry was posted in Funerals and tagged ashes, cremation, diesmart, estate, funeral, Probate on December 25, 2016 by Kathy Lane.

Primary Memory Vs Secondary Memory: What’s the Difference? By Snigdha Memory is a tricky thing. We can remember the name of our best friend, the date of our school graduation, and the recipe for tiramisu, but when it comes to more complicated tasks – like recalling how to tie a knot in a string – our memory often falls short. What’s the difference between primary and secondary memory? Primary memory is what we usually think of as “simple” or “level 1” memory – it’s the kind of memory that stores information that we need frequently, such as the phone number for our taxi driver or the name of our cat. Secondary memory is what we use when we want to remember something complicated, like how to tie a knot in a string or where we put our car keys. Primary memory is faster and easier to access than secondary memory, but it doesn’t last as long. When we try to remember something from primary memory, it will quickly fade away unless we consciously focus on retaining that information. On the other hand, if we store information in secondary memory, it will stay fresh longer – even if we don’t use it for a while. So which type of memory is best for different situations? It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If What is Primary Memory? Primary memory is the first type of memory that you use when you start working on a task. It’s where you keep information until you decide to use another type of memory. Secondary memory is where you save information for later use. What is Secondary Memory? Secondary memory is a temporary storage area that can be used to store data that is not currently being used. This type of memory is typically accessed when the data is needed again. Primary memory is the permanent storage area on a computer or other electronic device where information is kept. How Primary Memory Affects Learning and Performance Primary memory is the first type of memory that is formed in the brain. It stores information you actively remember, like the names of your friends or the date of your birthday. Secondary memory is the second type of memory that is formed in the brain. It stores information you learn subconsciously, like how to ride a bike or how to play chess. The main difference between primary and secondary memory is that with primary memory, you can access and use the information directly. With secondary memory, you can’t access the information until you learn how to do so. One study found that children who were able to form primary memories were better learners than those who couldn’t. They were also more likely to be successful in school and in life overall. Because primary memory is so important for learning and performance, it’s important to make sure your brain has enough of it. One way to do this is to take advantage of education and enrichment programs, like k-12 dual language immersion programs or summer programs at museums. The Role of Visual Images in Primary Memory Visual images are a critical part of our primary memory. We remember things we see, hear, or experience in our everyday lives because these images are stored in our brains as memories. The way we process visual images is different than the way we process other types of information. When we listen to a person, for example, we parse their words and try to understand what they’re saying. We use secondary memory to do this. When we see something, on the other hand, our brain automatically processes it. Our eyes take in all the details of the image and our brain stores it as a memory. This is why we can’t forget what we see; our brain has already stored it in primary memory. This difference is important because it plays a role in how memories are processed and stored. Visual images are processed quickly and easily by our brain, which is why they’re so powerful for storing memories. Though visual images are easy to store and access, they’re not always easy to remember. That’s because visual images are usually accompanied by other sensory information (like sounds) which helps us remember them better. So while visual images are important for storing memories, they don The Role of Auditory Images in Primary Memory Primary memory is the first place where information is processed and stored. This is where auditory images are processed and stored. Auditory images are memories that are associated with sounds. They can be memories of events, conversations, or melodies. When we hear a sound, it enters our auditory system and is processed in the brain. This process creates an image that we can remember. This image is usually stored in primary memory. Secondary memory is a system that stores information after it has been processed by the brain. This system includes things like facts, names, addresses, and numbers. Sometimes information from secondary memory can be accessed in primary memory. For example, if you know the name of a person but don’t know their address, you can look it up in secondary memory and use that information to find their address. The Role of Olfactory Images in Primary Memory Primary memory is defined as the first form of memory where individuals experience something and can recall it later. This type of memory is typically associated with smell. Olfactory images are memories that are stored in the brain’s primary memory and are accessed through the sense of smell. According to research, olfactory images are important for a variety of tasks, such as autobiographical memory, episodic memory, and spatial memory. Autobiographical memory refers to recollecting personal experiences and episodic memory refers to recalling specific events. Spatial memory involves recalling information about locations. Olfactory images are thought to be important for these tasks because they allow individuals to remember details about a particular event or experience. For example, an individual might remember the smell of spices during a cooking tutorial they attended years ago. Or they might remember the smell of their grandmother’s home when they were visiting her for the first time. The role of olfactory images in primary memory has been studied extensively, but there is still much we don’t know about them. Future research should explore how olfactory images are used in various tasks and what factors influence their ability to be remembered. How Primary Memory Works Primary memory is the first kind of memory that humans experience. It’s what our brains use to store information. When you think of a cat,primary memory might help you remember the shape of the animal, its color, and where you’ve seen it before. Secondary memory is what we use to remember things we’ve learned. We might use secondary memory to remember how to do a complicated math problem or how to play the piano. Secondary memory can be more permanent than primary memory, because it can last for longer periods of time if we remember to keep using it. How Secondary Memory Works Primary memory is the memory that is located in your brain. It’s called primary because it’s the first place that information is stored. This means that your primary memory can only be accessed when you’re thinking specifically about the information. Secondary memory is the memory that’s located outside of your brain. This means that it can be accessed when you’re not thinking specifically about the information. Secondary memory includes things like notes you’ve taken, articles you’ve read, and files you’ve downloaded. The main difference between primary and secondary memory is how accessible the information is. With primary memory, information is only accessible when you’re thinking specifically about it. With secondary memory, information can be accessed even if you’re not thinking about it. The Benefits of Having Primary Memory Primary memory is the first thing that comes to mind when people think about memory. It’s what we use most often and has a strong hold on our attention. It’s where our initial thoughts and impressions are formed. Secondary memory is what we use to remember things that we’ve been told or have seen before. It takes more effort to access, and it’s usually in the form of information that we can see, hear, or smell. The Benefits of Having Secondary Memory Primary memory is the information that is stored in our brains and can be recalled easily. This is the kind of memory we use when we are awake, working on a task, or thinking about something. Secondary memory is the information that is stored outside of our brains and can only be accessed when we are relaxed or sleepy. This is the kind of memory we use when we remember things from the past, like what we ate for breakfast, what our friends looked like, or what we were doing yesterday. There are several benefits to having secondary memory. First, it can help us remember things more easily. For example, if you want to remember what your aunt’s wedding dress looked like, you can access secondary memory and find a picture of it online. Second, secondary memory can help us learn new information more quickly. If you studied for a test last week and want to know how to solve an equation this week, you can access secondary memory and find the solution online. Finally, secondary memory can help us remember important events in our lives. If your best friend’s wedding is coming up and you don’t have a ticket yet, you can access secondary memory and remember that you promised to buy her a gift. In this article, we will be discussing the difference between primary and secondary memory. We will also explore how each works and what implications it has on our lives. Categories Select Category Animals Beauty Birds Misc Reptiles

PDF Верстка Криміналістика 2019 6.05. 189 200 1 Завантажень: 20, розмiр: 304.9 KB V. Korg The article analyzes the scientific approaches to the conceptual apparatus of forensic characterization of crimes and suggests that the forensic characterization of “contract” murders be considered as a system of significant forensic information about the signs of the preparation of the organizer (“customer”) to commit a murder, the identity of the perpetrator, the identity of the victim, typical murder methods, the circumstances of its commission, typical traces of a crime, the use of which allows the investigator, taking into account the specific situation determine the inspection tasks of the scene, investigative techniques. The main elements of the forensic characterization of the “ordered” murder are considered. An important element of the forensic characterization is the method of murder, which includes a method of preparing for a crime, a method of committing murder, a method of hiding traces of murder. Knowledge by the investigator of typical methods of murder will contribute to promptness in the search for the murder weapon, the identity of the criminal, traces, physical evidence, the solution of the main tasks of inspecting the scene, and solving the crime in hot pursuit. Forensic knowledge of the investigator on the preparatory actions of the organizer, the stages of the preparation of the “customer” and the executor (killer) of the murder are essential for the investigation of the “ordered” murders. In the process of preparing for the murder, the “executor” plans in advance how to conceal traces of the murder. Identifying and fixing the material traces at the scene of the incident will help the investigator to simulate the “trail picture” of the “contract” murder, to put forward versions of the identity of the perpetrator, the person of the victim. Using the investigator, tactical rules, forensic recommendations when inspecting the scene of the incident will quickly reveal and investigate the “ordered” murder. Key words: forensic characteristic, typical method of killing “by order”, the preparatory action of the “customer”, the typical traces of the murder, a crime scene examination.

Natural Mineral Water Does Not Harm The Kidneys The mineralization of natural mineral water is not harmful to the kidneys, There is no scientific evidence” that the mineralization of natural mineral water carries a risk of the recurrence of kidney stones or that it implies the deterioration of renal function. A healthy kidney can produce urine with a wide concentration range (from 50 mOsm/L to 1,200 mOsm/L), which is, to a large extent, wider than the variability of the mineral composition of natural mineral waters. In addition, to avoid recurrence, in people with kidney stones, contrary to various beliefs, in general, aside from maintaining a water intake of around two liters, it is recommended to maintain a daily intake of 1,000 to 1,200 mg of cal. ← Serena Valintina What Are The Top 10 Best Hotels In The World →

Nudd, Jackie (x)

History of the County of Yarmouth Yarmouth, Nova Scotia : a sequel to Campbell's history The Valley Comes of Age Cordwood days to modern ways : Carragana, Chelan, High Tor, Porcupine Plain, Somme, Weekes Pioneer Sketches of Long Point Settlement, or, Norfolk's foundation builders and their family genealogies Montcalm and Wolfe History of the Presbyterian Church in the Dominion of Canada The History of Freemasonry in Canada, from its introduction in 1749. Volume I The Emigrant Soldiers' Gazette, and Cape Horn chronicle Rambles in the North-West, across the prairies and in the passes of the Rocky Mountains “The Island of Formosa Past and Present – Reviews” Reform Party news releases The University of Calgary detailed space inventory by building and department The History of the County of Bruce : and of the minor municipalities therein, province of Ontario, Canada Toronto, old and new The Documentary History of the campaign upon the Niagara frontier. [Part 7] Toronto of Old : collections and recollections, illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario Commemorative biographical record of the county of York, Ontario : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early settled families General financial and trade review of the city of Toronto for 1880 A Biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county Robertson's landmarks of Toronto : a collection of historical sketches of the old town of York from 1792 until 1833, and of Toronto from 1834 to 1914. Volume 6 Welland County Historical Society papers and records. Volume II The History of the County of Bruce and of the minor municipalities therein, Province of Ontario, Canada Sixth annual report of the local superintendent of the public schools of the city of Toronto for the year ending December 31, 1864 Early Days in Upper Canada; letters from the backwoods of Upper Canada and the Audit Office of the Province of Canada. Exeter, Situate on the London & Goderich Road in the township of Stephen and Usborne, 30 miles from London and in the County of Huron, C.W. : a history of Exeter, Ontario The history of the County of Bruce and of the minor municipalities therein, Province of Ontario, Canada. A History of Prince Edward Island : from its discovery in 1534 until the departure of Lieutenant-Governor Ready in A.D. 1831. History of the County of Brant. Volume II The History of the County of Middlesex, Canada. Homesteads and Happiness North Bay, Past, Present, Prospective. Inventaire des marchés de construction des Archives nationales du Québec à Montréal, 1800-1830. Volume 2 Inventaire des marchés de construction des archives nationales à Québec, XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles Inventaire des dessins architecturaux aux archives de l'Université Laval Inventaire des marchés de construction des actes notariés de la ville de Québec, 1871-1899 Inventaire des marchés de construction des archives civiles de Québec, 1800-1870. 1c Justice et justiciables: la procédure civile à la prévôté de Québec, 1667-1759 Histoire de la sage-femme dans la région de Québec Inventaire des ressources naturelles de la Province de Québec (section forestière) du comté municipal de Beauce Select all 801 assets 51 - 100 of 801 sorted by Filename

DH Undergraduate Fellows Intro to Command Line: Mac Edition Post author By Abdurrafey No Comments on Intro to Command Line: Mac Edition Hacking on a Mac Command Line According to Abdur Hello and welcome to your introduction to command line on a Mac! If you have no idea what command line is, you’ve come to the right place. To clarify, we’re not actually going to be “hacking” into anything. But when you’re being especially productive in the terminal and flying along, it’s like you’ve unlocked the inner workings of your computer, and it kinda feels like hacking. If you don’t know what a terminal is or what any of this even means, don’t worry! All will be revealed soon. To start, command line is an interface that allows the user to control features of a computer with text commands. Most people have only used the Graphical User Interface (GUI) to make their computer do what they want. The command line allows you to bypass the GUI and do everything directly and, in most cases, instantly. For example, say you want to move a file from one folder to another. The GUI involves dragging and dropping the file using the trackpad or mouse, or using the keyboard to copy and paste the file. Here’s a demo of the difference in the processes: With the GUI, I’ll drag and drop the “Earth.txt” file into the Milky Way folder on my desktop. Done. That was pretty simple. With the Terminal, I can do the same thing with another file called “Mars.txt”. First, I started in my home folder on my computer. When working with command line, folders are directories, which is important to remember because the computer will only recognize certain commands. For example, to move into the Desktop directory from my home directory, I have to use $ cd Desktop This command stands for “change directory”. We can’t do “cf” for change folder. This is because Macs use the UNIX operating system and language to run. It’s probably arbitrary, but since it’s a specific language for communicating with a computer, it’s the standard way to do this specific task. It’s just how it works. From there, I made sure I had Mars.txt in my Desktop directory with which lists the directory’s contents. Once I know it’s there, I use $ mv Mars.txt ~/Desktop/”Milky Way” This command has three different parts. The mv is the actual command; it moves a file or directory. The two following parts are the arguments for the command. The first argument is the file and the second is the file’s desired location. Again, this is the standard on a Mac, and you should know the rules to move quickly through your directories. So, that’s how you can accomplish one simple task with command line. The app I’m using is Terminal, the default command line interface tool that comes with Macs. There are other command line apps out there, and they all come with different features. Whichever one you use depends mostly on personal preference, so I’m fine with Terminal for now. There’s a certain element of novelty when you’re using the Terminal to control your computer if you’ve only ever used the GUI to make your way through the folders and applications. On a Mac, I expected this process to be a bit difficult, but so far it’s been simple to install the various tools we’ve been using during the semester. Almost all the problems I had were because I made a mistake during the installation process. However, there are a few reasons that computers these days are designed for GUI use. The main reason is user-friendliness. Command line can be clunky, especially if you’re new to it and are learning on your own. Commands aren’t always obvious and it takes some getting used. It’s a powerful tool once you know what you’re doing but first you have to learn. I was fortunate to have learned the basics of UNIX in my Intro to Programming class during my junior year. Coming armed with that knowledge of how to navigate directories and files meant I just had to relearn all the commands instead of memorizing them from scratch. Brandon made a very useful command line quiz that made the process even simpler. Of course, you don’t need to worry if some keywords fall through the cracks because it’s easy to look anything up, but command line is all about speed and knowing everything in your head makes it that much easier. The commands are intuitive once you get to know a few of them, and most of the time if you forget one, you can guess what it is. Speaking of making it easier, one of the the most interesting parts of command line (to me) is Vim. Vim is an incredibly basic text editor that’s included in Terminal. For many people, it’s faster to open a .txt file or a .md file in Sublime or Atom instead of using Vim. I usually work with Terminal and a Safari window in full screen together so opening another application’s window means I can’t see my resources while I work on a file. For me it’s faster to open the file in Vim and edit it right there in Terminal rather than switch to a different text editing app. It took a while to learn because it is not intuitive at all, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a useful tool for basic files of code or text. You’ll probably hate it, and that’s fine! I know I’m in the minority when I say I like it, so I get it. All this is deeply customizable; you can change everything about your Terminal, or iTerm, or whichever app you use for command line tools. The beauty of command line is that because you’re not using the GUI, you aren’t restricted in what you can do on your computer, so you can also change everything about your computer if you want. To give you some insight, here’s a screenshot of my customized Terminal with Vim open on this blog post. I told you that command line was fun, but I’m sure all of this may not sound all that fun to you. That’s ok! The fun part comes now: Github. Aidan wrote a post about Github from his perspective which you should read to get an idea of how it works on a PC. There are some differences in getting it to work, but the process is the same. Github consists of repositories for mainly code but all sorts of data can be hosted on it. For example, the original code used to launch Apollo 11 is hosted in a repository on Github for anyone to look at. Github uses Git, a sort of programming language but simpler, to communicate with computers. After developing a long document of code or a blog post, you’ll have to push it to our Github repository. I had to look up how to do it the first few times, but the process is extremely satisfying. It’s fun to work on a project on your computer and instantly see it on the internet as soon as you’re done. I’ll be writing another post about Github soon, so don’t worry about the details just yet. Hopefully this provided some insight on how command line and Terminal work on Macs. The resources linked in the post should help on your journey through learning all about command line tools, and if not, feel free to email/Slack me if you’d like. Happy hacking! ← Open Office Hours in the DH Workspace → DH Event: Digital Humanities, Data Analysis and Its Possibilities

Digital Printing Hot Spot Four Web-to-Print Issues You need to Overcome Tweet Share LinkedIn Email Posted on October 30, 2012 by Howie Fenton | Industry Trends | 0 comments Written by Howard Fenton Senior Technology Consultant NAPL I just completed a series of presentations on web-to-print and had to face the inevitable question, “Why does it work for some companies and not others?” If you ask the vendors about the rate of web-to-print adoption or use, they may say it’s high or low, depending on their product and their blood alcohol content. But according to the latest InfoTrends research, the share of web-purchased commercial print volume will double from 15% in 2009 to 30% in 2014. When I am asked, I generally say we still have not seen the momentum needed to create mass-market adoption. In other words, it’s slow. The question is why? First, it would be naïve not to consider the cost of entry. While there are some low cost alternatives, more feature-laden systems will cost $10-$40K. In an economy where sales are declining and profitability is low, this alone is a significant challenge because it is harder to argue ROI. But if you have enough demand and a good web-to-print solution, you can reduce estimator and CSR time. Second, not everyone is happy and the overall impression is not always positive. In our 2012 NAPL Digital Services Survey, when we asked “Has web-to-print increased sales” we found that 52% reported yes, 20% said no and 28% said they were not sure or that it was too early to tell. When we asked for more details about the challenges people experienced, we heard: the long sales process; the difficulty of getting clients to commit; Web-to-print is very expensive to create and then the customer may not use it; the tendency of clients to use only a few of the features ; automated job ticket creation, job scheduling, job tracking, shipping, and billing are available but unused; upgrades and keeping various software communicating properly and constant IT maintenance; and it doesn’t integrate with our MIS as promised. The two most common reasons I see for limited success are issues with system integration and a lack of awareness for customers or poor perception by sales staff. The integration issues have to do with web-to-print solutions not talking to other systems such as MIS and prepress PDF workflow systems. Older MIS or prepress PDF packages may not communicate with the web-to-print system. This may mean that you need to update the MIS or PDF workflow software or buy a web-to-print solution that includes those outdated modules. In some companies, the web-to-print solution is not promoted by the sales staff. In fact it can be discouraged because they may consider web-to-print to be a job threat. For web-to-print adoption to grow and succeed more, we need to overcome four basic issues. First, you have to get it working. If it’s sitting in a box or installed and not in use then you have to get it installed, get staff trained and start talking to the sales force about the advantages. Second, if you are introducing it, you should start with some beta testing on a limited number of customers. Ask for their feedback and refine the system to overcome their objections. Third, once you work out the bugs you need to create a go-to-market strategy and get staff buy-in. And forth, you have to overcome the system integration issues. It may take time to overcome them all. For those you can’t solve, you need “band-aids” or work-around solutions. Where are you in the adoption of web-to-print? Are you stuck because of poor implementation, staff issues or a lack of promotion? Interested in similar topics? You may want to check out: When Will Web-to-Print Cross the Chasm Understanding the True Cost of Printing Bolstering the Bread-and-Butter Production Role of Black-and-White Printers Is Digital Printing Killing Offset Printing? In-Plant Professionals were In-the-House, Sharing Strategies to take Business to the Next Level Howard Fenton is a Consultant and Business Advisor at NAPL. Howie advises commercial printers and in-plants on benchmarking performance against industry leaders, increasing productivity through workflow management, adding and integrating new digital services, and adding value through customer research. He is a paid contributor to this blog. Web-to-Print is so...yesterday? 3 Overlooked Web-to-Print Best Practices 10 Steps to Effectively Marketing Your Web-to-Prin...

Home Intel “Lord, I Need you!” by Water Walker – 3.14.23 “Lord, I Need you!” by Water Walker – 3.14.23 Wednesday, 15 March 2023, 1:10 AM Entry Submitted by Water Walker at 11:14 PM ET on March 14, 2023 Forum Thread: https://dinarchroniclesforum.com/forums/topic/lord-i-need-you/ Lord, I need you! I’m sending this correspondence to the LORD hoping and praying that He will move on your hearts to give. The last two days, I had a free room; earned through hotel points for paid hotel stays; thanks to YOUR donations, PARTICULARLY THE “DONATION FOR A NEEDY FAMILY!” The last time we met, I was so very thankful for all the amenities, (even the small ones) until I got checked into the room. The toilet would not flush, the heat didn’t work and their response was, “Maintenance does not work on weekends.” So my Son and I stayed in the room, asked for extra blankets and wore three layers of clothes to get us through the night. For me, it was difficult, but I prayed and I heard, “Turn on the shower or boil some water.” So, I did and the room warmed up; enough that we were able to move about and focus on ministry. Meanwhile, the microwave started beeping, (for over an hour) and it was sending all kinds of messages, “Keypad needs service soon, reset clock, push start, etc.” However, we could not get the microwave to follow any of the commands. I called the Front Desk Clerk and again I was told, “Maintenance does not work on weekends!” So I asked if she could speak to management to resolve the issue—perhaps move us to another room with heat and a working microwave. The Front Desk Clerk responded in about thirty (30) minutes and approved the move. But by the time she called back, the beeping stopped even while the messages on the keypad were still rolling rapidly and repeatedly, “Keypad needs service soon!” So, we moved to the neighboring room, we got settled in and I began cooking. I noticed some things were missing, so I asked my Son to get permission to go back into the other room. He did, but could not find anything. I continued to cook and realized, he had to have overlooked something. So I asked to go back to the room. The first Front Desk Clerk was a Black Woman. At the shift change, it was a Hispanic Woman; the one we met the night before who gave us blankets. She admitted, “It is cold in here, I’ve had to work in my jacket all night because we have no heat downstairs.” This was the night of the beginning of the cold rain and snow. Meanwhile, as the second Clerk came to open the door, the first Clerk came up behind her to warn her. You know what it’s like when you interrupt a conversation and the person in the middle is trying to listen to both sides? The second Clerk was knocking on my door to open the neighboring room for me. I opened the door and I heard the first Clerk say, “No!” However, while observing her I followed through anyway. I went to the neighboring room per my request and got my sea salt out of the cabinet where it was left behind. I showed it to both Clerks and thanked them and returned to my room. In route, the Black Clerk said to me, “Don’t be forgetting nothing else! We ain’t going to keep coming up here!” I paused, I turned and I remembered Christ! . . . I said to her, “My Son and I have special diets; his because of Cancer and my diet because of a stroke. I’m sorry, I’ve been forgetting things . . . this has been a stressful day. Goodnight!” Not one hour later, while we were eating dinner, I got an e-mail from management stating . . . “Thank you for choosing to stay at the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel. Unfortunately I will not be able to honor any future reservations. I will be placing you on our do not rent list.” Savior, God! . . . I was totally flabbergasted! This is the same hotel I stayed at for one (1) year, (or more). The same problem occurred; the thermostat was not working in our room during the snow. They had a black out in the city for three (3) days and the hotel was without power as well. We all were there in the dark; no heat and everyone had to cook outside on the grill, (in the snow). So, the next day I checked out. I called the hotel umbrella and told them about my experience and insisted they return my points earned for my stay. They did and I moved to another hotel. This one was enormous, each room was a suite. My Son and I was delighted . . . Another free night, another complimentary breakfast, a place to clean our laundry, a hot bath! This time we went to the room, checked the thermostat . . . It worked! Praise God! I heard it come on and I set it up high! So we went on about our day; ministry, laundry, etc. We did the wash, sat in the lobby and worked on our computers; me applying for jobs and my Son his ministry work. So our day ended about 7pm and we returned to the room for dinner. The room was freezing! I was totally puzzled! I went to the phone to call the front desk, but the phone did not work. I went back down to the Front Desk Clerk and he said, “I wish you had told me earlier . . . I just moved about 7 or 8 rooms around in the last hour because they did not have heat either! However, there is nothing I can do now because we are at full capacity.” My response was, “Seriously God?!” I went back to the room, I turned on the shower and heated up the room. The snow began falling again just after we moved into the hotel. The entire hotel was freezing, even in the lobby . . . again! I told the Front Desk Clerk I needed to use the phone to contact the hotel umbrella again. Again, I requested they return my points because this is just unbelievable! The following day we checked out, they gave us enough points for two free nights. I booked a reservation for two (2) nights just before we left. This hotel had a pool, a jacuzzi, a gym, complimentary breakfast all for free! Wow! I arrived, began to check in and the Front Desk Clerk demanded I give her a credit card for $150 incidental charged to be returned 3 – 5 business days after checkout. However, at the same time, the guest standing in front of me (a Caucasian male) was not required to pay any money for incidentals. So, I told the lady, that was not mentioned on their website. She still insisted, . . . “I need $150 on a credit card!” I said, I’m going to contact the umbrella and have a conversation about your unwritten policy. My Son asked for it in writing on letterhead and she put it on a sticky! So we left, called the umbrella . . . Again and asked for the points to be returned again and so here we are . . . but this time I see hope! I went to an entirely different town. I spent the day reaching out to churches, non-profits, etc. I found a church that would pay first month’s rent and a security deposit if I found a place to live. She instructed me that I have to come in for an appointment at 4pm and wait outside until 5pm to get in because the place where they do intake and assessments is a rented facility. I was also instructed not to come before 4pm, but to be one of the first twenty (20) people because that is all they can see in one (1) week. She said bring identification and proof I am homelessness in THIS AREA. . . You can only get help if you live in our funding area! I thought, I got enough receipts to verify my homelessness. I also thought, “You won’t pay for a hotel stay, but you will pay for me to have a place. . . I could do that! I just need a job to maintain the place, FIRST! . . . Wait outside in the cold for an hour . . .I can do that too! Just tell me where and I will be there!” Consequently, I spent the second day calling restaurants in the hotel book and the second restaurant invited me to complete their application online. I talked to the Manager and told her I used to be a Server for over eight (8) years but lost my job because of COVID. She said I sounded like an excellent candidate . . . She would review my application on Thursday and get back to me. I told her I was in a hotel and also offered my e-mail because tomorrow, we don’t have enough money for another day. Furthermore, the hotels are cheaper if you book four (4) days and you earn multiple points; enough to rack up another free nights stay. Then I found an apartment; an affordable one (1) bedroom apartment within walking distance to the restaurant! How amazing this would be . . . Stability!!! Now LORD here is my prayer . . . Can I please have this job? Can I please be approved for this place to live? Can you also pay for another four (4) nights (only because its cheaper per day) and I can earn points to stay for a free night because I don’t know how long this process might take. Ultimately LORD, we want this blessing we’ve all been waiting for but it’s cold out here; it’s snowing forecasts all of the time and we don’t have a car to sleep in anymore! LORD most of all, BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE PRAYING FOR US AND HELPING US! THEY MEAN EVERYTHING TO US!!! WE WANT YOU TO BLESS THEM PRESSED DOWN, SHAKING AND RUNNING OVER! WE NEED YOU RIGHT AWAY LORD! WE NEED YOUR RESOURCES . . . PLEASE HELP US TO MAINTAIN BECAUSE YOUR SHELTERS DON’T WANT TO TAKE IN A MAN WITH A DISABILITY AND HIS MOTHER IN THE SAME ROOM. LORD, YOU KNOW YOUR SON CAN’T LIVE INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE YOU MADE HIM AND I KNOW IN MY HEART, YOU DON’T MAKE MISTAKES! HIS CEREBRAL PALSY IS NOT A MISTAKE AND NEITHER IS HIS CANCER! HE LOVES YOU WITH A GRATEFUL, ABUNDANT AND PASSIONATE LOVE; AN AGAPE LOVE THAT CAN COME ONLY FROM ABOVE! I LOVE YOU LORD . . . IN ALL THAT I GO THROUGH; ALL THE SUFFERING, ALL THE PAIN AND ALL OF THE LACK! THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US WITH ALL OF THIS SUFFERING . . . NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO YOUR LOVE AND SUFFERING ON THE CROSS FOR US! IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY . . . AMEN! LOVE WATER WALKER PayPal: nichejehovah@yahoo.com Previous article“Question for Danlboon about NESARA” by Martha Snow – 3.14.23 Next articleSteve Beckow: We have been here Before, said Gandalf

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THE CAUSES AND CURES OF ISLAMOFASCISM Francis Fukuyama has a fairly reasonable article on the Islamic problem in Europe which points to Islamic terrorism as being more the product of Western Leftism than of traditional Islam. No argument there. But his ideas for solving the problem would seem to be good only in theory. His main proposal is that Europe should somehow put into practice the American "melting-pot" idea (which America has now abandoned, anyway). One of my Dutch readers comments: "Francis Fukuyama's recipe for warding off Islamofascism in Western Europe includes such bromides as "fashioning a national identity that will connect citizens of all religions and ethnicities in a common democratic culture, as the American creed has served to unite new immigrants to the United States." Well, pish. This is what the Netherlands have done for centuries. They welcomed Jews from Spain and from Eastern Europe, they welcomed Pilgrims from England, Chinese and Moluccans from the East Indies - the list goes on. While expecting everyone to pull their weight in their adopted society, they granted every new group full civil rights. The Islamists of the 20th century got the same deal. The key difference - and this is true elsewhere in Western Europe - is not the lack of "a common democratic culture"; it is the modern welfare state. In Holland, second and third generation Islamic teenagers no longer need to look for work after they finish school. The government will pay them a stipend until they find work - if ever. Thanks to this official generosity the murderer of Theo van Gogh was able to spend his days in a radical Islamist hangout in Amsterdam, to become properly brainwashed for his dirty deed. No need to go out and find a job. Every radical philosophy of the past - the French revolutionary creed, Communism, Fascism, and whatever the Baader-Meinhof gang believed - was hatched and nurtured not among the oppressed but among the privileged, the people with leisure. "Idleness," as Hippocrates noted, "and lack of occupation tend - nay are dragged - towards evil." A good summary here of the big problems Western Europe is having with its Muslim population at the moment. Serves Europe right for invading Iraq and supporting Israel! Odd that there are no Muslim riots in the USA! There is a good historical summary here showing that, despite all the media and Greenie hype, hurricane Katrina was far from being the worst U.S. hurricane in the last 100 years. How these Leftist teachers hate little kids! "A Tulsa parent is outraged over how her child was disciplined at school for wearing a costume. Crystal Harris says her 5-year old son was forced to take off his costume, and go through the entire school day with only his underwear on. The incident happened Monday at Walt Disney Elementary. School officials acknowledge they have a policy that forbids costumes, and that's why the teacher did what she did. They say they've have apologized to the family. Harris says however the teacher should be disciplined for embarassing her son. Harris' son has not been back to school since the incident, and she says she's considering legal action". [How brave of them to traumatize a 5 year old boy! Their twisted ideologies are all that matters to Leftists, not people] Crazy EU agricultural policies: "Prince Albert II of Monaco, whose fortune is estimated at €2 billion (£1.4 billion), received €287,308 in subsidies from the European Union Common Agricultural Policy last year. The Prince was given the grants for the 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of farmland he owns in northern France. He is among the 24 biggest recipients of CAP subsidies in France, according to a study by the World Economy Group. Another farmer, who has 1,733 hectares of rice fields, was paid €866,290, researchers found. “The bigger you are, the more you get,” La Tribune, the French daily, stated. “Is it right that European subsidies should be used to fill the accounts of luxury car dealerships in cereal-growing regions?” French farmers received €9.39 billion in European subsidies last year — more than any other country. British farmers received €3.99 billion. Tony Blair has urged reform of Europe’s agricultural policies but President Chirac is resisting him. The Queen received £545,897 in subsidies under the CAP last year and the Prince of Wales received £225,465." Overspending causes and cure : "Perhaps no issue, outside of Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, has angered conservatives more than the growth in federal spending during George W. Bush's presidency. Granted, Mr. Bush began his tenure by effectively slashing more than $1.4 trillion from the government's 10-year revenue projections through his tax cuts. Few of his critics see this as a spending cut, but if those tax cuts had not been passed, that money would have been spent, instead of remaining in the private sector where it fueled investment, job-creation and economic growth. That growth has paid off handsome dividends in the form of increased tax revenues that this year shrank the federal budget deficit by $100 billion. Still, there is no getting around the fact that spending has risen over the last five years, in many areas dramatically. But are the increases excessive or is there a reasonable justification for much of it?" Bipartisan action on terrorism in Australia: "Police are expected to move within days against a group of terror suspects in Sydney and Melbourne after the Senate rushed through new anti-terror laws yesterday. A group of radical Muslim youths linked to controversial Melbourne cleric Nacer Benbrika fear they will be arrested under the emergency legislation, which received vice-regal assent from Governor-General Michael Jeffery in Sydney last night.... In a special sitting yesterday, the Senate approved government amendments to the criminal code designed to help police arrest people planning a terrorist attack. While Labor backed the changes, the party warned the Government that it expected results. It fears that the publicity of recent days may have prejudiced police operations.... The new law will allow people to be charged with terrorist offences even if they have not decided on a specific target for an attack.... Mr Howard said on Wednesday that he had received specific intelligence which "gives cause for serious concern about a potential terrorist threat". Relentless negativity from the MSM: "What was the most important news out of Iraq last week? That depends on what you consider ''important." Do you see the war against radical Islam and Ba'athist fascism as the most urgent conflict of our time? Do you believe that replacing tyranny with democratic self-government is ultimately the only antidote to the poison that has made the Middle East so dangerous and violent? If so, you'll have no trouble identifying the most significant development in Iraq last week: the landslide victory of the new Iraqi Constitution. The announcement on Oct. 25 that the first genuinely democratic national charter in Arab history had been approved by 79 percent of Iraqis was a major piece of good news. It confirmed the courage of Iraq's people and their hunger for freedom and decent governance.... But that isn't how the mainstream media saw it. Consider The Washington Post. On the morning after the results of the Iraqi referendum were announced, the Post's front page was dominated by a photograph, stretched across four columns, of three daughters at the funeral of their father, Lieutenant Colonel Leon James II, who had died from injuries suffered during a Sept. 26 bombing in Baghdad." For more postings, see EDUCATION WATCH, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, GUN WATCH, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. Mirror sites here, here, here, here and here. And on Social Security see Dick McDonald Practically all policies advocated by the Left create poverty. Leftists get the government to waste vast slabs of the country's labour-force on bureaucracy and paperwork and so load the burden of providing most useful goods and services onto fewer and fewer people. So fewer useful goods and services are produced to go around. That is no accident. The Left love the poor. The Left need the poor so that they can feel good by patronizing and "helping" them. So they do their best to create as many poor people as possible. The Big Lie of the late 20th century was that Nazism was Rightist. It was in fact typical of the Leftism of its day. It was only to the Right of Stalin's Communism. The very word "Nazi" is a German abbreviation for "National Socialist" (Nationalsozialistisch) Comments? Email me here (Hotmail address). If there are no recent posts here blame Blogger.com and visit my mirror site here or here. My Home Page is here or here. SOME RECENT ARTICLES UP ON ICJS Anti-Semitic poem wins British prize Jews and the Jewish Birthrate An Islamist threat like the Nazis Where are the good Jews today? Israel can bank on Australia's support Where cronies on the left can be found Osama bin Laden: more media whore than guerrilla warrior Egyptian Ambassador at Brandeis Pretoria Calling More Palestinians killed in internal strife this year ABC board gets elusive powerbroker Rulebook for reporting on Israel War by prejudice from the BBC Iraq's message to Mr Blair: we still need the troops... An ABC investigation that could bite Gaza Speech When Young Jews Major in Anti-Semitism Essay on Anti-Semitism Seeking rationaliy is futile BBC hangs on the balance A liberal Bahraini journalist argues that hatred is a general phenomenon in the Arab and Muslim world: "...Hatred in the Arab and Muslim world is a general phenomenon that is not limited only to the Americans. It is possible that the Arabs and Muslims hate each other no less than they hate others... "In the 1990s, over 200,000 citizens were killed in Algeria - most of them by extremist Islamic groups. What was the response of most of the Arabs and Muslims? A mixture of amusement and of presenting justifications for the murderers and terrorists. During those years, the Taliban movement also abused Shi'ites, Azeris, Tajikis, and other minorities, and no one did anything [to stop it]. "In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, occupied it, and expelled its residents. What was the response of the Arabs and Muslims? Nothing. On the contrary: Most Arabs and Muslims supported Saddam... And in 1991, Saddam murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shi'ites and Kurds, and most Arabs and Muslims did not condemn it." Some things need to be "profiled": "Five Muslim football fans were detained and questioned during a game at Giants Stadium because they were congregating near an air duct on a night former President Bush was in the stadium, the FBI said Wednesday. Some of the Muslims said they did not know they were in a sensitive area, and they complained that they were subjected to racial profiling while they were praying" Long live free Catalonia!: "Plans by Catalonia to achieve greater independence from Spain are set to test the authority of Spain's Socialist Prime Minister. The rich northeast region wants to be called a nation and have greater control over its own taxes, paying less towards poorer parts of Spain. But other regions have condemned the plan, calling on their people to boycott goods and services from Catalonia. The debate leaves Jos‚ Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the Prime Minister, with a dilemma: whether to honour his election pledges and grant key Catalan coalition partners autonomy from Madrid; or to heed calls from within his own party and try instead to stifle independence claims. Under a statute devised by Catalonia's regional politicians last month, the region would also have more control over police, the judiciary, the prison service, ports and airports. Catalonia would administer European Union funds and Madrid would have to ask permission if international issues affected the region". Holy Ireland: "The crisis in the Irish Catholic Church over sex abuse deepened yesterday as another diocese revealed figures for the number of priests facing allegations. Fifteen priests have been accused of sex abuse over a fifty-year period in the largest Catholic diocese in Northern Ireland, according to figures released by the Diocese of Down and Connor. The figures come on top of the 21 priests identified in an Irish government report published three days ago on the Diocese of Ferns, Co Wicklow, and the 26 priests facing allegations in the Diocese of Derry. Yesterday the Irish Independent published the details of its own all-Ireland survey, finding that more than 241 priests have been accused of child sexual abuse in the past 40 years". Big Muslim riots in Paris continuing. (Must be because of the French invasion of Iraq and its support for Israel): "Jacques Chirac called for calm today after six nights of rioting in the suburbs of Paris threatened to spread and ministers argued over the French government's response to the crisis. A total of 34 people were arrested last night after setting fire to 15 cars and clashing with riot police in the poor, crime-ridden suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois to the east of Paris. No one was injured. Police have fought with protesters every night since last Thursday, when two teenagers were electrocuted after running into an electricity sub-station in the mistaken belief that they were being chased by the police. More than 150 fires have been reported, and tensions were increased after police fired tear gas into a mosque". Taxpayer revolt starts with state bill of rights: "A taxpayer revolt is sweeping the nation with a battle cry for a 'Taxpayers' Bill of Rights.' The latest count finds activists working with legislators in at least 22 states, from Georgia to Alaska, California to Vermont, to enact a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR), a tax-and-expenditure limit on state government that requires voter approval of spending over certain reasonable benchmarks. Taxpayers are up in arms because politicians are wasting too much of their hard earned money, and they want it to stop. Taxpayers agree with Armey's Axiom: No one spends someone else's money as wisely as he spends his own." An amusing story here about the sheer awfulness of the French bureaucracy. After reading it, I don't think that I should ever complain about Australia's bureaucracy again. AUSTRALIA'S ECONOMIC PROWESS Which country will have no government debt within a year, contributed the most to help those in need after the tsunami, and was described by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development as a "model for other countries", America or Australia? You've guessed it. Australia. For so long simply seen as an adventure playground for gap year students or a breeding ground for sportsmen, Australia has now graduated into the world of big players.... The Australian economy is now in the 15th year of the longest economic expansion in 50 years - perhaps, according to John Howard, the Prime Minister, "the longest since the gold rushes of the 19th century". Today this continent, much of it desert, ranks 53rd in terms of world population, but is the world's 13th largest economy; eighth in the world in income per head from 18th two decades ago. John Howard (and to be fair, in some areas such as currency deregulation, his predecessor Bob Hawke) practised what he preached: the foundation of a nation's success is economic growth, and that growth is rooted in economic stability, free trade and rewarding hard work and investment. Out went tariff protection. It was no use hiding under the duvet, hoping that the growling Asian tigers on our doorstep would disappear. "Bring 'em on," became the Australian warcry. Down came the national debt and borrowing. Australia's net debt position has fallen from 20 per cent of GDP to 1.3 per cent. And within a year, Australia will have no net government debt at all. Read that again: no debt. Down from $96 billion to zero in a decade.... The burden on the private sector fell, helping it to create more jobs - more than 1.5 million new jobs since 1996 alone. Not bad for a country of just 20 million people. Today, unemployment is at a 30-year low - and inflation is under lock and key despite high oil prices. Much more here FROM BROOKES NEWS What should we expect from Bernanke now that he is the Fed's chairman? : Why Bernanke's policy of stabilizing prices will generate a boom-bust situation Liberal Party stuffs up its workplace reform arguments against the unions: Why has the Liberal Government failed to persuade the electorate that reform is good? Because disdainful arrogant economic illiterates have been in charge. This article lays out the case for reform by demolishing the unions' argument How capital gains taxes retard economic growth: Shows how capital gains taxes damage economic growth by sapping investment and punishing success The Great Depression and the paradox of thrift - another Keynesian fallacy: It is nonsense to claim that the Great Depression was caused by excess savings. The evidence flatly contradicts this view Scooter Libby v Fitzblooey: a 'crime' against the process: Is it now normal practice for prosecuting attorneys to allege a crime and then set traps to elicit falsehoods upon which they can then indict a target without having to prove a crime was committed? Iranians boycott regime's anti-Jewish rally: The Iranian regime's vicious anti-Jewish rally was ignored by the vast majority of Iranians Mugabe unleashes his fanatical thugs against the poor: Mugabe has unleashed his infamous 5th Brigade on the poor. Having learnt well from their North Korean mentors the 5th Brigade murdered, tortured, and raped about 20,000 Zimbabweans in the early '80s Theodore Dalrymple notes that suicide bombers and other Islamic terrorists are often fairly Westernized. He says that Leftist victim-talk makes them resentful of their failures in our society and Islam gives them an outlet for their anger. But this is definitely a "read the whole thing" article. A good article here shows that the whole of Islam is complicit in Islamic terrorism. Excerpt: "So, here we are: part of the Muslim community is in the thrall of a totalitarian ideology which turns young Muslims into human bombs. Photos of Muslim and non Muslim civilian body parts flying in the middle of markets, mosques, discos and hotels have become routine. Beheadings of Christian and Jewish men and women are no longer surprising. And what do the ever-silent and passive-defensive Muslim countries, Organization of Islamic Conference and the Arab League vociferously condemn? They are condemning the publication of cartoons featuring Muhammad in a Danish paper. The absurdity of this action is only matched by its hypocrisy." An amusing explanation here of how GWB's proposed tax changes would screw the "Blue-staters" who have made themselves his political enemies. There is what is alleged to be a speech here by a Chinese general that speaks of attacking the United States. Is it just the fantasies of an old man or totally phony? I don't know but maybe we should try to find out. There are a lot of comments here that throw doubt on the story. The "learning from the Nazis" part of the speech does not sound to me like anything any Chinese Communist would say. A good summary from Dennis Prager: "Judeo-Christian America -- American exceptionalism America -- loves John Bolton, has contempt for the United Nations, mistrusts the World Court, regards Amnesty International as another morally confused leftist organization, thinks little of the world's media and academic elites, and regards "world opinion" as morally confused and left-wing media manipulated. On the other side are those, like the ACLU, who regard even the smallest cross on any county or city seal as a religious threat to the secular republic, who think it America's fault that this country is not highly regarded in public opinion polls from Canada to Germany to South Korea, who passionately opposed John Bolton becoming ambassador to the U.N. because he is highly critical of that institution, and who believe that other nations' laws should be cited in U.S. Supreme Court decisions". Carnival of the Vanities is up right on schedule this week with lots of goodies to read. RECENT ABORTION RESEARCH Dear me! There is a lot of nonsense reported in abortion research. As far as I am concerned, abortion is an ethical issue and I have made my view of it clear elsewhere but various medical claims seem to get tangled up in it too. One claim is that women who have abortions are subsequently more depressed, which makes some intuitive sense and appears to be borne out by research. A recent piece of research has challenged that, however, and the BBC gives a reasonable summary of the controversy for the general reader. The abstract of the actual research report concerned is here and you can link from there to the full research report. I confess to not having read the article in full but it seems a rather silly article to me. They report that higher income women are more likely to abort and that such women are typically less depressed -- which rings true. But they apparently fail to control for that in assessing the effects of abortion. They really needed to compare women of SIMILAR income background (or control for income background statistically) in order to assess the effects of abortion. So I don't think we can conclude anything from their study at all. And there is another study here which reports that women who have had abortions are more likely to become child abusers when they do eventually have children. The inference is that it is the abortion that makes the women more abusive. But isn't it the more obvious conclusion that women who are callous enough to have an abortion in the first place are also the types who would abuse children anyhow? Not all women who have abortions are callous but I don't think it's much of a stretch to assume that there are a lot more callous women among them than in the general population. THE IRISH FLOODS OF THE YEAR 2000 You can read a little about the floods here and the predictable Greenie comment is here but I think the picture below tells you most of all. With an enormous effort at self-restraint, I will refrain from making any comparisons. Australia's major public broadcaster, the ABC, is getting very grand -- with the pride that come before a fall, I fancy. The Managing Director of the ABC has just failed to turn up for a Senate scrutiny of ABC operations -- sending an underling instead. Targeted terrorist assassinations would spare innocent lives : "When Pat Robertson, the televangelist who once ran for president, suggested that the U.S. consider assassinating Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, he was roundly denounced by voices left and right. Robertson is, of course, known for saying impolitic things. But, based on the breaking news that Chavez is seeking nuclear technology, perhaps Robertson's assessment of the Venezuelan situation was more farsighted than impolitic. The Washington Times recently reported that Chavez is on the offensive, making 'overtures to various countries' including Iran 'about obtaining nuclear technology.' Even more troubling than rumors of the Venezuelan government discussing the obtainment of nuclear technology is Chavez's recent fraternization with Iran's ruling bad boy, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which has brought increased pugnacious policy choices in the southern hemisphere." American and European car-makers both trailing on quality "Toyota, along with its Lexus division, makes more than half of the sedans and small cars that earned our highest Reliability Rating. All the others that earned this Rating were also Japanese, including the Honda Accord and previous-generation Civic; the 2006 Infiniti M35/M45; and nonturbo models of the Subaru Impreza. Most of the worst sedans in our rankings came from Europe, including several expensive luxury models such as the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar S-Type, and the Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class. The rest of the bottom-rated small cars and sedans were from domestic manufacturers and included the Chevrolet Cobalt, the V8-powered Chrysler 300C, and the Lincoln LS". Methodists rediscover the Bible: "In a denomination divided over the role of homosexuals in its ranks, a United Methodist Church court Monday defrocked a lesbian minister and reinstated a pastor suspended for denying church membership to a gay man. The nine-member Judicial Council, the denomination's highest court, released its decisions after hearings last week at Houston's First United Methodist Church Westchase campus. The council ruled that the Rev. Irene "Beth" Stroud of Pennsylvania had violated church law that prohibits "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" in the clergy. It also reinstated the Rev. Edward H. Johnson, pastor of South Hill United Methodist Church in Virginia, who had been suspended by his bishop after refusing to add a gay man to the church membership roster." Reliapundit has a summary of the Muslim riots in Paris -- riots the French rather deserve, in my view. More background on the subject here Brits still ruling some waves: "Royal Navy snipers shot out the engines of a speedboat carrying £200 million worth of cocaine during a drugs bust in the Caribbean, it was disclosed last night. The operation to intercept and arrest the drug trafficking gang was led by the Type 22 frigate Cumberland and a Lynx helicopter from her support vessel, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Wave Knight. They intercepted the speedboat as it raced across the ocean 100 miles off Nicaragua. The four-strong gang tried to outrun the helicopter but they were forced to surrender after specialist snipers in the Lynx fired bullets to disable the speedboat's engines. A team from Cumberland boarded the speedboat, arrested the crew and seized two tons of cocaine with a street value of £200 million. I have just put up here a big new lot of postings by Chris Brand on recent events to do with race, IQ etc. SUITCASE NUKES One of my nuclear physicist readers has emailed me to offer the following technical correction to the "Suitcase nukes" story in the WSJ's Opinion Journal that I referred to below: You are correct to note that the suitcase nukes story is bunk and that real suitcase nukes have an extremely limited shelf life - but the Opinion Journal article on why it is bunk gets the physics all wrong. A suitcase nuke has to make use of a small quantity of plutonium with isotopics that are referred to as "super-grade" well above the normal weapons grade level (super grade is around 97% Pu-239 as opposed to 93% Pu-239 for normal weapons grade) - the Pu-239 has a half-life of 24,000 years. The Opinion Journal's explanation of why the suitcase nukes have a limited shelf-life is simply ludicrous. The real reason is that the nukes themselves operate at extremely fine tolerances and their yield is incredibly dependent upon the absolute perfection of their internal geometries. As the higher isotopes of the Pu decay (most importantly Pu-241 going to Am-241) the heat output of the Pu part of the core changes drastically and the geometry changes slightly - this makes the weapn prone to two problems that are referred to as spalling and jetting. As the weapon itself operates right on the limit of having too little material to give an actual nuclear explosion, any material lost to spalling or jetting will prevent the weapon from going off at all. The steps necessary to remake the suitcase weapon to get back its old yield are at least as complex as building it in the first place. ARE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BIGOTS? The above question is one that has often been asked and the answer has been found to depend on how you define "religious". But generally, psychological research -- such as mine -- has found no association between orthodox Christian beliefs and racial prejudice. That does not suit the religion-hating Leftists at all, however -- as "racist" is one of their handiest terms of abuse. So we find an attempt (under the heading "Authoritarianism, Religious Fundamentalism, Quest, and Prejudice") by the ludicrous "Bob" Altemeyer to salvage something nasty from the situation. Altemeyer relies in his research very heavily on a scale (set of statements) of his own devising called the Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) scale. As the very name of it implies, it contains a "mixed bag" of statements. Many are worded in a very aggressive and punitive ("authoritarian") way but there are also in the scale statements such as: "National anthems, flags and glorification of one's country should all be de-emphasized to promote the brotherhood of all men" (from p. 305 of Altemeyer's 1981 book). Now how many conservatives would agree with that statement? Very few, I suspect. So agreeing with the aggressive and hostile statements of the RWA scale can get you a high score on it but just rejecting characteristically Leftist statements can also get you a high score on it. So whether any given correlation with the scale arises from its conservative character or its authoritarian character is simply unknowable. So Altemeyer's failure to recognize that simply being conservative could lead you to get elevated scores on his RWA scale leads him to lots of apparently profound conclusions that are in fact much more parsimoniously (simply) interpreted. For instance, he concludes: "people raised in no religion are apt to be the least authoritarian [conservative] respondents". But all that that finding really tells us is that modern-day North American Christians tend to be conservative. Big news! In a similar vein he supports his assertion that high scorers on his RWA scale [conservatives] are characterized by "deplorable behavior" by showing that they were more supportive of Republican President Richard Nixon and were more opposed to Communists and more dubious about homosexuality. Again: Big news Anyway, Altemeyer's whole approach is so silly and naive that it does not deserve a full critique so I will simply move on to a few remarks on what he says about religion. His first interesting statement is this one: "For example, in a study of 533 University of Manitoba students tested in the fall of 1987 by Altemeyer, the RWA Scale correlated .48 with a measure of acceptance of Christian beliefs, the Christian Orthodoxy (CO) Scale ( Fullerton & Hunsberger, 1982). It also correlated .41 with a measure of prejudice against most of the minorities mentioned a few paragraphs ago. But CO scores correlated precisely .00 with prejudice". In other words, Altemeyer found what I found 15 year before him (not that he mentions my work) -- that orthodox Christian beliefs have ZERO correlation with racial prejudice. That pesky finding did not defeat him, though. He went back to the drawing board and came up with his own measure of religious belief -- a "Religious Fundamentalism" (RF) scale, which was essentially a set of statements that were very dogmatic about the truth of religion. And he went on to show (Phew!) that that scale DID show a small (.30) correlation with racial prejudice. But here's the kicker: Altemeyer's scale of religious belief deliberately EXCLUDED all specifically Christian statements of belief! Even an atheist with a passionate belief in flying saucers could get a high score on it! There is a later study here which also used Altemeyer's scales and that study confirms that high scorers on Altemeyer's RF scale (but not Christians) tended to be simple-minded. So once again poor old Alty tried to fudge his data and failed. All he has really shown is that racial prejudice (but not Christianity) tends to be simple-minded. It may finally be worth noting that my earlier study used a measure of religious dogmatism too (which I called the "religiocentrism" scale) but my scale was specifically Christian in content. And guess what? It too showed NO correlation with ethnic prejudice. So it was only by taking the Christianity out of religion that nutty old Altemeyer could show that religious people were bigots. What a laugh! Only too typical of Leftist psychology, however. Steve "Finefrock" and his friends have been having fun promenading among the Lefties of Santa Monica wearing pro-Arnie t-shirts. You can guess how much intelligent discussion that elicited from the Lefties! Maybe someone should however tell Steve that "boot" in German is "Der Stiefel", not "Das Boot". But his proximity to Hollywood probably means that he was just joking about a famous submarine movie. PETA kills animals wholesale: "Hypocrisy is the mother of all credibility problems, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has it in spades. While loudly complaining about the "unethical" treatment of animals by restaurant owners, grocers, farmers, scientists, anglers, and countless other Americans, the group has its own dirty little secret. From July 1998 through the end of 2004, PETA killed over 12,400 dogs, cats, and other "companion animals" -- at its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. That's more than five defenseless animals every day. Not counting the dogs and cats PETA spayed and neutered, the group put to death over 85 percent of the animals it took in during 2003 alone. And its angel-of-death pattern shows no sign of changing.... PETA raked in nearly $29 million last year in income, much of it raised from pet owners who think their donations actually help animals. Instead, the group spends huge sums on programs equating people who eat chicken with Nazis, scaring young children away from drinking milk, recruiting children into the radical animal-rights lifestyle, and intimidating businessmen" The lies of Edgar Snow: "The new biography Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday shows that every major claim made by Snow was false. Rather than opposing the Japanese invasion, Mao had welcomed it. He hoped the Japanese would engage and destroy his rival, Chiang Kai-shek, and would also draw Soviet troops into China. Mao avoided armed conflict not only with the Japanese but also with the Nationalists. Rather than being a champion of independence for his country, Mao since the 1920s had been an agent of the Soviet Union, taking its arms and money, doing its bidding, and accepting its control of the Chinese Communist Party. He knew his only hope of gaining power in China was with Soviet support, a belief ultimately confirmed in his takeover of the country in 1949. Mao was no agrarian reformer. He redistributed no land and liberated no peasants. His initial "red base" at Ruijin in Jiangxi province, southern China, had been achieved not by a revolutionary uprising of the masses but through military conquest by the Red Army, armed and funded by Moscow. His rule was identical to that of an occupying army, surviving by plundering the local population and killing anyone who resisted". A pretty reassuring article here explaining why "suitcase" nuclear weapons are a myth. I have just put up here a review of recent research on the genetics of IQ, civilization and race by Chris Brand. THE FAR-LEFTISM OF AUSTRALIA'S PUBLIC BROADCASTERS The following is an excerpt from a letter recently sent by one of my Australian readers to to General Karl Eikenberry, US Army Central Command Iraq and Afghanistan. I have posted the whole of the letter here. And Andrew Bolt has also just put up a mocking story about the bias and distortions of Australia's major public broadcaster "I would like make you aware that there are two Australian television and radio broadcasters, the ABC and SBS with embedded correspondents in Iraq and Afghanistan who are sending extremely strong anti American propaganda back to Australia. In the case of the ABC, which is now broadcasting into some forty countries in SE Asia, Osama bin Laden and associates could not have a more effective propaganda machine in this region, no matter how much money they paid. Amazingly both these broadcaster are funded by the Australian government which these broadcasters despise. These broadcasters, staffed by extreme Leftists have a blantant agenda to divide the Australian and regional peoples from America's efforts to win the war on terrorism. Their focus is targeted at any US and coalition setbacks, harm done to civilians, and especially any stories related to torture.in US military prison camps, including Guantanomo. In fact the ABC ran 57 stories on Iraqi prisoner abuse alone, yet only one on the world's biggest scam featuring the Left's favourite institution, the UN and it's oil for food program, which as you are aware, enabled Saddam to buy weapons that have been, and still are being used to kill coalition forces in Iraq. I have never seen a single program by these broadcasters showing the US in a good light. Even their three stories on Hurricane Katrina were nothing more than hysterical rants against the US Government, and yet, this is the ABC, SBS idea of "balanced reporting"." Lawmakers call for more illegal-immigrant prosecutions: "Frustrated because they say federal attorneys aren't prosecuting enough criminal illegal immigrants, California Republican lawmakers are seeking a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The 19 GOP members of the California congressional delegation have signed a letter to Gonzales saying many illegal immigrants who are arrested and deserve jail time are instead released because of a lack of resources to prosecute them. "There is one simple reason why 'catch and release' cannot continue: it endangers our citizens," the letter reads. "It is the responsibility of the Department of Justice to punish dangerous criminals who violate federal laws, and this includes criminal aliens." Criminals discriminated against. How awful! "In what could be a first among municipalities nationwide, San Francisco has adopted a resolution aimed at erasing the stigma faced by felons who apply for public sector jobs. An outgrowth of complaints that job applicants with criminal records are discriminated against when applying for jobs, the nonbinding resolution asks San Francisco's Human Resources Department to consider eliminating the check-off box that asks applicants if they've ever been convicted of a crime. The resolution, which was unanimously passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, quietly passed into law last week without the signature of Mayor Gavin Newsom, a spokesman for the mayor said Tuesday. Newsom wants to "make sure that people who made past mistakes are not discriminated against," said mayoral spokesman David Miree". Private enterprise fairer than government "Far from existing from time immemorial, as many have assumed, racially segregated seating in public transportation began in the South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Those who see government as the solution to social problems may be surprised to learn that it was government which created this problem. Many, if not most, municipal transit systems were privately owned in the 19th century and the private owners of these systems had no incentive to segregate the races..... The incentives of the economic system and the incentives of the political system were not only different, they clashed. Private owners of streetcar, bus, and railroad companies in the South lobbied against the Jim Crow laws while these laws were being written, challenged them in the courts after the laws were passed, and then dragged their feet in enforcing those laws after they were upheld by the courts. These tactics delayed the enforcement of Jim Crow seating laws for years in some places. Then company employees began to be arrested for not enforcing such laws and at least one president of a streetcar company was threatened with jail if he didn't comply" The USSR didn't work because of the USA? : "I argued that in the main in the U.S. people are still required to look out for themselves via voluntary institutions, and this approach to problem-solving is more effective than top-down government management. One panelist responded to this by claiming that, while Cuba (which is ostensibly a socialist dictatorship) and other centralized systems are cruel and mean -- to, say, gays and journalists -- their main problem is the U.S.; this country just will not allow them to flourish. Then he added that this was the problem with the Soviet Union -- countries of the West would not permit its socialist dictatorship to succeed as it would have, had it been left to its own resources." Bring on the mother of all judicial battles : "It's time to right the wrong that was done to Judge Bork. It's time to use this 'swing' seat to right the direction of the Court. A court which reaffirmed special, rather than equal, treatment of minorities in college admissions. A court which said the government can take away your property and give it to someone else for economic reasons. A court which upheld a congressional law infringing on citizens' right to free speech 30 days before an election. A court which is out of control and out of line. If the President does, in fact, nominate someone like that, the left will be loaded for bear. They're gonna kick like mules and bite like crocodiles. It's gonna be an old-fashioned bar brawl, complete with mud, blood and beer. Oh, what a glorious constitutional fight it will be." Australian Left tries to woo Christians: "Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has moved to soothe relations between Labor and Christian churches, linking his moral values to the fight against the Government's planned industrial relations laws. He told church leaders that a post-September 11 world had distorted the message of faith in God. The devoutly religious Mr Beazley also criticised a distortion of Christian faith which he said had occurred in the United States. "In the post-September 11 age when religion is at the centre of public fears of terrorism, we must be able to challenge the ugly, violent distortions of genuine faith," he told the Australian Christian Lobby conference in Canberra. ... Mr Beazley did not mention by name former leader Mark Latham - who has bitterly criticised Mr Beazley - but conceded Christians had had concerns about Labor in the lead-up to last year's federal election.... Dealing with questions from the audience on matters such as abortion and homosexuality, Mr Beazley promised Labor would listen to the often silent, religious sector of the community, partly through its caucus faith and values working group, headed by frontbencher Kevin Rudd. ACL head Brigadier Jim Wallace said many Christians did not vote for Labor at the last election because of former leader Mark Latham's public pronouncements that he was not guided by faith". 'Equal protection'? Just protect the Constitution from the Supreme Court An excerpt from Ben Shapiro In 1866, when members of the 39th Congress of the United States submitted the Constitution's 14th Amendment to state legislatures for ratification, they would have been stunned to learn that they had just written a provision mandating that homosexual sex be treated on the same moral plane as heterosexual sex. On Friday, Oct. 21, the Kansas Supreme Court, ruling under the Supreme Court precedent of Lawrence v. Texas (2003), decided that the 39th Congress meant just that. A Kansas law penalizing statutory homosexual rape more severely than statutory heterosexual rape was struck down under the 14th Amendment's "equal protection" clause.... As the constituency of the Court has changed, interpretation of the Constitution has changed. The Court has arrogantly enforced its own morality. "Equal protection" is no longer a simple bar against racist law enforcement; it is no longer even restricted to race itself. "Equal protection" now means that any law classifying groups differently must meet the Supreme Court's moral standards. Of course, all laws inherently classify groups differently. Murder laws will classify murderers differently than law-abiding citizens. Such laws have always been constitutional. But members of the Supreme Court must now personally agree that legal classifications meet their own moral standards. In Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), for example, the Court declared that a Georgia statute criminalizing sodomy did not violate the "equal protection" clause. Justice White, writing for the majority, explained, "In 1868, when the 14th Amendment was ratified, all but five of the 37 States in the Union had criminal sodomy laws. In fact, until 1961, all 50 States outlawed sodomy, and today, 24 States and the District of Columbia continue to provide criminal penalties for sodomy performed in private and between consenting adults. Against this background, to claim that a right to engage in such conduct is 'deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition' or 'implicit in the concept of ordered liberty' is, at best, facetious." By 2003, a constitutional right to engage in sodomy had been discovered. What changed between 1986 and 2003 to bring about this reversal? Nothing, except the constituency of the Court. And so the Constitution magically changed. Personal politics of the justices trumped the fully constitutional will of the people. Nothing gives the Supreme Court power to overrule popular legislation wherever it pleases. The Constitution does not grant unlimited power to the Supreme Court. We live in a republic, not an oligarchy. No matter whether the Court considers the law in Kansas abhorrent or praiseworthy, it is none of its business under the Constitution. We must trust the people more than we trust tyrants. Anything less is tyranny. Why can't those wonderfully wise Europeans get anywhere near this? : "The US economy strengthened in the third quarter, driven higher by strong government and consumer spending, and despite damage caused by hurricanes. Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by an annual rate of 3.8% in the three months from July through September, the Commerce Department said. That compares with 3.3% in the second quarter and topped market estimates.... There had been concerns that the cost of rebuilding after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, coupled with record oil prices, would slam the brakes on growth. It now looks as if the US economy will keep motoring through to the end of the year, analysts said. "This is a very positive, strong report and encouraging because it included Katrina and a spike in oil prices and we still just seem to have a lot of momentum going into the fourth quarter," said Kurt Karl, an economist at Swiss Re.... Friday's GDP report also contained inflation figures that showed a decline in the core level of price growth. Excluding food and energy prices, the core inflation rate was 1.3% during the quarter, down from 1.7% in the previous quarter." Another economic moron: "Senator Dick Durbin wants to impose a tax on U.S. oil producers, just at the time when they are struggling to get Gulf Coast gas and oil production and refining restored after being hit by two hurricanes. The plan by Senator Dick Durbin would impose a 50% tax on the difference between the market price of oil and a bench-mark of $40 a barrel. The result will be to raise $40 billion or so a year based on a price of $63 per barrel. This will retard the post-hurricane recovery of the U.S. oil industry and put a dead hand on future exploration in the United States. That, in turn, will keep the world price of oil at a level higher that would prevail otherwise and retard domestic economic growth. It will also provide more revenue for foreign producers like Saudi Arabia and Iran. I worry about how that extra revenue will be spent by the sheiks and ayatollahs." Wal-Mart gets praised for shafting its competition! "H. Lee Scott, Jr., the CEO of Wal-Mart, surprised many by calling for an increase in the minimum wage. And what accolades were heaped on him! The company was even cast in a new role, from the exploiter of workers to the responsible advocate of pro-worker policies. And how selfless, for who has to pay such higher wages but companies like Wal-Mart? And thus do we see a corporation set aside its business interests on behalf of the long-term interests of society. The whole thing befuddled Wal-Mart haters as much as it disgusted its free-market defenders. Ted Kennedy wouldn't go so far as to praise the company, but he did say that 'If the CEO of Walmart can call for an increase in the minimum wage, the Republicans should follow suit on behalf of the millions of working men and women living in poverty.'.... And yet, let us think this through. Might there be another reason Wal-Mart would advocate a higher minimum wage?... The current minimum is $5.15. According to studies, Wal-Mart pays between $8.23 and $9.68 as its national average. That means that the minimum wage could be raised 50% and still not impose higher costs on the company" Perverted Irish priests: "Twenty-one Irish Catholic priests sexually assaulted young boys and girls in parishes across Co Wexford over a period of 40 years, a damning report into clerical abuse revealed yesterday. The Irish Government said that it would take immediate action to implement the recommendations of the report into the Diocese of Ferns, which is now regarded as the world's leading centre for clerical sexual abuse. The 271-page report catalogues 100 complaints of abuse, with one priest responsible for 26 assaults. The Ferns Report, which investigated allegations dating back to 1966, concluded that Church authorities, the medical profession and society in general failed to appreciate the horrendous damage which the sexual abuse of children causes. The report revealed that police investigations were wholly inadequate, while bishops in the Diocese of Ferns failed to take basic precautions to protect children." The utter intellectual dishonesty and pure hatred that characterize that mini-Chomsky, Brian Leiter, has once again been exposed for what it is -- this time by Will Wilkinson Jennifer Marohasy is blogging up a storm these days. Hers is another "Greenie Watch" blog but her focus is mainly on the nuttiness of Australian Greenies whereas I try to take a global view. The Religious Policeman is a blog from "A Saudi man, currently living in the United Kingdom, where the Religious Police no longer trouble him for the moment". He is pretty scathing about the whole Islamic scene. THE CAUSES AND CURES OF ISLAMOFASCISM Francis Fuk... ELSEWHERE A good summary here of the big problems... SOME RECENT ARTICLES UP ON ICJS Anti-Semitic poe... AUSTRALIA'S ECONOMIC PROWESS Which country will h... ELSEWHERE Theodore Dalrymple notes that suicide b... RECENT ABORTION RESEARCH Dear me! There is a lot... SUITCASE NUKES One of my nuclear physicist reader... ARE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BIGOTS? The above question i... THE FAR-LEFTISM OF AUSTRALIA'S PUBLIC BROADCASTERS... 'Equal protection'? Just protect the Constitution ...

Bratislava Castle We head up the hill to the castle, managing to get ourselves a little lost on the way even though it’s the middle of the day and we haven’t even really been drinking. We follow a path that brings us to the castle walls but there’s no entrance to be found, we’re not the only people at this apparent dead end, we backtrack and follow the walls around until we find a way in. Into the castle ground we pass through into some nice gardens, handful of folks mulling about… Gorgeous grounds for a gorgeous castle So hamsome We goof around with the statues a bit. There are a couple of chicks who are pretty serious about getting the perfect shots for the grams, we try to subtle-photo-bomb them but they’re perfectionists and aren’t falling for our shenanigans… Red hot castle peppers. An army truck pulls up to the castle entrance and drops off brooms. The place is under some kind of renovations or something so we don’t get in, but we head further up the hill to a vista over the Danube… This is a good look at the UFO bridge we saw on the way in. Apparently it’s possible to get up there but not worth the cost according to the Hostel Blues check-in girl. Up and down the Danube we see a few of these big river cruisers going past… Despite its looks, apparently the castle we’re seeing only dates back to the 1950s, when it was rebuilt in the style of its predecessor, which was destroyed by fire in 1811. That castle could trace its lineage back to the ninth century, but archaeological digs on the site show fortifications dating as far back as 3500 BC by the Baden culture. After them, the Celts and Romans both had forts at the site as well. Next door is the National Council of the Slovak Republic, the home of the government’s unicameral parliament. Surprisingly simple building compared to equivalents elsewhere. We don’t go inside but it’s got a great view of the castle and the river. It’s well passed check-in time back at the hostel now so we head down the hill and through the old town again. What a great little spot, our second time walking through the old town just reinforces our initial impression – small enough to be able to get around quickly, not too small to be uninteresting, and very very pretty. Posted in 6. The BEEF (Bitchin Eastern Europe Foolishness), Castles, H) SlovakiaTagged best brooms in bratislava, bratislava castle, hamsome, National Council of the Slovak Republic, Red hot castle peppers, ufo bridge slovakia, view of the DanubeBy McBurger and DieselLeave a comment ← Infinite Douchery Viecha U Sedliaka / Slovak Radio Tower →

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It’s A Great Time To Get Your Chimney Inspected Amazing Advice for Cleaning Grout Machine Screws Could Usefully Be Used More? PD 2021-06-07 by Kenneth J. Mooney The machine screw, a term that has confused most people at one time or other as it looks like a bolt and can be used with a nut as well. The term seems to have arisen as the term screw seemed originally to refer to all small screws and bolts. Strangely as the machine screws got bigger the term stayed the same. The development of metal box construction made the machine screw far more in demand. It is the ideal construction item when the fixing can be completed from one side of the work only. In this case a hole is drilled into the base of the unit and the hole is tapped with the screw thread of the same size as the machine screw. The top section has the equivalent hole but slightly larger drilled through the section, when the 2 pieces are offered together they can be combined by pushing the screw through the top section and screwing it into the tapped hole below. The finished joint can be tightened strongly and works extremely well. The machine screws can be purchased from a good supplier in various sizes and lengths. The strength of the joint is generally greater than that achieved by the self-tapping screw system and they are used in places where a good strong joint with a good finish is required. Stainless steel is often used making them a strong fixing but also one that can be used on enclosures where a good finish is required. They can also be extracted and re tightened easily with the use of a screw driver to give access to the enclosure but in contrast they are often used as a security fixing. In this case the screw is fitted with a security screw system which requires a special screwdriver only available from special sources controlled by the manufacturer. These are often used to keep people from accessing specialist or dangerous equipment where nuisance or malicious damage can be carried out or where people can gain access to dangerous electrical or mechanical equipment. It does seem that the system has even more applications as the finished joint is so good and it could replace both self-tapping screw systems and certain nut and bolt systems to give a better and safer finished fixing. The machine screws could certainly be used more and the extra work required is very small for the rewards available and are well worth considering. It's A Great Time To Get Your Chimney Inspected

When the Poet Died: on translating remembrance Alexander Anichkin’s blog post, When the Poet Died, was written a few months ago (June 2011) but makes timely reading today, Remembrance Sunday. Alexander’s post starts from his translation of Gilbert Bécaud’s song “Quand il est mort, le poète” (lyrics by Louis Amade). So it gives us an insight to the challenges faced by translators in translating songs (or poetry), and the creative ways in which they resolve them. But it’s interesting on other levels too. The song itself has an anti-war message and touches on the symbolism of remembrance: red poppies here in Britain, blue cornflowers in France. The video Alexander has chosen for his post shows Gilbert Bécaud performing the song for (and teaching it to) a German audience. [dailymotion id=xawqvk] Alexander’s comment: Whatever difficulties united Europe is going through, Franco-German rapprochement has been one of its greatest achievements. could hardly be more topical. The Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, has become a front-page name outside Italy in view of his role in guiding the country’s change of leadership. Like his predecessor, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Napolitano belongs to the generation that lived through the Second World War and saw a united Europe as much more than just an economic community. In a speech last month at the Collège d’Europe in Bruges, President Napolitano said: We need to cast some light on the progress made in the audacious project announced on 9 May 1950. This is especially true nowadays, since my generation is the last one to have lived through the tragedy that the Second World War unleashed on our countries, already battered by the First, Great War. Mine is the last generation to preserve a keen memory of the fatal divisions and destruction from which we had to raise ourselves up once again. For President Napolitano, and President Ciampi before him, the European Union was and is a way to ensure that European countries never again go to war (with each other). It’s maybe hard for those of us who didn’t live through World War II to fully grasp that sentiment, but it’s worth remembering that “Europe” is based on more than just markets and economic interests. Isn’t it? By the way: Gilbert Bécaud, Giorgio Napolitano and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi all took part in their countries’ resistance movements. Alexander Anichkin says: Marian, thanks for the mention. That’s exactly what I had in mind when I mentioned the Franco-German reconciliation. By the way, Romano Prodi, the former president of the European commission and Italian president, who is of the post-war generation also said that preventing war between European nations was the main motive behind the creation of the EU – and its greatest achievement. I think it was a Radio 4 interview. Thanks, Alexander. I loved your post on “When the Poet Died” – it was interesting on so many levels. Like you, I think that we need to keep sight of the ideals behind the creation of the EU. I live in Scotland but spent over 20 years in Italy and at any given moment feel British, European, Glaswegian and Scottish, in more or less that order. Ruth Webber says: Thanks for another great blog Marian. It’s uplifting on a Monday morning. I really enjoyed the video too, not sad and mournful as I had expected. Thanks, Ruth – glad I brightened up your Monday morning! I’ve been humming the song all weekend…

Schönberg Music Mediation Award LEARN TO HEAR The Schönberg Music Mediation Award LEARN TO HEAR, initiated by the Arnold Schönberg Center and in cooperation with the Department of Music Education Research, Music Didactics, and Elementary Music Education (IMP) of the mdw-University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, will be awarded for five consecutive years beginning in 2023. This award-winning concept aims at exploring Arnold Schönberg’s compositional œuvre and interdisciplinary artistic influence as well as the music of the Viennese School and its legacy for contemporary music. The practical realization of the concept will involve a “Listening Session” at the Arnold Schönberg Center. In the presence of the participants, new listening strategies will be introduced in order to promote an understanding of the music of Schönberg, his students, and his artistic heirs and successors. The program is organized around an annually changing theme and for different target groups. The € 3.000 Schönberg Music Education Award will be awarded to an outstanding submission by a jury (consisting of members from IMP and ASC). The award ceremony will take place at the Arnold Schönberg Center. The submitted concept should be in a workshop format that can encompass lecture modules, interactive parts, discussions, and music examples. For the first year of the award, the concept is aimed at interested adults, whereby, in terms of inclusivity, no previous knowledge should be/is required. The time frame should be around 90 minutes. The goal is to introduce the participants to the music of Arnold Schönberg in an enjoyable way. The workshop has to be conducted in German. Who may apply? Applicants must be either students or graduates (maximum eight years after graduation) of mdw. The submitted concept must have been neither submitted nor realized before. What are the selection criteria for the award? • Relevance to the topic and target group • Originality • Quality of communication • Technical foundation • Practicability How can one apply? Applicants must submit the following: 1) the completed submission form (-> DOWNLOAD) 2) a detailed project concept [including (preliminary) project calculation]: The concept should comprise a maximum of 4 pages and include the idea of the workshop. The concept should describe the process in which the main musical ideas will be conveyed, with a particular focus on how workshop participants will be actively involved. The calculation (incl. technical requirements) should additionally comprise a maximum of 1 page. 3) a CV How does the selection process work? Please send the completed submission form, project concept, and CV electronically to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than October 2, 2023. The jury will select a winning project by October 20, 2023. The announcement will be made on October 23, 2023. Applicants will have the opportunity to learn about research possibilities on the subject matter during an information session at the Arnold Schönberg Center (Wednesday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.; additional date: Friday, June 2, 10:00 a.m.). Register at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Funding is provided by the Arnold Schönberg Center Educational Endowment. Initiative, idea, and concept: Therese Muxeneder (Arnold Schönberg Center, Vienna) Project lead mdw: Axel Petri-Preis (IMP)

Justia Dockets & Filings Fifth Circuit Texas Western District Flores v. Child Proctective Services et al Filing 4 Flores v. Child Proctective Services et al ORDER DISMISSING CASE AS FRIVOLOUS. Signed by Judge Kathleen Cardone. (me, ) IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS EL PASO DIVISION ERIC FLORES, Plaintiff, v. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, Defendants. � � � � � � � � � � � EP-10-CV-00066-KC ORDER On this day, the Court considered Plaintiff's Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. For the reasons set forth herein, the Motion is GRANTED. However, Plaintiff's claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE as frivolous. In the instant case, Plaintiff has submitted a barely legible Complaint which involves a conspiracy by unnamed anti-government organizations to deny Plaintiff his constitutional rights. Specifically, Plaintiff asserts that the Texas legislature in the 78th Legislative Session revised the congressional districts in the state of Texas on behalf of unnamed anti-government groups so that these groups could establish their own common law courts in violation of Article I, section 4, clause 1 of the United States Constitution. Compl. 1. Plaintiff claims that these illegal common law courts have issued frivolous judgments, which closely resemble legitimate court orders, for the purpose of harassing citizens. Id. at 1-2. Specifically, Plaintiff claims that the 383rd Judicial District Court is one such illegal court, and that the Judge presiding over that court has illegally refused to investigate certain claims of sexual abuse. Id. at 4-5. Plaintiff seeks a temporary restraining order to prohibit these anti-government groups and their illegal courts from asking questions regarding the sexual abuse. Id. at 5. Further, Plaintiff seeks a "referral" appointing a child protective services caseworker to investigate these claims of child abuse as well as the appointment of a three-judge panel under 28 U.S.C. � 2284(b)(3) to investigate these antigovernment groups and their unlawful courts. Id. at 6. A district court may dismiss sua sponte a complaint filed in forma pauperis if it determines that the action is frivolous or fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted. 28 U.S.C. � 1915(e)(2)(B)(i-ii). In determining whether a plaintiff has stated an actionable claim for relief, the complaint must be liberally construed in favor of the plaintiff and the allegations contained therein must be taken as true. Martin K. Eby Constr. Co. v. DART, 369 F.3d 464, 470 (5th Cir. 2004). An action is frivolous if it lacks an arguable basis in either law or fact. Henson-El v. Rogers, 923 F.2d 51, 53 (5th Cir. 1991). A complaint is without an arguable basis in law if it is grounded upon a discredited or untenable legal theory. Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). A claim is factually frivolous when "the facts alleged are `fantastic or delusional scenarios' or the legal theory upon which a complaint relies is `indisputably meritless.'" Harris v. Hegmann, 198 F.3d 153, 156 (5th Cir. 1999); see also Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 32-33 (1992). After reviewing the Complaint, the court finds that it is factually and legally frivolous. Even construing the Complaint liberally, the court is unable to discern under what theories Plaintiff is attempting to proceed or what remedy this Court could possibly provide. The notion that Texas legislature acted on behalf of unnamed anti-government groups when it redistricted the congressional districts in the state is fantastic enough. That it did so for the purpose of setting up illegal courts which mimic "genuine" courts in order to violate Plaintiff's constitutional rights is absurd. Further, Plaintiff fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Plaintiff's claim is implausible. The Complaint does not assert facts, that accepted as true, state a claim that is plausible. See Ashcroft v. Iqbal, ---U.S.----, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949 (2009). Plaintiff has not demonstrated even a sheer possibility that Defendants have acted unlawfully. See id. Plaintiff makes bald claims of an elaborate conspiracy involving the Texas Legislature and an illegal shadow judiciary which do not rise above the level of plausibility. That these anti-government groups undertook this conspiracy so that the ersatz court would refuse to investigate allegations of child abuse is just not plausible. Plaintiff fails to state a claim. Moreover, Plaintiff is no stranger to this Court having filed nine complaints in this Court over the last several weeks and at least four other complaints over the last several years. See Flores v. El Paso County Sheriff's Department, et al., EP-06-cv-00419; Flores v. Samaniego, EP-06-cv-00425; Flores v. El Paso County Sheriff's Department, et al., EP-08-cv-00124; Flores v. Wiles, EP-09-cv-00032; Flores v. Wiles, EP-10-cv-00025; Flores v. Wiles, EP-10-cv-00026; Flores v. El Paso County Sheriff's Department, et al., EP-10-cv-00027; Flores v. Antigovernment Group, EP-10-cv-00053; Flores v. Anti-government Group, EP-10-cv-00054; Flores v. United States Attorney General, EP-10-cv-00059; Flores v. Flores, et al., EP-10-cv-00060; Flores v. Attorney General for the State of Texas,, EP-10-cv-00065; Flores v. Child Protective Services, et al., EP-10-cv-66. Plaintiff's repeated filing of cases in this Court is rapidly becoming abusive. Should Plaintiff continue to file frivolous claims, the Court may require him to seek leave of Court before being allowed to file any further claims. For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff's Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis is GRANTED. His Complaint is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE as frivolous pursuant to 28 U.S.C. � 1915(e)(2)(B). The Clerk shall close the case. SO ORDERED. SIGNED on this 1st day of March 2010. ______________________________________ KATHLEEN CARDONE UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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Request An Appointment (919) 694-5100 If you are experiencing pain, we want to help! We are dedicated to helping patients regain pain-free lives. Oftentimes, people do not seek help for pain until it worsens. We want to help at the onset of symptoms, so they do not progress. Balance and Coordination Training We specialize in correcting your body’s misalignments. Our goal is to ensure that your spine and the rest of your body are working harmoniously. To do so, we will help you develop a plan that will require light stretching, some exercise, chiropractic care, and a healthy diet. Corrective exercises are the use of bodily movements and/or postures to restore desirable changes in diseased or injured tissues. The corrective exercises are movement strategies that minimize or eliminate compensation. Corrective exercises should precede more integrated exercises, because they can cue the patient’s motor system to respond in a more desirable way and assist in removing or improving biomechanical constraints. Here at Doc's Spine and Sports Medicine we want to help you on your journey towards health and wellness. Our goal is to help you achieve total health and balance with your body. In order to achieve that goal, we are here to offer specific recommendations on nutritional supplements and healthy food choices to help you maintain a healthy weight. Our team here at Doc's Spine and Sports Medicine is dedicated to helping you achieve your long-term health and wellness goals by offering you reliable lifestyle advice. If you are not sure if the lifestyle choices you are making are worsening or improving your condition, we are here to help. We address the typical chiropractic issues as well as coach our patients to live a healthier life by looking at the individual as a whole mentally, physically and emotionally. Massage therapy is the manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. There are many types of massage therapy methods (also called modalities). People seek massage therapy for a variety of reasons; for example, to reduce stress and anxiety, to relax muscles, to rehabilitate injuries, to reduce pain and to promote overall health and wellness. Doc's Spine and Sports Medicine © 2023 (919) 694-5100 | 2035 Renaissance Park Pl, Cary, NC 27513

Opinion Christopher M. Ramirez - February 26, 2021 0 Washington- Mrs. Katherine Tai, Trade representative of President Joe Biden, has vowed to work with US allies to address what Washington considers China's unfair... WWNC - According to a source, Elon Musk's space exploration business SpaceX had requested funding from the Pentagon for Starlink terminals in Ukraine. Musk... WWNC - One of the tens of thousands of Russians who have been enlisted since last month to hold the frontlines in their nation's... A mentally ill woman who had been dead for more than three years in her apartment was found in a "mummified, nearly skeleton state,"... After Germany agreed to deploy its Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine on Wednesday, it didn't take long for Russian authorities to begin shouting... Although South Korea experienced negative economic growth in 2020 due to the effects of the Kovid-19 pandemic, it is ranked third in the world... Overseas: Long-running military exercises between US and South Korean troops have been suspended for more than a year as officials try to prevent from... A Virginia man accused of breaking the terms of his release by meeting with jailed American Taliban member John Walker Lindh was convicted of... Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and Twitter, met on Thursday night at the US Capitol in Washington with Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of... Trump congratulates Ronna McDaniel on her win in the contentious race for RNC chair Ronna McDaniel won the difficult race to lead the Republican National Committee, and President Donald Trump congratulated her on her victory. In a post on Truth Social, Trump congratulated Ronna McDaniel on her significant victory as RNC chair. We now need to PREVENT THE DEMOCRATS FROM FRAUDULENT ELECTION MISCONDUCT! According to sources, McDaniel had argued that she was best placed to prevent Trump from running as a third-party candidate if he fails to win the Republican nomination. The majority of the 168 people who chose the party’s leadership declined to declare whether or not they backed Trump. In a poll of all 168 RNC members, according to The New York Times, only four openly supported Mr. Trump’s bid for president in 2024, according to USA Today. Twenty people argued against the former president being the party’s choice. 35 more either declined to comment on Mr. Trump or indicated they would like to see a large primary field. The remaining individuals did not reply to messages. Approximately two-thirds of the electorate — 111 of the 167 votes cast — supported McDaniel. She had faced challenges from Mike Lindell and Harmeet Dhillon in the contest. “The results were not what we or hundreds of thousands of supporters throughout the country were hoping for, and I think the party is going to have to deal with that fallout of being in a disconnect from the grassroots,” Dhillon told reporters after McDaniel’s victory was revealed. Previous articleRep. Elise Stefanik says that intelligence services “committed crimes.” Next articlePolice have charged a second teenager in the two-death Iowa school shooting China-India Relations: What China wants from Indian Ocean? Business August 27, 2020 0 The Indian ocean is the world third largest ocean... The accomplishments in social development that Cambodia “The accomplishments in social development that Cambodia has achieved... Records show that the expired Roblox stock call options that Nancy Pelosi’s husband lost over $300,000 World News January 27, 2023 0 Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy...

The CHICOS Summit, to be held November 9-11 The CHICOS Summit, to be held November 9-11 at the Hilton Hotel in La Romana, is…

Speaker Introduction Donna Cardillo, RN [pronounced Car-dill-oh] known as the Inspiration Nurse, travels the world helping organizations and individuals to maximize their potential and stay fully engaged in life and career. She is fiercely passionate about healthcare and life in general. Donna is the original “Dear Donna” columnist at Nurse.com. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and a Certified Speaking Professional, one of only three nurses in the world to hold both designations. Donna is author of 4 books, including the award-winning Falling Together: How to Find Balance, Joy, and Meaningful Change When Your Life Seems to be Falling Apart. She has received numerous business and healthcare awards and recognitions but is most proud of being named a Diva in Nursing by the Institute for Nursing in NJ for outstanding achievements and excellence in practice. Donna has been called the “Nurse Whisperer” and referred to as the Oprah Winfrey of the nursing profession. Regardless of who she’s compared to, there’s no denying that she has her own unique style, indomitable spirit, and uproarious sense of humor. Please welcome Donna Cardillo! Print a hardcopy Promo Sheet Click the image to download a PDF info sheet. Click on the image to download Donna Cardillo’s photo.

Gabrielle Jaffee – New Jersey Registration Form – NEW February 3, 2023 /by Tim Donovan https://donovantennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GJaffee-headshot.jpg 2069 1552 Tim Donovan https://www.donovantennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dts.png Tim Donovan2023-02-03 22:41:242023-02-03 22:41:24Gabrielle Jaffee – New Jersey Registration Form – NEW

Art & Culture Destinations Interests Molise Villages The Castelpetroso Sanctuary Molise Villages Province of Isernia Sanctuary Sanctuary of Castelpetroso Small villages TOP Molise Home » The Castelpetroso Sanctuary Castelpetroso, a small village in the province of Isernia in Molise and the beautiful Basilica of the Sorrowful (Basilica Minore dell’Addolorata), are inseparable. The latter has become an integral part of the territory of Castelpetroso since it was completed in 1900. It welcomes people from everywhere, although it remains somewhat unknown despite its great potential. The Apparitions In March 1888, two peasant girls were looking for a lost sheep when one of them was suddenly distracted by a bright light coming from a nearby cave. In the glowing light, the peasant girl saw the Virgin Mary kneeling before the lifeless body of Jesus with his eyes to the sky and his arms wide open. Ten days later, on April 1, Easter Day, the celestial figures returned to show themselves and this time they were both seen. But not only that, the pilgrims who began arriving in large numbers, also saw the genesis of a small water source near the cave. A collection soon began for the construction of a sanctuary which has transformed into the wonder it is today. The actual sanctuary was built further downstream than the exact place of the apparitions so that it would be more accessible. The Sanctuary of Castelpetroso It stands solemn with its seven chapels representing the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary and its 54-meter high central dome. Positioned in a wide-open space, its appearance is straight out of a fairytale. It’s a magical place not only for the events that gave rise to it but also for the spiritual feeling it gives you- almost commanding you to subject to its majesty. It seems to be almost deliberately under-appreciated. I highly recommend visiting this “little Italian Lourdes” (as it’s been called) and its quaint village in your travels. Other destinations in Molise

The Castello Plan is a map of New Amsterdam created by surveyor Jacques Cortelyou in 1660. It provides a detailed view of the layout and land use in New Amsterdam, including Fort Amsterdam, streets, homes and businesses, the canal, and the wall along the northern edge of the city that was built to keep the British out. The Castello Plan represents New Amsterdam around the peak of its settlement under the Dutch, with a population of several thousand. The name of the Castello Plan comes from the Villa di Castello, an estate near Florence, Italy, where the map was rediscovered in 1900. Stokes, Isaac Newton Phelps and John Wolcott Adams, “Redraft of the Castello Plan, New Amsterdam in 1660,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/3b5c575778310ada597c936e43746f99.

Cedar Lake Publishing, LLC Pursuing God as we grow together. Cedar Lake Publishing, LLC is the publishing arm for Dr. Chris McCormick. About Dr. McCormick: Since 2017, I have served as the associate pastor of Calvary Church in Maumee, Ohio. I earned a Master of Divinity degree from Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay, Ohio in August of 2017 and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri in May of 2021. Prior to serving at Calvary Church, I enjoyed a 33-year chemical engineering career in the oil refining business, retiring in 2016. I have been an ordained minister for 30 years and after retiring from the engineering world, I have been able to follow my calling to the full extent I always knew God had for me. Since earning my DMin, I am involved in publishing my dissertation as a book as well as working on other future publications. The link to my dissertation is here: https://tinyurl.com/3tu24t49 I married my wife Cindy in 1988 and we have a son who is 47 and a daughter who would have been 53 this year but she has already transitioned to heaven where we will meet again someday. Cindy has been a full partner and an invaluable help throughout our lives together. I would not have it any other way! In the near future, you will be able to find my new book and other works at Cedar Lake Publishing, LLC here: http://www.cedarlakepub.com Cedar Lake Publishing is where you will soon be able to purchase my latest books and publications. You can find it at http://www.cedarlakepub.com Risky Living June 19, 2021 The Unexpected Connection June 16, 2021 Welcome! June 5, 2021

Tag Archives: DC Review Lego DC: Shazam!: Magic and Monsters Review Posted on November 15, 2020 by dreager1 Feels like it’s been a while since DC came out with another one of their Lego adventures so it was nice to see this one show up. This time it’s Shazam’s turn to be the lead and he holds his own film pretty well. He’s always been a pretty fun character and since his abilities match up so well with Superman’s you can see them being good rivals. Naturally Batman does his best to grab a lot of the screen time as well so Shazam has to split it with him. It ends up being a bit of a team up film there but part of the charm in these Lego films is that the plot’s always moving pretty quickly so a lot happens here. The movie starts with Shazam stopping some villains and even saving a dog from a tree. People are wondering who this new hero is and he’s definitely left a positive impression. Even the Daily Planet has become aware of his presence and so Clark Kent has to write a story about him. This is put on hold when a bunch of villains show up. The Justice League backs Superman up but it’s surprisingly a close fight until Shazam shows up and takes all of the villains down for the count. The League invites him to the team but the trouble for Shazam is that they have 3 rules: One of which is that no kids are allowed. Shazam can’t let them find out his secret but it might end up sabotaging his chances of being a member. Additionally Mr. Mind’s schemes aren’t quite over yet. It’s pretty interesting to see Mr Mind getting a lead villain role here. The guy was teased at the end of the live action film so perhaps this is a bit of foreshadowing on what he could do. He can’t really fight all that well physically but has mind control so that’s always helpful. I don’t think the writers consider him to be that skilled though as he mentions multiple times that his abilities only work on weak willed people and kids. For the most part adults are off limits….that’s not going to be very good for him. Then there’s also the fact that he keeps hearing a voice in his head. There’s a nice twist about who’s talking to him at the end. I did like his villain group though. It’s a pretty unique roster that you wouldn’t usually expect to see so I liked the creativity there. The guy fighting Superman was pretty interesting and the “Dummy” makes for a fun villain even if his matchup against the Flash has got to be the most one sided one. A guy with a gun taking on the fastest man alive? Really? Well, he did pretty well all things considered I suppose. The final act of the film also adds one more villain who was a lot of fun to see. Due to some plot reasons we don’t really get to see him mix it up with the League the way you would expect but I do think he would have made it a good fight. Lego animation is pretty consistent so you either like the style or you don’t. It’s all pretty clear and what I like about the DC Lego adventures in particular is that they do still give you nice action scenes. The films are a solid blend of humor and action but a lot of the fight scenes are actually taken pretty seriously. Take the Batman vs Superman fight. Yes, these two get to go up against each other yet again. While they’re dishing out a lot of solid one liners and good banter, we get some real acrobatics here and see Batman pulling off some nice maneuvers. It’s easy to imagine this in the core DC animation style and the fight being pretty epic. So it’s the extra effort you get here that has always put DC at the very top of the Lego verse. The writing is also really solid as always. Batman gets a lot of great lines in particular. I also like Superman’s showing here mainly in the first half of the film. It’s always nice seeing him as Clark Kent and he definitely takes the arrival of Shazam a lot more in stride than in Justice League. The movie has a lot of solid visual humor as well to match the lines like Shazam just casually popping in his Subway token to catch a ride to Eternity. It’s also just a very balanced portrayal of Shazam. As a kid Billy is a super nice guy as always even wishing well to the bullies who would pick on him. Then as Shazam he does keep in all of the SHAZAM attributes such as wisdom and speed which is good. It’s probably his best appearance since Superman & Shazam the animated short film that came out a while back. Even the Wizard looks good since he actually knows how to fight in this version and does a good job of holding his own. Overall, Lego DC Shazam was definitely a really solid adventure. Shazam is a likable hero and would make a good regular addition to the team here. As always I would put Batman as the standout character here. In the Lego verse he really just owns the team and the writers have such a solid understanding of his character. In general the writing is just really good and the film’s pacing is also on point. I don’t really have anything to say against the film. It’s just a lot of fun throughout. I’d probably switch out the plot of the characters turning into kids that happens at one point but it does lead to some nice scenes so you could always say that he was still worth it. If you are in the mood for a fun film with some action and your classic DC characters around then you should definitely check this one out. The Lego films are also not that long so it’s not like it’ll take a lot of time either. Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Action, Batman, Comedy, DC Review, Lego DC, Magic and Monsters, Review, Shazam, Superman | Leave a reply The Flash: Starting Line Review Posted on March 1, 2020 by dreager1 It’s been a while since I read a comic, especially a Flash one so it was good to see the ole speedster back in action. It’s a fairly modern one too so we get to blast through the origin stuff and get right to the adventures. The Rogues get a solid revival and quite a bit happens here. The story sets up a lot of future plot lines that’ll keep on going for some time so this line is off to a good start. While each issue has a different villain for the most part there is still a larger plot in the background. The Flash used to be a very well liked figure in Central City but lately people have been turning against him. The cops think he is a wild vigilante who causes more harm than good and the reporters are all trying to frame him. One of Barry’s best friends even betrays him to run a social experiment. The guy has a point that they weren’t all that close though. Only Barry really took it hard while to the friend it was just good business. It’s why you certainly have to be careful on who you trust because some will turn around and back-stab you quite quickly. It always makes for an interesting plot to see everyone turning on the Flash or whoever the hero of the adventure is. It’s annoying too as you can easily lose respect for these characters. The fact of the matter is that the Flash has saved all of these guys time and time again. It’s a bit late in the game for people to say that they’re better off without him. I could never comprehend the argument of the hero attracting trouble. If Flash wasn’t around then the city would have been destroyed many times over. You need a super hero when it comes to tricky cities like this. Otherwise the villains will just have their way. You also can’t do much better than the Flash. With his speed there is always a chance that you can be saved. The first main arc deals with Mob Rule a lot. One of Barry’s old friends went missing one day. He has returned, but seems to now be a villainous sniper who is way in over his head. Barry tries to talk with him about this, but it’s a complicated situation. Some experiments were done on Manuel and now every time he is injured or a part of him is severed it turns into a whole other him. Now they are an army known as Mob Rule and they want to find a cure. The downside to having all of these clones is that they die after a few days. They kidnap Manuel and work on a bunch of cures but nothing is working and the group is getting more and more radical. Barry has to try and get Manuel out of this while he still can. It’s more of a mystery thriller than the other Flash stories. Not only is the mob pretty discreet and hard to stop, but Flash has also been creating a lot of temporal anomalies lately so he is’t sure if he should be running full blast. I’m not a fan of Manuel though. He does seem to start a lot of the trouble which gets him into these sticky situations. He’s also quite quick to ditch Barry which puts him in a lot of danger. Finally the guy had no real gratitude to the Flash for saving him. Somehow he did the mental gymnastics of saying that it’s Flash’s fault that the cure didn’t work when it was obviously about to destroy him anyway. Everyone was really giving the Flash a hard time throughout the whole series. The other big arc in the series saw the return of Captain Cold. He blames the Flash for the big blackout which prevented the hospital from helping his sister out when she was in critical condition. He now wants the Flash dead so their fights are a little more serious than usual. Flash just got done dealing with a crazy guy in the Speed Force who was messing things up so he doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about this. Captain Cold’s new freezing abilities make him much more of a serious threat than he used to be though. The fact that he naturally makes the Flash slower is quite handy in a fight. We also get to see the rest of the Rogues show up as they banded together under a new leader known as the Golden Glider. She wants the Rogues to be a purely evil group as opposed to what she considered to be weak tactics under Cold’s leadership. They’ve got a very different approach on how to run a group. Cold believes that having an honor code is best and he does seem better equipped to be a leader. It is hard to keep that level of nuance while you’re a villain group though. I don’t see most villains really playing ball for very long. Most of them are in this business to murder the heroes and civilians. Captain Cold also isn’t a strong enough fighter to keep them in check. He was having trouble with Heatwave who isn’t exactly known as a powerhouse. Regardless, he does have a lot of experience and credibility though so people tend to listen to him. Golden Glider’s leadership was fairly short lived although I doubt her ambitions are over for now. I mentioned him briefly before, but Turbine is a guy who was stuck in the SpeedForce for decades. I really don’t blame him for trying to get out. Flash guilt trips him because Turbine’s attempts for hurting the planet, but what else could he do? The Flash can’t reasonably expect this guy to just stay stuck for his whole life right? Turbine seems like he’s going to end up turning evil, but at least right now he seems pretty reasonable to me. The guy just wants to get home and Flash seemed to have absolutely no sympathy for him. Meanwhile Iris gets a smaller role than usual as there is a new heroine around. This has allowed Iris to get her own plots away from Barry though. She’s now more of a detective/reporter like Lois Lane to the point where I’m sure they’re basing this interpretation on the iconic DC character. She’s an interesting character and this is probably her best portrayal. I think there’s a lot the series can do with her so hopefully she doesn’t go back with Barry. Patty is the new character involved with Barry and she seems reasonable. The relationship doesn’t seem too stable though since she can’t stand the Flash. Whenever the heroine doesn’t like the hero form you can’t help but think that things won’t really end well. That’s just too big of a split to remedy since the hero has to break the news at some point right? At least she does seem quite loyal when Barry is around and does her best to help him out. Patty has connections and skills in her own right so she can contribute quite a lot when it comes to detective work and solving cases. There’s a whole plot with Gorilla Grodd which serves as his origin. It’s the least interesting part of the volume although it’s not like it’s bad or anything. I just can’t bring myself to care about them at the moment and the Flash getting amnesia felt incredibly convenient since otherwise he could have gotten out of there pretty easily. They’re clearly going to have a big role soon so we’ll see how that goes. I’ve never been impressed with Grodd’s strength even if he is technically considered to be one of Flash’s deadliest opponents. Give me the Rogues any day. I basically talked about everyone except Barry so let’s take a step back here. Flash is a solid lead who does deal with some issues at the beginning but ultimately gets past them. He realizes that his speed is necessary to saving the world and stops overthinking things. He’s trying to learn how to speed up his mind as well and once he does this he should really be a super powerful hero. The Flash is already one of the strongest characters in DC if you ask me so if I were the writers I would make it take a super long time for Flash to actually master this technique. It’s effectively Ultra Instinct in the DC world. Barry’s always been my favorite Flash because he’s also got those detective skills on top of his super powers and he’s a very reasonable guy. His Barry Allen persona is simply interesting and the comic did a good job of showing that off. The artwork is also pretty solid here. It may not be the most colorful I’ve seen, but it holds its own pretty well. I like the speed effects and there’s a lot of weight behind each hit. There was a good amount of effort put into the artwork for sure and it shows. It’s part of what makes this an easy read along with the quality writing. You’ll be drawn into the pages and ready for the next adventures to come. Overall, This is a pretty solid collection of comics. The best issues are the ones where Flash is dealing with the Rogues and going undercover in the shady part of town. The Grodd stuff is less interesting but the comic does use him for a good cliffhanger. You can’t help but feel like Flash should wreck them all as soon as he wakes up so their gameplan should be to destroy him while he is still knocked out. If you haven’t checked this comic out yet then I’d recommend reading it. There are a lot of other plot lines going on that I haven’t even mentioned. While there are references to earlier comics you don’t really need to read them to get what is going on. Posted in Comic Reviews, Comics, Reviews | Tagged Comic Review, DC, DC Comics, DC Review, Gorilla Grodd, Review, Starting Line, The Flash | Leave a reply Lego DC Batman: Family Matters Review Posted on February 29, 2020 by dreager1 It’s time to look at one of the latest Lego adventures. DC has been particularly good at using this format and this movie is no exception. This time we’re back to focusing just on the Batman characters and it works out pretty well if you ask me. Batman steals the show and we get to adapt both the Red Hood and Omac sagas in one film. That’s pretty impressive. The movie starts out with Batman really not liking the fact that he has to continue living as Bruce Wayne. It’s all just a big distraction from his true passion in life which is beating up enemies. It’s gotten to the point where Batman can’t even stay awake during a board meeting. Something’s got to give and he gets his chance when Wayne Enterprises develops the Brother Eye. In theory it can replace Bruce Wayne so Batman jumps on the idea and even decides to sell Wayne Enterprises entirely. Now he can be Batman 24/7. The only problem is that the city is as dangerous as ever. A mysterious figure is bumping off all of Batman’s allies one by one. If he doesn’t stop this guy soon then everyone is doomed. Additionally, Brother Eye may be deadlier than it appears to be. (Although it looks pretty deadly from the jump.) One of the main reasons why this film works so well is because of how good Batman looks. He’s got that smug confidence that we’re all used to seeing at this point. Not only is Batman highly skilled but he knows it and it’s even gone to his head by this point. Only Alfred is really able to keep him in check. The others can just hope that Batman sees it their way. The voice actor has done a good job of becoming an iconic voice for the character as well. There doesn’t seem to be anything that Batman can’t do at this point. He beats Solomon Grundy with ease and always has a plan of action even if Brother Eye proves to be a formidable foe. The rest of the Bat characters are also fun. Damian wants to prove himself as Robin but has to work pretty hard at this since Batman really doesn’t trust him yet. He does well enough when it counts and takes down a bunch of the robots with ease. Batwoman gets one of the larger roles from the allies though. She’s certainly got a lot of confidence and takes Killer Croc on with no hesitation. I like the concept of Batwoman since she’s more of a loner like Huntress. Batwoman doesn’t necessarily work under Batman since they usually have no affiliation. That being said, her skills do suffer a bit as a result since she doesn’t get that training. Here she has got that confidence that you always want to see in a hero. Batgirl gets less to do as a result though. She holds a petty grudge against Nightwing for a good portion of the film. Her fight with Scarecrow was fun as she had to work her way through illusions and mirrors to get at him. The mind games definitely took their toll though which made Red Hood’s job pretty easy. Nightwing looks good and is the only one to not fall for the quick sucker hit. At least he gave Red Hood a good fight and that makes sense. From all of the Robins I do consider Dick Grayson to be the most skilled. After that I would put Jason Todd as number 2 and then Damian as 3. While I do think Tim Drake is a great character and a fun Robin, he’d have to round out the group almost by default. The Robins are just stacked when it comes to power. Red Hood definitely looks really good here. He gets a lot of hype and seems to be the smartest character next to Batman. The film has no shortage of emotional moments like this plot line as well as the reason why Brother Eye is so sore. Red Hood’s identity may not be much of a secret and I don’t think it was supposed to be, but it’s still nice to have the reveal later on. It’s just a good arc in general whether it’s through a film or a Lego adventure. We didn’t even need the Omac subplot and the film would have still been great but it made for a solid climax. It’s always good to round things out with some big action scenes and Family Matters didn’t forget about that part. I can’t really say that I had any issues with the film. As far as animation goes there isn’t really anything to say because it’s the same as always. Either you like the Lego style or you don’t. This film wouldn’t be changing your opinion one way or the other because it’s not trying anything different with that. I don’t think there is much you could try either. Legos will always look like Legos or it wouldn’t be a film in that style. That’s the way I see it at least. A Lego film will usually live or die on the writing. If the writing is bad then the jokes won’t really land and the whole thing will fall flat. What the film is hoping for is that the jokes will be pretty funny and this one succeeds there. Right from the gate we get a lot of great lines. I wouldn’t even mind a whole film about Bruce Wayne just mocking everyone and trying to make it a whole film without people blowing his cover. Batman may not be as cautious when he’s Bruce Wayne like when he’s talking about his Batman job on the phone, but it goes hand in hand with his contempt for everyone. Batman doesn’t think it’s a security risk to be on the phone because nobody’s smart enough to stop him. The arrogance makes for a lot of comedic moments. Overall, Family Matters is one of the stronger DC Lego specials. The dialogue is some of the best I’ve seen in the franchise and there’s a lot of action here. If you mentally switch the animation out this could legitimately be one of the big DC animated films. The fights are good and the pacing is tight. The film feels like it ends pretty quickly as a result. If you like Lego or at least don’t mind the format then I highly recommend checking this one out. You really can’t go wrong here and it’s always fun to see Batman getting his hype. Even if his scenes may not all be meant to be taken seriously they’re still hype. Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Action, Batgirl, Batman, Batwoman, Comedy, DC Review, Family Matters, Film Review, Lego, Lego DC, Movie Review, Red Hood, Review, Robin | Leave a reply Justice League vs The Fatal Five Review Posted on April 20, 2019 by dreager1 It’s time to look at a pretty new Justice League film. This title finally brings us back to the legendary DCAU so right away you know you’re in for a good time. It does a good job of really feeling like a long awaited sequel and this one can definitely hold its own in this esteemed continuity. Naturally it’s no Starcrossed or anything like that, but it’s a great nostalgia film. We have solid action scenes, writing is on point as always, etc. It’s a film that also has very solid replay value. The movie starts off with Star Boy attempting to stop the Fatal Five. Unfortunately they are simply too strong and make it to the teleporter. In a last act of defiance Star Boy is able to finish the time shutdown so they are frozen in time as the orb crashes in the present. Star Boy also lands on Earth, but his medicine was destroyed so now his mind is slowly deteriorating. The cops catch him and he gets locked up in Arkham. Almost a year passes and the Justice League accidentally awaken the villains. They’re ready to fight but the only way to victory may be to get Star Boy on their side! Meanwhile, Jessica Cruz has been having a lot of trouble adjusting to her new role as Green Lantern. She managed to survive a traumatic experience against a crazy gunman and the experience left her mentally scarred. She is now scared to even go outside some days and since her GL powers run on willpower, it’s a tough job for her. Still, the decision is taken out of her hands when it turns out that the Fatal Five are after her. She can let the Justice League fight them off for her or she can join in the fight and take them down. The decision is hers, but it is one that will have strong consequences. Right away you may wonder how the Fatal Five can last more than 5 minutes against the League. It’s a fair question as they’re hitting way above their weight class here. Realistically the Fatal Five can’t do much against the League, but to even the odds the Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter do not appear in this film. You’ve got Star Boy and Jessica, but neither one of them do much helping til we get to the second half of the film. As a result it’s really Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman who have to handle the villains. Often times they aren’t fighting at the same time as well. There are still a lot of significant power level issues, but those are almost expected at this point. Superman gets wrecked pretty easily by these guys and then later on one of them is going even with Wonder Woman. The Fatal Five aren’t weaklings or anything, but they’re definitely not quite as strong as you’d think from watching their fights. The heroes also have to be a little nerfed here because part of the point is that Jessica needs to be the one to conquer her fears. You can probably see the character arc coming from a mile away, but it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad one. She certainly gets a solid role in the final fight, but it makes sense since a good GL should be able to take care of these guys. I’d just make the case that Superman or Wonder Woman should have been able to accomplish something similar. Power level concerns don’t really hurt the experience. You may roll your eyes but barring something totally crazy it doesn’t hurt the score. While Superman did get steamrolled I did like the way he fought here. It may seem like a bit of a contradiction but before going down Superman was doing a good job of knocking one opponent, dodging a counter attack, hitting opponent #2, etc. He was rarely going down to surprise attacks and was just getting hit by combos. It’s a subtle distinction that is good to make as it’s more annoying when he’s just giving opponents his back the whole time. I mean, I like the confidence, but it doesn’t work if he’s actually taking damage. Batman also looks real solid here as expected. He’s naturally the one finding things out in the background and whenever he does enter into a fight the outcome is clear. He crushes all of his opponents with ease and certainly stays cool under pressure. He does a good job of co-leading the team with Superman in the DCAU. Batman may never claim to be the leader, but the others listen when he has something to say. Wonder Woman’s role may not feel as big as the other two, but she certainly looks good as well. Attacking Jessica may have been a little extreme, but I suppose it got the job done. She always fights very tactically such as when one of the Fatal Five tries to use her own lasso against her and WW just flips the tables on him. She uses a lot of athletics in her combat and the style seems like a mix of Superman’s and Batman’s. It’s still a little unfortunate we couldn’t see the other Leaguers, but I’m sure they’ll get their chance in the future. As for the new heroes we have 3 to talk about. First off is Star Boy and I admit that I wasn’t a big fan of his character. At first I actually figured he was Cosmic Lad. The outfit was different, but it was filled with Stars and he kept seemingly manipulating metal at the beginning. Now I’m glad he wasn’t Cosmic Lad. He acts pretty scatter brained the whole film. There is a logical reason for this as he needs a certain chemical to stay sane, but it still makes his scenes pretty annoying. He just can’t seem to remember anything except for when it’s already too late. that’s certainly not too helpful you must admit. His powers are definitely cool though, making things heavy is definitely good enough to stop most opponents. Gravity manipulation is a very underrated ability. Miss Martian is a new Justice League member in training and I can see why she isn’t a full member yet. She very nearly blows the whole situation in her first scene where innocents would have died. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense either since she gets real close to the villain, but stays in disguise until he whips out the gun and starts yelling. With her super strength and speed from that distance she should have been able to easily disarm him and keep going. Instead she also gives away Batman’s location. She’s pretty much a non factor for most of the film as well. She seems nice enough, but needs to keep working on how to be a hero. Finally we have Jessica who is pretty reasonable. By the end of the film she has finally accepted herself as a hero. Her early scenes can be a bit more grating with all the self doubt, but at least she did jump in to save her town when necessary. She seems to have a lot more trouble getting started than freezing up which is good. Once she’s made a decision she does see it through. Jessica is the kind of character who will really benefit from the events of this film as she will now be a capable warrior in the sequel. The Green Lantern core is certainly pretty stacked as well since Hal, John, and Kyle are all excellent GL fighters as well. With Jessica on the team they barely even need the rest of the Justice League. As for the Fatal Five, there isn’t quite as much to say about them. They make for a pretty good villain group. I like all of the members well enough and they gave us the team vs team fights which is always a good positive. We don’t get to see the final two members quite as much as the first 3, but they do look good once they show up. Their plan shouldn’t have gone quite as smoothly as it did though. You’ll likely see what I mean when you watch the film. They head over to OA to get the final two members and the Green Lanterns there don’t seem to have any kind of good plan. They should have jumped in before the gate was opened and then a lot of things would have been prevented. Ah well. As expected the animation is pretty sharp here. The character designs are absolutely on point and it looks as good as ever. Now this is the kind of animation that lets you know DC is still on point. It’s not surprising as their films always tend to look amazing. If only Marvel could keep this up on their side. There’s a lot of reasons why the animation is so solid for DC, but a good part of it is the color schemes and effects they use. The attacks all have a lot of power behind them and the color stands out. They also speed up the fights quite a bit so when characters are engaged in a scuffle they’re all zipping around the place. It’s a great way to handle a good fight scene and the action here is definitely top notch. Another fun visual is when Superman zips towards the sun. His speed is definitely uncanny and to even come close to a light speed laser that already has a head start is a good feat. While this is the DCAU, the film does try to make it clear from the start that it’s gonna still be a little more violent than the old days. Pretty much every random human who gets involved is quickly murdered and several heroes get stabbed and bleed out quite a bit. It never gets too excessive the way the New 52 films started out or other recent adventures. It’s just low enough where it doesn’t hurt the film but a little more and I think the film would have been trying too hard. The only visual that lingers is the store owner who gets murdered while the rest are pretty quick. It’s definitely all unnecessary so hopefully they keep a close eye on this for other DC films going forward. Overall, Justice League vs The Fatal Five certainly delivers on all fronts. It’s an excellent Justice League title whether you’re already a big fan of the DCAU or this is your first experience. The writing is always on point and the cast of characters is excellent. It’s rare to have a film that basically has no weaknesses, but this is one of them. There’s a lot happening here from start to finish. Hopefully this really is just the first of many for the DCAU’s continuation saga. I’m ready to relive the golden days of comic book shows! Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Batman, DC, DC Comics, DC Review, DCAU, Film Review, Justice League, Justice League vs The Fatal Five, Legion of Superheroes, Movie Review, Review, Superman, Wonder Woman | 5 Replies Teen Titans Go! To The Movies Review It’s time to look at the Teen Titans GO! movie that came out recently. I’ve watched the show ever since its beginning and it’s always been very hit or miss. It can have some decent episodes and then it can have some truly terrible ones. As a result the show is leaning towards a negative rating at the moment, but of course things can certainly change by the end. With a film I figured the writers would try to be on their best behavior and come up with a good story so as not to embarrass its viewers. Well, the movie is a considerable step up and I can happily say that it was a quality movie. I was worried for a little while, but it all turned out okay. The film starts with the Teen Titans being mocked by the Justice League. While Robin and co. aren’t thrilled about this it’s hard to deny that the League have a lot more going for them. They’ve got big budget films on their resume while the Titans haven’t got a clue. Robin decides that the only way their group will ever be respected is if they get a big budget movie. They head over to Jade Wilson to plead their case but she explains that she’ll never make a film about them. The only way around this is if the Titans can get rid of all other heroes or finally get an arch nemesis. Both options will be tough for these guys, but Robin knows that it’s time to step up. Can the team do it? Slade gets a pretty big role here as you’d expect since he is easily the Titans’ most iconic villain. This film is the first time they’ve met in Go continuity so it was nice to see him arrive. He’s played in a much more comedic light here as you’d probably expect. It may take a little while to get used to him since his “Mind Manipulation” gimmick isn’t quite as humorous as most of the other Titans. Still, he does give us a pretty good twist by the end (Well, if you’ve read the comics you might not be fooled but the twist works to an extent regardless because there are two routes that the movie could have went with) and he can certainly fight. I was glad to have him on board here. Where the film excels is naturally in the writing/humor. See, typically the issue with the series is that the humor is cringy instead of funny. Usually it’s very crude or just flat out gross. This film rarely goes there and instead the humor is in how crazy the Titans are and how unprofessional the team can be. A good example of humor is how the Titans go around preventing everyone’s origin. The humor can also be a bit dark in how they have to murder some people without going too far into dicey territory. As I mentioned the only gag that drags on is Slade’s. (Saying his name gets old as well) When Slade isn’t around the rest of the humor is fast and to the point. I also liked the film’s soundtrack. Some of the songs were meant to be parodies of course, but they still worked very well with or without context. Robin’s song about being a real hero was awesome. Likewise I really enjoyed the Teen Titans opening song that was also used during the climax. It’s really impressive just how good the song is honestly. It’s the kind of song you could actually listen to in a serious context and still enjoy it. It helps that the graphics for both scenes with the song were quite impressive. It started the film out on a high note and right away you could tell that it was a bit of a step up from the show. Even the animation was quite on point here. While the style isn’t really different from the show, there is a lot more movement so I imagine that the animators had to use many extra frames. It allows for better visual gags and some nice action scenes as well. On a technical level the film had no issues and since the writing was solid as well you can see how this film got off on the right foot. As far as the main characters go, Robin is certainly the best hero just like you would expect. He actually knows how and when to get serious unlike the rest of the heroes. He got the team their opportunity to get a movie and didn’t mess it up unlike the others. He really wants to be a good crime fighter and is just held back by the others. I’d go as far as to say that without the others he would have already had his movie. Still, he’s pretty patient with the other titans and has all the qualities of a good leader. Unfortunately the other four don’t look very good here. They actively try to wreck his movie in a fit of jealousy and rage. You could argue that it is quite personal since right after Jade tells the Titans to stop goofing around they immediately did the opposite. I think the implication here is that they didn’t like the way she said it, but it’s still awful petty of them. Cmon now guys. You really feel bad for Robin the whole time and even if he does get suckered by the end you can’t blame him for trying. This was his life’s dream and he may not have gotten the opportunity again otherwise. You go Robin! Another strong area in the film is its ever changing plot. While getting a movie is the main focus of course the film goes into a few different segways where you think it may spend a lot of time doing something only to refocus. A good example of this is the heroes deciding to go back in time to change the superhero origins of the League to replace them. You’d expect this to be the bulk of the plot in any other movie but here this montage only lasts for a little while before the Titans go with plan B. I think that plot could have been its own movie as well, but the film could have potentially locked itself in a bit since then it would become a bit more predictable as to what would happen next. It still worked for the quick gags though. There’s just a lot happening in this film throughout and it has the kind of energy that you want to see in a movie like this. It embraces how crazy it is and ultimately ends up being the definitive comedy DC film. Of course this wouldn’t be a true comic book film without a post credits scene right? It hints at a future project to come if you take the scene at face value. Honestly I wouldn’t have taken it very seriously myself since it would be the ultimate gag to get everyone’s hopes and dreams up. Of course, we do have a rumored crossover film coming up which is similar to a direct sequel so I guess in a way that does lend some credibility to the scene. Regardless it is a pretty fun scene though and one that I’m sure you’ll have fun with. Overall, Teen Titans Go! really surprised me with this one. The humor is just so much better than you would have expected based on the show. We’ve gotten glimpses of what the show could be like from time to time, but to actually pull this off for over an hour straight? I couldn’t help but be impressed. Aside from the Slade humor being a bit weak I can’t think of any negatives for this film. Even if you haven’t seen the show before now I highly recommend checking this film out. It’s just a lot of fun and all you need is a basic understanding of DC comics or at least the comic book movie industry to really get into what’s happening here. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to accept Robin as a real hero! Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Action, Batman, Comedy, Comic Book Movie, DC, DC Comics, DC Review, Film Review, Justice League, Movie Review, Parody, Review, Slade, Teen Titans GO | Leave a reply Swamp Thing Review Posted on September 18, 2018 by dreager1 It’s time to look at an old school DC film. This movie doesn’t really feel like your average comic book film and could easily be mistaken for just being another horror film. That would probably be the best outcome for all parties involved since I doubt anyone wants to take credit for this movie. It just isn’t good and does so many things wrong that you’ll end up wondering what the film was thinking. The characters aren’t very smart and so it’s hard to root for anyone. The film starts off with the main character, Alice heading over to the Swamp. She is here to fix some sensors, but the broken sensors were sabotaged by terrorists so she isn’t allowed to go near them. Since she has nothing else to do she hangs around the pair of scientists who are trying to make some breakthroughs and insults them the whole time. The main guy is married, but seems to forget this all the time so all scenes with him are cringe worthy. That’s when the villains come in and murder the two scientists in the hopes of getting their research. Alice managed to snatch one book though so their collection won’t be complete. The villains don’t like that and decide to give chase, but they have one more obstacle to try and get past, The Swamp Thing! The film doesn’t exactly hide the Swamp Thing’s identity, but I won’t allude to it in case you need that reveal. Needless to say, The Swamp Thing is here to help. “This is My Swamp!” should have been his opening line but he’s a creature of action as opposed to words. As the film goes on he does start to get a little more chatty though so I guess that’s a good thing? Unfortunately, he isn’t quite as intimidating as the average creature. In most of these horror films you see the monsters just destroying everybody until they die in the end. Since the Swamp Thing is a heroic creature, he doesn’t get the same treatment. He gets captured and beaten by the crooks. He doesn’t do a good job of taking the villains out of the equation so they always pop right back up to give him some more grief. He isn’t opposed to murder as we see him do it several times, he is always in just too much of a hurry to get away. He’s just not a very likable character. His abilities also don’t seem all that impressive in this film. He was nerfed all the way into the ground. Alice isn’t a bad main character although she can also be a little iffy at times. For the positives, she is a fighter. Alice does put up a struggle whenever she appears and even lands in some good hits. On the other hand, she is rather slow on the uptake. Even when seeing the Swamp Thing mowing down her opponents she keeps telling him to back off. She’s certainly safer with him than without. She also has an unfortunate tendency to trip over just about everything. She probably hit the ground at least ten times. Cmon Alice, you can do better than that! Then I have to quickly rewind to the beginning of the film to explain why the normal joe characters always fall below expectations. So you have a guy running through the swamp when a few guys with guns walk up to him. He quickly lets them disarm him and then runs. What’s the point? They’ll just shoot him down. He’s dead either way so he may as well have held on to his gun and taken one of them down with him. This is preferable for many reasons. One of which is that by firing right away you at least have the slimmest of chances to survive. Second, at least they’ll be forced to gun you down right there which is a far less painful death than the alternative. Third, you get to die with some dignity. Trying to run away in a swamp when you’re outnumbered like that won’t work. Even if it was just one guy he could shoot you once your back was turned. These hostage situations always drive me batty. This film is a little on the violent side with people getting snapped and crunched. The main villain’s transformation scene was also shown to be as grotesque and violent as possible which is a little on the rare side for transformations. Usually you expect those to at least be a little pleasant right? The violence isn’t extremely over the top but certainly is high enough that it’s noticeable. There isn’t really animal violence if you look at the film casually, but it’s there when you drill into the specifics. The unlikable main characters were running experiments on the animals which is a no go. These animals don’t care about the science so why should they have to be used like this? The animal certainly didn’t look like it was having fun being all wet like that. Swamp Thing also goes out of its way to make the villains unlikable. A good villain should command respect but also be fun to root for/against. None of that is here with these villains. At the most the main villain isn’t bad. He’s one of those random rich guys who wants to see the world burn. The main villain is really one of his subordinates though who chases Alice around quite a lot. Naturally he is shown to be rather depraved and of course he couldn’t just be a professional trying to earn a paycheck. I get that guys like him will typically end up being the villains since it makes sense, but it doesn’t make any of his scenes work any better. The best character in the film is definitely the kid who owned the gas station. He was on point and could sniff out danger a mile away. It’s a shame that his gun was defective but there’s no way he could have known that. Even though he was just a kid he did a lot of work and helped get Alice to a safe place. He brought the film a level of charm and wonder that it didn’t have previously. Not enough to save the film or anything like that, but it was still neat. Overall, Swamp Thing is definitely not a film that I would recommend. The characters aren’t all that smart and Swamp Thing himself looks quite weak. I’m glad he kept in his healing powers, but being able to fight a little more would have been great too. The film drags on a bit and the only good character got a really small amount of screen time. This is definitely one of those movies that you should skip and I’d advise you to check out some of the classic Godzilla films instead if you want to see how a creature should be portrayed. I can guarantee you that at the very least he wouldn’t go down easy like the Swamp Thing. Posted in 3 Star Movies, Live Action Movie Reviews, Live Action Movies, Reviews | Tagged Action, DC, DC Comics, DC Review, Film Review, Horror, Movie Review, Murder, Review, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Swamp, Swamp Thing, Thriller | Leave a reply Wonder Woman ’77 Volume 2 Review It’s time to look at the next volume of the Wonder Woman ’77 series. Sadly this will be the end of her solo adventures but at least we will have some crossovers coming up. From the various retro DC series this one has always been very popular and probably only loses out to the Adam West show and maybe the old Superman serial but I’m inclined to say that it may edge that one out. Wonder Woman’s stories are fun and this comic is pretty solid as well with only one story being rather lackluster. It’s a good volume that I’d recommend to anyone. The first big comic sees Clayface attack Wonder Woman’s home island. As the island is basically made on clay this becomes very dangerous. He becomes so powerful that only Wonder Woman can stand up to him. Clayface is actually very powerful so it’s nice to see him getting some good respect here. His abilities are really only limited by his imagination after all. It’s a good way to start the collection off and we’ve never really seen these two characters duke it out before. The next comic is the weaker one as we go to an animal sanctuary where it turns out that hunters have been eradicating all of the animals. Wonder Woman goes in to help and finds out that the web of lies stretches out quite far and wide. The villains have been pretending to help the animals all along as a cover. Wonder Woman stops this madness, but not before there are some casualties. It’s handled as well as it can be I suppose, but definitely a story that could have been skipped and the volume would have been better off for it. Next up we have a politician who has gotten quite a large following. People are defecting from the U.S. just to hang out with him on the farm. The government gets suspicious and sends in Diana Prince since there is no way that this is legit. People are giving up everything their own up to this complete stranger as well. The villains don’t like this and decide to attack. It turns out that they were using aliens to mind control the citizens which is definitely an interesting tactic. The aliens were strong but they were definitely no match for Wonder Woman. On the next adventure we have a bunch of crooks trying to sabotage a boat. Diana and Steve are sent in undercover but how can they make a move without breaking their cover? Well it might be difficult for Steve but Diana has a lot of speed so she can handle herself pretty well. It’s a fun enough thriller story even if there isn’t much of a sense of danger here since Wonder Woman can end the threat at any time if need be. In the meanwhile she is just focusing on handling this like an agent. Following that up is a story about a villain with psychic powers. He can mind control anyone near him and this makes him a tough threat to stop. After all Wonder Woman can’t afford to hurt his host too badly. That’s why she decides to allow herself to be mind controlled to fight him on the astral plane. It’s a pretty good plan and makes for a solid fight scene as well. This is probably the only opponent to give her a real tough fight in this series so this guy was no joke. (Clayface also gave a pretty good fight to be fair so maybe I should say the 2nd toughest fight) It’s probably the best comic of the volume. There’s quite a lot of action here. Next up a musician accidentally scores a tape with a lot of confidential government secrets. The terrorists who initially got the tape naturally want it back now, but will they be able to get this guy to talk? Well, probably but fortunately Wonder Woman is on the case. She quickly shows up to end the threat, but it also gets complicated when a patient who is near death wants to hear the guy play. The villains still don’t have an excuse here, but the patient didn’t ask for this so the heroes allow her to hear one last song. It was a nice enough story even if the musician doesn’t seem as nervous as he should be in such a situation. Finally we have a space mission. As always we have governments fighting each other as everyone wants to be the first in space. It appears as if the Russians have launched an attack on America, but Wonder Woman thinks that there is more to this. She infiltrates their base where they believe the same thing about the Americans. It turns out that a super villain has been manipulating everyone and this fighter has a jet pack. Wonder Woman is still able to win fairly quick, but it was a fun comic and one of the better ones. It was nice to see Wonder Woman also using some detective work to win the day. The art is quite solid as always. It seems to change a bit from comic to comic, but there were no issues that looked bad or anything like that. The character models seem right and the fight scenes look good. At the end of the day that is the important part. The size of the collection is also pretty good as well and it manages to fit in quite a lot of stories. Overall, This is definitely a comic that I would recommend to all readers. It has action, suspense, and doesn’t really step into any holes. I’m not sure if I’d put it above the first collection, but it’s a good sequel. I have the crossover with Batman ’66 coming up so I’m looking forward to checking that one out. Crossovers tend to be a blast and I believe the best one from the retro adventures is Batman meets Green Hornet so far. We’ll see if this one is even able to top that one. Posted in Comic Reviews, Comics, Reviews | Tagged Action, Adventure, Comic Book, Comic Review, DC Comics, DC Review, Retro, Review, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman '77 | Leave a reply Batman: Bad Blood Review Posted on April 8, 2017 by dreager1 First off, I have to say that I was really surprised at how good this film was. DC’s animation films have been sorely dropping in quality ever since the New 52 began. I’m not counting the side films, just mainstream. Lets quickly take a trip down memory lane for them. Here are the DC animated films that I’m counting. Superman: Doomsday, Justice League New Frontier, Batman Gotham Knight, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern First Flight, Public Enemies, Crisis on Two Earths, Under The Red Hood, Apocalypse, All Star Superman, Emerald Knight, Year One, Doom, Superman and the Elite, Dark Knight Returns, Unbound, Flashpoint, War, Son of Batman, Assault on Arkham, Throne of Atlantis, Batman vs Robin, Gods and Monsters, Bad Blood. I’m not even going to count the Killing Joke and Justice League Dark. The former because I haven’t seen it and don’t plan to since the film looks so trashy and the latter since it’ll be a long time til a TV-14 version of it is up. Naturally, the film wouldn’t help DC’s case anyway since it’s as gritty as it gets. So, Superman: Doomsday was a great film. It was a good way to kick things off. New Frontier could have been better, but it was a solid Justice League film. Gotham Knight was DC’s first miss, but they made up for it with the next two installments as Wonder Woman and Green Lantern were both very good. Public Enemies and Crisis on Two Earths were amazing and two of the best DC films of all time. Under The Red Hood and Apocalypse continued things off on a high level. All Star Superman was reasonably solid as well. It lacked in action, but had good writing. Emerald Knight was rather disappointing and Year One was pretty sad. You could argue that DC was starting to weaken at this point. Justice League Doom was good. It was a cut under the previous all stars, but it still felt right. Next was Superman and the Elite. It’s easily one of the weaker Superman films and the animation was bad. Dark Knight Returns was truly dreadful though and it brought back the more violent roots that I was hoping to avoid. The next title (Superman Unbound) avoided this thanks to its My Little Pony styled animation. However, this was the end. We would now enter the violent era of DC films and this is where things got ugly. Flashpoint is super dark, gritty, and violent. It was a bad film that just left you shaking your head. Next was JL: War. Justice League War is a good story, but it was plagued by excessive violence all around. It’s no surprise though since this is where the New 52 started. Technically it’s not a bad film, it’s still good, but should have been far better. The next films would not have the Justice League to bail them out. Son of Batman is a gritty story where the writing just slacks off and the violence continues. Assault on Arkham is one of the worst DC films and with many villains as the main characters, you can see how it would be bad. We went back to the Justice League next, but questionable writing and more excessive violence held it back quite a lot. Batman vs Robin kept the violence as high as it could and even threw in animal violence. Gods and Monsters is so disgraceful that I knew it would be bad 10 minutes in. It was just so disgraceful. But, there’s a silver lining now. Batman: Bad Blood has toned the violence down quite a lot and based on the trailers and clips for the next two films, it looks like things could finally be changing. Are we going back to DC’s prime in animation? It’s a possibility and one that I’m excited for. It’s fitting since the New 52 was cancelled that things would finally get back on track. Now, lets start the actual review for this film. Batwoman is a new crime fighter in town who believes in destroying all of her opponents. She’s a villain who takes out other villains for the greater good and believes herself to be above the law. As expected, she gets in over her head and a group of villains decide to take her down. It would seem that she was just the bait to lure Batman in as he is forced to save her from Heretic and his goons which results in his capture. Batwoman must now team up with Nightwing and Damian to find and rescue the Dark Knight. Can they succeed and who is the true mastermind behind the scenes? This film starts off with a lot of action and it never lets up. The first 10-15 minutes are effectively one long action scene. Batman and Batwoman are up against a bunch of C listers, but these guys still have decent abilities and the fight makes for a bunch of cool visuals. Also, Batman is still just a human so he can’t afford to let his guard down against anyone. While the villains may not seem all that intimidating, one good attack could always mean the end. The film did a great job of showing how Batman fights in contrast to the others though. He has no wasted movements and is easily able to handle multiple opponents by fighting very strategically. His fighting style here was focused on being defensive and launching powerful hits. I dare say that this film did a better job of illustrating that than any of the other DC films. Watch this title and see how the animators do a good job of distinguishing everyone’s fighting styles. It’s pretty impressive. The animation is also very sharp. Some of the hand to hand scenes can maybe get a little stretchy like Talia vs Batwoman, but the style works well enough. The various colors help the contrast which is why the night scenes in particular have the best fights. The film is able to pull this off even in the day time by having the characters fight in doors. Damian vs the bulldozer guy was a good example of this. The strong sound effects and fluid animation helped this film produce some of the best fight scenes. I have Batman Beyond Return of the Joker as my favorite Batman film, but this one is really high up there as well. The main competition it would have is Under The Red Hood and Mask of the Phantasm. So, Top 3 is a real possibility, but I’ll refrain from actually placing it there for now since it could just be a knee jerk reaction of this film completely surpassing my expectations. I can’t say that I was particularly hyped for this film before watching it, but it certainly delivered. An extra cherry on top for this film is the fact that it actually had a good soundtrack as well. Most films miss out on this nowadays, but Bad Blood has quite a few great action tunes and that helps to keep the intensity up from the start. The film may only be around 70 minutes long, but since the action never stops, it probably has more fights than most 100+ minute films. The character cast is pretty solid as well. Batman isn’t in his right mind for most of the film, but he’s on point when he is. He’s very no nonsense the whole time and just shows up to take the villains down. He doesn’t bother with pleasantries or any of that. However, Damian was the standout here. This is how I’ve always pictured the character to act. Damian’s strong and extremely confident. The bragging works as long as he can back it up and he does a good job of it here. I don’t even mind his loss to Heretic since he was drugged first and still put up a good fight. He was trained by the League of Assassins so I expect him to be really skilled. He was a little underpowered in the first fight, but he managed to come back from that. The film couldn’t get the power levels absolutely perfect right? I’m not sure about Batwoman defeating Talia, that was a bit of a stretch. Still, I suppose she needed as least one win since that would have been sad for her fans otherwise. I’m not really a Batwoman fan. She’s on the opposite side of the spectrum with the bragging. She talks a really good game, but ends up getting wrecked in almost all of her fights. She doesn’t last 5 seconds against Heretic and she was getting overwhelmed by the C list fighters. It wasn’t a good showing for her at all. I thinks she has the potential to be more likable than Batgirl, but she also feels like a Huntress ripoff at the same time. I guess I’ll need to wait and see what future films do with her. Nightwing’s not bad. It’s nice to see him getting more of a role in the films lately. It would be great if he had a little more confidence/arrogance like Damian though. Lately it seems like he’s completely mellowed out. That’s not bad, but it won’t help his personality. Alfred looked really good here and his fight was one of the cool parts in the film. Bad Blood even managed to squeeze in Batwing. I haven’t read a comic with him yet, but he seems cool. He’s a not very subtle ripoff of War Machine, but as always DC managed to improve on the character. I already like him more than Rhodey. They both have a military background which explains why they can use the suits so easily, but Batwing seems far less likely to betray everyone to the government. His transformation scene was also pretty fun and definitely seemed like something out of Iron-Man. I’m definitely glad that he took the suit right away as well since a real character doesn’t wait for permission. This aspect hurt Onyx quite a bit though. As a loyal bodyguard, I was expecting her to try and help Heretic out of at least avenge him. Part of being a good lackey is knowing when not to follow an order and that vengeance must come first. She waits way too long to do anything and that did destroy her whole character. There was nothing that she could do to exonerate herself, the time for action had passed. It was also unexpected since the film was playing it off like she was about to do something, but then decided not too. I do have to say that one other missed opportunity here was killing off Heretic before he could get a real fight. He was definitely a tough fighter so seeing him get a full fight against Nightwing or Damian would have been fun. He had a brief bout with Nightwing and to the hero’s credit, he was holding his own. The 2 on 1 fight just proved to be too much in the end. Bad Blood is also good with the misdirects. I actually thought that Batwoman’s dad had turned evil since it would be the kind of twist that DC would turn to in the past. I’m glad that it wasn’t the case though because that would have been just plain unnecessary. He seems like a pretty good character so I’d definitely be on board with having him around in the future. That being said, sticking to the Bat cast is the best move. One of the reasons why this film was so good was because over 90% of the film stayed with the plot. Batwoman had a small subplot that was boring and acted as pointless filler, but it was probably less than 10 minutes if you combine all of the scenes. Keep the subplots as small as possible and your film will probably be a winner. Overall, Batman Bad Blood was pretty solid. The nonstop action was good and it was just full of quality. For those of you who still want blood and intensity, there is a bit when characters are punched or stabbed, but it isn’t completely over the top and overdone like the last few films. It’s handled with a lot more dignity and composure this time around. If there’s anything that you may have a problem with, it’s that everyone seems to be breaking into the batcave these days. It did make for a decent jump scene though since I really wasn’t expecting Heretic to show up at that moment. The film was really good with having unexpected things occur. I highly recommend checking this film out. You will not be disappointed! Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Batman, Batman: Bad Blood, Batwoman, DC, DC Animation, DC Comics, DC Review, Film Review, Movie Review, Nightwing, Review, Robin | Leave a reply Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash Review Posted on January 14, 2017 by dreager1 It’s time for another Lego Justice League Adventure! This one is quite a step down from the last one, but lets be honest…how could it possibly have topped that one? The last one was near perfection and the series had been hitting it on all cylinders. It makes sense that it would have to slow down at some point and this was that moment. The film may not be all that long, but it didn’t feel that way and several parts slowed it down. Unfortunately, the film lost its identity, but I believe it will find it again. Brainiac is coming to Earth and the heroes may not be able to stop him this time. This being has conquered many planets before and Earth is just to be another stepping stone for him. To ensure that the Justice League do not interfere, Brainiac erases their memories and sends them into the distant path. Specifically, he does this to Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Superman since they are the League’s heavy hitters. Batman must don the cape once more (Well, fine he already had the cape) and travel back in time to restore their memories and then come back to finish off Brainiac. Can the other members buy him some time along with the new recruit: Supergirl, or is humanity already doomed? The film starts off very strong with the Justice League taking care of business as usual. The way that they handled the invasion was very on point and while Batman may not have been invited for hide and seek…at least the heroes were apologetic about it. I can see their side of the story as well since there is no reason for them to expect that Batman would have wanted a piece of the action right? These films are always at their best when the League is around since the banter between them is always solid. You all know that Lego Animation isn’t my favorite so the film can’t rely on its animation to get it through to a solid score. The writing and soundtrack have to be on point. While the music isn’t quite as dynamic as some of the other films, it’s still pretty solid as it should be. What helps to make the film pretty good is that the writing is mostly good. This is also what brings it down from past films. The writing is excellent with the main Justice League members. They all look pretty great and Batman steals the show as expected. His voice actor does a tremendous job in the role and the character just has all of the best moments. Unfortunately, the writing falters with Brainiac and Supergirl. I feel like the film overplayed its hand with those two. Supergirl’s personality is a little different than usual as she’s all about being a cheer leader and constantly cheers throughout the film. “Give me a D and an O and O and M” for example as she keeps on punching out villains and this gets old the very first time that she did it. As she continues on and on…it just doesn’t help matters. I can’t say that I really liked her in this film and she joins Cyborg as a member of the team who doesn’t really feel like she’s there yet. It was a fun in joke though as Cyborg was basically cut off during his big montage moment by the others. All of the main Leaguers got their own big moment inspired by the animated Justice League’s intro, but Cyborg had to share with someone and it only lasted for an instant. I forgot who he had to share with though. As for Brainiac, he’s maybe a little too silly at times. His dialogue isn’t crafty and subtlety funny like the League members and just goes for more of the obvious jokes. His banter with the other Brainiacs is cool though and managing to see through their ruse was actually pretty impressive. I guess we know why he is the brains of the operation right? He can’t fight the others in hand to hand combat, but he had a lot of robots to make for a bit of a climax. His plan was good at any rate since erasing the memories of the heroes was basically fool proof. It’s just that Batman exists so no plan is ever completely fool proof. As for the Batman plot, I only liked one out of the three time travel adventures. Wonder Woman’s will be clear as to why I didn’t like it. Batman warps back to the Caveman era so the locale is pretty bad and I don’t care for everyone speaking like a Caveman. It was interesting to see Wonder Woman show her true colors and murder all of the men though. They were asking for it so I won’t really object. Luckily Batman was around to set things straight. Green Lantern’s also dragged on, but not nearly as much. I did like how they incorporated the meme of Batman riding a shark and he just acted pretty hardcore the whole time. I’m not sure about Batman being caught so easily though. The pirates should have been thoroughly outclassed. These two segments are what held down the film to an extent, but at least the final segment helped to make up for it. Batman winds up in an apocalyptic future that will remind you of Future’s End. Superman is now working for Brainiac so Batman must take him down yet again to prove once and for all who the strongest crime fighter is. Batman won’t even resort to Kryponite because deep down…he’s never needed it! It’s a pretty intense fight and we even have the Legion of Superheroes show up. This was definitely a fun part of the film and I’m always eager to see Batman and Superman go at it. It’s a match-up that never gets old and seeing as how they’re the best characters in all of DC Comics, it’s easy to see why. If anything, I’d just like to see more of the League next time. When I mentioned that the film lost its identity, it’s that the plot just wasn’t worth it. Having the League sent to different eras ensured that we couldn’t see the whole team for very long. It meant that we only had the D listers in the main plot as Batman tried to gather up everyone in the B Plot. The film is at its best when the League is bantering and making fun of the villains as they humiliate them. We didn’t get much of a chance of that here, but at least we did learn that while Superman is one of the greatest Hide and Seek players, Batman is the best. Just about all of the really funny moments involve Batman, Superman, or the League as a whole. Removing that aspect also ensures that you’re removing a critical piece of the film. Overall, This is still a solid film though and one that I’d recommend. Other titles like Teen Titans GO can learn a thing or two from this one on how to do humor effectively. Specifically, look at Batman. I can’t stress enough just how good he is and this is one of those cases where he is even better than Superman. Batman gets all of the best lines and character development as well as some of the best action scenes. He’s always got a good plan even if nobody ever listens to him. I don’t know where the League would be without him, but it’s safe to say that the group wouldn’t be nearly as potent. I look forward to seeing which Lego Justice League film comes out next. It’s a series that I hope doesn’t end anytime soon as there are still many stories to tell. Posted in Animated Movie Reviews, Animated Movies, Reviews | Tagged Action, Batman, Comedy, Cosmic Clash, DC, DC Comics, DC Review, Film Review, Flash, Justice League, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash, Movie Review, Review, Superhero, Superman, Wonder Woman | Leave a reply Batman Beyond Review Posted on December 3, 2016 by dreager1 It’s time for the final main show in the DCAU lineup. I still haven’t seen the Zeta Project or Static Shock yet so those two won’t be getting reviewed for quite a while. I’ll probably be watching them at some point though. Batman Beyond took a very different approach to the Batman mythos and it certainly worked well. I imagine it was probably pretty controversial back in the day and I can only imagine the reaction it would get nowadays. Still, that’s why you have to take a chance sometimes since it can pay off very well. Batman Beyond takes place well after the events of the original Batman show. Bruce Wayne started to get older and suffered heart problems. He was forced to take off the Cape and cowl. (The final movie in the series has a plot twist so old age wasn’t the cause for Batman’s retirement, but that’s another story) Gotham City has completely reverted back to how it was before Batman showed up. Crooks are everywhere and the civilians are all scared out of their minds. Terry is a teenager who has grown up in this era and has developed into a tough individual who can look out for himself. One day, his father is murdered by the Joker gang so he decides to steal the Batman suit to avenge him. Wayne is reluctant to agree at first, but gets on board and that’s how Terry becomes Batman for the rest of the series. He may not be the genius that Bruce was, but Bruce assists him through a communicator which makes that a non issue. Terry was also already a fighter so we don’t have to watch him act like a total rookie. He handles his tenure as Batman very well. Terry is the main character and for the most part he is a great lead. While he may not have Bruce’s charisma, he has the passion and hot headed nature that most great anime characters possess. His first episode was a little rough as he was acting out quite a bit, but a tragic attack forced him to mature a lot in that regard. He always sticks up for the weak and keeps his emotions in control when it counts. Terry has no shortage of confidence either and is never afraid to go up against an opponent, even if Batman thinks he should wait. Like Peter Parker, (A character who has a lot of similarities to Terry) Terry has to deal with a lot of romance drama, but it never becomes the main theme of the show or a priority to the point where it would take away from the plot. I was definitely satisfied with having him as the main character. Bruce Wayne may not be Batman anymore, but he is still rich and retained his intellect. Batman was never feared purely for his amazing hand to hand combat. His genius is what also intimidated opponents. It can be frustrating to see him so old and unable to defeat opponents like Inque, but at least he continues to try so you have to give him points there. That’s why it was cool to see him turn young again in the Ra’s episode since he got to finally fight at peak strength again. The show even managed to give him a stronger sound effect than Terry’s to show the difference in power. Bruce was only a little unlikable in the first episode and you can understand his reasoning for wanting the Batman legacy to die. The last thing he wants is for another ally to bite the big one. Terry wasn’t even formally trained so he would be in a lot of danger. I can get that, but shutting down Terry’s suit while he was being attacked was going a little overboard. Not to mention that sending Terry away without any real help was also pretty bad since he was essentially helping the villains by doing that. Letting Powers steal the company is also something that is hard to picture for such a strong willed individual. I guess you can say that Bruce also regains his old spark while Terry learns how to be Batman. We also can’t forget that he has a real cool guard dog by the name of Ace. I didn’t care for Ace’s episode as it was one of the iffy ones, but he’s definitely a great character. Ace is fearless and never backs away from an enemy. Terry was lucky to have him around quite a few times. Max is one of Terry’s friends. She has good hand to hand skills and after she finds out his secret, she helps out in the background a lot like Oracle. The heroes are always hesitant to accept her help, but by the end she is one of the gang. She did give us the weakest two part event with the King Cobra villain, but you can’t really blame the character for that. Max was a solid supporting character and I’m sure that her role would have grown more f we had gotten another season since the heroes were working with her more. Dana is the main heroine of the show. She is around to give Terry a reason to have a daily life, which prevents him from being Batman close to 24/7 like Bruce. Bruce was always in the Batman mindset at any rate I’d say. Dana is pretty reasonable for the most part and there is certainly less drama than some other super hero romances like Mary Jane and Spider-Man. I’m definitely on Dana’s side more than Terry’s for the show since she was always loyal while Terry did cheat on her with someone else. He broke it off fairly quick, but it shows that he went on the rebound fairly quick. It would have been cool to have seen Dana get a crime fighting suit, but I suppose every supporting character doesn’t have to turn out to be a fighter. Dana is smarter than some of the other characters as well since she actually put the pieces together about Terry’s mysterious disappearances. Barbara Gordon lost a lot of her personality in the transition to the new era and has become another pencil pusher with no real idea of what goes on in the field. The worst part is that she knows who Batman is so she can effectively blackmail the heroes. It is definitely annoying but luckily Batman is always ready for things like this and Barbara got a fairly small role in the show. It’s a shame, but I guess some superheroes lose their likability after they hand the costume in. Powers is really the main villain of the series. There are other recurring villains of course, but Powers is the only one who lasted a full season. He would show up a lot in both major and minor roles. Powers even got special abilities of his own that made him a real threat. The radiation that he emits would allow him to beat many foes despite a difference in power. Sure, he would lose to a really strong foe, but he would give them cancer so it would essentially be a draw. He was a good villain to have since having someone who’s not one and done is always a good thing. Inque was another villain who shows up a few times and I thought that she was definitely better than most of the others. Her powers make her a really powerful threat to Batman. It’s hard to capture her or to even land any damage because of how she can almost become liquid. Electricity is her only weakness and even then you have to be careful how you handle her. Forcing Batman to swallow her was definitely one of the most traumatic moments of the series I’d say since it looked quite painful. Mr Freeze is one of the few old villains who shows up in Beyond. His fate is rather tragic here as he was a head for many years and once he finally gets his body back, he is promptly betrayed. He really wanted to turn over a new leaf and become a good person, but it wasn’t to be. The betrayal made him go off the edge once more and then he lost his motivation to go on. He was easily one of the best “villains” here and it’s too bad that he couldn’t have a happy ending. Shriek had a cool design. I figured that was worth giving him a quick write up here. He’s basically a generic villain otherwise. There’s not much to him otherwise. Kobra is a fairly annoying villain who took over the big villain organization at a young age. He’s just that much of a prodigy I suppose, but he went from being a fairly decent rival/classmate to being a generic villain. Now, Ra’s is a more interesting opponent. Granted, his method of kidnapping Bruce Wayne and going about his plan was rather off. He could have planned things out a bit better and then maybe his plan would have been successful. It was still neat to see how he had survived all of these years though. He certainly was a very cunning opponent for the dark knight. The Royal Flush Gang went after Batman a few times. This show’s Ten got the biggest role out of all the members. They made for good opponents because while they were weak individually, they were a threat as a group. Defeating Batman with sheer numbers was always their plan, even if it wasn’t always an effective one. I like the designs and the concept is fun too. They’re just rich people with a bunch of time on their hands so why not become thieves right? Finally, we also had the Justice League show up. Their members may not be as impressive as the ones you’re used too, but they can still deal some damage. Superman is still around and while his powers have lessened over the years, he’s still quite powerful. He’s as smart and dependable as always even if his will power isn’t quite as good as it should be. I do like his Justice Lords design, but I do have to wonder why he would ever don that costume. It certainly makes you wonder. Aquagirl’s probably the only super nice member of the group and she does her best to help Batman fit in with the others. She doesn’t seem to be all that powerful when it comes to combat though. Green Lantern comes off as rather annoying and is easily my least favorite GL. He doesn’t appear to have a great imagination and his voice just got on my nerves. It’s easy to see how he died in Justice League. Warhawk is basically a male version of Hawkgirl. He’s loud and talks a good game, but he’s not all that strong. The design was good though and at least he did have enough strategic awareness to come up with a plan when things started to get out of control. I’d say that this already makes him a better character than Hawkgirl for me. Big Barda’s another tough member who doesn’t like Batman. It should come as no surprise that Batman was eager to get away from the team as soon as possible. Lets face it, there was no reason for him to stay somewhere where he’s not wanted. Lets take a look at some of the episodes of Batman Beyond. Naturally, the opening two parter was a lot of fun. It got a high budget and started the whole series off. It was very fast paced and I was satisfied with the origin. It’s sad that gangs can break in and out so easily in Gotham, but the city has always been like that so it’s not too surprising. The place has always been corrupt and that’s why Batman is always needed. A Gotham without any crime fighters is a very scary place indeed. There was an episode with a homage to the Fantastic Four as an experiment went wrong (Don’t they always?) and a group of individuals got super powers. It was nice to see how the FF would fare in a DC world and needless to say, it goes as you’d expect. They can’t really handle Batman, but it made for some nice battle scenes. Another good episode was Inque’s debut. As mentioned, she’s an interesting villain and a very deadly one. Batman really had to think fast in order to keep up with her. Since she also ends up finding the Batcave, the heroes have to think about making the place even more secure. Not that it worked as Return of the Joker showed us… The Mr. Freeze episode is golden. His fight with Powers was a lot of fun. Now, I think Powers should definitely have the edge here and he was winning, but it was good to see Mr. Freeze put up a fight. Powers’ brief fight with Batman was also good. The episode just had a lot of action throughout and the animation was stellar. It’s the kind of episode that you could even watch directly after the first Batman series since it’s a sequel in part to the original. It’s a tragic episode, but an enjoyable one. Another episode saw the debut of Curare, a skilled assassin. I forgot if the show explicitly said that she was from the League of Assassins, but if not, then an equivalent organization anyway. Her skills were certainly very good and as she has never failed an assignment before, Batman really had to be careful here. By the end she has to watch her back as well since the League is after her, but given her track record, she should be able to hold her own right? Well, that’s exactly what happens as she appears in another episode and we find out that she simply got rid of the organization. That’s why you probably shouldn’t try to destroy your best agent on a whim like that. Both episodes were great and some of the best in the series. Lost Soul was a pretty interesting episode as someone takes over the Batman suit so Terry must used his hand to hand skills without backup for a change. It’s a fun change of pace since we don’t get to see Terry do a lot of formal sleuthing. He does check things out in his alter ego, but seeing him stick to the shadows is rare. Back to a more conventional episode, Terry is challenged by The Stalker. The Stalker wants to destroy Batman to prove that he can hunt anyone. Unfortunately, he’s bitten off more than he can chew and starts to suffer delusions by the end. Batman completely broke him. The Stalker made for a good enemy though. Babel was another fun episode as Shriek eliminates language. Nobody can understand each other now so that makes Batman’s job a lot harder. He’s got to find Shriek without Bruce’s help. It’s tough, but Terry never gives up so he’s got this. Another solid episode is when Spellbinder frames Batman for murder. Barbara Gordan is very quick to jump on this so Batman must dodge the official lines and find a way to win. I believe that Mad Stan was also in this episode. I forgot to mention him earlier, but he’s easily one of the best villains in the entire series. I’m being serious here folks, Mad Stan is just amazing. He’s a conspiracy guy who is always yelling and talking a good game. Tell me with a straight face that he doesn’t sound amazing. It’s just not possible. He’s easily one of the funniest figures in the show. Sneak Peek is a good episode where a reporter learns how to go intangible. Unfortunately, this slowly corrupts him since the powers were too much and he ultimately meets a sad fate. Batman got lucky here since he was completely out of his league by the end. Seriously, there was basically nothing that he could do against this guy since no attack would work. It’s why nobody likes dealing with intangible foes. Repeller had a villain who couldn’t be touched. He had a barrier around him at all times. This guy was also crazy strong and Terry needed some luck to take him out. It’s always been a fun concept and the original X-Men comics had a villain named Unus with the same ability. It’s not used too often though because of how overly powerful it is. Finally, Where’s Terry is another good episode as we see Max and Bruce be the main characters instead of Batman for a change. It plays out like a mystery as they follow a lot of clues to see where Batman is. The episode is a little embarrassing for Terry, but you can’t win em all right? The show’s animation holds up very well to this day. The futuristic look ensures that it looks about as good as Justice League despite airing sooner. The colors are very good and everything is sleek. Batman’s suit is better than a lot of the redesigns that you see nowadays and is still one of Batman’s best costumes. It may be the best besides the classic DCAU one. (Yes, Batman had 2, so I’m talking about the Justice League one) Likewise, the soundtrack is excellent and one of the best that you will hear in a show. Certainly the best in western animation. It’s just hard to get better than this since every theme is very fast paced and techno. It fits the future environment very well. It also goes without saying that the writing is very solid in this show. It’s the DCAU so you’ve probably come to expect this by now, but it’s still a nice credit to its resume. Nowadays, shows would do a lot to grab writing as solid as this. Overall, Batman Beyond is a great show. It did a good job of showing what it would be like to be Batman in a future DC universe. It was dark toned throughout, but it was usually not dark for the sake of it and never got super violent or anything like that. There may have been one or two episodes that went a little too far with that, but they were few and far between. The average episode was very solid and this is a series that I recommend to all action fans and especially to DC fans. It’s the next generation of Batman, how can you afford to miss it? Even if you don’t ultimately end up finding Batman Beyond to be more likable than the original, you should end up being a fan by the end. To be fair, Bruce Wayne is still the definitive Batman for me as well, but I actually like Terry more than all of the Robins in the DCAU. He was just written really well. Posted in 8 Star TV Shows, Reviews, TV Show Reviews, TV Shows | Tagged Animation, Batman, Batman Beyond, DC, DC Review, DCAU, Review, Superman, TV Show, TV Show Review | Leave a reply

Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Austin, TX

To Honor Coming Out Day, Medical Director Shares His Story Coming Out Day is an LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) awareness day celebrated annually on Oct. 11 to support the Queer community in “coming out of the closet,” or in sharing their gender identity and/or sexual orientation with family and friends. The day was chosen by activists to coincide with Oct. 11, 1987, when more than half a million people marched for Queer rights in Washington, D.C. In honor of Coming Out Day, Provider Solutions & Development spent some time talking with Dr. Kevin Wang, the medical director of Swedish Health Service’s newly established LGBTQI+ Program. He also served as faculty at Swedish First Hill Family Medicine Residency Program in Seattle, Washington from 2010 until 2021. Here, he discusses the importance of providing gender-affirming healthcare for the LGBTQI+ community and gives tips on what providers can do to make their own practice more inclusive. PS&D: Hi Dr. Wang! Can you talk about what happens when LGBTQI+ patients are not receiving compassionate, inclusive care? Dr. Wang: Yes, I can give you a personal example. When I was a kid, I would see my family doctor, and he’d ask me if I had any crushes on girls in my class or if I had a girlfriend. I already knew I liked boys. And it made me feel like, ‘Oh, is there something wrong with me?’ I didn’t feel like I could be open with him. Another example: When I was interviewing for a spot in a residency program, I was told I wouldn’t be a good fit for the program after I came out to the interviewer. Now as a doctor myself, I think some of the best examples are when physicians have stereotypes influencing their care. Let’s say a cis-gender, gay male comes in and they tell their provider they’re gay. And that provider says, ‘Oh, we should be testing you for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis.’ They make an assumption the patient is promiscuous when he could be in a committed relationship. On the other hand, a straight person comes in, and no one even has that conversation with them, because it is assumed they’re monogamous. Or a patient tells her doctor she’s a lesbian, and the assumption is made she has never had sex with a man, and no one recommends cervical cancer screening or HPV vaccination. Medically speaking, a transgender or non-binary patient might come in and request hormonal therapy. Many providers still are not comfortable providing hormones. It’s not something traditionally taught in medical school or in a lot of residency programs. PS&D: What can providers and clinics do to create an inclusive environment? Dr. Wang: When I meet a new patient, there are little things I do to sort of lay a breadcrumb trail, so if they do identify in the LGBTQI+ community, they will feel comfortable talking to me about it. I say, ‘Hi I’m Dr. Kevin Wang, and I use he/him pronouns. How would you like me to address you?’ I use gender-neutral language, and I ask the same questions of every patient about their relationships. These breadcrumbs can open doors, so if someone is exploring their gender identity, they may discuss it with me later when they feel comfortable. We also need to have more inclusive patient-facing materials and policies. Registration forms could have open-ended questions for gender and sexuality. There is so much potential for creating inclusive clinical environments. To read more insights from Dr. Wang, including his own Coming Out story, and to learn more about his work at Swedish Health Services, check out the full article. Want to discuss your career options with an expert Recruitment Advisor? We have those on deck at Provider Solutions & Development. We offer holistic, personalized guidance to help you find the right fit, at every step in your career. Start the conversation today. Provider Solutions & Development is a community of experts founded within Providence, a purpose-driven, 51-hospital health system, over 20 years ago out of a clear need to change recruitment. Today we support dozens of hospital systems and serve physicians and advanced practice clinicians with heart, from residency to retirement, so they can do the same for their patients. With exclusive access to hundreds of positions across the nation, Provider Solutions & Development offers holistic, personal career guidance and placement that puts physicians and advanced practice clinician’s needs first. Learn how Provider Solutions & Development can help you find your perfect fit at psdconnect.org. 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The Unheard Voices Project The Unheard Voices Project is a documentary archive of testimonies from offenders, ex-offenders, family members, and experts on the far-ranging consequences of the American criminal justice system. Hot Off The 'Net , Law Enforcement & Prisons Previous PostPrevious Drug Warriors — It’s Time for You to Go to Rehab Next PostNext Drug War Has Failed

Heir Conditioning It seemed like such a good idea. After the birth of his second daughter, Deborah, in 1944, B. F.Skinner came up with one of his most famous (or notorious according to some) inventions. To help his wife, Yvonne, Skinner devised a new labour-saving device for childcare. Originally dubbed the aircrib, Skinner's invention basically consisted of a temperature and humidity-controlled box with a clear glass screen in which babies could be placed for hours each day to sleep. In the aircrib, the baby could be kept without diapers or blankets (the mattress was designed for easy removal for cleaning). The idea was to permit greater freedom of movement for the baby and to encourage independence as well as reducing the need for washing diapers or bathing the infant. Yvonne Skinner provided her husband with ample input to help improve the aircrib. During the first two and a half years of Deborah Skinner's life, she spent most of her sleeping hours in the aircrib but, contrary to later reports, was never "raised in a box". The trouble probably began when B.F, Skinner, inspired by his success, decided to write an article for the Ladies' Home Journal which he titled, "Baby Care Can Be Modernized". The fact that the editors changed the title to "Baby In A Box" should have warned him about what would come later. The article described the aircrib in detail and presented it as a way to relieve parents of some of the drudgery associated with baby care. Considering that the Baby Boom was underway, magazines were often presenting "better living" ideas. Numerous articles on the "baby box" were described in Life and Time magazine (among others) describing other babies who were being raised in the "modern" way. The Skinners were besieged with requests for instructions from parents wanting to build their own baby tenders and wrote enthusiastic letters about their experiences. Unfortunately, the response wasn't completely positive. There was some confusion between Skinner's aircrib and the Skinner Box (the other invention for which he was well known). B.F. Skinner was subjected to numerous letters expressing outrage that he was raising his baby as an experiment. A letter was even sent to the local District Attorney's office demanding that the Skinners be prosecuted over how they were raising Deborah. One anonymous letter written in 1945 denounced the aircrib as "the most ridiculous, crazy invention ever heard of. Caging the baby up like an animal, just to relieve the Mother of a little work". It probably didn't help that J.B. Watson (the other name most commonly associated with behaviourism) had written a book in 1928 titled Psychological Care of Infant and Child in which he urged parents to dispense with the coddling that prolonged the child's need for dependency and to treat children like small adults instead. The rise of a new generation of child-care experts who railed against behavourist theories of child-care (starting with Benjamin Spock) led to a backlash against "mechanical" approaches to child-care and the aircrib got an sinister reputation as a result. Despite the opposition, there was enough interest in the aircrib for the Skinners to investigate its commercial possibilities. Shortly after his article came out, B.F. Skinner was approached by a Cleveland businessman named J. Weston Judd about launching a new business for manufacturing aircribs (it was Judd who suggested the "Heir Conditioner" brand name). Although Skinner signed a commercial agreement with Judd, he would quickly come to regret it. As more parents asked for instructions on making an aircrib, Skinner passed their names on to Judd who placed them on his mailing list and took their orders for the commercial baby tender (including advance payments). And then the complaints began. The very few aircribs that Judd ever built showed serious design flaws (Judd had apparently built them without without showing Skinner the plans first). Skinner also began receiving letters from angry parents demanding the aircribs for which they had paid. After months of delay, Skinner found out in 1946 that Judd had disappeared with all the money collected to date. When he went to Cleveland to investigate, he found Judd's shop in chaos (with no sign of the mass production that Judd had promised). While Skinner wasn't legally responsible, he felt guilty over referring so many customers to Judd in the first place and made what restitution he could. Although he didn't totally lose hope in his idea and later went into another aircrib business with engineerJohn Grey, whatever dreams B.F. Skinner had of "making it big" financially with his aircrib never materialized. By the time the Aircrib Corporation (the new business Skinner started with Grey) went out of business in 1957, about one thousand aircribs had been sold although there are no available statistics on how many babies were successfully raised in them. Given that the aircrib is essentially an air-conditioned glass box, there is no way to protect the idea with patents and the plans are freely available to any interested parent. Even Deborah's older sister Julie raised her two children in aircribs and, along with most parents who used them, was enthused about the results. One unfortunate legacy of the aircrib remained with Deborah Skinner (now Deborah Buzan).Despite her extremely close relationship with her father (who died in 1990), Deborah has been dealing with lingering rumours about the effect that her experience with the aircrib supposedly had on her. According to the rumours, Deborah grew up psychologically damaged, sued her father for his cruelty, and eventually committed suicide. The rumours resurfaced in 2004 when Lauren Slater, in her book, Opening Skinner's Box: Great Psychological Experiments in the 20th Century, repeated many of the old stories about the aircrib's effect on Deborah.While Slater stressed that most of the rumors concerning Deborah and her father were untrue, Deborah Buzan was sufficiently enraged about Slater's book to write her own rebuttal in the Guardian. Titled, I Was Not A Lab Rat, Deborah Buzan takes Slater to task for raising the old rumours in her book and failing to interview her directly concerning some of her conclusions. Whether or not the aircrib ever becomes popular, the legends surrounding its use have guaranteed that Skinner's attempt at modernizing childcare will forever be linked to his name. Posted at 08:00 AM in Living History, Science | Permalink | Comments (3) Physical Exercise and Your Brain Accumulating evidence from animal and human research indicate that adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays a key role in cognition. Meanwhile, cognitive decline is well known to associate with ageing-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Therefore, prevention of hippocampal neurogenesis reduction should be critical for these diseases. Physical exercise, a potent enhancer of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, has emerged as a potential therapy or an adjunctive therapeutic strategy for cognitive decline. A review published in the journal Behavioral Brain Research discusses the recent findings on hippocampal neurogenesis and the incorporation of new born neurons into the neuronal network in humans and in rodents. By focusing on hippocampal neurogenesis, the authors illustrate the role and possible mechanisms of physical exercise in cognition preservation Posted at 08:00 AM in Current Affairs, Health, Research in the News | Permalink | Comments (0) Is There a Link Between Sleep and Obesity? Is there a link between poor sleep and obesity? Certainly people who are obese often develop problems with obstructive and central sleep apnea, the two most common sleep disorders, as well as related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoarthritis. In fact, US health surveys indicate that 30 percent of employees report insufficient sleep with an equivalent number reporting problems with daytime sleepiness. Given that many of these same surveys show that 22 percent or more of employees are obese while and additional 36.8 percent are overweight, it’s hardly surprising that recent research does provide some support for a sleep-obesity link. Unfortunately, while the link between poor sleep and obesity seems to exist, it’s still not clear how they can be related. One hypothesis suggests that impaired sleep can affect the hormones that regulate how energy levels are regulated in the body. Another hypothesis focuses on the impact that poor sleep can have on lifestyle behaviours such as diet and exercise, i.e., fatigue leading to less time spent exercising or eating sensibly. Considering the overall shift away from labour-intensive jobs towards more sedentary work, getting the minimum amount of moderate-intensity exercise needed to stay healthy (roughly 150 minutes per week according to health guidelines) is becoming increasingly difficult for most people. If you add in the fatigue that comes from inadequate sleep, along with the problems associated with carrying excess weight, it`s not surprising that poor sleep and obesity often go together. Trial Underway in Islamic Exorcism Case When Arfart Ali married Shugfta Nehar in 2015, he soon became disenchanted with the way his parents treated his new wife "like a slave." After announcing to his family that he and his wife would be moving out of their extended home in southwest Sydney, Australia, his entire family apparently became concerned that Ali had been cursed with "black magic" by his wife's family. To rid their son of this evil, they flew in preacher Riza Morinaj from his home in Melbourne to conduct an Islamic purification ritual. The 37-year-old Morinaj, whose day job involves running a date juice company, reportedly told the family that he could purify Ali in a ceremony that would be carried out in the family home. On November 5,while the family was gathered for a birthday party, Morinaj and a second man, 44-year-old Ali Oulmakhzen, restrained Ali on a bed and applied suction cup to his back. After Ali struggled, Morinaj took a razor blade and made "five to six cuts" to Ali's back. He reportedly told Ali that "“I’m drawing out the blood and after I recite the Koran, black blood’s gonna come out and that’s the evil.” He then started reciting verses from the Koran and continued for fifteen minutes while keeping his fingers on Ali's eyes to hold them closed. Afterward, he removed the suction cups and wiped Ali down. Morinaj and Oulmakhzen have both been charged with causing bodily harm and are being held without bail. They both face court in January. Posted at 08:00 AM in Current Affairs, Forensic Matters, Religion | Permalink | Comments (0) May the holiday season bring you glad tidings and hope for the coming year. Though recent events overshadow the happiness that we usually associate with this time of year, let us at least hope that things will improve as we move on with our lives. The Virtuoso He may have been one of the most promising musicians of the twentieth century. Fritz Kreisler reportedly said of him that, "a fidder such as [X] is born every one hundred years, one like [Josef] Hassid, every two centuries". Born in the Polish town of Suwalki in 1923, Josef Hassid's mother died when he was an infant. After studying with a local violin teacher, Josef was taken by his father to Warsaw to extend his musical education. Beginning at the age of ten, he studied with Mieczyslaw Mihalowicz at the Chopin School of Music and, after only two years, went on to represent Poland at the 1935 Wienawski Competition. A shy, introverted child, Josef's memory failed him during his final performance at the competition and he failed to make it to the second round (he still managed to receive an honour diploma for his performance). The memory lapse devastated Josef who reportedly cried for more than an hour after leaving the concert hall. In 1937, Josef's father took; his son to Spa, Belgium to study with the legendary Carl Flesch who quickly recognized Josef's talent and took over his musical education. During his time in Spa, Josef met and fell in love with a local girl but the relationship was forcibly terminated by their parents since she wasn't Jewish. Flesch later arranged for Josef to be brought to London in 1938 for a private recital at the house of Sir Philip Sassoon.; Josef's playing mesmerized his audience. Due to the Nazi invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 and the Jewish persecution that followed, Josef and his father decided to stay in London where he continued his musical training with Flesch. On April 4, 1940, Josef Hassid gave his first public performance at London's Wigmore Hall. Billed as the "Polish Boy Violinist", Josef played works by Bach, Schubert, and Paganini among others. Three weeks later, he premiered at the Queen's Hall in a performance with the London Philharmonic. His brilliant playing attracted the attention of record producer, Walter Legge, who arranged for Josef to give his first (and only) recording engagement. Josef recorded four RPM records at the HMV studios on Abbey Road. Those precious albums are the only surviving record of Josef Hassid's brilliant talent (most of his recorded pieces are available on Youtube). Shortly after his recording session, Josef's father noticed that his son was becoming increasingly withdrawn and moody. While he had always been prone to episodes of depression and performance anxiety, Josef became even more erratic over time and often went for weeks without even touching his violin. He lashed out at his father and frequently insisted that he would be giving up his music. Worried about Josef's mental state, Flesch arranged for Josef to be assessed by Thomas Horder (Winston Churchill's personal physician) who arranged to him to be admitted to his private hospital. In informing the hospital of Josef's arrival, Horder told them: "I am sending you a genius". After several hospital stays, Josef Hassid was diagnosed with acute schizophrenia. As Josef's condition worsened, he renounced music and denied ever having played the violin. Carl Flesch wrote numerous letters pleading for Josef to return to his performing. In one letter, he stated that:"I hope you will do everything within your will-power to get well again as soon as possible. A great artist like you owes it to the world to become active again". After a year in hospital, Josef Hassid returned home and tried to return to his music but he continued to find reasons against giving another performance. As his health worsened, Josef was later diagnosed as having a brain tumour. Following a dangerous and unsuccessful brain operation (not a lobotomy as some accounts stated), Josef Hassid died in 1950. He was twenty-seven years old. While child prodigies such as Josef Hassid and Yehudi Menuhin routinely face years of gruelling training to develop their talent, we may never know why some musicians are able to succeed when others fail. Whether or not the pressure to perform played a role in Josef's mental illness, the few available recordings of his playing continue to serve as a testimony to an amazing talent that burned out too soon. Can Blink Rate Measure Suicide Risk? Lowered eye blink rate may be a clinically useful indicator of acute, imminent, and severe suicide risk. Diminished eye blink rates are often seen among individuals engaged in heightened concentration on a specific task that requires careful planning and attention. Indeed, overcoming one’s biological instinct for survival through suicide necessitates premeditation and concentration; thus, a diminished eye blink rate may signal imminent suicidality. A new article published in the journal Crisis aims to spur research and clinical inquiry into the role of eye blinks as an indicator of acute suicide risk. Literature relevant to the potential connection between eye blink rate and suicidality was reviewed and synthesized and results showed anecdotal, cognitive, neurological, and conceptual support for the relationship between decreased blink rate and suicide risk is outlined. Given that eye blinks are a highly observable behavior, the potential clinical utility of using eye blink rate as a marker of suicide risk is immense. Research is warranted to explore the association between eye blink rate and acute suicide risk. Gay Parents and the Fight for Acceptance While an estimated two to three million children are currently being raised by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender parents in the United States alone, the issue of adoption by same-sex couples or single LGBT individuals continues to be a hot-button issue around the world. Though numerous studies show that children with sexual minority parents tend to be as well-adjusted as the children of opposite-sex parents, opponents continue to cite moral and religious objections concerning the fitness of LGBT parents as well as the prejudice that the adopted children can be expected to face. Along with the bullying faced by many sexual minority children in schools, children raised by LGBT parents can experience harassment as well. A 2008 study looking at K-12 students in the United States found that 40 percent of children raised by sexual minority parents reported some form of harassment while 23 percent reported feeling unsafe at school due to their family structure. The majority however, did not report problems due to having LGBT parents. Even for students who deny overt bullying, there can still be more subtle examples of "microaggression," including verbal insults or social snubbing, that can be emotionally damaging as well. There is also the question of how supportive schools are in general to students and their sexual minority parents. These parents can also find themselves being stressed over how they interact with teachers and school boards who may contribute to the negative environment students encounter. But what are the long-term outcomes of this kind of harassment? And how common is it in many schools? Posted at 01:22 PM in Current Affairs, Research in the News, Sexology | Permalink | Comments (0) Do Sex Offender Registries Actually Work? Crime control theater (CCT) is a rather cynical term being used more and more by social science researchers examining how effective many policies intended to stop crime really are. There have been numerous examples given of ineffective policies that appear to fight crime but actually do very little. These include the AMBER alert system for notifying communities of missing children (which are generally ineffective and can even lead to copycat crimes) , "safe haven" laws allowing parents to abandon their children, TSA security policies, Scared Straight programs that are often counterproductive, and a host of other well-intended policies that look good on paper and are useful in securing the "tough on crime" vote despite being largely a waste of money. But what about sex offender registries? Formed after the passage of Megan’s Law and the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Acts (among other acts), these registries are intended to monitor convicted sex offenders. Open to the public in virtually every U.S. state (linked by a national portal operated by the federal government), sex offender registries provide the names, current addresses, and offence history of any registered offender to anyone seeking that information online. Of the 800000 sex offenders current listed on registries, 75 percent have their information available to the pubic. The rationale behind these registries has been to warn the public of potential predators in their communities as well as recruiting members of the public and the media as an "electronic posse" to identify any registered offenders who might be living in areas where they could encounter children. Unfortunately, there are a wide range of public misconceptions about the kind of people listed in the registries and how dangerous they really are. Given the different sex offender laws currently in place in many U.S. states, the reasons that a convicted offender may be placed on a registry can vary widely and often without any consideration of whether they actually pose a risk to the community. The stigma associated with being a registered sex offender can be extreme however and cases of vigilante violence, including homicide, are disturbingly common. While public support for laws protecting the public against sexual offenders remains strong, actual evidence that the laws, and the severe penalties many states impose on convicted offenders, actually work to protect the public is mixed at best. Not only sexual offenders typically seen as posing a high risk to the community, they are also considered incapable of being rehabilitated, . There also seems to be frequent misconceptions about the kind of offenders placed on sex offender registries, only a small percentage of whom are repeat offenders or who have offended against child victims. With this in mind, how effective are sex offender registries in actually preventing future crimes? It seems to depend on who you ask. Recent surveys of law enforcement professionals who actually work with sex offender registry information found that 66 percent believed that popular misconceptions about sex offenders can often lead to problems with publicly available information. Speaking as a forensic psychologist who has worked with thousands of sex offenders over the years, I tend to share that opinion as well. Part of the problem is that states can vary widely in terms of the kind of information that is made available. While some states only release information about high-risk offenders, other states release all information regardless of actual level of risk In a study recently published in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law, Kelly Socia and Andrew J. Harris of the University of Massachusetts Lowell examined popular misconceptions about sex offenders and how it affects public confidence in sex offender registries. The study was part of a nationwide Web survey of 1000 U.S. adults matched to reflect the general U.S. population nationwide. All participants were asked questions estimating their beliefs about registered sex offenders in terms of risk of reoffending, their general beliefs about how sex offender registries were used, political orientation, religious beliefs, actual knowledge about the effectiveness of sex offender legislation, and whether or not they had ever used the registry themselves. Results showed that about seven out of ten participants reported believing that 50 percent or more registered sex offenders were either pedophiles or else at high risk of committing future sex crimes. They were also more likely to believe that most sex offenders victimized strangers rather than those known to them. Belief in risk that sex offenders will reoffend seemed strongly linked to political orientation. Conservatives tended to be more likely to see offenders as high-risk than non-conservatives. Overall, most respondents in the study tended to share certain popular perceptions about convicted sex offenders. Not only do they believe that convicted sex offenders are all dangerous predators who need to be kept locked up but also that sex crimes are on the increase (they aren't). These beliefs seem to be especially strong for respondents who have never actually used a sex offender registry and who feel that current legislation isn't tough enough to curb what they consider to be an epidemic. As the number of registered sex offenders continues to grow, it's becoming more important than ever to find better ways of dealing with them. Though current get tough policies have been proven by research to be ineffective, they still have widespread support from policy makers and voters. While there policies are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, it is probably more important than ever to find better safeguards for the information available on sex offender registries to ensure that they actually protect the public as they were originally intended. So, are sex offender registries just another example of crime control theatre? You be the judge. Posted at 08:00 AM in Current Affairs, Dealing With Stigma, Forensic Matters, Sexology, Skepticism | Permalink | Comments (0) A Spy at Bedlam (Part Two) As far as John Haslam was concerned, James Tilly Matthews was a lunatic and he didn't hesitate to say so. Within a year of Matthews' admission to Bethlem, Haslam and his immediate superior John Munro had him moved to the "incurable" ward. In writing about Matthews' condition, Haslam described him as "sometimes, an automaton moved by the agency of persons, hereafter to be introduced to the notice of the reader ; at others, the Emperor of the whole world, issuing proclamations to his disobedient subjects, and hurling from their thrones the usurpers of his dominions." Despite Haslam's conclusions, James Matthews' family had other ideas. In 1809, they formally applied to Matthews' parish to have him released (it was the parish that given permission to detain him in the first place) and arranged for a sanity hearing. To bolster their case, they also arranged for two prominent physicians, Henry Clutterbuck and George Birkbeck, to assess Matthews and make their own conclusions about his mental state. In depositions submitted to the King's Bench, both doctors declared that they had interviewed Matthews on multiple occasions and couldn't find any evidence of the insanity that Haslam and Munro insisted he had. What followed was a battle of competing experts with Haslam and Munro putting together their own panel of authorities to verify that their original assessment was correct. Haslam even argued that Clutterbuck and Birkbeck had been completely fooled by Matthews who had obviously been faking sanity for their benefit. Though the court ruled against the Matthews family, Haslam wasn't satisfied and, in 1810, wrote a book about the case titled, Illustrations of Madness: Exhibiting a Singular Case of Insanity, And a No Less Remarkable Difference in Medical Opinions: Developing the Nature of An Assailment, And the Manner of Working Events; with a Description of Tortures Experienced by Bomb-Bursting, Lobster-Cracking and Lengthening the Brain. Embellished with a Curious Plate (or, just Illustrations of Madness for short). Still considered a psychiatric classic today, the book represents one of the first clinical descriptions of paranoid schizophrenia though Haslam was, ahem, less than impartial in his opinion of how the opposing experts could have ever considered James Matthews to be sane. Considering all the publicity over James Matthews' case, Haslam had no qualms about his referring to his patient by name in the book, probably as a way at getting back at the Matthews family as well. In the book, Haslam wrote extensively about James Matthews and his bizarre persecution complex. According to Haslam, Matthews believed that he was being harassed by a gang living nearby but which terrorized all of London. The four men and three women who were part of this gang were basically spies and saboteurs dedicated to undermining the British Empire and "work events of the most atrocious nature." The leader of this gang was named Bill, or "the King" who was about 65 and who "exerts the most unrelenting and murderous villainy; and he has never been observed to smile." Other members of the gang boasted such sinister names as Jack the Schoolmaster, Sir Archy, the Middle Man, August, Charlotte, and the Glove Woman. Along with being involved in virtually every plot or conspiracy Matthews could think of, he also accused the gang of regularly harassing him with a device referred to as an Air Loom. Though he was a bit vague on the inner workings of this machine, he referred to it as being a creation of the brilliant pneumatic chemistry skills of the gang members. Using different substances, including seminal fluid (male and female), vitriol and aqua fortis, poisons such as nightshade and hellebore, stinking human breath, gas from the anus of a horse, and various other compounds, the device could have differing effects on the human body depending on what the gang intended. Among the afflictions that the Air Loom gang (for want of a better name) could produce were: Fluid locking by which the fibres at the root of the tongue could be blocked (meaning that the victims were literally tongue-tied). Cutting soul from sense to keep the heart from communicating with the brain Stone-making, i.e., forming stones in the gall bladder, kidney, etc. Matthews identified various medical cases involving members of the government to prove the gang's effectiveness. Sudden death-squeezing which produced instant death in anyone the gang wanted. According to Matthews, the gang's nickname for this was lobster-cracking. This name apparently came from the victim's sensation of feeling as if his head was caught between two lobster-crackers (or nutcrackers) and experiencing "the whole stress, torture, driving, oppressing, and crush all together." Lengthening the brain, which literally stretched the brain causing ideas to become distorted and seemingly irrational to others. Bomb-bursting in which the body's gases become inflammable and, while the victim is in agony, setting off a powerful electric charge which produces a "terrible explosion, and lacerates the whole system." If it isn't instantly fatal, the victim is left in shock at recovering. Laugh-making in which the magnetic fluid is forced onto the vitals causing the muscles of the victim's face to twist into a laugh or grin. and a whole host of other techniques, all designed to mimic just about any physical ailment imaginable. To explain how he was able to learn so much about the gang's activities, Matthews described the different ways with which he and the gang members communicated. First, there were brain sayings, basically a form of telepathic communication caused by the sender and receiver being impregnated with magnetic fluid and constantly charged by the Air Loom. According to Matthews, he first learned about this form of communicating in France where Mesmerism was still popular. These brain sayings appear indistinguishable from ordinary thoughts and only someone "strong in intellect" coudl become aware of what was really happening. The next form of silent communication Matthews described was voice-sayings. Using their device, the gang could project sounds directly to the auditory nerve of their target. This allowed them to relay their words in a way that no bystander could overhear. Even when he was sleeping, the gang continued to trouble him using what he called dream-workings. According to Matthews, the gang had a collection of grotesque puppets and, just by staring at them, could project their images directly into the sleeping brain and produce bizarre nightmares. While Matthews reportedly saw through these illusions and caught a glimpse of the gang members themselves, they "stepped back' by using a metal instrument attached to the Air Loom. This weakened the link and allowed them to hide once more. Though his lengthy sessions with Matthews, John Haslam drew out numerous details about the Air Loom gang, how the Air Loom worked (complete with diagrams supplied by his patient), and revelations about all the other Air Loom gangs operating around London. Since the Air Loom only had an effective range of about a thousand feet, the gang relied on "pneumatic practitioners to "premagnetize" people to make them more vulnerable. Along with Matthews himself (the gang had an Air Loom stationed near Bethlem just for him), the gang also concentrated on leading members of the government to control their behaviour and leak their secrets to France. As proof, Matthews drew on news of recent calamities to show what the gang was doing while he was locked away in Bethlem and unable to stop them. For John Haslam, the bizarre ramblings supplied by his patient represented absolute proof that he was a dangerous lunatic who needed to be kept locked up in Bethlem. Despite the lack of evidence that Matthews posed any risk of violence, his obsession with the government, not to mention recent incidents involving lunatics threatening to assassinate King George III, was enough to ensure that Matthews would remain a psychiatric patient for the rest of life. Whatever sense of vindication Haslam felt would be short-lived however. Ultimately, it was James Tilly Matthews who had the last laugh. Continue to Part Three Posted at 08:00 AM in Current Affairs, Forensic Matters, Living History | Permalink | Comments (0)

Death of Rev. C.B. Betts, D.D. Betts, C.B. (Rev.)

Women’s History Month: The Velvet Underground & Nico’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties” Next Sunday, March 12, marks the 50th anniversary of the debut album by the Velvet Underground: a band so generally groundbreaking, it can be easy to forget that they were also one of the few 1960s rock groups to include women in their lineup. Indeed, for the first two years of their existence, the VU had two women in the group: drummer Maureen “Moe” Tucker, and German-born model-turned-Factory-girl-turned-“chanteuse” Christa Päffgen, better known as Nico. These days, Nico tends to be viewed as a footnote in the VU’s history: being forced into a band with two legendary egos (Lou Reed and John Cale) at the behest of another legendary ego (Andy Warhol) will do that to you. But she inarguably contributed to the early group’s avant-garde cool, her Teutonic detachment and impeccable coiffure lending her the air of a Weimar-chic Twiggy. And, contrary to popular belief, her contributions weren’t all visual; it’s difficult to imagine their aforementioned debut, The Velvet Underground & Nico , without Nico’s indelible voice on tracks like “Femme Fatale,” “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” and of course, “All Tomorrow’s Parties.” © Verve Records Written, like most of the album, by Lou Reed, “All Tomorrow’s Parties” is one of his typically detached character studies; its vignette, of a depressed socialite who turns from “Thursday’s child” to “Sunday’s clown” and “cries behind the door” when the party is over, could have been based on any number of lost souls hanging around Warhol’s Factory in the mid-’60s. There’s actually a demo version with Reed’s vocals floating around, rendered in a Dylanesque sneer that doesn’t leave much room for sentiment. Odd as it is to say, Nico’s performance of “Parties” lends it some much-needed empathy. On one level, of course, her monotone voice is a kind of Brechtian distancing technique, stripping the song of any outward displays of emotion. But it also perfectly embodies the character she’s playing: a woman who wears a mask of impassivity to hide the pain underneath. One senses that Nico understood this character in a way that Reed never could. It thus comes as little surprise that Nico’s own story wasn’t a happy one. Her father, while enlisted as a soldier in the Second World War, had suffered severe head injuries and later died in a psychiatric institution. At 15 years old, while living in Berlin and working as a temp for the U.S. Air Force, she was raped by an American soldier. After her brief stint with the Velvet Underground and a solo career on the fringes of popular music, she became addicted to heroin, a drug she continued to struggle with for over 15 years; she had just begun methadone replacement therapy when she died in 1988, from a cerebral hemorrhage after falling from her bicycle in Ibiza. Nico, in other words, could have been a character from one of Lou Reed’s songs; maybe that’s why she remains one of their most haunting interpreters. But she was also flesh and blood: an unfortunate casualty of a male-dominated underground music scene and a cruel world in general, who still doesn’t get the respect she deserves today. So, okay, kind of a bummer to end the week on–sorry about that. We’ll be back next week with something (hopefully) a little more uplifting. In the meantime, here are the playlists: Tagged andy warhol, berlin, bertolt brecht, bob dylan, factory, ibiza, john cale, lou reed, moe tucker, nico, twiggy, velvet underground Recovering academic. Music writing at Slant, Spectrum Culture, and elsewhere. Arguably best known as the author of Dance / Music / Sex / Romance, a song-by-song chronological blog about the music of Prince. zach@dystopiandanceparty.com https://dystopiandanceparty.com Women’s History Month: Cibo Matto’s “Sugar Water” Women’s History Month: Katey Red’s “Melpomene Block Party” Celebrating Eight Years of Jheri Curl June… with a Much-Needed Break

Challenging EPA's "Free Pass" for the Avenal Power Plant Earthjustice is challenging a string of EPA actions that have exempted the proposed Avenal gas-fired power plant from key environmental safeguards. Center for Biological DiversityGreenaction for Health and Environmental JusticeSierra Club Paul Cort Regional Office / Program Case Overview If built, the Avenal gas-fired power plant would rain down pollution on one of the most polluted and economically disadvantaged areas of California’s San Joaquin Valley—a region known for some of the highest levels of ozone and soot pollution in the nation. The nearby cities of Avenal, Huron and Kettleman City are predominantly low-income, communities of color that already suffer from health impacts related to air and other sources of pollution. In 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a permit for the project that illegally waived the need to comply with several key air pollution standards. Since then, Avenal has chosen not to begin construction of the project even though by law the permit expires after 18 months. In its latest move, executed without any public participation, EPA has now also waived the 18-month construction deadline, compounding the project’s failure to demonstrate that it will install state-of-the-art greenhouse gas controls and that it will not cause or contribute to the Valley’s ongoing air pollution problems. Earthjustice is representing a coalition of environmental justice and conservation groups in lawsuits that challenge EPA’s decisions to issue and then extend Avenal’s federal air pollution permit. Haze over California’s Central Valley, viewed from the International Space Station on January 17, 2014. (NASA Earth Observatory) August 12, 2014 Press Release: Victory Federal Court Strikes Down Illegal Permit for Avenal Power Plant in California The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today struck down an illegal permit that would have allowed Avenal Power to build a new gas-fired power plant in Avenal, Calif. In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a permit for the project that illegally waived its need to comply with air quality safeguards. Had this… August 12, 2014 Document Court Decision: Federal Court Strikes Down Illegal Permit for Avenal Power Plant in California The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today struck down an illegal permit that would have allowed Avenal Power to build a new gas-fired power plant in Avenal, Calif. In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a permit for the project that illegally waived its need to comply with air quality safeguards. Had this... September 6, 2013 Press Release Groups Challenge EPA “Free Pass” for Proposed California Power Plant Clean air advocates go to court to defend San Joaquin Valley against Avenal facility’s pollution Case page created on September 6, 2013.

Rutgers University elects its first African American president By Mirna Alsharif, CNN Updated 6:30 AM EST, Wed January 22, 2020 Rutgers' first black president gives emotional speech Rutgers University named the first African American president in the school’s history Tuesday. The university’s Board of Governors appointed Jonathan Holloway as Rutgers’ 21st president following a unanimous vote on Tuesday morning. Board of Governors Chairman Mark Angelson addressed a room of university officials following the announcement, calling Holloway “an extraordinarily distinguished scholar” who is “thoughtful, visionary, inclusive and decisive.” “He leads with remarkable integrity, and is just the right person to build upon Rutgers’ long tradition as an academic and research powerhouse,” said Angelson. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, also in attendance, said it was a historic day for Rutgers and “equally importantly a historic day for New Jersey and our state’s future.” Holloway said he is excited to take on his new role as president. “I was drawn to the opportunity at Rutgers University because of its amazing history, its foundation of excellence in teaching and its ambition to continue conducting life-changing research that improves our communities, our country and our world,” he said. “Please know in everything that I do here I expect to be held to the same high standards to which I will hold others, and that I dare presume exist here already.” ‘Mom, I got the job’ Holloway ended his address with a story from his time in graduate school 29 years ago and recounted how he called his now-deceased mother to discuss what he thought was a potential job offer from esteemed historian David Levering Lewis at Rutgers University. “Somehow I was able to ignore the fact that I was only in my third semester of my doctoral program, and in retrospect I’m quite certain that professor Lewis wasn’t offering me anything of that kind,” said Holloway. “But as I’ve come to know, I’m the kind of person with whom hope always springs eternal, and wouldn’t you know it … wouldn’t you know it, this time my hope paid off. Mom, I got the job,” he said. Holloway currently serves a the provost at Northwestern University where he is also a professor of history and African American studies, according to the school’s website. He earned his doctorate from Yale University in history, where he served as a dean and professor before joining Northwestern in 2017. Holloway succeeds Robert Barchi, who has served as president of Rutgers since 2012, according to the university’s website. Barchi, a neurologist, announced last summer that the 2019-2020 academic year would be his last as president. He will return to Rutgers for the next academic year as a university professor.

Evaluation and Design Evaluation within a Design Context Evaluation Planning Research Principles Primer Evaluation Approaches for Designers Evaluation in the Analysis phase Evaluation in the Design Phase Evaluation in the Implementation Phase Personnel Evaluation Data Collection Primer Reporting Evaluation Findings While the following evaluation approaches are commonly used by instructional designers in the design phase, it is not uncommon for them to be used in other ways in other phases of the design and development process. Theory-based evaluation Theory-based evaluation can be used to a) describe the theory supporting a specific design (i.e., evaluating the appropriateness of the theory) and b) evaluate how well a specific theory was put into practice. The first approach is most suitable in the analysis and design phases, the second in the development and implementation phases as part of an effectiveness evaluation. However, a consumer review may attempt to do both, as you would need to understand the theory used in the design before assessing how effectively the theory was put into practice. For instructional designers, this could entail evaluating pedagogical theories and design principles. Unfortunately, theory-based evaluation is often underutilized if utilized at all. Many designers fail to consider the theoretical underpinning of their design choices. Often designers cannot articulate the design theory they employ; they only know it seems to work. Likewise, educators may not consider the pedagogical theories that support a specific instructional approach. Sometimes failing to conduct a theory-based evaluation has little impact; other times, it can cause an instructional product to fail completely. The first step in any theory-based evaluation is identifying the theory being used. Chen (1990) suggests that an evaluator can determine the theory supporting a product's design in one of two ways. They can work with stakeholders (i.e., designers and implementers) to discover the reasons for designing and assumptions stakeholders have about the product. Or, they can use their own knowledge of educational psychology and social science theory to describe the supporting theories and design principles used. Donaldson (2007) describes a process that balances both tactics. A modified version of the basic steps he recommends to accomplish a theory-based evaluation are: Engage relevant stakeholders - Ask them to articulate the product's purpose (short and long-term objectives and goals) and why they think it will work. Ask them to describe how it is supposed to work. Develop a draft of the theory and present it to stakeholders for discussion, reaction, and input. Conduct a plausibility check – consult existing research (or other experts) and use your own understanding of educational psychology and social science theory to determine whether the intended outcome might be achieved in this way. Communicate your findings to stakeholders and revise your description of the theory if necessary. Probe the theory for more specificity - Ask stakeholders what resources and conditions must exist for the product to work. Consider critical links between theory and practice. Make sure the theory's description includes an accurate account of how the product is intended to be used. Finalize the theory and report evaluation findings - make a judgment regarding the merit of using this theory to support the product's design. Is it likely this product can produce the intended outcomes? Can it be implemented as intended? If the evaluation is testing theory-to-practice, you might add: Conduct an objective-oriented evaluation – Test the degree to which the learning objectives were accomplished. Attempt to verify a relationship (experimental or correlational) between the product's use and the desired outcomes. Conduct a usability study – Observe the product being used to determine whether the product can be used and is being used as intended. Determine whether the product's use is viable, sustainable, desirable, and efficient. A good resource for educational theories in instructional designers can be found here. Logic models are often used during the analysis and design phase of an educational program or initiative. An evaluator might use a logic model to describe the evaluand (program) and the theory supporting the initiatives. While an objective-oriented evaluation can provide information about the effectiveness of a program, it does not explain why it was effective. Logic models make an explicit, often visual, statement about how a program is supposed to work, why it is supposed to work, what is needed to make it work, and what change you might expect to see as a result. A typical logic model might include: A description of the resources needed to make the program or product work as intended. A description of the program's key components. This might include an explanation of how the program is supposed to work and a description of what those implementing the program will be doing and why they are supposed to do it (program theory or logic). Describe any tangible products or deliverables that result from the activities. What will participants be required to do? Identify the intended benefit and expected results for participants (short-term outcomes and long-term impact). Several public resources exist that describe the process of developing a logic model (see intro video, steps). There are several ways to accomplish a task analysis; each approach has a slightly different focus based on the purpose for the analysis. A task analysis is often conducted as part of a training needs analysis. A training needs assessment aims to create learning objectives for the training so assessments, instructional materials, and learning activities can be designed and developed. Common Steps for Implementing a task analysis: Identify the target skill. Identify prerequisite skills. Breaking down the skill into its component parts (or steps). Confirm that the task is thoroughly analyzed. Determine how the skill should be taught. Implement training and monitor effectiveness. Revise the task analysis and instruction as needed. Some additional resources that cover this topic can be found online (see basics, steps). A few different ways a task analysis might be conducted include: Job Task Analysis (JTA) Once you’ve determined that training is needed, a JTA aims to determine the knowledge and skills an individual requires to complete a specific job. Several discrete tasks may be required for one job. You use the results of this analysis to create learning objectives that will inform the design of any proposed training. For example, training might provide information if the work requires specialized knowledge. If the work requires specific skills, the training should include practice activities (simulated or authentic) that address the highest priority behaviors. A JTA is appropriate when a job has clearly delineated work requirements and people are hired to do a specific task. A JTA would not work well if the job description was generic and the employee responsibilities varied. For example, suppose the only requirements for a job were to show up on time and follow directions. In that case, a JTA won’t help define learning objectives, and a training course is likely not needed because on-the-job training would be more effective. However, if the job requires people to do a specific task and have specialized knowledge, then a JTA can help define the learning objectives for a course. However, remember that not all training solutions require the development of a course—sometimes a training aid would suffice. The goal of a JTA is to collect specific information, for example: A list of the tasks employees must perform to satisfy specific aspects of their jobs. How often the task is performed (i.e., frequency). The difficulty of each task. The importance of each task. Skills and knowledge objectives to target included those that are essential, complex, or required frequently. However, the existence of any of these factors may be sufficient to label an objective as high-priority. For example, a good candidate for a learning objective might include a simple task that must be done accurately every time regardless of how frequently it is required or how difficult it is to complete (e.g., hand washing or data entry). If the action has severe consequences when done wrong, it would be vital that training help individuals develop the required knowledge and skills. You can obtain the information you need in a variety of ways: Consult existing job descriptions. (list of requirements, KSA) Interview experts (those who know what is required). Conduct observations of people doing the job. (cognitive interviews) Verify your observation with current employees. Critical Steps Analysis (CSA) The term task analysis is often used to refer to a detailed description of the steps required to complete a specific task. We call this a critical steps analysis (or CSA) to differentiate it from other types of task analysis. A CSA breaks down a skill into discrete steps or behaviors needed to complete a task. This may or may not refer to a task associated with a specific job. The number of steps in a CSA will depend on the nature of the skill (i.e., its complexity). It will also depend on the individual learner’s ability to understand the process (i.e., their age or cognitive capacity). It may be sufficient to define a task in very general terms, or listing detailed steps may be required. For example, most people understand how to brush their teeth. However, you may need to break this task down for the very young. get a toothbrush place toothpaste on the brush (not too much) make sure the toothbrush makes contact with your teeth clean all your teeth (brush for 2 to 3 minutes) rinse your mouth and the toothbrush The instruction provided may be verbal (on-the-job training), or it may involve the use of a training aid. Retrieved from: https://www.alphadentalgroup.com.au/blog/oral-care/how-to-brush-teeth/ There are several ways you might break down a specific skill or behavior into smaller steps, including: Personal experience. Complete the task yourself and record each of the steps. Obtain feedback from an expert to make sure the task was completed correctly. Observation. Watch several individuals and document the steps they take as they complete the task. Note steps people take that are not required, those that are essential, and steps that are difficult to do properly. While it is best to conduct this analysis with those who perform the tasks exceptionally well, information obtained from observing poor performers can be helpful. This information might help you decide when practice activities are needed or more detailed instructions is required. Cognitive interviews (knowledge audits). Ask an expert in the target skill or behavior to explain what they are doing as they complete the task. Make sure to ask why they are doing each of the steps. Ask those demonstrating the skill to rate the difficulty and importance of what they are doing in terms of the likelihood that they will get a satisfactory result. Curriculum Content Standards Analysis Course development in a general education setting often does not have a specific job or career in mind. The curriculum outlines a broad set of competencies (e.g., literacy, numeracy, and social skills) an institution has determined students will need to succeed in an advanced educational setting or as lifelong learners. This general education philosophy is designed to provide students with transferrable skills that will prepare them to gain knowledge, acquire new skills, and broaden their perspectives. Its goal is to help individuals adapt to society’s ever-changing needs and become productive workers in the economy. Just as the term curriculum means different things to different people, so does curriculum analysis. Whereas curriculum development involves building the curriculum to present a comprehensive and coherent educational plan, curriculum analysis involves unpacking the curriculum. Like a task analysis, an instructional designer must evaluate how the parts fit together. The analyst must determine: What need the curriculum is responding to? Who is the curriculum designed for? What are the prerequisite knowledge and skill requirements? What content does it cover? What resources are needed to teach the curriculum? For instructional designers, conducting a curriculum content analysis is only an evaluative process in that the instructional designer (e.g., a teacher) must develop instructional products that align with a chosen or, more likely, a mandated curriculum. Primarily as a result of the standards-based reform movement in education, curriculum developers constantly review and revise the curriculum. As a result, designers need not spend a lot of time deciding on the learning objectives for a course as they should be clearly outlined in curriculum standards. Learner Analysis (or Target Audience Analysis) This is a special type of task analysis. It does not consider what needs to be taught (i.e., learning objectives). You conduct learner analysis to understand the ability and needs of those whose knowledge, skill, or ability you hope to improve. This will help you determine the level of specificity required when listing critical steps. More specifically, you might collect general group information about their: Developmental readiness (ability) Comfort level with technology Preferences regarding delivery method (virtual, face-to-face, or self-study) Overall, you use the information gathered during the learner analysis to make instructional design decisions, such as the level of scaffolding or guidance required, the technology support needed, or the most appropriate delivery methods. Another way to accomplish this task is to use personas (see personas). Instructional Context Analysis Like the learner analysis, an instructional context analysis does not consider what needs to be taught (i.e., learning objectives). Instead, it considers the best way to provide the instruction and the constraints imposed on the instruction by the context. It is not as common as the other types of task analysis, but it is important nonetheless. It was originally used to evaluate business environments (internal and external) but has been adapted for education. To conduct this analysis, you ask yourself what context the learner will be in when they interact with the training and what modality (i.e., conditions) would be best. In some cases, the context may severely limit how instruction can be delivered and the instruction’s likely success. For example, teaching online (possibly due to covid or distance) may be a problem for some topics and learning objectives. When students do not have access to the expensive specialized equipment they need, they cannot practice the skills targeted by the learning objectives. This will significantly diminish the effectiveness of the instruction—attempting to design instruction in less than ideal conditions will be challenging and probably ill-advised. By analyzing the instructional context before designing any instruction, you are able to tailor your instruction with regard to any potential limitations. For example, online instruction may be designed to be accessed using a personal computer but may also be accessed using smartphones. Other issues may constrain the feasibility of designing instructions, including internet access or audio/visual needs. Identifying potential implementation problems can also draw attention to situations where alternative modes of instruction may be needed. Chapter Summary There are several evaluative activities that should be considered in the design phase. The consequences of overlooking these evaluations can be costly and often will impact the success of a designer’s development and implementation efforts. Theory-based evaluation - describes the theory supporting a specific design or how well a specific theory is put into practice. Logic models - logic models describe an evaluand (e.g., a program or instructional product)—how it is supposed to work, the resources needed, the intended outcomes, and the theory supporting that initiative. Task analysis - A task analysis is conducted to clarify training needs (i.e., learning objectives). There are several ways to accomplish a task analysis. Job-task Analyses help us identify the high-priority objective on which we should focus the ensuing training. Critical Steps Analysis breaks down a task (i.e., the general description of a task) into the precise steps needed to complete that task. Curriculum Content Standards are developed so designers can select appropriate learning objectives from an established set of general learning objectives. Like a task analysis, this analysis must determine the gap or need the instruction will address, the intended learners, and the prerequisite knowledge/skill requirements. Learner Analyses describe the intended learners’ attributes and characteristics. This helps us make decisions regarding delivery methods and the level of guidance and background information to provide. Instructional context analyses identifies the best conditions for providing the training and the constraints imposed on the instruction by the context. Consider an educational product you use. Describe the pedagogical and design theory that makes it effective. Think of a task you regularly undertake (you being an expert at doing the task). List the critical steps a novice might need to understand to accomplish the task. Think of some training you have completed. Describe how a learner analysis and instructional context analysis might inform the design of the instruction. Chen, H. T., & Chen, H. T. (1990). Theory-driven evaluations. Sage. Donaldson, S. I. (2007). Program theory-driven evaluation science: Strategies and applications. Routledge. Mager, R. F., & Pipe, P. (1997). Analyzing Performance Problems: Or, You Really Oughta Wanna (3 ed.): Center for Effective Performance. Stufflebeam, D. L., & Coryn, C. L. (2014). Evaluation theory, models, and applications (Vol. 50). John Wiley & Sons.

Home General Is Feta Cheese Made From Goat Milk Safe? Is Feta Cheese Made From Goat Milk Safe? Feta cheese is a very popular type of cheese. It’s a very creamy, buttery, salty, and flavorful type of cheese that’s often associated with Mediterranean cuisines. If you’re a fan of feta cheese, you might be wondering if you can enjoy it without risking getting sick. It’s cheaper than goat cheese If you are looking for a cheese that will match the flavor and texture of goat cheese, you have plenty of options. But it can be hard to find the perfect replacement. Some people might be allergic to goat milk, while others might not like the texture of certain types. For example, some people might find the goat cheese to be too crumbly. You can avoid a rocky surface by sprinkling the cheese with some edible ash. This will keep the surface clean and prevent the crust from forming. There are a few different cheeses that you can try, including ricotta and Greek yogurt. These are both excellent substitutes for goat cheese. If you are trying to save on calories, you can try using cottage cheese as a substitute. It is a low calorie cheese with a creamy texture. You can use it to replace goat cheese in salads or on pizza. Another great substitution is tofu. Tofu has a high protein content and is cholesterol free. You can buy it in many grocery stores. It is also popular among girls who want to maintain their figure. Another good substitute for goat cheese is mascarpone. Mascarpone is a rich and smooth cheese that is commonly used in Italian desserts. Many brands are available in supermarkets. When it comes to flavors, feta and goat cheese have similarities. However, feta is more salty and crumbly. Feta cheese is usually made from a combination of sheep and goat milk. The two can be a bit expensive. Feta is best eaten in savory pastries or pasta. However, it is also tasty with fruit. In fact, feta is often served with spinach artichoke dip. Feta is a salty cheese that is made from sheep and goat milk. It is also a good source of calcium. While goat cheese is easier to digest than cow milk, you might still experience lactose sensitivity if you consume it. Lactose intolerance causes abdominal pain and diarrhea. So if you are lactose intolerant, you should not eat it. Regardless of the type of cheese you choose, you should experiment with different recipes to find a recipe that you like. It’s more buttery and creamy Feta is a popular cheese that can be served alone as a table cheese, or in a variety of dishes. The flavor of the cheese is usually lemony and salty, with a slightly tangy finish. There are many different varieties of goat cheese. Some have a strong earthy aroma and taste. Others have a more nutty flavor. These types of goat cheese are perfect to enjoy in a salad, grilled sandwich, or even as a fun appetizer. In Greece, feta is considered a staple. Many people eat feta in salads. This tasty cheese is also used in a number of delicious dishes, including stuffed vegetables, roasted root vegetables, and pizza. It is also a very good source of protein and calcium. This low-calorie condiment adds a soft, creamy texture to your summer grill outs. Feta is usually served in triangular blocks. Sometimes there are small, shallow holes throughout the block. Most fetas are white in color. A variety with a yellow color is called caprino. Chevre is a French word that refers to any type of cheese made from goat milk. Generally, chevre has a complex and savory taste. Feta and chevre are both produced in Greece, but they are different. While feta is typically made from sheep milk, chevre is made from goat’s milk. Feta is a popular Greek cheese, but there are other types available as well. Some of the more popular varieties include Greek feta and anthotyro. All of these cheeses have distinct flavors, which are a result of the milk type that is used. Feta can also be purchased in the United States. There are several brands of this cheese available at grocery stores. You can even find some feta with 30% goat’s milk. Feta has a unique texture that makes it great for roasting vegetables. This soft, crumbly, and salty cheese is the perfect addition to a tart, grilled sandwich, or in a fun appetizer. If you’re looking for a fun and unique appetizer, consider mini crostini. These are a great choice for a crowd, and they can be made with just about any vegetable. It’s saltier than other cheeses If you are looking for a tasty cheese to add to your next picnic, you may want to consider feta cheese made from goat milk. It’s delicious and tangy, and has a softer texture than other cheeses. There are a variety of different types, and they vary in the texture, flavor, and nutrition. Feta has an acidic, salty taste, and if you have been eating this type of cheese for a while, you know that the saltiness can change a little bit. However, it is still a very good source of calcium and protein. You can enjoy feta cheese as a dip, spread, or in a salad. It pairs well with many dishes, and has a distinct flavor. The flavor of feta cheese can change depending on the region where the cheese is made. For example, feta from Macedonia has a slightly less salty flavor. Similarly, cheese from Thrace has a milder flavor. Some varieties of feta are made with a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk. This results in a milder, more buttery flavor. Generally, however, feta made from goat milk is less salty and has a milder, more acidic flavor. While it can be used in a variety of ways, feta is typically eaten in Greek salads or served alone on a platter. In addition, it is commonly served with olives and jam. Goat feta is a good choice for people with chronic kidney disease. It is high in protein and is a good source of calcium and vitamin B complex. However, it is important to remember that feta has a higher sodium content than other cheeses. As a result, it can be dangerous for those who have heart problems, high blood pressure, or stroke. Therefore, it is recommended that people over 50 limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day. Moreover, feta is high in fat and cholesterol, which can be harmful to cardiovascular health. A 1-ounce serving contains 316 milligrams of sodium. If you are trying to cut calories, try limiting your serving size of feta to a half ounce. It contains bacteria that kill Listeria Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can be found in food. It is a bacterium that can be harmful to pregnant women and unborn babies. When listeria is ingested it can cause severe illness. In addition, it can also cause infant death. If you are a pregnant woman, you need to make sure that the feta cheese you consume is pasteurized. Unpasteurized feta can contain listeria. The only way to avoid this is to purchase feta that is pasteurized. If you are infected with Listeria, you may suffer from flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, stomach aches and pains. A mild form of the bacterium can cause you to have diarrhea. You can also experience confusion and convulsions. Symptoms may appear as soon as a few days after you eat something that contains Listeria. Listeria can be found in animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Usually the listeria is picked up from deli meats that have not been processed properly. This can also be a problem with soft cheeses such as feta. Many people do not know that they can be infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Fortunately, most people do not become infected with the disease. The reason that the disease is so dangerous is that it can be found in many types of foods. The listeria bacteria are able to live in areas where other bacteria cannot. They grow even in the cold. Symptoms of listeriosis include headache, aches and pains, nausea, and diarrhea. It is recommended to avoid eating raw animal products, such as dairy products, if you are a pregnant woman. However, there are other ways to prevent the disease from affecting you. Another way to protect yourself from listeria is to use the right tools. Using a thermometer to check the temperature of the food can help you determine if it has been pasteurized. Using a meat thermometer is a good idea. There are other factors you need to keep in mind when purchasing feta. Check the label for the words “pasteurized,” “pasteurized by,” or “pasteurized milk” to ensure that the product has been made from pasteurized milk. Previous articleFoods For a Bigger Butt Next article5 Ways to Use Dry Milk Powder Substitute

Now reading: Find Your Zen: How to Create a Budget-Friendly Home Yoga Studio Find Your Zen: How to Create a Budget-Friendly Home Yoga Studio Photo by Elina Fairytale Creating a home yoga studio is a great way to practice yoga in the comfort of your own home. Not only is it a place to focus on your physical and mental well-being, but it's also a great way to show off your personal style and interests. However, creating a home yoga studio can be a daunting task, especially if you're on a tight budget. But with a little bit of creativity and the right approach, you can create a home yoga studio that is both beautiful and functional. The first step in creating a home yoga studio is to start with a plan. Determine what you want to include in your home yoga studio, such as a yoga mat, props, and a focal point. Natural materials such as wood, stone and plants are a great way to create a serene and peaceful space. Use these materials to create a focal point in your home yoga studio. Lighting is an essential aspect of any home yoga studio. Consider adding dimmable lighting or even a salt lamp to create a peaceful and serene atmosphere. A seating area is a great way to create a comfortable space for meditation. Look for comfortable seating options such as floor cushions or a bench. Add Props Props such as yoga blocks, straps and blankets are a great way to enhance your practice and make it more comfortable. By following these simple steps, you can create a home yoga studio that is both beautiful and functional. Remember, the key to creating a home yoga studio is to be creative, resourceful, and open to new ideas. Unleash Your Creativity: How to Create a Budget-Friendly Home Art Studio Movie Night at Home: How to Create a Budget-Friendly Home Cinema

Ken Goldberg wins multiple best paper awards CS and IEOR Prof. Ken Goldberg and his lab at BAIR have won multiple best paper awards this year. “Autonomously Untangling Long Cables” won the Best Systems Paper at the Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS) conference in June 2022. “Automated Pruning of Polyculture Plants” won Best Paper at the IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE) in August 2022. At this year’s IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), held in October, the paper titled, “Speedfolding: Learning Efficient Bimanual Folding of Garments” took the top spot out of 3500 submissions to win the IROS Best Paper Award. The common thread among these results is the application of advances in deep learning to solve robot manipulation problems. “I feel lucky every day that I get to work in this uniquely stimulating environment with the world's most brilliant, creative, and dedicated students, staff, and faculty," said Goldberg. Autonomously Untangling Long Cables Automated Pruning of Polyculture Plants SpeedFolding: Learning Efficient Bimanual Folding of Garments Joe Hellerstein wins IEEE VIS Test of Time Award CS Prof. Joe Hellerstein has won the IEEE VIS Test of Time Award for a paper he co-wrote with Sean Kandel, Andreas Paepcke, and Jeffrey Heer in 2012 titled, “Enterprise Data Analysis and Visualization: An Interview Study.” The paper considered how visual analytics are used within organizations and provided an accessible framework for the abstraction of high-level tasks and user archetypes. “Before this work we struggled to find the vocabulary to use, now we have framings that are easy to remember and conceptualise the space nicely,” said the award committee. "The paper has received an impressive quantity of citations and patent citations, is still relevant today, and continues to be cited frequently." The IEEE VIS Test of Time Award recognizes articles published at previous conferences whose contents are still vibrant and useful today and have had a major impact and influence within and beyond the visualization community. Test of Time Awards Edward Lee receives ACM SIGBED Technical Achievement Award and honorary doctorate from TU Wien Edward Lee has won the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Embedded Systems (SIGBED) Technical Achievement Award. Prof. Lee is the inaugural recipient of the lifetime achievement award, and was honored “for foundational contributions on modeling and design of embedded, real-time, and cyber-physical systems.” Created in 2022, the Technical Achievement Award is designed “to recognize significant and sustained contributions to research and/or system implementations made by the awardee through the lifetime." Prof. Lee also received an honorary doctorate from the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) in May. Edward A. Lee Awarded TU Wien Honorary Doctorate SIGBED Technical Achievement Award (2022) Roxana Infante wins Wil Zeilinger Staff Excellence Award Roxana Infante is the recipient of the 2022 EECS/ERSO Wil Zeilinger Staff Excellence Award. Established in 1992 in honor of Wil Zeilinger, Cory Hall’s first department engineer, the Zeilinger Award is the most prestigious staff honor in the EECS department and is presented annually to the staff member who best embodies "a spirit of service cheerfully given for the general good." Over the course of Roxana’s 12-year career at UC Berkeley, she has provided outstanding service to many 5-year research labs, including the ParLab, BerkeleyDrive, and the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (BAIR). According to one nominator, “She truly is one of the kindest, most cheerful, and thoughtful people I’ve ever met, let alone had the pleasure of working with.” Wil Zeilinger Staff Excellence Award Sophia Shao wins Intel Rising Star Award EECS Assistant Prof. Sophia Shao is among the 15 recipients of the Intel Rising Star Award this year. Awarded annually, the Intel Rising Star Award (RSA) program supports early-career faculty whose research is groundbreaking and demonstrates the potential to disrupt industries. Recipients are chosen for “innovative teaching methods and for increasing the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in computer science and engineering.” Prof. Shao’s research focuses on improving the scalability, efficiency, and programmability of heterogeneous platforms from edge devices to data centers. In collaboration with senior technical leaders at Intel, Prof. Shao plans to explore the intersection of architectural prototyping, algorithm development, and programming support for heterogeneous accelerators: “As we enter the golden age of computer architecture, there are tremendous opportunities to innovate across the stack in the hardware community. I'm excited to work with our students, faculty members, and industry collaborators to build novel systems together!" said Shao. Intel® Rising Star Faculty Award 2022 Recognizes Research Efforts of 15 Leading Early-Career Professionals Raluca Ada Popa featured in People of ACM CS Prof. Raluca Ada Popa was interviewed as a Featured ACM Member as part of the "People of ACM" bulletin. As the Co-Director of RISELab and SkyLab, two labs aiming to build secure intelligent systems for the cloud and for the sky of cloud, she spoke about her research interests, which include security, systems, and applied cryptography. “I love both to build systems that can solve a real-world problem and to reason about deep mathematical concepts,” she said. Aiming to predict the direction of her research, she outlined her renewed focus on confidential computing, a major shift in the cloud computing landscape, which she said “will revolutionize data systems in industry in the coming years…[through] the combination of hardware security via hardware enclaves and cryptographic techniques. Many organizations have a lot of confidential data that they cannot share between different teams in their organization or different organizations. Sharing it would enable better medical studies, better fraud detection, increased business effectiveness, and other benefits.” People of ACM - Raluca Ada Popa Michael I. Jordan wins inaugural World Laureates Association Prize EECS and Statistics Prof. Michael I. Jordan has been named the inaugural winner of the World Laureates Association (WLA) Prize in Computer Science or Mathematics. Funded by Sequoia China and established in Shanghai in 2021, the WLA Prize aims to recognize and support eminent researchers and technologists worldwide for their contributions to science, with the overarching goal of supporting global science, advancing technology, addressing humanity’s challenges and promoting the long-term progress of society. The prize is accompanied by a monetary award of $1.4 million (RMB 10 million). Prof. Jordan was recognized “For fundamental contributions to the foundations of machine learning and its application." Prof. Jordan is the director of the Center for the Theoretical Foundations of Learning, Inference, Information, Intelligence, Mathematics and Microeconomics at Berkeley (CLIMB). He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. He is also a fellow of the AAAI, ACM, ASA, CSS, IEEE, IMS, ISBA and SIAM. Winners of the Inaugural WLA Prize Announced RMB 10 Million for Each Prize Ruzena Bajcsy receives Slovak Medal of Honor EECS Prof. Emerita Ruzena Bajcsy has been awarded the Slovak Medal of Honor. Bajcsy was recognized for her scientific achievements, leading by example, and setting a positive image of the Slovak Republic abroad. The medal was presented at the Consulate in New York by Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. Berkeley EECS continues to compete in US News & World Report rankings Once again Berkeley Electrical Engineering ranked #1, and Computer Engineering ranked #2, in the 2022 US News and World Report graduate school rankings. EE tied with MIT and Stanford as the top graduate Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering program in the nation, while Computer Engineering tied in second place with Stanford after MIT. The tuition for both Master’s programs at MIT and Stanford cost over $55.5K annually, while Berkeley's costs $11.4K in-state and $26.5 out-of-state per year. Berkeley was ranked as the third best Engineering school overall. Berkeley Engineering Rankings IEEE award renamed in honor of Lotfi Zadeh The IEEE Daniel E. Noble Award for Emerging Technologies has been renamed in honor of the late Lotfi Zadeh. Beginning in 2022, the award will be named the Lotfi A. Zadeh Award for Emerging Technologies. Prof. Zadeh was known as the “father of fuzzy logic.” Previously known as the Morris N. Liebmann Memorial Award, this award was established in 1919 to recognize outstanding contributions to emerging technologies. The first recipient of this award will be presented in 2024. IEEE Technical Field Awards

Ruzena Bajcsy wins PAMI Azriel Rosenfeld Lifetime Achievement Award EECS Prof. Emerita Ruzena Bajcsy has won the PAMI Azriel Rosenfeld Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented biennially by the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee for Pattern Analysis and Machine Learning (TCPAMI) to honor outstanding "researchers in Computer Vision who have made major contributions to the field over their career and who have influenced the field in an extraordinary way." Bajcsy founded the pioneering General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Lab in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania in 1978. The GRASP Lab was one of the first groups to foster interdisciplinary research between computer and cognitive scientists, electrical and mechanical engineers, and psychologists. Her robotics research focused on computer vision, tactile perception, and the problem of system identification. Her work in medical imaging involved coupling a digital anatomy atlas with elastic matching algorithms in order to automatically identify anatomic structures of the brain. This now standard technology was first used in X-ray tomography and later with MRI and positron image tomography. At Berkeley, Bajcsy was the founding director of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) in 2001, a collaboration between four University of California campuses. Before coming to Berkeley, she headed the NSF Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate. EECS Prof. Jitendra Malik, one of the speakers at ICCV 2021 where the award was announced, said "Ruzena has been a pioneer in so many ways, with her work on active perception, medical image analysis, robotics and her mentorship of generations of researchers in whom she has inculcated the highest of values. Her career is full of many, many 'firsts.'" PAMI Azriel Rosenfeld Lifetime Achievement Award EECS expands efforts to diversify professoriate by increasing retention of underrepresented undergraduates The Diversifying LEAdership in the Professoriate (LEAP) Alliance (formerly called the FLIP Alliance), is one of the benefactors of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to the Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Computing and Information Technology (CMD-IT) to support the Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance (BPC-A). UC Berkeley is a founding member of the LEAP Alliance, the goal of which is to increase diversity in the field of computing by expanding the number of professors from underrepresented communities at research Universities. Diversifying the computing professoriate is critical to providing influential role models, shaping departmental programs and policies, and bringing diverse perspectives into research projects and programs. As part of the first cohort, Berkeley has been partnering with 10 other institutions to focus on increasing the diversity of graduate student populations. Thanks to their success, the new grant expands the Alliance to 4 cohorts, and Berkeley is now also part of Cohort 4, which is aimed at diversifying undergraduate student populations. EECS representatives Prof. Armando Fox and Director of Diversity Audrey Sillers have started a mentoring program across institutions, participate in monthly cohort conference calls, attend many professional development events including two All Hands Meetings per year where cohort universities share best practices, and present what they have learned at the annual CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference. CMD-IT Receives NSF Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance Grant

11 EECS Grad Students Awarded NSF GRFP Fellowships 11 EECS graduate students have been awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (NSF GRFP). In EE they are Sidney Douglas Buchbinder, Regina Eckert, Laura Hallock, Sang Min Han, Michael Kellman, Efthymios Papageorgiou and Margaret Payne. In CS they are Abhishek Gupta, Grant Ho, Ethan Jackson and Gregory Kahn. The NSF GRFP program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. Fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Cameron Rose's robotic birds mimic flight EECS graduate student Cameron Rose is featured in a National Geographic article titled “Dreams of the World: Flight Simulation of Robotic Birds with Cameron Rose, UC Berkeley”. Cameron, who is Prof. Ron Fearing’sBiomimetic Millisystems Laboratory has helped design and build the mechanical bird called the H2 Bird. His research focuses on modeling and control of flapping-winged robots in flight away from equilibrium. He is also featured in a Berkeley Graduate News article titled“Graduate Student Mimics Flight of Birds with Robots”. Kay Ousterhout chosen for Google Ph.D. Fellowship Kay Ousterhout recently won the Google Ph.d. Fellowship. This is one of the highest honors a CS grad student can win. It is extremely selective, with only a small number universities invited to submit two nominees each. Kay is a 5th year student of Prof. Sylvia Ratnasamy. The Google Phd Fellowship was created in 2009 to recognize and support outstanding graduate students doing exceptional work in Computer Science (CS) and related disciplines. Papers from EECS research groups featured in Proceedings of Electronic Design Automation journal A special issue of the Proceedings of the IEEE, the most highly cited general-interest journal in electrical engineering and computer science, on the evolution of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and its future developments, features papers from a number of research groups in EECS. The issue, including Prof. Robert Brayton and Prof. Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli as guest editors, has brought together for the first time multiple perspectives on the future of EDA and the challenges ahead. The significant contributions from EECS professors, students, and alumni witness the groundbreaking, continuous role of Berkeley EECS faculty and students in shaping the field. PRWeb: Proceedings of the IEEE Releases Special Issue on Electronic Design Automation Numbers of Underrepresented Groups Grow in EECS In 2011 EECS partnered with the campus Division of Equity & Inclusion on a new strategic planning initiative to improve the numbers and create a more welcoming environment for women and underrepresented groups in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Today, thanks to the founding work of EECS Diversity Director Emerita Sheila Humphreys, the work of EECS Associate Director of Diversity & Achievement Tiffany Reardon's tireless efforts championing diversity and inclusion efforts, and the support and leadership of Prof. Tsu-Jae King Liu, the first woman Chair of EECS, over the past 4 years the percentage of undergraduate women in EECS has grown more than twice as fast as the growth of the overall student population, and the percentage of underrepresented minorities has been 3 to 5 times the overall rate. Catalysts for Change Pejman Mar Ventures creates new competition for UC Berkeley entrepreneurs Venture capital firm Pejman Mar Ventures has created a new competition for UC Berkeley entrepreneurs who demonstrate passion and dedication to making their vision a reality. They are offering $250,000 to back up a startup founded by a Berkeley student, faculty member or alum in exchange for 10 percent of the company. In the past 18 months they have funded 7 companies in which the founders were from Stanford, MIT and Carnegie Mellon. Applicants have until Oct. 1 to apply and a winner will be chosen by Oct. 30. Berkeley News: VC firm to invest $250,000 in winner of campus startup contest TechCrunch: A New, $250,000 Startup Competition For Berkeley Students Takes Shape

Rediet Abebe named 2022 Carnegie Fellow CS Assistant Prof. Rediet Abebe has been named to the 2022 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows. This fellowship recognizes "scholars and writers in the humanities and social sciences" who are addressing "important and enduring issues confronting our society." Abebe’s research is in algorithms and artificial intelligence, with a focus on inequality and distributive justice concerns. Her project, “Algorithms on Trial: Interrogating Evidentiary Statistical Software,” will shed light on the ubiquitous and improper use of software tools as evidence in the U.S. criminal legal system. "The project will use a mix of algorithmic and qualitative techniques to analyze large legal databases, with a focus on admissibility hearings. The results will coalesce in the form of a public platform containing thousands of tools, alongside known issues and resources like ready-to-file affidavits to empower public defenders." Abebe is a co-founder and co-organizer of both the MD4SG research initiative and the nonprofit organization Black in AI, where she also sits on the board of directors and co-leads the Academic Program. Carnegie Fellows, who each receive a $200K award, are selected by a panel of jurors based on the originality and potential impact of their proposal as well as their capacity to communicate their findings to a broad audience. 2022 Andrew Carnegie Fellows Recipient: Rediet Abebe CDSS: UC Berkeley's Rediet Abebe named Carnegie Fellow Chase Norman selected to participate in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum CS undergraduate student Chase Norman is among 200 young mathematics and computer science researchers selected from across the globe to attend the 9th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) in Germany this September. During the week-long conference, participants will share ideas with some of the "most exceptional mathematicians and computer scientists of their generations," namely the recipients of some of the field’s most prestigious awards: the Abel Prize, ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize in Computing (won this year by Berkeley CS Prof. Pieter Abbeel), Fields Medal, and Nevanlinna Prize. Participants and laureates will interact through a blend of scientific and social activities that are designed to foster a relaxed atmosphere and encourage scientific exchange. Participants are selected by a panel of international reviewers on the basis of their research experience, social engagement skills, and letter of motivation.”. Norman is a CS and Math double major who was admitted to the EECS Honors Program in the breadth area of Mathematical Logic and Foundations. He is also the president of the CS honor society Upsilon Pi Epsilon, was course staff for CS 170 and CS 61A, and was a percussionist with UC Jazz and the UCB Symphony Orchestra. Noam Nisan, Kimberly Keeton, Bruce Hajek and Nickhil Jakatdar named 2022 Berkeley EECS Distinguished Alumni Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 EECS Distinguished Alumni Awards! The CS winners are Noam Nisan (academia) and Kimberly Keeton (industry); and the EE winners are Bruce Hajek (academia) and Nickhil Jakatdar (industry). Noam Nisan (Ph.D. 1988, advisor: Richard Karp), currently a CS professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was cited "For fundamental contributions to computational complexity theory and the creation of the field of algorithmic mechanism design;" Kimberly Keeton (M.S. 1994/Ph.D. 1999, adviser: David Patterson), currently a principal engineer at Google, was cited "For leadership in the research and the production of computer data and storage systems, and for mentoring the next generation of computer scientists and engineers;" Bruce Hajek (Ph.D. 1979, advisor: Eugene Wong), currently an ECE professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was cited "For his prodigious and fundamental research contributions to stochastic processes, information theory, and communications and computer networks; for his sustained and worldwide influence as a beloved teacher and mentor; and for his major leadership role in electrical and computer engineering;" and Nickhil Jakatdar (Ph.D. 2000, advisor: Costas Spanos), currently the CEO of GenePath Diagnostics, was cited for "For serial entrepreneurship and visionary leadership across several sectors, with profound impact to the microelectronics industry and to the developing world." Their awards will be presented at the 2022 Berkeley EECS Annual Research Symposium (BEARS) on April 25th. BEARS 2022: Distinguished Alumni Dave Epstein wins 2022 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship CS graduate student Dave Epstein (advisor: Alexei Efros) has won a 2022 Paul & Daisy Soros Graduate Fellowship for New Americans. This fellowship recognizes outstanding graduate students who are immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States, and "who are poised to make significant contributions to US society, culture or their academic field." Epstein is affiliated with the Berkeley AI Research (BAIR) Lab where he is teaching machines to solve visual problems without labels, and enabling a creative understanding of the real world to emerge. He is also interested in language, machine learning, synthesis, and interaction. Paul & Daisy Fellowships come with a $90K award. 2022 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships: Dave Epstein CDSS: EECS PhD student named 2022 Soros fellow Bin Yu chosen as speaker for 2023 Wald Lectures EECS Prof. Bin Yu (Statistics M.A. '87/Ph.D. '90) has been chosen by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS) to present the 2023 Wald Memorial Lectures. Considered the highest honor bestowed by the IMS, a single Wald Lecturer is selected annually to deliver a series of one, two, three or four one-hour talks on a single topic of unusual interest over multiple days at the IMS Annual Meeting in Probability and Statistics. This format allows speakers to break down complex subject matter in a way that makes it more accessible to non-specialists. The honor is named for Abraham Wald, the mathematician who founded the field of statistical sequential analyses. Yu, who has a joint appointment in the Department of Statistics, is focused on solving high-dimensional data problems through developments of statistics and machine learning methodologies, algorithms, and theory. Her group is engaged in interdisciplinary research with scientists from genomics, neuroscience, and medicine. Audrey Sillers wins 2022 BSA Excellence in Management Award Audrey Sillers, the EECS Director of Student Diversity, has won a Berkeley Staff Assembly (BSA) 2022 Excellence in Management (EIM) Award. This award "honors exemplary non-academic managers and supervisors who have led their teams and team members to meaningful accomplishments this past year." The 2022 theme, building and maintaining community, highlights leaders "who demonstrate and encourage flexibility, adaptiveness, supportiveness, compassion, understanding, work-life balance, and well-being." Sillers, who was nominated by her team, will be honored at a live-streamed ceremony on May 3rd. "Audrey exemplifies so many of the UC Berkeley Principles of Community, not in a self-conscious way, but just in the way that she operates in the world as a person," said one of her coworkers. "Audrey’s passion for diversity and her openness to her staff developing their own capacities to do better work as advisors to a very diverse student population has been inspirational. Having such a supervisor makes a tremendous difference." Berkeley Staff Assembly: Excellence in Management Alisha Menon wins 2022 Outstanding Graduate Peer Mentor Award EECS Ph.D. candidate Alisha Menon (M.S. '20, advisor: Jan Rabaey) has won a 2022 Outstanding Graduate Peer Mentor Award. This award, presented by The Graduate Assembly, honors four Berkeley graduate and professional students annually "who have shown an outstanding commitment to mentoring, advising, and generally supporting either undergraduate students or their fellow graduate students." Menon's research is in the area of neural engineering, an interdisciplinary field centered on the interface between humans and computers. Her focus is on digital integrated circuits and systems for biomedical applications, specifically the intersection of hardware-efficient machine learning algorithms, physiological sensor fusion, gesture recognition, and closed-loop neural prosthetic feedback. Menon won an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and UC Berkeley Fellowship in 2018. She is also an accomplished theater actress and Indian Classical dancer. Alisha Menon The Graduate Assembly: Graduate Student Peer Mentor Awards Pieter Abbeel wins 2021 ACM Prize in Computing EECS Prof. Pieter Abbeel is the recipient of the 2021 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Prize in Computing. This award recognizes an early to mid-career computer scientist whose has made "a fundamental innovative contribution in computing that, through its depth, impact and broad implications, exemplifies the greatest achievements in the discipline." Abbeel is known for his pioneering approaches to robot learning, including teaching robots through human demonstration (“apprenticeship learning”) and through their own trial and error (“reinforcement learning”). He has created robots that can perform surgical suturing, detect objects, and plan their trajectories in uncertain situations. More recently, he introduced “few-shot imitation learning,” where a robot is able to learn to perform a task from just one demonstration after having been pre-trained with a large set of demonstrations on related tasks. He is also credited with the innovation of combining reinforcement learning with deep neural networks to usher in the new field of deep reinforcement learning, which can solve far more complex problems than computer programs developed with reinforcement learning alone. These contributions have formed the foundation of contemporary robotics and continue to drive the future of the field. Abbeel is also the Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientist at AI robotics company Covariant. The ACM Prize in Computing The award carries a prize of $250,000, from an endowment provided by Infosys Ltd. Berkeley Engineering: Berkeley robot learning pioneer Pieter Abbeel wins ACM Prize in Computing 2021 ACM Prize in Computing Berkeley EECS ranks 1 & 2 in 2023 US News graduate rankings Berkeley EECS is once again ranked as the #1 Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering graduate program in the country for 2023, tied with MIT and Stanford. The Berkeley Computer Engineering graduate program ranked #2 (tied with Stanford), as did the Computer Science graduate program (tied with Carnegie Mellon and Stanford). Berkeley Engineering, as a whole, again ranked #3. US News & World Report: Best Graduate Schools Aviral Kumar, Serena Wang and Eric Wallace win 2022 Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD fellowships Three EECS graduate students, Aviral Kumar (advisor: Sergey Levine), Serena Wang (advisors: Rediet Abebe and Michael Jordan), and Eric Wallace (advisors: Dan Klein and Dawn Song) have been named 2022 recipients of the Apple Scholars in AI/ML PhD fellowship. This fellowship recognizes graduate and postgraduate students in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning who are "emerging leaders in computer science and engineering" as demonstrated by their "innovative research, record as thought leaders and collaborators, and commitment to advance their respective fields." Kumar is working in the area of "Fundamentals of Machine Learning" to develop "reinforcement learning algorithms and tools that enable learning policies by effectively leveraging historical interaction data and understanding and addressing challenges in using RL with deep neural nets." Wang is working in the area of "AI for Ethics and Fairness" to "foster positive long-term societal impact of ML by rethinking ML algorithms and practices, employing tools from robust optimization, constrained optimization, and statistical learning theory." Wallace is working in the area of "Privacy Preserving Machine Learning," to make "NLP models more secure, private, and robust." Apple Scholars receive support for their research, internship opportunities, and a two-year mentorship with an Apple researcher in their field. Apple Machine Learning Research: Announcing the 2022 Apple Scholars in AI/ML

Property of spouses in mаrriage or the rights of spousеs in case of divorcement Printable version Electronic application for the divorce registration Apply for re-issuance of divorce certificate Getting of reference on marriage online Apply for re-issuance of marriage certificate Issuance of certificate on first name, last name, middle name change State registration of rights (encumbrances) on real estate Obtainment of personal credit report File a bill Also look: Contacts of territorial justice departments of Astana, Almaty, Shymkent cities and regional centers of RK Useful online services If there are any mistakes in documents or how to make changes in identity card or certificate Popular services of the portal eGov.kz Contacts of the Vital Recоrds departments of the local executive agencies of the RK Entering marriage, not everybody thinks about the order of property ownership in marriage and its sharing in case of divorce. Certainly nobody wants to think of the worst in such a significant moment. In this article we will tell about personal and joint property of spouses, the role of marriage contract, how property shares are distributed, and what conditions will affect on property division upon divorcement. According to p. 1 art. 32 of the Code On Marriage (Matrimony) and Family legal marital property regime is a regime of their joint ownership, if only the marriage contract was not specified by other conditions. Property acquired by spouses while marriage is their joint property, in accordance with the article 33 of the Code. Property acquired while marriage is joint, but each of the spouses may also have private property. Joint property means that it is not divided on shares. Private property differs from the joint one that it belongs only to one person and therefore cannot be divided upon divorce. What does privet property include? According to the article 35 of the Code private property of spouses is property, belonging to each of spouses before marriage (matrimony); property acquired by spouses during marriage as a gift by inheritance or by other gratuitous transactions; individual things (cloths, shoes and others) except jewels and other luxuries, even if they were acquired in marriage by the funds of both spouses; property, acquired by each spouses in the period of separate living due to the actual termination of marriage. In the first three cases, there is no need to formalize a private property in any particular way, also it does not require the court's decision in this case. In the last case (when spouses have been living separately after divorce registration) property is recognized as private, but only by the court decision. Obviously, while divorcement, private property of each spouse also remains in private ownership. Also there is a special article which allows to recognize your personal property as the joint one, if there were investments which increased the cost of property of the wife or husband. It is especially important if, for example, an apartment belonged to your spouse, was significantly repaired or reconstructed with your common funds, then the apartment can be considered as joint property. You can find this fact in the article 36 of the Code. What does joint property include According to the same article 33 of the Code, joint property, acquired by spouses during marriage includes: income amounts of each of spouses from labor activity, entrepreneurship and results of intellectual activity; income amounts of joint property of spouses and of private property of each spouse; their received pensions, benefits, pension savings as well as other payments with no special purpose (amounts of financial assistance, amounts paid for a damage, due to the loss of work ability, due to the health injury and others); movable and real estate, security papers, contributions, shares in the capital, deposited in credit or other organizations which were acquired at the cost of common incomes of spouses; any property acquired by spouses during marriage. All mentioned above property is considered as joint regardless on whose name in the family and for whose money it was acquired. Point 3 of article 33 of the Code notes that even if you were engaged in household or children care during marriage and had no earnings, you also have the full right for joint property. Spouses shares in joint property and what is considered by the court in case of property division Joint property upon divorcement is divided on shares, if it is a case of property division. According to the article 38 of the Code under the division of spouses’ joint property and determining the shares in this property, the shares of each spouse is considered as equal, if there is no additional conditions provided by the contract between them. Shares in joint property of the spouses in common property are determined by dividing of the property and are always considered to be equal (1/2 or 50%), if: there are no other conditions considered in the contract; there are no other conditions in the contract about property division; court did not define these shares otherwise. According to the article 38 of the Code the court may derogate from equality of the shares in joint property in favor of under aged children’ interests and (or) based on the interests of one of the spouses, if the other spouse did not receive income for disrespectful reasons or spent the common property of the spouses to the detriment of the interests of the family without the consent of the second spouse. First of all, it refers to people with drug and alcohol addiction: they get the smallest share of the joint property, if it will be proved by the court. You will not find certain rules on this matter in legal acts, the situations are considered personally by the judge. If the defendant spouse will prove that he was searching a work, had legitimate excuses of his unemployment, was engaged in household and children care, then the court will not be able to reduce his share. There are some cases when one spouse refuses from his/her share in the joint property. If this fact was agreed earlier, before divorcement, then you can fix it in the marriage contract or in the contract on the division of joint property. If a marriage has been already dissolved, to refuse from the share in the joint property is possible by addressing to a notary. Notary certifies the definition of shares of each spouse in joint property, and then registers a gift contract of a share of one spouse to another. There is a myth that children also have the right for shares in the joint property. That’s not so, initially the shares of each spouse comprise 1/2. The shares are changed taking into account children only if one of the spouses did not receive income deliberately and spent common funds. Therewith children are not received a particular share, but the share of one of the spouses who continues to care about children is increased. How to share real estate upon divorcement or special cases of property division If the property was acquired, received as a gift or by inheritance before the marriage, it is private and is subject to division only if it were invested by common money (for repair, reconstruction, etc.). In this case, the share of invested funds and the impact on final cost of the property will be considered. The question about the shares in joint property often causes a lot of debates, that is why it is strongly recommended to make a marriage contract or agreement on the division of joint property. Are the debts divided upon divorcement or responsibility of spouses for obligations Unfortunately, there are some cases, when after divorcement there is not only property but also debts and obligations. According to the article 44 of the Code on obligations of one of the spouses the charge is attached upon private property of this spouse. When this property is insufficient the creditor is entitled to demand the division of part of the spouse- debtor, which would be due to the spouse -debtor upon the division of joint property, for attachment of charge on it. It means that if the shares of the spouse are not enough to cover the debt, then the part can be charged from the joint property, but not from the personal property of another spouse. If the borrowed funds were spent on family needs, then the debts will be first of all charged from the joint property, and if it is not enough, then from personal property of each spouse. If the borrowed funds were spent on personal needs of one of spouses, then the responsibility accordingly is taken by one of the spouses. If the court sets that the joint property was acquired or increased by illegal means, then the charging is attached upon this joint property, or its part. One should not hope that marriage contract can save spouses from debts payment. Because it is indicated in the article 45 of the Code that creditors of a spouse-debtor has rights to demand a change in the conditions or termination of the marriage contract concluded between the spouses in connection with the changed circumstances in accordance with the norms of the Civil Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. How to submit an application to the court for property division upon divorcement or after it? According to the article 18 of the Code «On marriage and matrimony» disputes connected with the division of joint property are considered in a legal procedure. Application for division of property is submitted to the court at the place of residence of the defendant (i.e. of the spouse that meets the property claims). One can apply to the court for the division of property upon divorce and after the divorce was registered. When applying for divorce spouses indicate the presence or absence of property claims. One can apply for the division of property simultaneously with the application, and after getting a certificate of divorce, the main thing is not to delay, as there is the statute of limitations - namely 3 years, during which your claim on the division of property will be considered by the court. It means that if while divorcement you didn’t have property claims to the husband/wife, but later changed your mind, it’s important to submit an application no later than 3 years from the moment of divorcement. In accordance with paragraph 2 of Art. 8 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan «On marriage and matrimony» when applying the rules establishing the statute of limitations, when considering disputes arising from marital-family relations, the court is guided by the regulations of the Civil Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In accordance with Article 180 of the Civil Code, the running of the limitation period starts from the day when the person knew or should have known about the violation of the law. Required documents for claiming on property division: List of property that has been acquired and purchased in marriage, to which you are pretending or want to share. If you file a claim on division of all property, you should make a list of what is private, personal property of each spouse - because this property is not included in the property division. Documents confirming the right of property that you want to share. For real estate – it is title documents, for car - certificate on registration of the vehicle, housewares - checks and receipts, passports -on technique and stuff. In this case, if the documents are in the other spouse hands, you must specify this fact in a statement that the court could reclaim them in the process. Documents confirming the market value of the property for division. This can be checks and price references, the appraiser's report, who has a license. If one spouse does not agree with the assessment, the court may appoint an independent expert. If you apply, you must have a clear idea of ​​what property and how you want to share it, i.e. the option, which will consider the court - that you want to take for yourself, for spouse, what can be taken in terms of money, and how much you are ready to pay to ex-spouse. The court will consider the options and choose the best one in the interests of both sides. Check for payment of state fee for consideration of claim on the division of property (to see the rates of state fees in the courts). In this case, the fee rate is 1% of the claim amount. Original and copy of the certificate of divorcement (to apply for registration of divorce or to get repeated certificate of divorce if it was damaged or lost).

Why You Should Not Miss A Trip To Nairobi In 2022 What Makes Nairobi a Unique Destination? One thing that makes Nairobi different from other African cities is the rich cultural heritage of its people. Nairobi has always been an interesting destination to visit because the city is so diverse. Its location, diverse ethnicities, rich architectural heritage, and its bustling economy are just some of what make Nairobi a unique destination in Kenya It is also a popular destination for both tourists and business travelers due to its diverse economy, cultural attitude, and its plethora of natural wonders. One of the best things about visiting Nairobi in Kenya is seeing some of Africa’s most charismatic animals in their natural habitats. The country is filled with diverse landscapes for tourists to explore, including vibrant cityscapes, expansive deserts, swaths of grassy plains, and more. Emara by Ole-Sereni - The Best Place to Stay In Nairobi Luxury hotels are meant to provide an oasis for your senses. Their upscale amenities and exquisite decor give you a break from the monotonous lifestyle that is most often typical of everyday life. Emara by Ole-Sereni is the perfect place for a pleasant and luxurious break in Kenya’s capital. Their tranquil location offers interesting outdoor activities and you’ll be in awe of the beautiful views. As one of the best luxury hotels in Nairobi, Kenya, Emara Ole- Sereni offers an unmatched experience of hospitality. From lavish facilities to stunning scenic views, we are known as a serene retreat that puts guests first. Located just off Mombasa road, near Nairobi National Park, our hotel enjoys proximity to JKIA (12km), Wilson Airport (6km), and City Centre (10km). Our rooms are designed with a contemporary feel to bring peace and order. They’re meant to give you a worldly sense that makes every visit relaxing, exciting, and fulfilling. Our marbles are not only visually stunning but are carefully selected for their quality as well. They act as a reminder of the luxurious experience that our hotel guests often comment on. Emara is a luxury hotel that offers various kinds of accommodations, from the traditional style to spacious apartment-style living. All our rooms have excellent views and luxurious amenities that make for an exceptional stay. Our guests love how much care and attention goes into every detail of our hotel. They rave about the culinary experience, luxurious accommodations, and stellar service. Reserve your stay with us today for an unforgettable experience in Nairobi, Kenya. [Must Read: Exotic Luxury Hotel For The Perfect Nairobi Experience] Why You Shouldn’t Miss A Trip To Nairobi In 2022 - 6 Must-Have Experiences In Nairobi You’ll instantly feel at home in the bustling neighborhoods of Nairobi. The lively markets and friendly natives are what make it so attractive. Experiencing the African culture for the first time is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here is a list of 6 must-have experiences in Nairobi in 2022. 1. Witness African Wildlife at Nairobi National Park A haven for wildlife and a rhino sanctuary, Kenya’s first national park – Nairobi National Park is located only seven kilometers from the skyscrapers of Nairobi’s city center. It protects more than 50 critically endangered creatures. In addition to the rhinos, you can see lions, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches, and more than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the wetlands. The National Park is the most popular attraction in Nairobi, it organizes an exciting safari drive for travelers. Along the way you can see lions, cheetahs, black rhinos, and giraffes – they’re all here! For a truly authentic experience, why not take Nairobi safari walking tour? Lots of animal lovers come for the chance to spot wildlife on foot. Walking trails run around Hippo Pools, making this area a popular destination for animal lovers. 2. Learn About The History Of Nairobi In the Nairobi National Museum If you’re interested in learning about the history of the country, stop by Nairobi National Museum in Nairobi. The museum exhibits a diverse range of cultural and natural history objects, including more than 900 stuffed birds and mammals, fossils from Lake Turkana, displays of various Kenyan tribal groups’ ethnic art, and local artwork. If you want to learn more about plate tectonics and the life cycle of volcanoes, the Geology Gallery is a great place to start. Furthermore, you can take a look at prehistoric bones and fossils on display here. The museum is located next to Snake Park, which is accessible with a combination ticket. 3. Visit The Giraffe Manor & Witness Giraffe In Their Natural Habitat The Giraffe Centre is a bit of a walk from Nairobi National Park but will allow you to enjoy the peace and serenity at this boutique resort, Giraffe Manor. Visiting the Giraffe Centre will help support the preservation of Rothschild Giraffes in Africa. You’ll get to see these fascinating animals up close and learn about their natural habitat. The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Giraffe Centre also referred to as the Giraffe Center, plays an important role in preserving the Rothschild Giraffe. Here you can watch the Giraffes up-close from a raised platform and feed them from your own hand. Take time to relax in the tea house or head to the Daisy Zoovenir Shop for some souvenirs. Nearly 90% of the income for the giraffe center comes from entrance fees, curio shop, and tea house. This is one of the most unique things to do in Nairobi. Kids will especially enjoy a visit to the Giraffe Center while they’re on vacation here. 4. Go On a Rejuvenating Biking Trail In Karura Forest Reserve Karura Forest is a hidden gem of the city. It is a lush, green space that offers solace for all those looking for a peaceful retreat from the city. The forest is located just minutes away from the city center and offers an easy escape from busy lives. Hike to the top of a 15-meter waterfall, take a picnic in the gardens, or play some games. This lush green space is one of the largest urban forests in the world. You can also spot lots of monkeys near the scenic Lily Lake. It’s an amazing place to immerse yourself in nature, you might even see antelopes and tons of other beautiful butterflies and birds. 5. Take a Guided Safari Tour to Amboseli National Park Amboseli National Park is situated by the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, making it easy for travelers to see large herds of animals in an open savannah. It’s one of Kenya’s most popular parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust,” and its significance stems mainly from its desert-like lands. Come visit the Maasai community, which offers authentic and traditional cultural events in the area. On your day-long tour, you will be able to go see famous landmarks such as the iconic Amboseli National Park, famous for its view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Spend the day looking at rare wildlife in this picturesque park. They have a lot of different habitats which means you have a chance to see rare animals and get great photo opportunities. 6. Tour The Grounds of Karen Blixen Museum Karen Blixen Museum in Nairobi is one of the top tourist attractions in the national capital. The museum was once the home of Danish author Karen, but it gained international fame after the release of “Out of Africa,” one of the most successful film adaptations based on her autobiography. If you visit today, you can explore a colonial farmhouse, the site of a coffee-drying plant in the surrounding woodland, and an agricultural college on the grounds. Author Karen Blixen stayed in colonial Kenya for some time and left behind an important legacy. This museum is dedicated to all that she created and features her books and photographs on display, as well as furniture from her home. If You Haven't Been To Nairobi Yet - Don't Miss Out On A Fantastic Trip! Nairobi, as one of Africa’s most diverse cities, is a top attraction for visitors. They can enjoy a vibrant city with sights and activities that set it apart from anywhere else. If you are planning a trip to Nairobi and want to make the most out of your vacation, then you must read this guide. Nairobi is a city that has many different aspects. It is a city that you can explore and have fun in. It’s also a city where you can learn something new and experience new things. There are many reasons why it’s worth visiting Nairobi. You should definitely make plans to visit this incredible place today! explore nairobiplaces to visit in nairobitrip to nairobi Top 8 Cultural Things to do in Nairobi & Where to Stay Best Restaurants In Nairobi With Delectable Food And Drinks Incredible Hotel Amenities That Will Make You Come Back For More

Bildnis Carl Sternheim Portrait of Carl Sternheim, from the periodical "Der Bildermann," vol. 1, no. 9 (Aug 1916), published by Paul Cassirer. Artist: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880 - 1938) Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.27 in. (31 x 21 cm) A founding member of Die Brücke, Kirchner believed that all artists should print their own work, rather than rely on a master printer. He also felt that lithography should be more than simply a reproduction of a drawing; here, Kirchner deliberately sought the effect of “bad printing” by smudging and eroding lines after they were put down onto the stone. Representations of real individuals that are intended to capture a known or supposed likeness, usually including the face of the person. For representations intended to be anonymous, or of fictional or mythological characters, see "figures (representations)."

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Presentation of the Foundation in Aragon FPdGi The Prince and Princess of Asturias and of Girona presented the Prince of Girona Foundation in Aragon as one of a series of public activities aimed to make the Foundation known The Prince and Princess of Asturias and of Girona presented the Prince of Girona Foundation in Aragon in one of a series of public activities that are planned to be held in different places in Spain to make the Foundation known. This was the second presentation that has been made, following the one which took place in Seville on the past 25 February. In his speech, Prince Felipe pointed out that the Prince of Girona Foundation seeks "to collaborate on the better training of our young people, to act as a forum of reflection, and to foster projects of social character in the broadest sense of this concept". His Royal Highness emphasized that young people form one of the groups which are most seriously affected by the grave economic crisis that we are suffering. The Prince also said that "the promotion of the skills and abilities of young people and of their drive and leadership should be one of our firmest and clearest endeavours". The Prince and the Princess were welcomed on their arrival at the Great Hall of the University of Zaragoza by the President of the Government of Aragon, Marcelino Iglesias; the Government Delegate in Aragon, Javier Fernández; the Acting Mayor of Zaragoza, Fernando Gimeno, the Rector of the University of Zaragoza, Manuel López Pérez, and the President of the Prince of Girona Foundation, Antoni Esteve. During the presentation ceremony of the Prince of Girona Foundation, speeches were given by the Acting Mayor of Zaragoza, the President of the Prince of Girona Foundation, the President of the Government of Aragon, and the professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Oviedo, Carlos López-Otín, who gave the keynote address "Youth, Culture and Other Dreams". Prince Felipe's words brought the event to an end.

Seeds of the Word (P533) Retrieved from "https://en.seminaverbi.bibleget.io/w/index.php?title=Property:P533&oldid=3015" Last edited on August 31, 2020, at 20:57 This page was last edited on August 31, 2020, at 20:57.

Neymar to stand trial in Spain for Barcelona transfer Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar celebrates his goal during a friendly soccer match betweenParis Saint-Germain and Gamba Osaka in Suita, western Japan, Monday, July 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Brazil forward Neymar will stand trial in Spain a month before the World Cup for alleged irregularities involving his transfer to Barcelona in 2013. Neymar’s parents, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell and both the club and Brazilian team Santos are also set to go on trial after a complaint brought by Brazilian investment group DIS regarding the amount of the player’s transfer. The trial is scheduled to start on Oct. 17, nearly a month before the World Cup opens on Nov. 21 in Qatar. Neymar and his father, who is also his agent, face corruption charges and a prison sentence of up to two years, which would not likely carry any prison time. They also face a fine of 10 million euros ($10.1 million). Rosell faces five years in prison for fraud and corruption charges, plus a fine of 10 million euros ($10.1 million). DIS was entitled to 40% of Neymar’s transfer but said it received a smaller compensation because part of the transfer fee was concealed. Prosecutors said those involved tried to hide the real amount of the transfer in order to pay a lower commission to the investment group. Neymar and the others have denied wrongdoing. Neymar and his father previously appeared in court in Madrid a few years ago because of the accusations. Santos officially received 17.1 million euros (now $17.3 million) for Neymar’s transfer to Barcelona, but prosecutors said the total amount paid by the Spanish club was 25.1 million euros (now $25.4 million), meaning DIS would be entitled to an additional 3.2 million euros ($3.3 million). Prosecutors said the difference comes from payments made by Barcelona for the future acquisitions of other players, as well as partnerships for friendly matches between the clubs. According to court documents, DIS paid 5 million reals (now $940,000) for 40% of Neymar’s rights in 2009. Neymar to undergo season-ending surgery on right ankle Spanish court acquits soccer star Neymar in fraud trial Neymar undergoing treatment to ankle injured at WCup Spain’s state prosecutor drops charges against Neymar Neymar appear in court in trial over Barcelona transfer Neymar net penalty as Brazil beat Japan 1-0 in friendly Barcelona reaches agreement to sign Koundé from Sevilla Sports World Sports Europe Football Brazil Barcelona Neymar Barcelona FC Spain

Please note this is a comparison between versions V1 by Alexander Schuchinsky and V9 by Lindsay Dong. The continuously growing volume and speed of data transmission pose major challenges to the performance of existing and future wireless and satellite communications and navigation systems [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. The stringent requirements of the integrity of information signals push the limits of radio frequency (RF) hardware. Weak nonlinearities of passive devices such as antennas, filters, couplers and multiplexers at the RF front-end of the smart multi-radio base stations and user terminals produce spurious emission, corrupt information signals and debilitate the system performance [8][9][10][8,9,10]. Therefore, efficient mitigation of nonlinear signal distortions is a major requirement to reconfigurable antennas, dynamically adjustable RF front-ends and their individual passive components [11][12][13][14][15][16][11,12,13,14,15,16]. Constituent materials and contacts in RF devices proved to be the main sources of passive nonlinearities [17][18][19][17,18,19]. The state-of-the-art RF materials have low loss, high thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties. But when exposed to the high power of RF signals, they exhibit weakly nonlinear behaviour and generate frequency harmonics and passive intermodulation (PIM) products. Figure 1 illustrates that the 3rd order PIM products, PIM3L­ and PIM3U, are close to the two carrier frequencies f1 and f2, and PIM3L­ falls in the receive band Rx. In “linear” passive devices, PIM is usually the result of mixing high-power electromagnetic signals by weak nonlinearities of good conductors, their contacts and surface finish. The PIM effects manifest themselves in spurious emission, extra noise and nonlinear distortion of the information signals. PIM products are particularly harmful to radars, wireless and space communications systems and radio astronomical instruments [5][6][7][20][21][5,6,7,20,21]. PIM phenomenology has been studied for more than 50 years but still remains a nagging problem due to its complex multiphysics nature. The basic mechanisms of nonlinearities and PIM generation were explored in metal contacts [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29], printed RF transmission lines [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][30,31,32,33,34,35,36], cable assemblies [17][18][31][37][38][39][40][17,18,31,37,38,39,40], coaxial connectors [41][42][43] [41, 42, 43] and antennas [21][44][45][46][47][48][21,44,45,46,47]. The main sources of passive nonlinearities in conductor joints and their interlinks are summarised in Figure 2. They include Metal–Insulator–Metal (MIM) junctions [22][23][24][26][27][28][29][22,23,24,26,27,28,29], electro-thermal effects [37][40][49][50][37,40,49,50], surface roughness [32][51][52][32,51,52] and mechanical deformations [52][53][54][55][56][52,53,54,55,56]. The electrical contacts with rough surfaces and their RF performance have been recently studied in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Whilst the mechanical properties of MEMS have been explored in great detail (see [53][54][55][56] [53,54,55,56] and references therein) the existing models remain limited to the linear devices exposed to weak RF signals. The effects of high RF power on the contacts and junctions of conductors with rough surfaces were studied only in coaxial connectors [38][39][40] [38,39,40] and waveguide flanges [57]. But the practical means of mitigating nonlinear distortions and PIM in passive RF circuits remain mostly semi-empirical [10][58][10,58]. PIM at contacts of conductors with rough surfaces is a nonlinear multiphysics process with several distinct time scales. The fastest nonlinearities in contacts of good conductors are associated with the electrical effects of charge tunnelling and current constriction at the MIM junctions [17]. The charges are funnelled through the contact spots of rough surfaces as shown in Figure 3(a). The current magnitude depends on the size of a contact area and thickness of an insulating layer that are determined by the applied pressure, local temperature and deformations of the surface asperities. The contact nonlinearities mix and modulate the high-power carriers due to variations of the contact size, temperature and resistance [27][38][39][40][27,38,39,40]. The thermal effects and mechanical deformations develop much slower than the tunnelling current and the oscillations of the RF carriers. However, both fast and slow nonlinearities remain intrinsically coupled to each other despite their different time scales. Contacts of conductors with rough surfaces contain the MIM and metal-to-metal junctions. Their resistance depends on the number of touching asperities, size of each contact spot and thickness of an insulating layer in MIM junctions [59]. The mechanical and thermal deformations of individual asperities determine an overall size of the contact area and its contact resistance. The resistance Rc of a contact spot with an equivalent radius a is usually approximated as [60].[60] R c = ρ c 2 a [ f ( λ a ) + 8 λ 3 π a ] ρc is an average electrical resistivity of a pair of contact asperities, is an electron-free path and ) is an interpolation function describing a contribution of Maxwell resistance . A good approximation of ) proposed in [60] has a maximum error less than 1% at any f ( λ / a ) = 1 + 0.83 · λ / a 1 + 1.33 · λ / a Current constriction by asperities is an inherent feature of the contacts of conductors with rough surfaces [53][57][62][53,57,62]. The constriction resistance is determined by the number of the compressed asperities, sizes of their contact spots and thicknesses of the insulating layer. The constriction current decreases when the size of the contact spot is larger than the mean free path of electrons, a > λ, as evident from (2). Then the charge transport is predominantly diffusive and is dominated by Maxwell resistance RM, defined in (1). In high-quality conductor contacts, e.g., in MEMS, the constriction current is much smaller than the conduction current and is usually combined with the conduction or tunnelling currents [63]. The effective resistance Ru of the whole junction surface containing M asperities can be averaged and approximated as suggested in [53].[53] R u = ( ∑ m = 1 M R c m − 1 ) − 1 ≈ ρ a v 2 a e f f [ f ( λ a e f f ) + 8 λ 3 π a e f f ] The contact resistances Rcm of individual contact pairs and the whole ensemble, Ru, are the main electrical parameters used for characterising the performance of MEMS switches. They include the effects of both the electrical properties of the contact surfaces and the mechanical deformations. The electro–mechanical models of the contacts in the MEMS switches have been discussed in detail in [53][54][55][63][53,54,55,63]. The tunnelling current in MIM contacts subjected to RF power is the main source of their fast nonlinearity [22][23][24][22,23,24]. When a thin insulating film of a few nanometre thick separates asperities of rough conductors, the tunnelling current flows through. An efficient interaction of the high-power RF carriers with free charges is the result of the small timescale of the tunnelling effects in the conductor junctions. However, when the thickness of the insulating layer is commensurate with the free path of electrons, charges cannot penetrate the potential barrier. The tunnelling current rapidly decays and becomes practically negligible as the insulator between asperities is thicker than 5-10 nm. J ( V g ) = J 0 [ φ ¯ e - A φ ¯ - ( φ ¯ + e V g ) e - A φ ¯ + e V g ] J 0 = e 2 π h ( β Δ s ) 2 and is A = 4 π β Δ s h 2 m φ ¯ an average height of potential barrier inside an insulator layer, is the voltage between the contact conductors, is the electron charge, is the Planck constant, is the electron mass, is the correction factor used in the approximation of Δ – an effective thickness of insulator film which is usually smaller than the actual thickness. The value of the parameter is typically close to 1, and at the insulator thicknesses Δ ~4–5 nm, the error of the approximation = 1 is less than a few percent [23]. Surface roughness significantly affects the performance of electrical contacts in high frequency applications [52][53][54][55][57][52,53,54,55,57]. The statistical models have been used for simulating the contacts of rough surfaces. Gaussian distribution of contact asperity heights with the standard deviation up to 20% from an average value was examined in [64], taking into account the effect of an insulator thickness on the contact resistance of rough surfaces. Using the Brinkman–Dynes–Rowell model [65], it has been shown that a single thickness model reasonably estimates the surface conductance when the standard deviation of asperity heights remains within 5% of the average value. Heat generation is an inherent feature of electromagnetic (EM) wave interactions with conductors and their contact joints. This multiphysics process couples the electric and thermal domains as illustrated in Figure 4. Namely, the dissipative losses of high-power RF signals generate heat which, in turn, alters the resistance of conductors and causes their thermal expansion and mechanical deformations [67]. These nonlinear effects are interlinked despite the time scales of the thermal and mechanical processes notably differ. Electrothermal PIM (ET–PIM) is caused by self-heating due to conductor and dielectric losses [37]. ET–PIM has a distinct signature of the nonlinear coupling of electrical and thermal domains as illustrated in Figure 4. The basic mechanism of this nonlinearity is the thermal modulation of resistivity. In essence, the heat due to RF losses alters the resistance of a conductor, which is heated by the high-power carriers, and this results in the generation of PIM products. The effects of ET–PIM have been studied in the termination resistors [37][50][37,50], printed transmission lines [36][68][36,68] and thin-film coplanar waveguides with spatially inhomogeneous current distributions [35]. The developed theory of the ET–PIM and supporting experiments [36][37][68][36,37,68] have revealed that the baseband resistivity of conductors is modulated by the heat oscillations. The effect of resistivity variation on the skin depth due to modulation of the RF carriers was analysed in [45][46] [45,46]. These studies have enabled the development of the qualitative analytical model, which sheds light on the principal mechanisms of ET–PIM generation and provides an accurate assessment of signal distortion by ET–PIM in the full-wave EM simulations [33][34][35][36][68][33,34,35,36,68]. Evaluations of the dissipative losses and the rate of self-heating are the critical steps in the ET–PIM analysis. While the skin effect is routinely accounted for in the EM simulations when calculating the losses of imperfect conductors, surface roughness is normally ignored despite its proven major impact on the performance of printed circuits [51][52][51,52] and MEMS switches [53][54][55][53,54,55]. The heat, generated by the high RF power, is dissipated in conductors and their joints and causes the thermal expansion and deformation of contact surfaces. As the result, the contact areas and the conductor resistivity ρc(x) increase with temperature. The contact resistance Rcm of asperities also grows with temperature, whilst the pace of its growth depends on the relation between the temperature coefficient of resistivity α, the rate of the thermal expansion of the contact areas and asperity deformations. These thermal effects cause nonlinearity of the contact resistance that inflict nonlinear signal distortions. Contact resistances of rough surfaces calculated with the aid of (1) or (3) account for the effects of external pressure and deformations of the compressed asperities [53][54][55][56][57][63][69][53,54,55,56,57,63,69]. The factors affecting the contact area expansion and asperity compression include mechanical stresses, elasticity and surface finish. At low pressure, the colliding asperities experience elastic deformations and their contact areas enlarge. When contact pressure increases, the compressed asperities experience plastic deformations and their contact regions are hardened. This results in the slowing down of the expansion of the contact spots and a change in contact resistivity ρc(x) [79][86][84][53,59,63]. The combined effect of the contact area enlargement and asperity hardening is governed by the relations between the contact pressure and contact resistance. These nonlinear effects of strain hardening and softening on the resistivity ρ(x) of a contact spot is accounted in [87].[70] ρ ( x ) = ρ c ( x ) ( 1 + ε p ε r e f ) q [ 1 − exp ( − Q k T ) ] IIn addition to altering the contact resistance, heat softens contact asperities [53][54][55][56] [53,54,55,56] and increases their plastic and creep deformations. Pressure, applied to the contacts of conductors with rough surfaces, causes asperity deformations. The compressed asperities expand laterally, and their contact areas increase with the applied pressure and mechanical stress, depending on the material stiffness and surface coatings. When exposed to the RF power, the contact spots are heated due to conductors’ dissipation losses but the compressed asperities spread gradually to reduce their strain. The thermal expansion and softening of the contact spots also cause plastic deformations and creep of the colliding asperities. These effects were examined in RF MEMS with frustoconical contact asperities [69]. At a small radius r1 of the undeformed frustum tip, contact radius rc(t) of the compressed asperity changes with time t as approximated in [69].[69] r c ( t ) = [ r 1 1 / α + t L C α tan β ( F π ) ( 1 / α − 1 ) / 2 exp ( − Q c k T ) ] α The main multiphysics mechanisms of passive intermodulation (PIM) in contact joints of good conductors are discussed in more detail in [71].Rc=ρc2a[f(λa)+8λ3πa]Rc=ρc2a[f(λa)+8λ3πa] Rc=ρc2a[f(λa)+8λ3πa]

Neutrophils in Obesity: Comparison Please note this is a comparison between versions V2 by Conner Chen and V1 by Carlos Rosales. Accumulation of fat in adipose tissue causes stress and malfunction of adipocytes, which then initiate inflammation. Next, adipose tissue is infiltrated by cells of the innate immune system. Recently, iIt has become evident that neutrophils, the most abundant leukocytes in blood, are the first immune cells infiltrating the adipose tissue. Neutrophils then get activated and release inflammatory factors that recruit macrophages and other immune cells. These immune cells, in turn, perpetuate the inflammation state by producing cytokines and chemokines that can reach other parts of the body, creating a systemic inflammatory condition. neutrophil adipose tissue NETosis 1. Neutrophils in Obesity 1.1. Circulating Neutrophils Increase in Obesity Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in human blood, the primary effector cells of acute inflammation and the first responders to infections [99,100][1][2]. Neutrophils are typically considered to be the major leukocytes against infections due to their capacity to act as phagocytic cells [101][3], degranulate releasing lytic enzymes, perform an oxidative burst producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), and produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with antimicrobial potential [102,103][4][5]. Neutrophils are also considered as the main effector cells of acute inflammatory reactions since they are the first leukocytes to be recruited to inflammation sites where they are capable of producing large quantities of cytokines and chemokines including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and MCP-1 [104][6]. Consequently, neutrophils induce the second wave of immune cells, such as macrophages and lymphocytes, to inflammation sites [105,106][7][8]. Conspicuously, circulating neutrophils are increased in obesity [107[9][10][11][12][13],108,109,110,111], with a clear association between the level of neutrophil blood counts and the higher BMI [107,108,110][9][10][12]. Furthermore, overweight individuals with neutrophilia presented elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and larger waist circumferences [107,108][9][10]. In addition, neutrophil counts were significantly higher in individuals with metabolic syndrome than in lean individuals [108][10]. In animal models, neutrophils have also been found to be elevated in blood vessels and infiltrating adipose tissue and the endothelium at atherosclerotic lesions [112][14]. Moreover, neutrophils in obese individuals present an activated phenotype as indicated by elevated plasma concentrations of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE) [26,113][15][16], as well as an increased expression of CD66b, a marker of neutrophil degranulation [26,27][15][17]. Activation of neutrophils from obese individuals was also indicated by stimulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway [27][17] and by a higher ROS generation and enhanced release of proinflammatory cytokines [114][18]. Importantly, weight loss following gastric band surgery resulted in a decrease in neutrophil blood counts [115][19] and in proinflammatory activities of peripheral blood neutrophils [114][18]. These results suggest that the inflammatory condition of obesity also leads to the expansion of neutrophils [9,13,94][20][21][22]. In fact, elevated concentrations of acute-phase proteins have been reported in obese individuals [14,116][23][24]. As mentioned before, the adipose tissue in obese individuals is capable of producing increased levels of mediators of inflammation like TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 [117,118,119,120,121,122][25][26][27][28][29][30]. These inflammatory mediators increase bone marrow granulopoiesis [123[31][32][33],124,125], releasing neutrophils from the bone marrow to the peripheral circulation. Moreover, these inflammatory mediators induce de-margination of neutrophils from endothelial walls, resulting in neutrophilia [126][34]. In addition, the adipose tissue also produces leptin which has been shown to promote hematopoiesis [127,128,129][35][36][37]. Leptin can additionally stimulate the oxidative burst of neutrophils, induce chemotaxis, and inhibit apoptosis in these cells [127][35]. Together, these reports support the notion that, indeed, obese adipose tissue is responsible for promoting a systemic inflammation that results in the generation, increase in numbers, and activation of neutrophils. In consequence, these leukocytes are the first cells to infiltrate adipose tissues. 1.2. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) The clear connection between obesity and an elevated neutrophil blood count has motivated people to look for simple biomarkers of obesity and inflammation. The hematological parameter for systemic inflammation known as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easy biomarker of immune response to various infectious and noninfectious stimuli [130][38]. The NLR is commonly used in many medical areas as an indicator of dynamic changes of neutrophils and lymphocytes in blood during systemic inflammation. The NLR reflects the relationship between innate (neutrophils) and adaptive (lymphocytes) immune responses in various pathological conditions. Because the NLR correlates with CRP concentrations, it becomes a simple cost-effective biomarker for the detection of subclinical inflammation [131][39]. Accordingly, the NLR has been found to be significantly higher in obese individuals than in healthy lean individuals [132,133[40][41][42][43],134,135], with a positive correlation to the BMI [132,135,136,137,138][40][43][44][45][46]. As expected, the NLR is also associated with higher plasma CRP concentrations [111,132,139,140][13][40][47][48]. The same trend has been reported in mice fed with an obesogenic diet. The effect on the NLR seems to be due to changes in the gut microbiota, which affects blood leukocyte numbers [134][42]. The significant association between obesity and a high NLR (higher than 4) was a good predictor of increased breast cancer risk. Patients with a high NLR and a high BMI also had the worst disease-free survival [133,138][41][46]. More importantly, NLR values were found to correlate significantly with the degree of abdominal obesity [141,142][49][50]. Furthermore, in morbid obese patients, a high NLR was reported to be a powerful and independent predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) [143][51]. Hence, the NLR is a simple and accessible biomarker that provides information about the inflammatory state of obese individuals. Importantly, the NLR seems to be able to identify an ongoing systemic inflammation in overweight individuals that otherwise appear healthy [139,140][47][48]. Therefore, a higher NLR in overweight individuals may reflect the subclinical inflammation already present in this group of people. 1.3. Neutrophil Infiltration into Adipose Tissue During obesity-induced inflammation in animal models, neutrophil numbers increase in the peripheral circulation. From there, neutrophils can infiltrate the adipose tissue [25][52] and blood vessel endothelium [112][14]. This suggested that neutrophils have an important role at the early stages of obesity by infiltrating the abdominal adipose tissue. Neutrophils are found in the adipose tissue of lean mice in very small numbers, approximately 1% of all immune cells in the adipose tissue [144][53]. Yet, in mice fed a high-fat diet, a 20-fold increase in adipose tissue neutrophils was observed as early as three days after initiation of the diet [25][52]. In contrast, macrophage infiltration can be detected after 7 days of a high-fat diet [145,146][54][55]. These results indicated that neutrophils are the first immune cells to be recruited into adipose tissues. Neutrophil infiltration was first described as transient because after an initial remarkable increase, the neutrophil numbers decreased [25][52]. However, the neutrophil numbers were higher for up to 12 weeks in the adipose tissue of the mice fed with a high-fat diet than in the adipose tissue of the mice fed a normal diet [25][52]. Moreover, it was later shown that early recruitment of neutrophils could be prolonged over 90 days with a constant high-fat diet [19,147][56][57]. Hence, in the early phases of adipocyte disfunction, the initial inflammatory response is characterized by neutrophil infiltration into adipose tissues. Neutrophils are recruited to the adipose tissue via the action of several chemotactic factors produced in the obese adipose tissue. Inflamed adipocytes produce larger amounts of IL-8, a potent neutrophil chemoattractant [19,117][25][56]. Once in the adipose tissue, neutrophils can recruit more blood neutrophils by releasing C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2), another important neutrophil chemoattractant [148][58] (Figure 1). Furthermore, lipids extracted from human adipocytes were shown to induce migration of neutrophils and macrophages, and also secretion of other cytokines [149][59]. In addition, free fatty acids derived from adipocyte lipolysis could also attract neutrophils and stimulate them to produce more IL-1β, which in turn activates other adipocytes and immune cells [30][60] (Figure 1). The exact molecular nature of the various lipid chemotactic factors is not yet known. Future studies will help elucidate these chemotactic factors and the mechanisms they use to recruit neutrophils into adipose tissues. Figure 1. Stressed adipocytes in obese adipose tissue recruit neutrophils, which then further promote inflammation. Adipocytes produce adipokines such as leptin and cytokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8). IL-8 is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils. Once in the adipose tissue, neutrophils can recruit more blood neutrophils by releasing C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2), another important neutrophil chemoattractant. Neutrophils directly interact with adipocytes via the binding of integrin αMβ2 on the neutrophil to intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on the adipocyte. This interaction activates neutrophils and induces them to produce interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) via the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inflammasome (NLRP3) pathways. IL-1β is an important activator of macrophages. Neutrophils also produce tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which further stimulates macrophages. Leptin, through its receptor, also activates the NF-κB pathway, resulting in the inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis. Free fatty acids (FFA) derived from adipocyte lipolysis can also attract neutrophils and stimulate them to produce more IL-1β. Neutrophils also produce elastase (NE) which impairs energy expenditure in the adipose tissue and directly activates macrophages. Granule protein cathelicidin (LL-37) can also activate the release of more proinflammatory cytokines from macrophages. Activated neutrophils can also recruit monocytes through the release of azurocidin, LL-37, cathepsin G, proteinase 3 (PR3), and human neutrophil peptides 1–3 (HNP1–3). In addition, lactoferrin, azurocidin, and HNP1–3 can induce polarization of macrophages towards the M1 proinflammatory phenotype. 1.4. Neutrophil Activation and Inflammation Once in the adipose tissue, neutrophils interact with adipocytes via the binding of integrin αMβ2 (Mac-1) on the neutrophil to intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on the adipocyte [25][52] (Figure 1). This interaction activates neutrophils and induces them to produce IL-1β and TNF-α, which further stimulate inflammation in the adipose tissue [98,150,151][61][62][63]. Neutrophils also secrete NE, which impairs the energy expenditure in the adipose tissue [152][64]) and promotes insulin resistance by degrading insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) [147][57]. As the number of infiltrated neutrophils augments, the activity of NE is also increased in the adipose tissue of high-fat diet mice [19,147][56][57]. Importantly, genetic deletion of NE reduces macrophage infiltration into the adipose tissue of obese mice and reverts insulin resistance [147,153][57][65], indicating that NE is a key activator of macrophages (Figure 31). An important connection between IL-1β and the NLRP3 inflammasome was found in mice fed a high-fat diet. In the adipose tissue of these mice, the mRNA levels of both IL-1β and NLRP3 were positively correlated to body weight and adiposity [154][66]. Furthermore, when the mice were fed a calorie-restricted diet, the mRNA levels of both molecules were significantly decreased [154][66]. Together, these results suggest that the interaction of neutrophils with adipocytes induces IL-1β expression via the NF-κB pathway and that free fatty acids released after lipolysis of adipocytes also stimulate neutrophils to produce high levels of IL-1β via the inflammasome pathway [30][60] (Figure 31). Therefore, the chronic low-grade inflammation of the adipose tissue leads to the activation of neutrophils [17][67]. Neutrophil activation was first inferred from the observation that serum NE concentrations [26][15] or plasma MPO concentrations [155][68] were increased in obese individuals. More recently, these observations were confirmed at the cellular level. In peripheral blood leukocytes, the NE and MPO mRNA levels were found to be positively correlated to the BMI and serum triglyceride concentrations [113][16]. Furthermore, bariatric surgery, which leads to weight loss in patients, partially reduced neutrophil activation [26][15]. Another evidence of neutrophil activation in adipose tissues is the fact that leptin can delay apoptosis of mature neutrophils. The antiapoptotic properties of leptin on neutrophils involve activation by the leptin receptor of the NF-κB and MEK1/2 MAPK signaling pathways [127,156][35][69] (Figure 1). Activation of neutrophils is also detected by the altered responses neutrophils of obese patients have to various stimuli. In general, these neutrophils display elevated ROS production and release of proinflammatory cytokines [114][18]. The elevated ROS production observed in neutrophils from obese people has also been reported in neutrophils from obese individuals of other species, including dogs [157][70] and horses [158][71]. Another important antimicrobial function of neutrophils is phagocytosis. There are only a handful of reports describing this function in neutrophils from obese individuals. In one study, neutrophils from obese noninsulin-dysregulated horses had a significantly increased ROS production, but no changes were observed in terms of phagocytosis [158][71]. In another very early study, the phagocytosis and killing of Candida albicans by neutrophils from healthy (control) and diabetic individuals were compared. Phagocytosis occurred at similar levels in neutrophils from diabetic and control individuals [159][72]. However, the killing of Candida by diabetic neutrophils was impaired [159][72]. In contrast, a recent report of neutrophils from mice on a high-fat diet showed that the phagocytosis of Klebsiella pneumonia was reduced [160][73]. In most instances, independently of the level of phagocytosis reported, the killing capacity of neutrophils from obese individuals seems to be diminished. These findings agree with clinical observations consistently reporting that individuals with obesity are physiologically frail and have a higher risk of infections and mortality than normal-weight individuals [161,162][74][75]. Clearly, much work on neutrophil phagocytosis in obese individuals is needed to fully understand why the activated state of neutrophils from obese individuals does not translate into a more effective antimicrobial function. Because activated neutrophils have the ability to increase their secretion of cytokines and chemokines, they are also described as the prime effectors of inflammatory responses [98][61]. As such, they are able to induce the recruitment and activation of the second wave of immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and lymphocytes [146,163][55][76]. Once at the inflamed adipose tissue, neutrophils recruit monocytes through the release of LL-37 (cathelicidin/CRAMP), azurocidin (heparin-binding protein), cathepsin G, proteinase 3 (PR3), and human neutrophil peptides 1–3 (HNP1–3) [164,165][77][78] (Figure 31). Neutrophils can then induce monocyte differentiation and macrophage polarization and activation. Lactoferrin [166][79], azurocidin [167][80], and HNP1–3 [168][81] can induce polarization of macrophages towards the M1 proinflammatory phenotype (Figure 1). In addition, LL-37 induces M1 macrophage polarization and release of proinflammatory cytokines [169][82] (Figure 1). Similarly, alarmin S100A9 also induces the release of proinflammatory cytokines from synovial macrophages [170][83]. Thus, neutrophil proteins contribute to inflammation intensification by promoting macrophage activation and release of proinflammatory cytokines (Figure 1). 1.5. Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NET) As mentioned, another way neutrophils control infections is the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET), which are fibers of decondensed chromatin (DNA) decorated with histones and antimicrobial proteins from neutrophil granules. NET are formed and released by a dynamic cell death program known as NETosis. In addition to infections, NETosis can take place during noninfectious sterile inflammation, where neutrophils help repair damaged tissues. However, during persistent inflammation, NET can aggravate the tissue damage [171,172][84][85]. Because obesity is associated with chronic systemic inflammation, it is possible that NETosis is activated, and NET may contribute to some of the medical complications associated with obesity. The role of NET in obesity is not clear since there are conflicting reports. For example, in a diet-induced obesity mouse model, endothelial dysfunction was observed. In these mice, plasma concentrations of LL-37 were increased in mesenteric arterial walls. LL-37 was used as a marker for NET [173][86]. Disruption of NET with DNase restored the endothelium function, suggesting that NET are increased in obesity and are responsible for endothelial dysfunction [173][86]. Similarly, in obese persons, plasma concentrations of MPO–DNA complexes (assessed by ELISA) were higher than in lean persons. Moreover, NET concentrations correlated with the BMI [174][87]. In addition, recent bioinformatics studies found a strong relationship between obesity, inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and NET formation [175,176][88][89]. Moreover, it was also found that exercise reduces NET [175][88]. Together, these reports suggest that obesity-induced inflammation is associated with elevated NET formation. However, in other studies, an opposite relationship was reported. Using purified neutrophils from obese individuals and in vitro testing, it was found that although neutrophils displayed an activated phenotype (elevated ROS production), they exhibited lower NET formation than neutrophils from lean individuals [114][18]. Similarly, using intravital microscopy in mice kept on a high-fat diet, it was revealed that neutrophils produce fewer NET in liver vasculature than neutrophils from lean mice (kept on a normal diet) [177][90]. Extending these observations to neutrophils from diabetic individuals, it is also found that the role of NET in this obesity-related condition is, again, not clear. Detecting NE–DNA complexes as an indicator of NET, it was reported that recently diagnosed T2D patients had higher plasma levels of NETs than healthy (control) individuals [178][91]. Furthermore, measuring NE and histone/DNA complexes in serum, it was concluded that NETs were increased in patients with diabetic retinopathy [179][92]. In another report, neutrophils from diabetic patients with proliferating retinopathy also presented increased NET production, particularly when exposed to high levels of glucose [180][93]. These results are similar to those reported in a previous study, where diabetic patients had elevated NET components in serum, and neutrophils presented enhanced NETosis in case of high levels (25 mM) of glucose [181][94]. Together, these reports suggest that diabetic conditions, particularly high glucose, lead to enhanced NETosis. However, other reports indicate that high glucose concentrations decrease the formation of NETs [182,183][95][96]. Nevertheless, the role for NET in diabetic wound healing seems more clearly established [184,185,186][97][98][99]. Diabetic patients frequently have foot lesions that do not heal. These individuals are referred to as diabetic foot patients [187][100]. In a model of wound healing, skin wounds were inflicted on mice. Healing of these lesions was longer in diabetic mice than in normoglycemic (control) mice [184][97]. Furthermore, when the wounds were treated with DNase 1 to degrade NET, wound healing was improved both in the diabetic mice and the control mice [184][97]. In addition, the wounds of diabetic animals presented larger amounts of citrullinated histone H3 (H3Cit), a marker for NETosis. In contrast, no H3Cit was observed in the wounds from the Padi4−/−-mice (deficient in enzyme peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) that causes histone citrullination), despite many neutrophils present. More importantly, the wounds of the Padi4−/−-mice healed very fast [184][97]. In another study, neutrophils were stimulated with PMA to induce NETosis, and NET formation was abolished by treatment with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) [186][99]. Furthermore, diabetic mice with wounds were treated intraperitoneally with H2S. The wounds in these mice had decreased NET markers (NE, MPO, H3Cit, and PAD4) and healed better than the wounds in the control mice [185][98]. In a more recent study, intravital microscopy detected enrichment of NET components in the bed of excisional wounds, and inhibition of PAD4 with BB-Cl-amidine improved wound healing in diabetic mice [186][99]. Together, these results suggested that diabetes slows down wound healing by activating NETosis. Mechanistically, NET slow down wound healing in diabetic animals by triggering NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the TLR-4/TLR-9/NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages. As a result, macrophages release IL-1β and prolong the inflammatory response in the diabetic wound [188,189][101][102]. At the present time, it is not possible to decide with confidence whether NET formation is enhanced or reduced in obesity. The discrepancy among the various studies may be related to the different methodological approaches used to evaluate NET. In some studies, indirect assessments were made by detecting some NET components in plasma or serum. In other studies, NET formation was evaluated directly in vitro with purified neutrophils. Yet, in other studies, intravital microscopy was used to detect NET. Methods detecting NET components do not necessarily confirm that NETosis took place. Elevated circulating DNA or neutrophil granule proteins may be caused by several other reasons besides NETosis. In vitro assays with purified neutrophils are more reliable to detect NET. In either case, authors should be aware of the limitations of the methodology used and take them into consideration when interpreting the experimental results. Another possible reason for the discrepancy among the reported results is that neutrophil function may be affected by the metabolic and inflammatory states of the individual. Earlier, it was shown that NET formation is dependent on glucose. Upon PMA stimulation, neutrophils increased glucose uptake and their glycolysis rate (as measured with a Seahorse analyzer). In the absence of glucose, PMA induced neutrophils to decondense chromatin, but they did not release NET. However, if glucose was added at this time, NETs release took place within minutes [190][103]. Based on these data, the authors suggested that NET formation could be metabolically divided into two phases: the first, independent from exogenous glucose (chromatin decondensation), and the second (NET release), dependent on exogenous glucose and glycolysis [190][103]. More recently, it was reported that neutrophils from mice fed a normal diet used glycolysis for NET release in both physiological and inflammatory (sepsis) conditions. 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King Salman, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meet in Riyadh - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive King Salman, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meet in Riyadh by Fahd Al-Zayabi | Feb 17, 2015 | Middle East | Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdulaziz (R) greets Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 16, 2015. (Bandar Al-Jelaud) Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, held talks with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the Royal Palace in Riyadh on Monday, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The two leaders discussed ways of boosting bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments, according to reports. The meeting was attended by Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Crown Prince, Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz; Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Prince Mohammed Bin Naif; and Minister of Defense and President of the Royal Court and Special Adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, among other senior officials. The Emirati delegation included the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; National Security Adviser and Vice President of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among other officials. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed arrived in Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Monday, where he was received by King Salman as the national anthems of the two countries were played. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Abu Dhabi Mohamed Al-Bishr said: “Saudi–Emirati ties cannot be diplomatically defined or described as being firm, well-established and exceptional; they are much deeper [than that] and extend for a long time.” “The peoples of the two countries lived together in great cohesion and there is a social overlap between the families and tribes of Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” he added. According to the ambassador, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed’s visit coincides with major events taking place in the region that require concerted efforts and coordination between the two sides. Both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are members of the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Saudi and Emirati leaderships “managed to protect their countries in the light of the tragedies and instability witnessed by several regional countries and the emergence of takfirist currents . . . that have no relation to Islam,” the ambassador said. “Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are working to fight terrorism and spread peace and cooperation in different fields, and on regional and international levels, and their efforts to limit the spread of the phenomenon of extremism . . . came to fruition.” Fahd Al-Zayabi

Opinion: Paris as the Capital of the World - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive Opinion: Paris as the Capital of the World by Tariq Alhomayed | Jan 15, 2015 | Opinion | “Paris is the capital of the world,” French President François Hollande said recently after the Paris terror attacks, expressing the international support his country has received in the form of a million-strong march in Paris led by him and some 40 world leaders and officials of different levels. The march aimed to demonstrate French unity and the world’s support for France against the terrorist crime that took place there. The significance of Hollande’s words does not lie in their emotional dimension, but rather indicates how the world is now a different place after these attacks—in the same way the world also changed after the September 11, 2001 attacks. It also demonstrates that France will come to the forefront of the international efforts in the war on terrorism. What France has recently suffered from, and the international support it has received, means the French will have the last word in determining the course of future events in terms of the fight on terror. This is neither perplexing nor uncomfortable, particularly since France is among the West’s most capable countries in terms of realizing the nature of the developments and all terror-related issues in our region. France has a clear position against terrorism and terrorists, particularly in Mali where it fought Al-Qaeda. It holds a clear and strict position on the situation in Syria and Bashar Al-Assad’s role in fueling the sectarian conflict there, and ensuring that Syria turns into a magnet for terrorists from all over the world, including France. By doing so, Assad wants to say that he is fighting terrorism and that the world needs to stand with him despite his crimes. France has also formulated a clear and strict position on the Iranian nuclear program and realizes the dangers of Tehran’s behavior and the risks of the leniency that the Barack Obama administration has shown on the issue. Paris realizes well the seriousness of What the Houthi movement is doing in Yemen as well as the role Iran is playing in Iraq. All of this tells us that creating channels of communication with the French, immediately and on all levels, is as significant as showing solidarity with them against these attacks. In other words, establishing an operations room for cooperation with Paris on the new anti-terrorism agenda, to be put forward at the security conference organized by Washington, where France will certainly have the greatest influence. Therefore, communication with France should be stepped up more than ever, particularly since that the Gulf, Iraq, Yemen, and, of course, Syria—squeezed between Assad and Iran on one side and Al-Qaeda, the Al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on the other—are all victims of terrorism. It is true that Paris is not going to send troops to the region, as George W. Bush did after the 9/11 attacks, but it will map out, or make a major contribution to, a new anti-terrorism plan. Therefore, there should be communication and coordination with France, particularly since its positions are identical to the wise in our region, whether in Yemen, Syria, Iraq or Lebanon. Such steps should be taken immediately because, indeed, “Paris is the capital of the world.” Tariq Alhomayed Tariq Alhomayed is the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. Mr. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs, and during his distinguished career has held numerous positions at Asharq Al-Awsat, amongst other newspapers. Notably, he was the first journalist to interview Osama Bin Ladin's mother. Mr. Alhomayed holds a bachelor's degree in media studies from King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah. He is based in London.

Anti-ISIS coalition members hold talks in Riyadh by Asharq Al-Awsat | Feb 19, 2015 | Middle East | Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Naif (R) meets with commander of the US Central Command Lloyd Austin in Riyadh ahead of talks between anti-ISIS coalition members. (SPA) Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Senior military officials from 26 countries taking part in the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for a two-day meeting hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Defense, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The meeting brings together chiefs of staff from anti-ISIS coalition members for the fifth time, to discuss progress in the fight against the terrorist group that has captured large parts of Syria and Iraq, as well as the ongoing conflict in Syria, SPA said. Asharq Al-Awsat has learned from well-informed sources that the meeting is expected to discuss military strategy, challenges to ongoing operations, and ways to boost and coordinate general counterterror efforts in the region. Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz met with the chiefs of staffs, among them the head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), Gen. Lloyd Austin, on Thursday. The meeting comes at a tense time in the region, after ISIS released footage of the immolation of a captured Jordanian military pilot and the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya, events which prompted Jordan and Egypt to step up airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria and Libya, respectively. The US coordinator for the anti-ISIS coalition, Gen. John Allen, told Jordan’s Petra News Agency earlier this month that Iraqi troops will begin a “major ground offensive” in the coming weeks against ISIS-held territories in Iraq. Meanwhile, the coalition continued to target ISIS positions in Iraq and Syria, launching 16 airstrikes on the extremist group on Wednesday and Thursday, CENTCOM’s Combined Joint Task Force said on Thursday. Two strikes in Syria struck near Kobani and Al-Hasakah, while the remaining strikes hit targets in western and northern Iraq.

Hamas Leader: Militant Group is Part of Solution - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive Hamas Leader: Militant Group is Part of Solution by Asharq Al-Awsat | May 5, 2009 | Middle East | DAMASCUS, Syria, (AP) – Hamas’ top political leader, in a message to the Obama administration, said the militant group is determined to be part of a solution to the Palestinians’ conflict with Israel. The group’s exiled leader, Khaled Mashaal, said in an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, that Hamas has halted its rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on communities in southern Israel and is willing to support a two-state solution. Hamas, whose two-decade-old founding charter calls for Israel’s destruction, has given mixed signals on many issues in the conflict, including whether it would be willing to accept a Palestinian state within only the territory Israel seized in the 1967 war — Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The in-depth interview with Mashaal, which the Times said was conducted in five hours spread over two days at his home in the Syrian capital, offered a clearer signal of the group’s direction, setting it down in print in a rare interview with a U.S. news organization. “I promise the American administration and the international community that we will be part of the solution, period,” the paper quoted Mashaal as saying. The 53-year-old Hamas leader, one of the group’s founding members, said, however, that he would not recognize Israel — a key requirement of the U.S. and other nations. Washington and its allies in Europe insist that the group first recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept previous Palestinian peace agreements with the Jewish state. “There is only one enemy in the region, and that is Israel,” Mashaal said. He also said he would not revoke the charter calling for Israel’s destruction but said that outsiders should ignore it, noting that it is 20 years old and adding that Hamas is “shaped by our experiences.” Speaking about President Barack Obama, Mashaal said, “His language is different and positive.” Mashaal, who just days ago was re-elected to a four-year term as the group’s political chief, explained why he agreed to the interview, saying, “To understand Hamas is to listen to its vision directly. Hamas is delighted when people want to hear from its leaders directly, not about the movement through others.” The Obama administration has reached out to U.S. adversaries Syria and Iran, which were isolated by former President George W. Bush, but has continued to refuse any dealings with the Iranian-backed Hamas. Mashaal stuck by the group’s rejection of the demands that it recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace deals, arguing that the PLO’s recognition of Israel under the leadership of the late Yasser Arafat failed to end the occupation of lands that Palestinians want for a future state. The demand for recognition, he said, is “just a pretext by the United States and Israel to escape dealing with the real issue and to throw the ball into the Arab and Palestinian court.” However, he stated that Hamas backed a two-state solution along the outlines of that sought by the Palestinian Authority and the 23-member Arab League. “We are with a state on the 1967 borders, based on a long-term truce,” he said, defining long-term as 10 years. “This includes east Jerusalem, the dismantling of settlements and the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.” He said Hamas was also eager to reach a cease-fire with Israel, something the two sides have failed to achieve in indirect talks under Egyptian mediation since Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against Hamas leaders in Gaza in December and January. He also repeated Hamas’ aim of reaching a deal that would involve the release of captured Israeli soldier Sgt. Gilad Schalit — held since June 2006 — in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Speaking about Iran’s support for Hamas, Mashaal said the group was not beholden to the Islamic Republic. “Iran’s support to us is not conditioned. No one controls or affects our policies,” he said. Iran’s hard-line president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was to visit Syria on Tuesday.

Crown Prince Meets Yemeni MPs Loyal to the Legitimacy - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive Crown Prince Meets Yemeni MPs Loyal to the Legitimacy by Asharq Al-Awsat | Aug 16, 2017 | Saudi Arabia | Jeddah– Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Mohammed bin Salman received at al-Salam Palace a group of Yemeni members of parliament loyal to the legitimate and internationally-recognized government. Speaker of Yemeni Shura Council Abdullah al-Sheikh delivered a speech describing the importance of the meeting which reflects the renewal of brotherly relations between people of both countries. Sheikh hailed the sacrifices of the Yemeni people to restore stability, security, and independence in their country, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The Speaker praised efforts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman aiming to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. He pointed out that the Kingdom has been on top of the list of donor countries to Yemen for the past thirty years. It also ranked first in the world in providing relief and humanitarian assistance to Yemen since the beginning of the coup through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid (KSRelief), added SPA. On behalf of the lawmakers, Yemeni MP Mohammed al-Shaddadi delivered a speech thanking the Kingdom under the leadership of King Salman for supporting the Republic of Yemen, through leading the Arab coalition. He stressed that the efforts of KSRelief have the greatest impact because Yemenis have experienced difficult conditions as a result of the coup. MP Shaddadi stated that everyone believes the Saudi-led coalition will continue to support the National Army and the popular resistance until the liberation of Yemeni territories. He stated that the natural situation for Yemen is to be part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), adding that it has become a necessity to help the country rejoin the council. Shaddadi strongly condemned the intervention of some countries in the affairs of Yemen. He also criticized some international organizations and personalities for supporting and siding with the insurgents. Shaddadi confirmed Yemen’s support to the efforts of UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed. The meeting was attended by Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of State and Member of the Cabinet Musaed al-Aiban, Head of the General Intelligence Khalid al-Humaidan, Assistant Minister of Defense Mohammad al-Ayash, Chief of the General Staff Abdul Rahman al-Bunyan, Deputy Head of the General Intelligence and Ahmed Asiri and Commanding Officer of the Ground Forces and the Commander of the Joint Forces Prince Fahad bin Turki bin Abdulaziz. In other news, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presided the meeting of the Political and Security Affairs Council. During the meeting, the council listened to a political and security briefing on a number of topics, and discussed recent developments on the regional and international arenas.

Series of gun attacks in southern Pakistan kill 34 - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive Series of gun attacks in southern Pakistan kill 34 by Asharq Al-Awsat | Apr 30, 2009 | Middle East | KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) – A slew of gun attacks in Pakistan’s biggest city killed at least 34 people, officials said Thursday, further rattling a country already tense over a military offensive against Taliban militants in a district near the capital. The unrest came as President Barack Obama said he was “gravely concerned” about Pakistan’s stability and described its government as “very fragile” although he did express confidence that the country’s nuclear arsenal was safe from militants. Pakistan’s president urged the public to support the army’s offensive against Taliban fighters so that Pakistan would remain “a moderate, modern and democratic state.” Ethnic tension was the suspected spark for the gun attacks Wednesday in Karachi, a teeming southern port city with a volatile history. Much of the tension has been between the Pashtun population, who dominate the country’s militant-infested northwest, and Urdu-speakers descended from migrants from India. The latter are in large part represented by the political party that runs the city, the Muttahida Quami Movement. The MQM has been outspoken against the Pashtun-dominated Taliban and has warned that the militants represent a growing threat in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial hub. The city was largely crippled Wednesday after two MQM activists were gunned down by unknown shooters, sparking street violence that went on late into the night. Paramilitary rangers roamed the city’s trouble spots Thursday, as hospital doctors and police said the death toll had reached 34, with about 50 others injured. There was concern that tensions could flare again during funerals set for later in the day. Officials and politicians resisted blaming groups beyond criminals. “Criminals and the mafia want to put the city’s peace on the stake, but all the peaceful citizens should come up to counter such designs,” MQM leader Altaf Hussain said from London, where he is in self-exile. The rangers arrested more than 25 suspects in the shootings, said Maj. Aurang Zeb, a spokesman for the security forces. He added that educational institutions were ordered shut. The military, meanwhile, continued with an offensive against Taliban militants in Buner, a district some 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Islamabad. The army said Wednesday that it had retaken the main town in Buner and that more than 50 Taliban fighters and one member of the security forces died in the offensive. Militants were holding dozens of captured police and troops hostage. Troops backed by jet fighters and helicopter gunships were moving toward militant strongholds in the Ambela and Pir Baba areas, an army official said Thursday. The troops were facing resistance at Ambela and some other areas, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media. Taliban fighters from the Swat Valley entered Buner earlier this month fresh off a peace deal with the government. The military launched the offensive there Tuesday under strong U.S. pressure. President Asif Ali Zardari urged Pakistanis to unite against the Taliban. “The time has come for the entire nation to give pause to their political differences and rise to the occasion and give full support to our security forces in this critical hour,” Zardari said in a statement late Wednesday. “This is the only way to demonstrate our will to keep Pakistan as a moderate, modern and democratic state where the rights of all citizens are protected,” he said. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the Taliban could only be defeated by a common strategy shared by Pakistan and Afghanistan as well the U.S. and NATO, an elusive goal to be pursued when Zardari and his Afghan counterpart visit Washington next week. U.S. leaders sharply criticized Zardari’s decision to sign a law imposing Islamic law in Swat and the surrounding Malakand region in an attempt to secure peace. Defenders of the pact say the Islamic law concession will isolate hard-liners bent on destabilizing the country and bolster thin public support for a crackdown. Sufi Muhammad, a conservative cleric who mediated the deal, will denounce Taliban who refuse to lay down their arms as “rebels” if officials rein in the army and install Islamic courts, Muhammad’s spokesman said Thursday. The Obama administration, determined to stop militants from using Pakistan as a base for attacks in Afghanistan, is asking Congress for more money to aid the Pakistani army. In a news conference Wednesday marking his first 100 days in office, Obama said Pakistan was potentially unable to deliver basic services to its population such as health care and education. Still, Obama expressed absolute confidence that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal will be secured, “primarily, initially” because he said he believes Pakistan’s army will do the job. But he left the door open for U.S. action if necessary.

US military: US soldier killed north of Baghdad - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive US military: US soldier killed north of Baghdad by Asharq Al-Awsat | May 15, 2009 | Middle East | BAGHDAD (AP) – The U.S. military says an American soldier has been killed in combat with enemy forces north of Baghdad. Four other U.S. soldiers were wounded during the operation in the predominantly Sunni town of Duluiyah, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the Iraqi capital. The statement says the operation Wednesday targeted a “facilitator and a suicide vest cell” known to be operating in the area. The names of the soldiers have not been released pending notification of next of kin. The death raises to at least 4,296 members of the U.S. military who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003. That’s according to an Associated Press count.

High Court reverses Criminal Court’s order in Mahloof bribery case Minister of Youth Ahmed Mahloof speaking at the Maldives National Sports Awards. (Photo/ President's Office) The High Court on Monday reversed the Criminal Court order to dismiss the bribery case against Minister of Youth Ahmed Mahloof. Although the Criminal Court dismissed the case citing that the prosecution has not submitted substantial evidence to prove charges, High Court stated that the decision was made wrongfully. Furthermore, the court noted that when the case was reviewed, it was found that pieces of evidence submitted by the state were not referred to in the Criminal Court's verdict. After the Criminal Court dismissed that case, the verdict was appealed by the Prosecutor General's Office at High Court and was accepted later on March 10. In 2021, the PG Office charged Mahloof with taking a bribe, based on the findings of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) graft scandal. ACC found that in 2014, then-parliamentarian Mahloof received USD 33,000 in funds stolen from MMPRC as a bribe from then-Vice President Adheeb to remain a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and vote for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Bill on August 27, 2014. Additionally, ACC’s findings stated that the cheque was deposited to Mahloof’s bank account by SOF Private Limited – the company accused of laundering the stolen funds. The corruption watchdog said that though Mahloof submitted a ‘Payment Received’ slip in the name of SOF as evidence it had been a legitimate business transaction to procure US dollars, the commission had witnesses and other evidence to prove otherwise. Minister Mahloof pled guilty and had maintained his innocence throughout the process. He described that case against him as a political conspiracy to remove him from office. Due to the case, Mahloof was suspended back in 2019, when ACC’s report on the MMPRC scandal was first publicized. However, he was cleared two months later, following an investigation by the President’s Office. He was placed under suspension again in June 2021, after the ACC requested corruption charges against him with the Prosecutor General’s Office. However, the President's Office lifted the suspension in October. Mahloof’s hearing postponed yet again at PG’s request PG requests to hold Mahloof’s trial in September 'Galolhu Stadium will be demolished once Track done' Hosting bodyboarding competition in July 'Will not pursue music and yoga if declared haram' Mahloof: Yoga event obstructed for political reasons Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to visit UK Local News Criminal Court High Court Bribery Corruption Mahloof Ahmed Mahloof PG Office Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment

Field Dispatch: The Protection Gap in Haut Uele Ledio Cakaj January 26, 2010 No comments ← Reports Posted by Ledio Cakaj on January 26, 2010 The Congolese Army in Haut Uele The Congolese army has deployed close to 6,000 soldiers in Province Orientale, but they have utterly failed to protect civilians from LRA attacks. Most of the LRA attacks have taken place around three places—Ngilima, Bangadi and Niangara – where there is a significant army presence. In Bangadi, for example, there are at least 100 Congolese soldiers. Yet, Bangadi has been frequently attacked by the LRA in the last few months. In personal accounts, people in Bangadi report that Congolese soldiers simply do not respond when alerted to LRA attacks. Similarly, people in Ngilima said that the soldiers are too scared to confront the LRA; they say they have never seen a LRA rebel killed or captured by the Congolese soldiers. “The only time the [Congolese army] fights the LRA is when they happen to come across them by accident,” said a local official. In many interviews Congolese civilians accused Congolese soldiers of preying on the local population. Notoriously unpaid and unfed, soldiers steal from civilians, often by force at checkpoints along the main roads. “It is a daily occurrence,” said a local NGO worker. “Civilians are either forced to pay or forced to work for the soldiers at checkpoints such as collecting wood or cleaning their boots and washing their uniforms.” Lacking vehicles, Congolese soldiers needing to walk to their duty stations force locals to transport them on their bicycles or steal their bicycles at gunpoint. The stealing of bicycles is so common that the residents of Ngilima, in anticipation of a Congolese army troop rotation, declared December 27 as the “day without bicycles” and hid their bicycles from Congolese soldiers. There are many cases of rape and sexual violence committed by the Congolese army. In Ngilima, we heard from the local population that there are consistently about six to eight rapes reported per month that are attributed to Congolese soldiers. Many more rapes go unreported. Killings also occur, mostly when civilians refuse to hand over their possessions to Congolese soldiers. An internal U.N. report cited eight killings of civilians by the Congolese army in Haut Uele during the month of November, with another four people injured. In Bangadi, we saw a Congolese soldier cut a civilian with a bayonet, because the civilian, who was driving a motorcycle, refused to give the soldier a ride to his barracks. In interviews, a variety of Congolese army officials denied all abuses. According to the commander of the FARDC battalion in Bangadi, Congolese soldiers have never committed any crimes against the civilian population. The commander of the troops based in Ngilima said the population was lying. The FARDC troop commander in Dungu recognized that abuses had taken place but added that these were isolated incidents. “These are the problems of the man,” he said. “Not of the organization.” Representatives from Congolese civil society organizations said that abuses had occurred where there was a clear lack of good leadership. They believe that the Congolese army and government should ensure command responsibility. Civil society members have also asked the United Nations mission in Congo, or MONUC, to condition aid to the army on good behavior. At the moment, MONUC supports Congolese soldiers in Province Orientale by providing daily rations for 6,000 soldiers and gasoline for seven army vehicles. MONUC officials said it was difficult for them to interfere in the internal affairs of the Congolese national army. The role of the United Nations The mandate for the United Nations mission in DRC, or MONUC, clearly prioritizes civilian protection, but their presence is thinly stretched in Haut Uele. A battalion of Moroccan peacekeepers is trying to offer protection to civilians but they have been unable to establish a presence in the worst affected areas. Promised reinforcements, in the shape of a Tunisian battalion, were supposed to arrive in June of 2009, but this was pushed back to February 2010. There are also fears that the Tunisians could then be deployed to neighboring Equateur Province, site of recent fighting between the Congolese army and a new rebel group. The lack of peacekeepers to protect humanitarian convoys has forced aid groups to cease assistance to people in areas targeted by the LRA. After a series of LRA attacks on Congolese civilians who had just received food aid, and fearing attacks against their staff, U.N. and humanitarian organizations decided to stop the distribution of food in adherence to the “Do No Harm” principle. “Ideally we would need U.N. peacekeepers or Congolese soldiers to stay in the communities at least two weeks after the distribution of food,” said an international aid worker. “But there are not enough U.N. troops and the FARDC cannot be trusted.” As a result, many are starving. “We are being exterminated by the LRA and from hunger,” a resident of Bangadi told Enough. Where present, U.N. peacekeepers have generally acted as a deterrent to LRA attacks. It is telling, for instance, that LRA attacks occur largely in Bangadi, Ngilima and Niangara where there are no U.N. troops. Furthermore, a U.N. presence also almost always guarantees that Congolese soldiers are better behaved. This is the case, for instance, in Dungu, but also in Faradje where the U.N. presence is small. A Faradje local reports that Congolese soldiers behave much better when conducting joint patrols with U.N. peacekeepers. This is not the case when Congolese soldiers are alone. MONUC troops have both the will and the means to protect civilians. In a response to indications that the LRA were planning to attack civilians during Christmas this December, MONUC troops deployed to Ngilima. Internal U.N. reports mention a thwarted LRA attack on December 25 as a result of joint MONUC-Congolese army patrols. MONUC deployment to Ngilima is, however, temporary and the troops are expected to leave soon. Many agree that a MONUC troop increase would go a long way towards protecting civilians in northeastern DRC. A U.N. source said in an interview that U.N. workers had been requesting a troop increase for a long time. “Gaye [General Gaye, MONUC force commander] promised us long ago that he would send more troops here,” the source said. “So far he has not kept that promise.” © 2017 Enough Project | 1420 K St. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone: (202) 580-7690

Home » Carleen Velez Carleen Velez Lecturer, Writing Programs, UCLA Carleen Curley Velez holds an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, both from UCLA. She specializes in teaching writing and communication skills to international graduate students. When not teaching, she is supervising graduate teaching assistants for various ESL courses.

Lamb’s Ear plants Lamb’s Ear is a flowering perennial plant with soft furry foliage resembling a lamb’s ear. For most of the year it’s low growing, but it’s flower stalks can reach roughly 1 meter. Mass plant Lamb’s Ear for a soft grey contrasting effect in the garden, or use it as a border. Hardy and low maintenance. Sold as small plants in pots

The new list of the higher education reform experts for the period January – December 2020 has been endorsed by the EACEA. Team of Higher Education Reform Experts (HERE) in Kosovo has 8 members from different institutions, such: Prof. Dr. Dashamir Berxulli – University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prof. Dr. Ajtene Abdullahi – University of Mitrovica “Isa Boletini”, Dr. Bardha Qirezi – Riinvest College, Prof. Dr. Rozafa Koliqi – Kosovo Accreditation Agency, Prof. Dr. Bekim Baliqi – University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prof. Dr. Sinisa Ilic – University in Mitrovica North, Mr. Sc. Burim Gashi – Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Mr. Sc. Furtuna Mehmeti – AAB College. The purpose of this group is to assist governments, universities and other key stakeholders in Kosovo in process of implementing the main principles of the Bologna process and Lisbon agenda, including lifelong learning policy development and promotion of progress toward the Lisbon and Bologna objectives. KEO organized the first meeting with the new HERE team in order to coordinate the upcoming activities and publications. KEO will facilitate the HEREs activities by providing technical assistance in the organization of different activities and will support participation in different international conferences/seminars. One of the first tasks of the group during the meeting was to nominate a Chair, therefore, Mrs. Rozafa Koliqi will be the Kosovo HEREs Chair for this period who will have the responsibility of coordinating the activities of the group and being the contact person for external stakeholders.

Now reading: What Is The Best HHC Product To Try? What Is The Best HHC Product To Try? Ever since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, there has been a surge in the demand for cannabinoid-infused products. Whereas once the two major players were only CBD and THC, the market has exploded with all sorts of products infused with psychoactive cannabinoids. One such psychoactive cannabinoid is affectionately referred to as the “new kid on the block,” so to speak, although it's been around since the 1940s…HHC! This fascinating cannabinoid comes in all types of products, ranging from inhalables to edibles. But if you’re just starting out on your HHC adventure, the overwhelming amount of options might seem, well, overwhelming! That’s why we’re going to take a closer look at the types of HHC products available, how they work, and ultimately, what is the best HHC product to try. Let’s get started! Before we jump into the wild world of HHC, it’s important to understand what exactly HHC is. While it might seem new to you, HHC, short for hexahydrocannabinol, was first discovered in the 1940s by a Harvard-trained chemist called Roger Adams. Adams sought to create a more stable and legal version of the villainized marijuana. He did so by saturating a THC molecule with two hydrogen molecules. Similar to how margarine is created by adding hydrogen to butter, this hydrogenation process of THC allowed for a more stable compound called HHC. As an added bonus, HHC products have a much longer shelf life and will not break down as quickly when exposed to heat, light, and air. Some experts argue that HHC is found naturally in the hemp plant (albeit in small quantities) and others refute this claim, stating that HHC is semi-synthetic and only exists after the successful hydrogenation of a THC molecule. Despite this stalemate of opinions, the 2018 Farm Bill allows HHC to be legal on a federal level, provided that it is derived from federally legal hemp and contains 0.3% THC or less. Some states have their own legislature surrounding hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoids, so you’ll need to check your local state laws before attempting to purchase or consume any type of HHC-infused product. Speaking of which, let’s check out the following types of HHC products! Best HHC Products To Try For The First Time There are typically two categories that HHC products fall into: inhalables or edibles. Both can be enjoyed by new and inexperienced users alike, but there are some things to keep in mind for both types of products. Let’s take a look at the inhalables first and finish off with the edibles. HHC Vape Cartridges One of the most common types of inhalables are called vape cartridges. These types of products come in two subcategories: screw-on or disposable. Disposable vape cartridges can be either rechargeable or non-rechargeable, so be prepared to plug in your device before using it for the first time. If it's non-rechargeable, the device will be ready to go right out of the box. Keep in mind though, once the device’s internal battery dies, you’ll have to discard it even if there’s still oil in the device. If you choose the screw-on vape carts, you’ll need a specialized vaporizer known as a vape pen/battery. These vape batteries feature a 510-connection that your vape cart can screw into. Depending on how fancy of a device you get, you can expect to pay as little as $20 for a basic vape pen or $100+ if you want your device to have a screen and other cool features. Vape cartridges will contain a thick concentrated oil in varying strengths and can be an indica, sativa, or hybrid blend. Vape cartridges are best used by those who already vape or smoke, but can be enjoyed by users of all levels with just a bit of practice. You may experience some coughing when you take your first hit, so keep a glass of water nearby. It can be a little difficult to dose vape carts due to the length of the hit and deepness of the pull, but most manufacturers will recommend 1-3 hits as a standard dose. The effects of an HHC vape cartridge typically kick in after about 5-10 minutes and will usually last for about an hour, making them the ideal choice for impatient users or those short on time. HHC Edibles Edibles are an exciting choice for first-time or inexperienced users because of how easy they are to use. HHC edibles will not require any external hardware to use and are usually very simple to dose. Let’s take a look at some of the common forms of HHC edibles. Gummies are probably the most popular form of edibles due to their soft texture and sweet flavor. Most gummies are cube-shaped and dusted with sugar crystals for an extra punch of sweetness. Depending on the strength of the gummy, manufacturers will recommend ½ of a gummy as a standard dose. You can tailor the dosage to fit your preferences, but it’s strongly advised to start off with the recommended amount when consuming for the first time. Edibles typically take about 60-90 minutes to fully kick in, and the high can last for several hours. Tinctures are one of the easiest forms of HHC to dose, thanks to the graduated dropper cap. Simply squeeze the rubber stopper to suck up the liquid, measure out the recommended amount (usually between half or a full mL), release the liquid under your tongue, and hold for 1-2 minutes before swallowing. This form of consumption is referred to as “sublingual” and allows the HHC to bypass your digestive system completely. You should expect to feel the effects after about 30-45 minutes, and the high lasts for several hours. If you can’t be bothered by measuring out doses and silly things like chewing and holding liquid under your tongue, you may prefer to consume HHC capsules. Capsules are usually made out of clear spongy material that are somewhat resistant to pressure but will be digested rapidly as the capsule’s material disintegrates. This form of HHC is usually easy to swallow, flavorless, and odorless, making them the most discrete form of edibles. The precise amount of HHC consumed will be listed on the label, ensuring you’ll know exactly how much HHC you’ve consumed in a single sitting . The dosing instructions for capsules are usually pretty straightforward, as you can’t halve the capsule without destroying it. The effects from capsules usually kick in after about an hour and will last for several hours after the initial consumption. HHC Effects Since HHC is technically a hydrogenated THC molecule, it stands to reason that the effects are similar to that of a marijuana high. Some users claim to feel a slightly stronger high than that of a Delta-8 THC high, whereas others swear that it feels identical to the high brought on from traditional weed. Your high will depend on several personal factors such as weight, age, gender, metabolism, and previous exposure to THC. This is why it’s important to start slowly with your dosages and gradually increase the amount consumed until you are comfortable with the effects. With a low dose amount, you can expect to feel an enhanced sense of focus and creativity. You may experience bursts of energy that motivate you to complete mundane tasks. If you’re struggling with muscle and joint aches, HHC can help soothe the aches to a more tolerable level. HHC has also been known for its uplifting effects, resulting in fits of giggles and heightened sense of humor. For higher dosage amounts, you may feel an exhilarating euphoria that leaves you breathless and heavily relaxed. You might find it difficult to get up and perform tasks, as your body may feel heavy and immobile. High doses are recommended as a way to relax after a long day or chill with friends. Should I Try HHC? As the vast market of hemp-derived cannabinoids continues to grow, it’s important for you to understand what you’re consuming. HHC is a fascinating psychoactive compound with a plethora of benefits, ready to transport you to a heady high in a matter of minutes. Who would have thought that a hydrogenated THC molecule could make such a difference in our everyday lives? Whether you choose an inhalable or an edible, be sure to do your research to ensure the product is as potent and pure as it claims. Both edibles and inhalables have different reaction times and benefits, so make sure you choose the one that best suits your lifestyle. Here at Erth Hemp, we’re excited with all things hemp-related, especially HHC products! We offer two types of HHC products: HHC vape carts (Melon Gum and Golden Goat) and peach-flavored gummies. All of our products are rigorously tested by independent third-party labs to ensure purity and potency, both necessary to build consumer confidence and trust. The results are available via a QR code on the product packaging, on our website, or by request. If you’re ready to take the plunge into the wonderful world of HHC via our products, please feel free to drop a comment below and share your experiences with the rest of us. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Written by Leah Johnson Pros and Cons Of HHC Gummies Differences between HHC and THC-O

A Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Interest in Research of People with Parkinson’s Disease and their Care Partners in an Accessible Research Education Program Open Access Ramos, Maria (Spring 2021) Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/1c18dh030?locale=en Background and Objectives: People with Parkinson’s disease (PWP) and care partners (CP) have unique perspectives regarding research and the research process. TeleDREAMS was an eight-week research advocacy training program designed to increase understanding of, and participation in, clinical research by older adults, including those from underrepresented groups. Methods: A qualitative evaluation was conducted to explore the themes resulting from weekly phone call conversations with participants, both PWP (n=32) and CP (n=17), in an eight-week telehealth educational intervention. All participants were assessed for clinical characteristics and demographics (Mean age PWP = 68.06 ± 8.3, Mean age CP = 66.68 ± 6.4). Qualitative data were derived from 365 thirty-minute semi-structured interviews. The calls were conducted by telephone between participants and study staff to gauge progress, motivation, and information retention after each module of the educational program. These interviews were thematically analyzed using inductive and deductive methods. Results: Thematic analysis revealed eight salient themes. Participants expressed varying beliefs and attitudes towards clinical research, the research process, and participation in research, encompassed in the themes, “Understanding the Importance of Advocacy,” “Becoming Cognizant of Past Advocacy Experiences,” and “Research Participation.” There were also unexpected themes, including “Knowledge Acquisition Sometimes Diverged from Module Intention,” “Learning from Example,” “Community Engagement,” and “New Awareness of Ethnic Disparity.” Conclusion: This study provides insight for increasing research participation of hard-to-reach and underrepresented participants. Phone call interviews are an accessible, adaptable method that is effective in gathering the needs, opinions, and attitudes of older adults. Further studies are needed to identify additional barriers to PWP and CP participation in research. This qualitative model and its results can be used for improving future iterations of TeleDREAMS and similar telehealth educational programs. INTRODUCTION.....1 PURPOSE.....2 HYPOTHESES.....2 METHODS.....3 Participant Recruitment.....3 Overview of the TeleDREAMS Program.....5 Data Collection.....5 Data Analysis.....6 RESULTS.....6 Participant Characteristics.....6 Qualitative Findings.....7 Theme 1: Understanding the Importance of Advocacy.....8 Theme 2: Becoming Cognizant of Past Advocacy Experiences.....11 Theme 3: Community Engagement.....12 Theme 4: New Awareness of Ethnic Disparity.....13 Theme 5: Learning from Example.....14 Theme 6: Knowledge Acquisition Sometimes Diverged from the Module Intention.....15 Weeks 1-3:.....15 Week 4: Understanding and Interpreting Clinical Trials for Patient Advocates.....16 Week 5: Aging and Clinical Research.....16 Week 6: Informed Consent and Health Literacy.....17 Week 7: Advocacy in Clinical Research.....18 Week 8: Recognizing Diverse Communities and Becoming an Advocate.....19 Theme 7: Recognizing Patient Autonomy.....19 Theme 8: Research Participation.....20 DISCUSSION.....21 General Findings.....21 Telehealth Educational Programs.....22 Findings Related to Advocacy, Autonomy, Community Engagement, and Research Participation.....23 Findings Related to the Education of Older Adults.....24 TeleDREAMS Successes.....25 Areas of Improvement.....26 LIMITATIONS.....27 CONCLUSION.....28 APPENDIX A.....30 APPENDIX B.....31 REFERENCES.....32 About this Honors Thesis Honors Thesis Health Sciences, Aging Education, Health thematic analysis telehealth program care partner underserved populations advocacy in research inductive analysis older adults education qualitative analysis deductive analysis Hackney, Madeleine, Emory University Merrill, Linda, Emory University Cole, Megan, Emory University Beck, Christopher, Emory University A Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Interest in Research of People with Parkinson’s Disease and their Care Partners in an Accessible Research Education Program () 2021-04-13 20:09:00 -0400

EUR-Lex - 52015DC0254 - EN Document 52015DC0254 Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the 2015 National Reform Programme of the Czech Republic and delivering a Council opinion on the 2015 Convergence Programme of the Czech Republic /* COM/2015/0254 final */ Languages and formats available Brussels, 13.5.2015 COM(2015) 254 final Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the 2015 National Reform Programme of the Czech Republic and delivering a Council opinion on the 2015 Convergence Programme of the Czech Republic THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 121(2) and 148(4) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies 1 , and in particular Article 9(2) thereof, Having regard to the recommendation of the European Commission 2 , Having regard to the resolutions of the European Parliament 3 , Having regard to the conclusions of the European Council, Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee, Having regard to the opinion of the Social Protection Committee, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic Policy Committee, (1)On 26 March 2010, the European Council agreed to the Commission’s proposal to launch a new strategy for growth and jobs, Europe 2020, based on enhanced coordination of economic policies. The strategy focuses on the key areas where action is needed to boost Europe’s potential for sustainable growth and competitiveness. (2)On 13 July 2010, the Council, on the basis of the Commission’s proposals, adopted a recommendation on the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and the Union (2010 to 2014) and on 21 October 2010 it adopted a decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. Together these form the ‘integrated guidelines’ which Member States were invited to take into account in their national economic and employment policies. (3)On 8 July 2014, the Council adopted a Recommendation on the Czech Republic’s National Reform Programme for 2014 and delivered its opinion on the Czech Republic’s updated Convergence Programme for 2014. (4)On 28 November 2014, the Commission adopted the Annual Growth Survey 4 , marking the start of the 2015 European Semester of economic policy coordination. On the same day, on the basis of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011, the Commission adopted the Alert Mechanism Report 5 , in which it did not identify the Czech Republic as one of the Member States for which an in-depth review would be carried out. (5)On 18 December 2014, the European Council endorsed the priorities for boosting investment, accelerating structural reforms and pursuing responsible growth-friendly fiscal consolidation. (6)On 26 February 2015, the Commission published its 2015 country report for the Czech Republic 6 . This assessed the Czech Republic’s progress in addressing the country-specific recommendations adopted on 8 July 2014. (7)On 30 April 2015, the Czech Republic submitted its 2015 National Reform Programme and its 2015 Convergence Programme. To take account of their interlinkages, the two programmes have been assessed at the same time. (8)The Czech Republic is currently in the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact. In its 2015 Convergence Programme, the government plans to gradually improve the headline deficit to 1.9% of GDP in 2015 and further to 0.6% of GDP in 2018. The government sets out its intention to meet the medium-term objective – a structural deficit of 1% of GDP – in 2018, but according to the recalculated structural balance 7 it is expected to be met by 2016. According to the Convergence Programme, the government debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to reach almost 41% in 2015 and to gradually decline to 40.2% in 2018. The macroeconomic scenario underpinning these budgetary projections is plausible and the measures to support the planned deficit targets from 2016 onwards are sufficiently specified. However, there is a risk that the impact of the planned revenue measures may be lower than estimated. Based on the Commission's 2015 spring forecast, the expenditure benchmark is expected to be complied with in 2015. In 2016, some deviation is expected as net expenditure growth exceeds the benchmark by 0.3% of GDP. Therefore, further measures will be needed in 2016. Based on its assessment of the Convergence Programme and taking to account the Commission's 2015 spring forecast, the Council is of the opinion that Czech Republic is expected to broadly comply with the provisions of the Stability and Growth Pact. The main elements of the current fiscal framework are in place. However the scope of medium-term budgetary planning and of the numerical fiscal rule is limited, and enforcement has been weak. A draft reform package has been modified and delayed several times and its adoption is currently planned during 2015. The Czech Republic still faces challenges with respect to long-term fiscal sustainability, largely due to projected increases in pension and healthcare expenditure. There has been some improvement in the outlook for the pension system as a result of more favourable demographic projections. The Czech Government plans to gradually increase the statutory retirement age, but the change programmed for the medium term is too slow. Changes to the current system of pension indexation are currently being discussed but no measures have yet been adopted. Although some measures have been taken to improve the cost efficiency and governance of the healthcare sector, limited progress has been made in this area. Indicators used to measure the performance of the hospital sector show that medical treatment is not always delivered in a cost-efficient way, while the allocation of resources is hampered by ongoing difficulties in rolling out a reimbursement system for costs incurred by hospitals. There are also signs that general practitioners are not adequately fulfilling their role as gate-keepers. Public procurement in the healthcare sector suffers from a high incidence of irregularities, suggesting insufficient guidance and supervision. (9)The main challenges in the area of taxation are to reduce tax evasion and to make tax collection less costly and less time-consuming, both for taxpayers and for the authorities. The Czech Republic has identified tax compliance and the fight against tax evasion as priorities, and is taking a number of steps in these areas. Several measures were introduced in 2015, relating to both direct and indirect taxes, and further measures are planned for 2016. The cost of compliance is still, however, too high. Standardising the tax bases for personal income tax, social security and health contributions would help to simplify the tax system, but this change has not been brought in, and there are currently no plans to tackle this issue. Work on simplifying tax returns and increasing the use of pre-filled forms is not being carried out in a systematic way. Rather than simplifying the VAT system, the Czech Republic introduced a third VAT rate in 2014. Limited progress has been made in reducing the discrepancies in the tax treatment of employees and the self-employed. Tax revenue in the Czech Republic still relies heavily on the taxation of labour, and low-income workers, particularly those without children, face a relatively high labour tax burden. Measures entering into force in 2015 somewhat reduce labour taxation for specific groups, but will have a limited impact overall. Property and environmental taxes (except fuel) remain low, indicating potential scope for shifting tax away from labour. (10)Limited progress was made in 2014 on accelerating the reform of regulated professions but the intermediary national action plan adopted in April 2015 contains a number of concrete measures and actions designed to improve the regulatory framework and to remove unjustified and disproportionate requirements. (11)Efforts made in recent years to tackle the problem of corruption have met with serious delays. The most recent anti-corruption action plan covered a number of priority areas. It included Acts on financial control, public prosecution, the financing of political parties, the protection of whistle-blowers, a new policy on the management of state-owned companies and an amendment to the Act on free access to information. Nonetheless, it appears that little is being done to bring about the adoption of these Acts. The adoption and implementation of the Civil Service Act and of related measures has seen the Czech Republic start to address problems relating to the efficiency and stability of its public administration. Both the administrative and regulatory barriers related to investment planning, and the lack of transparency and long duration of the procedures for obtaining building and land-use permits hold back public investment. Public procurement has been the focus of a number of initiatives in recent years but concerns about transparency still remain. In particular, public contracts are still not published in a centralised register. The efficiency of public procurement procedures is hampered by the inadequate provision of guidance and training to tendering institutions. Supervision of the system remains weak. (12)The overall level of employment is currently high, but certain disadvantaged groups remain underrepresented in the labour market. These include parents with young children, low-skilled workers, people with disabilities and Roma. Some steps have been taken towards strengthening the efficiency and effectiveness of public employment services. The level of employment among young people is increasing, and public employment services try to target their services towards young people in particular. The lack of affordable and quality childcare services and the limited use of flexible working-time arrangements make it difficult for women with children to participate in the labour market. Some steps have been taken towards increasing the availability of childcare but policies supporting public childcare for the youngest children are still insufficient. (13)The Czech Republic’s educational outcomes have improved in recent years but structural challenges still remain. Participation in tertiary education has increased rapidly, but concerns have emerged in relation to the decline in skills of younger tertiary education graduates. It is hoped that the overdue higher education reform planned to be adopted in 2015 will introduce institutional accreditation, stronger internal quality assurance and greater use of profiling of students, and improve financing systems. More teachers need to be recruited into the compulsory education sector, but low salaries and a negative perception of the profession make it difficult to attract talented candidates. A new career system designed to improve both the recruitment of teachers and their professional development should be finalised in the first half of 2015, to be introduced in September 2016. Its overall impact will, however, largely depend on available funding. A comprehensive approach to evaluating and supporting low-performing schools and pupils is, meanwhile, still lacking. The introduction of such an approach could help improve efficiency and equality in the education sector. Limited progress has been made in making education more inclusive, despite the government’s adoption of a comprehensive strategy for education. Young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, including Roma, are shown to be less successful in education and on the labour market. (14)In the context of the European Semester, the Commission has carried out a comprehensive analysis of the Czech Republic’s economic policy and published it in the 2015 country report. It has also assessed the Convergence Programme and the National Reform Programme and the follow-up given to the recommendations addressed to the Czech Republic in previous years. It has taken into account not only their relevance for sustainable fiscal and socioeconomic policy in the Czech Republic but also their compliance with EU rules and guidance, given the need to strengthen the overall economic governance of the European Union by providing EU-level input into future national decisions. The recommendations under the European Semester are reflected in recommendations 1 to 4 below. (15)In the light of this assessment, the Council has examined the Czech Republic’s Convergence Programme, and its opinion 8 is reflected in particular in recommendation (1) below, HEREBY RECOMMENDS that the Czech Republic take action in 2015 and 2016 to: 1.Achieve a fiscal adjustment of 0.5% of GDP in 2016. Further improve the cost-effectiveness and governance of the healthcare sector. 2.Fight tax evasion, simplify the tax system and implement the anti-corruption plan. Take measures to increase the transparency and efficiency of public procurement, in particular by establishing a central register of public contracts and strengthening guidance and supervision. 3.Reduce the high level of taxation levied on low-income earners, by shifting taxation to other areas. Further improve the availability of affordable childcare. 4.Adopt the higher education reform. Ensure adequate training for teachers, support poorly performing schools and take measures to increase participation among disadvantaged children, including Roma. Done at Brussels, (2) COM(2015) 254 (3) P8_TA(2015)0067, P8_TA(2015)0068, P8_TA(2015)0069. (4) COM(2014) 902. (6) SWD(2015) 23 final. (7) The structural balance as recalculated by the Commission based on the information in the Convergence Programme, following the commonly agreed methodology. (8) Under Article 9(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97.

Azeri-Armenian Gay Romance Novel Fuels Controversy Mina Muradova Mar 5, 2009 "Taboos will not be easily overcome" declares the sub-title of "Artush and Zaur." And in this bestseller novel about the romance between two young men -- one Armenian, one Azerbaijani -- Azerbaijan is experiencing the truth of that line. The Armenian-Azerbaijani combination alone might raise eyebrows, but in this tradition-bound society, the homosexual orientation of the novel's two lovers is stirring additional controversy. By contrast, a heterosexual Armenian-Azerbaijani romance published in late 2008 received a largely favorable reaction. "I think that it is a very good slap in the face for our society," commented Nigar Kocharli, owner of the Ali and Nino bookstore chain that sells the book in Baku. "In other words, publishing such a book is very painful for a society in which homosexuality and relations with Armenians are taboos." None of Azerbaijan's large publishing houses would print the novel. Some said the book was disgraceful; others that they were afraid, according to the author, Alekper Aliyev. A publishing house allegedly located in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, finally accepted the job. Aliyev, the author, says that a desire "to fight against petrified stereotypes" motivated him to write the book. He recalls how allegations of homosexuality undercut the political fortunes of Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan leader Ali Kerimli in the run-up to last year's presidential election. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav050608.shtml To reflect the problems faced by Azerbaijan's homosexual community, Aliyev consulted with a Dutch-financed, gay-rights non-governmental organization in Baku about the novel. "There is no political dictatorship in Azerbaijan," he commented. "Society itself is the dictator." Aliyev's work describes the newfound love between Artush, an Armenian in Baku, and his Azerbaijani friend, Zaur, in the opening days of the 1988-1994 Azerbaijani-Armenian war over Nagorno-Karabakh. Twenty years later, the pair again meets in Tbilisi, and discovers that their feelings remain unchanged. In the end, the two, despairing of their future together, take their own lives by jumping from Baku's Maiden Tower, a 12th century structure that is a legendary symbol of doomed love for Azerbaijanis. The relationship symbolizes the ties that persist between Azerbaijanis and Armenians despite over 20 years of hostility, Aliyev said. "Today, the Azerbaijani authorities offer the highest autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan's territory and [this autonomy] foresees for the first time that they [ethnic Armenians] are citizens with the same full rights as we have. But, at the same time, the image of an enemy is cultivated within [Azerbaijani] society and media," Aliyev said. "It is hypocrisy and it makes no sense to me." A March 11 discussion with readers about "Artush and Zaur" will test Aliyev's theory. Ali and Nino bookstore owner Kocharli says that she plans to host the event despite threats. Some young Azerbaijanis, calling themselves "national socialists" have been visiting the store's branches, threatening clerks and demanding that the store remove the book from sale, according to Kocharli. In Internet forums, others have called for book burnings. Some readers, though, say that the book opened up new ideas to them, despite initial repugnance at the content. "[A]fter reading the whole book, my opinion changed [about homosexuals]. The author wanted to say much more to our society -- about our homeland, about emotions," said Pakiza Hamidi, a 35-year-old cleaning lady. Hamidi, nevertheless, has mixed feelings about the couple's ethnic differences. "Their love is free, without bounds and distinction as to nationality. I understand it," she said. "But I would not want this love with an Armenian. It's humiliating." Others object strongly. "My God, what have we come to?" fumed university student Ilgar Gozalov. "Not only that they are Armenian and Azerbaijani, but also they are gay. It's just a nightmare." Such opposing views have meant brisk sales, although numbers may appear slim by international standards. Some 150 copies of the book have sold in the three weeks since "Artush and Zaur" first went on sale, one-third of the total print run, according to Aliyev. Bookstore owner Kocharli can only hail the novel for sparking interest in Azeri-language literature. "As a bookstore owner, I think he is worthy of respect because he made people read books," she said in reference to Aliyev. "People who have not read a book for many years now visit their bookstores." But Aliyev, who left a bank job to shield his employer from the novel's repercussions, takes a dim view about the chances for change in attitudes toward either Armenians or homosexuals. Those Azerbaijanis who attend next week's book discussion will most likely be mere curiosity-seekers, he predicted. "I believe that nothing will change not only in Azerbaijan, but in the whole South Caucasus region in the next hundred years, unfortunately," Aliyev said. Mina Muradova is a freelance reporter based in Baku. Azerbaijan launches multi-day tours of Shusha Azerbaijani show business navigates state pressures, incentives Azerbaijan signals possible military action as Karabakh talks falter Heydar Isayev