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In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, Facebook has once again stepped up its game with the introduction of Facebook Reels. This feature takes inspiration from the success of short-form video content that has become a dominant force in the digital realm. Facebook www.menschlichegesundheit.de Reels aims to provide users with a platform to express themselves creatively, share engaging content, and connect with a global audience. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Facebook Reels, its features, and its impact on the social media experience.
What are Facebook Reels?
Facebook Reels is a short-form video feature integrated into the Facebook platform, allowing users to create and share videos of up to 60 seconds in length. This feature is designed to be a direct competitor to other short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, capitalizing on the popularity of quick, entertaining content.
- Creative Editing Tools: Facebook Reels provides users with a range of creative editing tools, enabling them to add music, text, stickers, and special effects to their videos. These tools empower users to unleash their creativity and produce content that stands out in the crowded social media landscape.
- Music Library: A vast music library is integrated into Facebook Reels, allowing users to choose from a diverse selection of songs to enhance their videos. This feature not only adds a dynamic element to the content but also provides an opportunity for artists to showcase their music to a broader audience.
- Discover and Explore: Facebook Reels features a dedicated Explore Feed, where users can discover trending and popular Reels from creators around the world. This algorithm-driven feed ensures that users are exposed to a variety of content tailored to their interests, fostering a sense of community and connection.
- Interactive Elements: To encourage engagement, Facebook Reels includes interactive elements such as comments, likes, and shares. Users can interact with their favorite creators, sparking conversations and building a sense of community within the platform.
- Monetization Opportunities: Similar to other platforms, Facebook Reels provides monetization opportunities for creators. Through features like ads, brand partnerships, and virtual gifts, creators can potentially turn their passion for content creation into a source of income.
Impact on Social Media Landscape
- Competing with TikTok: Facebook Reels represents the social media giant’s response to the growing influence of TikTok. By integrating short-form videos into the Facebook experience, the platform aims to retain and attract users who might otherwise migrate to competing apps.
- Diversifying Content Creation: The introduction of Facebook Reels encourages users to diversify their content creation strategies. Creators now have the opportunity to experiment with new formats, engage with a broader audience, and explore creative avenues beyond traditional photo and text-based posts.
- Building a Creator Community: Facebook Reels fosters a sense of community among creators and viewers. The interactive features, coupled with the Explore Feed, create an environment where users can discover and support each other’s content, leading to the formation of a vibrant and engaged creator community.
Facebook Reels has ushered in a new era of short-form video content on the platform, offering users a dynamic and creative space to express themselves. With its array of editing tools, music library, and interactive features, Facebook Reels is poised to become a significant player in the competitive landscape of short-form video platforms. As users continue to embrace this new feature, the social media experience on Facebook is evolving, opening up new possibilities for content creators and reshaping the way we consume and interact with digital content.
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Mindwarden joins the Cryo Chamber with a moody piano filled album of calm futuristic atmospheres on the album Timeless
The raindrops slither on the window like translucent snakes. Refracted palpitations from the high-rise outside throw glittering light into the murk of your apartment. You down two tabs of hypodust as you exit the double-bolted door. The apartment building lies silent but for the faint piano notes spilling down from the penthouse far above. Most inhabitants are long gone since the Arcology went bankrupt. The hallway lies dark—another blackout, since no one services the building anymore. Time moves slow in the skeletal interior. Where once dreams were projected onto reality, the only dreams worth living now are of the sleeping kind. And so the hypodust hits, breaking you out of one slumber, only to cast you into another.
Recommended for fans of Lingering Piano notes, Misty interiors and Introspective Science Fiction
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Essay on mental hygiene and education 2021
In this essay we will discuss about the importance of mental hygiene in education. After reading this essay to know about: - 1. Meaning of mental health 2. Foundations of mental health 3. Defense or adjustment mechanism. 4. Meaning and purpose of mental hygiene 5. Mental hygiene concept in education 6. Mental health and other details of classical teacher.
Essay on the meaning of mental health
Essay on the foundation of mental health
Essay on defense or adjustment mechanism
Essay on the meaning and purpose of mental hygiene
Essay on mental hygiene concept in education
Essay on mental health of class teacher
Essay on mental health and curriculum
Essay on mental health and method of teaching and classroom practices
Essay on mental health and school administration
Essay on mental health and discipline
1. Essay on the meaning of mental health:
Mental health, which is today considered an important aspect of one's total health status, is a fundamental factor that contributes to the maintenance of physical health as well as social effectiveness.
It is a general state of goodness, and in the words of Johns, Sutton, and Webster, "Life has a positive bat relative quality. It is a condition characterized by the average person who meets the demands of life on the basis of his abilities and limitations ”. By the word 'relative' we mean that the degree of mental health that a person achieves at one time is constantly changing. According to Headfield, 'mental health is the complete and harmonious work of the whole personality'.
It is a positive, active quality of a person's daily life. This quality of living is manifested in the behavior of a person, whose body and mind are working together in the same direction. Their thoughts, feelings and actions work equally towards the common end.
It means the ability to balance feelings, desires, ambitions and ideals in one's daily life, as well as to confront and accept the realities of life. It shows such habits of work and attitude towards people and things that bring maximum satisfaction and happiness to the person. But the person gets this satisfaction and happiness with a social order or group without ceremony, which he or she is.
From this one can conclude that there are two important aspects of mental health. It is both personal and social. The personal aspect suggests that the person is internally adjusted. He is confident, sufficient and free from internal conflicts and tensions or inconsistencies. He is able to mold himself to new circumstances. But he achieves this internal adjustment in a social set up.
The society has certain value systems, customs and traditions by which it controls itself and promotes the general welfare of its members. It is within this social framework that internal adjustment has to be made. Only then, the person becomes a person who is acceptable as a member of society.
It is an undesirable fact that social forces are in constant flux. They are constantly moving forward and changing. Similarly, our internal adjustment is also affected by various stresses. As such, mental health is a process of adjustment that involves compromise and adaptation, enhancement and continuity. Due to the importance of personal and social aspects, some psychologists have defined mental health as the ability of the individual to make personal and social adjustments.
It would be appropriate here to explain the term "adjustment". If one can establish a satisfying relationship between oneself and one's environment, between one's needs, desires and others, or if one can meet the demands of a situation. He has achieved adjustment. Adjustment brings happiness because it implies that emotional conflicts and tensions are resolved and relieved.
Other definitions of mental health refer to such abilities as making decisions to set responsibilities according to one's abilities, finding satisfaction, success and happiness in accomplishing everyday tasks, living effectively with one another, and showing thoughtful behavior.
Generally, a mentally healthy person has an understanding of his motives and desires, his weaknesses and strong points. He can evaluate his behavior objectively, and accept his trivialities and weaknesses. He can give and accept love, make friendships that are satisfying and lasting and that make him feel connected.
He has developed a philosophy of life that gives meaning and purpose to his daily activities. This philosophy is related to this world and discourages the tendency to move away or escape from the world. This causes him to do something concrete about his problems. He does not abstain from responsibility or duty.
Such a person has developed the ability to tolerate disappointments and disappointments in his daily life. He shows emotional maturity in his behavior. This means that he is capable of regulating emotions such as fear, aggression, love, jealousy and expresses them in a socially desirable manner. "He does not go to pieces as a result of this fear, anger and anxieties". He has a wide range of interests and generally leads a balanced life of work, rest and recreation.
2. Essay on the foundation of mental health:
The foundation of mental health refers to some basic and important factors on which a person's mental health depends.
ये कारक इस प्रकार हैं:
(A) Heredity or hereditary factor.
(b) भौतिक कारक।
(C) Fundamental social forces as home, school, neighborhood and community.
(d) Satisfaction of basic or basic needs in childhood.
It provides raw material, or individual capacity. This sets limits for his mental health. What is the ability of personal heritage in relation to the presence of development, intelligence and the like. The development and use of these possibilities is largely determined by environmental opportunities. Investigation has shown that heredity can lead a person to develop a particular type of mental illness when he is under extreme stress.
Even in psychoanalysis and psychopathic personality tendencies, heredity factors may play some role. The mentally defective and weak minded are quite prominent in the production of a number of hereditary factors. In Wallin's words, "faulty heredity may furnish a fertile soil for the development of mental and nervous diseases, but as far as minor personality malformations are concerned, heredity supplies only a pre-determined condition".
(बी) Physical factors:
Physical factors contribute significantly to mental health. A straight posture, a victorious smile, color in the cheeks, a sense of elation promotes a sense of personality protection and has an impact on other people. People with greater strength, better looks, and stronger health enjoy a social benefit in developing personality characteristics.
A person with a sense of physical well-being enjoys a good temperament and is enthusiastic and intellectually alert. He has a desire to live, achieve and be happy. No one can deny that physical health improves mental vitality because it increases motivation and drive.
It has been observed that loss of appetite or sleepiness during work creates fatigue, and can adversely affect our mental health. Sick people find it more difficult to adjust to new situations than healthy people. Vitamin deficiency factors have been found in many personality difficulties. Fatal anemia, for example, lacks red vessels and causes symptoms of apathy, irritability, depression, and anxiety.
Again, a person suffering from severe defects may have adjustment problems, due to internal feelings that they are not able to adequately deal with. Positively, a person who follows a clean diet is concerned with food, drink, elimination, bathing, physical activity, work, sleep, rest, relaxation, disease prevention and correction of doshas, the possibility of good mental health is more.
(C) Social situation:
Social factors are related to the person's society in which he or she lives, interactional processes, and his / her social functioning with other individuals. The social environment shapes the knowledge, skills, interests, attitudes, habits, values, and goals that one achieves. Every person is born into a society that affects the content of his behavior.
Among the social factors, home, school and community are the most important. Let us consider the house first. Parents who give affection and protection to their children contribute to their mental health. Parents who are nervous, stressed or self-centered, over-protective rejecting, overbearing or inconsistent in disciplinary practices or who are partial in dealing with their children are laying the foundation for mental disabilities or malaise. On the other hand, parents who share their lives and times with their family and children, who show interest in their children's development, play with or work with them, develop a mentally healthy attitude Help to do.
Broken houses or unstable homes where parents are in constant conflict produce a large percentage of children with adjustment problems. A good home, on the other hand, where there is a harmonious relationship between the parents, where the parents understand the needs and interests of their children and where there is an atmosphere of happiness and freedom, greatly contribute to the mental health of every member gives.
The school can also develop its own sense of personal worth, social development and social competence, if its experiences are satisfactory and if they generate impressive responses. A good school provides an environment in which every pupil is respected as an individual. It offers courses rich in student activities, meeting and needs and interests, such as co-curricular activities such as theatomy, athletics, debate, which promote the physical and emotional development of their students. Such a school is a positive factor for the development of sound mental health.
The community provides the framework and climate within which the family lives and develops. Therefore, a healthy environment and a streamlined network of public and private community services of the highest possible quality should be provided. These services will meet such needs as love and affection, provide a sense of belonging to their members, and provide opportunities for group anticipation and emotional release.
Some of these community services should be library and reading room for general public, social education centers, well recreational programs, vocational and educational guidance bureau for youth, child-guidance clinics, child-building, mentally and physically ill hospitals Can. Provision for family counseling in urban and rural areas such as family-life institutions, maternity and child welfare centers.
(D) Satisfaction of basic or basic requirements:
Much depends on mental health in childhood and later on adequate satisfaction of our basic or basic needs. These are physical as well as emotional or psychological. To meet physical needs, physical needs have to be "relieved of hunger, thirst, fatigue, lack of sleep, physical pain, exercise, heat or cold and some stresses in the person that should be relieved."
Psychological or emotional needs are also called ‘ego needs’ which must be satisfied to maintain ‘self’. They are as important as biological needs. There are two main needs. First of all, we need a sense of security idea love and affection for those who are important to us - our parents, our friends and our fellow men. We want to have a warm and satisfying relationship with other people.
This feeling of security comes mostly through love which has elements like understanding, trust, cooperation and affection. When the child feels safe, he is assured that his parents take care of him, want him and accept him as he is. Accepted in this way and the child can establish a healthy relationship with the outside world. For a person with a sense of security, the world is a friendly and safe place. Such a person likes people and feels comfortable with them.
The second ego is required for recognition or relationship as a person of value and importance. Substantial satisfaction of this need provides a sense of adequacy, self-enhancement. In order that this requirement is satisfied in the child, parents and others must demonstrate their affection and acceptance and inculcate in the child what they want to do. Once the child realizes the adequacy and importance, he will be able to cope, and if possible, solve the problem that confronts him.
Other than these two needs to grow independently, the need to play and the need to belong to a group. The need to grow independently is often not properly satisfied in our homes. Our parents are mostly protective. They find satisfaction in their children who depend on them forever. Usually, youth are not allowed to think and decide for themselves.
3. Essay on defense or adjustment mechanism:
We have seen, that our needs cannot always be adequately satisfied due to many constraints and difficulties. These barriers cause frustration and stress. Constant frustrations of basic necessities of air lead to mental debility or serious illnesses. All frustrations give rise to mental conflicts. These frustrations and mental conflicts threaten a person's psychological balance.
But the human person is equipped with mental abilities to protect himself from his mental dangers, as his body is equipped with powers to protect himself from physical threats or distress. These mental systems or protective devices are known as 'ego defenses' or defense mechanisms or adjustment mechanisms. They are protective in that they help the person overcome the threats to his ego.
They reduce the distress caused by disappointments and conflicts. They soften one's failure, preserve internal harmony and enable the individual to adapt or adjust for disturbing experiences. Therefore, they are also called adjustment mechanisms. Some important defense mechanisms are compensation, rationalization, projection, detection, substitution and sublimation, suppression, negativity, empathy, withdrawal and daydreaming or fantasy.
When we are striving for a deficiency by directing our energies to some other aspect of the personality that has no deficiency, we are using the mechanism of compensation. We try to overcome a failure or deficiency in one area through the recognition of another. For example, an academically weak student may work hard and at times show his aptitude in dramaturgy.
Demosthenes, one of the greatest founders of all time, was a stutterer, but he overcome his guilt by hard work and determination. It shows more than compensation. A boy who is physically weak and deprived may turn into a bully. This is an example of socially undesirable compensation.
In rationalization we give reasons that are laudable rather than real and true to our behavior and justify it. A student who does not know how to play badminton well cannot participate in sports, and justifies his non-participation by saying, "I don't want to play badminton, it's no fun." Rationalization amount to justify or make excuses.
Rationalization takes the form of "sour grapes" when we insist that the things we have or cannot have are not worth having. A student who has failed the exam two or three times may argue, "Only creamers pass such an exam." This is called the 'sour-grape' system, based on which the hypothetical 'grapes are sour'.
Rationalization is known as the "sweet-lemon mechanism". This is exemplified by a house-wife who lives in a small house due to limited financial means, but who present the qualities of small houses by saying that they are cozier and more comfortable.
Presenting others with our own shortcomings, desires or moral flaws as a means of reducing our own guilt or inadequacy is called projection. In this way, we draw others' attention from our shortcomings. A student who has cheated in an examination can satisfy himself by saying that others have cheated as well, this is a regular practice all along.
Identity is an adjustment mechanism that enables one to derive satisfaction from the success of other people, groups or organizations. Students often identify themselves with their favorite teachers. Hero-worship is a form of identification. As a result of this tantra we adopt the costumes and habits of our favorite actors, teachers, friends and movie-stars, in costume, in speech and in lifestyle.
In substitution, the original goals or desires are replaced by others. They are difficult to achieve when the original goals are difficult. A student who has not been accepted for admission by a medical college can satisfy himself by becoming a nurse.
Sublimation involves a mechanism in which our unacceptable desires or activities are redirected into socially desirable channels. An unmarried woman with an interest in children can express her repressed motherhood by entangling herself in her orphanage work or in any child welfare institution.
By the redirection of impulses, the individual not only gives expression to his or her impulses in socially desirable channels, but also personal satisfaction. Great works of art, music, science and literature are often described as narrated works of our primitive impulses, that is, the poetry of Dante.
In suppression our strong emotional thoughts and unpleasant memories that do not fit with our social values and norms are cut off from consciousness and thrown into the unconscious. It is the process of unconsciousing our unpleasant and conflict-generating emotions and desires. These feelings and desires threaten our 'ego, or our well-being, hence the protective device of repression.
Regression means reversing or reversing the level of behavior of an infant or child when we encounter a problem. Instead of facing it and facing it in a mature way, we go back or come back again. As such, we would not be expected to meet the demands of any problematic situation. A five-year-old child can be born when a sibling is born and feels neglected, unaffected, and depressed.
Feeling miscured, he may resort to the behavior patterns of earlier years. He may start wetting the bed or he may experience difficulty feeding himself. Negativity consists in becoming contradictory, stubborn or rebellious when a problem reacts to a situation that depresses us by becoming negative.
In empathy, the person avoids the need to solve their problems by seeking the sympathy of others. A student, for example, who is not doing well in studies rather than actually discovering the cause and is trying to improve himself, may be satisfied with the sympathy of the other, which he can remove by stating Is how his family is in big trouble. Refusal to face the problem may be expressed sometime in withdrawal behavior.
Failure and criticism make many people timid, promiscuous and retiring. They are so afraid of failure that they avoid carrying out their responsibilities. To cope with their problems, there is no risk of failure in relationship with them. Reverting to the act of fantasy or daydreaming is a form of withdrawal behavior.
In this world phantom, all our desires and ambitions are fulfilled without any effort; Here we succeed in every of our ventures. The habit of daydreaming can accustom us to the extent that phantom life may be more desirable, more desirable than real life.
These adjustment mechanisms are used by both well-adjusted and deformed ones. The difference is that while the former use them sparingly, the latter use them frequently and in socially unwelcome channels. The psychotic or psychotic person constantly depends on them.
It is to be noted that these mechanisms generally represent unconscious attempts on behalf of an individual to solve their problem and maintain the integrity of their personality. But if these mechanisms are used repeatedly, there is a possibility of our personality changes for the horse, leading to malnutrition conditions or mental illness or mental disorders or mental disorders or psychosomatic complaints.
4. Essay on Meaning and Purpose of Mental Hygiene:
With the advancement of scientific knowledge and research, we now have a better understanding of mental illness as it emerges in various forms, its symptoms, its causes, and treatment. As a result of these advances, we have knowledge of certain principles which, if practiced properly, will protect us from developing mental illness or suffering from maladies. In other words, these principles will help individuals maintain emotional balance.
Definitions of mental hygiene:
"Menial hygiene is a set of conditions that enable a person to live in peace with himself and others".
2. AJ Rosanoff:
"Mental hygiene attempts to assist people with problems as well as present ways to deal with problems."
3. SK Dani:
"Mental hygiene is mostly a science of mental health principles, from our understanding of the causes and morbidity of mental illness".
4. Crow and Crow:
"Mental hygiene is a science related to human welfare and pervades all areas of human relations".
"Mental hygiene means examining the laws of mental health and taking measures or advocating for its protection".
Objectives of mental hygiene:
Doctors who treat mental disorders have set three objectives of mental hygiene:
1. Prevention of mental illness.
2. Protection of mental health.
3. Treatment of persons suffering from mental disorders.
Elements of mental hygiene:
Mental hygiene generally consists of the following elements:
(i) शारीरिक स्वास्थ्य।
(ii) Intellectual Health.
(iii) emotional health.
(iv) Interest and qualifications.
(v) अच्छा वातावरण।
Mental hygiene is related to these principles of life which will serve as a guide for human adjustment. It includes ways of living that promote the development of a holistic and socially adequate personality.
These ways of living help a person to get along with himself and with his peers, to behave desirable, to avoid conflicts, which bring about misdeeds, and to advance intelligent, rational behavior. Huh. These theories have been drawn from philosophy, psychology, religion, ethics, sociology, biology, physiology, medicine, psychiatry and general-stress.
Mental hygiene has three objectives:
(i) prevention of mental disorders through an understanding of the relationship between overall personality development and life experiences;
(ii) Protection of mental health of the individual and group, and
(iii) Discovery and use of therapeutic measures to cure mental illness.
Among these three approaches, preventive, preservative and curative, the most important and modern approach is the preventive approach. This approach is heavily influenced by the principles of public health. According to Kaplan and Baron, this approach is based on the principle that the best way to insure well-adjusted individuals is to surround them with environmental influences that allow each person to develop their full potential, achieve and achieve emotional stability Will enable. Personal and social adequacy. "Preventive mental hygiene begins at home, and its principles are important in school and other areas as well.
5. Essay on mental hygiene concept in education:
It is being felt by all progressive teachers that the goal of mental health and education is the same. The aim of education is the all-round development of the human personality. This is to help every person to become a well-adjusted person in their society. Mental health is also related to harmonious development of personality. This is clear from Headfield's definition of mental health.
He states, "Mental health is the complete and harmonious work of the whole personality."
This education can contribute to the attainment of mental health which is increasingly accepted in all quarters. There are forces, movements and trends in modern educational practice that indicate this belief.
The importance being given to feelings and emotions as a factor in growth and development, including education, recognition that all behavior is complex and that it is deep with emotions, recognition that all behavior is due , Increased importance is being attached. Personal and human factors in education, ie, the importance of inter-personal relationships in day-to-day teaching, sensitivity to modern students' personal differences in interest and competence.
Another proof of this view is the notion that expression and release, through qualified creative effort, are demanded by the growing mind and bodies, and that the idea addresses the basic human needs in course development and selection of subject matter and experiences must be given. children.
6. Essay on mental health of class teacher:
A mentally healthy and well-adjusted teacher is instrumental in promoting the mental health of school children and achieving the mental health objective of education. If the mental health of the teacher is insufficient, it is bound to adversely affect the mental health of the school children. To be mentally healthy, a teacher has to develop and cultivate some personal professional qualities.
Among desirable personal qualities, vigilance, enthusiasm and interest in pupils and classroom activities, the ability to maintain a natural and pleasant person to person relationship, harmony and friendliness, identification of one's own mistakes; Democracy and courtesy regarding patience, empathy, honesty, fairness in dealing with students, good student behavior and consistent behavior; Flexibility in opinion, belief and attitude, a good sense of humor and breadth of interests, have often been noted in various studies on the subject.
On the other hand, undesirable traits or traits are bad temperament, intolerance, inattentiveness to demands, tendency to indifference and insincerity, tendency to use satire and derision, tendency to talk excessively and downward to effigies, apathy, harshness . Process and Perfectionist Approach.
Occupational qualities that are compatible with mental health goals in education, having a good knowledge of the subject matter in which they have special ability and willingness to teach effectively, if there is a desire to improve communication skills, competence and professional skills Achieve efficiency through In professional books and magazines, the ability to work together and share experiences with others, children's acceptance and understanding, realistic perception of social expectations and respect for their social role as well as one's own and one's profession.
It should be noted that a teacher's mental health is reflected in these personal and professional qualities, which depend on his personal effort, other factors, including his upbringing, education, and culture. This means that the mental health of the teacher is closely associated with the mental health of his family community and the socio-economic and cultural conditions attaining the latter. This loads us into a discussion of some "potential dangers" to her mental health.
These are their personality factors or difficulties, which arise from biological or early environmental influences, adequate preparation for teaching, unhygienic care, inadequate and poor pay, other economic difficulties during uncertain tenure, crowded classes, heavy workload, Especially in primary classes. More attention to undesirable community status and lack of appreciation, lack of purpose or objectives, lack of education, minor details of techniques and methodology.
Another source of tension and anxiety as well as conflict is that he is expected to be a perfect man, an adversary of the ascetic life, possessing all virtues and no failures. They are likely to develop anxiety and stress by finding themselves under public examinations and scrutiny at all times.
Of course an important antagonist to these dangers is respect for oneself and one's profession, which the teacher must develop. This refers to the development of a positive attitude towards reviewing and evaluating the advantages of the teaching profession in terms of opportunities for professional work, intellectual stimulation, and personnel satisfaction, which is very essential for mental health.
Regarding the importance of teacher's mental health status as a fundamental factor in the mental health of school children, Townsend wants more attention to be paid to the selection of students in teacher training colleges. Accordingly, only "credit collectors " or those who are merely scholarly high would not be suitable candidates.
Similarly, individuals who are lonely, who need friendliness, who are victims of anxieties, emotional up-sets, and imperfections or defects without a homely environment, who have no strong motivation, are the most sought after modern work. Are clearly ignorant.
7. Essay on mental health of students:
The mental functioning of students is affected to a large extent by the daily functioning of mentally healthy teachers. These teachers know that the problem mental health of school going children lies in their needs and their satisfaction. Conditions at school, which meet their fundamental emotional and social needs, are to be provided.
These requirements are for security, for manipulation, for expansion of cultural and social contacts, for recognition and acceptance, for acceptance and approval. It should be noted that these needs must first be satisfied by their parents at home.
Children who are rejected, over-protected or over-motivated or treated indifferently by parents whose parents are serious and perfectionists are emotionally equipped to face the disappointments that come with it One can enter school life for them.
The child goes to school from the protective environment of the home. New people, new authority figures, new ideas, new experience of being a group are exposed. Do not let the child fail that he is being sent to school as a punishment for being naughty at home.
If teachers are encouraging and they understand her needs, if their discipline is not sympathetic and too rigid or rigid, if they allow children to behave as children instead of young adults, if the school is subject to negative rules Provides a member of rather interesting group activities, adaptations that the child has to perform, will facilitate and create no complexity.
It is necessary that the child develops a sense of belonging to the school. This will be possible when the atmosphere at home in school is that of love and understanding, free from partiality and invisible comparisons.
Other principles and practices that would be favorable to the mental health of students during the early school period, ranging from 6 to 12 years, are as follows:
(A) Helping the child gain control of their developing body through constant physical care, meditation, and opportunities to exercise their muscles through sports and sports activities.
(b) Respect for individual differences in students, by providing instruction according to their abilities and interests.
(c) Provision of activities such as drama, art and painting, handicraft and sports for emotional expansion and self-expression.
(d) Provision of group activities in the school by organizing scout-groups, guides, clubs and other clubs to fulfill their desire to form groups for the period after this period (6 to 12 years).
(pts) Attempts should be made by teachers to see that children do not develop feelings of inferiority and vain. Therefore, do not pay attention to the boundaries of the child, its failure and obstacles. The provision of tasks that gives them a sense of adequacy and success is an important principle that should be practiced at this stage.
The period from 6 to 12 years is followed by adolescence (13 to 19 years). It is a period of transition from childhood to maturity - A "between ages". A teenager is no longer a child and yet not a man. Being in a period of infection, they have peculiar problems for infection to lose an established and accustomed position. They have not yet attained a new status, for which the factors hindering developmental change are driving it. He may suffer from transitional difficulties of insecurity, disorientation and anxiety.
Mental health of adolescents requires understanding and satisfaction of the special needs of this period.
(i) requirement of the position,
(ii) the need for independence,
(iii) the need for a satisfactory philosophy of life,
(iv) requires a proper orientation to the opposite sex, and
(v) Need of guidance in selecting the vocation and preparing oneself for the vocation.
These special requirements will be satisfied if the following suggestions are considered and made:
(i) Kishore should be helped to accept his body with all changes and instabilities.
(ii) Provision of appropriate sports and practice in schools.
(iii) Sex education, given in a scientific and objective manner, emphasizing the values of healthy sex life.
(iv) Emotional emancipation from parents and teachers, by allowing them to separate from adults and encouraging them to think to decide for themselves to take responsibility.
(v) Enhancing their sense of sufficiency by providing them with tasks that they can successfully do.
(vi) Provision of appropriate vocational guidance and counseling facilities in the school set-up.
(vii) To provide them with a healthy philosophy of life through lectures, discussions, appropriate readings and contacts with men of thought.
(viii) Helping adolescents to develop healthy peer age, relationships and friendships through appropriate opportunities and an attitude to their friends, gangs, groups as well as their opinions and decisions about these relationships. .
8. Essay on mental health and curriculum:
What would be the course form from a mental health standpoint? This is another important aspect of education that needs to be considered in the context of the goals of 'mental health' through education.
The objectives of mental health in education can be achieved if the following principles are seen in curriculum construction:
(i) Individual differences in the child's need, interest and experience, learning ability should become central factors.
(ii) The syllabus should give importance to activities of genuine value and interest and which have a definite relation to the life of the child and the community.
(iii) It should be flexible and adjustable to meet the requirement of the students at every stage.
(iv) It should be dynamic and modification should be possible so that it conforms to the changing social conditions and reflects the latest developments in educational philosophy and psychology, the student should have feet for competent participation in the home and in social and professional activities. .
(v) It should include many extra-curricular activities of the school program such as dramatics, writing, sports, hobbies etc.
(vi) An important principle of curriculum-making should be its 'totality' or 'integration' rather than the traditional collection of content. This would be possible if it is an activity and course and represents the human experience overall.
9. Essays on mental health and methods of teaching and classroom practices:
Methods of teaching and classroom practices that provide students with the satisfaction of succeeding in their school work and which reduce the emotional shock of failure play a key role in achieving mental health. The underlying principles of such methods are numerous. Teachers should consider pupil failure as a challenge and not as a crime or defeat or humiliation.
They should encourage the habit of freedom and a sense of adventure among the students. All learning activities should be properly motivated by the teacher through the use of various social urges and the acquired interests of the students.
Learning theory, which is the cornerstone of such methods of teaching as the project method and the Dalton scheme, is another important principle. The teacher should strive to increase the purposefulness of the school's work by making the goals clear, desirable and attainable.
The fragmentation of learning, the tendency to make learning conditions separate and remote from life situations, leaning toward authoritarianism and restrictions on freedom, over-emphasis on speed in learning and the ignorance of students' ignorance with their malpractices are some questionable practices. In our schools that are harmful to the mental health of school children.
10. Essay on mental health and school administration:
School administration conducive to mental health will re-organize educational policy and practices in terms of students' happiness and well-being. It sees the machinery of management as a means of carrying out an educational program designed primarily to meet human needs.
It will strive to make human relations within the school system more satisfying and complete. To ensure teacher morale and efficiency, school administration will have to be more concerned with the human aspects of education.
Maintenance of democratic relations with teachers, not only oral communication, but also communication of emotions, are other high lights of the administration for the goals of mental health through education.
11. Essay on mental health and discipline:
If the mental health objectives are to be achieved then the concept of discipline has to be changed. The order which arises from compulsion is not necessarily good discipline. This includes a heartfelt performance of duties as well as independently chosen activities. Good discipline aims to encourage the development of the unique personality of each person.
It comes through self-directing, which is a personal direction of purposeful and self-determined actions. This implies an understanding of the child's behavior and how it is affected by various environmental factors.
The teacher's direction holds its place in effective discipline, but it is not meant to be authoritarian anyway. Nor can it be achieved through satire and derision. A very important means of good discipline is to keep students busy and useful! ' Occupied. Other tools are rewards that are inherent in the task at hand, the recognition of the group goes on, the confidence of the students in the students and the ability to exercise positive authority, the pleasant classroom environment, as I would as a personal child, time and change Am Total status.
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Could you introduce yourself in a few lines?
Salut ! I'm Emily and I work on the Ruby driver to MongoDB. I also teach Rails at Columbia University as an adjunct faculty. You can otherwise find me running, going to concerts, or on a plane to a place I've never been before.
You're giving a talk at Rulu this year. What will you talk about?
That wrap music: writing a Ruby API to wrap another API.
- You code with: Sublime
- You test with: RSpec, TestUnit
- If Ruby was forbidden, you would code in: C
What Lyonnaise specialty will you give a try this year?
What are you working on these days?
I'm splitting my time between maintaining the current Ruby driver (1.x) and working with my team to write a new one (2.0)
What are the talks, books, libraries or commands you think more people should be aware of - because, well, they make your life so much better!
- poodr, of course.
- Domain Driven Design
- Programming Pearls (always relevant despite the publication date!)
Anything to add before we wrap this up?
I look forward to catching up with some rubyists I had the pleasure of meeting at dotrb last year and to meeting some new rubyists. In particular, if you're a mongo ruby driver user, let me know, I'd love to chat!
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It is a vital factor for each and every individual for attaining necessary growth and development. So to make people aware of the importance of having the right nutrition, National Nutrition Week is celebrated every year from 1st to 7th September.
National Nutrition Week is celebrated across the country and is based on a theme every year, and the theme for National Nutrition Week 2021 is “feeding smart right from start”, which focuses on consuming the right kind of food from an early age to keep yourself fit and healthy during your later life.
In a country like India, where millions of people don’t have access to the right nutrition and still are undernourished, creating awareness amongst the people is the first step towards a healthier society.
Such a change will not happen overnight but these small programs will pave a path to achieve the bigger goal.
National Nutrition Week was an initiative started in March 1973 by members of the American Dietetic Association to educate the masses about nutrition while promoting the profession of dietetics. The organization is now known as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Following the lead, the Indian Government also introduced the National Nutrition Week commemoration in India in the year 1982.
This was important for a country like India where 14% of its whole population is still malnourished. In fact, according to the 2020 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 94th out of 107 countries by UNICEF.
Nutrition can be defined as the process through which we acquire food necessary for our growth and development. Food provides our body with different nutrients including protein, essential fats, vitamins, and minerals to live and function properly.
Therefore Nutrition Week highlights the importance of having a balanced diet and how it is essential for good health and well-being. Also, it tells us how an unhealthy diet increases the risk of many diet-related diseases.
National Nutrition Week Activities:
As a part of the celebrations, many governments and non-government organizations hold an array of different campaigns and programs. You can either be a part of one or do something yourself.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India has 43 Community Food and Nutrition Extension Units that are spread across 30 states and UTs of the country under the Food and Nutrition Board.
They organize various workshops, orientation training, campaigns, community meetings, etc to spread the word about the importance of nutrition.
Moreover, if you are fortunate enough to do something on your own, you can spare some amount from your pocket to cook or buy a wholesome and nutritious meal and distribute it among those in need.
Today, when everything has gone online, it would be an ideal opportunity for us to spread the word about the importance of eating right and the necessity of a nutritious diet in our daily life. As said by the British writer and philosopher, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”
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When Reddit brought Katelin Holloway on as its VP of people and culture in early 2016, she kicked off her tenure with a listening tour about benefits. "By asking people what they wanted, it affirmed my thesis that people want choices," Holloway told HR Dive in an interview.
Her listening tour gave way to a number of benefits-focused projects Holloway said she built with Reddit Co-Founder and CEO Steve Huffman, who "was very open to doing things differently," Holloway said.
Though creative and non-traditional, Huffman and Holloway designed Reddit's benefits to prioritize growth. "Towards this end, many of our benefits are designed to help our people grow, whether they're starting a family, learning more professional skills, or even taking on a new hobby," Huffman told HR Dive in an email.
With an overarching goal and buy-in from a founder, Holloway could implement her thesis, giving Reddit workers access to a highly flexible benefits model. "It has become of the people, by the people, for the people," she said. "It is very much owned by the employees in terms of sharing and getting people to opt in."
A holistic approach to leave
When Holloway joined Reddit, she expanded and individualized its leave programming. "We blew up everything, not just parental leave programming," she said. Holloway and her team formalized leave options for miscarriage, domestic abuse, military service and military spouses. "We thought about a lot of different life circumstances," she said. "It's a very holistic approach to leave."
These additional options made leave accessible to more people, and Holloway expanded the flexibility around the company's leave programming to make it even more approachable. Reddit employees can work with their teams and supervisors to craft a leave plan that best addresses their individual circumstances, Holloway said.
Reddit uses a service called LeaveLogic "to help individuals plan potential leaves without having to inform their managers or even HR," she said. "This empowers employees to understand their company benefits, state and federal benefits and how they might work in concert."
Reddit uses another service, Cleo, which enables parents taking family leave to plan their transitions out of and back into the office. "All transition plans are reviewed with the employee, their manager and their colleagues for group sign off," Holloway said.
Making benefits accessible
As it competed for talent in Silicon Valley, Reddit had picked up a wide and "weird" array of perks and benefits by the time Holloway joined the company. "It was very much the Silicon Valley arms race for benefits," she said. The resulting model, while generated by employee demand, didn't allow for much individualization. Reddit offered a gym stipend as one of its wellness perks, for example. But this benefit, while common, excluded some people — people like Holloway's little brother, she said, who would rather surf than go to the gym.
"If you can't actually utilize your benefits, what's the point?"
VP of People and Culture, Reddit
Holloway needed a way to consolidate Reddit's slew of benefits and somehow make them adaptable. "Every person, every family is different. How can I serve the needs of 75 people when they all have very different needs?" Holloway asked. "If you can't actually utilize your benefits, what's the point?"
Holloway divided benefits usage into two categories: personal development and professional development. Reddit workers receive stipends for each area and have flexibility in how they use them.
Employees can use their personal development stipends for anything that helps them become "better, healthier" people, Holloway said. The gym rat can use it to fund a membership. Someone like Holloway's brother can put it toward new surf gear. Employees can use their professional development stipends to go to conferences or take courses that relate to their jobs. "It's about choice," Holloway said. "Because of that, our utilization rates have gone way up."
The pursuit of flexibility: a culture-dependent quest
The spike in Reddit's benefits usage rates did not shock Julie Stich, vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. "I do think what they're doing is incredibly flexible," she said. "The more individualized you make it, the more appealing it is to employees."
Individualized plans like Reddit's reap other benefits, too. "With the job market the way it is, employers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors or from others in the same area, in the same region and city looking to hire employees," Stich said. "Benefits are always a great attraction and retention device and can be a great way to increase loyalty and morale."
"When a policy like this is put into place, the company culture has to support it and managers have to support it as well. [...] Convince people that you mean it."
VP of Content, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
Still, highly flexible models may not work for every employer. "It really depends on your company culture," according to Stich. In addition to its other individualized benefits, Reddit also offers unlimited vacation — "a neat idea if it works for your company culture," Stich said. But at another company, in another industry, such policies may not work as well. A manufacturing company, she said, may not be able to coordinate an unlimited vacation policy with the demands of scheduling and production.
Managers must cultivate trust with the people they supervise to ensure these ultra-individualized benefits are being used. Workers sometimes take less vacation than they need after a company implements an unlimited vacation time policy, she said. Companies discovered employees feared retribution for taking too much time off.
"When a policy like this is put into place, the company culture has to support it and managers have to support it as well," Stich said. "Convince people that you mean it."
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scratch on my cats ear.
found what looked like a scratch from maybe a bush on the outside of my cats ear two days ago when he came in from garden. just found another one on other ear but he not been outside. should i be concerned.
There is the possibility that your cat scratched both ears on a bush when he was outside and you only noticed one ear at that time. However, there is also the possibility that your cat is scratching his ears with some determination and causing some damage because of other factors such as:
- Walking Dandruff (cheyletiella mange)…large amounts of dry, flaky, and sometimes scaly skin usually over the neck, back and sides.
- Scabies (sarcoptic mange) Severe itching around the head…including the face, neck and edges of the ears. The severe itching is caused by female mites tunneling a few millimeters under the skin to lay their eggs which hatch in 5-10 days and the cycle repeats itself
- Ear mites (ododectes) cause a cat to tilt and shake his head and scratch at the ears. It could also be earwax
- Chiggers can cause severe skin irritations around the ears and mouth so look for barely visible red, yellow or orange chiggers…it will be the larvae.
- Cat ringworm is caused by a family of fungi that are known as dernatophytes, which translates to “skin loving” and this type of fungal infection is dematophytosis. See…Cat Ringworm
- Fleas…see Fleas on Cats
- Allergies…see Allergies in Cats
- Also see “Ears and Hearing” section of Cats Five Senses
As you can see, the possibilities are numerous. The best advice I can give you is that if the ear scratches continue to appear then there is more involved than an outside bush. However, it could be a minor thing like your cat has developed an allergic reaction to dust or dust mites, mold or pollen.
The remedy is to wash his bedding and keep him away from rooms with carpet. If it’s mold, keep him away from plants and out of basements. With pollen allergies, keep your cat indoors at all times in the high pollen seasons. A bath with a cat flea treatment will solve the fleas if that is the problem.
You can treat itching with a topical treatment such as hydrocortisone cream and it will give some relief and try to keep the cat from licking it off by using a “cone” if necessary. To see what a “cone” is, see my cat Revlon on the page Cat Skin Health
. She is wearing one for a skin problem she had.
You can either take your cat to the vet to check on the causes of the scratches or you can “wait and watch” which is what I frequently do when it’s not a dire emergency. Inspect the area closely and then every day check to see if there is healing or if the scratches look like they are worsening and getting infected. Many minor things resolve themselves quickly but it’s better to err on the side of caution. If there is any change, call your veterinarian.
Good luck, I hope this is something simple.
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Are you someone who moves from one unhappy relationship to another? Most likely that’s because you got into the relationship for the wrong reasons. Relationships and marriage are admirable goals for anyone to strive towards but there are many reasons why people may decide to engage in relationships for all the wrong reasons. Relationships should bloom from a mutual love and respect between two people and should not be influenced by outside parties, peer pressure or to fill a void in your life. Before you jump into another relationship, look at these 9 red flags that might help you avoid unhealthy relationships in the future.
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How much does it cost to develop an on-demand e-scooter app?
jack richer last edited by
With the ongoing demand for eco-friendly solutions, e-scooter comes at the top of the category. People can pick up the bike from the nearest location and drop it at the station convenient to them. e-scooter apps have raised $225 billion from venture capitalists.
At present, the USA is leading the e-scooter sector with major contenders like Spin, Bird, Lime app. Major reasons that contribute to the extensive usage of these apps are environment-friendly, cost-effective, quick travel solutions, and many more. Time is ripe to invest in Smart LimeBike clone app development. Here are the major factors that determine the development cost of the E-scooter app:
Scooters & Setting up: In the case of taxi booking and other ride providing services app, the app owners need not investing in cabs, two-wheelers, and so on. They hire drivers on a contract basis, and in most cases, the concerned driver owns the car. In the case of Lime like an app, many e-scooters have to be bought, and stations have to setup. These costs don’t add up to the app development but contribute to the major chunk of establishing the online e-bike business.
Development costs: The development costs for e-scooter is determined by several factors such as features, deployment platform such as iOS and Android, release platforms such as iOS App Store and Google PlayStore, etc. Instead of hiring freelancers, it would be better to get the app developed by a reputed app development company. By adopting this method, entrepreneurs can look up their portfolios and have technical support.
After considering these factors, the average cost to develop an e-scooter app is $25,000 to $35,000. It is impossible to say the actual development as it depends on several attributes
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The market demand curve for bananas, after the flood and cyclone ways , there were huge movement along the curve for the market demand of bananas, resulting in prices hat were more than double the usual price, demand curve for bananas moved from a to b . Economics 100a prof daniel mcfadden fall 2001 quantity of banana he consume the demand curve for hot dogs will be upward sloping (b) the income and . Demand curve of banana after the inundation demand curve shows the willingness to pay for a merchandise of consumer, the lower measure the higher the monetary value there is five variables affect on demand are:. The table sets out the demand and supply schedules for banana (a) suppose a cyclone destroyed some banana farms in qld and the quantity of banana supplied decreased by 50 boxes a week at each price explain what would happen to the market supply and supply curve.
Answer: due to the flood, the cost of production of the banana crops increase and will cause decrease in supply besides, the cost of production rise will lead to the supply curve shift to the left from s1 to s2. After, the cyclone yasi, the supply of the banana has been decreased and the supply curve has been shifted to leftward the initial price of banana was p0 and the quantity, which was supplied was q0 the new supply curve is s1. Suppose the demand for lcd tv sets is unit elastic throughout the curve what from econ 1210 at the university of hong kong.
This depiction of the demand curve for bananas helps to illustrate how the inelasticity of the demand curve can cause a large increase in the price although the shift in supply is minimal given that the demand for bananas is inelastic any slight change in the supply of bananas will cause a significant change in price. Suppose the demand curve for banana is given by the equation q = - 250 p + 5000 where q is the quantity of banana demanded in a day and p is the price of banana measured in hkd per banana. After the flood caused by powerful cyclone yasi, the fact that the main producing areas were devastated by the flood, the production for bananas is still experiencing a large-scale reduction, at mean time, the demand for banana remains the same or even increasing compare to last year thanks to an expectation about higher price of bananas in the . Answer: the labor supply curve to banana producers would suppose that the supply curve for school teachers is ls = 20,000 + 350w and the demand curve for school .
Drywall in high demand as flood victims recover. Banana growers are facing the grim reality of oversupply as supermarkets slash prices to clear a glut of fruit is used to riding the supply and demand curve of australian bananas . Demand curve of banana after the flood demand curve shows the willingness to pay for a product of consumer, the lower quantity the higher the price there is five variables affect on demand are:. Shift of the demand curve for the butter market with price increasing and banana = 4, and a maximum utility mup $ = 8, so price of last banana = 4/8 or $50. When heavy rain ruined the banana crop in central america , the price of bananas rose from $1 a pound to $2 a pound banana growers sold fewer bananas , but their total revenue remained unchanged by how much did the quantity of bananas demanded.
The demand for skilled construction workers increases: the labor-demand curve shifts to the right, resulting in higher wages for skilled construction workers result 3: at the time of the hurricane, the nation is experiencing a recession in the construction industry. Demand curve of banana after the flood the flood in queensland happened in the end of 2010 until 2011 this disaster had a lot of impact on australia economy the article queensland. Current supply & demand as of february 08 2011as the banana supply significantly decreases, the australian consumer’s demands are at a record highthis supply & demand chart provides evidence of the current high demand within the banana industrythe effects torn down by cyclone yasi will hit tomorrow when the supply . Similarly, initial damage estimates of the great flood reached as high as $30 billion, perhaps more than double its projected final tally a similar pattern occurred recently after the northridge (los angeles) earthquake.
Ftc1 chapter 4 ftc1 macroeconomics chapter 4 the demand curve does not shift there is a movement along the demand curve when floods wiped out the banana . This paper explains the ground why harmonizing to neo classical economic theory the demand curve is downward inclining demand curve of banana after the flood . Draw a large set of axes with a quantity scale going up to 16000 b) after thorpe’s actions, explain what is likely to happen to demand for banana’s c) what is likely to happen to supply why.
Start studying micro learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools 2-3 flood insurance the demand curve will shift to the . Comment upon the shape of demand curve based on this information or suppose the price elasticity of demand is (-)0 2 how will the expenditure on the good be affected if there is a 10 % increase in the price of good . What is “demand curve of the firm” the firm behavior recorded on supply curve in the other hand, market structure analysis perfect competition and imperfect competition (monopoly, duopoly, oligopoly) based on the number of sellers in the market, entry and exit barriers, etc not the demands of . How does aggregate demand affect price level it is very difficult to determine if prices are causing movement along a demand curve or if a shifting demand curve is causing price movement.
Evaluation of flood damage and flood risk demand curve: usually, quantity of flood damage ex post: damage figures calculated after a . The market demand curve for bananas, after the flood and cyclone ways , there were huge movement along the curve for the market demand of nanas, resulting in prices . The demand curve for water cannot have a constant slope the demand for water is inelastic during a drought and elastic during flood the demand for water is elastic .
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The U.S. economy has weathered 18 recessions spanning a total of 90 years since 1776, not including the current downturn. Each of those 18 prior recessions, some with descriptive names like "The Long Depression," which lasted a whopping 23 years from 1873 to 1896, had one thing in common.\n\nMore on CIO.com\nDefying the Recession with Private Label Best Practices\n\nWill Technology Fuel a Recession Comeback?\n\nThey ended. And so will this one.\n\nThirty years ago, when I was a research analyst at McGraw-Hill, I analyzed the 1979 Fortune 500 list to determine what percentage of those companies had incorporated during a recession. It was about 40 percent.\n\nI decided to repeat the analysis with the 2008 Fortune 500 list, and here is what I discovered:\n\nAmong the companies on the 2008 Fortune 500 list, 35 percent incorporated into business during a recession\u2014a number that is remarkably similar to my 1979 analysis.\n\nSo I decided to go further.\n\nI put under my economic microscope only the top 100 companies on the list. I was curious to learn if more or fewer than 35 percent of these largest companies had incorporated during a period of economic contraction.\n\nAre you ready? Forty-six percent of the Fortune 100 incorporated during a downturn.\n\nIt gets better: 52 percent of the Fortune 50, 64 percent of the Fortune 25 and seven of the Fortune 10 all opened their doors while economic pain was all around them.\n\nSo what does this analysis mean? I have reached two conclusions:\n\nFirst, if you are pining to start a company that you believe can scale to be one of the world's most dominant firms, you shouldn't be afraid to start it in a recession.\n\nSecond, watch your back. That 35 percent of the nation's 500 largest public companies launched during a period like the one we're in is stark evidence that\u2014the recession notwithstanding\u2014competitors are starting up all around you.\n\nIf you would like a slide recapping the data, just send me an e-mail.
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- helpful votes
- The Asylum Tales, Book 1
- By: Jocelynn Drake
- Narrated by: Michael Urie
- Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
Looking for a tattoo - and maybe a little something extra: a burst of good luck, a dollop of true love, or even a hex on an ex? Head to the quiet and mysterious Gage, the best skin artist in town. Using unique potions - a blend of extraordinary ingredients and special inks - to etch the right symbol, he can fulfill any heart's desire. But in a place like Low Town, where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires happily walk among humanity, everything has its price. No one knows that better than Gage.
If your into Sci-fy & tattoos get this book!
- By Kent on 11-19-12
Paint by numbers and bad at it
The story was eye-rollingly predictable and wasn't even well enough polished to be interesting at it.
The Voice actor performance was fairly bad. His protagonist voice was good, but all of his accents and female voices were atrocious. The main female voice sounded like a 12 year old boy impersonating his sister.
The low point was a 20 minute long sex scene in the middle of the book. It was boring. It was predictable. It made me cringe so hard I skipped 30+ seconds at a time until I go through the scene.
The World Walker
- The World Walker Series, Book 1
- By: Ian W. Sainsbury
- Narrated by: Todd Boyce
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
Just outside Los Angeles, a prisoner hidden away for 70 years sits up, gets off the bed and disappears through a solid wall. In Australia, a magician impresses audiences by producing real elephants. Nobody realizes it's not an illusion. Across the world, individuals and organizations with supernatural power suddenly detect the presence of something even they can't understand. At the center of it all, Seb Varden, a 32-year old musician with a secret in his past, slits his wrists, is shot dead and run over on the freeway.
- By DobieChuck on 01-15-17
Good performance, good writing, tepid story
The audio performer is great. The author's technical skills are also fine (his word choice is interesting, descriptions are great, and so on).
But the actual story is something I'd have been embarrassed to read on the back of a cereal box as a sci-obsessed kid.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
- The Immortal Series, Book 1
- By: Gene Doucette
- Narrated by: Steve Carlson
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
Surviving 60,000 years takes cunning and more than a little luck. But in the 21st century, Adam confronts new dangers - someone has found out what he is, a demon is after him, and he has run out of places to hide. Worst of all, he has had entirely too much to drink.
Great story that will make you think about life!
- By MJP on 12-22-16
Good performance of a dull story
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
The author plays with the aspect of a thousands years old immortal, and starts fine. But after about 2/3 of the book, it begins to wear thin. You'll get 2 paragraphs of the in media res story line, then he will flash back to the 'normal' time line for 10 pages, only to do a throwaway, unrelated, side story for 20 pages, back to the current for 10 pages, repeat.
It's interesting at first, but the gimmick wears thin when the character starts to know every single historical famous person to have ever existed, and had brunch (or sex) with them. It's also frustrating because the story goes nowhere, and it does so at an infuriatingly slow pace.
There is a good amount of very interesting world building going on in the novel, but it's hampered by the authors incessant need for navel gazing. It's like having your dotage age grandparents explain the great depression; the core story is compelling but they won't stop spitting out meaningless asides and side stories long enough to tell it.
Would you ever listen to anything by Gene Doucette again?
Possibly; the writing style is good and technically competent, if a bit dull.
Have you listened to any of Steve Carlson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I've never listened to his performances before, but he was quite good.
Could you see Immortal being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
This is the single most idiotic question I've ever been asked.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
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Pakistan Muslim League senior leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi has raised a voice against growing VVIP culture which is deeply rooted in the regime of the Sharif brothers.
“More than 10,000 cops are on VIP/VIIP duty. That is more than 40 per cent of the total number of police in Lahore. It is unfortunate that the security of 10million people of Punjab is seriously being compromised because of this step of the PML-N Punjab government . But who cares in the N-League government as it is busy making fast bucks and planning to extend its rule,” Moonis Elahi said.
“Most of Lahore police strength which was meant to fight crime is currently providing security cover to VIPs/VVIPs. Most of the beneficiaries of the police force are parliamentarians, politicians, judicial officers, foreigners, top civil administration and VIP personalities,” a senior police officer told Dawn.
The officer said about 90 vehicles of the Lahore police and 70 of Elite Force are being used by `unauthorised’ people. “In the absence of these official vans, the personnel at the police station level are forced to use private vehicles or motorbikes to discharge their duties. In addition, the fuel meant for the Lahore police vehicles is also being consumed by the unauthorised people in the name of protocol duties. Lahore police’s total strength of 26,300 is supposed to fight crime, maintain law and order and provide security to the lives and properties of some 10 million people.”
Like Moonis other politicians should also come forward and raise this issue vigorously. There has been a point in Moonis’ words… that politicians or other VIIPs should spend from their pocket and hire private guards for their security (if they want it) instead of engaging cops for their security at the expense of the tax payers money… which is cruel.
Courtesy: Pak Destiny
Team Moonis Elahi
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Shoutout to drel for the fic name and to @MagnusTesla for being a lovely bean and giving feedback on this
Cross-posted to ao3.
“Iruka,” a sing-song voice called. “Go out with me.”
Iruka squinted upwards from where he had been crouched on the ground, scratching out the kanji for ‘prayer’ in the dirt for the child next to him to clumsily mimic. Kakashi leant over him, a grin sprawling easy and expectant across his face. From where he stood, his head just about blocked off the glare of the sun, making the grey on his head turn mirror-shard silver.
“How could I say no when you’re asking me so nicely,” Iruka sighed theatrically. He got up to his feet nonetheless. Usually, he was the one who had to track Kakashi down, not the other way around; he must have lost track of time. “We’ll continue this tomorrow then, Naruto. Don’t forget to practice.”
“Ugh, homework?” Naruto scrunched up his grubby face. “You don’t let me do nothing 'cept homework!”
“Then when I come back you’d better be able to write every single kanji I just taught you,” Iruka said mildly. The pained groaning from Naruto came almost on cue. “That’s what I thought.”
“Well, you think badly!” Naruto shot onto his feet from where he had been dramatically rolling around on the ground to emphasise how terrible Iruka’s suggestion was. “Hey, hey — I could go with you guys! Like the old times.” His eyes, bright and eager, immediately turned to include Kakashi. “You know I’m super helpful!”
Iruka felt hesitation raise its insidious head. Naruto would be helpful, certainly — an extra pair of eyes out there was always helpful.
Still. He moved before Naruto could recognise and think of twisting it to his favour. “We’ll be fine on our own,” he said firmly. “Practice what I just taught you.”
“But Iruka,” Naruto whined, drawing out the syllables of Iruka’s name.
“You can’t learn to read if you’re running about in the wild. I mean it,” he added when Naruto attempted to renew his protests. “Run along now.”
The corners of Naruto’s mouth drew together in a childish pout, but he didn’t press the matter. “You gotta come back real fast then!” He challenged. “I’ll memorise everything you taught me! Then — then you can bring me along next time!”
Naruto would do no such thing but Iruka had little doubt that he’d give it his best attempt. He tried not to look too amused when he advised, “You better get started then.”
“I know,” Naruto yelled. Iruka marvelled at how one little boy could make yelling sound petulant. “You better get going!”
“I’m just giving you a head start.”
“Don’t need it!” Naruto turned away from them, looking for all purposes as though he was about to tackle the gargantuan enemy known as kanji that was spread all over the ground. Then again, Iruka supposed that many a kanji character would undoubtedly be butchered under the chicken scratch that was Naruto’s amateur attempts at handwriting.
But then Naruto stopped in his tracks. He turned around and pointed, not at Iruka but at Kakashi.
“Take care of him,” he told Kakashi. “No, you and Iruka-nii better take care of each other!”
For all the times Naruto had said it, it never failed to make Iruka feel a fizzle of warmth that Naruto considered him his brother. From the first crackle of a faded voice over a radio held together by duct tape and willpower promising sanctuary for anyone who could reach them to the day their rickety boat survived the waves and washed up on that promised shore, through barren wasteland, wilting plains and sunken swamps, Naruto had transformed from some feral thing skittering about the edges of Konoha into a child that could be persuaded that manners were helpful in communicating to people what he wanted rather than snarling at them.
Iruka had not been left unscathed: he had left Konoha as someone deeply resentful of his losses with someone he thought of an annoyance on the better days — to someone who had found a family in this boy.
If it only took a literal apocalypse, well.
He turned to Kakashi. In the visible sliver of his face but more tellingly in his eye, Iruka could see that same warmth that Naruto held him in the same regard. That he was important enough to Naruto to warrant his care.
That warmth remained as Kakashi promised, for the both of them: “we will.”
This was the way the world ended: slowly, in the cracks of the parched ground, in dust.
Iruka had been young enough to have vague memories of a world when water was easily accessible from shiny metal faucets and plastic bottles with pictures of mountains on them. When water was constantly clean, clear of debris and the grit of sand and dirt; when water was plenty, that he could go to sleep without the dryness in his throat and wake up without that dryness turning into knives. Fields of grass and trees reaching upwards into the sky were plenty then, their green foliage throwing patterns onto the ground; he remembered playing under those trees, how they provided relief from the heat of the sun in the form of cool shade.
Then power plants all over the world exploded and everything went to hell.
The bits and pieces of the whys and hows came out later when people were looking for the right direction to point their fingers. For the past decade or so, some power plants had operated by extracting energy out of creatures of limitless energy. Such creatures were undoubtedly unhappy to be kept in captivity and used as little more as generators. Later details were less clear: perhaps they rose up against their captor and their surroundings by laying waste to both, or perhaps they had suffered their life-force drained from them until there was nothing left to drain — and then, like a star, they exploded and left only destruction in their wake.
It sounded fantastical but it made a lot more sense than all the nuclear power plants exploded across the world all at once and left wildly varying regional climate changes. But even then no one was arguing how the world ended when they were figuring out how to live through it.
Fortune or misfortune, Iruka’s parents died in the very first explosion. They had been employed at the local power plant and had likely been at the forefront of the blast. Despite how he had repeatedly hurled himself at the metal door of the bunker he had been corralled into, how it shook and glowed and threatened to melt, somewhere in his denial Iruka had known that his parents could not have survived.
And — fortune or misfortune, Iruka survived. Of all the bunkers that half the population of Konoha had managed to throw themselves into, his bunker was one of the few that was just far enough to withstand the heat of the explosion. The doors to the rest had melted into something unidentifiable, immoveable; from within, the scent of burnt flesh wafted through.
But that was years ago. Years of scavenging and scrounging and scrabbling through the blackened ruins of Konoha. Of watching the trees that had been burnt into jagged silhouettes of their former selves crumble, and the leaves on the remaining trees wilt and wither away, dropping down from branches that could barely support their own sickly and infested weight. He watched as the Naka river reduced itself into a trickle navigating its uncertain way through the silt and trash left at the bottom of the riverbed, barely enough to wet the lips with.
Now, he was here with Kakashi as they picked their way through the ruins of a seaside village that might have once supported artisanal fishing. The villages of Mizu were too far from Konoha to know how droughts took every bit of water from the soil and the air, but they had not been left unscathed. Their disaster had been tsunamis, relentless and recurring, to the point that staying had been as good as a promise of dying. It made Iruka wonder in his more morbid moments whether he would have preferred to have been burnt alive or to drown in a tide that swept an entire world away.
“We could bring these nets back,” Iruka said dubiously as he scraped the stumps of candle wax off a mantle and into a small cloth pouch. They could bring it back to Uzushio and melt it down into a whole candle, the only choice available when no one knew how to make tallow. “Maybe Tako-san could fix and use them.”
“Or maybe she’d grumble our ears off for bringing her back a mess of a cat’s cradle to unravel.” Kakashi drawled as he poked disinterestedly around the corners of the house. Still, he grabbed the tangle of nets off the table and attempted to wrangle its knots and furls into his sack. “Worse come to worst, maybe they’d make good kindling.”
“Everything makes good kindling to you,” Iruka said dryly. He drew the strings of the pouch together and tucked it away into his pocket. Kakashi unfurled himself from where he had been hunched over the table. “I haven’t seen anything you wouldn’t call good kindling.”
“That’s because everything makes very good kindling,” Kakashi replied lightly as they stepped neatly over floorboards overgrown with moss and out of the only building that was able to withstand the tides.
It was only until later that Kakashi finally mentioned, “so, prayer?”
Iruka grunted as they lifted the wooden beam that had fallen over a mound of trash and tossed it into the sea. It splashed loudly into the water before sinking down into the depths. “What?”
“Prayer. You know.” The clatter began as they began sorting through the mess, trash from treasure. There was a lot of trash. “The kanji you were teaching Naruto.”
Iruka peered at a tattered piece of cloth before shaking his head. It was tiring work, to pick out what could be salvaged from what seemed like detritus for miles. But until someone figured how to produce the things they lacked, it was a necessary task.
“What about it?” He tossed the cloth and did not watch it float away on the ebb and flow of the waves, reaching for the next item closest to his hand. Kakashi did not answer. Either he was preoccupied with picking the glass shards out of the trash so that Iruka could focus on the remaining pile or he was contemplating how to phrase what he was about to say. He had travelled long enough with the man to know his capabilities for multi-tasking to hazard it was the latter.
“It doesn’t seem useful,” Kakashi finally said bluntly.
Iruka should have guessed. A flare of defensiveness rose up within him.
“What would be useful to teach then,” he said curtly, knowing he was not too successful at curbing the irritation in his tone. “Go on. I’m all ears.”
There was the shifting of cloth as Kakashi shrugged at him. “Other words. Like ‘biohazard’. Or ‘radiation’. Or ‘silica gel’.”
Iruka paused, his mounting irascibility temporarily halted. “Silica gel?”
Kakashi nodded in all apparent solemnity. “Silica gel, do not eat,” he intoned.
Sometimes, there was a fine line between Kakashi’s playful banter and his actual concern.
“Naruto’s not going to eat something that’s already labelled ‘do not eat’,” Iruka said with all the confidence he would have in a teenager who could be dared to swallow a fish whole. Who had been dared to do just that and actually went through with it. “I hope.”
“He wouldn’t,” Kakashi agreed. “But I meant. Silica gel is a desiccant — a substance that absorbs moisture,” Kakashi amended, upon seeing Iruka’s face. One of them had a secondary, even tertiary, education and it was not Iruka. “It keeps things dry. If we come across any.”
Desiccant, Iruka repeated to himself. But desiccant wasn’t the word that Kakashi wanted Iruka to teach Naruto, no. Words of warning, words of identification — words that would be of practical use when Naruto reached the age of 16 and would have his name added into the roster of supply runs, one much like the run Iruka and Kakashi were on right now.
Or their ‘dates’, as Kakashi liked to call it. In the fine line between Kakashi’s hyperboles and his quiet truths, Iruka tended to err on the side of caution. But he did wonder about a world where Kakashi could mean ‘dates’ as something more intimate, personal, private — as finding pleasure in each other’s company rather than finding company to suffer a task. And he wondered whether there was a reason Kakashi would insist on Iruka as his partner on his supply runs and Iruka only, months after they integrated into Uzushio and made a circle of friends and acquaintances larger than just Iruka and Naruto.
“You’d want to toss that,” Kakashi added helpfully, jerking Iruka from his thoughts. Iruka looked down and realised he had been holding the remains of a cardboard box, torn through and tattered. He followed Kakashi’s advice. “Look… how likely is Naruto to come across the word ‘prayer’?”
Not very likely. Iruka huffed out a laugh and Kakashi looked at him askance.
“Could you believe that I asked my teacher that?” He shook his head as he remembered fondly old Sarutobi Hiruzen — who had expected to see his grandsons grow up but ended up outliving his entire clan as the last of them. He had passed away a few years later but not before he gathered up the children that remained of Konoha and taught them as much as he could: not only of reading and writing and mathematics but also of tradition and history and what it meant to keep to them. “Not exactly that, but I asked him why would we need to learn to read when all the reading materials already burnt into a crisp.”
“And what did he say?” Kakashi asked, seemingly detached — belied by the genuine interest in his eye.
“Reading was one of the only ways humanity could survive.” Iruka picked out the curved plastic blades of what was once an entire fan and placed it aside. Perhaps one day when someone worked out how to build a rotor they could come back for it. "The best way to learn is from a master of the trade. But everyone’s dead or dying or could die someday. Reading and writing allow us to pass those skills on without worrying that our knowledge would die with us.
“And,” he added, “knowing a lot of kanji helps to reduce the kanji we don’t know. Which helps in understanding context. I wouldn’t say it’s useless to learn the kanji for words that he might not find in this world now.” A glint of light reflecting off something caught his eye; he leant forward and began to dig through the mound to get to it. Kakashi’s hands joined his soon enough, helping him lift the heavier debris that might be trapping whatever laid underneath. “But if he lives beyond us, then I hope by then we’d have a reason for him to use that word for others to read after him.”
His fingertips hit the cool surface of metal. Iruka wiped away at the dust that settled on its embossed surface to reveal the colourful print of a cookie tin.
“I did teach Naruto to read ‘biohazard’ and ‘radiation’ though.” He began tugging the cookie tin out of the pile. Hopefully… “I gotta admit, I didn’t think about silica gel. I should teach him that next.”
“Let me come up with an example sentence for you,” Kakashi said as he leant over for a better grip on a particularly large piece of driftwood that had been uncovered in their digging, all the better to toss it aside. “I pray that Naruto would not eat silica gel.”
Iruka snorted but there was a small relief in that snort. If Kakashi remained opposed to Iruka’s lessons, he would have stood his ground. Likely he was satisfied that Iruka also kept practicality in mind when thinking of what to teach Naruto.
He tugged at the cookie tin once more. This time it slid out of the pile of trash, wholly intact save for the concave dent of its lid. An intact box that could hold water was enticing enough, but its contents were what Iruka was hoping would enthral. With eager fingers, he pried the lid open. Nestled within were spools of threads of varying hues, all miraculously dry, and needles that glinted silver and unrusted in the afternoon sun.
“Jackpot,” he crowed.
Kakashi craned his head to peer inside the tin. “Good eye,” he commented, and behind that mask was a smile Iruka knew matched Iruka’s own.
"Here." Kakashi shoved a bottle of water under Iruka's nose. "Drink."
Iruka waved it away absently. “I’m not thirsty,” he told Kakashi.
They were perched just shy of the edge of the cliff that overlooked the sprawling expanse of the coastline. When the sun began to set, the both of them turned away from the piles of trash and began their trek inland, past the skeletons of salt-stained snags and up into the protective barrier of the wave-battered cliffs. Now that they had the luxury of safety, far off in the horizon he could see the distinct outline of waves, little more than an inch tall from their vantage point. It was difficult to imagine those small waves finally sweeping inwards to land and reaching several meters in height.
As tall as a skyscraper, Iruka had described once to Naruto — only to realise that Naruto had never had the chance to see a skyscraper. That Iruka’s own memories of them were fading too.
“Iruka,” Kakashi insisted. He turned back to see Kakashi still holding the bottle out to him. “It’s been hours since you last drank something. You’re getting dehydrated. Drink.”
I’m not dehydrated, Iruka thought to say, but Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. He pressed his lips together — a sign that had come to mean that he wanted Iruka to do the same — a request that Iruka obliged. In the time they spent travelling towards Uzushio, dehydration was an issue Iruka constantly faced despite the three full bottles of water he kept on him; this little test was one Kakashi devised for both him and Naruto to persuade them to drink.
His finger traced against the dry and cracked skin of his lips. Iruka sighed and took the bottle reluctantly from Kakashi, as agreed. He kept it in his hand, but did not move to uncap it; its weight was too much of a comfort and reassurance on his palm.
Kakashi sat down next to him, staring out at the same view that arrested Iruka only moments prior. “I’ve another three bottles on me,” he told Iruka in a level tone. “There’s also a creek not far from here. We can detour and refill the bottles tomorrow on the way down.”
What if that creek is poisoned, Iruka did not say out loud. What if the tsunami comes and washes all the freshwater away? What if Konoha happens again and we’re left with no water? It was irrational, he knew. It was a response borne out of worry over things that were unlikely to happen. But his brain obsessed over and incessantly calculated the days and months he could ration out the seven bottles they had on them, factoring even more unlikely scenarios that might diminish their meagre supply. A bottle leaking, a waterborne virus contaminating the bottles, Kakashi taking all the bottles and leaving —
(That had happened once before. Not Kakashi, no, but someone Iruka had trusted not to let him die of thirst.)
“They gave us those water cleansing tablets, so we could drop that in the creek water as a precaution,” Kakashi was still saying. He did not look at Iruka, did not demand him to drink it already, drink faster, what are you waiting for. Instead, he continued looking out at the sea. “I still remember how to purify water. We just need some charcoal, sand, gravel,” and he continued listing off what they needed to make a water filter and how. “I think it should work on saltwater…”
Iruka let out a shuddering breath. With one surging motion, he uncapped the bottle and before he could hesitate again he took a sip. Then a gulp when his throat demanded another taste, and then another and another and another as it insisted on more water, please, more.
Kakashi fell silent as Iruka drank, as he finally gave his body what it had been crying out for, cries that he had learnt to ignore. When Iruka drank down half, he tipped the mouth of the bottle away from himself and held it out to Kakashi. He was met by a quizzical glance.
“For Naruto,” Iruka only said and watched as Kakashi’s eye softened in understanding.
Water tied them together, him and Kakashi and Naruto. Fire was a land that gave no quarters to its inhabitants, but Wave was a land of bridges over rivers and lakes that could have once been called a sea. Though those rivers and lakes were mere shells of their former selves, they had overwhelmed Iruka and Naruto when the only water they had known were the murky waters of a well that could be charitably described as dry. It was there that they first learnt that just because water looked clean did not mean it was clean.
Kakashi had found them lying on the side of that dusty road, curled up in foetal positions with vomit drying on their mouths. He had stood over them and stared at their prone forms for so long that Iruka didn’t know if he wanted to tell him to kill them off already or beg him to bring Naruto as close to Uzushio as he could take the boy. To Iruka’s delirious surprise, the man ended up nursing both Naruto and Iruka back to relative health. Then he showed them what could be eaten and what could be used, tugged them back from pitfalls and tangles of ivy before they could step into them, and guided them all the way past the crumbling ends of the road up to the muddied river that marked the boundaries of a fallen country.
And when Iruka asked him hesitantly if he wanted to come with them, Kakashi nodded once and followed them right out of Wave.
It made a marked difference how Kakashi easily pulled his mask down as he accepted the bottle with his other hand when he had previously been furtive and guarded. Iruka remembered being frustrated by his short answers and his grunts of affirmation when ‘yes’ seemed too arduous to articulate — but at some point those short answers had grown longer and even humorous, startling a smile or even a laugh out of Iruka. It had been funny to see Kakashi startled at very reactions he received; it had been enlightening to realise that his brusque demeanour was a cover for his awkwardness borne from surviving on his own for years; and it had been welcome to be privy to the process of Kakashi lowering his guard, to him becoming the verbose thorn in Iruka’s side today.
An annoyance Kakashi had become — but one that Iruka relied on and hoped that Kakashi relied just as much on him. There were still many things Kakashi kept to himself, like where he had been during the beginning of the end or why he was so attached to wear a mask at all times, but Iruka would not trade him for any other supply run partner — for anyone else.
He let his eyes fall away from that now-familiar face, turning his gaze outwards to the rapidly approaching waves that were threatening to crash down against the village they had been in mere hours ago, and wash its way up towards the cliff-face they were now perched on. It made him remember how close he was to dying — how close they all were, in this hostile new world — it made him wonder what was holding him back for asking for things that might be in his reach.
“You know,” Kakashi suddenly said. “I always thought that the end of the world would have more conflict.”
Iruka turned back to Kakashi, who left his mask down. Back in Uzushio, he would have dragged it back up as quickly as he could, but here in the open with only Iruka for company, he seemed content to let it hang around his neck. “I don’t know if you ever heard them, but those doomsday prophets always yelled about fire and brimstone. And whenever someone said apocalypse, everyone would generally think of zombies.”
Iruka vaguely remembered zombies. He remembered snatches of a movie where men staggered around with lesions on their bodies and bit other people, and was so terrified that his mother had banned zombie movies from the house. “A lot of fighting, then?”
“With zombies, but mostly with people. People are selfish, people are greedy, people would put themselves first. That’s how they survive.” He stared out at the waves, now nothing less than recognizable as a tsunami come to call every night on Water’s coastline. “I don’t think that anyone reckoned they had to fight nature itself.”
“I’m not sure if anyone’s won yet,” Iruka tried to joke.
“They have.” Kakashi breathed in, deep, and Iruka knew that in that breath the salty breeze of the ocean had begun to weave itself into the scent of the forest and loam. “Uzushio. I think they won.”
It did not feel like a gentle jibe of the settlement they had now come to call home, but something more sincere. “How do you mean?”
“They’ve built a community,” Kakashi said simply. “They built a bastion of stability through cooperation. That’s… that’s more than a lot of places can say. It’s not perfect, of course. But they have one. And I,” he sighed. “I’m good at surviving. I know how to kill somebody or something to stay alive But that’s not living, not really. Even before the world ended, I don’t think I’ve ever been good at living. But…”
“But,” Iruka prompted.
“But I want to be,” Kakashi finally admitted.
Iruka turned to look at Kakashi, to really look at him. Kakashi looked back at him, his gaze steady, as steady as the ground beneath their feet. Far, far below them, the first wave crested and rushed down towards the foot of the cliff, sending water halfway up its surface and sea spray into the air.
“Uzushio’s a good place to try,” Iruka offered. To his surprise, Kakashi shook his head.
“I’ve… I’ve been trying for a while now,” he said as water flowed down the cliff face, as it was inexorably drawn back towards the sea. “Ever since I met you and Naruto. If we haven’t met that day…” He took another deep breath. “I don’t know if there is a better time to say this, or if there ever will be one. But… I want to be part of something. Part of Uzushio, even. But only if you’re there too. Only with Naruto, and with you.”
Far away, the waves began building up again to their towering heights; further away, the moon hung fat and heavy in the sky, spilling moonlight across Kakashi’s face. It matched the hope that bubbled up within Iruka’s throat, that Kakashi was asking what Iruka had thought to ask only a few moments prior — that in many issues they might not see eye to eye but at the very least in this, they did.
“I’d like that too,” he said. “For all of us. With all of us.” And it was Kakashi’s smile, small and tentative and hopeful, and Iruka’s own hope that made Iruka cross that line, to say further, “but I’d like more than that, too.”
Kakashi’s eye widened. In that moment Iruka had never felt more certain and sure-footed, not even when they had stepped off the rickety boat they had rowed past the channel and onto Uzushio’s land for the first time. In this moment of vulnerability, there was no better time to ask: “So, would you go out with me?”
“When you ask so nicely,” Kakashi echoed, but he was grinning so fiercely and uncontrollably that Iruka could not help but match it. He leant in and placed his hand over Kakashi’s, and his heart thrilled at how Kakashi immediately turned his palm upwards to cradle Iruka’s burn-scarred hand in his own. “How could I say no?”
Beneath them, the waves began to roar as they fell down once more; between them, Iruka’s smile turned fonder. Gentler. “Even if Uzushio falls,” he promised, “I’ll go with you. As long as we can build a home to return to.”
“That sounds,” Kakashi started as the crash of water against unyielding rock drowned the rest of his words out, as sea spray flung into the air and over the both of them once more. As his hand squeezed Iruka’s, a warm and steady presence, always. “That sounds good.”
"So..." Kakashi said slowly as they crouched over the rocky edge of the creek, filling up their empty water bottles. "Would you consider this a first date?"
Iruka peered at the water within the transparent bottle that they had. It seemed clean enough. Kakashi’s filter, a funny little thing made of bark and twine and everything else Kakashi had listed out yesterday, was certainly useful. Iruka could get some practice in making it.
“Iruka,” Kakashi cajoled. “I need to know whether this is our first date. I have to record it for posterity.”
“With what calendar?”
“With the calendar of my heart,” Kakashi declared, unforgivably cheesy. "Every day is an anniversary for such a special occasion. Today is the one-day anniversary of our torrid confession of passion for each other. Tomorrow will be its two-days anniversary. In seven days it would be the one-week anniversary — "
“I don’t remember our confession being ‘torrid’,” Iruka pointed out. “I remember it being cold and windy. Very wet too.”
“It certainly was wet down below,” Kakashi leered.
Iruka had wondered if there would be any difference in their usual banter after last night’s wet confession but Kakashi seemed content to continue his dramatic antics. Just as well — Iruka hadn’t wanted anything to truly change, not when they had become so comfortable in each other’s presence and companionship.
Well, he reflected later as they took the trek back to the fishing village and Kakashi’s hand reached for his own, not just anything.
“So, is it?” It seemed as though Kakashi was far from done with his wheedling. “Is this our first date?”
“I don’t know,” Iruka sighed. “I mean, you did ask me out on so many dates already, didn’t you?” He watched in unabashed glee as Kakashi protested that those weren’t real dates, even though it fulfilled the dictionary definition of one: the two of them spending time in each other’s company. Lucky that Kakashi didn’t demand which dictionary, because Iruka wasn’t quite sure either.
He cut Kakashi’s protests short by tugging him closer. “Do you want it to be?”
Kakashi blinked. “What?”
“Our first date,” Iruka repeated and was amused to see the visible skin of Kakashi’s cheek tint a light pink. “Do you want it to be our first date?” Before he could listen for a reply, Iruka tilted his head at the sea of trash before them. “Sorting through trash is so very romantic, don’t you think?”
He’d expected another squawk of protest, or perhaps a tangent on sorting through trash was a bonding activity that was the thrill of finding something valuable in the millions of generic others, just like true love. Or something. Iruka didn’t know. But instead, Kakashi cocked his head and said so very smoothly, “sorting through trash to find things to build our home with could be very romantic, don’t you think?”
Cheesy. It was cheesy, but it was Iruka’s turn to feel heat steal up his cheeks. Unlike Kakashi, he did not have the privilege of hiding behind a mask.
“It could be,” he replied. But… “Still, do you really want it to be?”
“Well,” Kakashi drawled. “I do have a plan for something a little more romantic. Just a little bit. So maybe we can start our first date later. On our way home.”
“Only just a little?” Iruka teased, smiling. “I’ll have something to look forward to then.”
Their first date. Iruka couldn’t wait.
Iruka, sweetie, actually nuclear powerplants exploding sound a bit more reasonable than random tailed beasts going amok. Then again, we all know what the truth is.
Kakashi is all like everything makes good kindling but when he finds the only copy of Icha Icha Paradise left in an overgrown manor, guess who’s guarding that shit with his life?
Cookie tin: you’ll find this in asian households, those colorful cookie tins will often be opened not to reveal butter cookies but sewing supplies. good (disappointing) times
Thanks for reading!
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By JEFFREY COLLINS
SASSAFRAS MOUNTAIN, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina's highest peak isn't very majestic. But state wildlife officials want to change that.
The Department of Natural Resources is planning a fundraising effort to build an observation tower atop Sassafras Mountain. The tower would rise above the trees at the 3,553-foot peak. It would allow visitors a 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge mountains and valleys and South Carolina's scenic Jocassee (Joh-KAS'-ee) Gorges.
No permanent plans for the tower have been made yet. DNR doesn't want to spend any state money on the project, so officials are trying to figure out how much they can raise privately before deciding how big and elaborate the observation tower can be.
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Spending the last few weeks in Europe, my strong impression is that the present crisis will not end up with it becoming more unified by planting the seeds of a European Ministry of Finance, issuing "European" bonds, and coordinating actions with the ECB.
Rather, the European governments will use a variety of short-term bandages and somehow muddle through, for a while. And then, facing an even bigger crisis, the present E.U. experiment will go up in a puff of smoke. What seems to be utterly missing in Europe at present is any sense of purpose. No politicians in any country are able to convey a vision of a model of a successful and prosperous society
Paradoxically though, the euro could survive, if eventually anchored in gold, while the now member states of the European Community will each go their own way to find their fiscal solutions. This would not be too surprising as Europe had historically embraced variations of the gold standard, though far from any notion of a "community."
Mark Twain's "History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes" is an aphorism that is constantly in the back of my mind. Unless one finds a point of reference, there are an infinite number of lines along which to extrapolate. So bear with me, because some of the rhymes that lead me to reach the above conclusions are truly from distant pasts.
The first thing that strikes me in Europe is the constant whining and the expectation that the government must find solutions to everything. Never mind that governments' coffers are empty and their access to credit limited. Of course we have plenty of whining on this side of the Atlantic too.
One difference though is that on this side of the pond there is a sense of hope and purpose that are hard to detect in Europe. Google, Apple, Facebook, Yahoo and Amazon, the entrepreneurial drive behind them, the access to capital to grow and execute, finding solutions to tough problems, are symbols of that difference in drive. In France, by contrast, the blah-blah debate is about "de-globalization" and Martine Aubry, the leading socialist party candidate, the architect of the 35-hour work-week.
The "kvetching" about the good, old times when Western employees did not have to compete with hundreds of millions of Asians and Latin Americans, when students could spend years at universities disposing of their time in frivolous and idle ways and adopting just about any opinion and obscure jargons thrown to them by equally sheltered academics, when Keynesian money seemed to be growing on trees, reminded me of nothing more than the Jewish people, who, about to enter the Promised Land, did not stop complaining: "Who will feed us the meat? Remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions and garlic?" (Numbers 11:4, 5).
To a fed-up Moses' surprise, God tells him that the solution would come by choosing 70 men from the elders. I am not suggesting that this would rhyme with Christine Lagarde descending with 70 IMF bureaucrats on poor Europe. Heavens, no. The rhyme is elsewhere.
Moses led the Jews out from Egyptian slavery and presented them with the option of freedom and responsibility. Not an easy task. First he wandered around for forty years to get rid of the generation brought up with the "being a slave" mentality. Then he found himself with a new generation who no longer had the slave mentality, but had lost their work ethic having received constant manna from heaven.
Just as with Mao's uniforms, having this limited menu must have bored them to death too, even if, apparently, manna could have a variety of tastes. To wit: there are no free lunches in this world, even if physically the manna seemed so. Slave mentality was lost, but whining laziness replaced it.
The Western Europeans had it pretty good until twenty years ago. Capital, financial and human, was escaping from the rest of the world to them, the U.S., and Australia. This allowed even the laziest and less skilled to get paid far more than their efforts and competence were worth because they had increased negotiated powers relative to the skilled and ambitious, who had no other places to move. This situation provided the "manna." And, with communist threats and memories of WWII at their doorstep, the Western Europeans kept some sense of purpose. These are the parallels of memories of slavery.
And then, all this was gone with the winds of history. Greater freedoms came, but to what purpose?
What the 70 men had to achieve was just that: Show the new generation that the elusive notion of national freedom will be compatible with individual perspective and achievement. Somehow they managed to do this.
That is how Joshua could then lead the Jews from boring manna to the Promised Land of Milk and Honey. Note: not Oil and Gold. And this promise is for good reasons too. Milk and Honey are returns on capital. One must groom the hive of bees, the cows, and use one’s brains to sustain them in arid lands. In other words, you must be entrepreneurial and you must execute.
The European tribes, given greater freedoms the last twenty years, failed to use their gifts. They had it too easy. Now, in this or the next crisis, they will have to find their own arrangements, relying on their particular culture and institutions. If they are lucky, they will stumble upon leaders who could reinvigorate their soul.
Future weeks' columns will be about finding the far narrower parallels for helping solve monetary and financial affairs.
Reuven Brenner holds the Repap Chair at McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management. His last book is A World of Chance (Cambridge UP, 2008).
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How the Game Is Played
How the Game Is Played
To play Pitch, you will need at least three players and a standard deck of 52 playing cards. The deck is typically shuffled thoroughly before the game begins to ensure fairness. Once the deck is ready, the players gather around a table, and the dealer is chosen. The dealer rotates clockwise after each hand to give everyone an equal opportunity to deal. This game is usually played with a partner, so it is ideal to have two teams with 2 players each.
Bidding, Taking Tricks and Scoring Points
The game starts with a bidding process that determines the trump suit for the round. The trump suit is a suit that carries special privileges and outranks other suits during gameplay. The bidding process adds an element of strategy and excitement to the game, as players aim to secure the winning bid and assume the role of the pitcher.
The bidding starts with the player to the left of the dealer, and each player has the chance to either make a bid or pass. The bid represents the number of points the player believes they can earn in the upcoming round. The bids typically start at one and increase incrementally, with each player having to either increase the bid or pass.
The bidding continues in a clockwise manner until all players but one have passed. The last player remaining with a bid becomes the pitcher for that round. The pitcher has the privilege of selecting the trump suit for the round, giving them an advantage in gameplay.
Once the trump suit is determined, the game proceeds with the playing of tricks. A trick consists of each player playing one card, and the player with the highest-ranking card of the lead suit or the highest-ranking trump card wins the trick. The winning player collects the trick, sets it aside, and leads the next trick.
During each trick, players must follow suit if they have a card of the lead suit. However, if a player does not have a card of the lead suit, they can play any card from their hand, including a trump card. The use of trump cards adds a strategic element to the game, as players try to gauge the optimal timing and value of playing their trump cards.
Once all the tricks have been played, the round concludes, and the players proceed to count their points. Each card carries a specific point value, with face cards often worth more points than numbered cards. The exact point values may vary depending on the specific variation of Pitch being played. Additionally, teams can earn bonus points based on the margin of victory, further incentivising strategic gameplay.
The points earned in each round contribute to the overall score. The game continues until a player or team reaches the predetermined score, which is typically set at 52 points. Upon reaching or surpassing this score, the player or team is declared the winner of the game.
Pitch offers an intriguing blend of strategy, skill, and luck. Successful players must carefully consider their bids, make wise card choices during tricks, and adapt their strategies based on the ever-changing dynamics of the game. As players gain experience and familiarity with the nuances of Pitch, they can develop their own unique playing styles and strategies, adding depth and excitement to each hand.
Now that you have a solid understanding of how Pitch is played, it’s time to gather your friends or family, grab a deck of cards, and dive into the thrilling world of this beloved card game. May your bids be strategic, your tricks be successful, and your enjoyment be endless as you embark on countless memorable Pitch adventures.
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The Metro Tas app brings together trip planning, Greencard ticketing and real time network updates in one place.
The Metro Tas app provides personalised trip planning to allow you to quickly and easily plan your journey. You can favourite your home and work locations for easy access and also save a start and end point combination for trips you take regularly.
In addition to trip planning, you can also used the app to access your Greencard account balance, view your journey history and top-up your credit on the go.
Finally the app pulls in updates regarding Metro Tasmania's buses and schedules. This will show current alerts and notices in real time so you always have the latest information.
Improve location lookup and autocomplete.
Ratings and Reviews
Used to be perfect, now is poopy
This app used to work perfectly until the beginning of this year. Now it constantly spits out incorrect information, ie wrong time, wrong stop, wrong day, or decides on a completely illogical combination of buses. Particularly bad after about 4pm.
It was incredibly useful when it worked, but now that's only occasional.
GPS tracking would make this 5 star
This morning as I was walking to the bus stop I saw a bus fly past and I was left wondering “Was that my bus or the school bus? Will I now be waiting 40 minutes for my next bus?”. Also, there have been times where I’ve waited 20 minutes in the cold for a late bus. Both of these problems would be alleviated if you could track where your bus was right now. Please make it happen Metro! It would improve the lives of your customers so much 😃
This app needs some work - but it can be great
I live in Launceston and there are a few things to add or change about this app to make it work better and make people actually want to use it.
1. Update the resolution of the app to fit all the iPhones eg. iPhone 5, 8, 8+ and the iPhone 10
2. Use a google maps api and overlay the bus stops on to it
3. Allow users to unlock the app with Touch ID or Face ID
4. With the google maps api overlay the routes of the busses and add a search for each bus route to find out the one you need
5. Add a gps tracker into the app so you can see where the bus is on the route you are waiting for and add a real-time wait time into the app. So you can tell if it’s worth it to wait for the bus to arrive or to walk.
This app is a good start but I think with these changes it could be great :)
Up to six family members will be able to use this app with Family Sharing enabled.
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Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout
Pepin Press Gift Wrap Books offer a delightful and imaginative collection of artistic wrapping paper designs, meticulously curated for those seeking to add a touch of elegance and creativity to their gift-giving experiences. Each book features a wide array of high-quality, tear-out sheets, showcasing exquisite patterns, illustrations, and motifs crafted by talented artists from around the world. From vintage-inspired prints to contemporary and abstract compositions, these gift wrap books cater to diverse tastes and occasions, making them perfect for any celebration, big or small. Elevating the art of gift-giving, Pepin Press Gift Wrap Books are a must-have for anyone who appreciates the beauty of presentation and wishes to express their thoughtfulness through an exceptional wrapping experience.
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Tapping the Essential Knowledge of Your Shop Floor
Welding and Robotic Automation
Robotic automation has been heavily used for welding applications for years now, as evidenced by numerous commercial solutions available in the market. Over time, fabrication engineers have amassed deep expertise in using these technologies to maximum effect. Yet the needs and expectations of industry continue to change.
One of the most basic goals of robotic welding applications is to produce shorter cycle times. Shave off a few milliseconds here and there, and you can gain significant savings when the lot-size is big enough. Besides cycle time, there is the constant need to adapt to, incorporate and accommodate brand-new technologies that advanced manufacturing brings along—innovative materials, complex forms and pioneering applications.
Offline programming (OLP) is key to staying on top of such challenges and moving ahead with robotic automation, and we will explore the reasons why. Lately, though, the industry is realizing that while the success of automation relies on powerful tools like OLP, it needs more than the technology alone. That factor is the creativity, experience and essential knowledge of those on your shop floor—and how you apply it to the new order.
Powerful robotics requires powerful programming
Assembly Magazine quoted the International Federation of Robotics as saying that half of the world’s industrial robots are used for welding. Spot welding robots account for 33 percent, and arc welders add another 16 percent. The majority of these welding robots are mature products that have been perfected over time by manufacturers like Yaskawa/Motoman, Fanuc, Kuka and Kawasaki.
Regardless of who builds the robots, one of the key success factors is how the programming is handled. To program welding robots to efficiently and produce a quality product, fabricators need powerful 3-D layout (3DL) and offline programming software. By using the right software and the CAD data for the part to be produced, programmers can configure the robot’s torch angles, arm configurations, feeds/speeds, power settings and more, to create optimal welding schedules.
The need for 3DL capabilities is evident, but why OLP? As the name suggests, offline programing is done offline (that is, without having to take your robot cell out of production mode). You can configure the new production parameters, then optimize and verify them, all through OLP—regardless of the dynamic process requirements. Then, the new process can be implemented and controlled with an automated system. With 3DL and OLP software, therefore, you get the perfect equilibrium between high quality welding and lower cycle time.
Adding new cells needn’t disrupt production
That perfect balance is good news for your management, if you’re the one setting up the changes in the fabrication. This is especially true if your success leads to increased demand for new cells, new workpieces and product configurations.
However, programming robots—the practice of teaching a robot the various points, trajectories and joints to use on a workpiece—can take days or weeks, depending on the size and scope of the workpiece and the cell itself. Taking a cell offline for weeks—leaving your latest-and-greatest robot idle—means a deep cut in productivity and profitability.
Let’s say your automated production has been so successful that you need to make room for more cells. One of the major costs of installing automation is disruption of ongoing production. If you assume you must take a cell offline each time you need to change its output, you must include the cost of lost production when calculating the investment of adding new welding cells. It is therefore imperative to reduce installation time on the factory floor as much as possible.
As before, your software can help minimize the disruption and its associated cost. OLP software lets you de-couple the programming and validation efforts from the installation schedule. By finishing all the robot teaching prior to physical installation, production can begin almost as soon as the system is powered up.
Compare that scenario with the typical manual approach to robot teaching, where the programming doesn’t even begin until after the entire system has been installed and production parts are available.
How does 3DL and OLP software optimize your cell design?
As automation expands beyond basic welds into more advanced tasks, its availability also expands beyond large manufacturers. Today, the use of robots for fabricating non-traditional parts is within reach of small- and medium-sized manufacturers. Robotic systems can now perform advanced, high-quality welding tasks for both standard and non-standard parts, including multi-pass welds, stitch welds and a variety of weaving patterns. To handle more complex welding tasks for more and more manufacturers of all sizes, integrators need to speed up installation while maintaining an error-free design.
Here again, a key technology in successfully implementing these tasks is software for 3-D off-line programming and simulation. System integrators use 3DL and OLP software to achieve the optimum system design. Starting with an accurate model of the factory space, an integrator can design the automation system to fit within physical constraints, such as building columns, low clearance structures and existing work traffic lanes. They can also include the critical utility connection points in your model.
OLP software allows the integrator or programmer to create, try out and refine robot trajectories in a virtual 3-D space, prior to installing equipment on their factory floor. It also lets users deal with complex geometries and find the optimal robot paths to perform welding operations. This ensure the robot avoids obstacles and can navigate through tight spaces—either due to complex tooling or the part itself—all while maintaining the necessary torch angles and avoiding collisions between the part, robot arm and torch.
Read more in FASTSUITE EXPERTISE.
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By default when using Entity Framework Migrations, the Update-Database PowerShell script will immediately apply your changes to your target databases. But what if you just want to generate a SQL script (to give it to your DBA for example)?
To do this run the Update-Database command in the Package Manager Console but this time specify the –Script flag so that changes are written to a script rather than applied. Also specify a source and target migration to generate the script for.
Update-Database -Script -SourceMigration: $InitialDatabase
- If you don’t specify a target migration, Migrations will use the latest migration as the target.
- If you don't specify a source migrations, Migrations will use the current state of the database.
- If you want to create a script from the initial state to the latest migration, use $InitialDatabase as the SourceMigration value.
Code First Migrations will run the migration pipeline but instead of actually applying the changes it will write them out to a .sql file for you. Once the script is generated, it is opened for you in Visual Studio:
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44.11.222 ELECTIONS TO WHICH AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS APPLY
(1) The term "aggregate contributions" means the total of all of the following contributions made by or received from a person for each election in a campaign:
(a) all contributions, as defined in 13-1-101, MCA, and further defined in ARM 44.11.401;
(b) all earmarked contributions, as defined in ARM 44.11.404;
(c) all expenditures encouraged in order to avoid a contribution, as specified in ARM 44.11.504; and
(d) all contributions that are coordinated as defined in 13-1-101, MCA, and further explained in ARM 44.11.501 and 44.11.602.
(2) The term "contested primary," as used in 13-37-216, MCA, means a primary election in which two or more candidates compete for the same nomination.
An election is not contested when, due to the number of candidates, the candidate automatically advances to the general election or position. For example:
(a) in partisan primary elections, if two or more candidates compete for one party's nomination, it is a "contested primary," resulting in two elections to which the contribution limits in 13-37-216, MCA, apply. For the two candidates seeking Party A's nomination in the primary election for a public office, it is a contested primary with respect to Party A's nomination; or
(b) if only one candidate seeks Party B's nomination for the same public office, it is not a contested primary with respect to Party B's nomination, and there is only one election to which the contribution limits in 13-37-216, MCA, apply; or
(c) in judicial and other nonpartisan primary elections, if a nonpartisan candidate automatically advances from the primary election to the general election pursuant to 13-14-117, MCA, it is not a contested primary election; or
(d) when an incumbent judicial officer is the only candidate who files a declaration for nomination in the primary election, and subsequently faces a vote, pursuant to 13-14-212, MCA, for or against retention in the general election, there is no "contested primary," and there is only one election to which the contribution limits in 13-37-216, MCA, apply.
History: 13-37-114, MCA; IMP, 13-37-216, MCA; NEW, 1995 MAR p. 2048, Eff. 9/28/95; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 787, Eff. 3/22/96; TRANS and AMD, from ARM 44.10.334, 2016 MAR p. 28, Eff. 1/9/16.
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Love and War: Canadian War Brides
Surrounded by falling bombs, strict rationing and nightly blackouts, a generation of young women found love. They were the war brides: British and European women who married Canadian servicemen in the Second World War. After tearful goodbyes to their families, they embarked on a grueling journey by ship and train to join their husbands and in-laws in a new country. Once they arrived, many war brides had to confront culture shock and desperate homesickness before embracing their new lives in Canada.
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Request for record of ‘without prejudice’ meeting
Section 7(2)(g) LGOIMA did not apply—‘without prejudice’ privilege is not an aspect of legal professional privilege—s 7(2)(c)(ii) applied—obligation of confidence attaches to information subject to without prejudice privilege—release would make people reluctant to enter into discussions to resolve disputes, which would damage the public interest—public interest in transparency and accountability met through the conduct of external reviews and release of summary information about the meeting
A journalist made a request for information about a meeting held between Tauranga City Council and Bella Vista Homes Limited in December 2016.
The Council released information about the date and time of the meeting, and the identities of the participants, but withheld the minutes of the meeting under section 7(2)(g) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA), in order to maintain legal professional privilege.
The journalist complained to the Ombudsman.
On investigation, the Council advised that it withheld the minutes on the basis of ‘without prejudice’ privilege, as the meeting was held for the purpose of resolving issues around the Bella Vista development, and to avoid legal proceedings. The Council took the view that legal professional privilege includes without prejudice privilege.
The Council also considered that section 7(2)(c)(ii) of LGOIMA applied to the minutes, to protect information subject to an obligation of confidence.
The Council recognised that, in light of the later events concerning the Bella Vista development, there was a high public interest in the release of the information. However, it took the view that this did not outweigh the need to withhold the information.
Section 7(2)(g)—Legal professional privilege
Section 7(2)(g) applies where withholding is necessary to maintain legal professional privilege.
Legal professional privilege is a public policy privilege designed to protect confidential communications between solicitor and client. There are two aspects to the law relating to legal professional privilege:
- ‘solicitor/client privilege’ which extends to all communications between a solicitor (acting in that capacity) and the client for the purposes of seeking or giving legal advice or assistance, irrespective of legal proceedings; and
- ‘litigation privilege’ which extends the privilege to communications with third parties where that communication has, as its dominant purpose, the object of enabling a legal adviser to advise a client on the conduct of litigation that is current or anticipated.
The Chief Ombudsman found that without prejudice privilege is not an aspect of legal professional privilege. As such, section 7(2)(g) did not apply to the minutes of the meeting.
Section 7(2)(c)(ii)—Obligation of confidence
Section 7(2)(c)(ii) applies where withholding is necessary to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence, where the making available of that information would be likely to damage the public interest.
Without prejudice privilege allows parties seeking a compromise in a dispute or having a bearing on settlement negotiations to engage in full and frank discussions, without fear that this information would be brought before a court. The purpose of this privilege is to encourage settlements and avoid litigation. This is in the public interest as it reduces pressure on the courts and the need for further resources to be expended on the administration of justice from public money. Successive Ombudsmen have considered that an obligation of confidence attaches to information subject to without prejudice privilege.
The document at issue was marked ‘Without Prejudice’. The meeting was held for the purpose of resolving various issues about the Bella Vista Homes development in order to prevent legal proceedings. Notwithstanding the fact that concerns subsequently arose about the arrangements set up during the meeting, there is undoubtedly a public interest in agencies being able to enter into similar out of court resolution of disputes or potential disputes. Disclosure of the information would be likely to damage this public interest, as it would have the effect of creating mistrust in the confidentiality of discussions intended to achieve resolutions.
On this basis, the Chief Ombudsman considered that section 7(2)(c)(ii) applied to the minutes of the meeting.
The public interest
Section 7(2)(c)(ii) is subject to a public interest test. This means the need to withhold must be balanced against the countervailing public interest in release. If the countervailing public interest weighs more heavily, the information must be released. If not, it can be withheld.
The Chief Ombudsman acknowledged the high public interest in accountability and transparency. However, he considered that the interest in accountability was met through the published reviews of the Bella Vista development by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the former High Court Judge Paul Heath QC. He also noted that the Council had proactively released a summary of the meeting, and that the summary was a fair reflection of all the pertinent points discussed at the meeting. The public interest in transparency was met through release of the summary.
The Chief Ombudsman formed the opinion that while section 7(2)(g) of the LGOIMA did not apply, there was good reason to withhold the meeting minutes under section 7(2)(c)(ii).
This case note is published under the authority of the Ombudsmen Rules 1989. It sets out an Ombudsman’s view on the facts of a particular case. It should not be taken as establishing any legal precedent that would bind an Ombudsman in future.
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Federal judge: Florida ban on sanctuary cities racially motivated
A federal judge on Tuesday struck down parts of a Florida law aimed at banning local governments from establishing sanctuary city policies, arguing in part that the law is racially motivated and that it has the support of hate groups.
Why it matters: In a 110-page ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom said the law — signed and championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis — violates the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause because it was adopted with discriminatory motives.
The big picture: Republicans in states across the country have prioritized banning sanctuary cities — municipalities that refuse to hold undocumented immigrants in criminal custody, block immigration agents from working in county jails or deny federal authorities access to immigrants' records.
- At least 11 states have adopted policies banning such cities, per Reuters.
Details: The state had pushed the law — SB 168 — as a public safety measure. But Bloom rejected that argument, saying it was not supported by crime statistics or other evidence.
The judge also objected to advocacy groups that she said had an influence in crafting the law, like Floridians for Immigration Enforcement, which she said "has been labeled as an anti-immigrant racialist group."
- “Allowing anti-immigrant hate groups that overtly promote xenophobic, nationalist, racist ideologies to be intimately involved in a bill’s legislative process is a significant departure from procedural norms,” Bloom wrote.
- “This involvement strongly suggests that the Legislature enacted SB 168 to promote and ratify the racist views of these advocacy groups.”
Bloom said the law would likely disproportionately impact Latino and Black people in Florida by expanding the scope of policing in a state that has historically applied laws unequally.
- "These discriminatory motives are made evident from the historical and ongoing pattern of racial discrimination by law enforcement and the growing reliance on an immigrant threat narrative to justify the enactment of anti-immigrant legislation across the nation," the judge wrote.
Yes, but: The judge did approve some provisions of the law, including a requirement that local law enforcement complies with requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain people beyond their release date so they can be picked up by federal agents.
What's next: DeSantis' office said Wednesday it will appeal the ruling, per ABC News.
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Otto’s Goblin Adventure Pt. 5
I looked at the creatures, they vaguely looked like dogs, but rather peculiarly I noticed that they smelled horrible. They'd only been dead a few minutes and I could smell the telltale signs of rotten meat. I fought myself not to vomit on the corpses and desecrate them further. We all wordlessly hopped back into the cart and found ourselves on the road once again. I was amazed as I stared at the cart, not a cracked timber on the thing. I marveled at how the wood was miraculously healed due to liberal use of the mending spell. Bondrewd moved quickly, but the canyon walls were unstable with more boulders coming down on us. Some of them hit him but the magnificent beast shrugged them off one after another. I gripped the sides of the cart tightly as I feared becoming buried like the wurm. As we crawled out of that wretched hole the sounds of the forest returned. I realized that the entire time the canyon was quiet as a funeral house at night. I shook my head, shaking the bells as I cleared the thought from my mind. The sun began to sink below the trees as the air began to cool with the lengthening of the shadows. I watched the birds return to their nests as I realized the woods were almost black as pitch. I felt a feeling that this wasn't natural for this part of the world.
"I see that these woods are getting much darker than most of us can see unaided, I think it's best to stop here for the night." The others agreed as we pulled off the road, unhitched Bondrewd and set up camp. The rations consisted of hardtack, cheese, and dried fruit. I drank a lot of water to get the hardtack down. It was as bland as it was hard. Syafitri approached me and asked me to help him train. I agreed as I grabbed the Staff of Fortunes. I beat him mercilessly until he cried out. I stopped and he went to bed. I approached Bondrewd and began to speak with him, I regaled him with speeches from leaders of Sembia. I didn't do well, consistently forgetting what came next. The embarassment continued for the four hours that I'd agreed to stay awake for.
I slept deeply on my bedroll. I was considerably lucky since it wasn't raining, I had to make a note to stop by a store and buy one. My dreams were vivid. I found myself inside my childhood home in Sembia. The house was a large cottage surrounded by the Faladur Vineyard. I felt the wind on my skin, the sun shining down on me. My father stood in front speaking to one of the servants.
"I told you, you need to leave it in the casket longer. Otherwise it's not getting that deep red color that Faladur wine is known for. Are you trying to bankrupt me?" He yelled. His face was red with anger as he threw the offending bottle into the vineyard. I turned away from him and toward the stables. Butternut was still standing in her stall, she shook her head as I approached and backed away. I looked to my right and saw Wilhelm. His long blonde hair trailed down his back, fine features of his face framed by his beautiful hair. His face was a mask of anger as he approached me. He was younger, but he was already much taller than me. I ran from him as fast as I could. He didn't need to run fast and caught me by my shoulders. His eyes were gems of black obsidian on his pale face, still twisted in anger. He opened his mouth and it was like the void was calling me. His scream was like the screams of the damned as I felt the coldness of his hatred. I woke up with a start, mouth dry and covered in sweat. When I awoke, the sun was cresting over the trees.
I quickly redressed and gathered my things. The wind blew gently with the trees rattling their leaves. The songbirds now sang us a good morning song. Bondrewd was rehitched with no issues. Rather the horse seemed excited to get back on the trail. We set off on the trail, the cart bumping along the path that's little more than a dirt trail. I stared up and looked into the canopy of the forest. It was so thick that sunlight barely passed through. I didn't notice in the night that the forest floor didn't have any plantlife. Not so much as a berry bush or weed.
"I don't want to alarm you all, but there's something following us. I didn't get a glimpse of it, but I think it's bipedal. It's also keeping pace with us without a problem."
I looked around and didn't see anything, but I did get the feeling that something was following us. Huasir handed me a grenade with two notes. He pointed to the one in my right hand that said "Chucklenuts".
"This one activates the grenade." He said with a hushed voice. The note in my left hand said "Chuck". I examined the grenade, it was a rough object. A small metal sphere with a button on top. I could guess that this may be another trigger for it. I silently put the device into my pack. Zane looked around and then disappeared. The cart kept plodding along the path.
There was a loud explosion that rocked the forest as the cart stopped. We all jumped from the cart and into the forest towards the source of the sound. As we closed the distance, I could hear the sound of screams and confusion, as well as Zane's unmistakeable cackle.
"I guess that's the signal." Syafitri said.
We ran into a clearing filled with burned trees and 9 burned corpses. Zane waved his hands and another fireball appeared from his hands. He bathed everyone but the acolyte and the bandit leader in the hellish fireball. As the fireball flew out, Zane put his fingers to his temple and the man in tattered and bloody robes was pushed out of the way of the oncoming fireball. The fire encompassed all the bandits save for the leader and burned them all to ash. I waved my hands at the man as he regarded me disdainfully. I tried to cast fast friends, but he shrugged it off. I couldn't believe my eyes as I began to wave my hands again. I casted Bane on the man as he was now surrounded by a purple aura. He screamed loudly and charged towards Zane. His battle axe was hefted high into the air and came down with a wet sound as Zane's blood sprayed into the air.
Huasir stepped up, flicking his pistol into its musket form. He took aim and shot the bandit leader in the knee. He howled like a wounded wolf and stared daggers at Huasir. I could see chunks of bone on the dirt.
Corvo stepped up and slapped the Bandit leader with his sword whip. It wrapped around the Bandit leader and immobilized him. He swung again and struck the bandit leader, blood now thoroughly coating the man's thick beard. Fulgur ran to the bandit leader and started to bite his ankles. He brought him down and started to bite his calves. Syafitri ran toward the bound barbarian with his scythe. He sliced quickly and cleanly. He cut everything from the joint onward. The blood spray that came from the bandit was almost surreal as it coated nearly every surface in a 10 foot circle. I saw the sword whip slip down as the man's body fell to pieces like a glass figurine. I looked over to the old man on the ground and ran over. He was splayed out against a tree. As I got closer, I could hear him weeping, one eye was almost completely swollen shut. One ankle was absolutely shattered. I looked at the man and felt pity. His hands and feet were both bound in thick chains. They glowed with a magical sheen, something arcane struck me about the manacles. I put that out of my mind as I put my hands on him. His whole body was covered in a thin yellow aura as his bones reset.
"Who are you?" The man asked, his eyes filled with worry.
"My name is Otto, and my friends are adventurers. We were travelling and your...party... was following us. We're not fond of hangers on, so we had to dispose the others. Mostly with fire, the other guy as you can see here was cut to bits." The man stood up. He was two inches shorter than me at five-six.
"Thank you, for everything. They beat me perpetually." He said with a bit of stuttering.
"Who are you?" I asked him.
"My name is Alexander." He said to me.
I nodded my head and called to Zane across the clearing.
"Come take a look at these manacles. I think this is up your alley."
Zane strolled over to look at the manacles.
"These cuffs are anti-magic cuffs. Why did they put them on you?" Corvo asked the captured acolyte.
"I'm not the biggest man, they wanted me to track you. We'd been doing so for the last three days." I turned my head and looked over to Syafitri as he ruffled through the Bandit's armor. He retrieved a key from the dead man's ruined armor. He fitted the key into the manacle. There was a slight click as the manacles fell away. The man touched his wrists and then pushed his hood off. Instead of being an old man, he was rather quite young. He had a shock of well kept bleach blonde hair, fair skin, and bright blue eyes. It shocked me more than I'd anticipated.
"What did you do before you were captured?" I asked him. He looked me in the eye as he answered.
"I'm an apothecary. I specialize in medicinal herbs, magical healing, and a few other things." I nodded my head as Zane abruptly spoke up.
"Do you know Call Lightning?" The apothecary nodded his head. I could see his eager smile pierce through the gloom of the forest.
"Do you also know Conjure Animals?" The wizard asked as well. The weary apothecary nodded his head.
"Come on, Zane. The man's obviously tired, let's just let him go already." Zane put his hand up to me as the apothecary showed him Conjure Animals.
I looked at the small man.
"I think we should all give him a ration. That way he doesn't starve to death on his way home." The rest of the party agreed.
"Where do you live, and do you have a business card?" Syafitri asked.
"I don't live in a town on the map. It's a small town named Bright Flower." It took us a minute as we all thought and remembered that the village was named Bright Flower.
"That's quite the coincidence. We just came from there, we're headed to the capital now." I said with delight. Alex looked over to Kazimir and the dead man and spat on the corpse.
"I wanted to see him suffer, I'm glad he did."
Corvo approached Alexander and asked if he'd seen any dragons. The druid shook his head and Corvo turned away. I grabbed him by his shoulder.
"Wait a minute, let's give him a ration each that way he doesn't starve to death." The small druid laughed and produced ten golden berries. I dug into my pockets and retrieved 10 silver pieces, putting them into the druid's free hand before I took a berry.
It was delicious. Tasting like salted roasted meats and father's Faladur wine. I still don't understand how they tasted like that. He looked at me, then at the rest of us.
"Thank you for your kindness. Come visit me at my shop, you're certainly worthy of a discount." I gave a flourishing bow and saw him turn into a dire wolf. He started to walk in a direction other than the path.
"He's going in the wrong direction." Corvo said.
"He's probably going the way the crow flies. Get there quicker." I replied. We all turned to the dismembered corpse.
"Why were you following us?"
"You looked strong. I thought you might have some good gear." The dead head groaned.
"He's telling the truth," Corvo said.
"Do you have a camp?" Zane asked, authority in his voice.
"Yes." The head answered reluctantly.
"Where is it?" Zane asked.
The head gritted its teeth as it tried to hold its tongue.
"10 miles...west." I looked at Zane as he thought of another question.
"Who do you serve?" The head's milky eyes looked up at him.
"Not the King. He doesn't do anything for the poverty."
"How many men are still at the camp?"
"30." The head answered, promptly returning to lifelessness.
"What should we do with this head?" Corvo asked.
"I think it's best we let Bondrewd eat the body." I add.
"I can feed it to him, like I'm giving a treat." Korus added.
"NO, I wouldn't advise that. Just put it on the pile and let Bondrewd eat it." I said as I physically pulled him back. I turned around to see Bondrewd behind us, ears fully perked up and lips salivating as it descended upon the pile. I turned around to avoid seeing Bondrewd devour. Most of us headed back to the cart except for Zane and Corvo. I don't know what Bondrewd did, but both Corvo and Zane were pale. Corvo said something to the horse, and with the sound of cracking bone and muscle I saw a dreadful expression from Bondrewd as if neighed something back to Corvo, leaving his face completely devoid of color.
"I think it's best as Bondrewd's master, that I should tell you-"
"NO!" The rest of us resoundingly responded.
"I don't want to know, and if you tell me, I'm going to hit you with a fireball." Zane said.
"If you tell me, I'm going to leave you for dead on the side of the road." I said to the man towering above me.
"Just don't." Corvo said.
Korus stared at all of us before climbing onto the cart. We continued onward in silence until we reached another clearing in the forest. The sun had dipped down below the trees again, leaving the forest in a pitch blackness. I volunteered for first watch again. I beat Syafitri for an hour to help him train his toughness. It continued and he walked away limping and cursing. I approached Bondrewd and started reciting the speeches again. I don't know if it was the feeling of being watched, or if it was the thought of what we were going to do that bothered me more. I tripped on my words and stumbled over the rhythm of the speech. Another hour passed and I was relieved by Korus. I laid in my bedroll and went to sleep. It was a fitful sleep without dreams.
Otto’s Goblin Adventure Pt. 4
I'd been asleep for a few hours when I heard a particular grumbling that startled me from my slumber. I couldn't at first tell, but it was an argument. The specifics I was too disoriented to tell about. I heard Ena's voice and Korus as well, I sat up and noticed the cart wasn't moving. Even with his massive suit of armor, I could tell that Ena had done something to disturb him, or rather upset him.
"What's all this?" I asked, slurring my words slightly. The mead from earlier hadn't yet worked its way out of my system. The pair ignored me as they continued arguing. That's when I saw Ena make her first, and last, mistake. She put her hand on the massive horse's haunch as if she meant to climb upon the beast.
"No! Don't touch it!" I yelled, but it was too late. Almost as quick as a flash the horse's left rear hoof whipped out, hitting her across the face. The shock was audible as well as the sound of sudden bone crunching as I saw her head roll on the ground. I caught a flash of something I'd not seen before. A pair of foxes ears were firmly attached to her head. Almost as quick, the giant horse that Korus had named Bondrewd, stood over her. I couldn't read its thoughts but I know the sight of malice in something's eyes as it looked down at her corpse. The beast's jaw widened to widths I'd never previously seen before as it scooped up her body. Korus extended his arms to avoid further casualties but Bondrewd maintained eye contact with all of us. It was as much a display of power as it was a warning. It chewed slowly and I heard the crunch of bone and the squelching of flesh as it continued. Then it swallowed. I held my mouth agape as I watched it approach the head next, cart dutifully following the massive beast as it hefted one giant foot up and kicked the head. I'd watched for a good minute as it disappeared from my sight.
"I told the stupid girl to leave the damned horse alone." I said as much to myself as anyone listening. Korus put his arms down and returned to Bondrewd. Without any further word, we all settled back into the cart and went back to sleep.
Less than 4 hours later, I was awoken by rays of sunlight stabbing my eyes through my blanket. I took the blanket off my head to see a rather curious sight. It was as if time itself was stopped. Bird and other forest animals were stopped in their tracks. I saw at first a portal of bright green, the color of young leaves in the spring. It grew from the size of a pinprick to one the size of a door. Then I heard something a voice, or rather many speaking at once.
"So, this is where I must leave you Zane. If you would kindly follow me." Then I saw a man a few inches taller than I step through the portal. He wore the most basic of robes and long flowing hair of a reddish hue. He was followed by a smaller man with eyes of gold.
"Hello there," The gold eyed man said to us as he saw us. The smaller man motioned for the bigger one to join us.
"This is where I must leave you, Zane. After all, I can't do everything myself." The gold eyed man approached Bondrewd and stuck his hand into the horse. It writhed beneath him, attempting to escape as he fished in its belly searching for something. He pulled his hand out with the remnants of Ena's wand. It was shattered into many pieces.
"Shame," He said as he pocketed the remnants. There was a quick flash of green light and for an instant I felt a fog of my mind. Then he retrieved a bronze colored disk from his robes and handed it to the red haired man. I stared at the man and felt as if I was staring at something that should not exist. I'm a fool by trade, but a foolish man I'm not entirely. I chose to use humanity's best weapon in such cases and ignored him. He jumped through the portal and time returned to its natural state. We all climbed back into the carriage, but Bondrewd wouldn't move. I hopped off the cart and approached the horse. I casted Tongues on the horse to convince him to help us get to the capital.
"I realize that what just happened wasn't anything that you're used to, but we need to get to the capital. It's important, and when we get to the capital, we can kill more people and feed them to you. If we don't find anyone to feed you with, I'll buy you a steak." The horse shook its head and beckoned me to get back in the cart.
The ride to the capital was much longer than I anticipated. A week later, we'd left the gently rolling hills of the meadows and valley. We'd entered a more mountainous terrain with sparse grasses and treacherous drops.
The wagon slowed to a crawl as we passed by a canyon more massive than anything I'd ever seen before. The horse bellowed something that I couldn't understand and Korus turned around.
"Bondrewd asked if anyone wanted to get off and take a look at the canyon." He said. I looked at the canyon and opted not to leave the cart. The others however did leave the cart to look at a single monument next to it. The plaque that they'd read had detailed the creation of the World Scar, the canyon. It was created when a champion of Bahamut had fought against two adult red dragons. We'd spent the next hour regailing each other of various tales of dragons that we'd heard from others. The going was slow along the narrow paths along the World Scar, Bondrewd was very careful to prevent a misstep. We continued onwards and the wagon was able to approach the the bottom of the World Scar. I saw multiple white crystals embedded into the canyon. The smallest ones looked to fit into the palm of my hand and the largest seems to be larger than a man. I halted the cart and jumped out to grab one. Syafitri jumped out to join me, and collected a few of them for his own. I felt the electric tingling shooting through my hand causing my fingers to twitch.
"Can you grab me a few crystals, Otto?" Huasir asked, his scaly fingers clutching his cloak closely.
"Sure, they're a bit tingly but I'm fine. I'll grab you a few." I said with a smile. I filled Huasir's bag with the crystals and carefully gave them back to avoid breaking them, mindful of my own. Corvo also jumped out to grab crystals and I opted to help. As we gathered the crystals there was a terrible quaking of the ground. The earth split beneath Bondrewd and the horse made a terrible scream as it and the cart was wrenched apart, the horse ran away as the cart was launched into the earth. It flew about 20 feet into the air as a horrible abomination burst from the earth. The wurm had multiple appendages with claw like ends. Its flesh quivered in the open air as we were now faced with its presence. Zane waved his hands and then a large fireball burst out from his motions at the abomination. It hit well, but the beast shrugged it off. Huasir ran toward the beast and swung his sword. He swung mightily, but the creature didn't hesitate to reach out to Korus and bathed him with a splash of acid. Corvo ran towards the creature and attacked. His drake added lightning to the attack and he swung mightily. The hit resounded throughout the canyon. I ran close to wurm, flanking it on the right side and cast Thunder Wave. The wurm shuddered as the thunder rocked it. Syafitri ran toward the creature and slashed into the wurm with his bone scythe. It roared wildly as he cut through it. As he slashed, I saw cuts forming in his own skin as his clothes and armor were now covered in the creature's blood. The wurm's wounds started to weep a mix of acid and bile as it spat up the contents of its stomach. Korus released Bondrewd's reigns as he started to walk to the creature. He grabbed his large club and wound up to attack. He swung it upwards at the wurm's head and with a thunderous blow, the wurm was pushed out of the ground from its tunnel. It flew upwards about 40 feet through the air and crashed into the wall. It landed with a sickening thud as its tail coiled around it like a dying snake. As a coup de grace, at least five massive boulders fell upon the wurm crushing it beneath their weight. Corvo stared at the wurm and got an idea. He cleaned off a small boulder with some of the water from his water skin and crushed a small crystal into a powder. Then he proceeded to snort the line of powdered crystal. His nose was bleeding profusely as he leaned on the boulder. Blood dripped like a thick waterfall and he wiped it away.
"I'm going to get lightning resistance someday, I just need to keep trying." Corvo proclaimed.
"Has he always been this suicidal or is that a new one?" Zane, the newcomer asked.
"I'm not sure, I tend to ignore about half of what he normally says." I added. Syafitri approached the cart and rolled it over. He started to fix the cart's broken boards. I could hear the sounds of yelping and yipping of dogs get closer to us. The first mutant crawled over the rocks, its lithe body was lean with gnarled muscles. It ran at us as Huasir pulled his pistol and shot it. It dropped like a sack of weights as more ran to us. Corvo's drake attacked the next one and ripped its throat out. It bled out in front of us, back legs twitching as it died. Zane stepped up, waving his hands once again and a fireball shot out into the pack. 7 of them burned to a crisp, with one dodging his blast. The last dog ran towards Huasir, as it did so Syafitri slashed it with his scythe. He cut it straight down the center, leaving it a flinching mess.
Otto’s Goblin Adventure Pt. 3
Kazimir followed through the door and returned moments later was now in possession of a massive hammer made of alabaster colored wood. It was pretty in its own right, but not the most beautiful to look upon. Not long after he was transported to the middle of the room, an ugly cocophany of sounds was now assaulting our ears. We looked upon each other as we made our way to the mouth of the cave. We were certain we weren't alone. We all rushed to the mouth of the cave and saw a figure standing by the fire. I couldn't tell anything about it, but I could tell it was roughly a humanoid with a normal, rather short for a humanoid. They were staring at the fire, best as I could tell, entranced by it. Huasir stared at it, the dim light gleaming in his dark lizard eyes.
"She's been branded as well." Huasir called out to us.
"The more the merrier!" I shouted as a response before coming out to the fire.
"M-my name is Huasir." The lizard grumbled. She smiled and introduced herself as Ena. It was a strange name, but not too strange.
"My name's Otto, pleased to meet you!" I said as cheery as can be, the bells on my cap bouncing in response. She smiled as she extended her hand and I shook it. Struck me as not the kind of person to be wandering caves, but I didn't opt to think about it too much. Huasir sat on the ground and produced a worn dagger in his scaly hands, expertly working a small piece of wood. Korus and Corvo sat next to the fire, the flames reflecting in their heavy armor. She turned to us all and introduced herself as Ena of House Lionheart.
Seeing another noble in our group, I took her by the hand.
"Come here, I've just got to show you these torches. They're most unlike any you've ever seen before. They burn, and they don't." I said as I led her to the massive cavern. I stopped in the middle and we just stared at the torch. It burned brightly as if it had the purest pitch, but none of the wood was burned.
"If we can take these, and tie them in a line to a swallow, we could take them to the castle for sale. Of course it may just burn a peasant hut or two down, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." She looked horrified. Part of me found her discomfort pleasing, funny.
"I'm not willing to make THAT sacrifice. What of the peasants?" She said, astounded. I smiled at her as I waved her off.
"They're very resilient creatures. Next to the cockroaches that is. Of course, that said the two creatures seem to go hand in hand." Ena looked like she wanted to scream, eyes horrified. I fought myself to not laugh in her face as I continued this little prank.
"They're people! Not cockroaches." I rolled my eyes.
"Sure, they're humans, but not like us. They're filthy creatures and should you ever find yourself in one's home, you'll find that they exist in a very different state than you'd ever believe. You wouldn't be the first noble child to hold such delusions, need to see it for yourself to believe it."
"Yes, grandma." I was confused.
"I'm not your grandmother." Confusion now replacing the hilarity of the situation.
"I wasn't talking to you." She said as she began marching towards the door at the end of the cavern. I watched her open the door and disappear into the inky blackness behind the door. I shook my head as I sat down against the wall, as pulled my cards out. Another game of solitaire, and we may very well leave this damned wet place. A few minutes later the others came out of the cave and we started to tumble back towards town. Huasir produced a board made of dark and light wood in a checker pattern.
"Anyone wanna play some dragon chess?" The lizard said.
"Well, I wouldn't mind playing your game, if you could teach me." I said. I tried as best as I could to keep up with his moves, but he was a much better player than I was. He gave me a bit of advice to console me, but I wasn't feeling up to trying again. Lady Tymora was not smiling upon my efforts for games. Especially since I had 4 hands of poker and lost terribly at all of them. That pale cleric is a shoein for cards. I'm going to have to take him to the tavern with me. As the cart plodded along, I had quite an idea. To hold a concert to cover our expenses for the night.
Kazimir was able to help quite a bit with a few supporting spells. Corvo decided to join me on stage as we played our mandolins. Minor illusion was able to produce a drum beat to help the performance quite easily. It went splendidly. The music swelled to a crescendo combined with the overall roar of the crowd. The village guard formed a line in front of the crier's stage to prevent the crowd from bumrushing us. I jumped into the crowd as the song came to an end. The feeling was immense as I felt them hold me up, their chants. I jumped from the crowd to head back to the stage, as I did so I stuck out my tongue waving it to and fro. Many women fainted as I did so. I picked two of the women from the crowd, but more joined. First four, then six. Finally 8. The each grabbed a limb and carried me to the tavern, to a suitably large room. As we crossed the threshold to the tavern, we were stop by the wide eyed barkeep.
"You're not all-" He exclaimed. He was cut off by the women's giggles. We did much that night that I couldn't dictate here, nor would I wish to remember. However, night was not long enough for the women as they continued the activities. The morning after was quite the ordeal, with the ladies wishing to continue for the next few hours. I fought as I could, begged and with the help of Corvo and his Cape of Many Fashions, I was able to escape the cackling group. My body was hardly able to move as we made it back to the tavern. Even with a bout or two of Cure Wounds, I was able to return to normal. Bernard and his wife made a stew, the heavy bags beneath their eyes told more of a tale than they ever could.
"Seven hours. It lasted seven hours." He grumbled. I reached into Kazimir's alms bucket and thrust a fist full of silver to him. We'd managed to acquire 2,000 silver. Huasir opted not to take his 400 silver, but rather a paltry sum of 100 silver. Leaving for the other 4 of us a nice addition of 175 silver. It took us 3 hours to gather ourselves and our things. I climbed into the cart, unrolling the bedroll and laying down. I ignored the snickering of the others behind me as I slept.
Otto’s Goblin Adventure Pt. 2
The morning sun stabbed spears into my eyes, I pulled myself up, my body felt refreshed as I gathered my equipment. I looked around the camp and saw everyone getting up, everyone except the giant dragonborn. The rest of my comrades approached the giant lizard and placed their hand on his arm to roll him over.
"He's cold and dead." I stared at the giant form on the bedroll.
"Kai is what!" Corvo shouted in disbelief. The others tried to find a cause of his death, and as they did so I played my mandolin to aid them in discovery. The Drakemaster and the drake began to tear apart the camp to find a clue.
"Kai is dead, and his brand is crossed out. There seems to be a necromancer in town, he's already killed one of us. We need to be on guard, and from now on, we need to maintain a watch at night while sleeping." Korus said while looking at the body.
"His body's been looted as well, all his weapons are gone." Corvo, the drakemaster, said in his same grumbly manner.
"There's some chicken scratch on this window sill here. Might be useful." Syafitri said in his brogue accent. He then took a piece of parchment and a a piece of charcoal. Then he rubbed the charcoal over the parchment and a copy of the scratches were now onto the parchment. I looked at the scratchings and couldn't make heads or tails of it. I can't quite see how that'll help us.
The tavern door opened with a great flurry of noise and saw Bernard standing shirtless in the doorway.
Korus approached the brawny man and put a massive hand on his shoulder.
"Tell your wife that one of our party members has died." I approached Bernard and added my piece.
"There seems to be some dark sorceries at foot here." I added to the stunned barman. Corvo looked at the paper and threw a haymaker at the wall. The entire building shook as he breathed out what it meant.
"Death has claimed his due." He held his fist as he said those words.
Bernard looked at the ground, his eyes held a look of terror as he said, "I hope you'll forgive me, but we're going to have to close the tavern for the rest of the day." He hurried toward the back room of the bar. I heard some muffled noises as he came out with a clean shirt on.
"If you please, accompany me to the guard's barracks to let them know about this." I followed the barkeep to the barracks. The sun just began to crest over the horizon as we approached the squat building. I heard the call of the birds as we entered the building. It truly was a beautiful morning. The lights were still dark inside the barracks. We approached the hut in front of the barracks. A tired guard confronted us.
"Halt, state your business."
"We're here to give testimony about the death of our friend. He died last night in the tavern."
"Aww shit, why does everything happen at the END of my shift. Here, take these and fill out your testimonies." We all stared at him as he produced multiple scrolls and ink wells. Then the guard retreated to a small door that led to the barracks. We all wrote as neatly and succinctly as possible, with Bernard writing the least among us. Then less than ten minutes later the guard came back with three equally sleepy guards.
"Alright, what's all this about someone dying?" One of the guards asked.
"Yes, our friend died during the night. We think it's murder. We woke up, and he was dead."
"Ah, he woke up dead." My right eye twitched as I fought myself to not correct the guard. The guards turned on a dime towards the tavern. Bernard approached us and shook our hands.
"I want to let you all know that you're all welcome back in my bar, hopefully when you come back, it'll be under better circumstances." Bernard also turned and paced back to the tavern. Then the 3 others with me walked into the distance, mumbling something about a grave. I may be an embarassment, but I'm not going to dig a hole.
I followed them to the gravesite and oversaw the work. Then a few minutes later we were approached by the three guards from earlier.
"Ah, diggin' the hole yourselves?" The lead guard said, staring at the modest hole.
"It was cheaper than paying the coroner." I said quickly.
"What's a coroner?" One of the other guards asked.
"It's someone who deals with dead bodies." I said.
"Oh I know, that's part of a buildin' isn't it?" The third guard asks.
"Just say yes," Huasir hissed at me.
"No, the peasant needs to learn people words. The coroner, is someone who deals with the dead. Preparing them for the funeral and burying them." The guards stared at me, flabbergasted. The original guard that we met suddenly appeared and beckoned the other guards back to the barracks. We completed the makeshift funeral and proceeded with the quest that we were sent on by Lady Selune. I turned to look at the winding dirt path.
"Does anyone know where we can find a cart and horse?" Syafitri asked.
"I can summon a horse, so we've got that covered." Korus added. We walked toward a lonely farm in the middle of the forest.
"I want to see about buying your cart."
"You want to buy my rickety old cart?" The farmhand asked, his threadbare clothes blew in the breeze. He looked rather young, aged by stress and work.
"Yes, sir. We'd like to buy it for transport. You look like you need the money." The farmhand glared at Syafitri for a minute as Syafitri realized what he'd done.
"As a farmboy myself, I'm well aware as to how much it costs to run a farm." The farmhand stared at Syafitri and frowned.
"Show me your hands." He said as he grabbed Syafitri's hands and felt their calluses. The farmhand nodded and calmed down a bit.
"I'll be able to sell it to you for 15 silver." Syafitri tossed the farmhand two gold and inspected the cart. Huasir approached the cart and casted mending. I watched the rickety cart suddenly become much more strengthened and renewed.
"If I had some scrap metal, I could reinforce this cart, make it better." Korus mumbled.
"Do you have any scrap metal to sell?" Syafitri asked the farmhand. The farmhand rubbed his chin and walked to an old man leaning on a fencepost overseeing his crops. I watched them talk, and then the man smack the farmhand in the back of his head. The farmhand rubbed his head as he walked back to us.
"The old man isn't going to like this, but we have some scrap metal to help you with. We'll give it to you for free since you paid so well for the cart." I watched Huasir approach the collapsed roofing of an old grain silo and cast mending on it. Almost immediately the pitted and rusted metal was restored to a shiny plate. I watched him approach the farmhand and hand him a pendant. I didn't see the pendant in its entirety, but the farmhand put it into his pocket. The sun now showed over the rooftops of the houses and bore down on us. I climbed into the cart as Korus summoned his steed and strapped it to the cart. As the cart began to roll, I retrieved my cards from the pack as I waved them in one hand.
"Anyone up for some poker?" I asked the group. Syafitri and Corvo took me up on it. Syafitri took up the game rather quickly and managed to beat me with a straight royal flush. I was astounded. I'd never seen it happen. On our next round, Corvo managed to get a straight flush. Tymora has surely not seen to my luck. Must be because nothing was bet. After that last round the horse finally arrived. It was MASSIVE. I'd never seen something so big, and the cart looked like a child's wagon compared to a war horse. The path was relatively clear of stones, but due to the reinforcements we didn't even feel it. The horse wasn't even at a trot as it seemed that we passed quickly. The scenery was like any that you'd find in the country, the wind was pleasant as I looked around. I saw the right side seem to get progressively taller. We continued along this giant hill until the horse came to a stop.
"There's an entrance here, friends." Korus said as he pointed to a small opening in the rock face. I could see a small fire within the cave. I looked at the mouth of the cave, and didn't see anything. The small drake darted into the cave and I heard a rumbling from inside. I heard the same rumbling echoed by Corvo. We all tumbled off the cart into the cave. The cave was smaller than I anticipated, it was full of stalagmites and stalagtites. The fire I saw from outside was sitting on a bed of sediment. I couldn't see any evidence of anyone else being here. Then I heard the sound of the rumbling once again, deeper into the cave. Once again, Corvo echoed the sounds and proceeded further into the cave. There was a loud crack of stone breaking as I rushed into the room. I saw a brightly lit cavern as we all pushed into the new space. It had many basic iron chandeliers along the ceiling with candles that never seemed to run down and torches along the wall with no scorchmarks on the wood. I marveled at these seemingly never ending light emanating from these devices. We saw a small wooden door at the other end of the room. I couldn't seem to make out where the hinges began and where the stone ended. Korus took point as he opened it and walked through. Fulgur, the drake ran through first with Corvo following. The door moved quickly as it shut in our faces. I watched the others attempt to pry the door open, but refrained from doing so myself. I opted to sit against a wall and write my journal entries for the day. The door didn't open, but I heard the roar of a dragon from my left hand side. I jumped as I saw Corvo with a new sword and a shit eating grin. I finished writing and put my journal away. Syafitri gently opened the door and walked away shaking his head. Then in less than a minute later, Huasir opened the door and walked through it. I took out my cards again and started a game of Solitaire to pass the time. I matched up the last pair of cards as I glanced over to see Huasir holding an ivory and gold gilded musket with some sort of wheel on the side. I'd never seen such a peculiar rifle before. It looked almost like the the statues of past kings that I'd see in the Imperial Court. I looked back to the door to see Korus walk through it. I shuffled the deck again to deal myself another hand for another game of Solitaire. Once again as I finished my game of Solitaire, Korus was back with a puzzled look on his face. He held a massive golden blade with a giant crossguard. He pressed a small button on the pommel and the entire thing morphed into a club. I rubbed my eyes as I watched, astonishment now becoming prevalent on my face. He stepped aside and started to swing. The sword/club sounded heavy. It smacked the wall with a thunderous echo. I looked at the other party members and they seemed to either not be paying attention or admiring their own weapons. I stared at the new weapon that Korus had and watched him swing at the wall once again. I heard the door close, but didn't turn my head to look at who was going through.
Syafitri now stood in the middle of the cavern holding a silver scythe decorated with skulls and also found himself the new owner of a traumatized look. It looked almost innocuous, like any farm scythe, but for some reason I couldn't take my eyes from it. I thought I heard voices emanating from it but shook my head and there were no more sounds. At last it was my turn to enter the door. As I crossed the threshold I found myself surrounded by oppressing darkness with torches lining a wall. I followed the torches until at last they stopped, as I stepped into the inky blackness I felt a dark presence grab me. As if I were traveling through a veil. I looked into the distance and saw a beautiful woman with golden armor and a beautiful crown that sat upon her raven hair. She smiled as she saw me and I approached. I bowed in front of her and she put a hand on my arm and whispered into my ear.
"Rise to your feet." On my other shoulder I felt the icy cold of a thousand winters with a raspy command whispered into my left ear.
"Grovel, worm!" The voice commanded. I ignored it stood proud. Her eyes were mesmerizing, but there was business to attend to.
"You are Lady Tymora, I presume?" She smiled, her full lips parted to reveal gleaming white teeth as she laughed.
"I am indeed, Otto. My faithful servant." I smiled back, but noticed that her demeanor seemed to change all at once.
"Thank you, My Lady." Her smile began to fade as I felt the icy cold feeling I'd felt before.
"Otto, there's a game we must play. What will you wager?" She said, her words tantalizing.
"Everything, My Lady." She was taken aback. Was it the first time one of her servants would wager everything, including their very being? She smiled once again and put her hands on my face, one to each cheek.
"Well then, I will wager this." She produced a gorgeous quarter staff. Half of it was gold with the other half a cold, dark energy. I took it in both hands and as I did I found myself in the chamber with the rest of the party. I found myself with a quiet feeling that the game had only just begun.
Otto’s Goblin Adventure! Pt 1
It was a month since I found myself with an implacable urge to wander, especially convenient since I was no longer employed by King Uthrar I. King Uthrar II was less humorous than his father. Losing a position in court like that made my family disregard me even more. That didn't stop me, but the urge to wander found me in a little village of some pissant little kingdom that I couldn't normally be bothered to stop and use the outhouse in. It drew me to it. Less than a week later I found myself playing in their rundown little tavern for Brenard and his wife. That was until I noticed the Cloaked Stranger. I didn't need to see his whole face to know that the look he now gave me was bad. He left to use the outhouse and I saw fit to make my exit. The villagers had come to enjoy my little strummings and were quite annoyed at my departure. I walked quickly, but the FEELING of someone following me was just too much to bear. I dipped into what I thought was an empty house and was surprised when I was confronted with a middle aged peasant woman stirring a pot. Her dark brown eyes widened and she screamed a hideous shriek, then she threw the spoon full of something that I could only in my drunkest imagination call a stew. I deftly sidestepped the object and rushed to comfort the woman, to provide an excuse as to why I was there.
"My good madam, my name is Darius Var Artra and I am the ROYAL home inspector for the village. Your home has been chosen through a random selection for an inspection. I realize this does come as quite a surprise and my outfit is....unconventional. Forgive me, I was attending a costume party and was called rather quickly so I came as quickly as possible. Most homeowners do tend to go to the tavern to wait the few hours while I complete my inspection." The woman looked confused.
"I ain't never heard o' that." She said quizzicly.
"If you'd like some more information, I'd advise speaking with the Ealdorman, he'll be more than capable of explaining how you were chosen. Although I do warn you it can be rather tedious. As a thank you, you may go to the tavern and put a drink or two on my tab." The woman's brow furled as she thought about my words. She picked the spoon up from the dirty floor, taking it to a small wooden bucket filled with water. I heard the sound of water rushing around as she washed the spoon. She hefted the heavy iron pot off the hook and set it down. Then after a few moments, she untied her apron and walked out the door. I hurried quickly to change my clothes to something more suitable to a common peasant. Part of me felt indignant about the disguise knowing that if my mother could see me now I'd be disowned. Another part of me felt that this was a better idea than to walk around as a court jester. As I was donning my costume, the bottom of my foot started to burn as if I'd stepped on a hot coal and I let out a scream myself. The pain subsided almost as quickly. I dressed quickly and headed out. I walked steadily, but my foot now burned with a dull pain, but I followed the crowd to try to lose my new follower. I hadn't anticipated the resources of my new followers as I was accosted by a drake the size of a large dog. I heard the most terrible roar as the crowd fell away and all of a sudden I was surrounded by giants. I started to shake and use my stick for support. The damned pain that had plagued me for the last few minutes was all of a sudden gone as I now found myself accosted by these giants.
"What can old man Cassius do for you?" I said, mimicking an ancient voice to the best of my ability.
"Cut the act, I know you're not who you say you are." One of them in elaborate armor said to me. Another approached and looked me up and down as I did my best to avoid his gaze.
"That's not a real limp ya got there." He said with a brogue accent.
"I'll have you know, I fought in the wars 25 years ago."
"No you weren't, there hasn't been a war for as long as I've lived." The brogue man said. Without saying a word, one of the men tackled me and pried my left shoe off to see what they were looking for. Two of the tallest picked me up by my ankles and headed toward the tavern and approached the counter.
"Your food is getting cold," Bernard said to the men, taking time to lean down to look me in the eye.
"Weren't you just here?" He asked.
"Oh you know, I liked the service so much that I thought I'd give it another go. Service really turned my world upside down." I said with enough sarcasm dripping from my words to drown a horse. The two men brought me to the small bedroom and tossed me onto the bed.
"Alright, which house was it? You know what, I don't want to know. Just tell your bosses that I didn't go quietly. I don't plan to." The men crowded into the room as I saw a particularly tall dragonborn standing in front of the door.
"Move it, scaleback!" I said as I attempted to bolt for the door. The dragonborn struck me with his massive fists and my head started to spin. The other man with the drake stepped from behind him. He looked down upon me, both from his physical height and what I could assume was him believing himself superior.
"How long have you had that brand?" He asked, his voice low and grumbling.
"I don't know, I only realized that I had such a mark about 5 minutes ago." I shot back. The dragonborn moved once again and a smaller, much paler man stepped out from behind him.
"We're not trying to murder the poor man, we're trying to interrogate him." The man said, his voice softer than most men.
"He antagonized us!" Another man, wearing a worn cloak said as he stepped out from behind the dragonborn. I recognized him almost immediately as the would-be assassin.
He stared me down as the dragonborn moved once again, this time the figure that popped out was the bartender's wife, Alexis. She was a small woman with bright red hair. Her skin was like porcelain and in her petite hands there was a piece of parchment. The assassin turned toward her as she began to speak.
"E-excuse me, sirs, but there was a man who delivered this for you. I didn't get a good look at him, but he was as dark as ink and silent as the night." She pushed the sheet towards the assassin as he gingerly took it from her and began to read it aloud.
"When the moon is full
And your hearts are bright
Come together as friends
Under the full moons light
With hearts combined
And swords together
Your fates entwined
For a magical endeavor
Heroes of Light
And tales of old
Weave between you
Your songs of gold
To fall or to fail
With the widow's wail
Our new heroes rise
To tell their tale" The men around me bore quizzical faces as they pondered the meaning of it.
"Maybe the individual parts meant something?"
"It doesn't make sense, but it does remind me of some other moon cults I've faced in the past," the drake's master brooded.
"Maybe it's some sort of ritual?" The pale one asked. We gathered within the town square and I sat on the criar's box. I strummed a jaunty tune with the drake master as the moon came overhead and started to shine even more brightly. It became clear that we weren't the only performers in the square as it became clear of a woman's singing. A singular beam of moonlight formed the shape of a beautiful and effervescent woman. She looked upon us all and a singular tear slid down her cheek. It landed between the cobblestones that made up the court, from the crag a beautifully pale moon lily grew out of the crack.
"Whether by night or by day, a new threat has come to this realm. Moreso than that we've faced before. My sister's champion seeks to destroy this realm. Go my friends and use the powers within you to fight them for the good of the peoples of these lands." She said with a small, sorrowful smile. She looked up at the moon and gave a brighter smile than the one she just gave us.
"I'm afraid my time is short. Approx 3 miles east in a cave, you'll find your answers, but you'll also find more questions that I cannot answer. My time here is short, and this song cannot keep me here forever." I watched her touch the pale priest, and stared lovingly into his eyes. I squinted to maintain my view of her. I could see her mouth move, but I couldn't hear her. She seemed weightless as she floated to the armored up paladin and gently removed his helmet. Once again I saw her mouth move, but couldn't hear her. I couldn't tell if it was a failing of my hearing or if her words were not meant for my ears. She approached the massive dragonborn and touched his face with her elegant fingers. She floated to the assassin and caressed his face as well. She silently approached me, and I stood up, noticing that I was for once taller than her. She stared into me and chuckled.
"Try not to be so hard on others, yourself included. There's more to you than you know, so live up to that." She said, her voice was as smooth as cream and silk from the forgotten realms. I felt the goosepimples on my arm rise as she began to sing once again. I couldn't understand the lyrics, but I could understand the sorrow of the singer. I felt something fall in my chest as I felt an overwhelming sadness.
"I'm confused, why did I not get touched by the moon goddess?" The farmer asked in his same broguish accent. I ignored him as I stared up into the inky sky at the stars. Thoughts raced through my mind as I thought about what just happened. It was almost imperceptible as I realized that the sounds of the night returned in full.
"We know what we've got to do, so let's grab our things and head out." The giant dragonborn said.
"I just realized, but we're travelling together and no one's introduced themselves to me."
“Life is not about what's fair. It's about who hunts and is hunted.” The voice rang out from above us. Light burned my eyes as the bag was taken off and I saw an old man with a black turtleneck staring smugly at me from behind a wood podium. On each of his flanks stood a pair of guards holding an MP-5 in their hand. On his left flank stood a man who looked to be thirty. Tears streamed down his face as the old man turned his gaze toward him. He smiled as he stared at him.
“I don't mean this metaphorically. You have one goal while you're here. Find the other seven contestants, and kill them all before daybreak. Once you've done that, I can promise you a reward of seventy million dollars will be wired to your bank account, tax free. If you fail, however, and there's more than one person still alive by dawn then I'll show you what consequences will await.” The old man faced us as he picked up a kukri from beneath the podium. The other man cried harder as he started to beg. If he spoke English I couldn't tell. As he lifted his hands to defend himself I could only see two nubs protruding from his arms where hands had once been. They were still bloody as the old man brought the knife down. I heard a sickening crack as the blade broke bone. The old man raised the knife again. The man’s cries became wails of pain. I looked away at the last minute but I could hear the sound of wet crunching as the knife bit deeply. I looked at the old man again as he held the knife triumphantly in the air. Blood dripped from the blade to the ebony wooden handle and then onto the fringes of his sleeves. I felt a pit in my stomach as I was brought up from my knees. The ropes they tied my hands with were cut loose as another security guard, dressed in the same green polo and black slacks handed me a knife. I'd never held one in real life before as I felt its weight in my hand. The serrated back gave me a sickening feeling as I touched it, thinking what I'd have to do. The guard pointed me to the forest and motioned for me to go. The air was thick with humidity and so hot. It felt like being wrapped in a wet blanket as I pushed my lungs to breathe this wretched air. I knew my goal wouldn't be simple.
Everyone wanted to survive. Everyone needed to kill. The moon was almost at its highest point when I entered, so I knew I didn't have much time. I stopped to listen to the sounds of the woods, and sure enough I heard the sounds of twigs snapping. It wasn't too far from me. Less than a hundred yards. I walked quickly, taking care to avoid the twigs my prey so carelessly stepped on, until I saw him. I sat and watched as he hacked vines and small trees from his way. Using all his energy to do so. I felt like a leopard hunting an unaware monkey as I closed the gap. He was bigger than me by almost a whole foot and seemed to be dressed in a uniform, but it was too dark to see what it was. When I was within touching distance, I stabbed him in the back. Just below the shoulder blade and through the ribs. I could hear the soft grunt he made before he fell onto the forest floor, lifeless. I wiped the blade off on his uniform as I continued the hunt. One down, six to go. Not all of them would be so careless. I brushed the thought from my head as I continued along.
I walked for some time before I heard it. The sound of crunching twigs behind me. I turned around to see a shining blade ark past me and end up buried in a tree. I turned toward the direction it came from to see a petite woman staring at me. Clearly she was in shock that her ambush had failed. I moved first. I hit her with a left hand punch to the jaw as I brought my knife up. I moved quicker than she did and stabbed her in the gut. Her eyes stared at me as the light left them.
“For what it's worth, I'm truly sorry.” I whispered to her as I twisted the blade. The blood was inky black in the moonlight. After what felt like a minute, she dropped to the ground and I pulled my knife from her almost like a macabre version of the sword in the stone before I wiped the blade on her clothes and continued on with my little adventure. I tried not to think about her eyes as I proceeded. She'd been the one who tried to ambush me, kill me. I defended myself. What about the man? The thought bounced around in my head like a DVD screensaver. She was lucky, I figured. Not everyone got to see the face of who killed them. To know who they died for. Who did they die for? The thought rang out accusingly. I tried to think what the correct answer to that question would be. No answer that I could think of seemed right. It seemed that without hesitation I just took the knife and permission to kill and abandoned all morals. No. Here morals didn't matter. The first casualty of war is innocence. The voice reminded me. I ignored it as I traipsed onward. The moon hung low in the sky with the echoes of dawn haunting the other side. I walked further looking for the others. I walked until I reached a large tree almost as wide as I was tall. I reached out to touch it as I heard leaves rustle above me. I looked up to see the pale face of a man above me. He jumped from the branches, knife in hand as he roared a vicious scream.
“I DON'T WANT TO DIE!” He shouted as he came down, knife in hand. His aim was slightly off and instead of hitting my neck, his knife was lodged in the lower part of my right arm. The pain was like nothing I'd ever experienced. It was both hot and cold at the same time as blood poured profusely from my arm. I looked at him as I switched the knife to my left hand. His eyes were wild with rage and bloodlust. He jerked to pull the knife from me and I jerked back in kind. I slashed him across the face and blood flowed freely across his cheek. I made a feint to the left and as he dodged right I was able to push the blade through his neck. He clawed at it like a ravening beast before he fell to the ground. Dawn was now on us as I heard the sounds of footsteps and shouting. Guards had rushed to me in a matter of minutes with the old man, in a dark blue turtleneck this time, following behind. His wispy gray hair fluttered in the slight breeze as he stared at me and looked at the dead man.
“There can only be one. Congratulations.” He said as he spat on the corpse.
He motioned for me to follow him as a pair of guards set their rifles down and picked up the corpse. Now that I was close to the old man, I could see that he was a very frail figure. His shrunken stature made him stand almost a full five feet tall and his sweater seemed to cover his frail body but I could see by his movements that he was nothing more than a bag of bones. He looked over to me and narrowed his steely gray eyes.
“While we get our accomodations ready for tonight's ceremony, I'd like to tell you a story. About myself and this island.”
“I don't really care, I just wanna go home.” The old man glared at me. I felt a cold pressure at the base of my neck as his eyes turned away.
“My name is Clinton Moghrie, and I'm one of the wealthiest people in the world. When I was twenty-five, I didn't have that. In fact, I worked for a failing bank at the time and I was sent to talk to a prospective client. Needless to say the plane I was on didn't make it. In fact, it went down just two nautical miles from shore of this island.” He said as he pointed to the east.
“Yeah, I remember now, they found you on this island about a week after the plane was lost. You were the only survivor. New Oz Airlines flight 171.” I said, interrupting the man.
“That's right, but that's not the important part of the story. I wasn't originally the only survivor. There were eight of us, just like your group. When I landed on the island I heard a voice speaking in a long forgotten language and it told me to kill the others, just like I told you. This island is home to a god as forgotten as its language, a remnant of a world before ours. There was a time before Creation. Before Jehovah made the universe, another entity lived. It was not a god. No, it was something that's existed in the shadows of Creation since before Mankind was even a stray thought in Jehovah's mind. After Creation and the Fall, this thing lurked in the shadows and built a cult around itself. It gathered power, watched and waited. It has a name, one descended from its forgotten language. It calls itself Yolbaoth. Every year around September we organize The Hunt.” He said, his eyes boring straight into my soul.
“Who are ‘we’ and why is The Hunt so important to this thing.” The old man started chuckling and hit himself in the forehead.
“We are the Members of the Forgotten Order. The Hunt is important to Yolbaoth because it allows him to gain more power. In return for us doing this and creating another acolyte, which would be you in this case. It grants us wealth and success.”
So you kill people for money?”
“No, in a successful Hunt, the acolyte kills people for our success. In an unsuccessful one, we hunt them down and kill them all. Yolbaoth needs the Hunt because it cannot leave this island. You can think of this place as the Island that God Forgot. Jehovah doesn't exist here. A portion of His domain that not even He has control over.” He said with a slight smirk.
“I don't think that's right. There's nowhere you can hide in this universe and not be accessible to God. I want to get out of here.” I said, feeling cold dread creeping into the back of my throat. The old man stared at me and gestured to a white yacht.
“Pity you won't stay for dinner.” He said before he started laughing. I jumped onto the boat as the engines came to life. On the far horizon above the setting sun were a bank of thick black clouds. I watched the island start to get smaller as a massive wave crashed by us. From where we were it was easily 30 feet and growing. By the time it hit the island, it stood as tall as a skyscraper. Even from nearly a mile away I could hear the sounds of screams as the water crashed onto the island. The event took merely seconds but felt much longer and by the time it was finished, there wasn't a trace of the island except for shards of wood and bits of scattered trash.
A Balloon Named Stanley.
Stanley was not an ordinary balloon. Most balloons couldn't think, feel, smell, or hear. Most of them preferred to keep their eyes closed and bobble along with the wind.
Not Stanley. Stanley opened his eyes and saw the colorful carnival that he now found himself. He could see the bright colors of various banners and attractions. How beautiful they were when he looked at them against the azure sky. He could smell the wonderfully sweet smell of kettle corn made for all to enjoy. Most of all was the music that he enjoyed. The bells and whistles of rides, the screams of delight from the children who passed. Stanley wished to be free so he could enjoy it all and his wish was granted when a round-faced girl with buck teeth bought him for the price of one whole quarter. He was delighted as he fluttered against her hair. He was now able to see more of the carnival he was born into. (This is a sample, not the complete story.)
A Balloon Named Stanley, Children's books, 5-10 yrs, 520 words, Jack Riley (Pseudonym), The world needs to be a bright place for children.,Stanley was not an ordinary balloon. , A parable about a balloon who wished for freedom got what he wanted and regretted it. Then asked a stranger for help and it backfired., children, A writer who wanted to branch out to children's literature., Prose, High School Graduate, None professional but over 10 years as a hobby, Experimental, reading/writing/playing games, Falls City NE, 29 years.
A blank sheet, or a blank slate?
Sometimes I sit at my desk after work and stare at the city lights. I see the people walking around living their lives. Where'd I go wrong? How'd I end up here? Wasn't I made for better? Common questions racing through their minds and mine. The only thing we have in common is that we don't feel we belong. Every day I put my hands on the keys and try to type. I pour my soul into the paper and it remains blank. A reminder of potential squandered. Is each blank page an opportunity or just time wasted? I don't know. Night after night I sit and wait. Watch and listen. Write and dream but the page remains blank. I wish I could dream but that means I close my eyes. Close your eyes and find the world's passed you by. Now I sit at my desk and stare at the city's lights.
The End of the Princess Lorelei
“The wind blew heavily that night as I stargazed on the deck. It was cold and full of salt, I could taste it on my lips, when the first explosion rang out. Smoke belched from the port side of the ship as it pitched 35 degrees to the opposite side. This would be the beginning of my adventure, or rather misfortune with the Princess Lorelei. My chair began sliding toward the gilded railing that lined the side of the ship as the second explosion bellowed. I didn't see where it had come from, but it did for a minute level the ship out. I heard the screams of the other passengers as they ran to me on the bow. They were screaming something about the stern being gone. It didn't leave me much time to think as I heard the metal of the ship groaning. A third and fourth explosion roared loudly as the ship began to list once more, 45 degrees to starboard. There were more screams as people began to be thrown overboard. One after another their screams ended with a splash into the cold, dark Atlantic ocean. My chair was starting to slide toward the railing, the legs of the wooden deck chair dragging on the planks making an awful scree sound as they did so. I instinctively reached out my hands to brace for the impact against the rail. I hit the rails with a resounding thud as I looked down at the unfortunate souls who couldn't catch themselves. Those who couldn't swim sank below the surface, only to reemerge from the depths and bob along the waves. Their corpses made for macabre life preservers to those desperate enough. The moonlight danced on the waves that now carried the dead. I was scared stiff as I continued to watch and listen. I knew that I would join them in only a matter of time. I gripped the railing as hard as I could to stand up. I turned slightly to my left and picked up the deck chair. I folded it up and hefted it overboard to attempt to help one of the drowning unfortunates. I couldn't see if it did help them because almost as soon as I did so the entire ship shuddered. I looked down to see the only blackness of the hungry ocean rising up to claim me. I started to climb the railing. One thought raced through my head at the time. If I could release the lifeboats, I'll be saved. I lifted my left foot onto the railing and started to climb toward the bridge. The lights inside flickered, but I could see no one manning the wheel. I was about to halfway to the bridge when the ship’s PA system came to life.
“By order of the Captain, all passengers and crew are to make their way to the lifeboats and prepare for evacuation. I repeat. Make your way to the lifeboats and prepare for evacuation.” I hadn't heard that voice before, but I knew that they were not the captain. At least not the original one. I would know because I had dinner with him just a few hours before the first bomb went off. I made my way to the bridge, I grabbed the metal stairs like a set of monkey bars. I was now hanging on with all my might. The lifeboats were still not close, but I had to try. I wouldn't end up bobbing in the waves like an apple. I put one hand in front of the other to continue. I held on for dear life to the stairs, and then the railing. When that finally ran out, I lunged for one of the portholes. They were only about 12 inches across, but the glass was recessed fat enough for my hands to grab on. I felt the shop shudder again as it rolled onto its side. The screaming mostly died down, but I could occasionally see a pair of ghastly pale hands beating on the glass of the portholes, doing what they could to get another breath. I tried not to pay attention as I walked to the nearest lifeboat. The lines that allowed the boat to swing freely were now tangled like a spiderweb. I used my hands to beat on the emergency release. I hit it three times, mighty blows each time until it finally gave way. I held onto the boat tightly as it slid off the side of the ship, leaving a long streak of white paint on the ship’s black hull. The little boat landed with a resounding plop in the ocean. I feared that it would break into splinters as it landed, but to my surprise it stayed intact. I retrieved a pair of paddles from below the seats as I started to look for other survivors. The ones I saw earlier were now bobbing lifelessly alongside the deck chair I'd thrown overboard a few minutes ago. My heart sank as I rowed. I couldn't tell where I was going, but I knew that I had to get away from the ship. I turned around to see the last half of it sink below the waves. The remaining lights in the windows flickered and died as the ship sank silently into the blackness. Any delusions of being fit for the sailor’s life that I had vanished on the open ocean. I paddled as hard as I could to where I thought land was but by the third hour I was exhausted. I grabbed my suit jacket tight to keep warm. The wind howled fiercely as I huddled down into the boat with waves beating against the sides to remind me that if I wasn't careful, I too would be bobbing.
I don't know how many hours I spent in the dinghy, but I watched with glee as the sun lazily crested over the horizon. It was with the sunlight that my glee became absolute terror as I realized that I wasn't too far from the ship. The debris and bodies stretched as far as I could see as I began to paddle harder. Eventually with the sun high in the sky, my muscles screamed at me not to continue. I felt the insidious thirst begin to creep up on me as I desperately looked under the seats for a water bottle. I found two of them and five granola bars. They weren't the best meals, but it would definitely be better than nothing. I twisted the cap off of the first water bottle and drank heartily. I drank half of it before I realized how important it was now. I paddled as much as I could against the waves. Hoping against hope that I could spot land before my meager rations ran out. However as the sun ran its course across the sky I was no nearer to my goal that I was home. My arms were stiff from the rowing and the skin on my hands, arms, neck, and face was burnt to a solid red. I could feel the gnawing pains of my belly as it howled for more food, something I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get it. The sun began to sink below the horizon as I stood up. I looked around to where the ship has sunk and marveled. Aside from the occasional stray body and bit of debris, it was like no one has ever passed here. I felt my heart sink as I came to the realization that that could very well be me. I sat down in the bottom of the boat, holding my knees to my chest as the cool air started to blow over the water. I shut my eyes tightly as I drifted off to sleep.
I found myself in the ship’s dining room, sitting across from the captain. I grabbed a silver spoon to prepare for the first course. It was creamy shrimp and crab bisque. I gently pushed the spoon into it, watching as the metal sunk below the surface. I brought the spoon up to my mouth and tasted only salt and the sickly sweet taste of rotting corpses. I spat out the soup, most of it landing on the table in front of me, but some landed on the front of the captain’s jacket. The Captain easily stood at six feet tall. His thinning blonde hair occasionally peaked out from under his massive white captain hat. He looked at me with his big blue eyes.
‘Is there something wrong with the soup?’ He asked with a smile.
‘Yes, there's something wrong with the damned soup,’ I said exasperatedly, staring into the bowl, ‘it tastes like shit.’ The Captain clicked his tongue as I looked up. This time I didn't see the man with the farmer’s tan and big blue eyes. Instead I saw a bloated corpse with milky white eyes. His jacket was rumpled and soaking wet.
‘Aww, our chefs worked diligently to prepare a dish you'd love.’ He said with water spilling from his mouth and soiling the fine linen table cloth. I stood up, shocked at what I saw.
‘Sir, is there a problem?’ The waiter said. I turned around and saw the waiter too had milky white eyes. Most of his face was bone now with his teeth and jawbones being picked clean. I backed up, horrified until I hit the wall. I tried to run but at every turn there was another. Each one in a different state of bloat and decay. I awoke with a start to see the sun once again creating the horizon. My heart raced as I stood up and stretched my legs. The sun beat down on me mercilessly as I continued rowing. The thirst was now omnipresent as I polished off the last bottle of water. I stared longingly into the ocean as I rowed. Its presence seemed to mock my new plight for survival. Days passed, one after another. I spotted it in the east. The little speck of land that would be my salvation. The island wasn't large, I'd reckon it was a mile long strip of land with a dense jungle that resided on it. I pointed the small boat toward it. I rowed with all my waning strength toward this small beacon of hope until at last, the prow cut through the wet sand. I stood up and gingerly climbed from the boat. Where there were trees, there had to be water. I grabbed the two water bottles from the bottom of the boat and trekked into the jungle. Neither the heat nor the hunger I felt bothered me, just the sensation of needing water so terribly. I walked until I broke through the trees on the other side of the island and found no fresh water. I felt my heart sink into my stomach until I saw a boat. Your boat.” I finished relaying the tale to the captain of the small fishing vessel. He was a large man, built like a barrel and smoked one of those old fashioned corn cob pipes. He smiled at me and blew out a puff of smoke.
“Your name, what did you say it was again?” He asked, his voice sounding like tumbling gravel as he spoke.
My name is Edward Welles, sir.” The Captain took another puff of his pipe and blew the blue-gray smoke into the air.
“You know, the sea doesn't give up her dead easily. That's why she wants you so bad.” He said with a small smile growing on his face. I watched the smile grow and as his blackened teeth were revealed under his great white mustache.
“I never did ask, what's your name?” I said, a feeling of fear growing.
“My name's Charon. Although, most folks in your position just call me Captain.”
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We're halfway between the solstice and the equinox, the celtic first day of spring, Imbolc, or Candlemas or Groundhog's Day. You can really see the difference in the light, both the quality and the lengthening days. So I celebrated by planting two small flats of delphiniums seeds. Delphiniums germinate better if they get a period of chilling. You can do that in the refrigerator but if I plant them now I can count on several weeks of cold enough weather to let them think they've gone through a winter. After being outside for about 3 weeks I'll bring them into the greenhouse warmth.
On a wander through the garden I discovered the first shoots of rhubarb sticking their heads above the mulch. I can taste the first rhubarb crisp as I write.
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Actor Aditya Roy Kapur, who is eagerly anticipating the release of his upcoming film Gumraah, recently shared his perspective on measuring the impact of his work. The actor, who received widespread acclaim for his debut series The Night Manager, revealed that he values the connection he has with his audience above box office collections or streamer views. Aditya, who has delivered memorable performances in films such as Aashiqui 2 and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, believes that audience appreciation is the true validation of his work. The talented actor’s commitment to his craft and his connection with his fans has made him one of Bollywood’s most sought-after leading men.
Watch the teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7APBBJG34E
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Building a healthy, strong relationship requires effort, and practising gratitude and appreciation is an important part of that effort. There are many ways to show your partner that you value them, from saying “thank you” often to sharing responsibilities equally. Other tips include practicing active listening, showing physical affection, giving thoughtful gifts, scheduling date nights, verbalizing appreciation, celebrating milestones, taking responsibility for mistakes, and practicing gratitude regularly. These small daily habits and larger gestures of appreciation can help create a deeper emotional connection and a more resilient relationship.
10 Ways to Practise Gratitude and Appreciation in Your Relationship
1. Say “thank you” often
Appreciation starts with the small things, and saying “thank you” is an easy way to show your partner that you value their effort. Thank them when they make you coffee, take out the trash, or simply for being there for you. It may seem small, but a simple “thank you” can go a long way in building a healthy relationship.
2. Listen actively
Active listening is crucial in relationships. Listening to your partner with empathy and without judgement helps create a sense of mutual respect and understanding. Active listening shows that you are present and engaged in the conversation, which is crucial for a strong and healthy relationship.
3. Show physical affection
Physical affection is an important aspect of any relationship. Show your partner that you appreciate them by giving them a hug, kiss, holding hands, or cuddling. Touch is a powerful communicative tool and can help build a deeper emotional connection with your partner.
4. Give thoughtful gifts
Gift-giving doesn’t have to be materialistic or extravagant. A thoughtful gift could be something as simple as a handwritten love note or a homecooked meal. It could also be something you put effort into, like buying a book they’ve been wanting to read or board game they’ve been wanting to play together. A thoughtful gift shows your partner that you’ve been listening and that you care about their interests.
5. Schedule date nights
It’s easy for daily routines to get in the way of spending quality time together. Make an effort to schedule regular date nights with your partner. It could be something as simple as having a picnic in the park or going to watch a movie. The important thing is to create a space where you can focus on each other and connect.
6. Verbalize your appreciation
Don’t assume that your partner knows how much you appreciate them. Verbalize your appreciation by telling them how much you love them, how beautiful/handsome they look, or how much you admire their qualities. It’s important to be specific with your compliments, so your partner knows that their effort is recognized and appreciated.
7. Celebrate milestones
Every relationship has milestones and achievements worth celebrating – from anniversaries and promotions to making it through a tough time together. Take the time to acknowledge and celebrate these milestones together. Plan a weekend getaway, cook a special meal, or exchange heartfelt gifts.
8. Take responsibility for mistakes
Admitting mistakes is a powerful way to show your partner that you respect and value their feelings. When you make a mistake, take responsibility and apologize. This shows that you are willing to take ownership of your actions and make an effort to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
9. Share responsibilities equally
Sharing responsibilities equally is essential in any relationship. This could include household chores, cooking, and childcare. A healthy relationship is built on mutual respect and an equal distribution of responsibilities.
10. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is a powerful tool that can strengthen any relationship. Take time to reflect on the positive aspects of your relationship and actively express gratitude for them. This could be something as simple as thanking your partner for their patience or admiring their unique qualities. By practicing gratitude regularly, you’ll create a deeper sense of appreciation and understanding in your relationship.
Practising gratitude and appreciation in your relationship requires effort, but the rewards are worth it. By incorporating these small daily habits and larger gestures of appreciation, you’ll build a stronger, healthier relationship that can overcome any obstacle. Remember, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference in a relationship.
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- In response to record financial losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are in dire need to increase revenue and cut spending. Hospital Operations serve to fill the need to improve hospital inefficiencies.
- Though the Hospital Operations subsector of Hospital Analytics raised the most funds, Patient-to-provider communication could reduce the most inefficiency. This disparity highlights a misunderstanding of the hospital landscape by investors and companies.
- Industry experts highlight staffing shortages as the biggest pain point in hospital operations today. Revenue cycle management and cybersecurity are predicted to gain investment traction.
The United States spent $4.3 trillion on healthcare in 2021. Of that $4.3 trillion, spending on hospital care accounted for approximately $1.3 trillion, or 31% of total healthcare spending. The hospital is a hub of healthcare activity with tremendous clinical and non-clinical overhead costs, including staffing, operating room fees, inpatient and outpatient care, and more.
Though hospitals differ in size and patient throughput due to geography and level of care certification, they all face similar challenges related to limited resources and environmental constraints. At any given moment, a hospital must be able to accommodate an array of patient health conditions and community illnesses with clinical and non-clinical services. These services include but are not limited to, doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals, registration teams, finance specialists, cafeteria workers, and environmental health services.
This responsibility places tremendous financial, operational, and physical stress on a facility. The COVID-19 pandemic stretched the rubber band holding the hospital together to a near-breaking point. Patient influx escalated to numbers previously unseen, and services in place could not appropriately care for everyone. The downstream effects were delayed patient care, postponed elective surgeries resulting in significant hospital debt, and overwhelmed employees.
Increasing hospital efficiency is imperative to reduce hospital costs, retain employees, and, most importantly, provide appropriate patient care. Technology offers the opportunity to identify inefficiencies within hospital operations, streamline and automate administrative work previously done by humans, and predict upcoming changes to aid in planning and smooth over unexpected hurdles.
Hospital Operations, Defined
To understand hospital operations and the technologies used to improve inefficiencies, we must first review the definition of HealthTech.
The Langar definition of a HealthTech are companies that use technology to solve pain points in healthcare that affect patients, providers, hospitals, and payors, plus, +51% of their revenues must be derived from HealthTech products and/or services.
Taking it one step further, Langar Holdings defines hospital operations as:
“Companies that improve the efficiency of hospital workflows that are required to provide care.”
Langar’s private Hospital Operations Universe meets three key criteria:
- Their primary headquarters are in the United States
- They have raised >$5M since 2021
- Their deal size since 2019 is >$2M
Hospital Operations Taxonomy
Hospital Operations can be addressed in a multitude of ways, all with the bottom line of making the hospital more efficient. We further breakdown hospital operations into 11 subsectors, as described in Table 1.
Table 1: Hospital Operations subsectors with definitions and number of companies identified
Between January 2021 and June 2023, Langar’s analytics team analyzed private Hospital Operations companies. Publicly traded companies like Epic Systems and Cerner Healthcare were not included in this analysis.
Overall, private hospital operations companies raised $8.3 billion during the analyzed period; however, this underestimates the value of Hospital Operations as a whole. For instance, the worldwide EHR industry alone is estimated to be worth $38.4 billion by 2026.
Hospital analytics raised the most at $1.9 billion between 30 companies, followed by Revenue cycle management (RCM) and Practice management at $1.5 billion between 51 companies and $1.1 billion between 45 companies, respectively. (Figure 1)
Figure 1: Total funds raised within Hospital Operations by subsector (Jan 2021 – Jun 2023)
Figure 2 illustrates dollars raised for each hospital operations subsector starting in Jan 2021 with projections to the end of 2023. Fundraising was strong for Hospital Operations in 2021, with steady declines in 2022 and 2023. This reflects the market volatility witnessed across all health tech sectors.
Hospital analytics and RCM are projected to raise the most, with the highest number of deals by the end of 2023. This is expected considering health systems experienced catastrophic financial losses during the pandemic. Between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020, hospitals and health systems across the country lost an estimated $202.6 billion. Hospitals now find themselves looking for opportunities to cut inefficiencies and collect revenue with the help of HealthTech.
Figure 2: USD raised and number of deals by Hospital Operations subsectors (Jan 2021 – Jun 2023)
Staffing contributed more to overall fundraising in 2022 in response to the mass exodus of healthcare workers. Many companies that fell under the Staffing subsector included job boards for locums and travel nurses.
Inefficiencies & Cost Savings
Langar’s National Healthcare Expenditure (NHE) analysis identified potential wasteful expenditures saved in each hospital operations subsector by implementing a health technology solution. We used this data to approximate how much a hospital can save by matching a current hospital task with a pain point a Hospital Operations subsector can address with technology (Figure 3).
Some issues can be solved by solutions in multiple Hospital Operations subsectors. For instance, tasks related to admitting patients to the hospital can be addressed with technology solutions in EHR, Practice management, Patient registration/scheduling, Provider-to-provider communication, Staffing, and Supply Chain Management. If a subsector could potentially address a point of inefficiency in hospital operations, it was counted without regard to other subsectors that could also address that inefficiency. This leads to inflation of dollars of expenditures saved, but trends can identify which subsectors address the greatest number of inefficiencies.
Patient-to-provider communication had the highest potential to reduce wasteful expenditures at $456 billion. This is not surprising, as improved communication between the patient and provider could lead to fewer unnecessary visits or quicker necessary medical interventions, both of which would decrease healthcare costs. Improved communication also aids in gathering patient data, which is often a manual process that retains some inaccuracy. Remote patient monitoring or automated patient registration decreases manpower and lost data, which leads to inefficiencies.
The second highest wasteful expenditure category was RCM at $250 billion saved, and the third highest was EHR at $248 billion.
Figure 3: Wasteful expenditures by NHE 2022 Analysis
Industry Experts Weigh In
Leaders in hospital operations nationwide were interviewed for perspectives on the technologies available. When asked to identify the current pain points in their respective hospitals, 7 out of 12 interviewees mentioned a labor or staffing shortage. An aging population and burnout exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic are two of many reasons why physicians, nurses, and other allied health services are leaving the healthcare field. This has caused incredible stress to an already strained healthcare system as fewer workers can care for patients and recuperate lost revenues from the pandemic.
Many interviewees spoke from the perspective of the operating room and the downstream effects of lack of staffing. While many think of the shortage as doctors and nurses leaving, ancillary services within the hospital were also highlighted by interviewees, including transport services and environmental services:
[discussing wheeling patients in and out of the operating room to the SICU] “We sacrifice the most expensive resource [operating room] because we don’t have enough transport personnel.” – Executive Vice Chairman for Clinical Operations
[regarding operating room utilization] “We have a shortage of Environmental Services and housekeeping. If we can’t get the patient room clean, it causes delays.” –Anesthesiologist, Perioperative Management Physician
Other pain points highlighted are front desk support staff and inefficiencies in the patient check-in system.
“The scheduling and check-in process is the primary portal to how patients perceive your practice as a healthcare provider. Reception is one of the hardest roles to keep filled consistently with good employees.” – HealthTech Product Leader & Clinician
When asked if their respective hospitals were using any technology-based solution to address pain points or aid in operational efficiency, only EHR was endorsed. This is not surprising when considering the costs of adopting new technologies. Hospitals are large systems, which makes change difficult to implement. It took significant time for the EHR to reach widespread utilization, and even then, usage is inconsistent across different hospitals.
Another aspect to consider is the cost of paying for an additional technology solution when hospitals currently have little wiggle room for additional spending.
An Investing Mismatch
There is a disparity between what investors and companies spend their resources on and what pain points must be addressed. Hospital Analytics raised the most money of any Hospital Operations subsector despite Patient-to-provider communication demonstrating a greater impact on improving inefficiencies. A few hypotheses to this imbalance also reflect the difficulty in funding Hospital Operations and the HealthTech industry:
- Generalist investors are unclear on the hospital landscape, and for many venture capitalists, their diverse array of holdings often drives their understanding of and decision-making for a certain industry. In other words, investors can only understand an industry or company by a few bottom-line metrics. Even a healthcare-specific investor may not truly understand hospital operations. Because of this superficial comprehension, investors gravitate towards what they are comfortable with or what expedites ROI.
- Healthcare is an immense industry that innovates at a glacial pace. For some subsectors within Hospital Operations, it is harder to innovate and create sustainable business models. For instance, innovation in this area may take over a decade to gain traction, which is too long for a VC fund to return capital. A lack of successful exits and/or IPOs in Hospital Operations also does not attract investor capital, as it is harder for them to generate an ROI in a timely manner, if at all.
This research suggests that HealthTech companies and investors should focus on making communication clearer and more efficient between patients and providers. This will deliver more value to the patient-provider relationship, reducing inefficiencies and delivering more ROI to all stakeholders.
On a wider scale, investors and entrepreneurs interested in Hospital Operations should truly understand the intricacies of the hospital ecosystem and the pain points that need to be addressed rather than gravitating to what is comfortable or effective in other industries.
It is possible to make predictions about Hospital Operations and individual subsectors by looking at past trends and taking insights from hospital operations stakeholders.
Revenue cycle management (RCM) had a significant portion of Hospital Operations fundraising in 2021, and it does not appear to slow down. RCM will continue to grow because, in our complex insurance system, they help bridge billing and payment, ultimately expanding a hospital’s top-line revenue. This is paramount as hospitals find themselves in significant debt.
Patient-to-provider communication provides the greatest opportunity to reduce the number of dollars in wasteful expenditures. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language models’ (LLM) involvement as a middleman in communication or clinical decision support provides immediate attention to patient needs without halting the provider’s day. AI is quickly being adopted into radiology, and its ability to provide lifestyle counseling is an example of reducing provider burden. While LLM may not replace human interaction anytime soon, its potential to streamline the administrative paperwork and processes that plague Hospital Operations and the day-to-day of providers is invaluable.
Analyses failed to accurately depict the rare but adverse consequences to Hospital Operations if something should fail. Cybersecurity has been, and will continue to be, critical for hospital and data security. 112 million individuals were implicated in a healthcare data breach in 2023. In addition to the security of sensitive data, hospitals may receive ransoms and/or encounter operational disruptions from a cyberattack, which impact patient care. The increase in frequency and severity of cyberattacks has caught the attention of Congress. 55% of U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems providers cited cybersecurity as their highest digital and IT investment priority in 2024. It should be expected that investment in cybersecurity will continue to rise quickly and remain an indefinite priority as cybercriminals become more sophisticated and hospital technologies struggle to maintain defenses.
Staffing shortages are the largest pain point in hospital operations today, and it will take many years to normalize, if ever. The complex ecosystem of a hospital requires several personnel in all roles to help it run smoothly. Emphasis will continue to be on filling staff roles that cannot be replaced by technology and on solutions such as artificial intelligence to fill gaps in staffing within the hospital.
Hospitals are integral components of our healthcare system. The total addressable market for hospitals grows older and sicker while employees leave in droves. Because of these factors, increasing hospital efficiency is a priority now more than ever. From 2019 to 2023, U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems increased their digital and IT budgets by an average of 18.3%, a significant jump from the normal increase of 1-3% per year. In addition, 65% expressed a goal of increased operational efficiencies.
As we move forward in a post-pandemic era, hospitals must recover their losses, improve their workflows, and work to retain quality staff to continue to provide excellent patient care to their communities.
Lauren Tien, MPH
Lauren is currently pursuing her M.D. at The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at The University of Vermont. Before medical school, Lauren was a product manager at a health technology startup and received her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from The University of Texas Health Science Center.
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Make visible what, without you, might perhaps
never have been seen.
Our story began many years ago. The passion for documentaries, for traveling, for images, stories and “different” worlds drove us to build, step by step, a profession which is also life.
Each documentary, each project completed represents a unique plot, a creative and rich encounter with very different people and contexts. We have tried to interpret and to narrate them with a sense of responsibility, and wonder. There are recurring themes: water, women stories, memory, spirituality, nature, diversity… paths that can be walked on repeatedly, always learning something new.
With time the productions and the collaborations grew in number, as did the places visited and the people met along the way. We have organized the works in categories. The regroupment could be done in many other ways, because themes, stories and narrations intersect and superimpose.
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As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, fall is definitely upon us on Canada’s east coast. The air is crisp and cool, the leaves crunch underfoot, it’s time to put away the mower and fertilize the lawn for winter, and it’s time to harvest apples.
When I was a little girl we visited my Great Aunt Helen and Uncle Charlie’s farm in the fall; they lived in the Annapolis Valley and had orchards of apple and pear trees. Uncle Charlie was a big man who always ate with his own special fork—a bone-handled instrument the size of the serving fork we use to pick slices of turkey or beef from a meat platter. Aunt Helen was my paternal grandfather’s sister, and I remember her being a warm, loving woman who was also a great cook. Uncle Charlie kept chickens and I remember that he had tiny red blinders for them to wear; he said the blinders kept them from pecking each other. My siblings and I called them glasses, and tried wearing them, but they pinched our noses so we abandoned them fairly quickly.
By the time my children were little Aunt Helen and Uncle Charlie had already died; Shane and Erin never visited their orchard in the valley. Instead we visited apple farms in the fall, and selected juicy, delicious fruit fresh-picked from the orchards. Once home, I pulled out mom’s recipe for Deep Apple Pie and prepared a dessert aptly suited to a crisp fall day.
This recipe always turns out great. Mom made it for me and I made it for my children, and you may want to make it for your children. It is one more way to use fall’s bountiful fruit, the apple, and it won’t disappoint.
Deep Apple Pie
1 cup flour
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
Mix butter with flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Put sliced apples in deep dish; sweeten as desired with white sugar. Sprinkle crumb mixture over top and press lightly to smooth. Cook in moderate oven (350°F) until apples are soft. Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream or table cream.
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By now you’ve already realized that the more you try to fall asleep the harder it is for you to actually fall asleep.
While there are hundreds of recommendations to relax and fall asleep fast, like taking a hot shower or drinking a cup of warm milk, when you’re dealing with insomnia because of chronic stress or anxiety they won’t be of any help to you. What you need is a more progressive approach to falling asleep.
The science of falling asleep can be reduced to two requirements. First, your brain must recognize that it’s time to fall asleep. And second, it must feel that it’s safe to relax. Once these two requirements are met, your brain will gradually reduce brain activity and go to sleep.
With this 2-step routine, you will fulfill the two requirements necessary to fall asleep.
2-STEP ROUTINE TO FALL ASLEEP FAST
STEP 1: Signal the brain that it’s time to fall asleep
Darkness or the lack of light is the cue to the brain that it’s time to release the melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that controls the wake-sleep cycle, and it’s in charge of putting you to sleep. If you spend at least half an hour before going to bed in a dimly lit room, and away from all the screens, your brain will receive the cue and start to release the melatonin.
To achieve a better atmosphere you can use a salt lamp. Salt lamps emit a warm glow in red, orange, and yellow tones which resembles sunset. It’s also believed the lamps release negative ions that are beneficial for the body because they relieve stress and anxiety. Salt lamps are inexpensive and offer so much in terms of creating a calm atmosphere in preparation for sleep.
When you create a low light ambient go about your usual evening activities, or better yet do some calming ones like yoga. There are a few really good bedtime yoga poses you can try that work on releasing the built-up stress and relaxing your whole body. You can check out those poses in this post 6 Calming Yoga Poses to do Before Sleep For Deep Relaxation.
STEP 2: Signal the brain that it’s safe to relax
Once you gave a signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep, it’s time to reassure it that it’s also safe to relax. Worrying, anxiety, and stress put your brain in an alert state. In this state, it’s impossible for your brain and the body to relax enough to fall asleep.
But saying, go meditate, is easier said than done. Because if you were able to meditate you probably wouldn’t have difficulties falling asleep.
Trying to meditate is hard when there is a storm of thought going on inside your head. But no worries, because there are relaxation techniques you can easily learn to get to that relaxed mental state. They work on relaxing your muscles because when you manage to relax your muscles they will send a signal to the brain that it’s safe to relax.
3 Most Effective Relaxation Techniques to Help You Fall Asleep Fast
The famous military method used by soldiers to help them fall asleep fast under all sorts of difficult conditions. This is a powerful relaxation technique that gets more and more effective the longer you practice it.
This is how to do Military Method step-by-step:
- Sit or lay down comfortably. This method is created to work even in the most uncomfortable of settings. If you can lay down on your back in a comfortable bed inside a dark room you already have a head start.
- Close your eyes and breathe in.
- Breathe out and relax your facial muscles. All of them, especially muscles around the eyes and jaw. Spend some time here breathing and with every exhale feel your face relaxing more and more.
- Breathe in.
- Breathe out and relax your upper body. Start with the shoulders, move on the right arm, then left arm, followed by chest and belly. Let all your weight sink into the mattress.
- Breathe in.
- Breathe out and relax your lower body. Starting with hips and moving on to the right then left leg. Now that all muscles in your body are relaxed it’s time for the last step that will get you to finally fall asleep.
- Clear your mind for just 10 seconds. Empty your mind of your thoughts by imagining yourself either sitting in a boat on a calm lake with a clear blue sky above you or lying in a hammock in a dark room. If imagining a scene in your head is not calming for you then you can try repeating in your mind the words “don’t think” over and over again. You don’t have to count these 10 seconds. That would be let’s say two deep breaths.
It may take few days for you to practice doing this relaxation technique before you will be able to do it successfully. Especially if you’re having difficulties relaxing your muscles.
The relaxation response is the brain’s natural mechanism to end the stress response. When you are in a danger, your brain responds with stress, and when the danger passes, the brain responds with relaxation. Unfortunately, our body has a stress response even on mild annoyances like traffic, or someone being rude or delivery running late. We came to a point where stress is, sort of, a resting state for many. And this prolonged, untreated stress causes disruption in the stress-relaxation cycle.
Lucky for us, the relaxation response can also be intentionally activated.
This is how to do Relaxation Response step-by-step:
- Sit or lay on the bed. Make sure you’re in a comfortable position before you start.
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe deeply. And relax as much as you can. Pay closer attention to your jaw, release any tension and watch out that you don’t clench. Clenched jaw increases anxiety so be aware of that throughout the process and make sure your jaw is relaxed all the time.
- Choose one word. It can be whichever word in whichever language, it can even be a made up word or a simple phrase. Whichever word you chose it should have a neutral or relaxing effect on you. Don’t choose a word that excites you or makes you feel or think deeply. Words like “calm” and “moon” are good starting words.
- Repeat the word slowly in your mind. Mentally keep “saying” the world without moving lips, tongue or any other facial muscle. This is very important because we tend to make micro movements with the base of the tongue while mentally “speaking”. And try to “say” the word as slow as possible.
- Continue for 10-20 minutes. Although if done right you’ll be fast asleep long before 20 minutes expire.
You can learn everything about relaxation response from this book “The Relaxation Response” by Herbert Benson M.D.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Progressive muscle relaxation is scientifically backed stress management technique. Premise is that because stress and anxiety lead to muscle tension, learning how to relax tense muscles will lead to reduction of stress and anxiety. The process is calming and relaxing for body and mind. It will shift your focus from thoughts and worries to the sensation of releasing tension. This shift will eventually help you to fall asleep easily.
This is how to do Progressive Muscle Relaxation step-by-step:
Instead of reading steps it would be much easier for you to listen to a guided progressive muscle relaxation to walk you through the whole process. This way you can focus all your attention to relaxation without having to think about the next step and wonder are you doing everything right or did you miss a step.
Falling asleep is easy when you have a bedtime routine
As a kid, you probably had a bedtime routine imposed on you by your parents. That is a clever trick used by many parents across the world. It helps little ones calm down from all the excitement and get mentally ready for sleep. But kids are not the only ones that need to calm down before bed.
As an adult, your life is filled with responsibilities, uncertainties, anxieties, and stress. All that makes your brain race like crazy trying to solve all of the problems. This state of mind makes it impossible to fall asleep. A bedtime routine is there to help your brain quiet down and relax enough to fall asleep.
Preparing your mind and body for sleep by means of a predictable bedtime routine will help you fall asleep easily and quickly every night.
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In a sudden turn of events, Libya was struck by an awful flood that left a path of destruction in its wake. The depth of the calamity has been shown by imagery from satellites and aerial pictures taken in the affected areas, raising questions about how things are developing in the country of North Africa.
The Flood’s Wrath: Satellite Images Tell the Story
Numerous lives and livelihoods have been impacted by the flood, which came with unpredicted severity and inundated houses, infrastructure, and agricultural land. A bleak picture of the aftermath is painted by the photographs taken from above, with large areas of once-vibrant settlements now reduced to murky, swampy desolation.
Satellite imagery reveals that the hardest-hit areas include the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misrata, where swollen rivers and overflowing drainage systems have caused massive flooding. Homes have been swept away, leaving residents stranded on rooftops or seeking refuge in makeshift shelters. The images also show submerged vehicles and impassable roads, hampering rescue and relief efforts.
Desperation on the Ground: Aerial Photographs Chronicle the Crisis
Aerial photographs taken by rescue teams provide a ground-level view of the devastation. They depict rescuers in inflatable boats navigating through flooded streets, searching for survivors, and delivering much-needed supplies. The scale of the disaster is apparent in these images, as desperate residents clutch their belongings while wading through chest-deep water.
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds: Immediate Concerns
Libya, already grappling with political instability and a fragile economy, now faces a daunting humanitarian crisis. Thousands have been displaced from their homes, and the floodwaters have contaminated drinking water sources, raising concerns about the spread of waterborne diseases. Relief agencies are racing against time to provide clean water, food, and medical assistance to those in need.
The flooding has also taken a toll on Libya’s agriculture sector. Satellite imagery shows vast swaths of farmland submerged, potentially leading to food shortages in the coming months. Livestock losses are also significant, exacerbating the food security crisis.
Global Response: Aid and Assistance Pour In
International aid organizations and neighboring countries are stepping in to offer support. The United Nations has mobilized resources to provide emergency relief while neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt have offered assistance in the form of rescue teams and supplies.
Local authorities in Libya are struggling to coordinate rescue and relief efforts, hampered by damaged infrastructure and a lack of resources. The government has declared a state of emergency and is urging the international community for assistance.
Rebuilding Hope: The Long Road to Recovery
The actual magnitude of the destruction will become more apparent after the floodwaters subside. It will take a long time and a lot of money to complete the reconstruction, as well as international collaboration. Images taken from above serve as a clear reminder of Libya’s urgent need for aid as lives there have been completely upended by this terrible natural calamity.
Libyans are showing resiliency and camaraderie in the face of hardship by banding together to help one another. There is optimism that Libya can rebuild and recover from this historic flood calamity with international assistance and coordinated efforts, but the path ahead will be difficult and hard.
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Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center scientists track painted bunting migration routes using light-level geolocator tags.
Painted buntings (Passerina ciris) are an iconic but threatened species of the southeastern United States. However, despite their conspicuous habits, the basic ecology of and primary threats to southeastern painted buntings remain poorly understood, particularly the geographic linkages between specific breeding and winter populations. For example, basic information about key sites along the winter distribution of eastern painted buntings is incomplete. Outside of peninsular Florida, few field studies have investigated sites where wintering painted buntings spend a significant portion of the year, and historical accounts about the range, abundance and status are conflicting.
The research SMBC conducts will advance the conservation of this species by identifying key areas along migratory routes used by painted buntings and by engaging new partners across their annual cycle.
For example, Cuba is often considered the primary wintering location of this species, and several historical accounts indicate that it is relatively common in that country from November to March (Sykes et al. 2007). However, other accounts claim that painted buntings in Cuba are "rare," "not rare," "transient," "irregular" and "uncommon" (Sykes et al. 2007). Similar ambiguity exists in the Bahamas, where painted bunting have been described as "common," "an uncommon winter visitor," "readily found in winter" and "uncommon and transient" (Sykes et al. 2007).
Several sources also indicate that the species is common in Cuba and the Bahamas in spring and fall but rare during the winter, leading some researchers to speculate that some portion of individuals migrate through these countries on their way to an unknown winter site. However, no banded birds from the eastern population have ever been recaptured in Mexico, Central America or the Lesser Antilles. The poor state of understanding of the non-breeding distribution of eastern painted buntings has impeded the ability of conservation practitioners to link conservation will in the U.S. with conservation efforts in the Caribbean.
Without information about breeding and non-breeding distributions and migratory patterns, it is unlikely that effective conservation strategies can be designed to reverse painted bunting declines. For example, monitoring data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey indicate that more southern breeding populations have declined much faster than northern populations.
This variation suggests different exposure to threats among populations and indicates that management strategies should prioritize regions where southern breeding populations winter.
The tracking data from this project will fill several critical knowledge gaps needed to more effectively define conservation strategies for this species, including:
- Mapping key areas of the non-breeding distribution of southeastern painted buntings;
- Determining the relative importance of distinct wintering locations (e.g. Florida, Cuba and the Bahamas) for different breeding populations; and
- Quantifying the habitats used by painted buntings during the non-breeding period.
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It's always an exciting time in the Clark/Prew household when Australian band The Bennies release a new album. Particularly after getting to hear a new song the band have been working on their UK tour last year and we have been impatiently waiting for this release ever since. Finally, on February 2nd The Bennies released their fourth full length album, Natural Born Chillers, on their best buddies The Smith Street Band's new label Pool House Records. Enough with the introduction… it's time to party!
Natural Born Chillers begins with the song Get High Like An Angel. If you've never heard The Bennies before (what have you been doing!) then you won't know that the band flick between many genres including but not limited to ska, reggae, punk, dub, electronic and occasionally death metal. Because of this you can never be quite sure what you're going to get from a new album, other than knowing it's going to be a lot of fun, and there'll probably be some drug references from time to time. Get High Like An Angel manages to hit the ska, reggae, punk and electronic aspects of the band's sound. This might sound like it's all a bit much but The Bennies are experts in their craft and do an amazing job of bringing it all together to create something quite special. Something I've noticed more on recent Bennies albums is how the band have spread the vocal duties around more. This just adds even more to the party atmosphere. Bass player Craig's vocals are perfect for the more pop punk sounding chorus on this track. The second song, Dreamkillers, is the track we were fortunate enough to hear on the band's UK tour last year. It's an upbeat and positive song about following your dreams no matter what the naysayers might say. The opening lines sum this up perfectly as lead singer Anty sings "Break away from people that destroy you, chase your dreams and do what you wanna do." In true Bennies fashion you can't help but want to dance when you listen to the song, heck - I'm having a little bop in my chair as I write this. Anty, Craig and guitarist Jules all share vocal duties on this manic party of a track.
The third song on the release is titled Destination Unknown. Things get started with some synths from Anty's korg keyboard before more of an indie punk sound really gets the song going. The track doesn't travel at the same high tempo pace that we're usually used to from The Bennies. It's actually much more of a restrained and thought provoking song than I can ever remember the band writing. It's about a special place where everyone can belong and feel safe to be themselves no matter who they are. Sounds like a great place. The album's title track comes next. Natural Born Chillers is a superb reggae pop song. Naturally this is the type of song where you can imagine yourself hanging out in your back garden on a warm summers evening with your pals singing along to this song. The track is quite horn heavy and it makes me wonder if when they perform this live they will draft in some horn players or will rely on a backing track. This song is about feeling completely relaxed whilst you are high. Things hit their peak on the chorus when there are some really joyous gang vocals. The fifth song is named Ocean. After the chilled out reggae of Natural Born Chillers, Ocean picks up the pace and aggression (aside from some Beach Boys-esque "woooo-oooohs"). Anty's vocals hit hard from the beginning of the song, like an alarm clock after you've just had the most relaxing sleep. I love these rare occassions when The Bennies explore the harder punk rock side of their sound. Anty screams and snarls as good as anyone and the contrast with Jules' more friendly vocal on the chorus is just great.
Trip Report is one of the most interesting songs on Natural Born Chillers. Switching between spoken word and the most infectious, ear-wormy, as catchy as the common cold chorus you'll ever hear. It's about a night out after taking a load of shrooms and the escapades that occurred. The song is definitely a grower, on the first listen through I was thinking "what on earth is going on!?" but it doesn't take long to find a way into my heart. The spoken word narrative of the song is actually a fantastic listen and you'll be singing the chorus for days and days and days and then a few more days after that. The penultimate song is named Apathetic Revolution. High tempo ska party punk is the name of the game here, The Bennies speciality. It will have you skanking and moshing in equal measure, even if you don't really want to. That's the power of The Bennies music that is. It's a political song about feeling fed up with the downward spiral that the world appears to be going in and it looking like there's no way out. The Bennies do that thing of taking what is quite a downbeat topic and making you smile in a song. I've always thought that these types of song are very important. The upbeat nature is what hooks you in and then you'll listen to the lyrics and learn things. The eighth and final song on Natural Born Chillers is the fifty-seven seconds long Very Shit Carpet. This is a straight forward punk rock tune that feels very Jeff Rosenstock in delivery. There's that charming sloppiness that makes the song feel like a party. There are great gang vocals to start the song before Jules' gruff voice takes us on a high tempo ride through the song. This is a more simplified version of The Bennies that is just excellent.
Natural Born Chillers is another superb album from The Bennies. It's no wonder they continue to gain lots of fans all over the world as they keep putting out superb records full of fantastic songs that you can't help but fall in love with. Natural Born Chillers is perhaps a little short as it is only eight songs long but each song really hits all the buttons. It's certainly all killer and no filler.
Stream and download Natural Born Chillers here: https://thebennies.bandcamp.com/
Like The Bennies here: https://www.facebook.com/thebenniesband
This review was written by Colin Clark.
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Labor Market Patterns Since 2007
MetadataShow full item record
Donovan, Sarah A.; Labonte, Marc
[Excerpt] The period since 2007 has been a time of significant change for labor markets. The Great Recession of 2007-2009, the longest and deepest recession since the Great Depression, caused the unemployment rate to briefly reach 10%, and labor markets have subsequently experienced a long and gradual recovery. Most labor force metrics, including the unemployment rate and various other measures of labor force underutilization, have returned to levels that have historically been consistent with full employment.
labor market; unemployment rate; labor force metrics
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Q&A: WTF the Volkswagen diesel scandal?
You may have heard that VW has been cheating on its measurements of its carbon emissions, causing its CEO to step down on Wednesday in one of the most unsurprising resignations ever after shares plummeted by a quarter.
The deception has meant between 56,000 and 241,000 tons of extra NOx was emitted than expected from the vehicles which may have resulted in hundreds of extra deaths.
So, what actually happened?
Volkswagen has manipulated exhaust measurements of its vehicles in the US. This was flagged by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which duplicated emissions tests and found discrepancies.
The EPA found that emissions tested in real life conditions were significantly higher than under lab conditions. The non-lab test results were sometimes up to 40 times higher than what is permitted in the US.
Investigators discovered the cars were equipped with software that detects if the vehicle is on a test stand and then optimizes the parameters of the engine and transmission to the test situation.
The difference between the emissions under different test conditions was initially detected by an NGO, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
VW this week admitted the use of the software, which it says has been installed in 11 million of their vehicles worldwide.
In the United States alone the Wolfsburg-based group is facing penalties of up to $18 billion.
How does the software work?
NOx exhaust is reduced in many diesel cars through treatment after it’s been produced – but to varying degrees. VW cars with the “defeat device” software – or should that be deception device software – could detect if the car was being driven in test conditions or on-road, and adjusted the amount of treatment scrubbing NOx out of the exhaust accordingly.
In lab tests it would effectively prevent most of the NOx from escaping, and on-road it would deliver little or no treatment (cool infographic here). Switching off the exhaust gas purification saves a small amount of fuel and makes the car a little bit more powerful.
There are two ways of purifying Nox from the exhaust of the model of VW affected by the revelations:
1) The purification is done via a catalytic converter that injects urea into the exhaust fumes. In this process NOx are converted into water and nitrogen.
2) In the so-called NOx adsorption catalyst (NAC) the nitrogen oxides are deposited on a surface. If this surface is saturated, the catalyst is regenerated during driving through an additional fuel injection. This regeneration took place only partially or not at all in on road operation of the vehicles.
Why does this matter?
Diesel cars are often more efficient – per liter of fuel – than their petrol counterparts – but this does not necessarily mean they emit less CO2 because diesel has a higher energy content so more CO2 is released when it’s burnt.
One thing on which there is consensus is that compared to petrol-run vehicles, diesel vehicles are much worse for air pollution – diesel engines release more nitrogen oxides (NOx) which is a form of air pollution.
What are the health impacts of increased NOx exposure?
NOx and its derived substances, such as ozone, can trigger asthma, reduce lung function and cause lung diseases including bronchitis, according to the World Health Organisation.
It is also associated with increased incidence of heart disease and premature deaths.
In Europe, 1 in 10 children have asthma while there is an estimated 335 million people with asthma worldwide.
How bad is the air in our cities?
NOx from diesel vehicles, such as those tampered with by VW, is a huge problem in Europe. The European air quality monitoring system frequently measures the amount of NOx in our air.
People are especially at risk in cities and by major arterial roads. In Germany, NOx pollution at more than half of all monitoring stations on main streets violates the limit.
In the UK the problem is so bad the Supreme Court recently ruled that the UK government had take steps to reduce NOx levels – because the UK breaches European air pollution standards.
Which thresholds are valid in the US and Europe?
The nitrogen oxide limit is much sharper in the US, than in Europe. Diesel vehicles in Germany are allowed to emit 80 milligrams of nitrogen oxide per kilometre, according to European Emissions standards. But in the United States only 40 milligrams per mile (1.6 km) are permitted.
Emissions standards can vary in the EU, and member states can opt to have tighter regulations than set out in the EU directive. But they almost certainly won’t because it would make it very difficult for vehicles from the EU market to be sold into their country.
Are European models also affected by the VW scam?
The German Transport minister was recently quoted saying “we have been informed that also in Europe, vehicles with 1.6 and 2.0 litre diesel engines are affected by the manipulations that are being talked about.” He added that it was unclear how many vehicles in Europe were affected.
What is clear is that diesel vehicles in Europe vehicles in ‘real world’ on road conditions exceed emissions recorded in test situations – and emissions standards. This is partly because the test situation, which takes place under less realistic conditions, opens loopholes and opportunities for unfair but legal cheats. Legal cheating during tests is a common and well known practice among all car manufactures.
Are models from other manufacturers also cheating the emissions testing system?
There is reasonable evidence that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
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Teledermoscopy has become an essential service for many practices. However, case studies differ in conclusion for how effective these services are for saving costs. The following article will analyze another implemented case of teledermoscopy services for expedited referrals.
Teledermoscopy is becoming a widely-cited solution for lowering healthcare costs while reducing patient wait times. How accurate is this statement? The part 1 & 2 of these articles compare studies focused on the financial feasibility of providing teledermoscopy services as an e-triage solution.
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|Imprint:||Bloomsbury Children’s Books|
I have loved this series from the very start! The premise is so fresh and different, and full of so many wonderful themes, characters and fabulous magic.
Fionn and the Arranmore islanders are under siege from the evil Morrigan, her heinous brothers and her army of SoulStalkers. Black Mountain looms ever more menacingly over the island, threatening all with total annihilation. As the new Stormkeeper, Fionn knows that it is up to him to find some solution but how to do it? His best plan is to find the ancient sorcerer of old, Dagda, but that seems like an impossible ask.
To his aid comes old Rose, who it seems has been hiding her true identity for long ages. She is Róisín, First and Fearless, who fought alongside the mighty Dagda in the battle against Morrigan years and years ago. She tells Fionn how to find the Whispering Tree and thus be led to Dagda, an adventure fraught with tension and danger in itself. To Fionn’s utter astonishment, though he finds Dagda in one sense, it is not so that the ancient sorcerer can come to the island’s aid once again. That it would seem is entirely up to Fionn, as he is pronounced the new sorcerer and the islanders’ sole hope for salvation.
Fionn must learn to control his magic (which is, to his immense surprise, powerful indeed), empower the islanders as Stormkeepers themselves, each to their own clan and wield this combined force to defeat the darkness that is so near to engulfing them. Losing both his friend, Shelby, and his sister, Tara, to Morrigan almost proves his undoing but he digs deep into his newly found magical strength and with the aid of the clans and Róisín, the overwhelming odds are reduced and Fionn is revealed as the great sorcerer Dagda predicted.
The ongoing themes of family, loyalty, tradition, self-belief and selflessness, with references to Irish legends woven throughout, make for a thrilling and marvelous narrative and I am only sorry that we have reached the end of this trilogy.
Readers with a love of high fantasy and thrilling action, both boys and girls, from around 10 years upwards will absolutely love this series and I highly recommend it to you as a remarkable addition to your collection.
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The computer is pretty darn close most of the time. I usually compare my gallons used versus what I really put in and most of the time it's within a few tenths. I usually get 19 around town and if I have much highway driving it goes up to low 20's as a weekly average. I've taken a couple of trips, one east of Denver and got 26.5 and the other west of Denver and got 26 (that was driving through South Park at around 90 for some 40 miles). Most driving in the mountains I've gotten low 20's. My wifes V6 gets a little worse in the mountains but alot better on the open road.
06 GT Legend Lime, Konig Beyonds, Hurst, JBA, Steeda stuff, MAC CAI, Sniper tuned, LT's, catted H pipe, VIS Racing CF heat extractor hood, Tokico D-Specs, Silver Horse Racing, LLR #0174
08 GT Performance White, Konig Beyonds, Legend Lime accents.
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Runescape Cheat Codes is a program that allows you to do Cheats. Some of the cheat codes are:
- 911: This is used illegally, not for RuneScape, but the Fire companies. Fire companies get a fire and call the server (Jagex). And, it allows the user to bypass a update, allowing them to do anything they want to it.
- 341: Change the respwan point.
- 345: Prevented people from logging out.
- 146: Freeze the server to all players.
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Imagine being stranded in the wilderness with no rescue in sight. Would you know how to survive? From finding water to starting a fire, there are essential skills that could make the difference between life and death. In this article, we’ll explore 10 survival hacks that could save your life in a dire situation. So, let’s dive in!
Hack 1: Starting a Fire with a Battery
- A battery (AA, AAA, or 9V)
- Steel wool or aluminum foil
- Tinder (dry leaves, twigs, or paper)
Steps to Start a Fire
- Stretch the steel wool or aluminum foil so it’s thin and has a larger surface area.
- Touch the battery’s positive and negative terminals to the steel wool or foil.
- As it heats up, transfer the hot material to your tinder and gently blow on it to ignite a flame.
Hack 2: Making a Solar Still
How Solar Stills Work
A solar still is a simple way to collect and purify water using the sun’s energy. As the sun evaporates water from the ground, it condenses on the inner surface of the still and drips into a container.
Building Your Own Solar Still
- Dig a hole in the ground about 2 feet deep and wide.
- Place a container in the center of the hole.
- Cover the hole with a clear plastic sheet and secure it with rocks or dirt around the edges.
- Place a small rock on the center of the plastic sheet to create a slope for water to drip into the container.
- Leave the still in direct sunlight for several hours and collect the purified water.
Hack 3: Using the Watch as a Compass
- Hold your watch horizontally, with the hour hand pointing towards the sun.
- Find the midpoint between the hour hand and the 12 on the watch face.
- This midpoint represents the north-south line, with the direction away from the sun being north.
- Visualize an analog hour hand on your digital watch, pointing towards the sun.
- Follow the same steps as above to find the north-south line.
Hack 4: Crafting a Fishing Hook
Materials and Tools
- A small piece of wood, bone, or durable plastic
- A knife or sharp-edged tool
Creating Your Hook
- Carve the material into a V-shape, with a pointed end and a slightly wider opposite end.
- Cut a small notch near the pointed end to secure your fishing line.
- Tie your line to the wider end and you’re ready to fish!
Hack 5: Signaling for Help
The Mirror Method
- Hold a mirror or any reflective surface towards the sun.
- Angle the reflection so that it flashes across the sky in a repeating pattern.
- This will catch the attention of anyone nearby, alerting them to your presence.
The Fire Method
- Create a smoky fire by burning green branches or leaves.
- The smoke will be visible from a distance, increasing your chances of being spotted.
Hack 6: Building a Shelter
The Lean-to Shelter
- Find a sturdy branch or pole, and prop it up at a 45-degree angle against a tree or rock.
- Place smaller branches along the length of the support at an angle, creating a wall.
- Cover the branches with leaves, grass, or other debris for insulation.
The A-Frame Shelter
- Create a tripod structure using three sturdy branches or poles.
- Lay additional branches horizontally along the length of the structure to create walls.
- Cover the walls with debris for insulation and protection from the elements.
Hack 7: Making a Water Filter
- A plastic bottle or container
- Sand, gravel, and activated charcoal
- Cloth or coffee filter
Constructing the Water Filter
- Cut the bottom off the plastic bottle or container.
- Place a layer of cloth or coffee filter at the neck of the container.
- Add a layer of activated charcoal, followed by sand and gravel.
- Pour water through the filter and collect the purified water in another container.
Hack 8: Navigating by the Stars
- Locate the North Star (Polaris) by finding the Big Dipper constellation.
- Follow the two stars at the end of the Big Dipper’s “bowl” in a straight line, and Polaris will be the bright star in that direction.
- The North Star is always aligned with true north.
- Find the Southern Cross constellation.
- Extend an imaginary line through the long axis of the Southern Cross.
- The point where this line intersects the horizon is due south.
Hack 9: Creating a Rain Catcher
- A large tarp, plastic sheet, or garbage bag
- Rope or cord
- A container to collect water
Setting Up the Rain Catcher
- Tie the corners of the tarp or plastic sheet to nearby trees or poles, creating a slope.
- Place the container at the lowest point of the slope.
- Rainwater will collect on the tarp and flow into the container for easy collection.
Hack 10: Identifying Edible Plants
Universal Edibility Test
Before consuming any plant in the wild, use the Universal Edibility Test to minimize the risk of ingesting toxic substances:
- Separate the plant into its individual components (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers).
- Smell each part for any strong or unpleasant odors.
- Place a small piece of the plant on your inner elbow or wrist and wait for 15 minutes. If irritation or a reaction occurs, do not eat the plant.
- Chew a small amount of the plant and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes. If it tastes bitter, sour, or causes a burning sensation, spit it out and do not eat the plant.
- If no adverse reactions occur, swallow the plant and wait a few hours. If you feel fine, the plant is likely safe to consume.
Common Edible Plants
- Wild berries (be cautious and only eat them if you are sure of their identification)
- Wild garlic and onions
Always research and learn to identify the plants in your local area before venturing into the wild.
Surviving in the wild requires knowledge, resourcefulness, and adaptability. These 10 survival hacks can make all the difference when you’re facing a life-or-death situation. Remember, preparation and practice are key to ensuring you can rely on these skills when you need them most.
Q1: Can I start a fire using a smartphone battery?
A: While it is possible to start a fire using a smartphone battery, it can be dangerous, as puncturing or short-circuiting the battery may cause it to explode or leak toxic chemicals. Stick to using AA, AAA, or 9V batteries for a safer option.
Q2: How long does it take for a solar still to produce water?
A: A solar still typically takes several hours to produce a small amount of water, depending on the sunlight and humidity conditions. It’s important to set it up early in the day to maximize water production.
Q3: Can I use a digital watch as a compass if it doesn’t display an analog clock face?
A: Yes, you can use a digital watch as a compass even without an analog display. Simply visualize an analog hour hand pointing towards the sun and follow the same steps as you would with an analog watch.
Q4: What can I use as a substitute for activated charcoal in a homemade water filter?
A: If you don’t have activated charcoal, you can use crushed charcoal from a campfire as an alternative. It may not be as effective, but it will still help to remove some impurities from the water.
Q5: Are all plants that pass the Universal Edibility Test safe to eat?
A: While the Universal Edibility Test is a useful tool, it’s not foolproof. Some plants may still cause gastrointestinal upset or have long-term toxic effects. Always research and learn to identify the plants in your local area before consuming them.
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Two years after its release, Fortnite still dominates the online gaming space, sucking all the air out of the room with its 350 million players, massive celebrity endorsements and ruthlessly compelling dance routines. But, far away from that game’s rainbow-coloured cartoon scapes, there are team-based shooters requiring patience, strategy […]
Arma III (PC)
Based on a perilous proxy war taking place on a fictitious Mediterranean island, Bohemia Interactive’s near-future military simulation originally won praise for its deep, open-world campaign mode. Since then, it’s the multiplayer element that’s become the star, allowing fans to design, build and share their own variations, so you can engage in anything from tense squad-based skirmishes to massive 50 v 50 battles in a range of strategy scenarios. For this vast modding community and the influence the game has had on other developers, Arma III is very much the Doom of tactical shooters.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Originally developed as a modification of Half-Life, Counter-Strike is one of the most influential shooters of the modern era and a key component of the esports scene. The fourth title in the series features small teams of counter-terrorists and militants taking it in turns to defend objectives against each other in a series of detailed locations. Weapons are authentic, from assault rifles to fire bombs, and the lack of respawns means one wrong move sends you out of the round, leading to incredible tension as the bodycount mounts. Now free-to-play and with lots of different game modes, this is a good place to test your skills as a tactical player.
Still in early access on Steam, Squad is another highly authentic military shooter, set in a large open environment. Here, two armies of up to 50 players each build fortifications, use vehicles and study the landscape to develop battle strategies. The lack of a heads-up display to show your ammo and team positions means players have to work closely together, using a separate map screen to coordinate attacks. Engagements can involve sudden vicious gun fights or nerve-jangling snail’s-pace treks over rocky mountain passes only to be sniped at from a hill half a mile away. With a supportive community and regular content updates, it’s a welcoming introduction to tactical combat.
Insurgency: Sandstorm (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
With its Middle East setting, incredible sound design and hugely authentic contemporary weapons that feel unsettlingly real to use, Insurgency: Sandstorm is like an interactive version of gritty war movies such as American Sniper, Hurt Locker and Lone Survivor. Bullets ping through the air, ricocheting off walls with a deadly crack, injured soldiers cry out, and explosions have a shocking, ear-bursting intensity. With a range of objective-based play modes, this is a game about making slow progress through wrecked villages with a small, well-organised team and one eye on every darkened, distant window.
Hunt: Showdown (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Set in a woozy, broken down version of rural Louisiana at the close of the 19th century, Hunt: Showdown is an innovative combination of Left 4 Dead, DayZ and Red Dead Redemption’s excellent Undead Nightmare expansion. You’re a bounty hunter tracking down demonic monsters amid a zombie plague, but the catch is each open-world location has a dozen other players looking to beat you to the prize. Working in teams of up to three, you must make silent, careful progress through the undead hordes – and if your character is killed, you lose them and their gear for ever, forcing you to recruit a new hunter avatar. The clever mix of survival horror and team-based shooter have made this a cult favourite online.
Ground Branch (PC)
Another tactical shooter still in Steam’s Early Access, Ground Branch is inspired by the uncompromising military sims of the early 2000s – the likes of Rainbow Six, Operation Flashpoint and Full Spectrum Warrior. Players take on various roles within the CIA’s paramilitary arm, using complex character and equipment customisation options to prepare for specific tasks. Offering accurate ballistics, authentic injuries, and an encumbrance system that ensures you move slower if you bring your whole armoury on the mission with you, Ground Branch is not one for players who just want to sprint into the middle of a fight wielding twin machine guns.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Highly influenced by CS: GO, Ubisoft’s tactical team-based shooter allows players to choose from a range of special forces operatives before indulging in five v five missions, where one team is protecting an asset (which may be a bomb, hostage or bio-weapon), while the other is infiltrating the building to take it out. Taking place in a range of interesting locations from passenger airliners to sun-drenched villas, the emphasis here is on preparation and cooperation, with gadgets such as drones and hidden cameras available to watch for enemy soldiers. The lack of respawns and the deadly speed of engagements make for some truly gripping set-pieces.
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According to the US government, “legitimate students” are still welcome, everyone else – more than 1,000 – must leave the country. President Trump wants to prevent something very specific.
Since June, the US has revoked the entry permits of more than 1,000 Chinese students for “national security” reasons. A Washington State Department spokeswoman announced the base was an order issued by US President Donald Trump in late May. According to US sources, this is to prevent the Chinese military from using students in the US for industrial and research espionage. This has consequences for students in master’s programs and PhD students.
The spokeswoman pointed out that only a small proportion of all Chinese students in the US are affected. “Legitimate students” are still welcome. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said visas for certain students and researchers had been “blocked” to prevent them from “stealing sensitive research.”
Review from Beijing
Beijing criticized the procedure on Thursday. The lock contradicts the concept of openness and freedom in the US, State Department spokesman Zhao Lijian said. It has to do with political persecution and racial discrimination. The human rights of Chinese students studying in the US are seriously violated. He also threatened retaliation. We reserve the right to provide further answers.
The conflict is now affecting almost every aspect of the relationship between the two countries. Tensions have increased in recent months. After punitive tariffs, the US has begun to impose harsh political sanctions. Some Chinese politicians have been banned from entering the country for allegedly involved in the persecution of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. There is also a threat of sanctions against officials who, from the US point of view, restrict rights to freedom in Hong Kong.
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Water is a precious resource, and its scarcity is a growing concern worldwide. Qatar, in particular, faces significant water scarcity issues due to its arid climate and increasing population. To address this challenge, Enviromatch has designed and supplied a state-of-the-art brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) system that can process 2 x 2,000 cubic meters of water per day.
Skid-mounted Brackish Water RO System
Enviromatch’s BWRO system is skid-mounted, which means it can be easily transported and installed at different locations. The system uses reverse osmosis to treat brackish water, which is water that has a higher salinity than freshwater but lower salinity than seawater. The reverse osmosis process involves passing brackish water through a semi-permeable membrane that removes impurities such as salts, minerals, and other contaminants, resulting in clean and safe drinking water.
Pre-Chlorination Feed System
Before entering the RO system, the brackish water is disinfected using a pre-chlorination feed system. Pre-chlorination helps to remove organic matter, bacteria, and viruses from the water, making it safe for further treatment.
Enviromatch’s BWRO system also includes a chemical pre-treatment/post-treatment process to remove any impurities that may clog or damage the semi-permeable membrane. This process involves adding specific chemicals that help to stabilize the water’s pH and prevent scaling and fouling of the RO membrane.
Automatic Multimedia Filtration
To further ensure the quality of the treated water, the BWRO system includes an automatic multimedia filtration process. This process uses multiple layers of media, such as sand, gravel, and anthracite, to remove any remaining particles or impurities that may have passed through the RO membrane.
Automatic Flushing CIP Unit
The BWRO system also includes an automatic flushing clean-in-place (CIP) unit, which helps to maintain the system’s cleanliness and efficiency. The CIP unit automatically flushes the system with clean water and disinfectants to remove any buildup of contaminants.
Finally, the entire BWRO system is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC is responsible for monitoring and controlling the entire water treatment process, ensuring that the system operates efficiently and effectively.
Enviromatch’s BWRO system is a state-of-the-art solution for treating brackish water in Qatar. The system’s skid-mounted design, pre-chlorination feed system, chemical pre-treatment/post-treatment, automatic multimedia filtration, automatic flushing CIP unit, and PLC control ensure that the treated water is safe, clean, and free from contaminants. With Enviromatch’s BWRO system, Qatar can address its water scarcity issues and provide its population with a reliable source of clean and safe drinking water.
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Geographic variation in species interactions can have major effects on distributions. Effects of such variation can be particularly evident for invasive species, in which variation in competitive ability can influence invasive success and impacts. We tested the hypothesis that coexistence or exclusion of the resident mosquito Aedes aegypti results from variation among local populations of the invasive Aedes albopictus in competitive interactions with A. aegypti. We also examined the role of variation in fecundity-size relationship in these competitive interactions. We compared competitive abilities of nine North American populations of A. albopictus, three populations from each of three site types: extinction of A. aegypti following A. albopictus invasion, coexistence following A. albopictus invasion, and A. albopictus allopatric to A. aegypti. Competition among larvae from each A. albopictus population and a single A. aegypti population was tested in laboratory microcosms in a response-surface design. We found interpopulation differences in competitive ability of A. albopictus, but no strong patterns among site types. Extinction sites had steeper average fecundity-size relationships than coexistence sites and allopatric sites, but this did not translate into superior population performance. Certain individual A. albopictus populations had exceptionally large competitive effects on A. aegypti or poor competitive responses to competition from A. aegypti, but competitive effect and response were not correlated. These results suggest that interpopulation variation in the competitive ability of A. albopictus may only partly explain geographic pattern of coexistence with or extinction of A. aegypti. Environmental differences among regions may affect the competitive ability of A. albopictus and influence its invasion success and impact.
Determining the strength, nature, and causes of intraspecific variation remains a important question for population and community ecology (Travis 1996, Keller and Taylor 2008). Geographic heterogeneity in both abiotic conditions and biotic interactions are likely to create a mosaic of local selection that, along with genetic variation derived from founder effects and gene flow, shape the spatial distribution of traits within a species (Keller and Taylor 2008). Geographic variation in species interactions can be a major cause of geographic patterns in the diversity of genotypes and phenotypes (Travis 1996, Gómez-Mestre and Tejedo 2002). Despite these important effects of geographic variation of species interactions, most empirical studies of species interactions have been restricted to documenting the presence of species interactions as important factors for local populations (Travis 1996).
Geographic variation in competitive ability is particularly interesting in the context of biological invasions (Sakai et al. 2001, Keller and Taylor 2008). Differentiation of competitive ability is a prominent hypothesis for how invasive species vary between native and introduced ranges (the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability Hypothesis – Siemann and Rogers 2001). Less discussed is the hypothesis of local differentiation of competitive ability within the introduced range of a species, either in response to the different biotic environments encountered by a wide-spread invader (Siemann and Rogers 2001, Sakai et al. 2001) or because of the introduction of heterogeneous genotypes with different competitive abilities (Abbott et al. 2007, Keller and Taylor 2008). The outcome of local competition may play an important role in the invasion success of many species into occupied niches (e.g., Byers 2000, Yasuda et al. 2004, Duyck et al. 2006). Impacts of invasive species may vary across their introduced range from limited effects on natives to competitive displacement of natives (Juliano et al. 2004, Abbott et al. 2007). Investigations of the causes of such variation are of basic interest, as they provide an opportunity to understand how intraspecific variation in species interactions arises (Keller and Taylor 2008), and of potential practical importance, as understanding that variation may aid in forecasting where and when invasive species impacts will be most severe (Abbott et al. 2007). Ideal model systems for such investigations involve wide spread, well studied invaders that vary in their degree of contact with and impact on native species, from no contact, through competitive exclusion of natives, to coexistence with natives.
In the mid-1980s the Asian Tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, invaded the continental United States from Japan. Since then, it has spread rapidly in the southeastern United States and become one of the most common human-biting mosquitoes in its new range (Lounibos 2002). The spread of A. albopictus has been associated with a decline, sometimes to local extinction, of a closely related species, Aedes aegypti (O'Meara et al. 1995). Aedes aegypti originated in tropical Africa and probably invaded the Americas in the 16th century (Lounibos 2002). Most field (Juliano 1998, Braks et al. 2004) and laboratory (e.g., Barrera 1996, Murrell and Juliano 2008) competition experiments have shown that A. albopictus are often superior in competition for resources with A. aegypti in water-filled containers. These experiments have typically only involved the effects of competition on the immature stages, ignoring effects that may be expressed in resulting adults (e.g., Costanzo et al. 2005, Leisnham et al. 2008). Despite an apparent competitive advantage for North American A. albopictus, A. aegypti remains dominant in some areas in the southern USA, particularly in urban and southern sites in the Florida peninsula (O'Meara et al. 1995).
At least two hypotheses could account for the observation that A. albopictus is typically superior in competition to A. aegypti in experiments involving only the immature stages, yet A. aegypti coexists with A. albopictus at some sites. One hypothesis is that ecological context, including abiotic or biotic environments, differs among sites, with conditions at some sites favoring A. aegypti (Juliano et al. 2002, 2004; Costanzo et al. 2005). For example, Juliano et al. (2002) found that, in Florida, occupancy of containers was greater for A. aegypti but lower for A. albopictus at warm sites with little winter rainfall compared to relatively cool sites with greater winter rain. The second hypothesis, which we address in this paper, is that local populations of these Aedes differ in their competitive characteristics. This hypothesis has received little attention despite prior studies showing geographic variation in other life history traits of A. albopictus, such incidence of diapausing eggs (Lounibos et al. 2003) and larval growth rate (Armbruster and Conn 2006).
At the same time A. albopictus invaded the United States, A. albopictus originating in tropical Asia (Birungi and Munstermann 2002) invaded, established, and spread in Brazil (Lounibos 2002). Field competition experiments showed that A. albopictus from Brazil were also superior in competition for resources with A. aegypti (Braks et al., 2004), producing effects on A. aegypti that were strikingly similar to those observed for North American A. albopictus (Juliano 1998), and suggesting that competitive ability of A. albopictus from different continental regions (North America vs. Brazil) is broadly similar. However, both of these investigations focused only on differences in the responses of immatures to competitive interactions. Only Black et al. (1989) has evaluated interpopulation variation in the competitive ability of A. albopictus, finding differences in survival among populations. No experiments have compared the competitive abilities of different populations of A. albopictus from sites with different histories of interaction with A. aegypti (i.e., no contact with A. aegypti, A. aegypti extinct since A. albopictus arrival, A. aegypti coexists with A. albopictus). Thus, the role of geographic variation in the competitive ability of A. albopictus in determining coexistence with vs. exclusion of A. aegypti in the Americas remains unknown.
Experimental comparisons of competitive abilities are ideally based on competitive effects on and responses of per capita rate of change (r) (Goldberg and Fleetwood 1987). In competition experiments involving mosquitoes, population performance can be estimated by combining demographic data on survivorship, development time, and size (as a fecundity surrogate), into a composite index of population performance (Livdahl and Sugihara 1984, Juliano 1998). However, a problem with the composite index approach arises when investigators wish to compare different populations for competitive ability, but assume no interpopulation variation in the fecundity-size relationship of a species, which is used to estimate reproductive output in demographic models (Livdahl and Sugihara 1984). Such variation is well known for insects (e.g., Hatle et al. 2002) including A. albopictus (Leisnham et al. 2008), and could be an important contributor to geographic variation in competitive ability.
In this paper, we test the hypothesis that variation in the outcome of A. albopictus invasion (i.e., coexistence vs. exclusion) results from variation among local populations of A. albopictus in competitive interactions with A. aegypti. We explicitly evaluate the role of adult reproductive tactics in these competitive outcomes. We compare the competitive abilities of nine North American populations of A. albopictus with known population histories of invasion and coexistence with A. aegypti. As in previous studies examining geographic variation in species interactions (e.g., Black et al. 1989), we compare populations under a single set of environmental conditions and thus reflect underlying genotypic variation.
To measure the absolute magnitude of heterospecific and conspecific competition, we employed a response surface design (Goldberg and Scheiner 2001), in which regression slopes of population performance vs. hetrospecific and conspecific densities quantify per capita competitive effect and response to interspecific and intraspecific competition, respectively (Goldberg and Fleetwood 1987). We predict that A. albopictus from sites where A. aegypti have gone extinct since A. albopictus arrival (extinction) will have greater competitive effect, or better competitive response, than will A. albopictus from sites where A. aegypti coexist with A. albopictus (coexistence), or from sites where A. aegypti has never occurred (allopatric).
Aedes albopictus larvae were collected from nine geographic populations in the eastern United Sates (Appendix A), three populations from each of three site types: extinction of A. aegypti following A. albopictus invasion, coexistence of the two species, and A. albopictus allopatric to A. aegypti. At extinction sites (Bartow, FL., Fort Denaud, FL., and Gainesville, FL.), A. albopictus became established in the early 1990s, and its arrival was associated with a decline and extinction of local A. aegypti in 1990 in Gainesville, 1992 in Bartow, and 1993 in Ft. Denaud as recorded by regular site surveys (O' Meara unpublished data, Juliano et al. 2004). At coexistence sites (Daytona, FL., Fort Myers, FL., and Tampa, FL.), A. albopictus has been established since the early 1990s, yet A. aegypti remains present. Among the allopatric sites, A. albopictus has been established in East St. Louis, IL since the mid 1980s (Hawley 1988), in Bloomington, IN since the early 1990s, and in Washington DC since the late 1990s. Allopatric populations are at latitudes beyond the permanent geographic range of A. aegypti (Darsie and Ward 2005), and therefore likely to have had no contact with A. aegypti since their arrival. All A. albopictus populations originated from artificial containers, in urban or suburban areas, where encounters with other Aedes species (e.g., the native treehole Aedes triseriatus) were relatively rare. Collections sometimes yielded Culex spp., but these were present at coexistence, exclusion, and allopatric sites. Aedes aegypti for this experiment were collected as larvae from a single population in Miami, FL, where A. albopictus is locally absent (unpublished data).
Field collected larvae of A. albopictus and A. aegypti were reared to adulthood at 26°C at 16:8 (L:D) h photoperiod and then released into 0.6-m3 cages. Adults were kept at 26°C and 75% RH at 17:7 (L:D) h photoperiod with a graduated dawn-dusk period. Adults had continuous access to 20% sugar solution. Females were regularly fed anesthetized guinea pigs and laid eggs on paper towels in water-filled cups. Individuals from these eggs were used in the experiment.
The experiment had a replicated, blocked design with within-block replication of each site type. Egg availability prevented us from replicating each population in every block. For each block, eggs of both species were hatched synchronously in a solution of 0.44 g nutrient broth per 1 L deionized (DI) water. Within 24 h, larvae were rinsed and transferred into the experiment. The experiment consisted of the following initial combinations of larvae (A. albopictus: A. aegypti): 10:0, 20:0, 40:0, 10:10, 20:20, 10:30, 30:10, 0:10, 0:20, and 0:40 to create a response surface design (Goldberg and Scheiner 2001). Each combination was replicated three times for each of the nine A. albopictus populations, yielding 189 experiment units with A. albopictus, 189 experimental units with A. aegypti, and 270 total experimental units (400-ml cups containing 350 ml DI water and provisioned with 0.70 g of dried senescent live oak (Quercus virginiana) leaves). Cups were set up four days prior to the addition of larvae to allow microbial communities to establish. On days 14, 28, 42, and 56 after the start of each replicate, 0.70 g of additional dried live oak was added to each cup to avoid complete resource depletion and to mimic the natural condition of continuing resource inputs to containers. One cup containing high density A. albopictus (40:0) was lost.
The experiment was housed in an environmental chamber at 28 °C and 14:10 (L:D) h photoperiod to approximate summer climate and photoperiod conditions at all sites. Treatments were randomly assigned cups and cup position was shuffled daily. Each day we collected pupae into individual vials and held them until adult emergence. Adults were killed by drying (24 h, 50°C) and females were weighed and their wing lengths were measured. Dry mass and wing length of adult females were highly correlated (A. albopictus:, r2 = 0.760, n = 1127, P < 0.0001; A. aegypti: r2 = 0.744, n = 766, P < 0.0001), and wing length was used as a measure of female size to estimate fecundity of A. albopictus and A. aegypti (see below).
For each cup, proportion survivorship to adulthood (both sexes), mean female dry mass, and mean female wing length were recorded. Daily eclosion of females and their wing lengths were used to calculate λ’, a composite index of population finite rate of increase based on r’, which estimates the realized per capita rate of population change (dN/N dt = r, the exponential growth rate) for each replicate cohort (Livdahl and Sugihara 1984; details in Appendix B).
We used a regression equation relating female wing length to fecundity for A. aegypti: f(wx) = 0.5 [− 8.616 + 2.50(wx 3)] (r2 = 0.875, n = 206, P < 0.001, Briegel 1990), where wx is female wing length. To test differences in the relationship between fecundity and body size in A. albopictus, A. albopictus larvae from each colony were reared to adulthood in the laboratory. As adults eclosed they were placed in 20-L nylon screen cages and within 5–10 days were fed to repletion from an anaesthetized mouse, then isolated in 600 ml containers with a 40 ml cup of water lined with paper towel for oviposition. Eggs were counted and the mean dry mass determined for 10 randomly chosen eggs from each female. Eggs were weighed in groups of 5–10, to 0.1 µg. After oviposition, all females were killed, dissected, and numbers of mature eggs (stages 4 and 5, Detinova 1962) in their ovaries counted. Fecundity was calculated by adding laid and unlaid mature eggs. Wings of all females were removed and measured. A total 318 females (24–43 for each population) entered the experiment. Killing and dissecting females after the first gonotrophic cycle is consistent with most prior studies that have examined the fecundity of A. albopictus (e.g., Armbruster and Hutchinson 2002). Data on the parity of wild A. albopictus females suggest that the average female matures but one batch of eggs (Hawley 1988).
For each species, linear models with effects of densities of A. albopictus and A. aegypti (continuous variables), population (class variable), and block (class variable) were tested with λ’ and its main demographic components (survivorship and mean female mass) as dependent variables. Collectively we refer to these dependent variables as “population performance”. An effect of competition was detected as a significant slope for a species’ performance versus heterospecific or conspecific density. If population affects the outcome of competition, we expect an interaction between density and population on λ’, survivorship, and mean female mass. Aedes albopictus populations with stronger effects on A. aegypti will yield steeper slopes of A. aegypti population performance vs. A. albopictus density. Populations of A. albopictus with better competitive responses to A. aegypti will yield shallower slopes of A. albopictus population performance vs. A. aegypti density. Interactions between heterospecific and conspecific densities were tested but not significant, and thus they were removed from models. Association of competitive effect and response among populations was tested by estimating Spearman rank correlation between slopes, with a strong negative correlation expected if strong competitive effect and response are associated across populations.
Populations selected for this study were not a random sample of all possible populations of each site type. Therefore, in all analyses, population was treated as a fixed effect and statistical inferences extend only to the populations selected. This approach follows that of previous studies on geographic variation of life history traits (e.g. Reznick et al. 2001, Leisnham et al. 2008). For all analyses, we tested for significant differences among populations using pairwise contrasts (Scheiner 2001), with sequential Bonferroni correction for all possible comparisons (33) within each analysis. We tested for site type effects using the a priori contrast comparing mean values of λ’, survivorship, and mean female mass among extinction vs. coexistence vs. allopatric sites.
We arcsine-square root transformed proportion surviving, and log transformed both λ’ + 1 and mass to meet assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variances. All analyses were done using SAS (SAS Institute Inc. 2003) using experiment-wise α = 0.05.
MANCOVA was used to test for differences between populations (predictor variable) in the relationships of wing length (predictor variable) with fecundity and egg size (dependent variables), using F statistics derived from Pillai’s Trace (SAS Institute Inc. 2003). We interpret contributions of dependent variables to significant MANCOVA effects using Standardized Canonical Coefficients (SCCs; Scheiner 2001). Population was a class variable and wing length a continuous variable. Interaction of wing length with population was also included. Thirty seven females either did not lay eggs before dying or their eggs were damaged, and thus their eggs were not weighed and they were excluded from the MANCOVA. Although we tested population differences in the relationship of wing length with fecundity and egg size using data from all populations, we conducted separate univariate linear regressions of fecundity on wing length for each population to estimate f(wx) for calculating λ’ for each population.
The origin of A. albopictus influences its competitive effect on A. aegypti (F8, 159=2.42, P=0.0170) and response to competition from A. aegypti (F8, 158=3.28, P=0.0017) (Fig. 1, Appendix C). Bartow had the strongest negative effect of A. albopictus density on A. aegypti λ’ (i.e., steepest negative slope) (Fig. 1, Appendix C), and there was a difference between Bartow and Bloomington (P < 0.0001). Ft. Denaud had the strongest negative effect of A. aegypti density on A. albopictus λ’, (Fig. 1, Appendix C), and was different to all other populations (P < 0.0002). Aedes albopictus (conspecific) density negatively affected A. albopictus λ’ (F1, 158=4.10, P=0.0447) similarly for all populations (F8, 158=0.04, P=1.0000). Competitive effect and response slopes were uncorrelated (rs = 0.0167, P = 0.948), indicating inconsistent ranking of populations of A. albopictus in competitive effect and response (Appendix C). Separate linear regressions of fecundity on wing length for use in estimating λ’ for each population yielded r2 values from 0.336 to 0.763.
Heterospecific (A. aegypti) density negatively affected A. albopictus survivorship (Fig. 2), with a steeper slope for Ft. Denaud compared to Ft. Myers and for extinction sites compared to coexistence sites (F8, 158=2.23, P=0.0280; Appendix C). Conspecific density negatively affected A. albopictus survivorship (F1, 158=149.65, P<0.0001) similarly for all populations (F8, 158=1.25, P<0.2746). Heterospecific (F1, 159=324.95, P<0.0001) and conspecific (F1, 159=195.36, P<0.0001) densities negatively affected A. aegypti survivorship similarly for all populations (F1, 159=1.20, P=0.3025 and F1, 159=0.81, P=0.5918; Appendix C).
Heterospecific and conspecific densities negatively affected A. albopictus mass (F1, 157=32.28, P<0.0001 and F1, 157=4.72, P=0.0314) and A. aegypti mass (F1, 146=18.95, P<0.0001 and F1, 157=14.50, P=0.0002) (Appendix C). Density effects on body size were consistent among populations (Appendix C).
Wing length positively affected fecundity of A. albopictus in all populations, and showed steeper slopes in extinction sites than coexistence and allopatric sites (Table 1, Fig. 3). Wing length had a small positive effect on egg size of A. albopictus from extinction sites, but not in coexistence and allopatric populations (Fig. 3). Differences between extinction sites and coexistence sites and between extinction sites and allopatric sites were approximately equally attributable to differences in both fecundity and egg size (see SCCs in Table 1). All multivariate pairwise contrasts between individual populations for the wing*population interaction were not significant after Bonferroni correction.
There are inherent interpopulation differences in competitive effect and response of A. albopictus. We predicted that A. albopictus from sites where A. aegypti has gone extinct (extinction) would have stronger competitive effects on or better competitive responses to A.aegypti, compared to A. albopictus from sites where A. aegypti persists (coexistence), or is absent (allopatric). However, our data yielded no strong patterns among extinction, coexistence, or allopatric sites. Instead, certain populations stood out as having large competitive effects (Bartow) or poor competitive responses (Ft. Denaud). As both of these populations are from extinction sites, interpopulation variability in competitive ability is unlikely to explain variation in invasion success or impact of A. albopictus among these sites.
Most A. albopictus populations, except Ft. Denaud, yielded greater λ’ than A. aegypti at high combined densities. This result is consistent with previous field (Juliano 1998, Braks et al. 2004) and laboratory (Barrera 1996, Murrell and Juliano 2008) experiments using natural leaf detritus as the nutrient base, and with competitive superiority of A. albopictus over A. aegypti under these conditions. Competition affected female size in the same way for all A. albopictus populations, and all A. albopictus populations had the same effect on A. aegypti size. This suggests that differential effects of A. albopictus population on λ ’ are mostly the result of effects on survivorship. Nevertheless, we observed slightly different conclusions for λ’ and survivorship of both species, reaffirming the importance of estimating population rate of increase in competition studies (Livdahl and Sugihara 1984).
Although extinction sites had steeper average fecundity-size relationships than did coexistence sites and allopatric sites, this did not translate into generally superior population performance. To test whether interpopulation differences in fecundity-size relationships (f(wx)) were important determinants of overall competitive interactions, we also calculated λ’ using one f(wx) from a regression pooling data from all populations. Although λ’ values changed, statistical conclusions about competitive advantage and interpopulation differences in competitive effects and responses were unchanged. Thus, as observed by Juliano (1998), patterns in competitive interactions for these populations are not strongly related to fecundity-size relationships.
Consistent with prior work on A. albopictus reproduction (e.g., Leisnham et al. 2008), fecundity and egg size were positively correlated, yielding no evidence of a trade-off between fecundity and investment per offspring across populations. Although interpopulation differences in reproduction were primarily attributable to fecundity, differences in egg size were not trivial. Aedes albopictus from extinction sites had a strong relationship between wing length and egg size compared to coexistence sites (Fig. 1). Egg size does not enter into calculations of λ’ but it may be related to fitness of A. albopictus. In A. aegypti and other insects, females hatching from large eggs grow faster, attain greater adult size, and lay more and larger eggs than females hatching from small eggs (Steinwascher 1984, Azevedo et al. 1997, Fox and Czesak 2000). Interspecific comparisons among Aedes mosquitoes also show egg survival time is correlated with egg volume at both high and low humidity (Sota and Mogi 1992). Thus, larger eggs may yield superior fitness in A. albopictus, and this advantage for large females may contribute to greater population-level competitive ability of A. albopictus at certain sites, and contribute to displacement of A. aegypti.
Our experiment is one of the first to show interpopulation divergence in competitive effect and response for an insect. Competitive effect is usually associated with ability to harvest and deplete scarce resources (Tilman 1982). Harvesting efficiency can contribute to competitive response as well, but response is also affected by physiological efficiency and flexibility, such as reduced metabolic demands when resources are scarce or plasticity of size and time to maturity that may enable a species to maintain positive dN/dt despite competition. Such phenotypic plasticity will not necessarily alter competitive effect (Tilman 1982). In our experiment, there were significant interactions involving population only for interspecific competition and the magnitudes of competitive effect and response were uncorrelated among A. albopictus populations. Competitive effect and response are at least partially independent for plants and invertebrates (e.g., Goldberg and Fleetwood 1987, Joshi and Thompson 1995, Byers 2000). Thus, independent evolution of enhanced effect or response among populations of a wide ranging species, such as A. albopictus, seems possible.
Competition between A. albopictus and A. aegypti is widely assumed to occur via resource depletion, and manipulating resources levels can alter the impact of competition (Juliano 1998, Braks et al. 2004). However, both species may be affected by interference competition produced by water-borne substances (Moore and Fisher 1969, Dye 1984, Broadie and Bradshaw 1991). Competition between invertebrates can involve multiple mechanisms (Byers 2000). Intrapopulation differences in the mechanisms of competition between A. albopictus and A. aegypti merits further investigation as it may explain geographic variation in heterospecific but not conspecific effects between these species in this study.
Our sites were grouped according to the presence/absence of A. aegypti recorded during annual and multi-annual surveys. But site types also differ in environmental conditions. Coexistence sites are warmer, more urban, and seasonally dryer compared to extinction sites (O'Meara et al. 1995, Juliano et al. 2002). Allopatric sites differ considerably in climate compared to coexistence and extinction sites because of latitude (Leisnham et al. 2008). Despite these differences between site types, we observe relatively little consistent difference in competitive ability of A. albopictus populations under the single set of environmental conditions in this study.
Our results suggest that coexistence of A. aegypti with A. albopictus may be mainly determined by the phenotypic responses of both species to environmental conditions, which differ among sites, with conditions at some sites favoring A. aegypti (Juliano et al. 2002, 2004; Costanzo et al. 2005). Aedes albopictus eggs are more sensitive to desiccation that A. aegypti eggs (Costanzo et al. 2005, Juliano et al. 2002), and local coexistence of these species may be possible because warm, dry climates favor A. aegypti and alleviate effects of competition from A. albopictus via differential mortality of A. albopictus eggs (Juliano et al. 2002).
We must also look to other ecological or genetic factors, especially those particular to specific populations, to understand the divergent evolution in competitive ability of A. albopictus. These may include intrapopulation variation of selection on A. albopictus due to local differences in the larval and terrestrial environment, intrapopulation variation of selection on A. albopictus due to temporal changes in the presence/absence of A. aegypti, and non-adaptive variation due to founder effects, genetic drift, and inbreeding. Additionally, geographic differentiation in the competitive ability of A. aegypti may also affect the spread of A. albopictus in North America.
We thank D. O’Donnell, P. Armbruster, M. Tseng, C. Janiec, L. Sala, E. Murrell, L. Kling, L. Towler, and C. Salmon for field collections, experiment maintenance, or data collection. This research was funded by NIAID grant R01-AI-44793.
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Neuralink is recruiting people to work on its brain-machine interface system. It is a less invasive system with about 10,000 electrodes in a neural-lace. Each chip has 1,000 electrode connections and they think can use up to about ten chips together in the version one system.
Later versions will scale up more. 10,000 probes that are 5 microns thick. This is less than the 100-micron thick human hair. The threads are have had designs down to 350 nanometers.
This is 1000 times the number of probes and electrodes for the best current FDA approved system and the Neuralink system is read and write to the brain.
They are currently working on trials and tests with monkeys.
Micro-fabrication can get to the size of an electron beam. They have created over 20 designs and are increasing the number of threads and electrodes. They reduce the size and increase the threads.
They want to use this system to help treat brain diseases and create a high bandwidth system for humans to achieve symbiosis with super-AI. This will create the option of merging with AI.
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Developped and tested on HTC Legend Android 2.1. Compatible since 1.5.
Write a comment now!
Needs work Sounds are good but limited in sounds and very slow response. Keep it up though! It has potential, but other than a toy it has no use as is.
Nice but latency Great concept, but the latency makes it unusable.
Sound not coordinated with touch Realistic sound and attractive but, since there is delay in sound production, it is useless. Pity, it could have been fun.
I like it Its pretty good best one I've seen on market for free so far keep updating!
Tone The tone sounds more like the bass
Why no multitouch? That's a given, I can hit my drum with both hands.
Unfortunately with most applications like this there is a bit of a pause between hits of the drum. Also the tech area is small and hard to hit.
Link To This App At AndroidPIT
Thank you for your interest in putting a link to this app at AndroidPIT on your website. The HTML code below creates a button that will lead your visitors directly to this app's details page.
Option 1 (green button):
<a href="/en/android/market/apps/app/com.djembe/djembe-african-percussion"><img src="http://st04.androidpit.info/img/dev/get_it_at_androidpit_gr2.png" alt="Djembe African Percussion - Android Market"></a>
Option 2 (black button):
<a href="/en/android/market/apps/app/com.djembe/djembe-african-percussion"><img src="http://st04.androidpit.info/img/dev/get_it_at_androidpit_bl2.png" alt="Djembe African Percussion - Android Market"></a>
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The trucking industry is currently facing a significant challenge: a shortage of qualified truck drivers. The demand for freight transportation continues to rise, while the number of available drivers struggles to keep pace. In this blog, we will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can play a crucial role in addressing the truck driver shortage. By leveraging AI technologies and solutions, the industry can overcome recruitment hurdles, improve operational efficiency, and create a more sustainable future for trucking.
Streamlining Recruitment and Training: AI-powered solutions can streamline the recruitment and training process, making it easier for companies to identify and onboard qualified truck drivers. AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of data form various sources, including job applications, resumes, and driver records, to identify suitable candidates with the necessary skills and experience. Additionally, AI-based virtual training programs can provide realistic simulations and assessments, enabling aspiring drivers to gain practical knowledge and experience in a controlled environment.
Enhancing Driver Safety and Performance: AI technology can significantly enhance driver safety and performance on the road. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) equipped with AI algorithms can monitor driver behavior, detect fatigue or distractions, and provide real-time alerts or interventions to prevent accidents. Additionally, AI-powered analytics can analyze driver performance data to identify areas for improvement and offer personalized training programs. By optimizing driver safety and performance, companies can reduce accidents, improve efficiency, and retain drivers in the long term.
Intelligent Route Plannig and Optimization: AI-driver route planning and optimization tools can revolutionize the efficiency of trucking operations. These systems utilize real-time data on traffic conditions, weather patterns, and delivery schedules to calculate the most efficient routes for drivers. By minimizing empty miles, reducing fuel consumptions, and optimizing load distribution, AI-powered route planning can maximize fleet utilization and profitability. Moreover, AI algorithms can continuously learn from data and make dynamic adjustmentts to adapt to changing conditions, ensuring optimal route efficiency.
Predictive Maintenance and Fault Detection: AI can play a vital role in predictive maintenance and early fault detection in trucking fleets. By monitoring sensor data and analyzing patterns, AI algorithms can predict potential maintenance issues before they result in breakdowns or costly repairs. Proactive maintenance scheduling reduces downtime and improve fleet reliability. Furthermore, AI-powered analytics can identify patterns and trends in vehicle performance, enabling companies to implement preventive measures and optimize their maintenance strategies.
Transitioning Towards Autonomous Trucks: While full-scale adoption of autonomous trucks is still a topic of ongoing research and development, AI is a fundamental component of their future. Autonomous trucking can help alleviate the driver shortage by augmenting human drivers and addressing long-haul challenges. AI technologies, such as computer vision and deep learning, enable autonomous trucks to perceive and interpret their surroundings, make real-time decisions, and navigate safely on highways. While human drivers will still be necessary for urban and complex driving scenarios, autonomous trucks can fill the gap in long-haul transportation.
The truck driver shortage poses a significant challenge to the trucking industry, but AI technologies offer a range of solutions to combat this issue. By leveraging AI for recruitment, training, safety enhancement, route optimization, predictive maintenance, and transitioning towards autonomous trucks, the industry can overcome the driver shortage and create a more sustainable future. Embracing AI-driven solutions not only improves operational efficiency and safety but also enhances driver satisfaction and retention. The integration of AI into the trucking industry will drive innovation, and productivity, and competitiveness, ensuring a thriving future for the transportation of goods.
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The answer is it all depends on the image.
In the last few years, virtual reality, including Second Life, has faded from the technology hype cycle. But as I recently discovered there is still life in the old dog, as demonstrated in this lunch time lecture titled Transformed Social Interaction in Virtual Reality from Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society.
Stanford’s Professor Bailenson examines how social interactions can be affected in a virtual world where one can modify actual behavior through a ‘digital filter’ and present something quite different to an audience in the virtual world. An example would be sending different behaviors to an audience of avatars or the same behavior to the same audience of avatars. Or as he states (my paraphrase) “If I am chairing a meeting in the real world, I can only maintain eye contact with one person at a time, in a virtual meeting, I can maintain eye contact with everyone in the meeting.”
One of the most interesting experiments (see image above) has to do with the well known phenomenon that we tend to like people who look, act, or behave like us. One week before the presidential election in 2004, volunteers were shown one of three scenarios
- Untouched photos of George Bush and John Kerry (the control group)
- An untouched photo of George Bush and an altered photo of John Kerry (a 60/40 morph of the untouched photo with 40% of the volunteer’s facial features).
- An untouched photo of John Kerry and an altered photo of George Bush (a 60/40 morph of the untouched photo with 40% of the volunteer’s facial features).
Why 40%? Anything below that figure is not perceived as “odd” by the volunteer. So what was the result? It is very very scary.
There is a 19% swing between the two morphed alternatives. Just by making the politician’s appearance look a bit like the volunteer, we can change the outcomes of elections.
This capability to manipulate images and behavior (and to hide the fact from the other party) presents a significant ethical dilemma in virtual worlds. As with most things it can be a force for good but in the wrong hands can be very dangerous. There are a lot of people who are worried about social networks and behavioral targeting (advertising customized to your behavior) – what is to stop advertisers from presenting ads on facebook using pitchmen that deliberately share your characteristics in order to increase your propensity to buy?
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This study was designed to compare short-term outcomes after hand-assisted laparoscopicvs.straight laparoscopic colorectal surgery.Methods:
Eleven surgeons at five centers participated in a prospective, randomized trial of patients undergoing elective laparoscopic sigmoid/left colectomy and total colectomy. The study was powered to detect a 30-minute reduction in operative time between hand-assisted laparoscopic and straight laparoscopic groups.Results:
There were 47 hand-assisted patients (33 sigmoid/left colectomy, 14 total colectomy) and 48 straight laparoscopic patients (33 sigmoid/left colectomy, 15 total colectomy). There were no differences in the patient age, sex, body mass index, previous surgery, diagnosis, and procedures performed between the hand-assisted and straight laparoscopic groups. Resident participation in the procedures was similar for all groups. The mean operative time (in minutes) was significantly less in the hand-assisted laparoscopic group for both the sigmoid colectomy (175 ± 58vs. 208 ± 55;P= 0.021) and total colectomy groups (time to colectomy completion, 127 ± 31vs. 184 ± 72;P= 0.015). There were no apparent differences in the time to return of bowel function, tolerance of diet, length of stay, postoperative pain scores, or narcotic usage between the hand-assisted laparoscopic and straight laparoscopic groups. There was one (2 percent) conversion in the hand-assisted laparoscopic group and six (12.5 percent) in the straight laparoscopic group (P= 0.11). Complications were similar in both groups (hand-assisted, 21 percentvs. straight laparoscopic, 19 percent;P= 0.68).Conclusions:
In this prospective, randomized study, hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery resulted in significantly shorter operative times while maintaining similar clinical outcomes as straight laparoscopic techniques for patients undergoing left-sided colectomy and total abdominal colectomy.
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It's deeply saddening to realize how many people today still live in such closed mindsets, but heartwarming to see how everyone else is responding. Thank you for making this project happen and for all you do for others in your community.
Why did your family come to the United States? They never immigrated, but brought me and my sister to the States during their two sabbaticals while we were young. It opened many doors for us and my sister and I now both work and live in the States, while our parents continue to live in Taiwan. My sister now has a green card and I'm starting my green card application process later this year.
What would the U.S. be missing out on if you or your people were banned? A different perspective, a holistic view on life and the environment, creativity, audacity, honesty, warmth, street food, frugality and simplicity of life, great computer programming, scientific, artistic and academic minds, etc.
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Keep the activity interesting by choosing a game based on a favorite theme, such as dragons, cats or colors. Rate your options if you have to. Using concrete evidence to support opinions lays the groundwork for thoughtful decision-making.
Click here to learn more September 22, by Teensafe Teens, Decision-Making, and the Brain that Changes Itself I told my daughter to meet me at a location to pick her up.
This area is not fully matured in adolescents—as a result, the faster-maturing limbic system, the emotional control center, gains an edge during decision making. Judgements, impulses, and reasoning all take form in a fairly responsible way often surprising parents practically overnight.
She showed me ways of improving my self-esteem and understanding that by breaking routine new opportunities present themselves.
Come up with ideas and choices you can choose form e.
Have them write a reflective paragraph in which they consider the potential and obvious results. Imaginative Games for Kids Board Games Simple board games and card games entertain children while providing a structured way for them to make choices and see the consequences of their choices.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry AACAP represents over 9, child and adolescent psychiatrists who are physicians with at least five years of additional training beyond medical school in general adult and child and adolescent psychiatry.
I repeated what was going to transpire just for safe measure and she confirmed my request with a snippy response. It is a great way to take another look at your teen and imagine how their mind is going to react to you when you ask them to take out the garbage, give you a hug or stop annoyingly crushing that empty water bottle.
For older children, organized sports provide a setting for making predictions, making split-second decisions and working out more complex problems amid a group of friends or a team. What is important to you? By the end of the sessions I can definitely say that Ivana gave me the proper tools for camp to prove to myself that I am not stuck and that I can change my behaviour through practice and commitment.
BoxWashington, DC You covered a lot of stuff in a short period of time that they will be able to take with them and think about in their futures.
How would you rate your decision? Every day, children make decisions; some of them are inconsequential and others have a big impact. Ivana has the ability to help women discover their self-worth and live up to their full potential. She often went beyond the call of duty and was very flexible with her schedule and her ongoing commitment to us.
This is the area of the brain located just behind the forehead and for good reason. After our 3 sessions my life had changed. Facts sheets may not be reproduced, duplicated or posted on any other website without written consent from AACAP.
Adolescents differ from adults in the way they behave, solve problems, and make decisions. Scientists have identified a specific region of the brain called the amygdala that is responsible for immediate reactions including fear and aggressive behavior.
Giedd goes on to describe the rewarding result of a teen brain that makes it to maturity.Broder has seen the positive outcomes of children learning decision making skills through entertaining activities.
"They help equip kids (and, later adults) with the ability to reason out a decision, given their own values, knowledge and judgement, which is very empowering and healthy.
Decision Making Skills For Teens. Showing top 8 worksheets in the category - Decision Making Skills For Teens. Some of the worksheets displayed are Decision making skills lesson plans, Decision making or problem solving, Teacher guide to choices explorer decision making guide, Problem solving and critical thinking, Teaching teens how to make.
Teenage decision making activities can help guide them into thinking through situations. Instead of rushing to poor solutions, teenagers may be able identify the difference between choosing a. Good decision-making skills can set your teen up for success later in life.
Additionally, good decision-making skills help teens manage their stress levels better. Here is how you can help your teen learn to make good decisions in five straightforward steps. The fact that the decision making centers of the brain continue to develop well into the early twenties could mean that troubled teenagers still have the time as well as the physiology to learn how to control their impulsive behaviors.
Teens, Decision-Making, and the Brain that Changes Itself I told my daughter to meet me at a location to pick her up. It was described that she would be standing there so we could quickly get to another appointment we were late for.Download
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Best cosmetic eyelid surgery surgeon in Santa Barbara? Anesthesia is regulated. In case you are experiencing normal anesthesia you will likely be made to relax, and in case you’re simply utilizing a neighborhood analgesic the territory will be desensitized. Following the normal wrinkles of the upper eyelid, upper blepharoplasty incisions are made such that any subsequent scar will be covered. Excess skin is evacuated. It is through this upper blepharoplasty incision the remainder of the surgery can be completed. A piece of orbital septum is extracted from the part of the entire upper eyelid. It definitely will permit your plastic surgeon to gain access to the excess fat cushions that rest simply beneath. The upper eyelid is reorganized via deliberately expelling fat (or including it now and again) from various regions in and around the eyesight.
Botox is not just for celebrities. Judging from the flat foreheads of most Hollywood A-listers, Botox is a given among celebrities. While weighing the decision whether to get it myself, I tried casually bringing it up in conversation in my own social circle. In doing so, I was surprised to learn how many of my friends and acquaintances had already had it. Apparently (at least in my age and financial bracket) it’s really not that uncommon. Though Botox injections are certainly costly, they’re nowhere near the pricing realm of plastic surgery or even injectable fillers like Juvederm or Restylane. At around $10 to $15 per unit, you can expect to pay between $200 and $300 for the 8 to 20 units of an average forehead treatment. I paid $260 for the injections to my forehead and between my brows. Expensive, yes, but not Oscars-red-carpet expensive.
What are the benefits of this tumescent technique? This technique offers some benefits over older liposuction techniques, avoid the use of sedative drugs or general anesthesia, changing this for local anesthesia instead, and reducing the risk of bleeding even after the procedure due to the epinephrin application directly into the subcutaneous fat that will be removed. When was this technique developed? This tumescent technique was developed in 1985 by Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein, a dermatologist in California, and published two years later in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery. The first liposuction technique was developed in the late 70’s in Europe and could only be performed under general anesthesia, and blood loss was an issue. This led to Dr. Klein developing this technique where the downtime is minimal, there is no need for general surgery, and blood loss is kept to the minimum.
Rhinoplasty, or nose surgery, is one of the most common and transformative plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Sheffield of SB Aesthetics is a specialist employing all of the latest techniques with the idea of creating a natural looking result. The popularity of this procedure for most patients is relatively simple to explain. The nose is what defines a person’s symmetrical facial appearance thus creating balance. By refining this profile, the harmony of a person’s facial features is altered for the better. The size of the nose is a common complaint and this surgery will address that issue. The shape of the bridge or tip can be changed as well. The nostril span is narrowed and the angle between the upper lip and nose is corrected.
The Benefits of Lip Augmentation? The skin of the lip is essentially different from the skin found in other parts of the body or face. The skin on the lips is thin, friable and does not have sweat glands or hair. Therefore, regular hydration is necessary to keep the lips smooth and in good condition. As people age, their lips begin to lose its fullness and definition. Aging results in a thinner upper lip and a flatter lower lip with less definition and blunt curves. Smoking and exposure to the sun are some of the factors that can cause the lips to lose its natural wonderful look. The lips typically become drier, chafed and less elastic. Aging also causes the vermilion boundary to blur, flattens the philtrum and makes the Cupid’s bow to project less. Discover even more details on https://sbaesthetics.com/upper-blepharoplasty/.
A healthy diet will always contribute a little or even a lot to the success and experience of your surgery. Eating healthy also contributes positively to your mental health. Having stable mental health going through a process that can be strenuous on the mind and body is essential. If you are a smoker, you should definitely consider either quitting or taking a break a month around the surgery. Smoking can slow down the healing process.
How Much Do Lip Fillers Cost? Lip injections are not covered by most insurance since it is a cosmetic procedure. Clients will have to pay out of pocket. Pricing varies depending on factors such as the location of treatment, the particular procedure you want to be done, the number of units needed, and the individual going rate of the surgeon you have chosen. In Santa Barbara, the average cost of lip fillers ranges between $400 and $800 per syringe. But for semi-permanent and permanent procedures, the cost is much higher than that. Comparatively, lips implants require more intensive work and can cost as much as $1,500 and $3,000 for just the upper lip only. For upper and lower lip grafts, patients may have to pay as much as $6,000. Due to the high cost of most of these procedures, many plastic surgeons will allow patients to pay in installments.
What’s the difference between a medical facial and a spa facial? The end goal—clear, beautiful healthy skin—is the same no matter what facial you get. But a medical facial, like the ones we offer, is much more powerful than anything you can get in a spa. The main reason: we use medical-grade skincare products that contain higher concentrations of active ingredients. This gives you more dramatic results. Day spa facials and a massage facial are often geared toward a more relaxing, pampering experience with added hand and foot massages, spa music, and aromatherapy, for example. The other benefit of medical facials: you can have other concerns treated by one of Dr. Sheffield’s staff after your facial. Specialty spa facials are generally for patients 30 years and old and are used as part of the facial rejuvenation anti aging process.
What is a Botox Lip Flip? The Botox lip flip is fairly quick cosmetic procedure performed in the office. The entire process takes about fifteen to twenty minutes. Dr. Sheffield will inject Botox into the corners of your mouth and the Cupid’s bow area of the upper lip. By using Botox, Dr. Sheffield will relax the muscles around the lip area. The process results in flipping your upper lip upward and outward creating much fuller looking lips. One of the main benefits of the Botox lip flip is that is does not involve dermal fillers. The lip flip procedure created the appearance of fuller lips by the flipping of the upper lip whereas fillers acutally increase the fullness through filler injection.
Rhinoplasty is a small risk for heart patients, but it should be considered. If you are worried about your rhinoplasty and are afraid of the risks after surgery; All you have to do is talk to your cosmetic surgeon about your concerns and desires. Fortunately, rhinoplasty has far fewer risks than other surgeries, and its complications are very rare. It is often done completely without any side effects. There is no need to worry if you are careful in choosing your surgeon and get enough information about rhinoplasty. Because choosing the right ENT surgeon will help you make sure they take the most preventive measures for you.
Dr. Sheffield will give you specific guidelines to prepare for the mini facelift under local anesthesia procedure. Smoking, drinking, eating and medication schedules are given at this time. The surgery will go more smoothly if these instructions are followed. Smokers must stop at least one to weeks before the procedure so that blood flow to the skin is not inhibited and incision areas can heal. Patients will typically need a ride home after the procedure whether it is performed on an inpatient or outpatient basis. They may also need their friend or loved one to assist them around the house for 24 to 48 hours after the procedure is complete. Find more details on here.
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2022-23 Feasts of the LORD
This page contains the dates for the Feasts of the LORD based on the Biblical Hebrew Calendar (Creator’s calendar), a calendar that, like the biblical feast days, is different than what the rest of the world observes.
As such, the Biblical Hebrew Calendar (Creator’s calendar) gives us the true, biblical answer to the question, “When are the Biblical Holy Days?”
Through careful study and reinstated practice of ancient timekeeping, along with the help of modern technology from the likes of NASA, the Biblical Hebrew Calendar (not ancient Jewish calendar) has emerged as the most accurate calendar for observing time and the Feasts of the LORD in the way that the Almighty originally intended in the Garden of Eden.
The date of the following events will depend on the new moon sighting at the beginning of the month.
Feast of Weeks
Sundown May 27 to sundown May 28, 2023
Yom HaBikkurim (Day of wheat bread offering).
When Messiah baptized his disciples with fire (Pentecost).
Miqra Qodesh (High Sabbath).
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1.35kg p/m Wall Thickness 4.5mm R44.50 p/m
Our product's life expectancy is based on the chemical design make-up configuration; - the Trellis Pole can have a life span of 10 and more years under normal conditions and applications.
It is also very useful to put in some soil inside the pole so it can be compacted by being more stable and or rigid. The Trellis Pole is more rigid and impact resistant when hollow, it breaths more in hot conditions to maintain its strength.
Trellis Pole sizes available:
75 diameters with a wall thickness of 4.5mm
90 diameters with a wall thickness of 5.4mm
110 diameters with a wall thickness of 6.5mm
The Trellis Pole used in the vineyards can only be used as an Intermediate by supporting the weight of the vine and cannot be used as a Post or in other words an "endpole".
Reason there for is that the Trellis Pole won't be able to handle the pressure but can only handle downward pressure by keeping the fence up. Wood and Steel "end poles" are still a factor for the purpose and unfortunately cannot be replaced.
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I am working on my 1965 Impala SS w/327 and I am having a problem with the Pivot Bolt that the Alternator rests on that screws into the front of the LH E-Manifold. I got a grade 8 bolt, but just tonight it busted that one off after only be used for several start-ups. After breaking the first one off even with the surface edge of the E-manifold I went to the grade 8 bolt, and put a lug nut on in between the face of the manifold and the back of the alternator, as a spacer so that the alternator was on right up against the front of the manifold. Fortunately it broke off rather than flush like it did the first time, but out past the front of the lug nut/spacer. This left me exposed threads I was able to use a vise grip and remove the remainder of the stud. Everything appears to be lined up properly on the pulleys. I am trying to put this car back to the way it came from the factory, so this is where it was mounted in 1965. What can I do to remedy this problem?
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Retrospective: Keith Topping by John Seavey 1/6/04
While reading the collected works of Keith Topping (The Devil Goblins From Neptune, The Hollow Men, The King of Terror, Byzantium!, Ghost Ship), I occasionally attempted to picture the target audience they were being written for. I took it as an article of faith that it wasn't me, since I found them somewhat difficult going, but over time, I think I built up an accurate picture of the ideal Keith Topping reader.
First and foremost, they must be interested in football (what we Americans call soccer.) This is, pretty much, the defining characteristic Topping brings to his books; when I think of Keith Topping in terms of Doctor Who, I immediately leap to football. It's really the thematic underpinning to everything he's written -- no book is complete without at least one football fan dropping some reference to one team or another. Even Ghost Ship, set on a steam liner and being told (ostensibly) entirely from the perspective of the Doctor, manages to sneak a quick look at the football scores for the period in which it's set.
Second, they must be somewhat working-class, and have a complex and somewhat misogynistic relationship with the opposite sex. I believe the British use the term "laddish" to describe the kind of characters that populate Topping's books, and they all share a few characteristics. They're fond of women, but not interested in them as people. They're all products of working-class society, and proud of it. They're all hard men, who talk in a sort of 'Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' British tough guy dialect. They aren't always sympathetic, but that could be as much a product of this reader's dislike of them as it is the author's. And, of course, they love to talk about all of the above qualities in themselves, frequently for long periods of time.
Of course, that brings us to the third quality of the Topping reader; they mustn't be too concerned with staying true to the established characterization of a given character. Topping seems very insistent upon putting in working-class, laddish young men into his books, and when one isn't readily available for whatever reason (such as the book being set in ancient Byzantium), he falls back upon the ready trick of taking an existing character, such as Ian Chesterton or Mike Yates, and turning them into a Topping protagonist. So Mike Yates is suddenly a hard-drinking womanizer with a fanatical interest in pop music, and Ian suddenly develops a need to use Cockney rhyming slang and threaten people with "a ruddy good biff on the conk". (And the less said about the Doctor, the better.)
The pop music thing is also important, as well. Topping frequently drifts onto the topic of music, and his chapter titles are almost without exception named after the lyrics and titles of obscure songs. Which is interesting, I'll grant, but when it leaks out into the story, it's a little less so.
That "leakage" is another thing that our hypothetical Topping fan should be indulgent of; Topping is not an author whose books have ever been labeled with the phrase "tautly-plotted thriller." Instead, he has a conversational style, frequently digressing into whatever topics he currently finds interesting, be it fanwank (what's the real meaning of "constellation" to Gallifreyans?) or history (Byzantium! is as much a series of extended essays on early Christianity as it is a Doctor Who novel.) His plots tend to meander along, eventually drifting towards a conclusion through the sheer accretion of story elements as anything else.
And, of course, our Topping fan needs to be fairly well aware of Topping's own other works. It's important to know for The King of Terror, for example, that Topping also co-wrote The Devil Goblins From Neptune... as that is pretty much the only reason for the frequent mentions of the Waro, and without that knowledge you'd be very lost. Likewise, you should also know that Johnny Chess is the stage name of John Chesterton, son of Ian and Barbara, and that he married and divorced Tegan after she stopped traveling with the Doctor. I'm not sure where you're supposed to get that information from, but it'll certainly help you to know it. (Oh, and Control is supposed to be a Time Lord. Again, that's not in the books, but Topping's been fairly vocal about it.)
The above does seem to produce a somewhat narrow view of the sort of person capable of enjoying Keith Topping's books, and certainly I think very few people find them an unalloyed pleasure. However, it'd be a mistake to assume that just because you're not the perfect Keith Topping fan, you can't find anything worth reading in his books. He's got some excellent turns of phrase, and his conversational style does pull you along if you're in the mood for it. But I still think that he'd be better suited to writing a non-Doctor Who novel for his next outing. His world of working-class toughs, slinky women, and plenty of football always seems to sit ill at ease next to Doctor Who, like a vicar sharing a twelve-hour coach flight with a punk music band. It's always undoubtedly interesting, but it's equally undoubtedly awkward, uncomfortable, and it leaves you feeling bruised and bloody.
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Large sections of the Muslim world still lives in the Middle Ages and an entire neo-medievalist movement, Islamism, has arisen since the 19th century which seeks to bring back the Middle Ages once more. Islamist neo-medievalism has a significant influence on Islam and on Muslims generally, including on the question of blasphemy and even liberal Muslims are still deeply offended by blasphemy against Islam. This is astonishing but not entirely surprising. Christian Europe burned people on the stake for blasphemy until the 18th century. It is after all not such a long time ago when Christian Europeans were “deeply offended” by blasphemy.
Islam and Islamdom underwent a comprehensive process of modernization in the 20th century but Islamism is now trying to get back to Medieval times. While the rest of the world is no longer offended by blasphemy are Muslims still so. Muslims are of course entitled to be offended although they should really learn to endure blasphemy with patience, irony and humor. The fact that Muslims still get offended by blasphemy while nobody else does indicates that contemporary Islam is still backward and lagging behing other religions and civilizations in development and evolution. This does not mean that Islam cannot and won’t catch up, it should and it certain can.
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“Machine Learning” has become an extremely renowned term in the contemporary world. That’s why machine learning course is becoming popular. It could be simply defined as the ability of computers to learn and enhance from experience or information, even if no programming is required. This is achievable through the use of algorithms that enable the identification of patterns and making predictions based on data.
So, keeping this in mind, let’s explore machine learning models, and we will see how they work and how to build models.
What are Machine Learning Models?
Deploying machine learning models algorithms that enable machines to learn and achieve the objectives, usually through pattern recognition. These models are trained using large datasets and are expected to highlight patterns and bring forward predictions based on new statistical data. The more data is used for the training of the model, the better the predictions made will be.
Different Types of Machine Learning Models
There are around 3 types of machine learning models, which we will discuss below: –
- Supervised Learning
Data sets hold the answers in the form of labels, which come out of the function that learns to map the error of any made prediction. When prediction time and mistakes are corrected, how the mapping is established, and the model is changed, the learning part of the procedure is excessed.
The supervised learning goal of the machine is to achieve a function that represents an input-output relationship for a wide range of input values so that the relationship does not depend upon the particular values of the input.
- Unsupervised Learning
Some cases would store data that is unable to get the intended inspection, so the function will not be under evaluation. Thus, the procedure intends to classify the data set into “classes,” some of which share a latent variable that corresponds to all members within the class.
The key ideas of unsupervised learning lie in the statistical properties of mapping over a function that organizes the data according to its features.
- Reinforcement Learning
The role of reinforcement learning is to endow the algorithm with a skill to exert the least amount of maneuvering force while the given system is in a stable state and leaves the stable state to a goal state.
Errors are a result of a lack of guidance or feedback, which means they are thrown until receiving a reinforcement signal, like reaching the goal state rather than afterward. This method is similar to human training, whereby motivators are only awarded when the correct behavior is shown, and hence, the feedback is not for every activity.
How to select the best Machine Learning model?
The answer to this question mainly relies on the business or project requirements. Additionally, it takes into account associated attributes, the size of the available dataset, the number of features, and the level of complexity. Nevertheless, it is advisable to start with the simplest model that can be utilized for the specific problem and subsequently enhance complexity while evaluating accuracy through parameter tuning and cross-validation.
How to build Machine Learning models?
There are several steps that you must follow to build machine learning models. The steps are as follows: –
- Define the real problem and collect data
Defining the problem you aim to solve is the initial and crucial step in constructing any machine learning model. This entails determining the objective of your model and the specific data required to accomplish that objective.
The process of gathering the appropriate data holds utmost importance as it affects the overall success of your model. Therefore, it is imperative to allocate sufficient time to this step.
- Data Preprocessing
Upon gathering the data, it is imperative to preprocess it before utilizing it in the model. This process encompasses data cleansing, addressing any missing values, and converting categorical data into numerical data. Data preprocessing is an essential step that guarantees the integrity of the input for your model.
- Choose the Preferred Algorithm
The subsequent action involves selecting an algorithm that is most suitable for your issue. Various algorithms possess varying strengths and weaknesses, underscoring the importance of identifying the one that will produce the most favorable results for your specific task.
- Train and Test the Model
Upon selecting an algorithm, the subsequent step involves training the model using the preprocessed data. The procedure involves entering the data and adjusting the model’s internal parameters to reduce errors. After the training is finished, it is crucial to assess the model’s efficiency by testing its performance on new data.
- Fine-tune the Model
It might become evident through the conducted tests that your model requires fine-tuning to improve its performance. This process of fine-tuning entails modifying parameters and optimizing hyperparameters to attain more desirable outcomes.
- Deploy and Monitor the Model
Following the creation of a satisfactory model, the subsequent phase is to deploy it in a real-world scenario. This involves integrating the model into an application or system and closely monitoring its performance to ensure the accuracy of its predictions.
Get professional help
So, if you are planning to learn about machine learning, the machine learning course is the right platform. The course offered by Simplilearn will help you career-ready. With this course, you will learn all about machine learning in detail.
For a holistic understanding of machine learning, you can watch this video tutorial:
The bottom line
Machine learning models have become an indispensable component of our everyday existence, and their significance will persistently expand in the forthcoming years. Gaining knowledge about the various categories of machine learning models and adhering to a systematic methodology in constructing them can enable you to attain precise and dependable outcomes.
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... middle of paper ...
...th stories you can see that the supernatural events and people played a big role in helping show the characters courage and desire to assist their people. Both of these poems tell about two different stories and many different people in those stories, but that does not make the characters any different. Beowulf and Sir Gawain proved their courage by either clashing with a monster or choosing a deadly game. They both also showed their desire to help and save the people they care about by battling the supernatural. Despite the different journeys that Beowulf and Sir Gawain went on and the people they meet both characters share courage, the desire to save the people they love, and conquering the supernatural which are the qualities that make them an epic hero.
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- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf “My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; And tis I have asked for this folly not fit for a King.” These are the words of a true hero. One who is willing to sacrifice his own existence for the life of another. These are the words and actions of Sir Gawain, a character from the beloved British tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Beowulf, another character from an ancient British epic entitled, Beowulf, is also portrayed as a “hero.” But Beowulf’s heroism factor does not even compare to Sir Gawain’s.... [tags: Compare Contrast Gawain Beowulf Essays]
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- Literary works can have many ways of revealing to the readers how protagonists in their stories portray themselves, and ultimately how they represent the paradigms and values of their age . Readers often learn along with the protagonists during their journey, such as lessons unique to their cultural values and even sometimes their way of thinking. In the Middle Ages, for instance, in both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the protagonists Sir Gawain and Beowulf exhibit similar ways of thinking, while also having different key characteristics compared to one another.... [tags: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]
1226 words (3.5 pages)
- Religious Beliefs Observed in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The significance of religious beliefs in the tales of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, portrayed diverse roles in each story. Although it was clear that God was highly-favored and worshipped in each of these tales, the abundance of praising Him was greatly differed. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the green knight are written to be believers of God and his mighty works and miracles. In this passage, the significance of religious beliefs in these tales are explained by presenting how Beowulf and the characters of his time praised the Lord for all of his works, even those that pertained to evil doings, Sir... [tags: Religion Beowulf Gawain Green Knight]
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- While “Have at thee!” the Arthurian battle cry from Monty Python’s Search for the Holy Grail, is a far a-hem cry from the modern day hero’s, the essence remains the same. Many aspects of culture have been wholly altered, but society’s quest for a hero has remained. Each people of the ancient times had a matchless idol that was unto his self the embodiment of cultural perfection. In more recent eras, where societies vary exceedingly, people have relied on scores of heroes. The United States is deemed the “melting pot” of the world due to the vast number of cultures she houses.... [tags: essays research papers]
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- What makes a person a hero. The definition of a hero is “a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength.” Every society has a hero. There are the stereo typical heroes such as Superman and Hercules with supernatural powers and there are other heroes that help our societies, such as firemen, soldiers, or doctors. Two main heroes in ancient Greece are Beowulf and Sir Gawain. Beowulf and Sir Gawain have very similar characteristics; however there styles of heroism and moral codes are very different from each other.... [tags: Epic Poems, Grendel, Anglo-Saxon]
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- When tales of heroes are so grandiosely told through poems and stories often too wild to be real, the emphasis of heroism is shown through their journeys rather than their characteristics. They are in terms heroes without any real humane flaw; through the analysis of these two tales it’s, apparent that they share many similarities in the themes, but the traits of the protagonists and the reasonings behind the choices they made until their demise were entirely different. In these pieces of literature the villains are also in a limelight of their own, making one question, “Who was actually in the right all along.... [tags: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]
1644 words (4.7 pages)
- A Comparison of Beowulf and Sir Gawain A hero is someone who is idealized for his courage and noble qualities. Beowulf and Sir Gawain can certainly be called heroes. They both have many qualities that are expected of heroic knights and warriors. They are both brave, gallant, and skilled men, but are they the perfect heroes their people believe them to be. While they are portrayed as perfect heroes and they possess many heroic qualities, Beowulf and Sir Gawain are far from perfect. Beowulf and Gawain are shown as great leaders.... [tags: Compare, Contrast, Comparative]
802 words (2.3 pages)
- Although Gawain and Beowulf share many similarities, their characters are almost complete opposites. Both aim for some sort of fame, one more than the other; differing in the way they attempt to achieve this success. Gawain remains true and looks to humility to guide him, whereas Beowulf is very prideful and selfish, loving nothing more than boasting about his virtues. Regardless, both go through tremendous changes throughout their quests, dealing with repercussions, and many challenging obstacles along the way.... [tags: Compare, Contrast, Comparative]
2062 words (5.9 pages)
- The field of Medieval Literature if full of epics, poems and books recounting the tales of great heroes that are meant to inspire, entertain and direct the lives of their audience. The tales of Beowulf the Scandinavian hero depict a man who endeavors to slay monsters for his personal glory. Sir Gawain in England depicts a man who is driven by the code of chivalry and Hamlet tells of a Danish prince who seeks revenge for the murder of his father the king. Throughout the time period of what is considered medieval history, the definition of a hero has changed greatly.... [tags: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]
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- Heroism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf A hero, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, is someone who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown great courage, strength of character, or another admirable quality. He is looked up to for the brave and noble things he has done. Though Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both considered heroes they each have many different qualities. For Beowulf his reputation as a hero depends on the opinion of others within his society, for Gawain Christianity determines his bravado.... [tags: Heroes Chivalry Epics Literature Essays]
686 words (2 pages)
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Cyber attacks are on the rise, and while service providers are doing everything they can to keep you safe, there are several measures that you can (and should) take to keep your account secure.
Use a Strong Password
A common method used by hackers to obtain passwords is "password spraying." This is when an email address for an account is known to a hacker, and they use software (a.k.a a "bot") to test common character combinations ("12345", "qwerty", "password" etc.) against it in the password field. As these bots learn more and more common combinations (such as dates and names), they become smarter and more successful. By using a random combination of varying case letters, numbers, and special characters as your password, the risk of having your password successfully guessed via password spraying can become infinitesimal.
Use Unique Passwords
One of the most common ways in which hackers obtain passwords is through data leaks from popular online services. When such a leak happens, hackers have access to databases of literally millions of username and password combinations which then allow them to perform something called "credential stuffing"; using bots to test every username and password combination on a wide range of high-value online platforms such as banks. When you use the same password for multiple applications, your exposure to the risk of such an attack is increased. To protect your accounts against such an attack, it's best to use unique passwords for each application so that should one of your passwords get leaked, it will not work for any of your other online accounts.
Update your Password Regularly
While this may seem like an effort, it's actually one of the most effective strategies you can use to protect your account from hacks. Even just updating your password every 30 days (using a strong, unique password each time) can significantly reduce the risk of a bot being able to determine your password, as it shortens the amount of time available to run the millions (or billions) of possible combinations required to correctly identify the correct sequence before it is changed.
Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication is a two-step login process, whereby upon entering the correct username and password for an account, a one-time PIN or code is sent to a registered mobile number via SMS, and then entered into the login portal before access is given to the account. If you have 2FA set up on your account, hackers will be unable to access it using your username and password alone, as they would need to also have access to that code, which gets sent to your mobile - not them. Be careful when interacting with people on external sites (such as peer-to-peer ecommerce platforms) who claim to have sent you a code to verify yourself, as this could be a hacker trying to access an account of yours with 2FA (the "verification code" they claim to have sent you is actually the 2FA code being sent to you from a platform they are trying to access using your login credentials).
You can set up 2FA on your MessageMedia account easily - just read this article for more information.
Use Single Sign-On (SSO)
More common with larger organisations, SSO allows users to access multiple platforms via a single, secure authentication source. This allows IT administrators to better manage team access and keeps sensitive information more secure.
SSO is available through MessageMedia - read this article for more information.
Don't Share your Login Credentials
While this might seem like an obvious measure, you'd be surprised at how common it is for login credentials to be shared across teams and organisations. If you need multiple users to have access to your MessageMedia account to send messages, you can invite them as users so that each individual has their own set of login credentials to gain access. You can also create sub-accounts and assign user roles to manage access to information and permissions.
If you are informed of a security breach by any service to which you have a login, change your passwords immediately - no matter how small the risk may be. Although this may be an inconvenience, it will provide you peace of mind and protect you against potential attacks on your accounts as a result of your data being leaked.
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After Amartya Sen, another Nobel laureate says there won’t be significant change from demonetisation
Nobel laureate and American economist Dr Paul Krugman commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s decision to demonetisation high-value notes said that he doesn�t see a highly significant change from the decision.
Nobel laureate and American economist Dr Paul Krugman commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to demonetisation high-value notes said that he doesn’t see a highly significant change from the decision.
Krugman, in conversation with Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, executive editor, Mint, at Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, branded demonetisation decision as an “unusual policy” and said that it is a highly disruptive way to achieve the motivation behind it. He is the second Nobel Economics laureate to criticise the Narendra Modi government's decision to demonetise Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes after Amartya Sen.
The 63-year-old economist said there was a good case to be made that high denomination banknotes didn’t serve a legitimate purpose. “But that did not happen here. High-value notes are not being eliminated. This seems like a one-off attempt to flush out illicit cash.”
When asked whether the decision like demonetisation would transform people’s behaviour, he said, “I would be happy to be proven wrong. There could be some permanent change in behaviour. People will be more careful and sophisticated in laundering their money in the future”.
He emphasised that he saw India as a high prospect economy, but said that Indian economy, to him, looked like “China with a 15-20-year-old lag”. “It has reserves of entrepreneurial rigour, reserves of educated people, wide use of English, and unlike China, it has not hit the demographic wall. It has a lot of potential,” Krugman said.
He argued that countries such as China and India would now have to help “hold the international system” created after the Second World War, given the political and economic churning in the US and Europe. “The US is neither big enough nor emotionally inclined enough to be the benevolent hegemon anymore. There is almost a competition between US and Europe on who can go off the rails first. Now big developing countries will have to hold the system. No more free-riding on US hegemony,” Krugman added.
Commenting on Donald Trump’s election as the US President, Krugman said he did not anticipate a macroeconomic crisis in the US, “In the next few years, US would not be a drag on the world economy, but China may.”
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This is a good point, but unfortunately I think just about any cryptocurrency would be a security if you interpret these guidelines liberally enough.
For example, investing in Bitcoin is 1) an investment of money 2) with the expectation of profit 3) by investing in the global payment network known as the Bitcoin network (as Bitcoin is both the currency and the network) 4) where you will profit if Bitcoin is used by many other parties and promoted by others
I’m not saying Bitcoin is a security, and I’m aware the above case is a lot harder to make with Bitcoin than it is with the obvious tokens such as Etheroll. There’s really no legal precedence when it comes to decentralized systems, so it’s hard to tell what will happen either way.
It could easily be that a token such as Ethbet could be considered a security by some regulatory bodies (even some US states), and not by others. There are so many states and countries that I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s possible for there to be many different outcomes. But we’re nonetheless confident that explicitly removing dividends is a step in the right direction here — it changes things from “This is obviously a security” to “This is a credit token, although it has some other interesting features”.
We can’t provide a legal guarantee that no one will consider this token a security, such a thing can’t reasonably be provided by just about any project due to the lack of information and novelty of the area.But it puts it in a significantly better spot, and if minor changes need to be made much later on, I’m sure we can solve them.
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When building a dedicated PC workstation for music production, a lot of money goes into CPU, RAM, SSD, motherboard, etc. But what about GPU? Do we need an expensive one? Does GPU even matter for music production? Let’s find out how important is the role of GPU for music production.
Role of GPU in music production
Out of all the PC components, GPU plays the least significant role in music production. But remember, nothing on the display would be viewable without GPU. It’s just there to calculate and output the image data on the display monitor.
Do we need an expensive GPU for music production?
Since DAW and plugins don’t require faster refresh rates, ray tracing capabilities, and other fancy features that are required for gaming and video editing, a low-budget GPU (eg. RTX 3060 12GB) would be sufficient to get the job done.
How about APU or iGPU?
We all know how bad is the GPU market right now. The prices are almost double or even triple at a lot of stores. Even worse, at most stores, GPUs are totally out of stock. This is forcing people to invest temporarily or permanently in an APU or iGPU.
Most of the CPUs with integrated GPU are quite weak to provide a smooth flow for music production. Fortunately, AMD has some robust offerings in this segment, for example:
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 6-Core 12-Thread Desktop Processor with Radeon Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 8-Core, 16-Thread Desktop Processor with Radeon Graphics
The 6-core Ryzen 5 5600G comes with 7 Graphics Compute Units clocking at up to 1.9 GHz whereas the 8-core Ryzen 7 5800G hosts 8 Graphics Compute Units clocking at up to 2.0 GHz.
For optimum performance, I’d advise you to stick with 1080p displays with these APUs for music production.
Quick Links for GPU availability tracking:
|GPU Model||Store links to check availability|
|RTX 3060||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3060 Ti||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3070||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3070 Ti||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3080||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3080 Ti||Amazon / Newegg|
|RTX 3090||Amazon / Newegg|
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The official price of the US dollar at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) increased by more than EGP 0.50, recording EGP 27.5538 for buying and EGP 27.6256 for selling on Monday, compared to EGP 27.0112 for buying and EGP 27.1131 for selling last Thursday.
With this new increase, the price of the US currency increased by about EGP 2.84 within three working days at banks.
The average price of the dollar in banks increased by EGP 0.45 against the Egyptian pound on Monday, the first working day for banks this week, as Sunday was an official holiday.
The average price of the US currency was EGP 27.5319 for buying and EGP 27.6181 for selling, compared to EGP 27.0767 for buying and EGP 27.1667 for selling last week, bringing the total increase in the price of the US currency against the Egyptian pound to EGP 2.81, compared to EGP 24.7083 for buying and EGP 24.7850 for selling last Tuesday.
The highest level of the dollar price in banks at the end of today’s trading reached EGP 27.61 for buying and EGP 27.65 for selling in the Arab Investment Bank, while the lowest level was recorded in the Industrial Development Bank at EGP 27.15 for buying and EGP 27.25 for selling.
The price of the American currency reached EGP 27.40 for buying and EGP 27.45 for selling at the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr. It reached EGP 27.45 for buying and EGP 27.55 for selling at the Commercial International Bank.
The rise in the price of the dollar prompted the prices of other major currencies traded in the local market to rise against the pound as well, as the price of the euro reached EGP 29.4197 for buying and EGP 29.5182 for selling, while the price of the pound sterling recorded EGP 33.399 for buying and EGP 33.5145 for selling.
The price of the Kuwaiti dinar jumped to EGP 89.9267 for buying and EGP 90.2374 for selling, while the price of the Saudi riyal reached EGP 7.3272 for buying and EGP 7.3521 for selling.
The current prices of foreign and Arab currencies against the local currency are the highest ever in the history of the Egyptian exchange market.
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The European Parliament on Wednesday voted in favor of a proposal regarding labeling natural gas and nuclear power plants as climate-friendly investments.
The European Commission released the proposal, formally called the EU taxonomy, in December as a list of economic activities that investors can label and mark as green in the EU.
A motion to block the proposal received 278 votes in favor and 328 against, while 33 lawmakers abstained.
The proposal was initially met with resistance among some EU member states, with one camp led by France strongly backing the green label for natural gas and nuclear energy. Meanwhile, Germany— which has been phasing out its nuclear power plants, had opposed the plan.
Some environmental groups and EU lawmakers have also criticized the plan for "greenwashing" fossil fuel and nuclear energy.
Still, the proposal had the backing of the majority of the center-right European People's Party, the European Parliament's biggest lawmaker group, which confirmed on Tuesday that 107 of its lawmakers intended to vote in favor.
Lawmakers of the centrist Renew Europe group were largely in favor of the proposal, while the Greens and Social Democrats mostly opposed it.
A total of 353 lawmakers — a majority of the Parliament's 705 lawmakers — are needed to reject a plan for it to fail.
Unless 20 of the EU's 27 member states oppose the proposal, it will be passed into law.
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how do you I tell my doctor sensitive information without being embarrassed?
I am going to my docs next month for a health update and the fact that he wants to see me. I will be bringing to the table that I think I have IBS now as well. I am writing out my IBS report for my doc so he can see what symptoms I have and what triggers me and all. my doc is male and I am female which is important here because there are some sensitive thing that I need to tell my doc but I am to embarrassed to tell him, even thought he needs to know about it. with the IBS I got constipated a few times really badly and had to use an enema to get rid of the problem and I also used suppositories a few times as well. I know my doc needs to know this so he can help me but I feel embarrassed to him even though he is a doctor and has heard it before I am just still embarrassed. so how do I tell my doc in a not embarrassing way that I have used enemas and suppositories a few times to help with my symptoms?
- MamawidsomLv 71 month agoFavourite answer
Here are some ideas:
1. Realize that your doctor has seen and heard everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. There is nothing that will shock them.
2. Your doctor can treat you effectively if you withhold critical information.
3. You are not there to find a date or get a job, right? This isn't a guy you need to impress. This is a guy whose expertise you need.
4. Write it down and hand him the paper.
5. If you seriously can't speak up in front of this doctor, find a different doctor. Many people has greater embarrassment when talking to a medical professional of the opposite sex. If that is you, find a gastroenterologist who is female.
- Anonymous1 month ago
It is possible to "embarrass yourself to death" by not talking to your doctor. Doctors are required to keep your medical records confidential.
- AnnLv 71 month ago
IBS is a condition that can destroy your digestive system. It is not a sexually transmitted disease, which would in fact, be an embarrassing thing to reveal. You cannot expect your dr., who is a trained medical professional who is familiar with the entire human body, to properly treat you if you don't reveal what is wrong. Believe me, enemas and suppositories are not embarrassing subjects for drs.
- TjLv 71 month ago
You will not shock him, he has heard it all over and over. Maybe you should think about a female doctor if you would be more at ease.
- What do you think of the answers? You can sign in to give your opinion on the answer.
- JerryLv 61 month ago
If you're saying it here to the world...how can it be embarrassing to tell your Dr.??
- EvaLv 71 month ago
He's seen and heard it all before. Just state it matter-of-factly and be done with it. IBS can be so hard to alleviate. I hope he's able to help you.
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We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
UCLA opened their Athletics Hall of Fame a few years back, it covers all sports but a fair portion of the museum is towards UCLA Basketball and John Wooden. There's heaps of artifacts and plenty of UCLA memorabilia.... a must do for any college hoops...More
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In the last couple of years, cryptocurrencies have actually gotten a whole lot of grip. Although the bulk still view this subject with care and also don’t have a complete understanding of what they are, lots of do not shy away from asking inquiries. How Cryptocurrency Works
As in paying attention to news from a faraway country, they might be entertaining to discover. Nonetheless, the majority of people aren’t taking into consideration purchasing or trading cryptocurrency.
Research studies suggest that it typically shows a great suggestion. Bitcoin, like any kind of high-return financial investment, comes with some danger.
Cryptocurrency: What Is It? How Cryptocurrency Works
Cryptocurrency is an electronic payment system that does not depend on financial institutions to confirm purchases. Peer-to-peer networks enable any individual to send out and also receive repayments from any kind of area. Instead of being physical cash that is carried around and also traded in the real life, cryptocurrency repayments exist totally as digital access to an online data source that describe specific purchases.The purchases that affect cryptocurrency funds are kept in a public ledger. Your cryptocurrency funds are kept in an electronic purse.Utilizing encryption, cryptocurrency proves that deals are authentic. In order to store and transmit cryptocurrency data in between budgets as well as public ledgers, progressed coding is required.
Make certain safety and security as well as safety and security are amongst the key goals of file encryption.
Cryptocurrency: What Does It Do How Cryptocurrency Works
A cryptocurrency is exchanged in between individuals without using a 3rd party, such as a bank or government. You could call it bush Wild West of the electronic globe, but there are no armed replacements maintaining the law. How Cryptocurrency Works
Have you ever worked with a child in your community to mow your lawn or see your pet dog while you ran out community? Most likely, you paid them in money, leaving no requirement to go to the financial institution. Buying cryptocurrencies is comparable to trading currency.
Decentralization means that neither federal government nor bank controls their value, manufacture, or exchange.As a result of that, cryptocurrencies deserve whatever individuals want to pay or exchange for them. Yep, it’s quite wild.
How Do You Store Your Cryptocurrency
Along with getting cryptocurrencies, you also require to recognize exactly how to save them securely.
This overview shows you exactly how to secure your funds, choose the ideal budget, and also stay clear of one of the most typical dangers of crypto safety and security. How Cryptocurrency Works
Why Do You Required A Crypto Wallet
A digital wallet is a software application that stores your public and also personal keys, processes digital currency deals, keeps track of balances, and communicates with various blockchains. You need to have a cryptocurrency purse to handle your crypto possessions as well as keep them protect.
Cryptocurrency wallets are available in several forms, but they vary just by whether they are hot or cold.
On the internet wallets can be accessed any time, and they are linked to the web.
In the cryptocurrency globe, there are many types of wallets, the difference is whether they are hot or cold.
Hot wallets are accessible by means of the net at any kind of time.
Many cryptocurrency users store their properties both in hot and cold purses. Cold wallets hold crypto assets for a longer period than hot wallets, which are easier for constant trading.
Using Cryptocurrency – What Can You Acquire?
Currently, cryptocurrency continues to be mainly taken into consideration a financial investment. Nonetheless, cryptocurrency is gaining popularity fast as well as is relocating towards acceptance as a national currency. And also that might become a lot more popular as these cryptocurrencies maintain gaining trust. How Cryptocurrency Works
Lots of major retailers, including Whole Foods, Nordstrom, Etsy, Expedia, as well as PayPal, now accept cryptocurrency settlements. Individuals that intend to trade the tokens for goods and solutions can after that do so.
Is Cryptocurrency Well Worth Investing In?
Your financial investment design and also threat resistance will certainly identify whether cryptocurrency is a clever choice for you.
Consider your response if your crypto financial investments stopped by 20% overnight. Suppose they fell by 60%? What regarding 90%? How Cryptocurrency Works
If you understand you ‘d either lose rest or panic-sell your investments in any one of these scenarios, cryptocurrencies might not be the most effective suitable for your investing style.
Additionally, you could wish to think about adding a couple of cryptocurrencies to your portfolio if you have the money to spare and mind taking some risks. Just be certain you’re just investing money you can afford to shed, as well as ascertain that the remainder of your financial investment portfolio is well varied. In this way, if cryptocurrencies end up collapsing as well as burning, you have plenty of strong investments to drop back on.
If you’ve obtained some extra money in your pocket and also agree to take on a little of danger, adding some cryptocurrency to your portfolio may not be the worst point to do. Simply make certain you’re just spending cash you can manage to shed, and also confirm that the rest of your investment portfolio is well varied. Then, also if cryptocurrency crashes, you’ll have other wise financial investments to draw on.
Spending Your Money Much Better How Cryptocurrency Works
Profits? The road to building wealth is sluggish as well as consistent, as well as there are still way way too many unknowns when it concerns cryptocurrency.
Could crypto end up being an extra legit means to invest later on later on? Certain. Certain, crypto might end up being an extra legit financial investment alternative in the future. In the meantime, though, state no. Make certain you do not invest all your hopes, dreams, and also cash in get-rich-quick systems.
How Cryptocurrency Works
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Humor improves communication since conflict and stress are so common in they recognize that humor is one of the most important skills to master in . About the importance of being earnest character list summary and books are also subjects of wilde's humor duty (not joy, love or passion) is important, . Humour, irony and satire are technically distinct elements of literature they have different origins they are used in different ways with different purposes the literary works have different modes. 291 quotes from importance of being earnest: humor, life, love, marriage 383 likes like “in matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the . • an inability to recognize and respond to matters of great importance to the other person conflict resolution skill 4: use humor and play to deal .
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Political cartoons historically and currently play a significant role in public discourse about serious and important why the humor in conflict -escalation . Norse mythology comes of humor the myths depict a universe in which gods and giants battle among themselves in a cosmic conflict fated to end in the . Humor and work: applications of joking behavior we provide a specific application of the importance of humor and work with an examination of the legal and . Conflict management--style and strategy in a nutshell it's important to remember that there are many strategies we can use in conflict situations, but each of us tends to habitually use some strategies more often than others. The conflict is important to the people who are constructing an integrative solution, when the issues are too important to compromise, when merging perspectives, .
The use of compromise is a common solution to resolving disagreements in negotiation world leaders in general assembly stress importance of conflict . Outlines and describes the 'group mind' theory discusses how conflict arises within the mind, mental health and illness, then behaviour is all-important. Why do we laugh a new book explains laughter and humor help us process conflict in our environment through the dopamine that is released and how important . Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for conflict 101: a manager's guide to resolving problems so everyone can get back of humor and the importance .
Free oscar wilde importance of being earnest wilde uses humor to off-set the seriousness of the wilde humorously makes her the tool of the conflict, . Conflict quotes from brainyquote, an extensive collection of quotations by famous authors, celebrities, and newsmakers. Consider the characteristics that are often considered desirable in a mate—a sense of humor, as most important in a conflict over mating .
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EHang’s two-seat EH216-S electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has completed flight testing and is ready to proceed to type certification from Chinese regulators.
The company, based in Guangzhou, expects certification to come “soon” but did not offer a timeline. It says it has received commitments for the EH216 from operators in Asia, including in Japan and Indonesia.
Specifications of the EH216-S include a 16-nautical-mile (30-km) range with a max payload of 485 pounds (220 kg). It offers a top speed of 70 knots (130 km).
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Introducing the Big Chief Pineapple Express, a premium product available for purchase. This high-quality item offers a unique and delightful experience for cannabis enthusiasts. Crafted with care, it combines the tropical flavors of pineapple with the invigorating effects of the Pineapple Express strain. With its potent and aromatic qualities, this product is sure to satisfy even the most discerning customers. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to indulge in the Big Chief Pineapple Express and elevate your cannabis experience to new heights.
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Dilated cardiomyopathy, a common cause of heart failure, can be attributed to defects in any of more than 40 different genes. A new study reveals that defects in the gene that encodes the human body’s largest protein, the muscle protein titin, are responsible for more cases of the disease than are caused by all other known mutations.
In a study of nearly 800 people, researchers found unique mutations that truncate titin in 22% of people with dilated cardiomyopathy. Researchers have had a difficult time learning exactly how Titin mutations lead to the disease because of the high expense and technical difficulty in sequencing the unusually large gene.
“It wasn’t that we weren’t aware that titin caused disease—we were. The problem was that the technology was not sufficiently robust to allow comprehensive analysis of that gene in a large collection of patients.”
Christine E. Seidman
In dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart blows up like a balloon. The stretched-out walls of muscle aren’t able to contract effectively, so the heart starts to fail at its job of pumping blood around the body. Deprived of oxygen and nutrients, the patient gets short of breath easily and retains fluid. Eventually, the only option is a heart transplant.
Dilated cardiomyopathy tends to run in families, so Christine Seidman, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and her team have looked for—and found—several genes associated with the disease. But still, “we weren’t getting very far,” she says. Every gene was a step forward, but each gene still only accounted for a small percentage of cases of dilated cardiomyopathy. “We had the sense that maybe we’re missing something,” Seidman says. “We took a step back a few years ago to say, ‘What are we missing?’”
Seidman and her colleagues realized that, over the years, they had found several hints that problems with the titin protein could cause dilated cardiomyopathy. Titin is part of the sarcomere, the unit of muscle that contracts. Titin helps assemble the sarcomere as the heart muscle grows and also plays a role in muscle contractions.
But no one had ever organized a big study on titin. “It wasn’t that we weren’t aware that titin caused disease—we were,” Seidman says. “The problem was that the technology was not sufficiently robust to allow comprehensive analysis of that gene in a large collection of patients.”
The problem, in short, was that titin is enormous and sequencing was expensive. The protein is the longest humans make, some 33,000 amino acids stuck end to end. By comparison, the motor protein myosin has about 2,000 amino acids and Lamin A/C, a nuclear membrane protein that is also associated with dilated cardiomyopathy, only has about 675 amino acids. It was just too expensive to sequence big genes in a big group of people, so researchers had passed it over.
In the last decade, the technology has changed. Next-generation sequencing techniques have made it relatively cheap and easy to sequence long stretches of DNA fast. In a study published February 16, 2012, in The New England Journal of Medicine, Seidman and her colleagues sequenced the gene TTN, which codes for titin, in 312 people with dilated cardiomyopathy. They found 72 mutations that made incomplete forms of titin. Together, these explained about a quarter of the cases of dilated cardiomyopathy that run in families and weren’t caused by something else, like cardiovascular disease. That’s more than all the other genes they’d found put together.
Seidman, her husband Jon Seidman, and their colleagues at Harvard Medical School started out with a smaller group, 92 people with dilated cardiomyopathy who came to Brigham and Women’s Hospital. When they began their study, the team expected to find that TTN was yet another gene that accounted for a small number of cases of the disease. They were shocked by what they found: 28 percent of the people had dramatic mutations in the DNA encoding titin, the kind that mean the protein wouldn’t be fully made.
When they did their initial analysis of that data, Seidman recalls, “we said, ‘this is too good to be true.’ “That’s why we went and got more cohorts.” They then sequenced the TTN gene in 71 people with dilated cardiomyopathy from Imperial College in the UK who had been evaluated for heart transplants—they were, on average, much sicker than the Boston patients—and 149 other people with dilated cardiomyopathy from the University of Colorado and the University of Trieste in Italy. The team also sequenced the gene in 231 people with another form of cardiomyopathy recruited at the Mayo Clinic and 249 controls who did not have cardiomyopathy. Stuart Cook at Imperial College, Luisa Mestroni and Matthew Taylor at the University of Colorado, and Michael Ackerman at the Mayo Clinic led the efforts at the collaborating institutions. The data from that larger analysis confirmed what their initial study had hinted: mutations in the TTN gene are the most common known genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathy.
Seidman hopes someday doctors will use this information to identify people who are likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy before they get sick. As sequencing continues to get cheaper, it should eventually be possible for individuals to find out if they have a mutation associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. Then they could start taking drugs that make the heart’s work easier by lowering blood pressure, for example.
As scientists figure out how dilated cardiomyopathy develops, they may also be able to figure out how to keep the heart muscle from changing shape in the first place. Those days are far off, but this research is a step in the right direction, Seidman says. “It allows us to focus on what we don’t know yet,” she says. Discovering the role of mutations in titin is like finding one important piece of a jigsaw puzzle. “There are still a lot more pieces in the box that we need to sort through, but that’s a big deal.”
Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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“A Taste of Sky,” director Michael Lei’s inspiring documentary, screening at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles the impact gastronomy has on two underprivileged Bolivians, Kenzo and Maria Claudia, in La Paz. They work at Gustu, a passion project restaurant and cooking school helmed by Claus Meyer, co-founder of Noma.
The film is less about the ingredients for the dishes — which include poached crocodile in hibiscus sauce —and more about hoping to change the food culture of a country (It worked; Gustu has been named one of the Top 50 restaurants in Latin America in 2014 and 2015). Moreover, Meyer’s schools and programs have graduated hundreds of students who now work in or run numerous restaurants in La Paz.
Lei’s film follows its two Bolivian subjects and also allows Meyer to talk with his daughter about his family, life, and career. Lei and Meyer chatted with Salon during the festival about their fine new film.
What comes across most in this film is the feeling of possibility food gives you. “We can change the world through food,” is one savory line in the film. But it is really about Claus sharing his knowledge with others, and helping his students, Kenzo and Maria Claudia, discover the same excitement he has towards gastronomy. Can you discuss that theme and why it is the throughline of your film?
Lei: What attracted me to this project is how this man who achieved so much in an affluent country and earned Michelin stars and can be seen as elitist but used [his success] as a platform and took it to a country that didn’t have fine dining. He brought it to lower income people where a meal that can cost $800 (with wine pairing) is unattainable for his students. He gave them a sense of pride in their own cuisine and a sense of hope through their own practices and culture and history of gastronomy. Using their food and their history and showing them that their food is just as good as the food in France or Italy or other meccas of gastronomy.
Meyer: I don’t know what to say to add to the film. If you have two hands and eyes and fresh ingredients specific to a place and somewhere to cook, then nothing prevents you from being a world-class destination except a perception of what you can do. You can launch an activity or a stream of actions in this field that can showcase to the whole community and nation and create awareness, and people can take a plane and check it out for themselves. But that journey is also about believing in their own future, believing in progress, and dreaming big and seeing it as important for people to create change in their community. That with hope and opportunity in the field of cooking it is possible to instill in a place without an academic career and it will be with them for the rest of their lives.
Lei: Piggybacking on that, a decade ago no one was talking about Peruvian cuisine and then Gastón Acurio exploded on the food scene and Lima is now a premiere food destination. Peruvian children have a food model. When a minority does it, it’s not unattainable. I feel this film will be seen, and a young Bolivian can look at it and say, “I can be like Kenzo!”
“A Taste of Sky” is about sparking the Bolivian food movement — showing how to cook with locally sourced, Amazonian products. But there is also a discussion in the film about an outsider, a European coming to Latin America, igniting that. What are your thoughts about that?
Lei: To be honest, coming in initially, as I started to think there could be a film here, there was a heavy sense of skepticism. I presented the story to organizations, like ITVS, Sundance and Tribeca, and the conversation with people in these positions was this “colonialist” aspect and “Are you going to reflect that?” I became very conscious of that every step of the way, but Claus and his team approached it from an organic position. It wasn’t imposing a will but providing a catalyst to help people out. The students bring the ingredients in and teach their traditions. Claus was providing a platform for that to happen.
Meyer: I think Michael said it well. There is a certain risk involved you come across as arrogant and pretentious and that they [the students] are idiots who wouldn’t be anything without you. We thought we could be of help and service. That’s what life’s about — maximizing your joy and pleasure. Any marginalized population needs assistance so I can’t accept seeing that providing this support or resources to a struggling community can be a crime. That’s social bullshit.
Lei: There is a frustrating moment where people would address it. Would you rather they had not gone? Look at what happen to Kenzo! Those opportunities would never have occurred without the push that was provided. It’s similar to a mentor or parent or a coach who pushes. They are not just throwing money and not giving anyone tangible skills.
Claus, you talk eloquently about your experience working in France and learning about food and appreciating what it can do. What was a Eureka! moment in your life — in France, in Denmark, or in La Paz?
Meyer: In Denmark, it was when we had all the greatest chefs together for an 18-hour workshop and the outcome was the Nordic Kitchen Manifesto at the symposium in 2004. We spent hours discussing what could be the most beautiful ethos to achieve or struggle together and share with our world all the years after. Those 48 hours, I could see and feel the quality of the narrative and that was an important moment in my life and in the life of Denmark and Scandinavia. It was the beginning of something very big. I could feel it, and it turned out to be so.
In Bolivia, I had a moment when I participated in first graduation and the warmth and vibrant energy in the room and seeing the eyes of the student and their families and feeling something that was a massive undertaking. We also started twelve schools [in underprivileged areas], and to visit those and be exposed to extreme poverty and feel the gratitude.
Michael, I venture to call “A Taste of Sky” the first “post-food” documentary I’ve seen in that there is far less emphasis on what is being served here and more on how food helps folks find meaning in their lives. Can you talk about this approach to making a film about a restaurant?
Lei: Yeah. We started the film right after “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” and before “Chefs Table.” If you are making something in this genre, you have to add something to the conversation other than making and extended “Chef’s Table” episode. This story inherently seemed like more than “Chef’s Table.” Those shows are a profile of a fine dining chef. It’s curated, not following something in real time. There was something more soulful in the parallels between Claus’ life and the students’. It’s a trojan horse film — it is about what is our legacy? and how do we spend our time and our family life? Maybe in 10 years, Kenzo or Maria Claudia will provide a program of their own, and how that can keep going was the launching point to discover. It’s a film that uses a genre to deepen and explore greater things.
Before we continue, down that path I am curious to know what that fruit was that Kenzo tasted that was intense and refreshing. And how was the palmito Kenzo is seen whittling used?
Lei: The fruit was maracuyá — a passionfruit. The palmito is the heart of palm tree — the inside core of a particular tree that is pickled or brined. At Gustu, they peeled the palmito piece by piece to become these soft, luscious strands, and cooked them with brown butter and dried llama meat like jerky and a little salt and an egg. It was a deconstructed carbonara. It was a signature dish, but it took 10 hours to have a chef peel the palmito off with tweezers, so they took it off the menu because it took so long to prepare.
Claus, can you talk about being interviewed by your daughter?
Meyer: It was a special moment for me. I never had a serious conversation with my daughter in my life. The cameras reinforced the moment.
I want to stress that I’ve been extremely absent with the preparation or structure of the film. I stayed out of the planning. It would be strange to be the author of a portrait and influence or manipulate the story.
Lei: Those scenes were filmed here in New York when Claus was doing his project at Grand Central. We had an hour and a half to shoot it. Once we did initial interviews with the film’s other subjects, I thought they were stilted and unnatural. I wanted the film to have more of a cinematic vibe. After banging my head about it, I realized this is a film about family and relationships, so, what about putting the subjects in dialog with their families? Kenzo is seen with his father. But with Claus and his background, his wife knows everything about him, and so we thought, why not ask one of his daughters? I went to the oldest, but she thought Augusta, the youngest should do it. I thought: Have an 11-year-old do a centerpiece interview? I was extremely worried. She was wise beyond her years and it is very clear it was the right decision. I credit his daughters for making that a possibility. I had to take her out for ice cream after.
Where did you go?!
We went to a gelato place in Chelsea market.
The film shows the arc of people finding a skill and making a career, sometimes in a non-traditional or unexpected way. What observations do you have about home and family, kitchen and career?
Lei: It exists in every profession. My family asks what does a filmmaker do? Maria Claudia and Kenzo are so far from their families. Kenzo’s family hasn’t been to La Paz. It is a different world for them. They are not sure what their son is doing. They know he is cooking. It’s like my family back in China — I have only my immediate family here — they have a traditional way of life. To explain filmmaking is like describing a sunset to someone who hasn’t seen one. Maria Claudia took her older sister to eat at her restaurant. She appreciated it, but it doesn’t impact their families back at home. It might resonate later how much it truly changed their lives.
Meyer: It’s a big topic. You discover it across your life — you are good at something and enjoy what you do. I was told to follow my heart and I tried to follow my heart, doing what I loved to do and what I was good at. Cooking had to be part of it. Cooking is about nurturing and caring and feeding someone, and the ethos of the film is about providing a meal to another person. That’s an amazing vehicle and component of life.
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Just a day before the President Donald trump revised Travel ban goes into effect, a federal judge in Hawaii issued an emergency temporary halt against it. According to the state of Hawaii, Trump's travel is a discriminated against Muslims and that the new law is a violation of the constitution.
The new ban, signed by the President on March 6, had aimed to overcome legal problems with a January executive order that caused chaos at airports and sparked mass protests before a Washington judge stopped its enforcement in February.
The state of Hawaii's move means that citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen can still travel to the US.
While speaking at a rally in Nashville, Tennessee, Mr Trump said the judge's legal block "makes the US look weak" and represented "unprecedented judicial overreach". According to him, he will take the case as far as it needs to go including going to the supreme court.
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In the midst of an outdoor space, stands a mesmerizing sculpture decor, two abstract stainless steel arms reaching upward towards the sky. Each arm, crafted with meticulous detail and precision, contributes to the sculpture decor’s dynamic and captivating presence. The abstract nature of the sculpture decor prompts contemplation, inviting viewers to interpret its meaning and engage with its form.
The stainless steel material lends a sleek and modern aesthetic to the sculpture decor, while its reflective surface adds depth and dimension to the artwork. As sunlight dances upon its surface, the sculpture decor comes alive, casting shimmering reflections that change with the shifting light of the day.
The innovative ‘burly arms’ sculpture decor features a captivating design centered around two burly arms extending skyward. Crafted with precision and creativity, this sculpture decor showcases a harmonious blend of strength and elegance. Each burly arm twists and curves dynamically, creating an intriguing visual composition that engages viewers from every angle. The reflective surface of the stainless steel enhances the sculpture decor’s presence, mirroring the surrounding environment and adding depth to its aesthetic appeal. Whether standing alone as a focal point or complementing the outdoor landscape, this sculpture decor invites contemplation and evokes a sense of wonder.
Aongking has many kinds of stainless steel sculptures for you to choose from.
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A startup wants you to text using only your thoughts by 2020
What is an individual without privacy? Scarcely an individual at all, only a piece of a larger network that eludes identification and yet suppresses us into a singular whole all the same. A human being with no privacy, no interior life that is theirs and theirs alone, could be described, as Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari have said, as a 'body without organs'. Privacy could be said to be the foundation of individual human being itself, as only the privacy of one's own thoughts, and one's exclusive inner life, grants the requisite groundwork to be considered a unique person.
A New York City tech start-up called Ctrl-Labs is working on an electromyography armband, which can read brainwaves, and translate those waves directly into text on a screen, without actually having to type a word yourself. Two experts in neuroscience are behind the project, Dr Patrick Kaifosh and Dr Thomas Reardon, the latter of whom is credited with inventing Internet Explorer. These two know exactly what they're doing when it comes to pasting human thoughts upon a machine, and making the machine primary and our own identities secondary when it comes to thinking our way through the world.
How often has a Google search replaced actual knowledge we may learn? How soon does all the information in the world become so relative that we feel as if we are inundated with junk data in another dark age?
The destabilizing effects of technology on individuality and selfhood will continue to define the 21st century. Dr. Kaifosh said:
"We are developing systems to connect your neural output to machines as tightly as it is connected to the muscles that control your speech. Just as you don't think about which muscles you activate when you speak, you won't have to think about how you communicate text to a computer".
At last, will all communication dissolve into a single information stream, one perpetual forum or group chat replacing all your private thoughts and ideas? Consider truly the ramifications of what this brainwave software would do. If the thoughts of all those around you can be transmitted in their original spark of purity to a computer screen, then what purpose will fiction serve? How soon until mental images, including our own dreams, can be recorded like films? Who would ever read a book or watch a film if the entire mind is running permanently on a screen for all to see? We are talking about the end of privacy, the end of art, and the emergence of the singular cyborg who thinks with the same device that he uses to communicate.
'The medium is the message' wrote Marshall McLuhan, perhaps his most timeless idea. What is the message of a medium that dissolves thought and communication into the same single motion? That privacy and individuality are lesser concerns than speed and efficiency of communication.If the act of thinking is itself already public, and revealed to the world, then the act of thinking is itself just another realm of socially-modified behavior, aimed to make ourselves appear acceptable to the herd. This ought to terrify us, truly, as limited human beings who are already not biologically equipped to live in a digital world. What will become of us when we are cyborgs entirely, thinking and speaking and browsing the web on the same extension of our brain, a wristband or a phone, all integrated eventually into the same port of call?
Do you have anything to hide? Are the intimacies of the mind too secret and beautiful for instant transmission? Well, Facebook and Tesla are both also working on brainwave-reading technology. Elon Musk wishes to plug the mind into a computer, Zuckerberg wishes to end all privacy on Earth.
At this point it is impossible to deny that have become something other than human. What is the end goal of this process? Perhaps we will all become monstrous nets of connective tissue, a tissue made of words, without selves, only a shared collective understanding, united under the principles of efficiency, power and speed.
In other news on this topic, Elon Musk fears that machine armies will lead to a future of perpetual war.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Top-Notch, Unique Fantasy!,
This review is from: Towing Jehovah (Harvest Book) (Paperback)
Sea captain Anthony Van Horne, who blames himself for an ExxonValdez-style oil spill years ago, is suddenly visited by an angel whobears the most profound - and disturbing - tidings of all time. GodHimself is dead, and His two-mile-long corpse has fallen into theAtlantic Ocean! The Host of Heaven are dying of grief, the angelexplains, and as their last act of worship they've prepared a tomb forJehovah in a huge iceberg in the Arctic. Van Horne can achieve somevindication by towing the late Creator's body to His frozencrypt.
At the helm of the supertanker Carpco Valparaiso (the shipinvolved in the earlier maritime disaster), and flying the flag of theVatican, Van Horne leads a ragtag crew on a secret mission to find Hiscorpse and steer Him to His final resting place. Along the way, theyrescue a militant feminist-atheist who, when she discovers the natureof their mission, secretly decides that she must find a way to preventthis "proof" from becoming known to the world atlarge.
Morrow's Towing Jehovah is an absolutely brilliant and oftenqueasily unsettling satire that explores many of the great issues ofreligion, faith, and skepticism. Using the tanker's crew as amicrocosm of society, Morrow takes jabs at Catholics, Jews, skeptics,feminists - just about everybody. How would the Catholic Church reactto the news that God really is dead? What would atheists do if theydiscovered they'd been wrong all along? Would there be any reason toadhere to morality, knowing that God is no longer watching? And thegreatest mystery of all - why did He die?
I can't recommend thisbook highly enough for fantasy lovers who are tired of the eternalTolkien rehashes. If you're looking for a book that will make youthink about your life, laugh out loud, and groan with embarrassment -sometimes all at once - this is the book for you. Both Believer andSkeptic will enjoy the ideas mulled over in Towing Jehovah - but thethin-skinned should be warned to proceed at their own risk.
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Door and Bumper Reinforcement Beams
The door and bumper reinforcement beams used on Fit/Jazz vehicles are made from a metal equivalent to high-strength steel.
If high-strength steel is heated, the strength of the steel will be reduced. If high-strength steel is damaged, for example. In an accident, and the door and bumper reinforcement beams are bent, the beams may crack when attempting to straighten them. If a door beam is damaged, the whole door panel assembly should be replaced.
For this reason, the door and bumper reinforcement beams should NEVER be replaced; they should be replaced if they are damaged.
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Understanding Pressure Injuries: Prevention, Symptoms, and Treatment
Pressure injuries, also known as bedsores, are pervasive and often preventable chronic wounds, particularly in the underserved geriatric population. They affect over 2.5 million people per year and can significantly diminish quality of life or lead to dangerous complications.
Understanding how to prevent and address pressure injuries is an important part of effective patient care, so much so that the medical community celebrates Worldwide Pressure Injury Prevention Day each November. This is a valuable time for clinicians to update their pressure injury knowledge and to learn about new wound care developments and insights.
To help spread awareness about pressure injuries, Vohra has put together some helpful information about how to identify and address these wounds. In addition, our leading Wound Care Certification program includes valuable insights into pressure injury treatment and prevention, as well as modules about many other important wound care considerations.
Wound Care Certification
What are pressure injuries?
Pressure injuries, also known as pressure ulcers or bedsores, are skin injuries that occur when localized pressure or shear is applied to the skin’s surface for a prolonged duration. This frequently occurs when a patient spends significant periods of time in a bed or wheelchair.
Pressure injuries typically occur on bony areas of the skin, such as the spine, heels, elbows, shoulder blades, or back of the head, and are worsened by improper skin moisture. These wounds affect more than 2.5 million people per year and can lead to life-threatening complications due to wound worsening or infection. Many pressure injuries can be prevented with proper clinician expertise, so it is crucial that healthcare workers are aware of risk factors and prevention strategies.
What are the symptoms of pressure injuries?
The symptoms of pressure injuries include:
Changes in skin color (redness or blue/purple hue)
Skin pain, swelling, itching, or tenderness
Noticeable warming or cooling of the skin
Skin loss and deeper wound development
Change in skin texture (more spongy or hard)
When assessing pressure injuries, the severity of the wound is described based on four distinct stages:
Stage 1: Skin is discolored and does not blanch in response to pressure
Stage 2: The skin displays superficial damage (blister-like appearance)
Stage 3: The wound deepens and the fatty layer of the skin is visible
Stage 4: The wound extends down to the bone and becomes highly prone to infection
It is important to remain vigilant and to take action if a patient develops these symptoms. As a pressure injury progresses through the four stages, it becomes increasingly dangerous, so preventative strategies and early treatment are critical.
Wound Care Certification
Who is at risk for pressure injuries?
Since pressure injuries result from prolonged pressure to the skin, they most frequently affect those that spend significant periods of time in bed or in a wheelchair. This primarily includes the elderly and those who are hospitalized due to illness or injury. Other at-risk groups include:
Those with limited or inhibited mobility. They are more likely to spend prolonged periods in a bed or wheelchair.
Those with incontinence. Excessive moisture on the skin greatly increases the risk of pressure injury.
Those with loss of sensation. These patients may not be aware of prolonged pressure on their skin, so their wounds may worsen without them taking action.
Those with malnutrition. Wound healing can be significantly delayed when a patient is not receiving adequate nutrition.
The elderly. As people age, their skin becomes thinner and less able to withstand damage due to shear and pressure. The elderly also heal more slowly and are more prone to infection.
Pressure injuries cause reduced blood supply in the affected area, which can lead to tissue damage or death. If worsening or left untreated, pressure injuries can also lead to life-threatening complications and even death. Understanding and identifying at-risk patients is an important way to take action.
How can you prevent pressure injuries?
Prevention is the most valuable way to reduce instances of pressure injuries and improve patient quality of life. Here are five ways to prevent pressure injuries:
Develop pressure injury prevention plans and training. Ensure that all members of your facility are aware of the risk of pressure injuries and the importance of addressing them.
Conduct risk factor assessments. Use a validated assessment tool, such as the Braden Scale, to regularly assess patients for relevant risk factors. This will help identify when preventative measures should be taken.
Provide regular skin care. Ensure that patients’ skin is cleansed, emolliated, and moisturized regularly to ensure proper moisture and prevent pressure injuries. While conducting skin care, clinicians can also look for signs of pressure injury development.
Ensure proper nutrition. In order for wounds to quickly and effectively heal, patients must maintain appropriate levels of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and zinc, as well as maintain a protein-rich diet. Supplements can be prescribed as needed.
Reposition and mobilize patients. Patients that spend significant time in bed or in a wheelchair should be regularly repositioned and assessed to ensure that there is no undue stress or friction on the skin.
For more information about pressure injury prevention, download and distribute our Pressure Injury Prevention Flyer.
Pressure injury awareness
Pressure injuries are widespread, chronic wounds that significantly diminish patient quality of life. In order to prevent them, clinicians must be aware of risk factors and treatment strategies.
To increase awareness about pressure injuries and other important wound care considerations, Vohra Wound Physicians has helped thousands of clinicians become credentialled through our Wound Care Certification Program. This program educates clinicians on effective wound care, with topics including Acute & Chronic Wounds, Atypical Wounds, Preventing Rehospitalization, and Pressure Injuries.
Wound Care Certification
Vohra Wound Physicians is the nation’s most trusted wound care specialty practice. Founded in 2000, Vohra works with nearly 3,000 skilled nursing facilities and uses innovative, proprietary methodologies and technologies to provide superior wound healing to patients.
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Flowers have long been a symbol of human emotions, with each bloom carrying its significance and message. Among the myriad of floral expressions, roses reign supreme as the essence of love and affection. While red roses have become synonymous with passionate romance, there exists a captivating and mysterious counterpart of blue roses meaning.
Blue roses, with their rare and ethereal beauty, evoke a sense of wonder. Unlike their naturally occurring counterparts, these roses are not a product of nature’s palette but rather the result of human intervention through dyeing or genetic modification.
Beyond matters of romance, blue roses hold symbolic meanings that relate to spirituality, imagination and dreams. They are often seen as a portal to the extraordinary, evoking a sense of wonder and inspiring limitless possibilities.
So, do blue roses meaning love? Well, yes! But there is a lot to discover.
Come along as we uncover the blue roses meaning and the stories they whisper through their captivating hues.
Table of Contents
History of blue roses
Blue roses don’t exist naturally because roses lack the gene to produce a true-blue color. However, in 2004, scientists successfully created a blue rose through genetic engineering.
The first mention dates back to the 12th century. They were described in a book as being made by adding blue dye to the bark of the roots. In the 19th century, there were attempts to breed blue roses, but none were successful. Then, in the early 20th century, white roses were dyed blue for commercial sale but weren’t popular.
In the 1980s, scientists started exploring genetic engineering. In 2004, Florigene and Suntory released the first commercially available blue roses.
These roses are pale lavender or mauve due to a blue pigment called delphinidin, which is not naturally found in roses. The gene responsible for producing delphinidin was inserted into the rose genome.
The creation of blue roses through genetic engineering has been a significant advancement in plant biotechnology, demonstrating the possibility of creating new plant varieties with desired traits.
The symbolism of blue roses
Blue roses have different symbolism across cultures and periods. They are generally associated with mystery, enchantment, and the unattainable. They symbolize love, peace, and hope.
In Western cultures, they represent true love and can convey admiration and respect.
In Japan, blue roses symbolize peace and hope and shared to celebrate new beginnings or express gratitude and sympathy.
They are also linked to mystery, magic, and the supernatural, reminding us of dreams and aspirations.
Overall, blue roses are a unique and beautiful gift that brings hope, love, and peace to the recipient. They symbolize enchantment and hold special meaning in various cultural contexts.
What is the spiritual meaning of a blue rose?
The spiritual blue roses meaning is subjective and can vary among individuals. They symbolize spiritual enlightenment, unattainable goals, and the infinite spiritual journey. Here are some more spiritual meanings that are widely accepted worldwide.
Blue roses symbolize the path to higher consciousness and spiritual wisdom.
They represent the pursuit of seemingly impossible goals, highlighting the journey’s significance.
Infinite spiritual journey
They also symbolize the eternal quest for knowledge and understanding of the universe.
Bridging the physical and spiritual worlds
The roses bridge the material and spiritual realms.
They symbolize the unconditional love bestowed by the divine.
Blue roses signify the attainment of spiritual wisdom and the journey toward a heightened state of consciousness.
Blue roses meaning in a bouquet
The blue roses meaning in a bouquet can vary depending on the number of flowers. Here are some common interpretations:
One blue rose
Symbolizes true love and is a rare and attractive flower often given to express deep affection for someone.
Three blue roses
Five blue roses
Symbolizes mystery and fascination. Blue roses being rare and extraordinary, gifting five signifies an interest in the unknown or unachievable.
Ten blue roses
Ten blue roses signify admiration. Offering ten blue roses is a grand gesture to express profound admiration and appreciation for someone’s beauty or qualities.
Blue roses meaning when combined with other color roses
The meaning of the blue rose can change when combined with other colors of roses. Here are some common interpretations:
Blue and red roses
Symbolize a passionate, intense, and mysterious love. The red roses represent fiery passion and desire, while the blue roses add an element of enigmatic intrigue.
Blue and white roses
Represent a harmonious blend of peace and tranquility. The white roses symbolize purity and innocence, while the blue roses evoke a sense of calmness and serenity.
Blue and yellow roses
Signify a joyful friendship. The yellow roses symbolize friendship and happiness, while the blue roses convey admiration and respect, resulting in a vibrant and positive combination.
Blue and pink roses
Symbolize a unique and admired love. The pink roses represent love and romance, while the blue roses add an element of mystery and individuality, creating a captivating and special bond.
Roses are red violets are blue meaning
Imagine a person who is deeply in love with someone. They want to express their feelings and tell the person how much they care. Instead of saying it directly, they use a poem that has been loved for many years.
The poem says, “Roses are red, violets are blue.” This is a simple way of saying that roses are beautiful red and violets are pretty blue.
But there’s more to it! The person who wrote the poem wants to compare their loved one to a red rose. Red roses have always symbolized love, passion, and desire. So, when they say “Roses are red,” they mean that their loved one is like a red rose—full of love and passion.
Similarly, violets are small and simple flowers. They are known to represent modesty, faithfulness, and humility. So, when the speaker says, “Violets are blue,” they mean they feel like a violet—someone modest and faithful.
The person writing the poem knows they might not be as amazing or deserving of their loved one’s affection, but they are grateful for it anyway. They say that even though they may not be perfect, they still love their special someone very much.
The poem ends with the person declaring their love forever. They want their loved ones to know their affection will never fade, no matter what happens.
“Roses are red, violets are blue” is a poem that has been loved for a long time because it captures the feeling of love simply and beautifully. People of all ages have cherished this poem because it can mean different things to different people.
Meaning of blue roses tattoos
Blue roses are highly sought-after tattoo designs due to their exquisite beauty, distinctiveness, and rich symbolism.
Typically, these roses evoke a sense of mystery, enchantment, and the unattainable. They also carry connotations of hope, potential, and fresh beginnings. Outlined below are some prevalent interpretations associated with blue rose tattoos:
Blue roses, a natural rarity, embody an aura of mystery and the unknown. They symbolize the concealed aspects of our lives, including undiscovered facets of ourselves and the enigmatic nature of the world around us.
The roses are often linked to magic and enchantment. They serve as a potent symbol of beauty, wonder, and the transformative power of love.
3. The unattainable
Since blue roses cannot be naturally found, so they symbolize the unattainable. They represent our dreams, aspirations, and what we strive for but may only partially achieve.
Blue roses can also embody hope. They epitomize the potential to accomplish our goals, the strength derived from love, and the resilience needed to conquer challenges.
5. New beginnings
They can also serve as a symbol of fresh starts and new beginnings. They convey hope, optimism, and the opportunity to embark on a new chapter in life.
Ultimately, the significance of a blue rose tattoo is subjective and personal to the individual wearing it. It can represent anything important, such as love, hope, or the pursuit of the unattainable. If you seek a distinctive and meaningful tattoo, a blue rose design is an excellent choice.
Perfect events to gift blue roses
No matter the occasion, blue roses are a beautiful and thoughtful gift that will surely impress the recipient. However, here are a few perfect events to gift:
1. Valentine’s Day
The roses are associated with love and romance, making them an ideal gift for your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Their unique hue adds a touch of intrigue and mystery to the expression of affection.
These roses also hold deep symbolic value and can be presented as a gift to commemorate an anniversary. They represent unwavering commitment and enduring love, serving as a reminder of the lasting bond shared between two individuals.
Gifting blue roses on someone’s birthday is a beautiful way to convey heartfelt sentiments. These flowers symbolize youth, beauty, and fresh beginnings, making them a meaningful gesture to celebrate the joyous occasion.
Congratulating someone on their graduation with blue roses is a thoughtful choice. These flowers embody success, accomplishment, and the promise of exciting new opportunities.
Incorporating blue roses into wedding arrangements, such as bouquets or centerpieces, can create a captivating visual display. They symbolize love, fidelity, and the eternal happiness accompanying a lifelong commitment.
Myths related to blue roses
One popular myth revolves around the Chinese Emperor’s daughter who sought a husband with the condition of presenting her with a blue rose. Suitors were discouraged due to the non-existence of natural blue roses. However, one determined suitor found a rose resembling the dusk sky, impressing the Emperor’s daughter and securing her hand in marriage.
Additional myths associated with blue roses include their representation of impossibility, unattainable dreams, and being a gift from the gods. They are also seen as symbols of love and devotion.
Regardless of belief in these myths, it is undeniable that blue roses possess captivating beauty and an air of mystery. They make a splendid gift for any occasion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are blue roses naturally occurring?
No, the roses do not exist naturally. They are the result of human intervention through dyeing or genetic modification.
2. What is the spiritual blue roses meaning?
They symbolize spiritual enlightenment, unattainable goals, and the infinite spiritual journey.
3. What do blue roses symbolize in Western cultures?
In Western cultures, the roses symbolize true love, admiration, and respect.
4. Can blue roses be combined with other colors of roses?
Yes, they can be combined with other colors of roses to create unique symbolism. For example, blue and red roses symbolize passionate love, while blue and white roses represent peace and tranquility.
5. What does the poem “Roses are red, violets are blue” mean?
The poem compares a loved one to a red rose, symbolizing love and passion, and the speaker to a violet, representing modesty and faithfulness.
6. What is the meaning of blue rose tattoos?
Blue rose tattoos symbolize mystery, fascination, the unachievable, hope, and new beginnings.
7. When is the perfect time to gift blue roses?
Blue roses are suitable for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, and weddings.
Blue roses meaning goes beyond love and romance. They represent mystery, enchantment, and the unattainable.
They also symbolize spirituality, imagination, and the pursuit of higher consciousness, embodying the infinite spiritual journey as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds.
The roses can be given to express love, peace, and hope, and they hold special meaning in various cultural contexts. Whether in a bouquet or as a tattoo, blue roses captivate with their rare and ethereal beauty, inspiring wonder, and limitless possibilities.
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Many of my clients, upon the discovery of their spouse’s adultery, ask me about Singapore adultery punishment.
Singapore adultery punishment
What will happen to those “found guilty” of adultery? How will they be punished?
A woman can be sentenced to death if found guilty of adultery in say, Pakistan.
On the other hand, there is close to no Singapore adultery punishment even if you have evidence of your spouse’s adultery.
Adultery in the Singapore context is only a reason for divorce. It is a fact that is used to show that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Whether you use “unreasonable behaviour”, “separation”, “desertion” or “adultery” as a reason for divorce, you get a divorce. If you hire a private investigator, you may be compensated (in full or in part) for the amount you spent on the private investigator. You will not receive more alimony or a higher percentage of the assets simply because you have evidence of your spouse’s adultery. Similarly, it does not mean that you will get the sole custody of your child if you can prove that your spouse committed adultery.
This is very different from what they do in some other parts of the world.
“Adultery” in Pakistan
In Pakistan, for instance, a 19-year-old woman was recently sentenced to death because her cousin raped her gunpoint. She was asleep at her family home when it happened. After she reported the crime to the local tribal court, she was told that she had “intentionally seduced” her cousin. The poor woman was then found guilty of adultery and declared as an adulteress. She was to be sentenced to death by stoning or to be sold off. No action was to be taken against the alleged rapist.
Thankfully, the woman and her father have since gone to the police who have started an official investigation.
See: Chris Pleasance, “Woman, 19, is sentenced to death by stoning for adultery after she was ‘raped at gunpoint by her cousin’ in Pakistan”, MailOnline, 30 May 2017
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Recently, I was working on completing a port of a Linux program to Windows. It's called mpgtx, and is a command line MPEG editing program. The port was pretty easy, since it didn't use many Linux-specific functions (and someone had already done part of the port), but I did run across one big problem: it would fail on any long MPEG-2 clip. I quickly realized that it was because the
ftell functions use the data type
long for file offsets, which is a 32-bit signed integer on most systems. Therefore, those functions don't work on files that are bigger than 2048 megabytes. I then searched around for information on getting around that problem, and the only info I found was on Linux-specific functions (
ftello) or a non-buffered function (
_lseeki64). I didn't want to use Cygwin, and I really didn't want to convert all the
fseek/etc... function calls to
_lseeki64/etc... and still maintain code compatibility with Linux, so I had to find another way. I thought that because there was a
_lseeki64 function there might be a
fseeki64 function, but nothing was mentioned about that function in the Help system and hardly anything was listed when searching Google for it. One thing Google did find, though, was a page that said there was a file named "fseeki64.c" in "crt/src". Sure enough, both the fseeki64.c and ftelli64.c files existed in my "Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\crt\src" folder. Unfortunately, neither function is mentioned in stdio.h, so it's going to take a little extra work to use those functions...
Using the code
First, you'll have to add the following imports into your code:
extern "C" int __cdecl _fseeki64(FILE *, __int64, int);
extern "C" __int64 __cdecl _ftelli64(FILE *);
Note that they use
__in64 for the file offset data type, instead of
Next, replace all calls to
_ftelli64, respectively. Finally, change all the variables that you use to hold file offsets from
__int64. That's it; now you should be good to go!
Points of Interest
Does anyone know why
_ftelli64 are completely, mysteriously undocumented?
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In The Third Man, Geoffrey M. Cooper takes readers back to history’s darkest corners to confront an enemy considered long vanquished.
Having faced organized crime, human trafficking and multiple murders in their first half-dozen outings, Karen Richmond and Brad Parker have become quite the dynamic duo. Richmond is a former FBI agent and now with the Maine State Police, while her boyfriend Parker works as a cancer researcher and director of a research institute. As such, Richmond is puzzled when her boss requests she bring Parker to interview a nonagenarian FBI agent about a mysterious tranche of documents. It turns out the agent, Mark Carlson, is also a former SS officer who spied for the Allies, and he has quite the story to tell.
This deeper story unfolds in flashbacks with WWII Germany on the brink of defeat. Cooper introduces readers to Walter Muller, a German intelligence officer repurposed by the SS for a clandestine operation across the Atlantic. Tasked with infiltrating the U.S., Muller’s mission is as audacious as it is ghastly: to lay the groundwork for a Fourth Reich by exploiting the nascent field of DNA science. Muller is not alone in his dark quest; Catherine Freeman, a biologist with a keen interest in genetics, poses as his spouse, providing the scientific acumen needed for their sinister objectives. As Richmond and Parker delve deeper into the investigation, readers learn sordid details about a ghastly past attack on a synagogue and the involvement of the Ku Klux Klan.
Clearly comfortable with his protagonists by now, Cooper deftly balances historical context with contemporary suspense, but the narrative occasionally stumbles over implausible plot twists. Additionally, while the setup is intriguing and the chemistry between the two leads shines, too much exposition often diminishes the story’s momentum.
Still, falling between Robin Cook’s medical thrillers and Robert Parker’s Spenser potboilers isn’t a bad place to live—and this one hits a sweet spot for an entertaining airport read.
Also available as an ebook.
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A flame of passion is contained within the heart, yet is love contained in a mere flame of passion? This timeless saying embodies the ultimate declaration of love written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. “How Do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways” is a poem bathed in rhyme and inundated in sentimental avowals. This sonnet shows the perpetual love that Browning shares with her husband and how that love can never be destroyed by any power of human or spiritual nature (Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s: Sonnet 45). Based on answering one, seemingly simple yet complex, question, “how do I love thee?” (Browning Line 1) is what this poem is based on. Using literary tools and techniques, Browning unleashes the powerful emotions that hide behind the ink …show more content…
“I love thee to the level of everyday’s/Most quite need, by sun and candlelight” (Browning Line 5-6) Browning continues using anaphora with the continually repeated “thee” (Browning Line 5) and “the” (Browning Line 5). Explaining how her love is persistent throughout every second of the day, even in the simplest of needs, synecdoche is used in “sun” (Browning Line 6) for day and “candle-light” (Browning Line 6) for night.
Browning likens her deep feelings to religious, spiritual, emotional and even political aspiration and goes on to employ repetition, the metaphor of Christian religious faith and a musical metrical and rhyme scheme to develop and convey her ideas beautifully (Swanhorst). She addresses her sweetheart with simplicity, charm and a refreshing innocence: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. /I love thee to the depth and breadth and height/my soul can reach" (Browning Lines 1-3) is deceptively simple and will be repeated many times in different ways. In order to express her wild and free feelings in a very restricted sonnet form, Browning uses repetition often to help her fit in with the stresses and unstresses of the sonnet pattern. The iambic meter dictates strict adherence. Moving on, the word “freely” (Browning Line 7) not only evokes ideas of freedom in
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communicates two interpretations concerning Both poems describe the behavior of people who are in loving, romantic relationships. There are several aspects common in both poems. Using the literary technique of dramatic dialogue, the author reveals the plot and central idea of each poem. Robert Browning tells each poetic story through a single speaker. Both poems reveal an account in which the admirer kills the object of his love. This paper will compare and contrast the following characteristics: the setting, the speaker, the mood and tone, and theme found "My
Hardy initially uses similes to illustrate the bleak landscape, referring to the “sun [as] white” and leaves as “grey”, to emphasise his sorrowful opinion of love. Specific diction of bleak words strongly communicates his message of love being hopeless and sorrowful. He also uses personification of “starving sod”, to allude that the earth is frozen and desiring nutrients which it lacks. This creates an undesirable setting and mood of despair and sorrow expressing how he perceives love. In contrast, Browning orientates an inviting, cheerful setting through the use of similes. The scene is vibrant with “little waves that leap” and “warm sea-scented beach[es]”, allowing the reader to perceive it as joyful. This illustrates how he regards love as an uplifting experience, which brings people together. He structures his poem with no stanzas, allowing for the reader to follow the radiant journey of love. In contrast, Hardy includes stanzas allowing him to express his message though new topics. They consist of the bleak setting, his former partners eyes, her bitter smile and his message of how all love disappoints. He includes an enclosed rhyme scheme, presenting the entrapment of love, expressing no freedom and joy in relationships. In opposition, Browning uses anaphora of “and” to express how the speaker’s mind is not in the moment, looking ahead to the future where they reunite with their lover. It is evident that Hardy conveys his message of love as sorrowful and full of despair, in contrast Browning message reveals love as gracious and
Love is not always an easy adventure to take part in. As a result, thousands of poems and sonnets have been written about love bonds that are either praised and happily blessed or love bonds that undergo struggle and pain to cling on to their forbidden love. Gwendolyn Brooks sonnet "A Lovely Love," explores the emotions and thoughts between two lovers who are striving for their natural human right to love while delicately revealing society 's crime in vilifying a couples right to love. Gwendolyn Brooks uses several examples of imagery and metaphors to convey a dark and hopeless mood that emphasizes the hardships that the two lovers must endure to prevail their love that society has condemned.
The Sonnet sequence also involves the idea of identity with Barrett Browning coming to terms with her emerging sexuality and realisation of love. The sequence was written by Barrett Browning thus providing a personal voice to the sonnets allowing a portrayal of the sequence of events of her personal identity and expression of love. Throughout the sonnet sequence Browning develops a stronger sense and realisation of her love for Robert, hence shaping her identity. By sonnet 43 a series of elements introduced by the simple phrase “I love thee” where the repetition intensifies the affirmation, she declares that her love is free and pure and possesses passion. Most importantly Browning now holds a sense of identity as she has achieved her idealized type of love.
In Sonnet 13 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the beloved wants the speaker to transcribe the feelings that she has for him in a sonnet. However, even though she knows that her feelings are real, she is not yet comfortable with declaring her love in such a way. In her sonnet, Browning compares what she is feeling to a lit torch in rough winds: “And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough, / Between our faces, to cast light on each?— / I drop it at thy feet” (3-5). In this metaphor, the torch acts to enlighten what is between both Browning and her beloved. Except, with external forces (such as the rough winds) battling against her increasing emotions, she feels as though she must focus on protecting her feelings. By the end of this quote, Browning drops the torch, thus representing the fact that she can’t go through with describing what she feels for her beloved. Ultimately, she tells her love, “My hand to hold my spirit so far off / From myself—me—that I should bring thee proof / In words, of love hid in me out of reach” (6-8). Here, she states that she can’t go through with risking herself. For now, he will have to settle with silence as his only answer. Simply by evaluating Browning’s response, we can see how much she cares for her beloved. First off, she worries about the possibility of risking or changing the strong emotions she has. Additionally, she believes that, given her profoundly heartfelt emotions, she will not be able to accurately depict their significance.
The acceptance of love has the power of transforming an individual to demand of that same love. The social context of the 1850’s was seen to be emphasised on individual’s emotions and rebellion against established social rules and convections which was evident in her open declarations of love and demanding’s of love which was a concept of idealised love. The notion of idealised love transforming an individual is presented in the ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese’. Sonnet 14 as Elizabeth Browning urges her lover to not love her for any particular reason other than “love’s sake only”. In the Octave, the first line is EBB talking directly to whom she loves and she uses high modality in the word ‘must’, making it seem like she
Robert Browning uses descriptive details to portray a theme of how darkness rises from warmth and happiness by showing us on how a man’s love for someone makes him turn to savagery. The narrator of the poem has very deep feelings for his lover, but he only thinks of himself and he never wants the girl to leave his side so he does the unthinkable. In the times that the girl was not home or was not with the narrator then there was coldness and darkness, but when she was with the man then the house would “blaze up, and all the cottage warm”. She created hope and the narrator needed that constantly, so he realized that his love was too strong to put on hold everyday when she would leave. The fact that the narrator had to watch his lover leave everyday
In her book Recollections, Browning describes what poetry means to herself. She explained that it “became a distinct object with me; an object to read, think, and live for” (Preston xii). Browning was described as a strong woman-poet who had little to no training. She came from the “Italian hills into a prim English feminine household, and inevitably assuming there that attitude of superiority to
To Browning, a rose still holds beauty even when it is unable to function in nature. By comparing the fairness of a rose after death and giving it more love “than to such roses bold” (30), Browning indicates that the rose is more deserving of praise than living roses because it is underappreciated. The passing of a rose does not mean that the beauty is gone, in fact, the heart “doth view [the rose] fair, doth judge [it] most complete” (24). Similarly, the departure of a loved one is devastating, however, there is peace in
Through the use of poetic devices such as repetition or alliteration, the author originally describes what love is not capable of providing and defines love as unnecessary but by the end of the poem, the author reveals that love has some value.
Love can be quite a difficult topic to write about, expressing one’s intimate and innermost emotions requires a great level of dedication and honesty. If done correctly, the outcome is truly stunning. John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” and Katherine Philips’s “To Mrs. M.A. at Parting” are two masterpieces of this genre. These poems depict the concept of true love so meticulously that the reader cannot help but envy the relationships presented. Perhaps the reason that these works are so effective is due to the fact that they are incredibly similar to each other. Although some differences are present when it comes to structure and gender concerns, the poems share the same theme of love on a spiritual level and show many parallels in meaning.
A poem is a piece of writing that partakes of the nature of both speech and song that is nearly always rhythmical, usually metaphorical, and that often exhibits such formal elements as meter, rhyme, and stanza structure. In her poem, “Variations of the Word ‘“love”’,” Margaret Atwood introduces to her audience the word “love” from many different perspectives. Google defines “love” as “an intense feeling of deep affection”, or “having a deep feeling or sexual attachment to (someone).” But “love” is not something that can easily be described. Atwood goes on to present and portray the word through different illustrations, beginning with cliché examples and ending with her own personal scenarios. The author’s tone and metaphorical language effectively conveys her perspective of “love”.
She says that she loves him to the depth and breadth and height, which indicated that her love is long lasting. The image “by sun and candlelight” that Barrett Browning creates, is that her love may be ordinary like the sun, but its continuous since the light keeps shining day and night, which is why she uses the candlelight to represent the light she has for him is still on at night. Another image that Barrett Browning conveys is “I love thee freely, as men strive for Right, I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise”. This line shows that her love for him is of her own free choice and she compares it to the nationalists that fight for their countries, indicating that their love is as strong as a person’s love is to their country. Barrett Browning also says, “I love thee with the passion, put to use/In my old greifs… and with my childhood’s faith” here, the poet redirected her emotions from her past concerns onto her love. She states that her she loves him with her childhood’s faith, which could mean that she loves him with unquestioning confidence, just like a naïve child might.
The finest woks of Browning endeavor to explain the mechanics of human psychology. The motions of love, hate, passion, instinct, violence, desire, poverty, violence, and sex and sensuousness are raised from the dead in his poetry with a striking virility and some are even introduced with a remarkable brilliance.
Gender is a hot topic in almost every social circle on the planet. Everyone has different opinions and views on gender. In Robert Browning 's "Prophyria 's Lover," Browning portrays a woman as an antagonist and be the one in control of the relationship. Browning also shows the stereotype of men 's anger and jealousy. In John Keats ' “La Belle Dame Sans Merci," Keats shows the more emotional side of men. It also switches the role of the user in a relationship, as opposed to society 's generalization that men take that role. Authors use stories to discuss things that are myopic, or subjects that are preponderant in their society that they may not agree with. Whether they describe stereotypes like jealousy in men or show opposition to the
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The most recent addition to the Culinary Institute of America’s podcast series is a sit-down chat with CIA alumnus and Alinea chef-owner of Grant Achatz. Moderator Stephen Hengst sat down with the chef to discuss the philosophy behind the restaurant, the idea of dining as “participatory theater,” the terrifying prospect of being forced to make an emulsified sauce without proper preparation, and the importance of having good mentors.
How Alinea is broken down: “We look at things we’re trying to do in terms of blocks of time - not number of courses, not ingredients, not technique. Literally it’s that we have you in that chair for anywhere from two and a half to five hours, and how do we make that time to the best of our ability, to make it participatory theater, to make it enjoyable for the guest?”
How Alinea is more than just food: “First and foremost the food has to be delicious, no matter what you’re doing. But there are elements of ambiance that often go unnoticed bythe subconscious, that aren’t really to the forefront. There are some techniques we utilize in the kitchen — certain aroma-based techniques, for example, where we’re going to invite the guest, the diner in the dining room, we’ll surround their table [with the scent], evoking certain emotional responses.”
Why he doesn’t want newbies showing up at the kitchen door: “A lot of times students will come to me and want to …work at Alinea, and I try to talk them out of it, frankly. I feel strongly that there’s still an incredible amount of importance that should be placed on classical cooking, even contemporary cooking, digging in the trenches, burning your forearms on the sautee pan, sweating over the flattop - those are all tremendously important. …There’s really a benefit to cooking in the French model, in the European model, even in the contemporary American model… You’ll learn the language, you’ll learn the culture, you’ll learn the dance of a cook.”
Why it’s not always good to want to be a celebrity chef: “…The proliferation of the celebrity chef, the Food Network, these iconic figures that younger students are looking up to — it’s fantastic, because it excites everyone about food. However there’s a downside to that, which is that there might be some misinterpretations of what the reality of being a chef is. Chasing the dream is perhaps unrealistic — everyone becoming Bobby Flay. If every student comes in and wants to be a tv chef, a celebrity chef - is that a good pursuit? I’m not sure. Idon’t think so. I think what [students] should be focusing on is learning how to cook, being chefs, being cooks.”
Check out the whole podcast here. [CIA]
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At 5 months old Lisa Brown had a liver transplant - but that hasn't slowed her down.
Now she is 8 years old and heading to Malaga, Spain, to compete in the World Transplant Games as New Zealand's youngest competitor.
Watching the Olympics last year, Lisa told her parents she wanted to be an Olympian one day. So when they heard about the World Transplant Games, they decided to get her involved.
The Hikurangi School student is aiming to compete in the 25m freestyle, 50m sprint, ball throw and long jump at the event, which kicks off on June 25. And is confident she will win gold in the sprint.
Lisa is the only junior going to represent the country but 11 adults from New Zealand will also be among the 2000-plus competitors from more than 50 countries.
Lisa told the Herald she had been training hard for the sprint by running at the beach and at home on the farm every day.
Mother Heidi Bosniakowski said the trouble with Lisa's liver started when she was born.
Bosniakowski and her husband, Justin Brown, noticed bruises appearing on Lisa's arms the day after her birth. When Lisa got a bruise on her spine their midwife sent them to the doctor for blood tests.
The test showed her liver wasn't functioning properly.
Over the following months her liver continued to deteriorate but doctors were unable to find the cause.
Eventually the couple decided to seek treatment in Germany, Bosniakowski's home country.
Doctors in Germany told them Lisa's liver was "history" and she needed a transplant urgently.
Within three weeks, a piece of her father's liver was removed and transplanted into the 5-month-old.
Bosniakowski said both the diagnosis and the surgery were difficult times for the family.
"It was a pretty rough start. I'll always remember when I had to hand her over to the surgeons - just the wait, it was so long, and Justin was in at the same time."
Even now Bosniakowski worried at times.
"She's doing really well but there's still the uncertainty. We don't know what caused the liver failure so it's all at the back of your mind."
But the shaky start has not held Lisa back.
"She just gives everything a go," Bosniakowski said.
For the younger competitors, the games were more about showing transplant survivors they could do anything they put their minds to and meet other children who had been through a similar thing, Bosniakowski said.
New Zealand Transplant Games Association team manager Sheryl Power agreed the games were a wonderful way to raise organ donor awareness and show, through sport, the difference a transplant could make to a person's well-being.
A Givealittle page has been set up to help cover the cost of the trip.
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Rental car company Hertz has ordered 100,000 units of Tesla’s Model 3. The full price for the order was about $4.2 billion.
Chief Executive Elon Musk was sure to note that Hertz paid full price for the vehicles.
“To be clear, cars sold to Hertz have no discount,” he said on Twitter. “Same price as to consumers.”
“As the leading car rental company, we now offer the largest electric vehicle (EV) rental fleet in North America,” Hertz said in a release. “Our flagship EV is the Tesla Model 3, a luxurious 4-door sedan that features up to 260-mile driving range on a full charge and is the best-selling electric car in the world.”
Demand for Tesla cars is strong. The company had record deliveries in Q3 despite supply chain challenges caused by the pandemic. The company also stands to significantly increase production with the addition of two new factors – Giga Texas and Giga Berlin.
There have been several examples of fleet owners making a big transition to EVs. Amazon, for example, consigned startup Rivian to produce 100,000 electric delivery vans. Tesla also reportedly has thousands of orders for its upcoming Tesla Semi.
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Sitting there in the sand, mostly naked, with chairs, towels and belongings delineating territory, beach goers tend to form small fiefdoms with their friends and families. It's a phenomenon that Spanish photographer Lucia Herrero has exploited in her excellent portrait series, appropriately titled, Tribes.
Like a light bulb turning on in her head, the idea came to Herrero when she noticed the way people were behaving at the beach.
"It was like an anthropological revelation," she says. "Suddenly it was like, 'I have it!'"
For two summers, 2009 and 2010, Herrero traveled along the entire Spanish coast, both the Mediterranean and Atlantic, shooting hundreds of pictures of Spanish families that, combined, make up what she calls a sort of collective portrait of Western and Spanish middle class society.
For those years Spain was in the midst of a terrible economic crisis (and still is) where the middle class was suffering what Herroro calls an "identity crisis." Not sure how drastically their lives would change or where they would end up as a result of the crisis, her photos found a way to dig in and explore what it meant for families to suffer through a period of extreme instability.
"Studying the Spanish family was not the goal for this project, but these things started to happen while I was shooting and it became clear that families were supporting each other through the crisis," she says.
Not only does Herrero view her work as an observation of human behavior, but she's coined a term for her style: "Antropología Fantástica,” or fantastical anthropology.
Herroro says she purposely constructs a kind of fantasy world, or theatrical production, by shooting into the sun, creating a darker than normal backdrop, and then lighting the families in the portrait with a 1000 watt strobe, resulting in a surreally contrasted photo. Using a strobe to obtain this effect is nothing new, but it's only a small part of Antropología Fantástica that allows Herrero to take a "banal situation and [elevate] it to a state of exception." While arranging the shoot, for example, she says she likes to direct the families but never gives them direct instructions on how to pose. As a result the stances and groupings she captures are sort of arranged but also infused with a tinge of chaos.
"For me and for many people, vulnerability [in people] is what we look for because it allows you to see through," she says. "Their vulnerability is what's interesting."
Herrero hopes the surreal, theatrical nature of the photos offers a different perspective that will actually dig deeper into truths about human behavior and more existential questions.
"Since we humans have existed we've always tried to find answers to the same questions, century after century. We have a need to understand who we are," she says. "Antropología Fantástica is like seeing new what is old. It's like changing the decoration of your living room and all of sudden you see your sofa again."
If there weren't already enough layers involved, Herrero says her work is also a nod to the old anthropological photos that we are used to seeing from explorations that set out to discover and study the various peoples of the world.
"It's about that picture that we all have of a 'tribe' that stays in our communal memory," she says.
For all it's complexity the project has been well-received all over the world. Just this week it was chosen as one of the Critical Mass Top 50 for Photolucida and over the years it's been featured at places including Rencontres d’Arles, FNAC galleries in France and PhotoEspaña, and been recognized by the Terry O’Neill and Sony World Photography awards.
From here Herrero says she'd like to publish a book of the work and she's just completed a new project that also falls in the Antropología Fantástica genre called Reindeer-Man.
"People are always asking about what kind of photography I do," she says. "The normal answer would be documentary, or art, or landscape but I couldn't find an answer that fits into one of those names so I call it Antropología Fantástica. That's my style."
All Photos: Lucia Herrero
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But the ACA changed all that. Medical underwriting is no longer used, although applicants can now only enroll during open enrollment or a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying event (similar to how enrollment works for employer-sponsored plans). Essential health benefits are now covered on all new individual major medical plans in every state. And millions of people are receiving premium subsidies that cover the majority of their premiums for plans purchased in each state’s health insurance exchange (the ACA’s consumer protection reforms apply to plans sold outside the exchanges as well, but the subsidies are only available in the exchange). The ACA also limits the percentage of premiums that insurers can use for administrative costs, including profits and executives’ salaries; insurers have refunded billions of dollars to consumers as a result of the new rules.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is intended to ensure that Americans have access to healthcare they can afford. To that end, it has created a public marketplace where people can buy health insurance. Depending on life circumstances and income, this public marketplace provides insurance plans with tax credits that lower premiums to make the plans more accessible to many Americans. If you’re interested in learning more information about the public marketplace, we can help you evaluate the options.
For those who don’t have access to employer-sponsored plans, coverage on the individual market is an option. This market has changed dramatically as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Prior to 2014, in most states, individual coverage was medically underwritten, which meant that coverage was only available for purchase if the applicant was at least fairly healthy, as the insurance companies would closely scrutinize your complete medical history when you applied. Coverage in the individual market was typically not as robust as employer-sponsored health insurance; maternity care, prescription drugs, and mental health care were often missing from the coverage. And people who purchased individual market coverage prior to 2014 had to pay the whole premium themselves.
Individual and family health insurance plans can help cover expenses in the case of serious medical emergencies, and help you and your family stay on top of preventative health-care services. Having health insurance coverage can save you money on doctor's visits, prescriptions drugs, preventative care and other health-care services. Typical health insurance plans for individuals include costs such as a monthly premium, annual deductible, copayments, and coinsurance.
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Space Sand is unbelievable sand that will not get wet and can be formed into shapes under water.
Also know as hydrophobic sand, Space Sand is very similar to the sand that is found on Mars thus the name, Space Sand.
When you submerge Space Sand in water it turns into strange clay-like material that can be moulded and shaped underwater. But when left out of the water it becomes dry sand again. Really weird, but so cool!
Space Sand is just normal sand that has been exposed to the vapours of a silicon compound called trimethylhyroxysilane. This process changes the composition of the surface of the sand and makes it unable to bond with water. Hydrophobic - fear of water!
Space Sand is non-toxic so kids of all ages can play and conduct their own experiments with it.
These guys are awesome! Extremely good customer service! Cheers!
Wow! So happy with the toys, they are absolutely amazing!
Happy with my purchase thanks, fast delivery also. I will be back again.
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Staying current with new technologies and business conditions is crucial to the longevity of your business. There are many tasks your employees have to complete to keep the company at the top of its game, and it is crucial to ensure that their work isn’t delayed due to obsolete or slow-running equipment in this scenario.
It is imperative to use high-speed processing equipment like Mac to boost the efficiency of your business. It could seem like an investment in financial resources and an enormous change in your company’s operations.
Recent Released: The Solana rally is 35% April. There are more token Gains In Store.
There are many advantages of switching from a regular computer to a Mac, which can make your company more efficient and productive.
Instead of investing thousands for cyber and virus security for all PCs used in the workplace, It is more beneficial to buy MacBooks to run your business. Macs are safer than PCs, as their iOS system is an excellent shield against malware, viruses, and cyber-attacks. It is a great way to keep all vital corporate data safe.
When you have considerable savings in costs and long-term advantages for your business, investing in Mac is recommended; when you consider the costs of operating the two Windows or Mac and then compare them, you’ll discover that Mac is more economical.
Due to their speedy performance, they assist in increasing productivity and need less care.
It’s beneficial to the small business owner. It is possible to purchase Macs initially and reap the benefits later.
If you regularly clean your Mac, you will have a lower chance that it will require repairs. Cleaning out of caches, unnecessary files, and other caches will speed things up and carry on your work without any hiccups.
However, if your Mac is damaged, it’s easy to fix it. It is best to go to the official store, and they’ll give you excellent support and repair all problems.
In a workplace, there are many different kinds of work. Each job requires a different set of software. Mac includes a range of software, such as Garageband, iTunes, stocks time machine, etc. It improves productivity. Additionally, thanks to the fast processing power of the Mac, you can run additional applications with no lag.
To make sure that your business, you have to perform multiple tasks simultaneously to save time and money. With the performance of the Mac, multitasking is much more straightforward. PCs can become slow or slow when you have many windows or high-traffic websites. But, you don’t experience these issues with Mac, and they can run smoothly.
Windows on Mac:
You could run Microsoft operating systems onto your Mac should you require it. However, it is not possible to run MacOS on Windows. It is a way to reduce costs while also enhancing performance at work.
Utilizing the Mac for business can boost productivity, with no worries about the threat of cyber-attacks and slow speed. It will encourage employees to be more productive and use their talents to help grow your business.
Necessary: All the above data is collected from the internet source for an informative content niche to moneymaketnews website not support any website, company, organization, or country.
Source: Google Trend
Image Credit: Pexel
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Jaw shape and other physical features can be passed down through generations. Childhood habits, such as thumb-sucking or using a pacifier, are other possible causes of protruding teeth.
Protruding teeth from thumb-sucking
When thumb-sucking continues past a certain age or while the permanent teeth are appearing, the sucking pressure can cause the permanent teeth to come in at an abnormal angle.
Pacifier sucking can cause an overbite the same way that sucking on a thumb can.
Buck’s teeth are often hereditary, and your parents or siblings may also have similar features.
Extra, Impacted and Missing Teeth
Spacing or crowding can change front teeth alignment and cause the appearance of buck teeth. Missing teeth allow your remaining teeth to shift over time, affecting the position of your front teeth.
Opposingly, not having enough space to accommodate teeth can also cause alignment issues. Crowding takes place when you have extra or impacted teeth.
Cysts and Tumors of the mouth or jaw
Cysts and tumors in the mouth can change teeth alignment and the shape of your mouth and jaw. Cysts and tumors in the oral cavity or jaw can also cause pain and lumps.
Health risks related to Overbite
Overbite health issues depend on its severity. An overbite can cause issues including:
- breathing issues
- speech impediments
- pain when chewing or biting
- damage to other teeth and gums
- alterations in face appearance
Some common treatments for protruding teeth include:
- Palate expansion
- Jaw surgery
Unless you have severe protruding teeth and they cause discomfort, medically, it is not necessary to go for a treatment. However, if you don’t like your teeth’s aesthetics, you’ll need to see a dentist or orthodontist for treatment, and they will determine the best treatment plan based on your needs. Call 713.766.4389 to schedule an appointment with Pearl Dentistry.
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thanx alot ive never seen the full monaro video by top gear. :eek2:goatwrx said:
Here is the spec for the Black "CAPA" car from "LSV" as driven on top gear.phobos512 said:I'd like to know what the massaged version they show at the end of the video had done to it.
I agree the CAPA stuff is expensive and by the time we get it in the UK it has gone up another 50%.auzzie said:hmmm no offence to capa but for all the money they dipped in. well i thought the performance was well CAPA quality (overpriced like nuthing). if they had of stuck to performance mods they could have walked that jag like it was a ford ka. oh well still a neat video.
Hell imagine if it was anything like that 3.3ltr whiple supercharged monaro in the other vid .
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I'm including a
<script> tag in my HTML page which contains a fragment of HTML. I want to get this fragment and insert it into the page. The location of the fragment is on the same server as the page itself, so there are no cross-site issues.
<script id="frag" src="/frag.html" type="text/x-jquery-tmpl"></script>
(btw, I've specified the type of the script as text/x-jquery-tmpl as I've been trying to use jQuery templates to access the script content, even though it's just an HTML literal). I believe the value of 'type' is not a big deal.
Some things I've tried:
// Try inserting frag.html into div hdr // this attempt, using jQuery templates, doesn't work $('#frag').tmpl().appendTo('#hdr'); // This is an empty string var contents = $('#frag').text();
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Take these numbers with a grain of salt because they’re from the Associated Press, which isn’t necessarily the most honest or trustworthy news outlet out there:
At the same time, dissatisfaction with President Bush’s handling of Iraq has climbed to an alltime high of 71 percent. The latest AP-Ipsos poll, taken as a bipartisan commission was releasing its recommendations for a new course in Iraq, found that just 27 percent of Americans approved of Bush’s handling of Iraq, down from his previous low of 31 percent in November.
…Even so, Americans are not necessarily intent on getting all U.S. troops out right away, the poll indicated. The survey found strong support for a two-year timetable if that’s what it took to get U.S. troops out. Seventy-one percent said they would favor a two-year timeline from now until sometime in 2008, but when people are asked instead about a six-month timeline for withdrawal that number drops to 60 percent.
You know, Bush really is taking a political hit to do the right thing in Iraq because I’d bet you that support for the war would go up 20 points over night if he laid down an actual timetable. Of course, if Bush were a more eloquent speaker, the support for the war would probably be significantly higher, too.
For example, how many people understand that “victory” is having a democratic Iraqi government that can handle its own internal security? How many people understand that, cross your fingers, we’ll probably have a large number of troops coming home before 2008?
Since the liberal media is opposed to the war and wants to be see Bush fail, they won’t explain these things to the American people. That means only Bush has a megaphone big enough to get the message out and he doesn’t seem to be capable of doing so.
Moreover, if we give the Iraqi government enough time to train and equip their troops and take the militias apart before we go, I’m far from convinced that Iraq will collapse into a real civil war the moment we leave. Sure the terrorist attacks will probably continue, but nations like India and Israel have been able to continue to function despite terrorist attacks. If the Iraqi government has a military force superior to any other within their country, there’s no reason they can’t hold it all together. Sure, it may not be Sweden, but what country is over there?
On the other hand, if we were to leave Iraq in the lurch before they could defend themselves, we could see a real civil war break out in Iraq with all the neighboring nations playing a role, an invasion of Iraq by its neighbors, or a Shia led pogrom against the Sunnis.
Ultimately, whether Iraq becomes a stable, democratic state will depend upon the Iraqis, not the United States. However, we should at least be willing to hang in there long enough to give them a fighting chance to make things work after our troops head home.
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Johnny Old Boy, also known as Jon Arbuckle, is the main antagonist from Garfelf's Guide To Great Lasagna, He is Odie and Garfield (Garfelf)'s owner.
Odie Teleports player to Johnny Old Boy.
- he just made Anim8or while made.
Yo! Player Dude welcome to my house the mystical wonders!
|Characters (By Introduction)|
Baldi's Basics 7 (FANMADE): Coach * Canvas * Ear Nugget * Eclipse * QuickTrip * BYT * POTJ * Slimey * Mr. Banana * Don't Touch * Devil The Killer * SlenderBaldi * Bloody Baldi * Cloudy Copter * Stealing Machine * NyanTime * Al The Backpack * Odie * The Chef * CreeperTime * Johnny Old Boy
Shy's Basics (FANMADE): Douglas
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__label__hq
| 0.999656
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