World.

In addition to the fake Time cover, NBC and Business Insider found that Chang significantly misrepresented her educational and professional achievements on her LinkedIn profile.

In addition to discrepancies about Harvard and the US Army War College, NBC also found that the UN panel Chang said she attended was merely a public roundtable, and what she said were speaking engagements at the 2016 Democratic and Republican national conventions were instead completely unrelated appearances in the host cities of both conventions that happened to take place around the same time.

According to her educational history on LinkedIn, Chang wrote that she took part in a six-day „Executive Nonprofit Leadership“ program at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

Business Insider’s David Choi discovered that Chang’s enrollment information is absent. Her basic information was foundHeadlines and Features

On Friday, May 11th, the students in Burns Avenue were paid a special visit by Lucy and Toby, two service dogs who were trained in Bide-a-Wee. During their visit, the dogs stopped by each classroom and listened to the students read some of their favorite stories.

On Friday, May 4th, students in Fourth and Fifth Grade had the opportunity of participating in a day-long program about the Native American tribes of the Eastern Woodlands. The program included numerous activities about the Iroquois and Algonquin tribes.

On the evening of Friday, April 27th, many students in Burns Avenue returned to school so that they could participate in the annual Story Time at Burns Avenue. Sponsored by the Burns Avenue PTA, the program was presented so that the children could


listen to the reading of award-winning books by the staff of Burns Avenue.

On Wednesday, March 28th, Burns Avenue once again celebrated reading with the tenth annual Burnie Awards Ceremony. The ceremony involved the awarding of "Burnies" for the most popular books on each Grade level in the school.

On Tuesday, April 10, the Burns Avenue PTA held a ceremony to recognize this year's winners in the Reflections Contest. The students were given framed certificates for their achievements in the areas of Literature, Visual Arts, and Photography.

On Friday, March 16th, students and guests celebrated the 52nd annual Special Person's Day in Burns Avenue School. It was a very exciting day as parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends came to the school so that they could visit students in their classrooms andparticipate in some educational activities together.

On Monday, March 12th, the students of Burns Avenue had the pleasure of participating in a program that was presented by representatives from the New York Islanders. The program was about teamwork and its importance in achieving success.

To commemorate Dr. Seuss’s birthday, students in Burns Avenue participated in the Read Across America Program on Friday, March 2nd. The Read Across America Program is designed to enhance literacy and increase student interest in reading.

Students in Burns Avenue had a great time celebrating the 100th day of school this week. During the day, the students participated in a number of activities that dealt with one hundred and the place value system.

Students had a great time participating in the Burns Avenue Winter Olympics on Friday, February


for the 3 year term may pick up a petition from the District Clerk on weekdays from 8:30-4:30 at the school district office. The deadline for returning petitions is April 16. The New York State School Board Association has provided a document for prospective school board members outlining the Board members' responsibilities and the election process. For more information, call the District Clerk at 516-733-2104.

Through the generosity of the PTA, school organizations in the Hicksville community, local organizations and individuals, a substantial number of scholarships are available to graduating seniors of Hicksville Senior High School.Alan Shatter, the justice minister, suggested to an HSE whistleblower, who was on enforced sick leave after reporting an alleged €500,000 deception to gardai, that he use the services of Gallagher Shatter.

Shatter was Fine Gael’s frontbench spokesman on children when he offered, on two occasions in March 2009, to introduce Thomas Cleary to his firm for legal assistance.

Cleary, 66, was a capital-projects manager in the HSE estates department in June 2008 when he filed a complaint of false accounting by a contractor to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation. He says, after he wrote to James Reilly, then Fine Gael’s health spokesman, Shatter visited his home at Foxrock, which is in the Dublin South constituency.

“After [speaking to] me on my doorstep in


nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE.

“He wins South Carolina, he goes into Super Tuesday with momentum. He loses South Carolina, he’s out of the contest,” Rove predicted.

Polls show a tightening race between Sanders and Biden in the Palmetto State.continuously with time. Compared with the LPS stimulation group, the expressions of PD-L1 and p62 in the RAP+LPS group were significantly down-regulated, while the expression of LC3 was continually increased, indicating that the level of autophagy was increased, and autophagy was circulated smoothly. On the contrary, the expressions of PD-L1, LC3 and p62 in the Baf+LPS group were significantly up-regulated, indicating that the binding of autophagy and lysosome was blocked, and autophagy was not smooth. In sepsis, the infiltration of neutrophils in all organs increased, and the expression of PD-L1 of neutrophils in lungs was increased significantly, while the expression level of autophagy was decreased. The expression of PD-L1 stimulated by LPS can be inhibited by autophagy agonists, and promoted by autophagy inhibitors. PD-L1 has a negative regulatory


The former FBI agent who infiltrated the New York Mafia and helped convict more than 200 gangsters told Quebec's Charbonneau commission on Monday that the Mob would manipulate the construction industry and rake in large payoffs by infiltrating unions and controlling the supply of raw materials.

Joseph Pistone, who spent five years undercover as a Mafia henchman and whose story was made famous in the movie Donnie Brasco, testified at the inquiry about his experience in "deep cover," mostly inside New York's Bonanno crime family in the late 1970s and early '80s.

"Organized crime cannot operate without corrupting someone," Pistone said in response to questions about how New York's five Mafia families insinuated themselves into business and government.

And in the construction sector, that meant gaining control of labour unions —generally by having a Mafia man get elected president or business manager of a local, Pistone said.

"They'll start their own union, or there will be an existing union where they'll have their man, a Mafia guy within the union, become the representative of the union, become the president of the union," he testified.

Pistone, seen here in an archive photo not covered under the commission's publication ban, went by the alias Donnie Brasco as he gathered information on the New York Mob. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty)

Since most big construction projects use unionized workers, a Mafia family could then use its control of the labour force to extort the construction company's bosses.

"They would tell their members to slow down the job so the company's losing money every day," Pistone said. "If


veteran said.

"The government, taxpayers are paying more when the Mafia is involved in any particular business, if the government or taxpayers have to use that business."

Testifies under protection

The Charbonneau commission is looking into corruption in the awarding of public contracts in Quebec, including the role of organized crime in possibly colluding to drive up the cost of those contracts. It's also examining how that corruption might involve unions as well as the financing of political parties.

It was a key issue in the recent provincial election, when former premier Jean Charest's opponents hammered him for waiting more than two years to call a public inquiry after allegations of corruption in the construction industry surfaced.

Pistone, 73, is considered a star witness in the proceedings, given his insider knowledge of theMafia. That he was going to testify was supposed to be a closely guarded secret, but it was revealed two weeks ago by CBC's French-language news service. The mob had put a $500,000 bounty on his head in the 1980s after it became clear he was an agent.

A publication ban prevented showing Pistone's appearance at the inquiry. He testified behind a black screen that blocked anyone from seeing his face other than commission chair France Charbonneau, her co-commissioner Renaud Lachance and the commission lawyer posing the questions. (Archive images of Pistone, however, don't fall under the ban).

In his earlier testimony on Monday morning, he outlined connections between the Bonannos in New York and Montreal's Cotroni family, who controlled organized crime in Quebec until they were reputedly supplanted by


the Rizzuto family.

During his time embedded in the Bonannos, Pistone said, he heard about trips up to do business with the Montreal faction, who helped deliver drug imports to the U.S.

Pistone said the relationship between Montreal and the New York families had to be close since Montreal had representatives at sit-down meetings with high-ranking mob members.

Pistone referred to a killing of Mafia capos committed by a hit squad that included Montreal's Vito Rizzuto, although he did not mention Rizzuto by name.

"I didn't learn the name until later, but I was told we brought a shooter in – one of the shooters from Montreal," he said.

Joining the mob

Pistone is one of several witnesses testifying before the commission on the inner workings of Italian organized crime in Italy and NorthAmerica.

During his first hours of testimony, he detailed how men are accepted into the mafia and explained how rare it was that he was allowed in to witness the inner workings, given that he was a newcomer among those who had grown up in the mob.

To be accepted into a family, you have to be white, male and Italian, he told the commission. But you also need someone to vouch for you, given the fear of informants.

"When I infiltrated, the rule was if you brought somebody in and they turned out to be an informant… it's death," he said.

Since Pistone's operation, code named "Sun-Apple," the Mob now requires two different people to vouch for new members.

Pistone testified about a conversation he had with Benjamin (Lefty) Ruggiero, a soldier


city-states was underlined by Burckhardt's fellow-countryman Sismondi in his _History of the Italian Republics in the Middle Ages_ (1807–18). In his _History of Painting in Italy_ (1817) Stendhal revealed his fascination with individuals such as Cesare Borgia and Pope Julius II, suggesting that it was no accident that great painters appeared in 'this century of passions'.

Closest of all to Burckhardt in their approach were two scholars who published their studies in the 1850s, when he was already working on his book. Italian humanism was placed firmly on the historical map in _The Revival of Classical Antiquity_ (1859) by Georg Voigt, who was appointed to the chair of history at Munich, for which Ranke had wanted to recommend Burckhardt. Voigt described the Middle Ages in terms of what heAssisi conducted the war with such ferocity that every house in the valley was levelled to the ground. The fields lay untilled, the peasants were turned into plundering and murdering savages, the fresh-grown bushes were filled with stags and wolves, and the beasts grew fat on the bodies of the slain, on so-called 'Christian flesh'. When Alexander VI withdrew (1495) into Umbria before Charles VIII, then returning from Naples, it occurred to him, when at Perugia, that he might now rid himself of the Baglioni once for all; he proposed to Guido a festival or tournament, or something else of the same kind, which would bring the whole family together. Guido, however, was of the opinion 'that the most impressive spectacle of all would be to see the


live; they murdered him, and thereby delivered the state into the power of his brothers, one of whom, Lodovico il Moro, threw his nephew into prison, and took the government into his own hands. From this usurpation followed the French intervention, and the disasters which befell the whole of Italy.

Lodovico Sforza, called 'il Moro', the Moor, is the most perfect type of the despot of that age, and, as a kind of natural product, almost disarms our moral judgement. Notwithstanding the profound immorality of the means he employed, he used them with perfect ingeniousness; no one would probably have been more astonished than himself to learn that for the choice of means as well as of ends a human being is morally responsible; he would rather have reckoned[ _mercurium_ ], not on the tongue but in the breast.

Himself writing a vigorous and not inelegant Latin, and a master of clear exposition, he despised the purism of pedants and the current over-estimate of borrowed forms, especially when joined, as they often are, with one-sidedness, and involving indifference to the wider truth of the things themselves. Looking at Pico, we can guess at the lofty flight which Italian philosophy would have taken had not the Counter-Reformation annihilated the higher spiritual life of the people.

### THE HUMANISTS

Who now were those who acted as mediators between their own age and a venerated antiquity, and made the latter a chief element in the culture of the former?

They were a crowd of the most miscellaneous sort, wearing one face today and


offered abundant and terrible materials which satire had but to make use of. In the fifteenth century, Battista Mantovano, in discoursing of the seven monsters, includes the humanists, with many others, under the head ' _Superbia_ '. He describes how, fancying themselves children of Apollo, they walk along with affected solemnity and with sullen, malicious looks, now gazing at their own shadow, now brooding over the popular praise they hunted after, like cranes in search of food. But in the sixteenth century the indictment was presented in full. Besides Ariosto, their own historian Gyraldus gives evidence of this, whose treatise, written under Leo X, was probably revised about the year 1540. Warning examples from ancient and modern times of the moral disorder and the wretched existence of themere holders of benefices, the canons and the monks were held in almost universal suspicion, and were often the objects of the most scandalous aspersions, extending to the whole of their order.

It has been said that the monks were made the scapegoats for the whole clergy, for the reason that none but they could be ridiculed without danger. But this is certainly incorrect. They are introduced so frequently in the novels and comedies because these forms of literature need fixed and well-known types where the imagination of the reader can easily fill up an outline. Besides which, the novelists do not as a fact spare the secular clergy. In the third place, we have abundant proof in the rest of Italian literature that men could speak boldly enough


Work and Times_ , London, 1984. It is not included in the selection of Aretino's letters, translated by G. Bull, in the Penguin Classics, 1976, which does contain a similar letter of 1547 (no. 95).]

_47_. He may have done so in the hope of obtaining the red hat or from fear of the new activity of the Inquisition, which he had ventured to attack bitterly in 1535 ( _Lettere_ , Venice, 1539, f. 37), but which, after the reorganization of the institution in 1542, suddenly took a fresh start, and soon silenced every opposing voice.

_48_. _Carmina burana_ , in the _Bibliothek des literarischen Vereins in Stuttgart_ , vol. xvi, Stuttgart, 1847. The stay in Pavia, the Italian local references in general, the scene with the ' _pastorella_ 'The ongoing budget crisis in Louisiana will negatively affect higher education in the state if a series of tax increases proposed by new Governor John Bel Edwards are not approved by the state legislature.

And as a result of the potential cuts to higher education that Edwards laid out in a statewide address Thursday night, college football would also be threatened.

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

He said new revenue was needed to prevent universities from running out of money before the semester ends. LSU, the state's wealthiest higher education institution, would only be able to pay its bills through April 30, unless some tax increases went into place.

The governor went so far as to say that LSU football was also in jeopardy, due to a threatened suspension of spring classes


developing method, a toner is applied onto a toner-carrying member by a layer thickness regulation means, such as a blade. The toner is triboelectrically charged through friction with the blade and the toner-carrying member surface, and the toner has to be applied as a thin coating layer since a larger coating thickness is liable to result in an insufficiently charged toner fraction, which causes fog or scattering. Accordingly, the blade has to be pressed against the toner-carrying member under a sufficient pressure, and the force applied to the toner at this time is larger than the one applied to the toner in the two component developing method or in the magnetic mono-component developing method. As a result, the toner is liable to be degraded, thus causing image defectscharging the nonmagnetic toner on the toner-carrying member with a toner application blade to form a charged layer of the nonmagnetic toner on the toner-carrying member,
(II) a step of developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image-bearing member with the nonmagnetic toner on the toner-carrying member to form a developed toner image on the image-bearing member,
(III) a step of transferring the toner image onto a transfer material, and
(IV) a step of fixing the transferred toner image.
The present invention further provides an image forming apparatus, comprising:
(I) a plurality of image forming units each comprising:
a latent image-bearing member for bearing an electrostatic latent image thereon,
a charging device for primarily charging the image-bearing member,
an exposure means for exposing the primarily charged image-bearing member to form an electrostatic latent image


is widespread mainly in Japan and the United States of America, and MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transfer) that is widespread mainly in Europe are developed. Also, an introduction into the real car of the in-vehicle network employing the optical fiber instead of the metal transmission is started.
However, these standards are applied to the information system network 102. In the driving system network 100 and the car body system network 101, for the reason that a transmission capacity is small and the cost can be suppressed low, the metal transmission via the wire harnesses 18, 19 is still used as the in-vehicle network.
The mobile body is used in a poor environment in which the temperature changes drastically due to the outdoor temperature and the radiant heat from the in-vehicleOne of the most common myths amongst Liberal Democrat activists is that readers of the Daily Mail are all so awful that none of them can possibly be supporters of the party. However, as I pointed out for the 2010 general election:

Around 576,00 Daily Mail readers voted Liberal Democrat in 2010, a number only topped by the 796,000 or so Sun readers who voted Liberal Democrat. That Daily Mail figure is more than the equivalent figures for The Guardian and The Independent put together.

This matched up with the pattern found in 2009.

But that was 2010 and that was print readership. What about 2015 and overall readership, including online?

Here is what Liberal Democrat votes in 2015 were reading:*

The Guardian: 745,000

The Independent / i: 629,000

Daily Mail: 605,000

The Times: 501,000

The Telegraph:


You are here

Justice News

Former Officer Of National Prearranged Services, Inc. And Lincoln Memorial Life Insurance Company Sharon Nekol Province Pleads Guilty To Fraud Charges

St. Louis, MO - SHARON NEKOL PROVINCE pled guilty today before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton to participating in a fraudulent scheme involving the sale of prearranged funeral contracts and the misappropriation of insurance premiums that were intended to fund those contracts. Province faces up to three years in prison for her role in one of the largest frauds ever prosecuted in the Eastern District of Missouri.

According to court documents, beginning as early as 1992 and continuing until 2008, National Prearranged Services, Inc. (“NPS”) sold prearranged funeral contracts in several states, including Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. During that time, insurance companies affiliated withthat were inconsistent both with its prior and continuing representations and with the applicable state laws and regulations. Instead, NPS operated as a fraudulent Ponzi-like scheme, where customer funds were neither kept safe in bank trusts or insurance policies but instead were utilized for unauthorized purposes and the personal enrichment of NPS’ officers and others. In turn, new business became the source of funding for funerals that prior customers had previously paid for in advance.

Province, who started out as an administrative secretary, rose to hold at various times the corporate offices of President, Vice-President and Secretary of NPS and Vice-President of its affiliate Lincoln Memorial Life Insurance Company. Although Province held these titles during the course of her employment with these companies, she did not hold primary decision-making


Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head

(Atlantic)US: 18 Dec 2012UK: 24 Dec 2012

It’s been an odd if not incredibly taxing six years for Clifford Harris since he released King and laid claim to the throne room of both pop and street rap. T.I. vs. T.I.P. followed just a year later and revealed that T.I.‘s inner conflict between those two personas may have been threatening to get the better of him. In attempting to make a conversational album on which he opened up to his audience about the dichotomy between a street hustler past and a businessman future, T.I. instead dropped a collection of schizophrenic music that felt limp, always afraid of asserting one side of his artistry over the other. At the time it was a popular lesson toalso 40 hot air balloons competing from the Great Lakes Region states compete to perform tasks in the “flight” and drop bean bags on targets from the air. You will

Summer Music Fest – A week long polka festival? Yes, please! This event brings over 25,000 people to the little town each year.

Oktoberfest- The first Oktoberfest was held in Frankenmuth in 1990 to celebrate their German culture and heritage and was the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the City of Munich. Schnitzel, anyone?

Frankenmuth SnowFest- One of the top snow sculpture events in North America is held in Frankenmuth and includes the United States Collegiate National Ice Carving Championships.

There is so much more to explore in Frankenmuth! You can visit the Visitor’s Center Website or if


Southern Poverty Law Center Says Pepe the Frog Meme Was 'Hijacked' by Racists The Anti-Defamation League has designated the frog as a hate symbol.

 -- Pepe the Frog, a ubiquitous internet meme, has been "hijacked by the racist right," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center -- backing up the Anti-Defamation League's decision to add Pepe to its list of hate symbols.

Mark Potok, a spokesman for the SPLC, told ABC News in a phone interview that while the SPLC doesn't formally track hate symbols, the group is aware of Pepe the Frog. He acknowledged that while the cartoon was not designed as a hate symbol, it has been re-purposed as one by white supremacist groups.

By adding Pepe to its list of hate symbols, the ADL has placed theelephant to its grave.

Some supporters of GOP nominee Donald Trump's campaign, as a well as other political movements that have become popular with the alt-right -- a right-wing ideology presented as an alternative to mainstream conservatism that is highlighted by an opposition to multiculturalism, immigration and feminism -- embraced Pepe as an online symbol early on in his campaign.

As a result, the frog has surfaced -- sometimes awkwardly -- in the cycle of mainstream election news.

Trump himself quote-tweeted an image of Pepe the Frog in October 2015. Hillary Clinton, while giving a speech warning about the dangers of the alt-right earlier this year, was greeted by a heckler who yelled "Pepe!" at her from the crowd. The Clinton campaign published an explainer on its website earlier this month


in which they declared that Pepe had been "co-opted by white supremacists."

Donald Trump Jr., while taking aim Clinton's description of some Trump supporters as "deplorables," posted an image on Instagram taken from the promotional material from the film "The Expendables" in which each of the characters' heads was replaced with the head of a prominent Trump supporter. Among the group of heads was Pepe, side-by-side with Mike Pence and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of Infowars, among others.

"I've never even heard of Pepe the Frog," Trump Jr. told ABC News on "This Week" when asked about his usage of the symbol. "I mean, bet you 90 percent of your viewers have never heard of Pepe the Frog. I thought it was a frog in a wig. I thought itMembers of the brainy team that John Marshall High School sent to Los Angeles' fifth annual Academic Decathlon have been getting the star treatment on campus ever since it was announced over the school's intercom Friday--to wild cheers and applause--that the team won first place.

"Every class I went into, I got a standing ovation," Greg Mitchell, a senior at the Los Feliz-Silver Lake high school, said of his not-so-typical day at school Friday. Teammate and fellow senior Fred Upton got the same treatment, plus "high five" hand slaps in the hallways and congratulations "all over the place," he happily recalled.

The team's coach, English teacher Mary Sortino, received her share of glory, too, when she walked into the faculty dining room and her colleagues broke into applause. "Everybody was


so excited," she said.

Better Than Football Victory

Marshall High Principal Don Hahn said everybody at the school has been "flying high" because of the team's victory over 52 other high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District at the citywide scholastic contest earlier this month. "It's much more exciting to me than winning a football championship. It's more meaningful," he said.

Besides the spontaneous congratulations, the team was honored this week at a special gathering of the faculty. A reception is planned for Wednesday, and representatives of the mayor's office, Councilman Michael Woo, school board members and other school district officials are expected to attend.

The team, however, won't have time to rest on its laurels. Its six members, along with an alternate, are preparing for the state championship contestJan. 3 at Rancho Santiago College in Santa Ana. There, 44 schools are expected to compete for the chance to go on to national competition.

Tests, Speeches

The decathlon consists of team members spending a day taking written tests in six subjects. They also give two speeches each, one prepared and the other extemporaneous, and are interviewed about themselves and their activities. They also must write an essay and participate as a team in a "super quiz," in which members answer questions in turn. The last event, whose subject this year was U.S. immigration, is public.

Teams represent a range of grade averages. They also must reflect the racial and sexual ratios at their schools.

Points are tallied and announced about a week after the daylong competition.

Beverly Hills High School won the


state contest the past two years and placed second nationally, both times behind Richardson High School in Texas. This week, Beverly Hills began its climb again, winning the countywide contest for schools outside the Los Angeles Unified School District.

La Canada Flintridge High School placed fourth in the county competition.

As in the local contests, the teams in the state and national tournaments will be made up of two A students, two B students and two C students. Team members are chosen on the basis of test scores, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and teacher recommendations. All of Marshall's competitors are seniors and include four who have gone as far as the semifinals in the selection for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship.

For Marshall High, the victory in the AcademicDecathlon is especially sweet. The school's best showing in previous contests was last year, when it came in eighth. The best it had done before that was 12th, said Sortino, who has been team coach for two years.

Marshall scores consistently high in SAT and Advanced Placement tests and already enjoys a good reputation for its academic program. But it hadn't been touted as one of the teams most likely to unseat Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, the citywide gold medalist in all four other years since the contest began.

The Marshall team figured that it could make the top 10 again but that it had only an outside shot of climbing into the top five, "if we were lucky," said team member Eun Joo Whang.

That prediction was way


off the mark. Besides putting in a gold-medal performance in the overall competition, the team racked up four first-place finishes, in fine arts, language and literature, math, and science. It scored second in the economics and speech-making competitions.

3rd Overall

"We broke the monopoly," said Fred, who ranked third among all 318 contestants. He also won five individual medals in the B division: a gold for highest overall score, two more golds in math and science and two bronze medals in economics and essay writing.

Although all team members are given the same tests, prizes are also awarded to individuals in each of the three grade categories.

"I knew I'd do well in math and science," Fred said. "I had no idea about economics and the essay, and I never dreamed I'dbut she's also a former official at VA and currently directs a program on veterans at the Center for a New American Security.

An asset review commission is set for 2022, but VA officials are considering moving quicker on the work.

The idea of a base-closing-style round for VA has been controversial for many advocates, including lawmakers who could see major hospitals in their districts closed due to dwindling patient numbers.

But VA officials have repeatedly warned that their current national footprint includes hundreds of outdated or obsolete facilities, and department administrators have severe restrictions in managing those location...

The eligibility criteria and final standards, which were based on VA’s analysis and research, are expected to go into effect in June. They are based on average drive time and appointment wait times.


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ST. LOUIS: The weigh-ins for Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu have concluded this afternoon from inside the Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis. On their first attempts, 25 of the 26 fighters successfully made weight...

The following is a list of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts as of the end of November 2010. I have also included five honorable mentions for those who are on the fringe of securing a spot on this coveted list...

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Welcome to the UFC 123 live blog! I, featured columnist Derek Bolender, will be your host for this evening's festivities. I am currently seated cageside inside the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan...

Written by
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over 6 years ago
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DETROIT—The UFC 123weigh-ins are officially in the books. All fighters safely made weight and we are now on the eve of Saturday's big event going down inside the Palace at Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan (Detroit suburb)...

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Nate Marquardt tried and failed on July 7, 2007. It was a late summer evening in Sacramento, California where he challenged for the UFC middleweight crown his first and only time against the resident divisional buzzsaw Anderson Silva...

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The UFC 121 event is officially a wrap after an exciting night of action from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. It was a fight card with a ton of hype coming in from the mainstream sports community, and it did not


Sunday, February 22, 2009

who cares?

mood: more bewilderment and head-shaking is the human brain big enough to save one of the most intelligent creatures? greenpeace asks cynically in an add, aiming at banning whaling amongst other ocean related concerns.

when i mention i'm vegetarian in restaurants, a frequent response is to point me in the direction of the fish...

greenpeace campaign

fact i: the ocean is humanities last frontier of ignorance

72% of earth's surface covered by sea

97% of the ocean is unexplored

with one yearly NASA budget, the exploration program of NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) could be funded for 1600 years

largest mountain range covering 23% of earth's surface area underwater (visited for the 1st time after the moon in 1973)

coral reefs still unexplored between 60 and 150 meters

there are bettermaps of mars than the 50% of total US territory which lies under the sea

most of the southern hemisphere's underwater terrain is unexplored (more exploration ships in that region during captain cook's times than today)

the seabed is harboring countless well preserved archaeological artifacts

although most of the ocean does not get exposed to photons from the sun, and hence there is no photosynthesis, it is completely erroneous to not expect life

the antarctic sea is, unexpectedly and only recently discovered, teeming with marine life

hydrothermal vent systems are islands of life

bacteria replicating photosynthesis in the dark by chemosynthesis where accidental discovery as no one ever predicted their existence

resilient bacteria living in ph 11 environments

7 new species found per hour of deep reef exploration

2000 to 2500 estimated new species in the indo-pacific


ocean alone (vs. 5000-6000 known species)

not only new species are still being discovered, but also new behavior and new ecology

amazing variety of bioluminescent animals

fact iii: the seas are being destroyed at breakneck speed

90% of all big fish have disappeared in the last 100 years

50% of all coral reefs are destroyed

for 1kg of fish ending up in a market, at least 10kg of bycatch was killed and thrown away

1.7% of the blue whale population is remaining

10% of the tuna fish population is remaining

commercial trawlers are forced to access ever deeper seabed due to the depletion of fisheries; this completely destroys potential habitats which are totally unexplored and eradicates possibly unknown species

throwaway plastic accumulating in the sea (half of the 100 billion pounds of plastic pellets a year are madeinto throwaway plastic produces of which a large fraction ends up in the sea)

The crust located beneath the ocean floor is the site of what could possibly be the Earth's largest biological reservoir, where scientists have discovered marine microbes thriving in harsh environments without any sunlight.

Scientists from the United Kingdom and 16 other nations have just returned from an expedition to explore a never-before-seen area of the ocean floor. Instead of the barren, sparsely inhabited environment some expected to see, scientists brought back pictures of a mysterious world that is teeming with life.

The most comprehensive list ever of species that live in the planet's oceans was released Monday, near the end of a worldwide, decade-long effort to catalog the denizens of the seas

"On average, across all these regions,


In the 20 years since Christina Aguilera’s arrival helped usher in a new era of pop, the performer has shown she’s unafraid of transformation.

Aguilera famously torched the bubblegum teen-pop image crafted for her with a pair of leather chaps and edgier genre-blending music that announced a young woman in full control of her agency. It shocked America and the then 21-year-old singer was slut-shamed by critics, peers and even Tina Fey.

At one point she took her cues from the styles of the 1920s–1940s, committing wholly to a vintage pinup aesthetic to match the modern take on vintage jazz, soul and blues she was exploring.

She’s assumed the role of a cyborg, channeled Marilyn Monroe and Marilyn Manson — for the same project — and reemerged as a blissed-out earthRobert Parkinson Farm

Robert Parkinson Farm  is a historic property in Morris Township, Pennsylvania.  The contributing buildings are the c. 1830 house, c. 1830 banked barn, c. 1870 sheep barn, c. 1880 hay shed, c. 1880 spring house, and a c. 1920 privy.  The house is a five-bay center passage farmhouse with an attached rear kitchen in a T-shaped floor plan.  The Parkinson Farm is an example of an early 19th-century sheep farm, and it continued to operate as such until about 1960.

It is designated as a historic residential landmark/farmstead by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
Category:Houses in Washington County, Pennsylvania
Category:1830 establishments in Pennsylvania
Category:National Register


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Omaha Storm Chasers defeated the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-2 tonight at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, North Carolina to capture their second straight Triple-A National Championship, and third Triple-A Championship overall. It is the first back-to-back Triple-A Championships in franchise history. Brett Hayes was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

The Storm Chasers led 2-1 through four and a half innings on two RBI by Cheslor Cuthbert, but then the game was halted for one hour and 45 minutes due to thunderstorms. After the delay the PawSox tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth, but then Brett Hayes hit a go-ahead homer in the top of the seventh with two outs to put the Chasers ahead for good. After the Hayes round-tripper, the Omaha bullpenretired nine of the final ten Pawtucket batters to clinch the title and finished a postseason where they only let in one earned run in 35.0 combined innings.

Omaha is the third team to win the Triple-A Championship in back-to-back years and second Pacific Coast League team, as the Sacramento River Cats did so in 2007 and 2008 and the Columbus Clippers did so in 2010 and 2011. The Pacific Coast League has now won three straight Triple-A National Championships, and have won six of the nine Triple-A National Championships overall.


activists and journalists covering the protests at Haft Tappeh [sugar] company in late 2018,” the London-based group said in July.

RSF said on December 18 that the same appeals court in Tehran also upheld a prison sentence for Marzieh Amiri, a journalist for the reformist Shargh newspaper, but reduced her sentence from 10 years in prison and 148 lashes to five years in prison.

Amiri was arrested in May after covering a demonstration outside parliament in the capital.

She and the other four journalists were released in October pending the decision by the appeals court, RSF said.

The rulings come as Iran is facing international condemnation for its crackdown on the protests that rocked more than 100 cities across the country last month that were triggered by gasoline-price hikes and a rationingin July.
(Richard J. Brennan / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Tempers flared Saturday when NDP provincial council blocked an investigation into a July Scarborough-Guildwood nomination won by former Toronto councillor Adam Giambrone.

“You are all cowards,” said 90-year-old Joy Taylor, who along with other riding executive members has maintained that several ineligible members were allowed to vote, giving the two-person race to Giambrone, a last- minute entry.

An Aug. 1 byelection was held in Scarborough-Guildwood as well as four other riding across the province. Liberal candidate Mitzie Hunter won the Scarborough-Guildwood byelection; Giambrone came in third.

Taylor, who tore up her provincial NDP membership in the summer after a lifetime of volunteering for the party, was barred from attending the provincial council, despite the fact, she says, that she has a


tropes

Yesterday, Anita Sarkeesian unveiled the second episode of her Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games series, which analyzes a variety of tropes that are perceived as sexist in video games. And as it was the case with the premiere of the pilot episode, the feminist author's second vlog post was immediately challenged by her detractors who managed to temporarily take down the video by abusing the "flag as inappropriate" button before it was restored shortly thereafter.Trinidad gecko

Trinidad gecko (Gonatodes humeralis) is a species of lizard in the Sphaerodactylidae family native to northern South America.

References

Category:Gonatodes
Category:Reptiles described in 1855


the Governor’s Office said. This includes creating a stronger organizational brand, greater organizational alignment to the governor’s economic strategic plan and developing a marketing strategy that articulates the benefits of establishing a presence in the Garden State.

Choose New Jersey announced previously that it intends to move its operations to Newark, joining the existing satellite offices of the governor and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The announcement followed a meeting of approximately three dozen high-level leaders, including Murphy, Baraka, Choose New Jersey CEO Jose Lozano, Newark Alliance CEO Aisha Glover and corporate leaders from across the state. It was hosted by Prudential Financial CEO Charles Lowrey.

Murphy, in a statement, said Newark continues to be a growing economic driver in the state.

“Under the leadership and foresight of Mayor Ras Baraka,“Career Works” and “Newark2020.”

“Where Newark goes, so, too, does the state,” Glover said.

Attendees at the meeting were greeted with opening remarks from Lata Reddy and Ralph LaRossa.

Reddy, chair and president of the Prudential Foundation and a senior vice president of diversity, inclusion & impact for Prudential Financial, also serves as a chair for Newark Alliance.

LaRossa, president and chief operating officer of PSEG Power, chairs Choose New Jersey.


The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission has made regulatory changes in response to the confirmation of chronic wasting disease in deer in Fayette and Hardeman counties in West Tennessee.
The changes came at a special called meeting of the TFWC Thursday.

An emaciated deer afflicted with chronic wasting disease

The commission voted to establish a chronic wasting disease management zone which currently includes Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties. The commission took action to create deer carcass exportation restrictions and a restriction on feeding wildlife within the high risk area of the CWD management zone.
The high risk area of the chronic wasting disease management zone includes counties within a 10-mile radius of the location of a confirmed CWD positive deer.
Another regulation change for the CWD management zone is the creation of aused a few times. It involved a pre-selected card with the words ‘‘I’m gay!’’ written on it that was placed in the deck, but facing the opposite direction of the other cards. After having my friend pick out a card from 10 cards and placing them back in the deck, I explained to her that by magic, the one card she had picked would be facing the opposite way. She took the deck and started looking through the cards, my heart racing, and to prolong the agony I had to wait until the second-to-last card, but finally she had arrived! At this moment, though, there was a puzzled look on her face, and a pause that felt like an eternity. She looked up at me and said: ‘‘Wait,


and thought "’oh, snap’’; she apologized, but I quickly reassured her that it was alright, and that I was happy that she had brought it up.

I came out to my coach Steve LeBlanc through a conversation, during which he told me how it absolutely didn’t bother him, and the talk lasted no longer than five minutes before he started asking how other things in my life were going. When I told him I was writing this, he was nice enough to send along this quote:

"His coming out does nothing to change my opinion of him – if anything it only further enhances the perception that he is a person who has found a balance in all he does and is honest with himself about how to live hisGreeneville City Schools/News

The Greeneville City School System has been a SCHOOLinSITES customer since 2008. They serve as a great example of the news module being used effectively.

The Greeneville City School System consists of four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school serving approximately 2750 students. Greeneville’s vision is "to provide a world-class education for all students." The system is committed to educating all students to be successful in a global society by providing excellence in educators, programs, and environment.

Montgomery Public Schools/Videos

Montgomery Public Schools has been a SCHOOLinSITES customer since 2010. They are using the video module to their benefit by uploading various videos of board meetings, for the public to view.

MPS has a variety of academic programs and services to meet the diverse needs and interests


of their students. They offer traditional schools with a full range of curriculum complemented by cultural arts, music, foreign languages, technology, career-technical education, and athletic programs.

Montgomery Public Schools takes advantage of the Video Module to keep parents informed of board meetings they may not be able to attend.

Carrollton City Schools/Athletic Site

Carrollton City Schools has been a SCHOOLinSITES customer since 2008. They not only serve the children of Carrollton, GA but others who have opted to become part of the tradition of excellence the school system has enjoyed since its establishment in 1886.

Among the school system's amenities is a centralized 130-acre campus that houses four schools serving more than 4,500 students: Carrollton High School, Carrollton Junior High, Carrollton Middle School and Carrollton Elementary. The Carrollton City Schools and communitynurture and empower individuals to be life-long learners who take personal responsibility for improving our world.

Carrollton City Schools uses their Trojan Nation companion site to showcase the Three A's – Academics, Athletics and the Arts – all parts of this uniquely Carrollton Experience.

SCHOOL SITES

Earnest Pruett Center of Technology

Earnest Pruett Center of Technology does an exceptional job by utilizing the navigation manager where each instructor’s teacher website is linked under a group called Programs (Carpentry, Welding, etc.). They also show an outstanding use of the slideshow module by providing photos representing each program offered.

Earnest Pruett Center of Technology (EPCOT) is an educational extension of the eight high schools in Scottsboro and Jackson County. It provides advance training for students who want to be ready for the 21st century work


to catch it. Over his shoulder. And with his back to home plate. ‘The Catch’ will live on in baseball lore.The Catch refers to a defensive play made by New York Giants center fielder Willie Mays on a ball hit by Cleveland Indians batter Vic Wertz on September 29, 1954, during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, New York City.The Catch: Willie Mays hauls in Vic Wertz’s drive at the warning track in the 1954 World Series.wiki/The_Catch_(baseball)4.15.A18

(1954) The miraculous Mays makes an incredible catch.Also on this day,

1918 | ‘The Great War’ nears its end as German defense is smashed as Hindenburg Line broken

Fourteen Allied divisions assault the Hindenburg Line, a series of heavily defended positions protecting a German army insemi-retreat. With help from a new weapon, the armored tank, the 30th Infantry breaks through at the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, dealing a decisive blow to the Germans.

1954 | ‘A Star Is Born’ premieres in Los Angeles

Judy Garland and James Mason star in a musical remake of a 1937 film. ‘A Star Is Born’ will be remade again in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, and a third time for a planned 2018 release starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

1955 | ‘A View from the Bridge’ debuts in New York

Arthur Miller’s drama ‘A View from the Bridge’ is performed at New York’s Coronet Theatre. It will later be adapted for film, TV, and radio, and be revived several times on Broadway and London’s West End.

(1918) 'The


Great War' nears its end as German defense is smashedFourteen Allied divisions assault the Hindenburg Line, a series of heavily defended positions protecting a German army in semi-retreat. With help from a new weapon, the armored tank, the 30th Infantry breaks through at the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, dealing a decisive blow to the Germans.The Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal battle of World War I that began on 29 September 1918 and involved British, Australian and American forces operating as part of British Fourth Army under the overall command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson. Further north part of the British Third Army also supported the attack, whilst to the south of the twelve-mile Fourth Army front the First French Army launcheda coordinated attack on a six-mile front. The objective was to break through one of the most heavily defended stretches of the German Siegfriedstellung, which in this sector utilised the St Quentin Canal as part of its defences. The assault achieved its objectives, resulting in the first full breach of the Hindenburg Line, in the face of heavy German resistance. In concert with other attacks of the Great Offensive along the length of the line, Allied success convinced the German high command that there was little hope of an ultimate German victory.

Start date: Sep 29, 1918 End date: Oct 10, 1918Map showing the operations of U.S. 27th and 30th Divisions affiliated to Australian Corps as part of British Fourth Army during the Battle of St Quentin Canal, 29


Sanders appointed five of the 15 members of the platform drafting committee, with six allotted to Hillary Clinton and the other four to the DNC. That’s a big variation from past practice: Clinton lost by a smaller margin to Barack Obama in 2008, and got zero slots on the platform committee.the hypothesis, we collected soil samples in the CCB from sites under two vegetation covers (RS and G) that differ in terms of the quantity and quality of the organic matter present. Collections were conducted during years: 2011 (February), 2012, 2013 and 2014 (September), over which a noticeable variation in annual precipitation took place. The ecoenzyme activity involved in the decomposition of organic matter, as well as the concentration of dissolved, available and microbial biomass nutrient, were determined and compared between sites and years. With the ecoenzymatic and biogeochemistry data we calculated the TER~C:nutrient~, SEA, the nutrient ratios and performed regressions between the precipitation and the concentrations and ratios of C, N and P in microbial biomass.

Material and Methods
====================

Study site
----------

The study was carried out in the Cuatro Ciénegas


(Image Credit: Facebook | Astoria Police)

The Oregon teen who was arrested after he posted a 'Drivin drunk' status update on his Facebook page New Year's Day says it was all a misunderstanding.

Jacob Cox-Brown, 18, of Astoria, Ore., about 100 miles west of Portland, was with friends when, police say, he posted the status update on his Facebook page: "Drivin drunk… classsic ;) but to whoever's vehicle i hit i am sorry. :P"

In an interview with ABC affiliate KATU-TV in Portland, Cox-Brown says the post was meant as a joke. But his friends who spotted the update didn't see the humor behind it. Instead, one friend sent a private message to an Astoria police officer's personal Facebook account while another friend called police Sgt. Brian Aydt.

"When you post 'Drivinwas also damaged. At the time, Astoria PD had no idea who hit the cars that belonged to people attending a party, officials said.

Later the same day, Riley received the private Facebook message from someone reporting that they had seen Cox-Brown's post that he had been in a car crash. Police Sgt. Aydt also received a call from another "friend" of Cox-Brown's claiming he also saw Cox-Brown post the status.

Astoria PD released a statement saying, "Aydt and Clausen went to Cox-Brown's house and found a vehicle that matched the damage done to the two vehicles at the early morning crash."

"It's one of those six degrees of separation kind of things," deputy chief of police Johnston told ABCNews.com. "The officer's brother was at the party at the time of


Read more about this story from CNN affiliate KRON. Share your photos and videos on iReport.

San Bruno, California (CNN) -- California Sen. Barbara Boxer demanded answers Saturday to questions about why a gas transmission line ruptured in a suburban San Francisco town, triggering a massive fire that killed four people and left five people missing.

Accompanied by state and federal officials, Boxer toured blocks of the charred neighborhood in San Bruno that now looks like a war zone.

The Democratic senator saw firsthand the intensely hot fire's wrath: melted cars, burned out skeletons of houses. At a news conference later, she said it was hard to put into words how a beautiful neighborhood almost disappeared.

"Many questions must be answered by all of us whose job it is to protect ourof the accident," National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vice Chairman Christopher Hart said.

Hart said the 30-inch natural gas pipe was installed in 1956.

"We have seen that piece of pipeline that was blown away, and it is really quite amazing to see this huge piece of pipeline blown the distance it was blown," he said.

Hart said investigators will look closely at the pipe's welding and whether the pipe properly emitted an odor that may indicate a gas leak. There have been allegations of a smell in the neighborhood at least a week before the blast.

Officials have identified three of the dead. Rescue workers initially feared the death toll would climb higher as they combed through the smoldering scene with cadaver dogs.

Jacqueline Greig, 44, and her 13-year-old daughter Janessa were


killed, San Mateo County Deputy Coroner Michelle Rippy said. A third victim was identified as Jessica Morales, 20.

Another 52 people were injured, including three patients who were taken to the hospital with third-degree burns and four firefighters who suffered from smoke inhalation.

Boxer assured those affected by the fire that state and federal authorities would do all they could in ensuring recovery.

"We must leave no stone unturned," she said about getting assistance to the devastated community.

Some residents remained in shelters and watched the harrowing drama unfold on television in a Starbucks or other restaurants at the Bayhill Shopping Center.

Patty Blick did not know whether to laugh or cry. Anger, she told CNN iReporter Brad Bailey, has not yet set in, even though she watched her entire block burn tothe ground and her home of seven years vanish into ashes.

Blick was still worrying about some of her neighbors. She didn't know whether they were lying in a hospital or whether they had escaped unscathed.

Outside in the parking lot, food and other donated items piled up as San Bruno residents chipped in to help their neighbors. One person even left a baby stroller.

The NTSB investigation will include analyzing many aspects of the blast and its aftermath, Hart said, including the history of the pipeline, the training and performance of its operators, emergency response and injuries sustained.

Employees involved in operating the pipeline have been tested for drugs and alcohol, he said.

The fire destroyed 37 homes and damaged eight, California Emergency Management Agency Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen said. Those numbers were


considerably lower than the estimate of roughly 170 homes that NTSB's Hart originally said were affected by the blaze.

Companies operating natural gas transmission pipelines reported an average of one death per year from 2004 to 2008, a February report from the Congressional Research Service.

Carl Weimer, head of the watchdog group Pipeline Safety Trust, told CNN that, unfortunately, when it comes to pipelines, for most of the public it's "out of sight, out of mind."

"I'm betting in San Bruno most people didn't even know the pipeline was under their neighborhood," he said.

Weimer noted that there can be multiple causes for a pipeline failure, including unintentional excavation-related damage and, more often, age and corrosion.a private pool and sea views, Villa Villa Lemon is situated in Las Rosas. The property features garden views and is 18 km from Puerto de la Cruz.The holiday home has 2 bedrooms, a TV with satellite channels and a fully equipp...

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pitch because of the Mavi Marmara incident that took place the previous year.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has an anti-Semitic history. In 2014, the American Jewish Congress asked then-Prime Minister Erdogan to return his 2004 Profile of Courage Award and described him as “the most virulent anti-Israel leader in the world.” They gave him the award in 2004 for his work in securing peace in the Middle East and protecting Turkish Jews. Erdogan happily returned the award to the organization. He also accused Israel of genocide and criticized other Muslim countries for not doing enough to protect Palestine.

work on reducing poverty in Bangladesh and 10 other countries. Abed established B.R.A.C- formerly known as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee in 1972.

Google India, Tata Trust and Intel have started a unique initiative to educate rural Women about internet and create awareness towards it. Theses companies joined hands to launch a programme ‘Internet Saathi’. Under the programme 1,000 specially-designed bicycles equipped with internet devices will be sent into remote villages. The aim of the initiative is to create awareness towards internet among 5 lakh Indian rural women in the next 18 months.

Former Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal passed away at the age of 73. Justice Sabharwal was appointed as chief justice in 2005 and retired after a 14 month term. During his tenure, he gave several important


Development Mission 2015. The Mission will provide a strong institutional framework at the center and states for implementation of skilling actitvities in the country. The Union Cabinet also gave its approval for a new scheme called the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (P.M.K.S.Y). The Yojana was approved it an outlay of 50,000 crore rupees over a period of five years (2015-16 to 2019-20). Its aim is to provide convergence to existing schemes of water management, thus bringing efficiency to the use of water.

The World Bank announced to provide $650 million loan for a major project of the Indian Railways, the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project. Construction of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor will help speed up the carrying of goods between Ludhiana in the west of India andKolkata in the east. This huge project will span 1,840 kms (1,140 miles) across the North India. The loan is the third from the World Bank to help fund the freight corridor.

Indian-American Professor R. Paul Singh has been named as the 2015 Global Confederation for Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences ‘World Agricultural Prize’ laureate. The award will be formally presented on September 20th, during a ceremony at Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu Province, China.


high jump record by clearing the bar with his back to it at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, track and field traditionalists were aghast.

It came during a decade of turbulence in which many traditions were wrenched painfully from their moorings.

It came during an Olympics chock full of precedents (26 of a possible 30 track records shattered) and stark drama such as the black glove protest of sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the national anthem.

Fosbury's act was not a political statement. But to some, it was just as unsettling.

"Kids imitate champions," said U.S. Olympic coach Payton Jordan at the time. "If they try to imitate Fosbury, he will wipe out an entire generation of high jumpers because they will all have broken necks."

Fosbury laughed longand hard this week when reminded of that quote.

"I do remember that and it was well put," said the partially graying 52-year-old who still maintains a sturdy 6-foot-4, 187-pound physique.

His stunning, and almost comical, break with the conventional straddle high jump sparked a revolution in the sport.

Today, the "Fosbury Flop" is the standard technique for high jumpers from high school to the Olympics.

But Fosbury still recalls the debate that raged in the press over his radical approach to the bar.

"There were some doctors who felt I was threatening kids' lives," he said.

In fact, the worst thing that Fosbury can recall ever happening to him while using the technique was missing the pit once in high school. Nor can he recall any flopper injuring himself or herself on a


pit landing.

The false impression created by first observation of the Fosbury Flop was that the jumper landed on his neck, inviting disaster.

"Actually the jumpers land on their shoulders," Fosbury said.

But he made the world hold its breath at Mexico City.

"Spectators were in awe the first time they saw it," Fosbury said. "I remember the stadium was packed full with 80,000 people. As I went from the warmups to the competition, and the bar kept raising higher, there were 80,000 people going silent, watching this kid, this 'gringo,' take his mark, and rock back and forth preparing to take a jump."

Before the 1968 Summer Games, athletes used the straddle method -- clearing the bar with lead arm and leg and then the stomach. But even after Fosbury's record jumpIván Rodríguez

Iván Rodríguez Torres (born November 27, 1971), nicknamed "Pudge", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Texas Rangers (on two different tours, comprising the majority of his career), Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.

Rodríguez was awarded the AL MVP award in 1999. He is widely regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of all time.

Rodríguez won the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003, and also played in the 2006 World Series while with the Tigers.  He is the major league career leader in putouts by catchers.  On June 17, 2009, Rodríguez set an MLB record by catching his 2,227th game, passing Carlton Fisk (coincidentally also known by the nickname "Pudge").  During


or above. He also had 32 doubles, 2 triples, and 60 runs batted in while playing in 108 games for the Rangers. Rodríguez was placed on the disabled list on April 23 after suffering a herniated disk on April 15. The injury did not require surgery, and he rehabilitated while playing for Class-A Charlotte. He later returned to the Rangers and played there for the remainder of the season. After the 2002 season his contract with Texas ran out and he became a free agent.

Florida Marlins
Before the 2003 season Rodríguez signed with the Florida Marlins. By then a major-league veteran of over a decade, he helped lead the young team to victory in the World Series. During the 2003 regular season, he set many Marlins single season recordsis pending approval by New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), with Right-of-Way Certification to follow.

October/November 2017: On-going project activities include: Procurement of Temporary Construction Permits, utility coordination and coordination with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) on project certifications. Trees in conflict with the roadway reconstruction project will be removed in November. This timeframe is necessary in order to avoid impacts to migrating birds, per the Environmental Requirements for the project.

September 2017: Final Design Plans are under review by City Staff. Additional activities include: Appraisals for Temporary Construction Permits, utility coordination and coordination with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) on project certifications.

August 2017: The Environmental Documentation process has been completed. On-going activities include: Appraisals for Temporary Construction Permits, utility coordination, and completion of Final Design


Plans. Final Design Plans are scheduled to be completed in September 2017.

June 2017: On-going activities include: Appraisals for Temporary Construction Permits, utility coordination, environmental documentation, and completion of Final Design Plans. Final Design Plans are scheduled to be completed in September 2017.

April 2017: 90% Design Plans were submitted to the City in March. These plans are currently under a detailed review by multiple departments within the City, as well as the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). A Public Meeting is scheduled for April 19, 2017 at the Sabana Grande Recreation Center at 6:00 p.m.

March 2017: On-going activities include: Utility coordination, environmental documentation, and completion of the 90% Design Plans. City Staff will review the 90% Design Plans and follow up with a public meeting in April 2017.

Januarymeeting was held October 5, 2016 at the Meadowlark Senior Center. 60% Design Plans and Environmental Documentation for the project are under review by City Staff. 90% Design Plans are scheduled to be complete in February 2017.

September 2016: On-going activities include: roadway, access and intersection, signal and lighting, storm drain, and traffic control plan design. As well as, drainage, geotechnical, and safety analysis. Subsurface utility engineering and utility coordination are also being conducted. 60% Design submittal is to be completed this month and reviewed by City staff. A public meeting is scheduled for October 5, 2016 at the Meadowlark Senior Center at 6:00 p.m.

August 2016: Geotechnical investigations have been conducted. Environmental investigations and documentation are on-going. Traffic counts will be conducted in late August 2016, and 60% Design


Plans are scheduled to be complete in September 2016. A public meeting will be held in October 2016.

July 2016: 60% Design Plans are being developed. Environmental investigations are being conducted for environmental documentation. June 2016: 60% Design Plans are being developed. Environmental documentation "Level of Effort" is under review by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT).

May 2016: Notice to Proceed with Final Design was given to Wilson & Company Inc. A kick-off meeting for Final Design was also held.

July 2015: A Phase A/B Report and 30% Design Plans were completed.

Adobe Disclaimer: Reading the PDF documents provided on this site requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for free from Adobe. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.There will be much wind flowing through the state and into our lives today.

Officials from the United States Department of Energy are busy inspecting the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. They are doing this in order to determine if the nuclear waste storage facility is capable of resuming operations after a radiation leak in 2014 forced the facility's closure.

Senator Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) is the new vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

An armed student at New Mexico State University was shot in the leg by campus police after he refused to put his gun down.

Here's some information about the new federal regulations governing driver's license issuance and renewal in the land of enchantment, care of the Los Alamos Monitor.


ATLANTA -- Martin Prado says Jason Heyward is the key to the Atlanta Braves' postseason hopes.

"Like I say, if he goes, we go," Prado said.

Heyward is recovering his power stroke just in time for the Braves' September playoff push.

Heyward homered and drove in four runs, Prado drove in three runs and the NL East-leading Braves beat the New York Mets 9-3 on Monday night.

Prado said he knew from the start that Heyward, the rookie right fielder, would be a difference-maker for the Braves.

"Since I saw that guy in spring training, I knew he was going to be that guy who changes everything on this team," Prado said.

Heyward had four hits, including a three-run homer off Pat Misch in the second inning. He has five homers in August afterninth capped the Braves' 7-6 comeback win over Florida, Brian McCann padded the lead with a shot deep into the right-field seats off Oliver Perez in the seventh.

Misch (0-4) gave up eight hits and five runs in three innings for the Mets, who opened a 10-game road trip with the first of four games against the Braves.

Jurrjens gave up two hits -- including Josh Thole's run-scoring triple -- and two walks in the sixth, when the Mets cut the Braves' lead to 5-3.

Manager Bobby Cox pulled Jurrjens after the right-hander walked Luis Castillo to load the bases. Chris Carter ended the inning with a groundout against left-hander Eric O'Flaherty.

The Braves stretched the lead with three runs off Manny Acosta in the sixth. Heyward's single drove in Rick Ankiel.


Heyward scored from first on a headfirst slide across home plate on Prado's two-run single. Omar Infante, who walked, also scored on Prado's hit.

Heyward was running on the pitch. Still, Cox was amazed Heyward scored from first, beating Jeff Francoeur's throw from right-center field which bounced through the infield.

"Unbelievable," Cox said. "He can do things on the bases. His instincts are so great."

When asked how often he has seen a player score from first on a single, Cox said "almost never."

Heyward and Infante each scored three runs.

Angel Pagan and Luis Hernandez drove in runs in the Mets' two-run second.

A fan in the right-field seats threw a half-empty plastic bottle near Francoeur, the former Braves' hometown star, in the sixth.

"You never know what to expect," Francoeur said. "I playedhere four years and played hard.

"A lot of people cheered me, but one bozo did that. You can boo me, but don't throw a bottle at me. ... That was classless."

Game notes

The Braves had 14 hits. ... Heyward also had four hits and four RBIs on Aug. 22 at the Cubs. ... The Braves recalled RHP Kenshin Kawakami from Triple-A Gwinnett. The team optioned RHP Cristhian Martinez to Gwinnett. Cox said Kawakami will work out of the bullpen but could fill in as a starter. ... RHP Derek Lowe plans to throw his regular side session on Tuesday. He appeared to have difficulty keeping his arm loose as he gave up six hits and five runs in three innings against Florida on Sunday. He deflected questions about his


US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was "certainly" possible that President Donald Trump might be the modern-day savior of the Jewish people.

Speaking with the Christian Broadcasting Network in Jerusalem on Thursday, Pompeo said Trump might be poised to defend against forces wanting to "eradicate the Jewish people" in the Middle East.

The interview with CBN fell on Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates the saving of the Jewish people during the time of the ancient Persian Empire and is marked by costumes and celebrations.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was "certainly" possible that President Donald Trump might be the modern-day savior of the Jewish people.

Speaking with the Christian Broadcasting Network in Jerusalem on Thursday, Pompeo said Trump might be poised to defend against forces wantingto "eradicate the Jewish people" in the Middle East.

The interview with CBN fell on Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates the saving of the Jewish people during the time of the ancient Persian Empire and is marked by costumes and celebrations.

Jewish children taking part in the annual holiday of Purim on the streets of Stamford Hill in London on Thursday. WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Mentioning Queen Esther, who according to Jewish scripture convinced the king of Persia not to massacre the Jewish people, CBN's Middle East bureau chief, Chris Mitchell, asked Pompeo whether there were similarities between her and Trump.

"Could it be that President Trump right now has been raised for such a time, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from an Iranian menace?"

"As


the fibrous capsule around the electrode tip is generally dependent on the fixation characteristics at the time of implant, the geometry of the electrode tip, the microstructure of the electrode tip, and the material used for the electrode. It may also be dependent on the current density at the electrode/tissue interface during the pacing pulses. A lower current density may result in less myocardial damage and hence, lead to a thinner fibrous capsule around the electrode tip. On the contrary, electrodes that have a rough surface microstructure or have sharp protrusions may be too abrasive, thereby causing irritation leading to the development of a thicker fibrous capsule.
In addition to pacing functions, the electrode must function to sense the activity of the heart by determining the aberrant behavior inwent through parts of his body. Two went through his head, and one penetrated his neck. Defendant had been courting the granddaughter of the victim who lived at the home of the victim. The pistol belonged to the victim. Testimony of the granddaughter was to the effect that she had become unenamored of defendant and desired his company no longer, that defendant became enraged in failing to obtain the aid of the grandfather, took the pistol and without justification fired three shots at him in rapid succession. Defendant testified that the grandfather had the pistol in hand and that it was fired while the two were struggling for the pistol. He claimed that he did not intentionally kill the victim and that his conduct was in self-defense. Immediately


after the homicide defendant left the state and was apprehended in Los Angeles, California, and was then returned to Alabama. The evidence amply supported the verdict, and there is no contention to the contrary.
The only issue raised by appellant is as to the action of the court in overruling defendant's objection to the admission in evidence of four photographs of the body of the deceased that were taken by Dr. Richard Roper, of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, while performing an autopsy thereon in his official capacity.
The objections of counsel for the defendant to the introduction of the photographs were heard and considered by the court out of the presence of the jury, as shown by five pages of the transcript immediately before the testimony of Dr.Friday, 29 April 2011

Lunchtime Legends

I meant to post this a couple of days ago: if you happen to be in the area, the 50s & 60s band I play with, the Lunchtime Legends, will be playing a gig at the Bay Horse Inn, Babylon Lane, Adlington near Chorley, PR6 9ER, tomorrow evening Saturday 30 April. It is a fundraiser for firefighters and our bit begins at around 7-30pm. The Bay Horse is a real ale pub which usually has Jennings Cumberland plus a guest beer.


run like a Mafia in Oakland for about 20 or 30 years. Papa Bey liked little girls, he would take them into his home as foster children and then rape them. Several of them had children at the ages of 13 and 14. DNA later proved that he had fathered them, but unfortunately, he died before the trial was completed, so his name is clear, and the family continues to extol his virtures. His sons have had a war to gain control of the family. They have run frauds, beat up and murdered people who got in their way, including witnesses. They had confidants in the highest reaches of the Oakland Police department, until he was unearthed and placed on leave. I think they finally became overconfident andAiling Thai king makes rare public appearance

BANGKOK: Thailand’s revered but ailing King Bhumibol Adulyadej made a rare public appearance on Tuesday, leaving the hospital where he has been convalescing for much of the last few months.

A heavily-guarded convoy carrying the wheelchair-bound 87-year-old monarch left Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital for the Grand Palace, the sprawling complex in the heart of the old quarter that is the seat of the Chakri dynasty.

The palace visit was made on Coronation Day, a Thai public holiday that marks Bhumibol’s official coronation in 1950, three years after his reign began following the death of his brother.

The appearance of the world’s longest serving monarch after a recent no show will be a source of relief for many Thais who revere him as a semi-divine figure.

He had


aluminum strips, and the three life rafts.

The ghost ship was towed to Fiji and beached. Investigators found that the engines had been flooded due to a broken pipe in the saltwater cooling system, the rudder was jammed, and the radio equipment wrecked. The navigation lights and galley stove were switched on. The Joyita hadn't sunk, because the holds were lined with eight centimeters of cork. Though several books and countless newspaper and magazine articles have been written about the Joyita mystery, no one has learned what really happened, and none of the missing persons was ever seen again. Some relics of the Joyita can be seen in the Levuka Community Center.

# CORAL REEF ADVENTURE

Since 1993, the liveaboard Nai'a (www.naia.com.fj) has been the flagship of Fiji's diving industry, discoveringformer Lever Brothers manager's residence, and it is little changed since the 1940s, except for the extension now housing the dining area and lounge. View superb sunsets from the porch. One of the rooms is reserved for island officials; the rest are used mostly by contract workers. Other guests pay F$50 per person a night, which includes three meals. The facilities are shared (no hot water) and the electric generator operates 1800–2200 only—just enough time to watch a video (the library next to the courthouse rents Go Tell It to the Judge, a documentary about the Banaban struggle for compensation).

Considering the limited accommodations and the remoteness of Rabi, it's important to call the Rabi Island Council (tel. 881-2913, ext. 30, www.banabans.com.fj) for guesthouse bookings and other information before


island women as proprietors, and it's exactly what most visitors want. Appropriate tourism requires little investment, there's less disruption, and full control remains with the people themselves.

# THE FLAG OF FIJI

Fiji's current national flag was adopted in 1970 when the country achieved independence from Great Britain. The Union Jack in the upper left corner recalls Fiji's 96 years as a British colony. On the right side of the flag is a shield with gold-colored royal lion on a red background holding a cocoa pod between its paws. The red cross below the lion divides the lower part of the shield in four with stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, a bunch of bananas, and a dove of peace in the four white boxes created by the cross. Thecard to call long distance, you limit the amount the call can possibly cost and won't end up overspending should you forget to keep track of the time. On short calls, you avoid three-minute minimum charges. International telephone calls placed from hotel rooms are always more expensive than the same calls made from public phones using telephone cards (ask the receptionist for the location of the nearest public phone). What you sacrifice is your privacy, as anyone can stand around and listen to your call, which often happens. Public phones are usually found outside post offices or large stores. Check that the phone actually works before bothering to arrange your numbers and notes, as it seems like quite a few of the public phones in Fiji are out


territories of Oceania.

Douglas, Ngaire, and Norman Douglas, eds. Pacific Islands Yearbook. Suva: Fiji Times, 1994. First published in 1932, this is the 17th edition of the original sourcebook on the islands. Although the realities of modern publishing have led to the demise of both the Yearbook and its cousin, Pacific Islands Monthly, this final edition remains an indispensable reference work for students of the region.

Gorman, G. E., and J. J. Mills. Fiji: World Bibliographical Series, Volume 173. Oxford: Clio Press, 1994. Critical reviews of 673 of the most important books about Fiji.

Lal, Brig V., and Kate Fortune, eds. The Pacific Islands: An Encyclopedia. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2000. This important book combines the writings of 200 acknowledged experts on the physical environment, peoples, history, politics, economics, society,of fried rice in Middle and South Americas. Some of these variations include Ecuadorian chaulafan, Peruvian arroz chaufa, Cuban arroz frito, and Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao.

Fried rice is a popular street food in Asia. In some Asian countries, small restaurants, street vendors and traveling hawkers specialize in serving fried rice. In Indonesian cities it is common to find fried rice street hawkers moving through the streets with their food cart and stationing it in busy streets or residential areas. Many Southeast Asian street food stands offer fried rice with a selection of optional garnishes and side dishes”.


While the nonprofit says it won’t turn anyone away, it generally serves people who are homeless.

The mobile service was created after HealthRight 360 had to shut down its facility — Tenderloin Health Services — inside the church earlier this year, as it couldn’t find or retain the staff needed to operate the facility. San Francisco and other major cities around the country have struggled to attract health care workers as the cost of living soars and wages stagnate.

HealthRight 360 is operating its van with existing staff members. It is also recruiting for five positions dedicated to the van.

While the van is a slimmed-down version of the brick-and-mortar clinic, the nonprofit plans to expand the mobile service to five days a week in January. Eventually HealthRight 360 plans tothe left of the main sequence. In the central panel (), the brightest two CVs have shifted onto the main sequence, while the fainter two have moved to the red side of the three NFs. The separation between flickerers and non-flickerers becomes even more distinct in the right-hand panel (). Here, all the CVs are either on or very close to the main sequence. In contrast, the NFs remain well to the blue side of the main sequence in every filter combination. In short, the three NFs are simply blue stars, whereas the four CVs have UV excesses. Table 1 lists positions, mean absolute magnitudes and dereddened colors of the seven faint UV stars, together with their radial offsets from the cluster center, and a cross reference to


Roseanne Barr says she was fired from ABC for one reason: "It's because I voted for Donald Trump."

In a new video, Barr says she was willing to go on any show of ABC's choosing to explain what happened with "egregious and unforgivable" to her audience.

"Instead what happened was about 40 minutes after that, my show was canceled before even one advertiser pulled out and I was labeled a racist."

She then explains, "Why, you ask? Well, the answer is simple, it's because I voted for Donald Trump."

As The Blast previously reported, the comedian sat down with her son, Jake, last weekend and allowed herself to be interviewed about the whole fiasco that ended with her getting fired from ABC and everyone from “Roseanne” turning their backs on her.

Jake saysretreat sparked outrage outside North Korea as well. In a letter published in the medical journal Lancet, Harvard physician Kee Park, director of North Korea programs for the Korean American Association, warned the fund’s withdrawal could create a public health crisis and called the move “a cataclysmic betrayal” of the North Korean people.

If tuberculosis patients reduce or stop their medications early, or take lower-quality ones, the bacteria that cause their disease can develop a resistance to the two most powerful anti-TB drugs, making the condition harder and more expensive to treat.

The Eugene Bell Foundation, which supports the treatment of more than 1,000 patients at 12 centres across North Korea, has been solely focused on fighting multi drug-resistant tuberculosis since 2008.

What worries Stephen Linton, who founded the group in


November 06, 2005

Guttural politics

On Friday, in the waning days of a nasty gubernatorial race in New
Jersey, Democratic candidate Jon Corzine was confronted
by reporters about allegations of an extramarital affair
with one of his former staffers. Corzine angrily replied:

I'm not
going to comment on that kind of low, guttural politics going on in
this state.

And back in April, Rush Limbaugh issued the following bizarre on-air
quasi-apology for using the term blow
jobs during a rant about Al Gore and Bill Clinton (as
transcribed by Billboard
Radio Monitor):

I meant to say 'oral sex' throughout, but the
guttural term escaped my pouty lips in a moment of pure, unbridled
passion.

What's happened to the word guttural?
A phonetic (or folk-phonetic) term for the articulation
of consonants near the back of the vocal tract now gets applied to
everything from sexual obscenities to New JerseyToan Thanh Tay University, Hanoi, Vietnam Thu-Trang Vuong Sciences Po Paris, Campus de Dijon, Dijon 21000, France Manh-Tung Ho Thanh Tay University, Hanoi, Vietnam; and, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, Japan Hong-Kong T. Nguyen Viet Panorama Media Monitoring, Hanoi, Vietnam Quan-Hoang Vuong(1) Thanh Tay University, Hanoi, Vietnam; and, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels 1050, Belgium This draft: v.4; May 31, 2018 Abstract A work of Vietnamese art crossed a million-dollar mark in the international art market in early 2017. The event was reluctantly seen as a sign of maturity from the Vietnamese art amidst the many existing problems. Even though the Vietnamese media has discussed the issues enthusiastically, there is a lack of literature from the Vietnamese academics examining the subject, and even rarer in


overview of the Vietnamese market through the lens of fake, forgery and copy paintings Ho Manh Toan, Thu-Trang Vuong, Hong-Kong T. Nguyen, Manh-Tung Ho, Quan-Hoang Vuong I. Introduction On 2nd April 2017, the painting Family Life by Le Pho was sold at US$1.2 million during an auction by Sotheby's Hong Kong, becoming the first Vietnamese painting ever to cross the million-dollar mark in the international art market. According to the public press, the sale directs Vietnamese art toward its adulthood with many hopes but also worries (Uu, 2017; Bay, 2017). Vietnamese art market, fine arts especially, has been an often-circulated topic for the Vietnamese media because of the worldwide popularity of Vietnamese paintings. Vietnamese artworks started to gather attention from the international audience after the country shifted tothe socialist-oriented market economy and opened itself to the world in 1986. From the reminiscence of an owner of a well-known gallery in Hanoi, many galleries were opened in the 1990s due to the high demand for Vietnamese arts from international buyers (Trang, 2018). For international buyers, the Vietnamese painting becomes popular because they portray Asian subjects with European techniques and materials, which is familiar but otherworldly (Taylor, 1999). However, regardless of the fame, there are still many problems concerning the sustainability and development of the Vietnamese art market: the lack of an orthodox and robust art system with curators, art consultants, wealthy domestic buyers, art investment funds, legal system; the questionable ability to evaluate an artwork from audiences and buyers; and fake, forgery and copy arts (Trang,


2018; Phan, 2017; Doan, 2016; Minh, 2017; Dang, 2017). The current problems which prevent the Vietnamese art market from growing can be understood through the following two stories about a famous Vietnamese painting and popular Vietnamese artists. The first story is about the willingness to diminish artistic dignity for the benefit, even from the top Vietnamese artists. According to Minh Thi (2017), among the top four Vietnamese artists who settled in France, only the works of one person continue to see surging prices. The other three started printing and mass-producing their paintings after the early success, thus, shooting themselves in the feet. While the previous story is arguably about the professional ethics of the artists, the second story of Thieu nu ben hoa hue (Young Woman with Lilly)by To Ngoc Van (Case No. 20, Appendix 1) shows how the Vietnamese art market functions without any regulations, even with the involvement of the national museum. The painting was initially in the collection of Duc Minh – a Vietnamese famous art collector. Duc Minh lent the picture to the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts for an exhibition, but the Museum copied it without any formal consent. Later on, Duc Minh wanted to donate his collection to the Museum on the condition of having his section there, but the Museum turned down the request. When Duc Minh passed away, one of his sons sold the painting for US$15,000. The buyer brought the artwork overseas and later sold it. Since then, there is no information on the whereabouts of


Thieu nu ben hoa hue (NLH, 2014). According to Ha (2017), a copy of Thieu nu ben hoa hue was sold overseas for US$200,000 before being brought back to Vietnam later at US$400,000. The monetary motivation drove the artists in the first story and the owners in the second story and they were supported by the lack of a 3 regulated system from the authority. However, the stories are the outcomes of a complex socioeconomic context of a young country which had been through two long-term wars and their aftermaths. Figure 1: Thieu nu ben hoa hue (Young woman with lily) – To Ngoc Van (NLH, 2014) Even though the first fine-arts school established in 1925, the Vietnamese art market did not take off until the change ofthe economy through Đổi Mới (Renovation) in 1986. Before that, the Vietnamese economy was the victim of the war. During 1955 – 1975, most of the resources were gathered to focus on supporting the war in the South, and for the first ten years of peace after 1975, Vietnam struggled to recover from the war aftermath with the centrally-planned economy. According to Pham and Vuong (2009), the Vietnamese per capita income during this period was around US$125-US$200, and only since 1981, the progress of Vietnam economy set in motion. After 1986, the centrally-planned economy became a market economy with significant achievements that have virtually improved the livelihood of Vietnamese people. According to Vuong (2014), from 1991 to 2000, the average annual growth rate of the economy was 7.5%;


after the World Trade Organization full membership initiation in 2007, the foreign direct investment peaked at US$71.7 billion in the next year. Currently, Vietnam's GDP per capita is around US$2,300, and the economy continues opening and engaging with the world (Vuong, 2014, 2018). 4 As Vietnam is still setting up their cultural, economic and political position in the global context, Vietnamese art is still a teenager despite receiving much attention. In comparison with the world, the luxurious status of a work of art has been fortified by Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi at US$450 million. According to Horvitz (2009), the total size of the art market is around US$70 billion with the fine art segment alone in 2007 worth US$12 billion. However, it is notable that besides thea rising economy, the Vietnamese art market is an unexplored territory that worth examining. However, there has been only a limited number of studies examining Vietnamese art and its problems. II. Literature Review 1. The international art market The Vietnamese art market operates on a smaller scale but is still under the influence of the operation of the global art market. The international art market is well-established, but its nature is ambiguous. Horvitz (2009) introduces some essential suggestions to define an art market: (1) profits might not be the primary motivation for the market, there are historical and even psychological values when it comes to a work of art; (2) the information on the art market is limited; and (3) it makes the art market categorize into different


segments with its characteristics and its self-definition on an investable artwork. Scholars continue to explore this ambiguous system of the international art market. Bocart and Oosterlinck (2011) discover that before the artwork is found to be fake, it is less likely to be auctioned at Sotheby's or Christie's. However, the fakes' discovery does not affect the chance to be sold as an artwork, but the price reacts "negatively with a lag." David, Oosterlinck, and Szafarz (2013) suggest that because of the lack of transparency in price formation makes the art market inefficient. Also, Kraussl, Lehnert, and Martelin (2016) find out speculative bubbles in four different fine-arts market segments from 1970 to 2014 using a combination of right-tailed augmented Dickey-Fuller test and forward recursive regressions. Despite the ambiguity ofVietnamese ideology and French style blendedtogether as a patriotic expression of Vietnamese against colonial rulers (Taylor, 1997, 2007, 2011; Safford, 2015). However, a recent research (Van Doan, 2017) argues that before the Indochina school, three artists: Le Van Mien (1873-1943), Nam Son (1890-1973) and Thang Tran Phenh (1890-1972) already distinguished themselves from the era as individual artists, and they should be seen as the foundation of Vietnamese contemporary art. It is notable that Nam Son was one of the founders and teachers of the Indochina School of Fine Arts; moreover, in 1923, Nam Son and Thang Tran Phenh joined one of the first art exhibition in Vietnam, and in 1930, Nam Son's china-ink painting was exhibited in Paris (Quoc, 2014). According to the Art Expert A an interviewed


artist, the Indochina School of Fine Arts was the result of cultural assimilation and acculturation from the French colonialization. Before the Indochina school, there were other crafting schools such as Thu Duc school, Binh Duong school, or a crafting school in Dong Nai – which became Dong Nai College Of Decorative arts. However, the Indochina school was the biggest and had an endorsement from the French colonial authority. The French founder – Victor Tardieu – with his progressive ideals put transformed the Vietnamese students (Taylor, 1997). Therefore, the foundation for Vietnamese art was built by the individual efforts, and after 1925, the Indochina school was the final push that helped Vietnam arts to flourish. The establishment of the Indochina School of Fine Arts is viewed differently between Vietnameseand Western scholars. While Vietnamese consider the colonial school as the beginning of a new era for Vietnamese art, the Western refuses the school's contribution to Vietnamese culture and regards them as the tools of colonial and cultural assimilation (Taylor, 1997; Safford, 2015). Safford (2015) carefully examines the impact of Indochina School of Fine Arts to contemporary art in Vietnam and concludes that the East-West hybrid style and the medium of lacquer set up by the colonial art school established the modern identity of Vietnamese arts. Identity is an essential aspect of Vietnamese art that has been examined in details by scholars. The Vietnamese national spirit and character is the center of Vietnamese artists' works from the beginning until now, and the distinctive style and content emerged in


the international market in the 1990s with "surge in sales of paintings and the proliferation of privately owned commercial galleries" (Taylor, 2007). Taylor (2001) suggests different opinions are essential for the Vietnamese art to situate itself in the international art market. However, she concludes that the Vietnamese artists are subjected to the Vietnamese ethnicity and national identity deriving from Vietnam regardless of their current nationalities or residencies. Thus, their arts "resolutely subjected to national definitions within the global art world." Recently, Taylor (2005) suggests such identity might censors the riskiness of creativity and drives Vietnamese artist to play safe. She also advocates for the position of Vietnamese art in the world, rather than an outlier. 6 Other researchers argue that the Vietnamese-ness collective culture has created a particularindividual identity for Vietnamese artists when they try to find a mix between the traditional character and new, experimental forms of art (Kraevskaia, 2009; Leigh, 2001). Moreover, Taylor (2011) argues the artists in Vietnam have always come from the middle-class and intellectual elites despite the economic situation or political atmosphere in the country. The author suggests the class of Vietnamese artists is the "key players in the movement towarda civil society," who continuously help to define and to strengthen Vietnamese art, cultural and social values. The cultural identity of Vietnamese art also contributes to healing the aftermath of the Vietnam War (Granzow, n.d.) On the other hand, forgeries and fakes are also significant to the development of Vietnamese art. Taylor (1999) explores the case of Bui Xuan Phai