pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 110
1.02M
| source
stringlengths 39
45
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__cc
| 0.623951
| 0.376049
|
HOME | CONTACT | МК | SQ | EN |
Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs
State Counsellors
Accession Process Management System
Project units
Towards negotiations
Accession Process towards EU
NPAA
Stabilisation and Association Agreement
Pre-accession support
IPA 2007 - 2013
WBIF
EDIF
IPA projects
Other foreign assistance
Union Programmes
ORIO Programme
Twinning SEP
Data basis
EU Terminology
Translation Register
Training Center of SEA
Public communication
Public opinion survey IRI
Public Opinion Survey
LIST OF INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC CHARACTER
Free access to information
E-procurements
Launching of IPA 2 (2014-2020) Preparations
Thirty-second Session of Working Committee on European Integration
Deputy Prime Minister Besimi at International Conference for Court and Justice Reform and the Progress Report of the European Commission for Macedonia 2012
Meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Besimi with the Ambassador of the Republic of France H.E. Laurence Auer
Project from the Federal Republic of Germany for Support of the Secretariat for European Affairs
page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 [ 57 ]
Youth for EU
EU / IPA Successful projects
EU talks
EU in Macedonia
EU stars
Together for EU
2020 © Secretariat for European Affairs
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3811
|
__label__cc
| 0.749524
| 0.250476
|
Sinn Fein Ard Fheis 2003
Cllr. Brian Stanley (Portlaoise), speaking on the education section
I am supporting motion 57 which is calling for the adoption of our new policy document `Educate that you may be free' and motion f which calls for greater resources for the provision of proper buildings for Gael Scoileanna.
The policy document sets out a clear vision to work towards, to improve the education system in this country. It lists as its first aim that education should be ``an instrument of progress for all, not a means of reproducing inequalities'' and the need for it to be ``based on the principals of social justice, equality and respect for diversity''.
It also sets out practical short-term objectives to improve primary, post primary and third level education, such as the upgrading of substandard schools and rationalising the curriculum at second level.
The reality is that in my own town Portlaoise and right across the country, the signs Of Fianna Fail and the PDs broken promises are all too apparent, in the form of dilapidated school buildings and prefab that are falling to pieces.
In Portlaoise the situation has reached crisis point with special resource teachers having to teach in cloakrooms, schools unable to take any more enrolments due to overcrowding and a absence of any commitment from the Department of Education to even provide prefabs. The local Gael Scoil which is in rented prefabs on a rented site, has to move from its existing location within the next few months. They are forced to beg the money from the Department to move to another rented site.
And this is how the Government deal with the need for new schools, they pay huge leases for rented sites on which to put rented prefabs, which I am informed cost over ¤800 for each classroom per month or almost ¤10.000 per annum. This goes on for years, with millions paid to companies that rent out these temporary buildings. There would appear to be a complete lack of any long term planning.
We should be up front about how we could pay for the new schools that are needed. So called public private partnerships, which are little more than hire purchase schemes that will crucify the ordinary taxpayer with repayments while allowing rich investors to evade tax could be used. We could do like some other parties and simply demand new schools but fail to spell out where the money would come from.
This state cannot have proper public services without paying for them and that does not mean increasing the burden on those taxpayers earning low to middle incomes. To find the funds we must, restore capital gains tax to 40%, Retain corporation tax at 16% with higher levels for financial institutions and introduce a new tax band for those on incomes over ¤100.000 per annum. And we must also stop the Government wasting our money on jets and new meres, which are little more than toys to impress the elite of Europe''.
E-mail: sfpress@eircom.net · Website: http://www.sinnfein.org
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3815
|
__label__wiki
| 0.503636
| 0.503636
|
Special Campaigns
Parliamentary Elections 2016
Central Voting Bureau
About ParliamentCurrently selected
Postulation Day
Polling Stations
Downloadable Election Results
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION 2018
Home > Special Campaigns > Parliamentary Elections > Parliamentary Elections 2016 > About Parliament
The parliament is the highest legislative body of country Sint Maarten and represents the entire population of the Dutch side of the island. The parliament consists of 15 members who are elected for a four-year period.
The session year of parliament commences on the second Tuesday of September. During this session, the Governor provides an explanation of the policy to be pursued by the government.
The parliament elects a President and Deputy President from its own numbers.
The President of Parliament shall open and close the session year of the Parliament.
Role and Function of Parliament
The two most important tasks of parliament is the realization of legislation for Sint Maarten, and secondly, to exercise control over Government’s policy. Under the first task, Parliament exercises this task together with Government, so Parliament is called the co-legislator.
In order to carry out the aforementioned, the Parliament has a number of powers that allows it to fulfill its two tasks:
The right to approve and amend the budget;
The right of interpellation where each Member of Parliament (MP) has the right to question ministers of government in the General Assembly of Parliament;
The right of initiative allows MPs to submit draft laws on their own initiative;
The right to amendment, allows MPs to amend legislation that has been submitted to Parliament;
The right to ask questions, every MP can question a Minister orally or in writing;
The right to instigate inquiries allows parliament to institute an inquiry into the state of affairs in an event in which Government is involved.
Please visit the Official Website of Parliament for more information
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3816
|
__label__wiki
| 0.669048
| 0.669048
|
Call for Papers: Feminism, Science & Materialism conference
October 17, 2012 Cultura21, Open Calls1000 Words, Barad, Berlin Germany, Call For Papers, Continuities And Discontinuities, Copenhagen Denmark, Cozzolino, Epistemological Questions, Feburary 14, Feminism, Feminist Perspectives, Feminist Theory, Graduate Center, Kagan, Kajsa, Keynote Speaker, Koefoed, Marxism, Materialism, Mexico City, New Frontiers, Oleg, Organizing A Conference, Paper Presentations, Paris France, Phenomenology, Rana, Sacha, Science Studies, Women In Society
The Center for the Study of Women in Society and the Committee on Interdisciplinary Science Studies at the Graduate Center are organizing a conference on Feminism, Science & Materialism, taking place at the Graduate Center, City University of New York, from Feburary 14-15, 2013.
The conference will focus on looking with feminist perspectives on the onto-epistemological questions raised by the materialist turn. Keynote speaker will be Karen Barad.
Papers from varying disciplines are invited, addressing a wide range of issues. Some possible examples to focus on might be:
The intellectual and scientific context of the new turn toward materialism
The relation of matter — including the biological body — to the social.
The relation between new materialism and previous materialisms (such as Marxism and phenomenology) and particularly their feminist elaborations. What are the continuities and discontinuities between feminist materialisms from the 1970s through the current moment?
The insights, knowledge and methodologies offered by the new materialist studies of science. What new frontiers have they opened? What can the new sciences offer for feminist theory?
Space for paper presentations is limited. To apply, please send an extended abstract of 1000 words and a short bio to feminism [dot] science [at] gmail [dot] com byNovember 1, 2012.
Lovely Weather in Inishowen, Ireland: what is climate art?
March 8, 2011 An Arts and Ecology NotebookAstronomy Centre, Climate Change Conference, Climate Event, Culture Centre, Curated, Donegal County, Electoral Areas, History Of Science, Inishowen, Iphones, Keynote Speaker, Malina, Marseille France, Recent Technology, Regional Culture, Science Publication, Understanding The Heavens, Weather Art, Weather Climate, Weather Ireland
This post comes to you from An Arts and Ecology Notebook
“how does data feel, taste, sound, look, smell?” Roger Malina, Leonardo, keynote speaker, Lovely Weather art and climate change conference, LetterKenny RCC, Nov 2010
I was briefly in Oxford this week and I had a little time to pass so I wandered into one of the oldest Museums of the History of Science in the world. They had a display of early Islamic scientific instruments, many were for searching and understanding the skies. They were astonishingly beautiful as well as functional and were later adopted and developed through the middle ages and renaissance in Europe. Many instruments made for understanding the heavens were made in metal, some in ivory (couldn’t help thinking they looked like antique iphones as some were a similar shape, colour and size to our recent technology). The industry and intent to know the world by all methods has long been with us. I was thinking about this in reference to a recent Lovely Weather Culture and Climate Change conference that I attended in north-west Donegal last November. An excellent 2 day event celebrated the Lovely Weather climate artists residency project; an innovative Per Cent for Art Irish Public Art programme across 5 electoral areas, co-led by the local Donegal County Arts Office and the Letterkenny Regional Culture Centre and co-curated by Roger Malina and Annick Bureaud of the long established Art & Science publication, LEONARDO/Olats. This was to my knowledge the first substantial culture and climate event in Ireland and the projects were in the main very thought-provoking and detailed (a catalogue of the projects can be obtained from the Donegal Arts Office).
Roger Malina, editor of Leonardo, was the keynote speaker. Roger is also an astronomer and Director of Astronomy Centre in Marseille, France. A point he made in his talk, while referencing his own experience in astronomy which has seen an explosion in technical instrument development, data production, now further accelerating with the sharing of online data networks, is that over the centuries, scientists no longer use their senses but their instruments to understand the world. He argued that in reference to climate change, that artists have such an important role… ‘in making science intimate….not just translating science or making science pretty.’ He spoke of many artists who were attempting to engage with science, from many diverse practices, who were taking scientific data and using it in their creative practices. He now sees that we are moving from a world of ‘data scarcity to data plenty but today, while we are data rich, we are meaning poor’. He described this as an epistemological (a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge) inversion. I was particularly interested how Roger described that we are in a ‘data flood… but artists can work successfully embedded in data, where data becomes an element (material) to use.” He concluded by asking us, “how does data feel, taste, sound, look, smell?”
There was an excellent example of data embedded centrally in one of the Lovely Weather residencies. Carbon Footprint is a multi-disciplinary work by Canadian born (now settled in Ireland) artist in residence Seema Goel. The piece uses local wool, spinning and knitting as a metaphor to explore climate change, carbon capture, and micro-economies in Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland. This project worked on many levels – making hurricane data intimate in the creation of knitted items (see the knitted hat above that relates to hurricane weather data), bringing together local people of all ages to use local materials and forgotten skills (a working example of ’social sculpture’), making visible the loss of previous local industries to global, unsustainable supply chains (while Donegal has a rich history in wool products, this has almost entirely disappeared and local wool items are surprisingly imported from afar – this a surprise to many Irish in the audience as Donegal is famed for its fibre heritage), and creating a legacy of community craft activities in the region. It’s delightful to think of the climate data discussions, mixing with knitting patterns discussions and cups of tea (it reminded me of the global crochet coral reef project that came to Ireland’s Science gallery that I discussed last year – both show the huge upsurge in local materials and fibre craft and just a reminder: this is also the international year of craft, as well as forests). The success in this project are the climate conversations made tangible in the community and unlike many ‘climate and art and science projects that I’ve encountered, the legacy of the project continues: knitting and spinning workshops continue for every skill level, from people with an interest that want to get started to those who want to share skills. For more information please contact mccartney.ruth@gmail.com
To follow is a guest post by Margaret Mc Laughlin on another of the Lovely Weather residency projects – all about dead zones (Marbh Chrios) off the coast of Ireland – a fantastic audiovisual, data come community sound project.
An Arts & Ecology Notebook, by Cathy Fitzgerald, whose work exists as ongoing research and is continually inspired to create short films, photographic documentation, and writings. While she interacts with foresters, scientists, and communities, she aims to create a sense of a personal possibility, responsibility and engagement in her local environment that also connects to global environmental concerns.
Go to An Arts and Ecology Notebook
Julie’s Bicycle’s MOVING ARTS TOURING REPORTS LAUNCHED
August 7, 2010 Julie's Bicycle, newsAbo Henry, Andrew Jones, Anniversary Celebrations, Brian Greene, Chamber Orchestras, Chris Cotton, Eastburn, Edge Of Time, European Premiere, Forum For The Future, Guest Speakers, John Elkington, Jude Kelly, Keynote Speaker, Moving Arts, Royal Albert Hall, Sjm, Southbank Centre, Symphony Orchestras, Touring Companies
JB launched three reports on the carbon impact of touring – Bands, Orchestras and Theatres under the title Moving Arts: Managing the Carbon Impacts of our Touring. It was nine months work and it really felt like it. JB analysed nearly 100 international tour samples ranging from small club artists, chamber orchestras and small touring companies to stadium tours, symphony orchestras and major west end productions.
JB launched the Bands report at some of the country’s most iconic venues: the music industry came to the Royal Albert Hall with keynote speaker the awesome John Elkington, founder of SustainAbility, Theatre was launched at the National Theatre with inspired guest speakers Jonathon Porritt, and Nick Starr, CEO of the National Theatre and Orchestras launched at the Royal Festival Hall which coincided with 350th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Society & the European premiere of Icarus: At the Edge of Time by Brian Greene and Philip Glass.
Huge thanks to Jonathon and all at Forum for the Future, and to Nick and all at the National, and to Chris Cotton and his team at the Royal Albert Hall for their real support and leadership. Also to Jude Kelly and to Marshall Marcus at the Southbank Centre, Mark Pemberton and Keith Motson (ABO), Henry Little (Orchestras Live), and everyone else for their help – not least our funders Cathy Graham, Andrew Jonesand the British Council, Susanna Eastburn and the Arts Council, Rob Hallett and AEG and Simon Moran and SJM. Also all our panel members who critiqued (occasionally uncomfortable) and committed to (always inspired) the work:Jazz Summers, Chris Yorke, Bryan Grant, Rachel Tackley, Kathryn Macdowell, Sally Cowling and – specially, Catherine Bottrill (twice the average brain), Christina Tsiarta (same again). And the 500 or so people who came to the events.
Download the reports here: Bands, Orchestras, Theatres, or let then know if you would like a hard copy.
You can also read transcriptions of John Elkington andJonathon Porritt’s keynote speeches – it’s a good way of spending five minutes of your life.
Julie’s Bicycle launched Theatre Programme – via ashdenizen: pivotal role
June 28, 2010 newsAllott, Ambassador Theatre Group, Bedtime Story, Cameron Mackintosh, Climate Change, Director Cameron, Glyndebourne, Haworth Tompkins, Jeremy Clarkson, John Mcgrath, Jonathan Porritt, Judith Knight, Keynote Speaker, Lighting Designer, Moving Arts, Ptaszynski, Reducing Carbon Emissions, Royal Shakespeare Company, Steve Tompkins, Tickell
Julie’s Bicycle launched its theatre programme last week for reducing carbon emissions. JB‘s chief executive Alison Tickell said the theatre sector had been ‘short on vision, long on doubt’. What needed to be done, she said, was ‘to find a few priorities’ and ‘to commit on a major scale’. It was this thinking that lay behind the publication today of a new pamphlet Moving arts: managing the carbon impacts of our touring that gives the data on the most effective steps to take.
Nick Starr, executive director of the National Theatre, announced the names of the Theatre Group that he would chair. The list was impressive:
Nicholas Allott, managing director, Cameron Mackintosh; Gus Christie, executive chairman, Glyndebourne; Paule Constable, lighting designer; Vicky Featherstone, artistic director, National Theatre of Scotland; Vikki Heywood, executive director, Royal Shakespeare Company; Kate Horton, executive director, Royal Court Theatre; Judith Knight, director, Artsadmin; John McGrath, artistic director, National Theatre Wales; Andre Ptaszynski, managing director, Really Useful Group; Rosemary Squire, joint chief executive, Ambassador Theatre Group; Ben Todd, executive director, Arcola; Steve Tompkins director, Haworth Tompkins; and Erica Whyman, chief executive, Northern Stage
As the keynote speaker at the National this morning, Jonathan Porritt, applauded the practical well-researched approach that Julie’s Bicyclehad taken. He went on to widen the discussion, warning the audience against presenting climate change in apocalyptic terms. He thought the last government’s CO2 campaign that had used a bedtime story to convey the message was ‘shockingly awful’.
There were a number of good bits of news. He gave three examples. The new report that 98% of scientists concur with the science on climate change showed ‘Jeremy Clarkson is wrong’. He also couldn’t recall a time when ‘the innovation pipeline looked so good’. And the business case for an environmental strategy was something that ‘we had hardly started to understand’. His example was the huge advances made by Wal-Mart since its chief executive ‘got the green bug’.
But these upsides, Porritt said, left one thing missing, which was particularly relevant to today’s audience. Science was not enough. The Enlightenment idea that the truth would set us free has proved illusory. What’s needed is creative talent. ‘How can we fire up the sense of empathetic connectedness between people?’ he asked, ‘It makes the creative industries absolutely pivotal.’
via ashdenizen: pivotal role.
Aesthetics, Art, and Politics at University of Helsinki
April 10, 2010 Announcements, ConferencesAesthetic Theories, Art And Politics, Artistic Traditions, Contemporary Aesthetics, Fallacy, Finnish Society, Keynote Speaker, Nature Of Art, New Millennium, Novel Approaches, Phenomena, Political Aspects, Political Consequences, Political Considerations, Social Practices, Sorts, Supposition, Traditional Questions, University Of Helsinki, Www Fi
Finnish Society for Aesthetics
PO Box 4, FIN-0 0 0 1 4 UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI
www.estetiikka.fi
“Aesthetics, Art, and Politics,” 6.5.-7.5.2010, University of Helsinki
The Finnish Society for Aesthetics together with the research project Artification and its Impact on Art (http://www.artification.fi/) will arrange a two-day seminar on the theme “Aesthetics, Art, and Politics” from the 6th of May to the 7th of May 2010 at the University of Helsinki. The keynote speaker of the seminar is Professor Aleš Erjavec (Slovenia).
Significant connections between aesthetics, art, and politics continue to exist in the new millennium. However, alongside traditional questions about art’s relationship to politics and the political aspects of aesthetic phenomena, a new set of issues has gradually arisen which are as much a
result of changes occurring in aesthetics and art as they are a result of changes that have recently shaped politics. The criticism that different traditions of contemporary aesthetics have aimed against the idea of “pure aesthetics,” i.e., an aesthetics severed from political considerations, has been widely accepted. But what is the position of aesthetic theories which emphasize the social function of art and aesthetics today? Do the main traditions of contemporary aesthetics any longer manage to account for the current forms that the relationship between aesthetics, art, and politics takes or are novel approaches required for analyzing those connections?
Many other social practices besides art are to a growing extent characterized by features which have traditionally been associated primarily with art. What sorts of aesthetic and political consequences could this process known as “artification” involve? What are the effects of this development, for
example, to the alleged autonomous nature of art or is this supposition a mere fallacy anyway? Different artistic traditions and movements embody different kinds of ideologies. How should one understand the relationship between art and politics in a world where faith in the impact of politics is
increasingly diminishing? Changes of approach in recent art research also provide a new outlook on the theme of the seminar. Do the different research approaches articulate specific views of the connection between aesthetics and politics and what sorts of political underpinnings, if any, could these approaches themselves involve?
Theater Matters – notes from Earth Matters on Stage 2009 part I
May 23, 2009 Earth Matters on StageAcademic Affair, Cal State La, Cruz Gonzalez, Deconstruction, Discourse, Disposable Cups, Earth Matters, Ecology, Emos, Eugene Oregon, Extinction, Garrett, Jose Cruz, Keynote Speaker, Paper Plates And Napkins, Playwright, Sustainable Practice, Symposium, Tidbit, University Of Oregon
Okay, so I can’t keep my nose out of it…
I’m here in beautiful Eugene, Oregon attending the 2009 Earth Matters on Stage: A Symposium on Theatre & Ecology at the University of Oregon. Last night was the official beginning of the event with keynote speaker Una Chaudhuri giving a talk on what she has dubbed Zooesis, or the discourse of animals (or, rather non-humans) in the media.
As I emerged from the talk I looked at Ian Garrett of the Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts and Moe Beitiks of the Green Museum Blog and said: “I’m not smart enough to be here.” Which is to say if the opening moment of EMOS 2009 is a reliable indicator, it will be a highly academic affair. Chaudhuri was followed by obligatory phases of mingling with strangers (not my forte) while smugly observing the corn-based disposable cups, paper plates and napkins, an engaging, often heart wrenching (though also quite academic) play by EM Lewis called Song of Extinction, and the most structured post show discussion (aka talkback) I’ve ever participated in, led by Cal State LA professor and playwright Jose Cruz Gonzalez. Part of me thought, “oh, I shouldn’t have stuck around for this.” It had the effect of stifling the power of the play, and its masterly intertwined themes. I jotted on my program during the talkback this tidbit: “Robbing the visceral through incessant deconstruction.” But that’s my own problem, right?
Go to EcoTheater
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3821
|
__label__wiki
| 0.786524
| 0.786524
|
HomeWalden Pond PressCosmicWalden’s New Book COSMIC at the HarperCollins Spring Book Preview
Walden’s New Book COSMIC at the HarperCollins Spring Book Preview
November 9, 2009 Paul Martin Cosmic, Walden Pond Press 0
Walden Pond Press is Walden Media’s first dedicated publishing imprint. In partnership with HarperCollins, they publish books for young readers; and for selected titles, they develop them with filmmakers to become feature films. Their first book is COSMIC by Frank Cottrell Boyce.
School Library Journal’s awesome blogger, Elizabeth Bird (a.k.a. Fuse #8) attended the HarperCollins Spring 2010 Librarian Preview recently and posted about all the books she saw. Bird writes of the book at the librarian preview:
“And then we got down to what exactly Walden Pond Press is. It’s the newest Harper Collins imprint, and it does have ties to Walden Media (the folks who created the new Narnia films and all). However, this imprint is separate from the studio and they simply produce the kinds of books that would adapt to film easily. Hm.
Of course Frank Cottrell Boyce is no stranger to the cinematic world. If you’ll recall the book Millions was filmed in tandem with its publication. Now he has a new book out called Cosmic. I know two people who have read it so far, and the way they talk you’d think it was the next Holes. A Carnegie Medal winner, the book is about a boy who looks 30 and cons his way into a visit to space. Believe you me, it’s one of the first 2010 books I’ll be reading.”
Walden Pond Press
Canadian animation studio bringing Berenstain Bears to big screen
Tooth Fairy star Dwayne Johnson Discusses the New Movie
Walden Pond Press acquires The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
August 7, 2011 Paul Martin The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom 0
Walden Pond Press has just acquired a new middle-grade series by debut author Christopher Healy. The first book is called The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. The series is set in a fantasy world […]
HarperCollins Children’s Books Announces ‘Narnia … Beyond the Wardrobe’ Educator Sweepstakes
June 21, 2006 Paul Martin The Chronicles of Narnia 0
HarperCollins Children’s Books announced today the “Narnia … Beyond the Wardrobe” Educator Sweepstakes. Beginning June 21, 2006 and running through January 31, 2007, the contest offers the chance for a unique behind-the-scenes look at the […]
Space Center Houston and Walden Media Launch Exclusive “Totally Cosmic Adventure at NASA” Sweepstakes
January 14, 2010 Paul Martin Cosmic, Walden Pond Press 0
A one-of-a-kind, two-day immersive behind the scenes tour of NASA Celebrates the launch of COSMIC, an out-of-this-world adventure novel by best-selling author Frank Cottrell Boyce, who wrote award-winning book MILLIONS.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3826
|
__label__cc
| 0.538484
| 0.461516
|
The Deck: traditional vs digital collectable card games
Welcome to The Deck, a new section where we discuss anything and everything card game related - CCGs, Living Card Games and everything in between.
I can't for the life of me get into digital CCGs. Oh, I've tried. Actually, the first digital card game I played was the Pokemon Trading Card Game for the Gameboy and I loved that, but I was pretty young and it was Pokemon so what are you going to do? But even back then I much preferred the tactile nature of the actual Pokemon card game, and I still feel that way to this day, although I no longer play Pokemon.
Don't get me wrong - I can see why people love games like Blizzard's Hearthstone. You can get a quick fix of gaming goodness from the comfort of your own desk chair, maybe wearing nothing but a dressing gown and slippers. You can play whenever the urge strikes you and there will always be someone there to play with. The same can't be said for treeware CCGs where you have to get one or more friends around the same table in all your clothing. It's not something you can do when the mood strikes you, and I've never found playing solo variants to most card games as satisfying as playing with a friend (although the Lord of the Rings LCG comes close).
Magic Online by Wizards of the Coast
Digital CCGs are generally cheaper, too. The entry-level game is sometimes free, whereas traditional games have you fork out hard-earned cashola for that starter set. Anyone who has played Magic: The Gathering for a considerable length of time known that you can sink a tonne of money into those cardboard bastards.
So far, these are all arguments for playing digital CCGs, which is why I can totally see why people are smitten with them. But there are plenty of reasons why I like to play on a physical tabletop.
For one, it's much more fun playing with friends in the flesh. The game tends to flow differently: you're not at the mercy of a digital countdown timer or a chatbox. Sure, you could use Voip, but nothing beats sitting with your mates, sharing snacks and having a laugh in-person. Plus, you can't replicate the look on someone's face when they draw the exact card they need to pull off a game-ending combo.
Netrunner by Wizards of the Coast
I personally find it nicer to own physical cards. There's a certain ritual to slipping them into their
protective cases or laying them all out on the floor to build that perfect deck. I love placing tokens on cards when an effect springs up - maybe a coloured paperclip or shiny stone. It makes the game feel less clinical than an online version, where everything is perfect and there's an animation for all tokens. Physical games have a rawness that digital can only dream of capturing.
The we come on to boosters and theme packs. Opening one of these is part of the overall CCG experience and something that just hasn't been replicated digitally. Sure, you can open boosters on the computer, but it really isn't the same as feeling the crisp foil in your hands and slipping out the cards with the glimmer of hope in your eye that you'll find that rare, amazing card.
So that's my two pence. Where do you stand on digital versus traditional CCGs?
Labels: the stack
Marvel reveals Battleworld, the arena for Secret W...
Preview: Angela: Asgard's Assassin #1
Take a +10 to Charisma with these pint glasses
The Kicker: Era: The Consortium
The Kicker: fund real-life fighting mechs
The Deck: traditional vs digital collectable card ...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3829
|
__label__cc
| 0.533818
| 0.466182
|
Tuckerton Historical Society
Upcoming 2019 Events
Flea Market Location
Historical Articles >
Pharo Family Articles
Old Newspaper Articles
Misc. History Resources
Tuckerton Cemeteries >
Cemeteries Location Map
Friends Burial Ground
Tuckerton Methodist Cemetery
Little Egg Harbor Census (1773 - 1860) >
1850 Little Egg Harbor Census
Tuckerton Census Data >
Tuckerton 1910 Census Transcription
Tuckerton 1930 Census
1895 Veterans Census
Audio Presentations
Hindenburg 74th Anniversary Ceremony
July 4, 2010 Tuckerton Parade
Other Site Links
WOMEN IN HISTORY - March 21st
Shirley Nugent and Mary Lou Mathis presented what life was like, both work and play, for different generations of Tuckerton women including Leah Blackman, Sarah Thompson, the Price sisters, and Jennie Pharo. Parts of their diaries and other writing were read and discussed. Barbara Bolton (photo on right) spoke on the Suffragette movement and Women throughout America's wars from the Revolution to the present. The program ended with members of the audience speaking about a woman who was a positive influence in their lives.
VOICES IN THE PINES - April 25th
Karen Riley joined us with an informative and entertaining talk about her favorite subject, the New Jersey Pine Barrens. She presented an overview of her new book, "Voices in the Pines" which highlights and tells a story about a variety of Pine's people she was privileged to interview. Both her interesting and colorful speaking and writing style make the people come alive.
ANTIQUE TOOLS - May 16th
Carl Bopp spoke on the common wood plane, its manufacture and use from the mid 1800's through the early 1900's. He talked about specific plane makers in Philadelphia and the various trades that used the wide variety and sizes of handmade planes produced. Of particular interest were the many coopers (barrel makers) in Philadelphia who used the wooden plane to produce barrels, specifically for the brewery industry. Carl shared some of his wood plane collection, pointing out the name of the plane maker stamped in the wood of each piece of their work and the practice of each carpenter to, often, carve their name and date of acquisition into the plane. Photos of the cooper industry in Philadelphia were also shared. Questions were answered and various old tools brought by listeners were identified.
WORLD WAR II - June 13th
Bob Buchanan gave a slide presentation of photos he took in various campaigns throughout Northern Africa and Europe during World War II. The audience was able to share their personnel war-time experiences.
POSTCARDS FROM MANAHAWKIN TO NEW GRETNA - July 18th
Russel Mathis, Mary Lou Mathis, and Pete Stemmer spoke on the history of post cards from Manahawkin to New Gretna and how they can be a help to historians and genealogists. Many examples of actual postcards were presented in addition to a slide show of many local area postcards. Audience members were able to share postcards from their personnel collections.
THE HISTORY OF PARKERTON, N.J. - August 15th
The history of Parkertown was discussed by Betty Shinn, Barbara Bolton, Shirley Nugent, and Pete Stemmer, followed by the official release of the Tuckerton Historical Society's new publication, "The History of Parkertown, N.J."
CLAMTOWN FLEA MARKET - September 19th
The Tuckerton Historical Society sponsored the Clamtown Antique Flea Market from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tip Seaman Park in downtown Tuckerton, N.J.
Tuckerton Historical Society - 35 Leitz Blvd. & Wisteria Lane, Little Egg Harbor, N.J. 08087
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3831
|
__label__cc
| 0.53662
| 0.46338
|
The Personalist Project
To reset your password, submit the email address you registered with below, and we'll send instructions.
What are you doing for religious freedom?
Katie van Schaijik | Jun 27, 2012
The United States bishops have asked for our participation in a "Fortnight for Freedom." Here's the announcement at the USCCB:
The fourteen days from June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day, are dedicated to this “fortnight for freedom”—a great hymn of prayer for our country. Our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Culminating on Independence Day, this special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action will emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty. Dioceses and parishes around the country have scheduled special events that support a great national campaign of teaching and witness for religious liberty.
I saw a friend yesterday who's making a point of starting conversations wherever she goes. And she's asking every priest she encounters to raise it in homilies. She's also praying lots of holy hours. I'm fasting from wine, saying prayers, and working on a post on the subject.
Sign in to add a comment, or register first.
Like/follow us on Facebook
Become a member to enjoy full access
or Join our mailing list
Email me about new posts:
Don't email me about:
local events (West Chester, PA)
© The Personalist Project 2020
519 North High Street
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3843
|
__label__wiki
| 0.79675
| 0.79675
|
New Colorway For Stephen Curry's Latest Shoe Is Tribute To Alma Mater
By: ThePostGame Staff
The latest version of Stephen Curry's signature shoe is an homage to his collegiate alma mater, Davidson. This model of the Under Armour Curry 3 is known as the TCC, which stands for Trust, Care & Commitment, the Davidson basketball motto. Davidson's primary school color of red dominates the shoe with additional elements of grey and black.
In the 2008 NCAA tournament, Curry scored 40 points against Gonzaga, 30 against Georgetown and 33 against Wisconsin to push the Wildcats into the regional final with Kansas. The Jayhawks prevailed 59-57, despite 25 points from Curry, and went on to win the national title.
"Davidson is a huge part of who I am," Curry says in a promotional video for the shoe.
Davidson's athletic teams, with the exception of men's basketball, began wearing Under Armour gear this season. The basketball team will finish its contract with Nike before switching to Under Armour in 2018.
Raptors President Masai Ujiri Brings NBA Championship Trophy Home To Nigeria
Derrick Rose: How John Calipari Recruited Me To Memphis
How Athlete Caricatures Exploded Into Multi-Million Dollar Merchandise Business
Dave Winfield: Youth Athletes Benefit Playing Multiple Sports
Basketball, College Basketball, Davidson Wildcats, Golden State Warriors, NBA, NCAAB, Shoes, Sneakers, Stephen Curry, Under Armour
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3844
|
__label__wiki
| 0.810278
| 0.810278
|
AIROLL, MARGINAL TERRAIN VEHICLE
Text is at the bottom of the page
1 - Sheet N ° 142 of Mr. d'Herman filed at the Royal Academy in 1713.
Pict from book of Jean Noulin : 'Histoire des tracteurs à chenilles en France', ETAI, 92100 Boulogne , 1997.
2 - Patent of R. O. Marsh of February 14, 1956. US2734476 patent
3 - Airoll, first prototype in 1962. http://www.jedsite.info/fulltrack-alpha/alpha/airoll_series/airoll/airoll.html
4 - Airoll 1, 2nd prototype in 1965. http://www.jedsite.info/fulltrack-alpha/alpha/airoll_series/airoll-series.html
5 - XM 759 at Pendelton Museum around 1975. From book 'World Mook' N° 27, Japon, around 1975.
6 - XM 759 in a Museum of Northern California around 2005. From site com-central.net
7 - 8 - XM 759 in tests in 1967.
Picture from book of Fred Crismon ‘US Military Tracked Vehicles’, Motorbook International Publishers & Wholesellers, 1992.
7 - 8 - XM 759 in tests in 1967. From 'Les véhicules amphibies', N° 73, Editions Atlas, 1985.
9 - 10 - 11 - Canadair-Fisher CL -213 in 1963-1964. https://sites.google.com/site/canadair50otherproducts/1956vehicles
9 - 10 - 11 - Canadair-Fisher CL -213 in 1963-1964. Pict from 'Science et Vie' Oct 1964.
9 - 10 - 11 - Canadair-Fisher CL -213 in 1963-1964. Pict J M M Collection (from Fred Crismon).
12 - Dredge, of Clark Equipment Co, for firefighting, exploration, maintenance and rescue vehicle in 1967 for US Forest Service, Portland, Oregon. Pict from http://www.amphibiousvehicle.net/frame.html, an excellent site.
13 - Zil PKTs-1 in 1965. http://sovcarhistory.ru/category/%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%BB/
14 - GAZ 47-AMA of A. M. Avenarius in 1965. Pict J M M Archives.
15 - GT-TK of A. M. Avenarius in 1974.
Pict of the book ‘Les Tracteurs et Engins Spéciaux Chenillés Soviétiques’, Tome II, by Alain Dupouy, Publisher A Dupouy, Grenoble, 1986.
The first patent for caterpillar (Photo 1) comes from Mr. Hermand in 1713 (Memoir No. 142 presented at the Academy of Sciences, France). It may be noted in this patent a series of rollers assembled but the track as we know it today is different, its design dating from the mid-19th and early 20th century, as if d'Hermand had invented in the starting 'Airoll' concept resumed 250 years later.
After a jump in time and several patents later, we found a U.S. patent No. 2.734.476 of February 16 1956 describing a kind of raft equipped with rollers (Fig. 2). There was no prototype. It came only in 1962 with the Airoll MVT, Marginal Terrain Vehicle. The MVT were experimental vehicles in the 60s and 70s able to travel on land classified as marginal as they were impassable to vehicles already existing.
1 - Airoll : The first simplified working prototype called Airoll (photo 3), was established in June 1962 by Ingersoll Kalamazoo Division of Borg Warner and the U.S. Navy. After testing, this system was considered the first vehicle outperforming the wheel and the caterpillar. Sixteen tires 'Terra Tires' attached to chains driven by large diameter sprockets rotated freely. The lower tires were pressed between the pontoons and the ground. To move through half-liquid deep mud, swamps, snow and sand, the rollers did not turn over but always moving in translation and acted as paddle wheels. It was reported that the device behaved better than any known vehicle in the mud almost liquid. Powered by a Chrysler V8 engine and weighting 9 t, it could travel at 50 km / h on land and 16 on the water.
2 - Airoll I : The Borg-Warner Corporation and the U.S. Marine Corps in 1965 presented a more elaborate version, narrower and practice, the Airoll I (photo 4), equipped with 13 tires on each side, mud guards, position lights and windshield. With a capacity of half a ton and tested extensively on 15.000 km, this achievement was rather successful. With excellent capacity on soft soil and water, the lateral stability and reliability should be improved. Known also as the 'Water Skipper' or LVA-X1, it remains to our knowledge a copy to the USMC Museum in Quantico, Maryland.
3 - XM 759 : The U.S. Army took the idea and ordered the XM759 Marginal Terrain Vehicle (photos 5-6-7-8) to Pacific Car and Foundry. It weighed 4.2 tones for a payload of 1.4 tones, length 6.2 m, wide 2.8 m and 17 tires on each side.
USMC bought 7 more, better equipped to test and manufactured between February and March 1967. The XM 759 could carry 14 fully equipped men plus 2 crews. The features were : ground pressure 0.15 kg/cm2, tank 223 l and 260 km of autonomy, maximum gradient 60% and side slope 30%, crossing a vertical wall of 0.9 m and a trench 2 m wide. It was self recovery with capstan heads bolted on the front sprockets or rear wheels. The engine was located behind the cab.
It can be seen (photo 5) that of the Museum of Pendelton and another in a private collection (photo 6) in Northern California.
4 - Canadair Fisher : A small civil ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), Fisher-Canadair CL-213 or X-209 (Photo 9-10-11) was built in 1963 and 1964 by a defector from Ford, Montrealer A. Gordon Fisher. Equipped with a single cylinder Rotax 9 hp, it had a payload of 250 kg for a total weight of 362 kg and a speed of 19 km/h on land and 4 km/h on water. Its uniqueness is of course that it incorporated Airoll system propulsion with 7 tires on each side, which gave very good all terrain performance . Two were built one for the U.S. Army who tried from March to July 1967 and called for a larger version.
5 - Dredge : The Dredge (photo 12), built in 1967 by Development Division of Clark Equipment Co., Cassoplis, Michigan, for U.S Forest Service, Portland, Oregon, used the same method of propulsion. Completely refurbished in 1983, it was used for a year for maintenance of a pond. With 4 hydraulic winches, two large pumps, two Buick V6 engines and an aluminum body, it was also amphibious.
6 - USSR : The Russians too had their 'Airoll'. The Studies Office of Zil edited by B. A. Grachev conceived in 1965 a machine type 'Airoll', the ZIL PKTs-1 (photo 13). It was considered too large, too heavy and lacking stability in the verse, consuming too much and wear out quickly.
But Alexander Mikhailovich Avenarius had proposed a system with gear wheels-tracks in 1942 and again in 1950 without much success. Avenarius calls on the ZIL plant in Moscow in 1965 to create the GAZ47-AMA (photo 14) tried but discarded as scrap. By no means removed, it realizes the KV-1 and 15 years later, the KV-1M weighting 1-ton equipped of tracks with rollers of 25 cm and then in 1974, a transport GT-TK of 10 t (photo 15) with rollers of 32 cm. Tests on hundreds of miles were made in 1975-76 on the most diverse land and proved very successful. In addition, this system did not deteriorate as much soil a classic track.
The mechanism 'Airoll' was not series produced despite its qualities. They found it cumbersome and unreliable, although these defects could be corrected. Many other modes of off-road transportation were invented and tried both the imagination of inventors and engineers are fertile, but it's that one which, beyond its originality, is closest to the final stage of mass production.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3851
|
__label__cc
| 0.650781
| 0.349219
|
Births for July 3, 2019
Eli Bundy
Adalynn McGreevey
Cayde McLaren
Bryant LaForge
Jaxten Thacker
Evelynn Wilson
Naomi LaMarr
Trinity Fulton
Olivia Franks
Jenny Sorrell
Issue Date: 7/3/2019
Last Updated: 7/1/2019 5:50:11 PM |
POLSON — Eli James Dennis Bundy was born on June 18, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 22 and one-fifth incheslong and weighed 9 pounds, .04 ounces. Eli’s parents are Veyanna Curley and Zane Bundy. Maternal grandparents are Lennie Webster and Vincent Curley. Maternal great-grandparents are Vonnie and Dennis Webster. Paternal grandparents are Ellie Bundy and Gail Hendrix. Paternal great-grandparents are Patty and James Bundy.
POLSON — Emma and Shona Benn and Jodessa and Jasper McGreevey announce the birth of sister, Adalynn Jean McGreevey. She was born on June 12, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Adalynn was 17 and one-half inches long and weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces. Her parents are Sunny Sifford and Jeremiah McGreevey of Ronan. Maternal grandparents are Victoria and Rick Sifford. Maternal great-grandparents are Ruth Mackert, Alice Whitewater and the late Ralph Whitewater. Paternal grandparents are Shawna and Tom McGreevey. Paternal great-grandparents are Rita and Vernon Snyder and the late Frank and Laverne McGreevey.
POLSON — Cayde Stephen McLaren was born on June 11, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 22 inches long and weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces. Cayde’s parents are Hali and Sean McLaren of Polson. Maternal grandparents are Margaret and Kim Hyde. Paternal grandparents are Mary Ann and Franz McLaren.
POLSON — Alexine LaForge is excited to announce the birth of brother, Bryant Eneas LaForge. Bryant was born on June 10, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 20 and three-quarter inches long and weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces. Bryant’s parents are Amber Quequesah and Terrell LaForge of Elmo. Maternal grandparents are Gwynetta Hewankorn and Joseph Quequesah. Maternal great-grandparents are Florence Couture and Lavonna Bays. Paternal grandparents are Sylvia Nasood LaForge and Daniel Thomas. Paternal great-grandparents are Morris St. Pierre, Alexine LaForge, Betty and Nelson Naswood.
Exzaria Miller
POLSON — Exzaria Lee Dani Miller was born on June 17, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. She was 21 inches long and weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces. Her mother is Karla Hornsby of Polson. Maternal grandparent is Jennifer Powell. Maternal great-grandparents are Lori and Richard Miller.
POLSON — Dahlia Starkel announces the birth of her brother, Jaxten John Thacker. He was born on June 18, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Jaxten was 20 inches long and weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces. His parents are Jonalyn Starkel and Clayton Thacker or Polson. Maternal grandparents are Rayne Lafrinire and John Starkel. Maternal great-grandparents are Myrna Sexton and Janet and Leroy Lafrinire. Paternal grandparents are Sarah Wroble and Andrew Thacker. Paternal great-grandparents are Judy and Joe Thacker and Julia and Jed Wroble. Paternal great great-grandparent is Teresa Thacker.
POLSON — Alexia and Gavin Wilson announce the birth of their sister, Evelynn SueAnne Wilson. She was born on June 17, 2019, at the Nesting Place at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Evelynn was 20 inches long and weighed 8 pounds, 8.3 ounces. Her parents are Crystal and Aaron Wilson of Polson. Maternal grandparents are Laurie and Scott Lundy. Maternal great-grandparents are Patricia and Joe Harmon and Ruth and Jim Lundy. Paternal grandparents are Connie and Perry Wilson. Paternal great-grandparents are Alma Wilson, Gaylord Wilson and Barbara and Ralph Rutledge.
POLSON — Nakoah and Kneon Ortega announce the birth of sister, Naomi Rose LoveBird LaMarr. She was born on June 23, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. Naomi was 20 and one-half inches long and weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces. Her parents are Lyne Ortega and Kurt LaMarr of Hot Springs. Maternal grandparents are Linda Maltore and Manuel Ortega. Maternal great-grandparents are Magic and Harriet McDougall. Paternal grandparents are Ginny and Jim Daly. Paternal great-grandparents are Helen and Bill LaMarr.
POLSON — Trinity Dawn Fulton was born on June 7, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. She is welcomed by sisters and brothers, Robert, Michael, James, Deklan, Abbagail and Sylvia. Trinity was 19 inches long and weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Her parents are Javona Clinkenbeard and Kenneth Fulton of Pablo. Maternal grandparents are Kathrine Morgan and Dwane Bergeron. Paternal grandparents are Kathlean and David Flanagan.
POLSON — Olivia Jade Franks was born on June 20, 2019, at the Nesting Place in Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. She was 20 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 1.5 ounces. Olivia’s parents are Maria Stiles and Curtis Franks of Polson. She joins Destiny, Hailey and Connor in the Franks home. Maternal grandparents are Irene and Wallace Olsen. Maternal great-grandparents are Sarah and Sam Olsen. Paternal grandparents are Ann and Herb Sias.
RONAN — Jenny Mae Sorrell was born June 18, 2019, at St. Luke Community Healthcare. Paternal grandparents are Arnold and Dawnelle Sorrell of St. Ignatius. Maternal grandparents are Rick Kiehn of Spirit Lake, Idaho, and Stacey McQuade-Eger of Mount Vernon, Washington.
St. Luke Community Healthcare
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3853
|
__label__wiki
| 0.513163
| 0.513163
|
The Fisherman and the eagle
By joeb1 GOLD, Keswick, Other
More by this author Follow joeb1
joeb1 GOLD, Keswick, Other
“There was once a whaler named Yutu, he had a wife Kirmia and owned a small whaling vessel on which he worked every day. They had two small boys named Yoskolo and Yotimo who used to play games, pretending to work on the ship with their father and looked up to him as a hero.
“Every morning Yutu would get up extremely early, dress, go downstairs, pick up his slab of whale blubber or slice of fish, warm his boots and leave for work. Walking a mile in the icy weather, Yutu would go out on his boat and face the freezing temperatures from dawn ‘til dusk.
“After the day was over, he would go home, often empty handed and more often than not, he and Kirmia would have to explain to the boys, why they wouldn’t be eating that night.
“Although Yutu loved his family, he also loved to gamble and so occasionally, he would simply “misplace” his day’s earnings to pay back his debt to the hungry loan sharks. However he could never burden the family with his troubles.
“One day, Yutu heard from a business associate from another town, of a huge pod of whales heading their way. Buzzing with excitement, Yutu went to bed but could not sleep, and so went into his workshop and got ready for the next morning. After spending half of the night toiling outside, he went back upstairs and slept for a couple of hours. He hadn’t told Kirmia of the rumours though, as he didn’t want to raise her hopes only to disappoint her afterwards as had happened so many times before.
“It was early when Yutu woke up. He jogged downstairs and swiped his leftover sardine from the counter. Nodding at Kirmia, he left without saying a word. The journey to the harbour lasted less time than usual as Yutu had a spring in his step, imagining the wealth which lay beyond him.
“Boarding his ship, Yutu set up all of the nets; brought the engine to life and was off into the roaring ocean.
“Crying in happiness, he watched a huge pod of whales swimming past his ship majestically, and yelled in triumph as almost immediately the biggest whale in sight swam straight past him.
“Seizing his chance, he swung round his long and fatal harpoon cannon, shot the whale and hauled it up alongside the vessel. Smiling in delight, Yutu sat down.
“This whale, he thought, was big enough to feed the entire family and all of their friends for at least a year and with what was left over, he could pay back his debts and buy Kirmia the gold necklace she had seen in town.
“Standing up, a beam draped across his face, Yutu turned the boat around and heade back home. Just as he entered the harbour, Yutu noticed a smaller Whale slumped on a neighbouring vessel. On its back was a huge chest overflowing with beautiful gold jewellery. Yutu smiled in wonder, immediately forgetting the first whale. He was about to aim his harpoon cannon when an eagle swooped down onto the ship.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Yutu demanded angrily.
“The eagle replied
“Do not take that, it is not yours,
You have no right or justly cause,
If you do, you’ll have to pay
And that undoubtedly will ruin your day,
Leave it there and go on back,
Or face the consequence and risk attack.
Heed my warning and don’t forget,
I’ll be watching, consider my threat.”
“ Yutu took no notice of the eagle’s warning and shot the Whale; he then stole the chest and went home happily.
“Kirmia was so shocked when she saw the treasure that she almost fell over, whilst the two boys giggled childishly and rolled around in delight. They all thanked Yutu and went upstairs to their bedrooms.
“In bed that night, Kirmia smiled at Yutu. “We’re the richest family in the village, Yutu! You’ll never have to work again!”
“No,” Yutu replied solidly, “I will not stop until we are the richest family in Europe!”
“The next day, Yutu went back out on the ship and once again, the sea was teeming with life. After throwing in his first net he glimpsed an elk hiding on an ice sheet in the distance. It was guarding a huge, shining pearl which shone brighter than the shiniest of stars. His face lighting up like a lamp, Yutu imagined what he could buy with what he earned from the pearl. He was just about to shoot the elk when once again the eagle swooped down and screeched as before,
And that will surely ruin your day,
Or face the consequences and risk attack.
“Yutu took no notice, killed the elk and pocketed the pearl.
“Yutu then went home, even more joyous than yesterday as now he could buy anything he wanted, but it still wasn’t enough for him.
“Kirmia hugged him passionately and the two boys stared in awe at the pearl, their eyes gleaming almost as brightly as it was.
“Once more in bed Kirmia smiled proudly at Yutu, “Yutu! Now we’re the richest family in Europe, you’ll never have to work again!”
“No,” Yutu whispered, the hunger for power coursing through his veins. “I will not stop until I am the richest man in the world.”
“Kirmia rolled over and went to sleep, but Yutu stayed awake, greed engulfing his body like an ugly infection.
“The third day that Yutu went out on his ship was the same, and just like before, the ocean was alive. He threw in his first net when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a huge cave on the ice. In the cave mouth stood a treasure chest filled tight with diamonds. Yutu looked at it greedily, and was just wondering what the best way would be to get the chest, when the eagle swooped down once again. It screeched, just like before:
I’ll be watching... Consider my threat.”
“ Yutu swatted the eagle away and climbed out onto the ice. He walked slowly towards the chest, licking his lips with temptation. He tried to pick it up but it was too heavy and so instead he started to pull it away. Before he had even taken two steps, there was a terrible roar from inside the cave. Panic started to rise in the pit of Yutu’s stomach as he tried to pull the chest faster but it was impossible. He could now hear something sprinting towards him, and so looked at the chest and then back at the cave and started trying to push the heavy chest away frantically. Suddenly there was an even louder roar which shook the ice like a piece of cloth and a huge polar bear leapt into sight. Terrified, Yutu sprinted away from the bear, but his large elk skin shoes slipped on the ice. The bear growled and launched itself forwards like a white cannonball and took hold of Yutu’s ankle. It dragged him back into the dark cave, never to be seen again.
“The bear then padded back over to the ship, pounding the ice beneath it in rage. The ship slowly tipped off the ice and sank into the crashing waves, leaving the treasure behind in the snow.
“Starting to crawl back along the ice, the bear smiled as the eagle swooped down, perching on its back carefully. Together they re-entered the cave happily, ready to live out the rest of their lives in peace.
“There was uproar in the town when they found out about the bear and only days after the incident, the town police had sought out and slaughtered it, blaming it for Yutu’s death. Nobody even cared what Yutu might have done to deserve his grisly demise, but instead the humans did what they do best and killed what they didn’t understand.After grieving their loss, Kirmia, Yoskolo and Yotimo lived happily together, sharing their new riches among the whole town. They never found out about Yutu’s gambling and even in death the two boys thought of him as a hero.”
Stumbling back down the branch having told its story, the old, lonely eagle, screeched once into the howling wind. It flew off sadly into the cold, dark night, alone once more.
It Was That Time of Season Again...
By heather juneau
Jefferson, LA
A Million Years Ago...
By Zach Branson
I Spent That Saturday in Central Park...
By Courtney Turner
A Servant’s Impenetrable Heart
By Jerelyn Luther
By Rachel Jenner
South Yarmouth, MA
I Believe in True Love
By Nicole Lulinski
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3859
|
__label__cc
| 0.675301
| 0.324699
|
AndyScott
angad10sep
Last seen 2:35 pm 09/02/2019, Joined 6:45 pm 20/12/2017, canada
angel653922
angeleuiaa
Angelica Relevo
Last seen 9:30 pm 06/10/2013, Joined 9:26 pm 06/10/2013, philippines
AngelicaXavier
Last seen 7:40 am 22/10/2011, Joined 7:27 am 22/10/2011, USA
Angeseevedync
Anhqle
Last seen 5:01 pm 02/02/2018, Joined 4:56 pm 02/02/2018, Washington
aniityberg
anil_king
Animiss
Last seen 7:19 am 15/08/2015, Joined 6:47 am 15/08/2015, Oklahoma
Aninnaissueve
ankith
annadaley
Last seen 10:38 am 08/09/2016, Joined 1:11 pm 26/11/2014, Australia
Annuahnax
annyhill
Last seen 4:19 pm 06/05/2019, Joined 2:26 pm 03/05/2019, USA
anon5159
anonymous79
Last seen 5:45 pm 27/09/2012, Joined 5:45 pm 27/09/2012, London
anothermindbomb
Last seen 2:08 pm 16/04/2011, Joined 11:10 am 16/04/2011, Cheltenham Spa
anoxRouppyRaf
anparkin
antarezx
Last seen 6:25 am 07/12/2011, Joined 6:06 am 07/12/2011, somwhere here
antiheroe13
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3860
|
__label__cc
| 0.595851
| 0.404149
|
Corridors of Blood (1958)
Directed by Robert Day.
With Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Betta St. John, Finlay Currie, Adrienne Corri, Francis De Wolff, Francis Matthews, Frank Pettingell, Basil Dignam.
In the years before the discovery of modern anesthesia, medical doctor Thomas Bolton (Karloff) searches for an answer to painless surgery. He develops an opium-based sedative - a form of nitrous oxide - but in the process becomes hopelessly addicted to the drug.
Drawn into a seedy underworld headed by unscrupulous tavern owner Black Ben (De Wolff) and slimy henchman Resurrection Joe (Lee), it's all Bolton can do to stay alive. But can he reap the fruits of his humanitarian efforts, or will he be forever enslaved by the murderous crimes of his newfound associates?
In Corridors of Blood, Karloff turns in one of the best performances of his latter day career; his Thomas Bolton is a tortured but sympathetic man, consumed by empathy for his patients, but doomed to failure by his inability to control the awesome power of the formula he's created.
De Wolff and Lee provide excellent support, seemingly spurred on by Karloff, and together the pair lend the effort just the right touch of dark villainy. The early Victorian London setting is masterfully recreated and used to great effect.
Director Robert Day (who also helmed The Haunted Strangler with Boris the same year) clearly knows how to suss the best out of his inimitable lead, not to mention the entire supporting cast, and the results are superlative. A winner all around.
Also known as Doctor from Seven Dials.
© copyright 1998-present | The Terror Trap; www.terrortrap.com | all rights reserved
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3861
|
__label__wiki
| 0.674908
| 0.674908
|
Ponies One Away from Sweeping Erie
Saturday, April 21, 2018 10:17 PM EDT
By FOX 40 Staff
fox40news@wicz.com
Follow @wicztv
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -
The Binghamton Rumble Ponies collected their second win in as many days on Saturday afternoon, edging the Erie SeaWolves 4-2 at NYSEG Stadium. Mickey Jannis tossed five innings of three-hit baseball in his return to the Southern Tier, while the combination of timely hits and bullpen strength helped propel the Ponies to their sixth win of the season.
Erie scored first for the second straight game, plating two in the second inning. After back-to-back singles from Gabriel Quintana and Jake Rogers, Herleese Rodriguez doubled home the game's first run. A.J. Simcox followed with a run-scoring groundout, pushing the SeaWolves ahead 2-0 early.
Jannis (1-0) wouldn't allow another run the rest of the afternoon. The Knuckleballer struck out three across his five innings in his first Rumble Ponies start of 2018.
The Binghamton bats responded in the bottom of the third with two runs to tie the game. Levi Michael wasted no time as the lead-off man, blasting his first home run of the season off of SeaWolves starter Kyle Funkhouser. After Andrew Ely walked and John Mora singled, Peter Alonso's run-scoring double play pushed Ely across to tie the game at 2-2.
The Rumble Ponies eventual game-winning run crossed in the bottom of the fourth. Jeff McNeil set the table for Jhoan Urena by mashing a one-out triple into right-center field. With Urean at the dish, McNeil darted home safely on Funkhouser's lone wild pitch, earning Binghamton a 3-2 lead
Funkhouser (0-1) lasted as long as Jannis, going five innings of three-run ball. In his third-ever Double-A start, Funkhouser struck out nine and walked one.
John Mora pushed home Bingahmton's seventh-inning insurance run with a two-out single, plating Michael and extending the lead to 4-2
Austin McGeorge, David Roseboom, and Eric Hanhold combined to shutout the SeaWolves over the game's final four innings. The trio had three strikeouts without issuing a walk.
Binghamton (6-7) concludes its three-game set against Erie on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 PM at NYSEG Stadium. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 1:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.
POSTGAME NOTES:Erie has scored first in both games of the series…Levi Michael's home run was his first since August 25, 2017 (with Rochester)…Rumble Ponies struck out a season-high 14 times.
Courtesy: Binghamton Rumble Ponies
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3867
|
__label__wiki
| 0.768762
| 0.768762
|
Cancelled PS Vita Games – “Compromising Quality”
October 26, 2019 Simon Plumbe Blog, Features, Headlines, Kickstarter 0
We’re nearing the end of the road for the PS Vita as a commercially viable platform for most developers. Many have released their final games. Others are wrapping up work on what may well be their last titles. Yet others are cancelling games that have been promised for months, if not years. A lot of these cancelled PS Vita games have been funded through sites like Kickstarter or Indiegogo but why is it happening?
For PS Vita owners, it’s frustrating. Backing any crowdfunding project can be something of a gamble and there has sadly been more than their fair share of projects over the last few years that have disappeared with backers money. Books, games, games consoles, music – we’ve all heard horror stories of creators vanishing without a trace. One that most will have heard of is the ZX Spectrum Vega+ handheld console, where the creators ran off with over £500,000 of backers money. We all appreciate the risks but you do begin to wonder whether spending your money at jackpot city casino wouldn’t be a better bet than trusting it to unproven game developers…
Commercial Viability
For a lot, they simply see no future in the Vita. With the cost of developing a Vita title the returns aren’t worth the investment. Many are genuinely concerned that sales won’t recoup development costs let alone make a profit. If games are being written from scratch this concern is understandable. With expenses of hiring programmers, artists, musicians etc, costs can escalate quickly. It’s slightly easier when a game is developed for multiple platforms as most of the creative assets only need to be done once, but it’s still expensive.
Depending on the game engine used, porting may not be particularly difficult for some but smaller teams still may not have the resources to do so. The introduction of Unity to the PS Vita made life easy for many. When Minutes was ported, the developer was allowed to covert the game between the PS Vita and PS4 in one week. What was more incredible is that he did this on his own!
There’s also the question of market interest. There are some titles that will always be popular with gamers and will achieve good, if not reasonably good sales figures. But in today’s unstable climate for the PS Vita, it’s harder for titles to make an impact, and even more so for smaller indie games. Gamers have a finite budget to play with and sadly the Vita is no longer the top priority for many so titles really need to stand out or have to be competitively priced to have a chance to be a success.
Limited Edition Releases
In some cases, developers had financial support. Not directly but by striking deals with publishers such as Limited Run Games, Red Art Games, and others who specialise in physical versions of digital titles. The impact these have had on smaller indie studios can’t be dismissed. When a game may have struggled financially through the PlayStation Store, a guaranteed 2,000 physical sales can make a difference between a game coming to the Vita or not.
While these Western publishers are no longer able to support indie studios in this way, it doesn’t mean the financial support has to end. Eastasiasoft still have access to Sony’s manufacturing plant in the East and are continuing to release new physical Vita titles well into 2020. Working with a wide range of publishers means that all manner of titles are still being ported. This lifeline being offered to many could be the difference maker between a publisher abandoning the Vita or continuing to support it with their future projects.
Limited Run Games
About Simon Plumbe 857 Articles
Husband, father and lifelong geek. Originally from the West Midlands, now spending my days in South Wales with my family and a house full of animals. Passionate about video games, especially retro gaming, the Commodore 64 and PlayStation Vita. Love pro wrestling, sci-fi and I'm an animal lover and vegetarian.Enjoyed this and my other articles? Why not buy me a coffee: http://ko-fi.com/simonplumbe
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3882
|
__label__wiki
| 0.730745
| 0.730745
|
Ben Denzer, 2011–present
Shifts the burden.
— Kai
The authorship is in the process of the making.
— Chika Okeke-Agulu
Design can be very satisfied with itself too quickly.
— David Reinfurt
It’s like a thousand rats there!
— Lily on a deer
There’s a nice tang to the meat stick.
— Rick Curtis
And you did and you do.
— Yokunakatta, “Foray”
Proof that God has a sense of humor: he now has a daughter.
— Mitch
Nuclear war is still a threat, but no one thinks about it anymore.
— Michael Gordin
Somebody’s always made the connection.
— Lucia Allais
It looks wonderful, but it smells like 19th century.
— Mario Gandelsonas
At Parque del Este nature itself represented Venezuela, literally, as material source of its wealth, giving its oil, iron, aluminum, and gold.
— Anita Berrizbeitia, Roberto Burle Marx in Caracas: Parque del Este, 1956 - 1961
In the disciplinary societies one was always starting again (from school to the barracks, from the barracks to the factory), while in the societies of control one is never finished with anything - the corporation, the educational system, the armed services being metastable states coexisting in the one and the same modulation, like a universal system of deformation.
— Gilles Deleuze, “Postscript on the Societies of Control”
If you treat the parks as weaponized objects.
— Justin Fowler
Has anyone told you you look like Bradley Cooper?
— Tyler Perry
Who wants to organize a painting, I don’t want to do it.
— Morgan Fisher
I often prefer not to use any terms, just describe what’s happening.
You don’t want to be unsurprising for 35 years.
Barf.
Charles was on the board of the Ringling Brothers College and often referred to the circus as an example of what design and art should be: not self-expression but precise discipline.
— Beatriz Colomina, “Enclosed by Images: The Eameses’ Multimedia Architecture”
Now that’s an esophagus!
— Aogaeru, Spirited Away
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3887
|
__label__wiki
| 0.649522
| 0.649522
|
Robert Guldberg
Vice President and Robert and Leona DeArmond Executive Director
The Guldberg Lab
guldberg@uoregon.edu
Robert Guldberg joined the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact in August 2018. Guldberg studies muscle and bone growth and development, focusing on potential regenerative therapies following traumatic injuries and in degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. He holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering as well as a master’s degree in bioengineering, all from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the Knight Campus, Guldberg was at Georgia Tech, where he served as executive director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, and was a professor at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Biomedical Engineering. His primary research funding comes from the National Institutes of Health, US Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and several biotechnology companies.
Faculty and Executive Leadership
Moira Kiltie
Jim Hutchison
Andrew Nelson
Tim Gardner
Keat Ghee Ong
Calin Plesa
Marian Hettiaratchi
Bill Cresko
Karen Guillemin
Darren Johnson
Mike Hahn
Vickie DeRose
Leslie Leve
Annie Zemper
Knight Campus Organizational Chart
Associates and Affiliates
Knight Campus External Advisory Board
Knight Campus Internal Advisory Board
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3889
|
__label__wiki
| 0.828842
| 0.828842
|
Business and Indicators|
ECX |
Seasam
Other Tradeing Commodities
BUSINESS & ECONOMY INDICATORS
Exchnage Rates
Benchmark Currency Rates
SUBSCRIBERS' AREA
Fortune News
View From Arada
Fortune Feature
Interviews...
Letters...
FT Articles...
FT Articles
Sunday With Eden
Ralph Doesn’t Quite Break the Internet
Ralph Breaks the Internet is a worthy sequel to the superb Wreck-It Ralph in 2012. But it could have found greater purpose if it had confronted the bigger theme in Ralph’s venture into the internet. Christian Tesfaye awards 7 out of 10 stars.
Bumblebee: the Transformer Movie that Got It
Somehow, the Transformers franchise has yet to be sued for the inanity it has unloaded on audiences for a decade. But Bumblebee is the cinematic treatment the franchise required and audiences deserved. Christian Tesfaye awards 7 out of 10 stars.
Aquaman: Not Deep Enough
Aquaman is the first major cinematic depiction of the superhero of the oceans. Though a mediocre movie with somewhat exciting action sequences, it shows the better path forward for DC’s colourless cinematic brand. Christian Tesfaye awards 5 out of 10 stars.
The Spider-Verse Reaches for Spider-Man 2, Misses
Spider-Man 2 will remain the best Spiderman to have ever graced the screens. Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse comes the closest in unseating that instalment but fails to offer a plotline that is not predictable. Christian Tesfaye awards 7 out of 10 stars.
Creed II Punches below the Belt
Creed II, like most sequels, is a blemish on the original installment, taking for granted the unique touch the previous film brought to the table. Christian Tesfaye awards 5 out of 10 stars.
Widows that Steal the Show
Few movies can tackle complicated themes in a film about a heist. Windows does, portraying a world it refuses to apologise for. Christian Tesfaye award 9 out of 10 stars.
The Hate U Give: True But There is More
The Hate U Give is one of the most incisive movies to have come out about the shootings of unarmed African-Americans by police officers. It is provocative but also too immodest. Christian Tesfaye awards 7 out of 10 stars.
Crimes of Fantastic Beasts Franchise on Audiences
Crimes of Grindlewald is the second movie in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. It had a great theme, performances and visual effects but lacks the rich story and characterisation of the Harry Potter series. Christian Tesfaye awards 5 out of 10 stars.
Overlord of Underperformance
Overlord is a horror movie that does not put much effort into a theme, narration and character construction. Christian Tesfaye awards 4 out of 10 stars.
The Nutcracker: Not that Bad
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms has received largely negative reviews from critics. Indeed, some of the performances are bad and the storyline is predictable, but it also has a nice theme and spectacular visual effects. Christian Tesfaye awards 6 out of 10 stars.
First Man: So Good, It’s Above the Skies
Damien Chazelle has for the third time managed to direct a thematically sumptuous movie with excellent visuals. First Man is every beat worth the ticket price and more. Christian Tesfaye awards 9 out of 10 stars.
Cinematic Moments at the El Royale
Bad Times at the El Royal is not a mystery thriller but a brief glimpse into what can occur when many eccentric, less than moral and shifty individuals are confined to a small area. Christian Tesfaye awards 7 out of 10 stars.
Birth of Good Director, Actress
It has only been three decades since the last – and six decades since the best, and eight decades since the original – A Star is Born was made until the new Bradley Cooper-Lady Gaga vehicle of the same name graced the screens. Its honesty and performances make it the second best one. Christian Tesfaye awards 8 out of 10 stars.
Venom: Toxic to Brain Cells
Venom could have been a good movie if the filmmakers were daring enough to build on the character’s dreadful urges, but it is not to be. Christian Tesfaye awards 4 out of 10 stars.
Mister Rogers: Abbaba Tesfaye’s American Version
Mister Rogers was the American version of Abbaba Tesfaye. Won’t You be My Neighbour? traces the undeniable charm and sincerity that Fred Rogers expressed on TV as he taught children about the more complicated sides of life. Christian Tesfaye awards 8 out of 10 stars.
Johnny English: Man of Little Mystery
Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of its franchise. Considering what has come before in the Johnny English series, this is actually not that bad. Christian Tesfaye awards 5 out of 10 stars, mostly for its pitiable character and funny scenes.
The Predator: Overdue for Retirement
The Predator reintroduces a villain any film audience should be acquainted with. This installment of the Predator franchise offers much of the same except an attempt at humour, which does not pay off. Christian Tesfaye Awards 4 out of 10 stars.
Alpha: History of Man, Canine Relationship
Alpha is a buddy movie, between a wolf and a man. It explores one of the earliest relationships humankind formed with a species that would later become dogs. Christian Tesfaye liked the movie’s exploration of humankind’s early bouts of innovation, awarding 6 out of 10 stars.
Even Slender Man Deserves Better
Slender Man, the internet horror phenomenon, has come to the screen. The creature’s characterisation is precise but the environment that the filmmakers create does not fit. Christian Tesfaye awards 5 out of 10 stars.
Miles from Being Good
It is not always that Mark Wahlberg is upstaged, but Iko Uwais succeeds in doing so in Mile 22. Unfortunately, poor writing, direction and choreography make the film unwatchable. Christian Tesfaye awards 3 out of 10 stars.
The Equaliser is at it Again
The Equaliser, the 2014 Denzel Washington vehicle, has received a sequel. Christian Tesfaye hoped it had not, finding the protagonist morally skewed and the narration and plot derivative. He awards 4 out of 10 stars.
The Meg Swims to Ineffectuality
The Meg features a fearsome villain, the playful Jason Statham and Hollywood resources to make a memorable horror movie. Christian Tesfaye thought the film was unable to live up to the size of its villain, awarding 4 out of 10 stars.
The Catcher in a Bad Movie
Paul Rudd is putting on a serious persona to play a Jewish man on a mission to assassinate a German scientist during the Second World War. Christian Tesfaye found its theme confused, awarding 4 out of 10 stars.
Cinematic Mission Accomplished
With every single installment, Mission: Impossible is proving itself one of the most sound franchises. Fallout is yet the most exciting and impressive sequel that comes the audience’s way. Christian Tesfaye appreciated its bold theme and fantastic actions sequences, awarding it 8 out of 10 stars.
Gotti Movie Sleeps with the Fishes
John Gotti makes for an interesting screen character. But that is where the genius of Gotti stops. Terrible technical details and bad storytelling are what define this movie. Christian Tesfaye awards 4 out of 10 stars.
123456Next »
With a reformist administration in charge of the executive, there has b...
The new electricity tariffs that became effective on December 1, 2018,...
Who it is that midwifed the rapprochement between E...
Option 1 : $0.50 USD - weekly Option 2 : $1.99 USD - monthly Option 3 : $19.91 USD - yearly
Ethiopia’s economy is at a crossroads. The same old advice will not s...
A recent photo between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and George Soros...
The future is bleak. Millennials and younger generations who will inher...
There is heated debate on the propriety, decency and morality of breast...
City to Expand Bus Depots...
Mayor Empowers Bureau to Admin...
Kinfe et al. File Preliminary...
Legesse Asfaw, Cohort of Compl...
Leather Industry Stumbles in V...
Engineering Opportunity Scheme...
Kinfe, Others Face Additional...
Ex-CBE Executive Lands on Top...
First Speaker of Parliament Di...
Legesse Asfaw Dies...
Saudi Arabia Releases Al-Amoud...
Bereket Simon Arrested...
Former TIRET Chief Arrested...
Ethiopia is not a country comprised of racially distinct peoples.
SLOW BUT SURE
Fine Line: Political leaders in Ethiopia
No Idle Hand
Effective Project Governance Indispensable in Real Life
Ethiopians Leave Morality, Decency up to Individuals
SUBSCRIBE TO ADDISFORTUNE
New Year's Expo Leav...
'Tis the Season for...
Beyond Charitable De...
Unravelling Access R...
Pilgrims' Flock to J...
Butchering - Colours...
Daycares, Survival H...
Traceability from Ch...
Ethiopian Music On t...
Festival Encapsulate...
Labours' Representat...
Mobile-Money Comes o...
Verbatim, News Analyis, Lifestyle, Radar and...
Latest Radar...
ADDISFORTUNE
INDEPENDENT NEWS & MEDIA Plc
© COPYRIGHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2020.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3893
|
__label__wiki
| 0.885011
| 0.885011
|
How To: Use Attenuation in Autodesk 3ds Max 2014
By Stereopixol
Hello and welcome to the 3rd Chapter of the Lights in 3Ds Max. In this chapter we are going to discuss about the attenuation of the lights. There are two kind of attenuation are out there in 3Ds Max , Near and Far , we will learn about the theory behind the attenuation and learn how to use them. Hope you will enjoy.
How To: Use Spotlights in Autodesk 3ds Max 2014
How To: Use Shell Modifier in 3Ds Max
How To: Smash Someone into a Million Pieces in After Effects and 3ds Max
How To: Create particle effects in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Model a long-stemmed wine glass in Autodesk 3ds Max
How To: Model a realistic modern bathroom in Autodesk 3ds Max
How To: Navigate the particle view interface in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Work with particle flow in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Use a scene object as a particle Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Create a swirling vortex effect in Autodesk 3ds Max
How To: Add gravity to an effect in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Work with the particle system in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Model a head and neck in Autodesk 3ds Max 2011
How To: Blow up a planet using particle array in Autodesk 3DS Max
How To: Create a realistic rope bridge using Autodesk 3ds Max
How To: Create a blue sky effect in Autodesk 3DS Max
How To: Use the viewport selection features in 3ds Max 2001
News: New Release of AR-media 2.0 for 3ds Max
News: ARmedia Plugin for Autodesk™ 3dsMax™Augmented Reality
How To: Use Advance Effects Role Out in Autodesk 3Ds Max
News: 3ds max - Shape Lights
News: 3ds max - basic table and chair
News: Time-Saving Tricks for Working Smarter and Faster in 3ds Max 8
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3897
|
__label__cc
| 0.727375
| 0.272625
|
TAX TIP: SELF-EMPLOYED EDUCATION DEDUCTION (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com (800)790-8574)
The cost of education for self-employed individuals is deductible if the education maintains or improves a skill required for your business. Education expenses are not allowed if the education is required to meet minimum educational requirements of your present business or if the education will qualify you for a new trade or business.
A self-employed welder who takes a course in a new welding method can charge the expense to the business. A self-employed dance teacher who also takes dance lessons can deduct the cost of the business. On the other hand, a store owner who takes a course to become a general contractor cannot deduct the expense.
The education must be directly related to the business you already operate. Taking a course in pottery before opening your pottery shop is not deductible. Any self-employed person can take a course in bookkeeping or taxes or computers and deduct the cost.
Hope you find this info helpful? Comment below...
DO YOU OWE THE IRS AND NEED HELP? NEED TO PREPARE AND FILE YOUR CURRENT & PAST DUE TAX RETURNS?
GET TAX RELIEF HELP TODAY!!
Call (800)790-8574 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
"My husband lost his job and the IRS was garnishing my wages.
I called advance tax relief for help, my wage garnishment was released and we settled with the IRS for $1,200 on a $48k debt. Our family is very grateful" - Shirley W, Tampa FL.
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC - We Solve Tax Problems
www.advancetaxrelief.net
www.advancetaxreliefattorneys.com
#irshelp #taxattorney #taxhelp #taxrelief
Posted by ADVANCE TAX RELIEF/ NOAH DANIELS EA BLOG at 12:15 PM No comments:
EMPLOYER-PAID EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYEES (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com (800)790-8574)
Job-Related Education: Employers can deduct, and employees can exclude from their income, the cost of job-related education expenses. If you own your own corporation, you are an employee of the corporation, and this deduction applies to you.
Non-job-related education: Employers can also pay up to $5,250 annually for employee education expenses that are not job related. The payments must be part of a written educational assistance program. If the education involves sports, games, or hobbies, the education must be job related. Payments in excess of $5,250 are considered wages, subject to payroll taxes and income taxes.
If you own your own corporation,non-job-related payments for your own education may be limited; ask you accountant or call us..
Education expenses include tuition, course fees, books, laboratory fees, travel between your business and the class location, and travel expenses while away from home overnight. Overnight travel is subject to some limitations.. contact us
Hope you find this info helpful? comment below..
***WHEN TO START TAX PLANNING (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com)
People often wait until December to start thinking about ways to reduce their taxes for the year. If you really want to save some cash, start planning no later than the beginning of the fourth quarter of the year, that is, October. But earlier in the year is usually better. For example, the best time to establish and contribute to tax-deferred accounts is at the beginning of the year, because you'll get a whole year's worth of tax deferred income.
For more tax tips and advice like our page. We appreciate your comments below...
Have tax problems? Contact us!
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF - We Solve Tax Problems
FRUSTRATED BY AN IRS WAGE GARNISHMENT? Get Help! (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com (800)790-8574)
FRUSTRATED BY AN IRS WAGE GARNISHMENT?
Get a FULL paycheck and end IRS collections once and for all!
Call us for a free consultation (657)777-2084
"BBB" Rated Tax Debt Relief Company
When the IRS or state has failed repeatedly to collect back taxes from individuals, they begin to seize assets. One of the assets that can be attached, and by far considered one of the most crippling, is a wage garnishment. After providing either ten, thirty or sixty day notice through certified mail, the IRS will send a notice to your employer forcing them to withhold up to 75% of your earnings to help satisfy the tax debt.
Wage garnishments are by far the most humiliating of all collection tactics, as they reveal your private financial burden to your employer and, in some instances, to your fellow co-workers. This means added work for your employer to fulfill it’s obligation to the appropriate tax authority, possible increased tension between taxpayer and employer, and can greatly impact job performance as it can create undo stress for the taxpayer.A wage garnishment can be lifted fast!
Don’t live another day with a wage garnishment when you don’t have to! Our staff of tax attorneys, Ex IRS Agents and tax professionals can quickly intercede to come between you and the IRS, to stop wage garnishments and resolve or settle your tax debt.
Don't wait for a wage garnishment before calling us!!
Contact us for a free consultation (657)777-2084
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC (We Solve Tax Problems)
IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR THE HOME SALE EXCLUSION (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com (800)790-8574)
If you don’t qualify for the home sale exclusion at all, you’ll have to pay tax on all the gain from the sale of your home. If you owned the home for at least one year, you’ll at least qualify for the long term capital gains rate, which is currently 15% for most taxpayers.
If you owned the property for less than one year, you’ll have to pay tax at the short-term capital gains rate, which is the same rate as for ordinary income-up to 35%, depending on your tax brackets. Ouch.
If selling means a huge tax bill, you may want to think about a possible alternative. For example, you could convert the home into a rental property and either hold onto it or exchange it for another rental property.
DO YOU HAVE TAX PROBLEMS OR NEED HELP PREPARING CURRENT AND PAST DUE TAX RETURNS? GET HELP!
Call us for your free tax relief consultation (800)790-8574
or contact us via web: www.advancetaxrelief.net
"My husband lost his job and the IRS was garnishing my wages. I called advance tax relief for help, my wage garnishment was released and we settled with the IRS for $1,200 on a $48k debt. Our family is very grateful" - Shirley W, Tampa FL.
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC - We Solve Tax Problems.
Twitter: @IRSTAXPRO
DOCTOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR TAX EVASION (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC (800)790-8574)
DOCTOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR TAX EVASION
On May 22, Dr. Michael N. Mangold pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion and one count of making false statements. According to court documents, Mangold was a medical doctor specializing in emergency medicine and urgent care who, since about 1993, had worked as a physician for various hospitals, emergency rooms and urgent care facilities. At times, he also worked as a physician in state and county correctional facilities. Mangold primarily earned income through a combination of employee wages and independent contractor payments.
In his plea agreement, Mangold admitted that from 1997 through 2007, he willfully concealed his income from the IRS. Mangold further admitted that he made false statements to the IRS. In total, Mangold owed approximately $191,577 in taxes based on his income and wages during the relevant calendar years plus interest.
Mangold also admitted that he made materially false statements during the course of a civil lawsuit concerning his failure to repay federal student loan obligations. Mangold admitted that he submitted a false financial affidavit to government officials which contained false statements about the amount of income he earned as a doctor.
This case was investigated by special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Charles M. Edgar Jr. and Rebecca Perlmutter of the Justice Department's Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Owe this IRS and need help or need help with filing past due tax returns?
SEVEN TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net (800)790-8574)
Members of the Armed Forces may deduct the items listed below as miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% adjusted gross income(AGI)
Board and Lodging cost over those paid to you by the government while on temporary duty away from home.
Cost of rank insignia, collar devices, gold braid and the cost of altering rank insignia when promoted or demoted.
Contributions to a "Company" fund made according to service regulations. Personal contributions made to stimulate interest or morale in a unit are not deductible.
Court martial expenses in successfully defending against the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer.
Transportation, food, and lodging expenses while on official travel status. But you are taxed on mileage and per diem subsistence allowance
Dues to professional societies. But you may not deduct dues for officers' and non commissioned officers' clubs
Uniforms. The cost and cleaning of uniforms are deductible if: (1) they must be worn on duty; (2)they cannot under military regulations be worn off duty; and (3) the cost exceeds any tax-free clothing allowance.
Hope you find this information helpful?
#irstaxhelp #taxattorneys #taxhelp #irs #taxrelief
***LEGAL FEES*** TAX TIP FOR THE DAY 11/11/14 (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net (800)790-8574)
Most legal fees, paralegal fees, filing fees, and related expenses are deductible.
Starting or buying a business: Legal fees associated with starting or buying a business cannot be deducted the year paid. They have to be capitalized or amortized over a five year period.
OWE THE IRS? NEED TO PREPARE AND FILE PAST DUE TAX RETURNS?
GET TAX RELIEF TODAY!!
#irs #taxrelief #wesolvetaxproblems #taxattorneys
GET HELP WITH IRS WAGE GARNISHMENT AND BANK LEVIES!! (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC (800)790-8574 www.advancetaxrelief.net)
When you owe money to the IRS, they will take aggressive action to force you to pay in full. If you have delayed filing your tax return(s) or have an outstanding balance from a previous return, you are in danger of an IRS wage garnishment. If you are unable to pay your tax obligation in full to avoid a federal wage garnishment, you need help now to negotiate with the IRS. Advance Tax Relief LLC (ATR) will take control of your liability and expedite it to resolution. We are experts in fighting an IRS wage garnishment.
What is an IRS Wage Garnishment?
Wage garnishment is a judgment against you requiring your employer to legally withhold money from your wages for tax debt payment. This is an effective process used by the IRS to enforce taxpayer compliance. A garnishment is embarrassing and can cost you 30% to 70% of your paycheck – sobering and frightening facts.Before the IRS can attach a wage garnishment, the following criteria must be met:
• The tax must be assessed and a notice sent to taxpayer
• The taxpayer must refuse to acknowledge or pay the outstanding balance
• The taxpayer must receive a “Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing” – sent 30 days prior to the garnishment taking effect
Once the IRS completes these actions, you will be facing a federal wage garnishment. You do not have to actually receive the notice for it to be legal. The IRS is required only to send it via certified mail to your last known address. Many taxpayers may not be aware they are going to be garnished until it actually happens.
Avoid Becoming a Victim of a Wage Garnishment
Advance Tax Relief (ATR) has successfully represented countless victims of IRS wage garnishments. Most taxpayers are financially unable to avoid wage garnishments. You need ATR to stop federal wage garnishment, and to negotiate with the IRS for alternative solutions and to protect you from escalating fines and penalties and, perhaps, loss of assets.
IRS Wage Garnishment Attorneys
Once you receive your wage garnishment information, it is imperative you contact ATR. You must be prepared to provide all your financial records and past tax information. If you do not have this information, we will get it for you. After reviewing your financial situation, ATR tax and IRS wage garnishment professionals will determine your eligibility for an alternative agreement with the IRS.
Advance Tax Relief will contact the IRS on your behalf to discuss your options in person. Using our tax law knowledge and experience with the IRS, ATR can delay the IRS wage garnishment proceedings. You will be protected from excessive amounts being drawn from your paycheck, and spared the embarrassment of having your employer gain knowledge of your tax predicament.If necessary, we will file an appeal if any of the following has occurred:
• You have paid your overdue taxes prior to the garnishment taking effect
• You are filing for bankruptcy during the assessment and notice period
• An IRS error has occurred
• The Statute of Limitations has expired
• You did not have the chance to dispute supposed liability
• You request a chance to discuss options relating to collection action
• You want to defend your spouse
Once your appeals hearing is concluded, we will be notified of the status within 30 days. We will fully explain your rights helping you understand your options.
IRS Wage Garnishment:
Call our friendly and knowledgeable tax relief agents at 800-790-8574.
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC
CHILD AND DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC 800790-8574)
You may be able to claim the child and dependent care credit if you paid work-related expenses for the care of a qualifying individual. The credit is generally a percentage of the amount of work-related expenses you paid to a care provider for the care of a qualifying individual. The percentage depends on your adjusted gross income. Work-related expenses qualifying for the credit are those paid for the care of a qualifying individual to enable you to work or actively look for work.
HAVE IRS PROBLEMS?
CONTACT US (800)790-8574
Expenses are paid for the care of a qualifying individual if the primary function is to assure the individual's well-being and protection. In general, amounts paid for services outside your household qualify for the credit if the care is provided for (i) a qualifying individual who is your qualifying child under age 13 or (ii) a qualifying individual who regularly spends at least 8 hours each day in your household.
The total expenses that may be used to calculate the credit are capped at $3,000 (for one qualifying individual) or at $6,000 (for two or more qualifying individuals). The dollar limits may differ depending on the tax year in question. The expenses qualifying for the computation of the credit must be reduced by the amount of any dependent care benefits provided by your employer that you exclude from gross income. In general, you can exclude up to $5,000 for dependent care benefits received from your employer. Also, generally, the expenses claimed may not exceed the lesser of your earned income or your spouse’s earned income. A special rule applies if your spouse is a full-time student or incapable of self-care. For additional information, refer to Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.
For purposes of the child and dependent care credit, a qualifying individual is:
Your dependent qualifying child who is under age 13 when the care is provided,
Your spouse who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care and who has the same principal place of abode as you for more than half of the year, or
Your dependent who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care, and who has the same principal place of abode as you for more than half of the year. For this purpose, whether an individual is your dependent is determined without regard to the individual's gross income, whether the individual files a joint return, or whether you are a dependent of another taxpayer.
An individual is physically or mentally incapable of self-care if, as a result of a physical or mental defect, the individual is incapable of caring for his or her hygiene or nutritional needs, or requires the full-time attention of another person for the individual's own safety or the safety of others.
For more information on who is a dependent or a qualifying child, refer to Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information.
A noncustodial parent may not treat a child as a qualifying individual for purposes of the credit, even if the noncustodial parent may claim an exemption for the child. For more information on divorced or separated parents or parents who live apart at all times during the last six months of the year, refer to the topic Child of Divorced or Separated Parents or Parents Living Apart in Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.
If a person is a qualifying individual for only a part of the tax year, only those expenses paid during that part of the year are included in calculating the credit.
In addition to paying for the care of a qualifying individual, you must meet all of the following conditions to claim the credit:
1. Your payment must be made to a care provider who is not your spouse, the parent of your child who is your qualifying individual, your child under age 19, or a dependent of you or your spouse.
2. You must file a joint return if you are married.
3. You must provide the taxpayer identification number (usually the social security number) of each qualifying individual on the return on which you claim the credit.
4. You must report the name, address, and taxpayer identification number (either the social security number, or the employer identification number) of the care provider on your return. If the care provider is a tax-exempt organization, you need only report the name and address on your return. You can use Form W-10 (PDF),
Dependent Care Provider's Identification and Certification, to request this information from the care provider. If you do not provide information regarding the care provider, you may still be eligible for the credit if you can show that you exercised due diligence in attempting to provide the required information.
If you qualify for the credit, complete Form 2441 (PDF) and Form 1040 (PDF) or Form 1040A (PDF). If you received dependent care benefits from your employer (this amount should be shown on your Form W-2 (PDF), you must complete Part III of Form 2441. You cannot claim the child and dependent care credit if you use Form 1040EZ (PDF).
If you pay a provider to care for your dependent or spouse in your home, you may be a household employer. If you are a household employer, you may have to withhold and pay social security and Medicare taxes and pay federal unemployment tax. For more information, refer to Publication 926, Household Employer's Tax Guide, or Topic 756.
DOCTOR ADMITS TO PROVIDING MEDICALLY UNNECESSARY CHEMOTHERAPY TO PATIENTS !! (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com (800)790-8574)
A Detroit-area hematologist-oncologist pleaded guilty today for his role in a health care fraud scheme, admitting that he administered unnecessary chemotherapy to fraudulently bill the Medicare program and private insurance companies. According to court records, the scheme enabled the doctor to submit approximately $225 million in claims to Medicare over six years.
Farid Fata, M.D., 49, of Oakland Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman of the Eastern District of Michigan to 13 counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay or receive kickbacks and two counts of money laundering. At his sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 23, 2014, Fata faces a statutory maximum of 175 years in prison.
“At a time when they are most vulnerable and fearful, cancer patients put their lives in the hands of doctors and endure risky treatments at their recommendation,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Dr. Fata today admitted he put greed before the health and safety of his patients, putting them through unnecessary chemotherapy and other treatments just so that he could collect additional millions from Medicare. The mere thought of what he did is chilling. Thanks to the quick action of our partners, he was arrested and has now admitted his guilt.”
“This defendant not only stole funds from taxpayer funded insurance programs, but he also deliberately administered unnecessary chemotherapy so that he could bill insurers for expensive chemotherapy treatments,” said U.S. Attorney McQuade. “His exploitation of patients for his own profit caused victims to suffer physically and emotionally.”
“A little more than a year ago, the FBI and its law enforcement partners acted swiftly to arrest Dr. Farid Fata and shield his patients from further harm,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Abbate. “Today’s plea is the culmination of the diligent investigative work jointly conducted by the FBI, IRS, the Department of Health and Human Services, and prosecutors to protect the public and ensure that justice is served. Our hope is that this outcome offers some measure of solace to the victims and reassures the community of our collective resolve to prevent similar violations of patients’ trust.”
“Dr. Fata’s utter disregard for his patients’ welfare was quite simply deplorable,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Pugh. “The OIG will ceaselessly work to bring such criminals to the justice they deserve.”
“It’s exceptionally distressing to see this kind of fraud committed by individuals in occupations that profess high ethical standards," said IRS-CI Chief Weber. “When doctors commit fraud through their profession, it is not only a violation of the public trust but also a complete renunciation of their Hippocratic oath. Those who commit Medicare fraud are pick-pocketing from every American taxpayer.”
Fata admitted that he is a licensed medical doctor who owned and operated a cancer treatment clinic, Michigan Hematology Oncology, P.C. (MHO), which had locations in Rochester Hills, Clarkston, Bloomfield Hills, Lapeer, Sterling Heights, Troy and Oak Park, Michigan. He also owned a diagnostic testing facility, United Diagnostics PLLC, located in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
In his guilty plea today, Fata admitted to prescribing and administering aggressive chemotherapy, cancer treatments, intravenous iron and other infusion therapies to patients who did not need them in order to increase his billings to the Medicare program and other insurance companies. Fata then submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare and other insurers for these unnecessary treatments.
Fata submitted approximately $225 million in claims to Medicare between August 2007 and July 2013, of which approximately $109 million was for chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. Medicare paid over $91 million to Fata, of which over $48 million was for chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.
Fata also admitted to soliciting kickbacks from Guardian Angel Hospice and Guardian Angel Home Health Care in exchange for his referral of patients to those facilities.
Fata further admitted to using the proceeds of the health care fraud at his medical practice, MHO, to promote the carrying on of additional health care fraud at United Diagnostics, where he administered unnecessary and expensive PET (positron emission tomography) scans for which he billed a private insurer.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG and IRS-CI and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Gejaa T. Gobena, Assistant Chief Catherine K. Dick and Trial Attorney Matthew C. Thuesen of the Fraud Section, and by Health Care Fraud Unit Chief Wayne F. Pratt, Deputy Chief Sarah Resnick Cohen and White Collar Crime Unit Chief John K. Neal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 2,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
TIP FOR TAXPAYERS, VICTIMS ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT AND TAX RETURNS!!! (Advance Tax Relief LLC (800)790-8574 www.advancetaxrelief.net)
Identity theft remains a top priority for the Internal Revenue Service in 2014. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes nationwide, and refund fraud caused by identity theft is one of the biggest challenges facing the IRS. This year, the IRS continues to take new steps and strong actions to protect taxpayers and help victims of identity theft and refund fraud.
Stopping refund fraud related to identity theft is a top priority for the tax agency. The IRS is focused on preventing, detecting and resolving identity theft cases as soon as possible.
The IRS has more than 3,000 employees working on identity theft cases. We have trained more than 35,000 employees who work with taxpayers to recognize and provide assistance when identity theft occurs.
Taxpayers can encounter identity theft involving their tax returns in several ways. One instance is where identity thieves try filing fraudulent refund claims using another person’s identifying information, which has been stolen. Innocent taxpayers are victimized because their refunds are delayed.
Here are some tips to protect you from becoming a victim, and steps to take if you think someone may have filed a tax return using your name:
Tips to protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft
Don’t carry your Social Security card or any documents that include your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
Don’t give a business your SSN or ITIN just because they ask. Give it only when required.
Protect your financial information.
Check your credit report every 12 months.
Secure personal information in your home.
Protect your personal computers by using firewalls and anti-spam/virus software, updating security patches and changing passwords for Internet accounts.
Don’t give personal information over the phone, through the mail or on the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.
If your tax records are currently affected by identity theft, call us now at (800)790-8574.
No more sleepless nights. Call Advance Tax Relief at (800)790 8574 or contact us via our website www.advancetaxrelief.net
Hundreds of Happy Clients Nationwide
IS YOUR SPOUSAL TAX DEBT GETTING YOU IN TROUBLE WITH THE IRS? GET HELP! - ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC (800)790-8574 www.advancetaxrelief.com
Having trouble with the taxman (IRS) can be very frustrating especially when you have no experience in dealing with tax matters, or have no idea where to begin. Every year, millions of Americans often find themselves in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but do not know how to handle the situation. While most cases can easily be solved in no time, others are complex and require someone with thorough background knowledge on the subject to help.
Below is how to overcome spouse tax debt relief.
When confronted with complex tax matters, it is advisable to seek professional help from Advance Tax Relief LLC as soon as possible. Waiting longer may only land you into more trouble than you already are in. As a debt relief company, Advance Tax Relief will help you –as a consumer – to deal with spouse tax debt relief. Dealing with marriage, divorce, and separation is enough headache already and adding your spouse’s tax debt is a different matter altogether.
Even if your marriage does not turn out as expected, you do not have to keep paying for every single mistake caused by marriage and divorce or separation. Luckily, even the IRS understands this and has a Relief provision in place for spouses not directly responsible for this kind of debt (otherwise known as IRS Innocent Spouse Relief).
Before you decide to pursue this option, it is perhaps important to first determine if you will qualify for this type of arrangement. An Advance Tax Agent will help you determine if there is a possibility of pursuing this option. Requesting IRS Innocent Spouse Relief, for example, means that you are applying to be relieved of paying your spouse’s tax burden, including penalties and interest accrued if your spouse failed to file proper tax returns.
If this is determined to be the case, the IRS will then assess all of taxes owed to the spouse responsible, including penalties. You may be eligible for several years of spouse tax debt relief. Either way, qualifying for this type of tax relief or negotiating your way through it is not an easy task. That is why you need professional help. Advance Tax will not only help you determine the eligibility requirements, but also guide you through the process to successfully receive this spouse tax debt relief. Among other factors, we will help you evaluate the many variables that determine your eligibility for qualification for this kind of tax relief. It is important that you do this with the help of a professional so that you get all that you are entitled to.
TAKE ACTION BEFORE AN IRS GARNISHMENT (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC 800 790 - 8574 www.advancetaxrelief.net)
Fighting IRS Wage Garnishments: When you owe money to the IRS, they will take aggressive action to force you to pay in full. If you have delayed filing your tax return(s) or have an outstanding balance from a previous return, you are in danger of an IRS wage garnishment. If you are unable to pay your tax obligation in full to avoid a federal wage garnishment, you need help now to negotiate with the IRS. Advance Tax Relief LLC will take control of your liability and expedite it to resolution. We are experts in fighting an IRS wage garnishment.
Advance Tax Relief LLC has successfully represented countless victims of IRS wage garnishments. Most taxpayers are financially unable to avoid wage garnishments. You need Advance Tax to stop federal wage garnishment, and to negotiate with the IRS for alternative solutions and to protect you from escalating fines and penalties and, perhaps, loss of assets.
Once you receive your wage garnishment information, it is imperative you contact Advance Tax. You must be prepared to provide all your financial records and past tax information. If you do not have this information, we will get it for you. After reviewing your financial situation, Advance Tax and IRS wage garnishment professionals will determine your eligibility for an alternative agreement with the IRS.
Advance Tax Relief will contact the IRS on your behalf to discuss your options in person. Using our tax law knowledge and experience with the IRS, Advance Tax can delay the IRS wage garnishment proceedings. You will be protected from excessive amounts being drawn from your paycheck, and spared the embarrassment of having your employer gain knowledge of your tax predicament.
If necessary, we will file an appeal if any of the following has occurred:
IRS Wage Garnishment
Call our friendly and knowledgeable tax relief agents at (800)790-8574
BANKER CHARGED WITH HELPING U.S. TAXPAYERS CONCEAL SECRET ISRAELI BANK ACCOUNTS (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net (800)790-8574)
Shokrollah Baravarian, of Beverly Hills, California, was charged today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California with conspiracy to defraud the United States, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.
BBB Trusted Tax Debt Relief Company
According to the indictment, Mr. Baravarian, a former senior vice president at the Los Angeles branch of a bank headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, conspired to conceal the existence of undeclared accounts owned and controlled by U.S. customers in Israel. The indictment alleges that these accounts were concealed from the IRS by opening them under pseudonyms, code names and the names of nominee entities set up in the British Virgin Islands and the island of Nevis.
"IRS-Criminal Investigation and Tax Division prosecutors have been investigating the use of undeclared bank accounts globally, and charges have been brought against not only the U.S. taxpayers with undeclared Israeli bank accounts but also those who facilitate the hiding of assets and income abroad," said Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally for the Tax Division. "Whether it be Israel, Switzerland, the Caribbean or elsewhere, the Justice Department is finding the hiding places and is committed to prosecuting tax cheats."
If convicted, Baravarian faces a potential maximum prison term of five years and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charge contained in the indictment is only an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent and it is the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This is not a game guys!!!!
Are you facing an IRS Audit or have back taxes you can't afford to pay back? contact us now: (800)790-8574 www.advancetaxreliefattorneys.net
#taxrelief #taxhelp #IRStaxproblems
MOTHER AND SON CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO DEFRAUD INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net)
WASHINGTON – Sherri Davis and her son, Andre Davis, were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and with aiding and assisting in the preparation of false individual income tax returns, the Justice Department and IRS announced today. Sherri Davis was also charged with filing her own false individual income tax returns for tax years 2007 to 2009.
According to the superseding indictment, Sherri Davis was the previous owner and operator of 2FT Fast Facts Tax Service, a tax return preparation business located in Washington, D.C. Andre Davis is the current owner and operator of Davis Financial Services (DFS), a tax return preparation business also located in Washington, D.C. From January 2006 through April 15, 2013, Sherri Davis and Andre Davis conspired with others to defraud the IRS by preparing and filing false income tax returns that contained fraudulent deductions, expenses, losses and credits to which 2FT and DFS clients were not entitled, thereby generating fraudulent income tax refunds.
The superseding indictment alleges that Sherri Davis and Andre Davis falsified tax documents for 2FT and DFS clients in order to reduce their taxable income and to get a larger refund than what the client was entitled to receive. The superseding indictment also alleges that from 2007 through 2009, Sherri Davis filed her own false individual income tax returns which underreported 2FT's gross receipts and falsely claimed business losses for 2FT.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, the defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges of filing a false income tax return and aiding or assisting in filing a false return carry a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count.
Are you facing an IRS Audit or getting levied? contact us now:
www.advancetaxreliefattorneys.net
No more sleepless nights. Call Advance Tax Relief at (800)790 8574 and get started today!
TAX PREPARER INDICTED FOR STOLEN IDENTITY REFUND FRAUD (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net)
WASHINGTON – Teresa Floyd, of Phenix City, Alabama, was indicted for her alleged involvement in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ronald A. Cimino of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama announced today following the unsealing of the indictment.
ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC - We Solve Tax Problems!
Experienced Tax Relief Attorneys and Ex IRS Agents "BBB" RATED TAX DEBT RELIEF COMPANY, Call (800)790-8574
Floyd has been charged with several counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, Floyd owned and operated a tax preparation business called T & L Tax Service that was located in Phenix City. Floyd obtained the means of identification of individuals and used those identities to file fraudulent income tax returns. In order to conceal her scheme, Floyd created fictitious identification documents and bills in the names of those individuals. The indictment also seeks to forfeit $320,397 from Floyd.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Floyd faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and a mandatory two year sentence for the aggravated identity theft counts. Floyd is also subject to fines, forfeiture and restitution if convicted.
Location: Phoenix Avenue, AL, USA
ILLINOIS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND FILING FALSE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR LIENS AGAINST TWO FEDERAL JUDGES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
WASHINGTON – Tyree Davis Sr., 42, of Flossmoor, Illinois, pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of filing false retaliatory liens against government officials, the Justice Department announced today.
Davis pleaded guilty earlier today before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm of the Central District of Illinois. Davis faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the obstruction of justice charges as well as a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each of the filing false retaliatory liens charges at his sentencing on Oct. 15.
A federal grand jury in Chicago returned an eight count federal indictment on July 24, 2013, charging Davis with obstruction of justice and filing fraudulent multi-billion dollar liens against government employees. According to the court documents, Davis obstructed justice by sending correspondence threatening to arrest two federal judges, including the judge who presided over the 2010 criminal tax trial of LaShawn Littrice. Littrice, whom Davis refers to as his wife, was convicted by a jury in June 2010 and sentenced to serve 42 months in prison in December 2010. Davis also filed false liens, titled Notice of Maritime Liens, claiming that each judge owed Littrice $100 billion. Davis then notified others, including credit bureaus, that he had filed the multi-billion dollar liens. In addition, Davis filed false liens against the U.S. Attorney and Clerk of Court for the Northern District of Illinois, an Assistant U.S. Attorney and an Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation special agent. The liens were all publicly filed with the Cook County Recorder’s Office and claimed that each individual owed Littrice $100 billion. Each of the liens were re-recorded in order to add real property descriptions.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX FRAUD (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net (800)790-8574)
WASHINGTON – Aaron H. Kelly, a U.S. Postal Service employee, pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to aiding and assisting in filing a false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Justice Department and IRS announced today. Kelly was indicted on Feb. 24, 2014, for allegedly engaging in a scheme to defraud the IRS, the Thrift Saving Plan and the Educational Systems Federal Credit Union by sending fictitious financial instruments to fraudulently extinguish the debts he owed to them, and for aiding in filing false tax returns with the IRS.
According to the plea agreement, in 2008, Kelly submitted a false individual income tax return for tax year 2006 to the IRS. On this tax return, Kelly falsely claimed that he had substantial federal income tax withheld, and fraudulently represented that he was entitled to a refund of $193,653. Sentencing is set for Feb. 2, 2015, where Kelly faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison.
Location: Houston, TX, USA
NEBRASKA "SOVEREIGN CITIZEN" CONVICTED OF FILING FALSE LIENS AGAINST FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND FEDERAL TAX CRIME (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.net)
WASHINGTON – A federal jury in Omaha, Nebraska, found Donna Marie Kozak guilty on Friday of conspiracy to file and filing false liens against two U.S. District Court judges, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, two Assistant U.S. Attorneys and an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent, the Justice Department announced.
The federal jury also convicted Kozak of filing a false claim against the United States for $660,000 and for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the due administration of the internal revenue laws. Kozak was remanded into custody pending sentencing. The maximum prison term for each false lien charge is 10 years, five years for the false claim charge and three years for the obstructing the IRS charge. Many of the offenses have an additional 10 years of potential imprisonment because they were committed while Kozak was on pretrial release.
Based on the evidence introduced at trial and court filings, Kozak, a former member of the so-called sovereign citizen group "Republic for the united States of America," engaged in a conspiracy to retaliate against federal officials involved in the criminal investigation and prosecution of David and Bernita Kleensang, associates of Kozak who were convicted of federal tax crimes in 2012. Kozak initially retaliated against the federal judge who presided over the Kleensang trial by filing a false lien against her for $19 million with the Boyd County, Nebraska, clerk's office. After a federal grand jury indicted Kozak for filing the false lien and for federal tax crimes, she filed five $18 million false liens against federal officials at the Washington County, Nebraska, register of deeds office while on pretrial release.
The evidence introduced at trial and court filings also showed that since the late 1990s, Kozak has engaged in a long series of fraudulent schemes to obstruct the internal revenue laws. These included placing her property in sham trusts, establishing a sham charitable foundation, sending harassing correspondence to IRS employees and filing bogus tax returns, trust returns, private-foundation returns and other false documents with the IRS. In 2008, she filed a tax return based on fictitious income and tax withholdings on Form 1099-OID statements that claimed a refund of $660,000.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO SHUT DOWN LOS ANGELES AREA TAX RETURN PREPARER (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC (800)790-8574 www.advancetaxrelief.net)
Allegedly Overstated Deductions and Withholdings and Intercepted Clients' Tax Refunds
WASHINGTON – The United States has asked a federal court in Los Angeles to bar Elton L. Barnes Jr. from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
In 2002, Barnes pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, but he resumed preparing returns when he was released from prison, the government alleges. Since then, according to the complaint, Barnes has repeatedly prepared federal income tax returns, sometimes working under the names McNair Group, So Cal Financial Services and Anderson Investment Group, with fraudulent claims such as falsely inflated charitable contribution deductions and losses from imaginary home businesses. The complaint further alleges that Barnes has prepared returns that intentionally overstate the amount of federal income tax that has been withheld from his clients' paychecks in order to claim a larger refund.
According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has chosen to audit more than 180 tax returns that Barnes prepared and that have been filed since his release from prison in 2009. The complaint also alleges that, although it has not completed its audits of all those returns, the IRS has already identified almost $2 million in false refund claims and understatements of taxes owed.
The complaint also alleges that Barnes met with a customer and obtained the customer's personal identifying information, including his name, address and social security number. Allegedly, without the customer's knowledge, Barnes then used the customer's information to file a tax return that directed the IRS to deposit the claimed tax refund into Barnes' bank account. The United States has identified more than 50 tax refunds that were deposited into bank accounts Barnes controls, although some deposits may have been made with the knowledge of Barnes' clients. It is against federal law for a tax return preparer to deposit a client's tax refund into his own bank account. According to the complaint, Barnes violated other laws that apply to return preparers by failing to sign returns he prepared or use his preparer tax identification number on them.
Return-preparer fraud is one of the IRS' Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2014. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of fraudulent tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
FIVE FACTS ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC www.advancetaxrelief.com)
Like - Click this link to Add this page to your bookmarks Share - Click this link to Share this page through email or social media
Print - Click this link to Print this page
If you lose your job or your employer lays you off, you may be able to get unemployment benefits. The payments may be a welcomed relief. But you should know that they’re taxable.
Here are five important facts from the IRS about unemployment compensation:
You must include all unemployment compensation in your income for the year. You should receive a Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments. It will show the amount paid to you and the amount of any federal income taxes withheld.
There are several types of unemployment compensation. They generally include any amount received under an unemployment compensation law of the U.S. or a state. For more about the various types, see Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income.
You must include benefits paid to you from regular union dues in your income. Different rules may apply if you contribute to a special union fund and those contributions are not deductible. In that case, only include as income any amount you get that is more than the contributions you made.
You can choose to have federal income tax withheld from your unemployment. You make this choice using Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request. If you do not choose to have tax withheld, you may have to make estimated tax payments during the year.
If you are facing financial difficulties, you should visit IRS.gov. “What Ifs” for Struggling Taxpayersexplains the tax effect of events such as the loss of a job. For example, if your income decreased, you may be eligible for some tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit. If you owe federal taxes and can’t pay your bill, contact the IRS as soon as possible. In many cases, the IRS can take steps to help ease your financial burden.
For more details, see IRS Publications 17, Your Federal Income Tax, or IRS Publication 525. You can download these booklets and Form W-4V at IRS.gov. You may also order them by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
TAX TIP: SELF-EMPLOYED EDUCATION DEDUCTION (ADVANC...
EMPLOYER-PAID EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYEES (ADVANCE TAX...
***WHEN TO START TAX PLANNING (ADVANCE TAX RELIEF ...
FRUSTRATED BY AN IRS WAGE GARNISHMENT? Get Help! (...
IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR THE HOME SALE EXCLUSION (...
DOCTOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR TAX EVASION (ADVANC...
SEVEN TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL (A...
***LEGAL FEES*** TAX TIP FOR THE DAY 11/11/14 (AD...
GET HELP WITH IRS WAGE GARNISHMENT AND BANK LEVIES...
CHILD AND DEPENDENT CARE CREDIT (ADVANCE TAX RELIE...
DOCTOR ADMITS TO PROVIDING MEDICALLY UNNECESSARY C...
TIP FOR TAXPAYERS, VICTIMS ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT AN...
IS YOUR SPOUSAL TAX DEBT GETTING YOU IN TROUBLE WI...
TAKE ACTION BEFORE AN IRS GARNISHMENT (ADVANCE TAX...
BANKER CHARGED WITH HELPING U.S. TAXPAYERS CONCEAL...
MOTHER AND SON CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO DEFRAUD ...
TAX PREPARER INDICTED FOR STOLEN IDENTITY REFUND F...
ILLINOIS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTI...
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX ...
NEBRASKA "SOVEREIGN CITIZEN" CONVICTED OF FILING F...
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO SHUT DOWN LOS ANGELES ...
FIVE FACTS ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS (ADVANCE TA...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3902
|
__label__cc
| 0.693175
| 0.306825
|
14 - The Hot List | Cable for Cord Cutters | Wes Anderson 0
What were the hottest apps, TV shows, magazine covers and personalities of 2016? Our panel runs down Adweek's annual Hot List, along with the week's best ads (including Wes Anderson's return to marketing, this time for H&M). We also talk about AT&T's new TV package for cord cutters, Casey Neistat's new CNN gig and lots more.
13 - Holiday Ads 2016 | Trump and Brands | Snapchat's Spectacles 0
It's only the middle of November, but we're already deluged with holiday ads. Our panel of experts sifts through this year's feel-good spots to find the real gems (and the lumps of coal). We also talk about how brands and agencies might respond to a Trump presidency in their targeting and messaging, and we discuss Facebook's rotten week as well as the colorful launch of Snap Inc.'s Spectacles.
12 - Election Angst | The Adweek 50 | Legal Pot 0
Trump's the new U.S. president, and a few more states have made it legal to smoke marijuana. Oddly enough, those two aren't directly related. Our panel of Adweek editors talk about these ballot results, along with the Adweek 50, our annual list of the real power players behind today's top marketers and media outlets. Check out this week's episode for all that, plus the week's best ads.
11 - RIP Vine | Creative Side Jobs | 3.5 Hours of Scotch 0
We memorialize the loopy candle in the wind that was Vine, then move on to more positive news like the week's best ads, our fascinating conversation with #BlackLivesMatter icon DeRay Mckesson and the joys of having an awesome creative side job.
Big thanks to MailChimp for sponsoring this week's episode. And don't forget you can reach us any time at podcast@adweek.com
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3903
|
__label__wiki
| 0.773725
| 0.773725
|
Australian Aboriginal Studies: Issue 1, 2008
Editor/s:
AAS Editorial Advisory Board
Abstracts for Issue 1, 2008
Rock-art of the Western Desert and Pilbara: Pigment dates provide new perspectives on the role of art in the Australian arid zone
Jo McDonald (Australian National University) and Peter Veth (Australian National University)
Systematic analysis of engraved and painted art from the Western Desert and Pilbara has allowed us to develop a spatial model for discernable style provinces. Clear chains of stylistic connection can be demonstrated from the Pilbara coast to the desert interior with distinct and stylistically unique rock-art bodies. Graphic systems appear to link people over short, as well as vast, distances, and some of these style networks appear to have operated for very long periods of time. What are the social dynamics that could produce unique style provinces, as well as shared graphic vocabularies, over 1000 kilometres? Here we consider language boundaries within and between style provinces, and report on the first dates for pigment rock-art from the Australian arid zone and reflect on how these dates from the recent past help address questions of stylistic variability through space and time.
Painting and repainting in the west Kimberley
Sue O’Connor, Anthony Barham (Australian National University) and Donny Woolagoodja (Mowanjum Community, Derby)
We take a fresh look at the practice of repainting, or retouching, rockart, with particular reference to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. We discuss the practice of repainting in the context of the debate arising from the 1987 Ngarinyin Cultural Continuity Project, which involved the repainting of rock-shelters in the Gibb River region of the western Kimberley. The ‘repainting debate’ is reviewed here in the context of contemporary art production in west Kimberley Indigenous communities, such as Mowanjum. At Mowanjum the past two decades have witnessed an artistic explosion in the form of paintings on canvas and board that incorporate Wandjina and other images inspired by those traditionally depicted on panels in rock-shelters. Wandjina also represents the key motif around which community desires to return to Country are articulated, around which Country is curated and maintained, and through which the younger generations now engage with their traditional lands and reach out to wider international communities. We suggest that painting in the new media represents a continuation or transference of traditional practice. Stories about the travels, battles and engagements of Wandjina and other Dreaming events are now retold and experienced in the communities with reference to the paintings, an activity that is central to maintaining and reinvigorating connection between identity and place. The transposition of painting activity from sites within Country to the new ‘out-of-Country’ settlements represents a social counterbalance to the social dislocation that arose from separation from traditional places and forced geographic moves out-of-Country to government and mission settlements in the twentieth century.
Port Keats painting: Revolution and continuity
Graeme K Ward (AIATSIS) and Mark Crocombe (Thamarrurr Regional Council)
The role of the poet and collector of ‘mythologies’, Roland Robinson, in prompting the production of commercial bark-painting at Port Keats (Wadeye), appears to have been accepted uncritically - though not usually acknowledged - by collectors and curators. Here we attempt to trace the history of painting in the Daly–Fitzmaurice region to contextualise Robinson’s contribution, and to evaluate it from both the perspective of available literature and of accounts of contemporary painters and Traditional Owners in the Port Keats area. It is possible that the intervention that Robinson might have considered revolutionary was more likely a continuation of previously well established cultural practice, the commercial development of which was both an Indigenous ‘adjustment’ to changing socio-cultural circumstances, and a quiet statement of maintenance of identity by strong individuals adapting and attempting to continue their cultural traditions.
Negotiating form in Kuninjku bark-paintings
Luke Taylor (AIATSIS)
Here I examine social processes involved in the manipulation of painted forms of bark-paintings among Kuninjku artists living near Maningrida in Arnhem Land. Young artists are taught to paint through apprenticeships that involve exchange of skills in producing form within extended family groups. Through apprenticeship processes we can also see how personal innovations are shared among family and become more regionally located. Lately there have been moves by senior artists to establish separate out-stations and to train their wives and daughters to paint. At a stylistic level the art now creates a greater sense of family autonomy and yet the subjects link the artists back in to much broader social networks.
Making art and making culture in far western New South Wales
Lorraine Gibson
This contribution is based on my ethnographic fieldwork. It concerns the intertwining aspects of the two concepts of art and culture and shows how Aboriginal people in Wilcannia in far western New South Wales draw on these concepts to assert and create a distinctive cultural identity for themselves. Focusing largely on the work of one particular artist, I demonstrate the ways in which culture (as this is considered) is affectively experienced and articulated as something that one ‘comes into contact with’ through the practice of art-making. I discuss the social and cultural role that art-making, and art talk play in considering, mediating and resolving issues to do with cultural subjectivity, authority and identity. I propose that in thinking about the content of the art and in making the art, past and present matters of interest, of difficulty and of pleasure are remembered, considered, resolved and mediated. Culture (as this is considered by Wilcannia Aboriginal people) is also made anew; it comes about through the practice of artmaking and in displaying and talking about the art work. Culture as an objectified, tangible entity is moreover writ large and made visible through art in ways that are valued by artists and other community members. The intersections between Aboriginal peoples, anthropologists, museum collections and published literature, and the network of relations between, are also shown to have interesting synergies that play themselves out in the production of art and culture.
Black on White: Or varying shades of grey? Indigenous Australian photo-media artists and the ‘making of‘ Aboriginality
Marianne Riphagen (Radboud University, The Netherlands)
In 2005 the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Melbourne presented the Indigenous photo-media exhibition Black on White. Promising to explore Indigenous perspectives on non-Aboriginality, its catalogue set forth two questions: how do Aboriginal artists see the people and culture that surrounds them? Do they see non-Aboriginal Australians as other? However, art works produced for this exhibition rejected curatorial constructions of Black and White, instead presenting viewers with more complex and ambivalent notions of Aboriginality and non-Aboriginality. This paper revisits the Black on White exhibition as an intercultural event and argues that Indigenous art practitioners, because of their participation in a process to signify what it means to be Aboriginal, have developed new forms of Aboriginality.
Culture production Rembarrnga way: Innovation and tradition in Lena Yarinkura’s and Bob Burruwal’s metal sculptures
Christiane Keller (University of Westerna Australia)
Contemporary Indigenous artists are challenged to produce art for sale and at the same time to protect their cultural heritage. Here I investigate how Rembarrnga sculptors extend already established sculptural practices and the role innovation plays within these developments, and I analyse how Rembarrnga artists imprint their cultural and social values on sculptures made in an essentially Western medium, that of metal-casting.
The metal sculptures made by Lena Yarinkura and her husband Bob Burruwal, two prolific Rembarrnga artists from north-central Arnhem Land, can be seen as an extension of their earlier sculptural work. In the development of metal sculptures, the artists shifted their artistic practice in two ways: they transformed sculptural forms from an earlier ceremonial context and from earlier functional fibre objects. Using Fred Myers’s concept of culture production, I investigate Rembarrnga ways of culture-making.
Australian Aboriginal Studies
Research Art Cultural heritage
Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative (CIRI) University of Canberra
Prof Peter Radoll, Dr Peter O'Brien, Dr Scott Heyes, Noeleen Lumby, Dr Kerry McCallum, Dr Jo Caffery, Tess Ryan, Margaret Somerville, Dr Fiona Dyer
Lyndall Ley, Christopher Simpson, Jason Lyons, Tamarind Meara, Alana Harris, Dr Iain G. Johnston, Rose Rutherford
Returning Native Title Materials
Alexandra Andriolo, Dr Belinda Burbidge, Stacey Little
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3907
|
__label__cc
| 0.578814
| 0.421186
|
Home » Linux » Spam
Category Archives: Spam
When is Spam Spam?
Where does the term ‘Spam’ come from?
Why do people send Spam?
How can I tell who the Spam is from?
How do ‘spammers’ get my address?
What are DNS blacklists?
1. What is Spam?
The term Spam refers to unsolicited, unwanted, inappropriate bulk email, Usenet postings and MUD/IRC monologs. For the purposes of this discussion, we will use the term Spam primarily in reference to email, which is what it is generally understood to mean when used in connection with the Internet. Spam is often referred to as Unsolicited Bulk Mail (UBM), Excessive Multi-Posting (EMP), Unsolicited Commercial email (UCE), spam mail, bulk email or just junk mail.
2. When is Spam spam?
Exactly where to draw the line between Spam and legitimate email or spam free bulk email is not as obvious as it may seem. To some, any and all email that does not come from an approved source is Spam. According to Mail Abuse Prevention System (MAPS) www.mail-abuse.org:
An electronic message is “spam” IF: (1) the recipient’s personal identity and context are irrelevant because the message is equally applicable to many other potential recipients; AND (2) the recipient has not verifiably granted deliberate, explicit, and still-revocable permission for it to be sent; AND (3) the transmission and reception of the message appears to the recipient to give a disproportionate benefit to the sender.
MAPS’ definition of Spam goes on to say that whether the email is relevant, or whether the benefit to the sender is disproportionate is up to the recipient and not open to discussion. If this is the case, then Spam isn’t Spam until the recipient decides it is. However, point (2) above really only makes sense when interpreted in the context of bulk email sent to subscribers. As often as not, the first email you ever send to someone has not been “authorised” since you have never exchanged emails. Further, MAPS goes to considerable length to define “strong terms and conditions prohibiting [email users] from engaging in abusive email practices”. These terms and conditions deal exclusively with bulk email sent to lists of addressees. In other words, they want their users to send spam free bulk email. This underlines the generally accepted principle that for Spam to really be Spam, it has to be bulk email. This definition is reinforced by Henry Neeman’s “Why Spam is Bad” – a thoroughly enlightening read. Mr Neeman explains to a particularly dense group of spammers, entirely in single syllable words that “Spam is the same thing lots and lots of times.”
To learn more about how to stop spam mail and block junk email with a junk email filter or anti spam program, read on.
3. Where does the term “Spam” come from?
The prevailing theory is that the term refers to a classic skit by Monty Python’s Flying Circus. In the skit a couple in a restaurant tries in vain to order something that does not have SPAM in it. As the waitress lists endless dishes, all of them containing increasing amounts of SPAM, a group of Vikings in the corner begin to sing “spam, spam, spam, spam.” until all useful information is drowned out. But where did the connection between unwanted SPAM and unwanted Spam come from?
It did not start with email. The term has it roots, in relation to the Internet, in the late 1980s or early 1990s in Multi-User Dungeons (MUD) and Multi-User Shared Hallucinations (MUSH). MUDs and MUSHes are online, real-time, interactive, text-based virtual environments. According to one source, a MUSH user programmed a macro key to type “spam spam spam.” in a MUSH until his connection was terminated by a SysAdmin. He was subsequently referred to as “the !*%@ who spammed us” by other members. From MUDs and MUSHes the term Spam began to be used to describe Excessive Multi-Posting (EMP) on Usenet groups. Usenet “news” groups are forums where “authors” can “publish articles” to be read by other users and subsequently discussed. Not much of what gets “published” could ever be considered “news” by any reasonable standard of measure, but the original term is still used today. Under normal circumstances a user would post a message to one or to a small number of relevant newsgroups, asking questions or airing opinions. By using software to automate the process of posting, it became possible to post the same message to thousands of newsgroups ensuring a readership in the hundreds of thousands or even millions.
The very first Spam email was sent on 1 May 1978 by a Digital Equipment Corp. sales rep advertising a computer equipment demonstration. An attempt was made to send this email to all of the Arpanet users on the west coast of the US. The reaction on the part of the recipients was not unlike what you may expect today. Remember that Arpanet was a military project and commercial use was not acceptable. At the time, there was no such thing as an email Spam filter to stop Spam mail because there was no Spam. In April 1994, the Phoenix law firm, Canter and Siegel, advertised their services by posting a message to several thousand newsgroups. This was probably the first automated large scale commercial use of Spam, and was the incident that popularised the term, which up until then had been exclusively part of the arcane vocabulary of Multi-User Dungeons.
4. Why do people send spam?
Spam is the electronic equivalent of junk mail. People send Spam in order to sell products and services or to promote an email scam. Some Spam is purely ideological, sent by purveyors of thought. The bulk of Spam is intended, however, to draw traffic to web sites or to sell sex and money making schemes. Unlike junk mail in your physical mailbox, Spam does not abait if it is unsuccessful. When marketing departments send junk mail at considerable expense, without success, they generally cease, or try a different sales pitch. Spam on the other hand can be entirely unsuccessful, but the large number of wannabe spammers waiting in the wings ensures that we will continue to receive lots of it.
Spammers go to considerable effort to thwart recipients’ attempts to stop spam email. They specifically design their emails to bypass your email spam filter.
5. How can I tell who the spam is from?
Normally you cannot. Spam control can become very sophisticated. More experienced users can look at the email “headers” to find the origin of the message but frequently the spammer will set up a one-time email account purely to initiate the spam email shot. When the email shot is finished, the account is closed. At other times, the spammer will forge headers making it difficult or impossible to trace the origin of the Spam, so finding the original sender will very often prove fruitless. Spam protection and junk email prevention require more subtle measures than just finding the culprit.
6. How do spammers get my email address?
Through many means. Some companies you may have had dealings with sell their mailing lists to third parties, spammers included. Spammers also use “robots” to scour the Internet and harvest any email addresses that they find. If you post to newsgroups you are also at risk of spammers picking up your email address and sending you junk email. To get adequate spam protection and get rid of Spam, you really need more than one email address. This is an essential element of proper Spam control.
7. What are DNS blacklists?
DNS blacklists are lists of domains that are known to originate Spam. Many anti-spam software programs use these lists to control Spam by refusing any email that originates from one of these domains. DNS blacklists are usually maintained by anti-spam organizations or by individuals with an intense dislike for Spam. The difficulty with DNS blacklists is the need for objectivity in deciding when to blacklist a domain. In order to know that a domain is producing Spam, the offence must be reported. Reporting Spam without any anti-abuse mechanism in place, however, leaves nothing to stop people from getting servers added to a DNS blacklist out of malice. The obvious solution would be to require a minimum number of reported incidents before blacklisting a server. This proves equally unsatisfactory however as a measure to stop Spam mail. Anyone who manages large mailing lists knows that a small percentage of people who subscribe subsequently accuse the sender of spamming them when they receive their email. Naturally, a company that sends out millions of legitimate commercial emails will receive more accusations of Spam than one that sends out a smaller amount of spam free bulk email.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3915
|
__label__cc
| 0.746202
| 0.253798
|
Summaries for Patients |4 February 2003
The Effects of Age, Breast Density, and Hormone Therapy on the Accuracy of Screening Mammograms
The summary below is from the full report titled Individual and Combined Effects of Age, Breast Density, and Hormone Replacement Therapy Use on the Accuracy of Screening Mammography. It is in the 4 February 2003 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 138, pages 168-175). The authors are PA Carney, DL Miglioretti, BC Yankaskas, K Kerlikowske, R Rosenberg, CM Rutter, BM Geller, LA Abraham, SH Taplin, M Dignan, G Cutter, and R Ballard-Barbash.
Summaries for Patients are a service provided by Annals to help patients better understand the complicated and often mystifying language of modern medicine.
Summaries for Patients are presented for informational purposes only. These summaries are not a substitute for advice from your own medical provider. If you have questions about this material, or need medical advice about your own health or situation, please contact your physician. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine.
Mammograms are special x-rays of the breast that...
The Effects of Age, Breast Density, and Hormone Therapy on the Accuracy of Screening Mammograms. Ann Intern Med. 2003;138:I–28. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-138-3-200302040-00002
Published: Ann Intern Med. 2003;138(3):I-28.
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-138-3-200302040-00002
2003 American College of Physicians
Individual and Combined Effects of Age, Breast Density, and Hormone Replacement Therapy Use on the Accuracy of Screening Mammography
Short-Term Hormone Therapy Suspension and Mammography Recall: A Randomized Trial
Update in Women's Health: Evidence Published in 2016
Annals of Internal Medicine; 166 (7): W48-W52
Should This Woman With Dense Breasts Receive Supplemental Breast Cancer Screening?: Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Variation in Mammographic Breast Density Assessments Among Radiologists in Clinical Practice: A Multicenter Observational Study
Pooled RCTs: In postmenopausal women, hormone therapy for 6 to 7 years did not affect mortality at 18 years
Annals of Internal Medicine; 168 (2): JC4
Review: In women 50 to 69 y of age at average risk, mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality
Annals of Internal Medicine; 164 (8): JC38
Review: Mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality in women at average risk
Annual mammography in women 40 to 48 y of age reduced breast cancer mortality at 10 y but not at a median 17.7 y
Annals of Internal Medicine; 163 (12): JC3
Related Point of Care
Annals of Internal Medicine; 150 (7): ITC4-1
Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention
Annals of Internal Medicine; 164 (11): ITC81-ITC96
Endocrine and Metabolism
Breast Cancer, Endocrine and Metabolism, Hematology/Oncology.
Screening Mammography Visits as Opportunities to Engage Smokers With Tobacco Cessation Services and Lung Cancer Screening.
J Am Coll Radiol 2020.
[Effect of electroacupuncture at Shaoze (SI 1) on breast milk volume and composition in postpartum hypogalactia].
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2020;40(1):13-6.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3917
|
__label__wiki
| 0.525733
| 0.525733
|
Anonymous asked in Politics & GovernmentElections · 4 months ago
is usa the most loved/hated country in the world?
Usa that I love is an economic locomotive of earth, people love usa for the "dream" but some people dislike the politcs.
I am not a communist or fascist but I know thousand of people that hate Usa and some capitalists too that hate America. you americans don't want admit that usa is hated too and I love usa. sorry for my english
I'm not sure it's either the most loved or hated, at least if we go by what surveys we actually have.
I know that something akin to "most hated" was taken by some agency not too long ago, though their terminology may have been a bit different. The poll was international and iirc, came from a large enough sample size. The United States did not top that list. Other nations like North Korea, Iran, and Israel were higher up than the United States.
I do have doubts we're the most loved as well, since a lot of nations do seem to criticize the United States more than most. A lot of our international actions aren't so universally loved, at least, which would make it hard to be the most loved. I do have to wonder what nation is the most loved, since the candidates I can think of still have their critics worldwide (like the UK, France, and Japan). It's not so obvious, at least to me, who can be "most loved".
I will say that the United States does seem to invoke great feelings in many people, whether that be love or hate. There are definitely people who hate us, like Iran's many "Death to America" chants; however, there are those who do appreciate us, like the recent protesters in Hong Kong waving our flag specifically because of the freedoms our country represents to them.
Beverly S
I don't know why people in other countries are so obsessed with us... I love my country but I don't obsess over other countries. I think as US Citizens we mostly love our country.. I would also expect people of other countries to love theirs.
What does this have to do with elections?
I think you must mean Iran.
hoarseman
The mouths say hated -- their feet say loved .
Almanacco: Most people round the world would glibly ,say "hated " -- yet most people wanting to go to another country ,want to go to the US,
all white people are racist
it is one of the most hated because of racist white people
what is the differene between communism and socialism and democratic socialism?
Is Virginias plan to elect presidents a good idea?
Why does Joe Biden want to be Putin's puppet so badly anyway?
How excited will you be when Hillary Clinton enters the race, wins the nomination, and becomes president of the US of A?
How sad is it that Elizabeth Warren was the only person of color at the last Democratic debate?
do you like ted cruz..............?
Why would you vote for Andrew Yang?
If Donald Trump is convicted, can he still run for President?
Where can I see which Democratic candidates are still active?
was capitalism born with agricolture?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3922
|
__label__wiki
| 0.939491
| 0.939491
|
Husson may crown new scoring king tonight> *: Wilson old champ, Alley modern-day champ
By Mike Dowd, Special to the BDN • February 7, 1994 6:00 am
To asterisk or not to asterisk, that is the question.
Sometime during Monday night’s basketball game between Thomas College and Husson College at the latter’s Newman Gym in Bangor, barring injury or natural disaster, senior guard Raymond Alley of the Braves will become his school’s new scoring king.
Alley enters the game needing 18 points to surpass Husson legend Dana Wilson, who scored 2,471 points for the Braves from 1970-74.
Please note again the years Wilson played. His career ended a decade before the 3-point field goal was introduced to the college game. Wilson also graduated before the Braves’ schedule mushroomed from 21 contests a season to 30-plus games.
Therein lies the rub. Or at least, the debate.
Should Alley’s career point total, which currently stands at 2,454 and counting with five games left in the regular season, go to the top of Husson’s list of honor followed by an asterisk?
“I think so,” answered Husson head coach Bruce MacGregor, who coached both players.
“I can’t really say that it should,” countered Wilson, fueling the debate.
It’s not a question to be taken lightly, as any sports fan or athlete knows. Remember the Roger Maris debate. Maris hit 61 homers in 1961 to beat Babe Ruth’s single-season record of 60. Yeah-butters pointed out Maris had the advantage of a 162-game season, compared to 154 for Ruth. The yeah-butters got their way. Maris got an asterisk.
Basketball has never been hung up on such distinctions. Neither the NBA guide nor the NCAA guide assigns asterisks to distinguish between record holders who played before or after the game adopted innovations like the 3-pointer or shot-clock.
Even so, individual teams are certainly within their rights to acknowledge the difference those innovations made on players’ statistics.
What makes the Alley asterisk debate so fascinating is a case can be made either way based on comparing him with Wilson.
Let’s start with the stats.
At first glance, Alley should definitely be assigned an asterisk when he breaks the record. He had the advantage of the 3-pointer, which by itself has added 340 points to his career total. Plus, he’s already played in 38 more games than Wilson. More chances to score.
But not so fast. Wilson, despite playing in fewer games, attempted nearly 300 more shots than Alley has. Factor in the number of games each played, and Wilson averaged 10 more shots a contest. So who really had more chances to score?
Plus, Alley has carried the load of distributing the ball. He is 22 assists shy of setting the school’s all-time mark with 522. Wilson isn’t in the top seven.
At this point the argument gets subjective.
Wilson and Alley were physical and stylistic opposites with similar offensive games. Wilson was a willowy 6-foot-2, 160-pounder with a loping stride that produced elegant drives to the basket. Alley is a 5-9, 180-pound fireplug. He’s muscular, physical, and possesses explosive quickness. His hell-bent drives to the hoop usually bruise someone.
Both players’ trademark, though, is uncanny range on their jumpshots, out to 25 feet.
MacGregor makes the asterisk argument for the following reasons:
“First, the game is different because of the 3-pointer and the shot clock,” said the 26th-year coach. “Second, at the time Dana was leading the country in NCAA Division III as a senior, he had to do a lot of scoring for the team. Raymond has had the luxury of other people around him who could score. Dana faced a lot more box-and-ones and triangle-and-twos.
“It’s a great record and a monumental feat by Raymond, but there are too many differences between the eras,” MacGregor summed up.
Wilson, now a 43-year-old entrepreneur living in Brewer, agreed with MacGregor’s points and even added one only a shooter could appreciate.
“No one talks about the breakaway rims they have now, but you watch how soft the ball sits up there,” said Wilson. “The old rims were hard as a rock. You hit the rim, you didn’t have a chance.”
For all the changes, though, Wilson believes Alley deserves to be at the top of the record book with no asterisk.
“He’s a better conditioned athlete, playing against better athletes,” said Wilson, who has seen Alley play often and plans to attend Monday night’s game. “Small college basketball has improved a lot. Kids are more talented today.”
The question is irresistible. Yeah, but what if Wilson had had the 3-point shot?
“Let’s just say I’d have had a lot fewer breakaway layups,” said the soon-to-be former top scorer of the Husson Braves.
Husson’s Big Guns Player G FGA FG FTA FT Pts Wilson 86 2270 1007 623 457 2471 Alley 124 1976 877 460 360 2454
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3925
|
__label__wiki
| 0.899573
| 0.899573
|
Hudson Reporter Archive
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
Posted on December 28, 2016 November 22, 2018 by Submitted Content
BETTIOS, STATHOULA (nee: Goutzoulis)
passed away at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth on December 21, 2016 after a short illness. Born in Sanga, Greece, Stathoula came to the United States 60 years ago and settling in Washington, DC before ultimately moving to Jersey City and eventually Bayonne. She was employed by the Jersey City Board of Education as a custodian retiring 20 years ago. She was a longtime devoted member of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. Stathoula is survived by her husband Peter; her three children, Megan Atlasman and her husband Felix, Christina Napolitano and her husband Charles and Theodore Bettios and his wife Rosemarie; her grandchildren, Elisabeth Atlasman, Stephanie and Michael Napolitano, Christopher, Joseph and Peter Bettios and her siblings Anna Lazaris, Bessie Papageorgiou, Athancea Kosmas and Theofanie Goutzoulis. Funeral arrangements by McLAUGHLIN Funeral Home, 625 Pavonia Ave., Jersey City.
Categories_Obituaries
Previous PostPrevious CURTIS, TIMOTHY DANIEL
Next PostNext Reports: Transgender Secaucus youth removed from Cub Scouts for being born female
Patience — Searches take time
Archives Select Month December 2016 (591) November 2016 (730) October 2016 (429) September 2016 (334) August 2016 (368) July 2016 (154) June 2016 (304) May 2016 (413) April 2016 (380) March 2016 (398) February 2016 (393) January 2016 (366) December 2015 (426) November 2015 (441) October 2015 (452) September 2015 (483) August 2015 (489) July 2015 (481) June 2015 (453) May 2015 (490) April 2015 (492) March 2015 (562) February 2015 (455) January 2015 (535) December 2014 (445) November 2014 (561) October 2014 (510) September 2014 (410) August 2014 (526) July 2014 (487) June 2014 (609) May 2014 (562) April 2014 (529) March 2014 (543) February 2014 (468) January 2014 (435) December 2013 (517) November 2013 (471) October 2013 (433) September 2013 (430) August 2013 (421) July 2013 (476) June 2013 (300) May 2013 (202) April 2013 (531) March 2013 (732) February 2013 (514) January 2013 (476) December 2012 (489) November 2012 (440) October 2012 (566) September 2012 (587) August 2012 (533) July 2012 (552) June 2012 (511) May 2012 (504) April 2012 (533) March 2012 (429) February 2012 (296) January 2012 (586) December 2011 (482) November 2011 (581) October 2011 (625) September 2011 (289) August 2011 (556) July 2011 (550) June 2011 (370) May 2011 (269) April 2011 (523) March 2011 (618) February 2011 (605) January 2011 (605) December 2010 (495) November 2010 (490) October 2010 (639) September 2010 (591) August 2010 (682) July 2010 (357) June 2010 (538) May 2010 (604) April 2010 (589) March 2010 (554) February 2010 (512) January 2010 (541) December 2009 (464) November 2009 (502) October 2009 (614) September 2009 (592) August 2009 (679) July 2009 (642) June 2009 (249) May 2009 (554) April 2009 (686) March 2009 (794) February 2009 (431) January 2009 (528) December 2008 (168) November 2008 (385) October 2008 (452) September 2008 (362) August 2008 (277) July 2008 (321) June 2008 (261) May 2008 (316) April 2008 (338) March 2008 (304) February 2008 (287) January 2008 (211) December 2007 (284) November 2007 (345) October 2007 (349) September 2007 (307) August 2007 (286) July 2007 (376) June 2007 (355) May 2007 (405) April 2007 (353) March 2007 (338) February 2007 (273) January 2007 (251) December 2006 (316) November 2006 (219) October 2006 (218) September 2006 (43) August 2006 (296) July 2006 (270) June 2006 (300) May 2006 (388) April 2006 (345) March 2006 (275) February 2006 (226) January 2006 (197) December 2005 (213) November 2005 (294) October 2005 (291) September 2005 (288) August 2005 (294) July 2005 (327) June 2005 (297) May 2005 (303) April 2005 (312) March 2005 (307) February 2005 (267) January 2005 (206) December 2004 (341) November 2004 (431) October 2004 (277) September 2004 (306) August 2004 (289) July 2004 (319) June 2004 (378) May 2004 (358) April 2004 (436) March 2004 (352) February 2004 (355) January 2004 (380) December 2003 (356) November 2003 (407) October 2003 (505) September 2003 (412) August 2003 (425) July 2003 (403) June 2003 (388) May 2003 (522) April 2003 (432) March 2003 (431) February 2003 (380) January 2003 (422) December 2002 (398) November 2002 (433) October 2002 (384) September 2002 (372) August 2002 (453) July 2002 (382) June 2002 (381) May 2002 (572) April 2002 (387) March 2002 (572) February 2002 (392) January 2002 (352) December 2001 (425) November 2001 (531) October 2001 (480) September 2001 (693) August 2001 (457) July 2001 (399) June 2001 (476) May 2001 (492) April 2001 (458) March 2001 (520) February 2001 (458) January 2001 (423) December 2000 (430) November 2000 (455) October 2000 (465) September 2000 (426) August 2000 (445) July 2000 (422) June 2000 (482) May 2000 (435) April 2000 (453) March 2000 (686) February 2000 (377) January 2000 (130)
_Columns
_Obituaries
Bayonne Letters
Bayonne News
Bayonne Sports
Hoboken Letters
Hoboken News
Jersey City Letters
Jersey City News
North Bergen Letters
North Bergen News
Secaucus Letters
Secaucus News
Union City Letters
Union City News
West New York Letters
West New York News
Our Current Articles
Hudson Restaurant Week returns larger than ever January 21, 2020 Hudson Reporter
Free suicide prevention workshop in Jersey City announced January 20, 2020 Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
Special Hoboken council meeting announced for Jan. 22 January 20, 2020 Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
Bayonne Fire Department bests blaze in half hour January 20, 2020 Daniel Israel
One-stop welfare center expands services in Union City January 20, 2020 Daniel Israel
Palisades Medical Center Expands Urology Services in Hudson County January 20, 2020 Submitted Content
Search ongoing for identity of suspect in Secaucus sexual assault January 20, 2020 Daniel Israel
Get green for keeping the planet green January 20, 2020 Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
Hoboken Library ‘FUNday’ is Feb. 1 January 20, 2020 Hudson Reporter
U.S. News & World Report recognizes Stevens Institute of Technology January 20, 2020 Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
© 2000, Newspaper Media Group
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3926
|
__label__wiki
| 0.745604
| 0.745604
|
Best Insanely Expensive Cup of Coffee
Coffee loyalty runs deep in San Francisco, and if asked to come up with a choice between Sightglass, Four Barrel, Ritual, or Blue Bottle, we might hiss and run away, flaring our frilled neck like a frightened Aussie lizard.
Best of San Francisco Arts & Entertainment
Best Visual Representation of S.F.
Colin Tilley's video for Kendrick Lamar's "Alright"
Kendrick Lamar is from Compton, but Colin Tilley, the director of the music video for Lamar's song "Alright" — which was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards and was performed by the artist at the 2016 Grammy Awards — is Berkeley-born and -raised.
News The Snitch Sports
By Max DeNike
News The Snitch Only in SF
News The Snitch Tech
News The Snitch Housing, Tech
S.F. Renters Partying Like It’s 2009
News The Snitch Yesterday's Crimes
Yesterday's Crimes: Rolling Stones, Hells Angels and Busted Heads at Altamont
By Bob Calhoun
News The Snitch Crime
S.F. Residents Beware: Razor Scooter Thug Is Roaming Streets
News The Snitch Celebrities, Law & Order, Sports
Woman Who Attended Beyoncé, Jay Z Concert at AT&T Park Sues Over Collision
News The Snitch Controversy
SF Police Union Just Won’t Stop
Government / Public Transit Muni Drivers Set to Receive $8 Million in Raises
Posted By Joe Eskenazi @EskSF on Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Your driver ought to be cheery today
In a development that figures to play about as well as whipping out a boom box at a funeral, Muni drivers are set to receive millions in raises in the wake of a finalized city budget balanced by a quarter of a billion dollars in union give-backs. The folks riding in the bus probably have things to say, too.
The Transportation Workers Union was the only city union to refuse to contribute a cent toward the aforementioned give-backs -- and they did it twice. The drivers handily voted down concession packages in both February and June. Those deals would have saved the city about $19 million over the next two years.
Neither give-back offer would have affected the drivers' city charter-enshrined, automatic
raises. But they would have involved one-time payments toward pension
plans (Yes, Muni drivers don't contribute at all toward their
pensions). The Muni drivers were the only city union that did not offer any concessions this year.
The TWU's February spurning of the concession plan rekindled Supervisor Sean Elsbernd's "Fix Muni Now" campaign to alter the manner in which drivers' salaries are calculated. Rather than engage in collective bargaining like every other union in the city, drivers are guaranteed a wage level of at least the second-highest in the nation in the city's charter. In this case, drivers are set to soon receive a 5.73 percent raise worth about $8 million.
With salary figures preordained, Elsbernd and other critics charge, Muni management has no means to negotiate away with wasteful and archaic labor practices enshrined in the union's Memorandum of Understanding. Elsbernd's charter amendment, which has qualified for November's ballot, would ostensibly change that by doing away with mandatory raises.
The Municipal Transporation Agency Board will officially review the drivers' raises on Tuesday. Yet since this raise is mandated by the city charter, this review is a formality.
Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly
Follow @sfweekly
Tags: Fix Muni Now, Muni, Muni drivers, Muni raises, pension, Image
Joe Eskenazi
@EskSF
Joe Eskenazi was born in San Francisco, raised in the Bay Area, and attended U.C. Berkeley. He never left. "Your humble narrator" was a staff writer and columnist for SF Weekly from 2007 to 2015. He resides in the Excelsior with his wife, 4.3 miles from his birthplace and 5,474 from hers.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3929
|
__label__cc
| 0.536129
| 0.463871
|
Home News Cover Stories Little Rock ethnic and local grocery store guide
Natives Guides
Little Rock ethnic and local grocery store guide
Lindsey Millar
, Rebekah Hall
, Stephanie Smittle
& Leslie Newell Peacock
It’s hard, especially if you have a family and you cook, to avoid the big, national chains, but if that’s your only shopping stop, you’re missing out. Little Rock is rich with ethnic and locally owned specialty grocery stores. Here’s our list of essential stops.
Brian Chilson
LA REGIONAL
7414 Baseline Road
7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
The theme here is one-stop shopping. Grab the essentials from the grocery: queso blanco from the dairy case; a big bottle of Tapatio hot sauce; a handful of peppers from the bulk bin (take your pick: chile puya, guajillo, ancho, chipotle, arbol, pasilla mulato, morita, pequin); cheap avocados and limes from the ample produce section; a pack of Brenda’s Tortillas, made fresh daily on 65th Street. Then amble a few feet to the butcher counter where you’ll find everything from cabeza (cow head meat) to camarones (shrimp). Next, grab a tray and tongs and, without thinking too hard, pile on as many different flaky, puffy, sugary, fruit-filled pastries and cookies as you can; they’ll likely cost you less than $5. Finally, because grocery shopping always inspires hunger, head to the adjacent restaurant, where you’ll find some of the finest tacos and burritos around.
9112 N. Rodney Parham Road, No. 102.
10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
Tucked between Drug Emporium and a clothing store in the Treasure Hill area, you’ll find a storefront labeled “Asian Groceries.” Unlike Sam’s Oriental or Mr. Chen’s Oriental Supermarket, though, the descriptor “Asian” here has a decidedly Southern Asian bent — as in, Indian. If you get there before 5 p.m., you can grab a Spinach Cheese Masala Dosa (stuffed rice flour crepes) from the Veggi Deli snack counter near the back, or a Vegetable Samosa stuffed with peas and potatoes. Nearby, the produce and deli shelves offer diced goat meat, daikon radishes the size of your forearm, eggplants in several shapes and sizes, dates, coconuts, “water buffalo and cow milk butter,” okra and taro root. Frozen goods abound, too — vacuum-packed mango pulp, curried TV dinners and a host of tempting ice cream flavors like anjeer (fig) and rose. Otherwise, the shelves are stocked with inexpensive Indian pantry staples you’re unlikely to find at your big box grocery stores: roti batter mix, bulk bags of jasmine rice, cardamom chai tea bags, 4-pound bags of sesame seeds, lotions and skin care creams, puja cloths for home prayer altars, single-serving packets of masala-flavored penne pasta, dried mung beans and red lentils, telescope-shaped canisters of a chicken luncheon loaf called “Zwan” (a halal version of Spam) and Bombay milk bread.
Heights Corner Market
5018 Kavanaugh Blvd.
8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun.
There has been a grocery store in the Tudor-style 1924 building at 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd. for decades, serving Little Rock’s upper-crustier types in what was once called the silk-stocking ward, close to the Country Club of Little Rock. In 2017, the venerable occupant, Terry’s Finer Foods, gave way to new owners, Eric and Lou Anne Herget, and a new name, but kept the silk stockings on. HCM now focuses on specialty and locally made items, including in-house baked fudge and breads. Frontier organic herbs sold in bulk line one wall; there, find such items as Hawthorne berries and nettle leaf along with other more common herbs and spices. The store’s produce is always top-notch; in summer it hauls in 200 pounds of homegrown tomatoes a week, along with Arkansas peaches and strawberries and greens. Available now: pickled peaches, a throwback to mid-20th century dining tables. Other healthy foods include Bitchin’ Sauce almond hummus and locally made granola. Local but not in the organic isle: North Little Rock’s Popcorn Spot’s loaded potato popcorn. The Corner Market is perhaps most famous for its meats; butcher Nathan Horn is the go-to for peppered hams. Rabbit Ridge Farms in Bee Branch is HCM’s supplier of choice cuts of pork, beef and poultry. There’s also hot soup to go in the market, or a sit-down restaurant in the adjacent Walter’s Green Room, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday brunch.
HAM Market
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.
HAM has come full circle. When Brandon and Tara Brown opened Hillcrest Artisan Meats in 2011, Little Rock immediately embraced the charcuterie and its deli sandwiches. Business boomed, but the Browns got burned out running the small business and sold to The Pantry’s Tomas Bohm in late 2016. Bohm changed the business’ name to District Fare, renovated the space and repositioned it as more of a deli. Then in 2018, he sold to local restaurateur Daniel Bryant, who promptly hired the Browns to run it and Hill Station, a restaurant in the former home of the Helmich garage on Kavanaugh slated to open early in 2020. Now known as HAM Market, the space has once again been remodeled and the business has been slightly reimagined: Beloved sandwiches, like the Georgie (just butter and ham on a ciabatta) and the H.A.M. (ham, mortadella, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, aioli and Dijon mustard on ciabatta), are now among a daily slate of premade options available to grab-and-go, along with various soups, dips, bone broth and the best meatballs you’ve ever tried. Brown and Co. also regularly offer lasagna, whole roasted chickens and macaroni and cheese for take-home dinners. The meat case always has an assortment of delicious, house-made sausages, along with cuts of meat you don’t often see elsewhere, like hanger steaks, as well as house-cured items like duck ham. You can also find a small selection of gourmet groceries: olives, pasta, sauces and the like.
SAM’S ORIENTAL
Sam’s Oriental Store
9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.
Little Rock is home to a number of East and Southeast Asian grocery stores, but Sam’s is the undisputed king. The relatively small shop in a strip mall near the campus of UA Little Rock is teeming with essential items from Asia and other far-flung cultures. (Earlier this year we stood in line with an African priest who had driven several hours for fufu powder.) For folks merely dabbling in Asian cooking, you’ll find dozens of varieties of noodles and rice, bulk garlic and ginger root, fresh tofu, miso, tom yum paste, half an aisle of tea and giant bottles of Sriracha, hoisin, fish and soy sauce. The scene is especially lively on Saturday morning when owner Sam Choi gets his weekly shipment of produce and other goods in from Dallas. Then, you’ll also find delicious house-made veggie kimbap (Korea’s version of sushi) and jap chae (glass noodles). Sam’s also makes its own excellent kimchi, available in various sizes. Important: You can only pay by check or cash here.
Stratton’s Market
405 E. Third St.
9 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat.
Folks who live in downtown’s River Market district have to travel several blocks to get to a supermarket. But they don’t have to go far to get essentials, like bread and milk and cereal and coffee and tea. Stratton’s Market, next door to Dugan’s Pub, fills the niche, and does it well with lots of local labels and specialty items. Low on breakfast supplies? There’s Mylo’s coffee, McCann Irish oatmeal, Bonne Maman jams, Petit Jean hams and bacon and cheese, Richard’s honey from El Dorado, raw honey from Willow’s Apiary in Scott, Ozark Health Bread from Rogers, and, yes, Cheerios and boxed cereals. Party time? Find local salsas Aunt Bee’s from Lonoke, Robbi’s from North Little Rock and Ms. Tonya’s from Fordyce as well as Velveeta in stock. But the moneymaker at Stratton’s is its wine selection, the best downtown. You can get a pricy bottle of Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon or a four-pack of Kahlua Cold Brew Martini; you can also tell Tasha Stratton what you want and she’ll order it for you. Beers and spirits are there, too.
Edwards Food Giant and Cash Saver
edwardsfoodgiant.com and edwardscashsaver.com.
Unlike the other spots on our list, Edwards Food Giant and Cash Saver are full-service supermarkets. We’re including them here because they’re locally owned and also very good grocery stores. There are four Food Giants in Little Rock, including a popular one at 7507 Cantrell Road, and a Cash Saver in Little Rock (1701 Main St.) and North Little Rock (3801 Camp Robinson Road). Food Giant is large, clean and full of helpful employees who’ll offer to carry out your groceries to your car. The store bills itself as “The Meat People,” and the selection is truly something to behold. Plump rows of sausages and pink chunks of pork and beef line the meat case, and the butcher will select the specific cut of meat for your recipe. There’s also always a good selection of local items, including, during the summer, heirloom tomatoes from Arkansas Times Publisher Alan Leveritt’s farm.
To shop at Edwards Cash Saver is to do exactly what the grocery store’s name suggests: save money on your grocery bill, even if you just turn around and spend the dollars you saved on a lunch plate from the store’s popular hot deli counter. Edwards Cash Saver is a “cost plus food outlet,” which means all items are priced at the cost the store pays to source and stock the product. An additional 10 percent is then added to each item at checkout, often resulting in prices far lower than other grocery stores. It’s undoubtedly the cheapest place in town to buy beer, both from local breweries and other domestic and imported beers.
K Hall & Sons
1900 Wright Ave.
8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun.
Diehard fans build a line around the perimeter for the specials at K. Hall’s Saturday seafood boil, but it’s impossible to wait in the deli line without noticing something else the Wright Avenue spot consistently does well: just being a grocery store. The bundles of collards, turnip and mustard greens heaped on the store counters are so good they tend to sell out around the holidays, and should you need to skip the prep step, they’re also available in cooked/takeout form in the cooler near the deli counter, with pork-less options. At K. Hall, sweet potatoes come in two size categories, a bushel of raw peanuts sits at the ready, and there’s a shelf with no fewer than seven varieties of Brim’s chicharrones. You’ll find sheet cakes in flavors like red velvet, lemon and German chocolate; dairy staples; small tubs of house-made chicken salad, pralines and peanut brittle to accent your lunch; and a small selection of canned and dry goods. Beside the lunch deli counter, you’ll see a display case with the daily cuts of meat: beef shoulder steaks, whole Petit Jean hams, turkey necks and a variety of cold cuts. The real grocery wild card, though? Take a look in the freezer, where you’ll find frozen alligator, pork jowl, hot water cornbread discs, pickled pork, oxtails, pig’s feet, rabbit, chitlins, frog legs, andouille, crawfish, hot beef patties, coconut shrimp and bulk bags of purple hulls, pintos and speckled butter beans.
Lindsey Millar is the editor of the Arkansas Times and the founder of the Arkansas Nonprofit News Network.
Rebekah Hall
Rebekah Hall is associate editor at the Arkansas Times.
Stephanie Smittle
Stephanie Smittle is culture editor for the Arkansas Times and an advocate for The Natural State's rich history of musicians and artists.
Previous article High-minded stuff: Little Rock’s museums and art galleries Next article Resolutions 2020
Edwards Food Giant
Sam's Oriental Store
Stratton's Market
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3931
|
__label__cc
| 0.653256
| 0.346744
|
Awesome Friday!
Movies, TV, and Games – News and Reviews – Opinions and Reflections
Poster Gallery: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Doctor Sleep, Frozen 2, Birds of Prey, Jungle Cruise, and More!
Posted by Matthew on October 24, 2019
Movies, Posters
Look, I know that you’re here for the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker poster but we also have Doctor Sleep posters, four each from Frozen 2 and Birds of Prey, one hilarious poster for The Lighthouse, Pixar’s latest Onward, along with new sheets for Dolittle, Bombshell, and Disney’s Jungle Cruise.
While the trailer for The Rise of Skywalker is great, these posters are both, uh, well they’re pretty good. Neither of them live up to the Last Jedi posters in my opinion, but we’re also probably going to get dozens more posters in the next two months. Still, I really like the main poster (on the left). Nicely echos The Force Awakens poster.
Doctor Sleep is a sequel to The Shining and with any luck it’ll be creepy as hell. These posters are creepy as hell. I dig it.
Frozen 2 has entered this weird place in my mind where the more marketing I see the less excited I am. I don’t exactly get it, but these posters don’t do a lot for me. I sincerely hope, and expect, that the movie will be good but everything I’ve seen lately has left me cold. Weird.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of on Harley Quinn
I really hope this movie is as fun and colourful as these posters for the movie are. I am cautiously optimistic but these posters are great. I particularly like the one with the hyena.
The recent trailer revealed that this movie is going to be a lot weirder than previously thought, and this poster also lets us know that these two elf kids will be on a road trip with the lower half of their father. It has a real Weekend at Bernies vibe that I like.
The Lighthouse is not going to be for everyone but I think that everyone should definitely give it a shot. I can’t tell you why without spoiling it, but he seagull poster is pretty goddamned perfect (and hilarious) for this movie. I might make it my phone wallpaper.
I really wish that this looked good. I really do. But it really doesn’t. It sucks that Robert Downey Jr’s first non-Marvel role in 8 years looks like it might be real bad.
Bombshell seems to be headed down the "let’s turn this awful story about awful people into a dark comedy" route that worked for Vice and The Big Short, and I really hope it works for them. It’s a story worth telling and I hope it’s well told.
It’s still kind of unnerving how much they’ve made Charlize Theron look like Megyn Kelly.
Last but not least this week is this old-timey looking poster for Jungle Cruise. I don’t know about you guys but I am 100% for this one. It looks a lot like The Mummy and the adventure serials it paid homage to, which is to say it looks like a ton of fun. Dwayne Johnson and Emily blunt are both charismatic and fun, and they look like they’re having a blast in this. 24th July basically can’t come soon enough.
There you have it folks. Which of these posters are you exited by? What do you think about The Rise of Skywalker posters? Are you looking forward to Frozen 2 or Jungle Cruise? Let me know in the comments or on twitter!
Liked it? Take a second to support Matthew on Patreon!
Tags: Birds of Prey, Bombshell, Doctor Sleep, Dolittle, Frozen 2, Jungle Cruise, Onward, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Lighthouse
Review: ‘1917’ is a technical masterwork and a pretty good movie, too.
92nd Academy Award Nominations are here to elate and disappoint you
Ten More From 2019 You Should Totally See
Simon’s Favourite Films & Games of 2019
Matt’s Favourite Films & Performers of 2019
Follow Awesome Friday on Twitter
Follow Simon on Twitter
Follow Matthew on Twitter
© 2020 Awesome Friday! All Rights Reserved. Site design by PMGardner, based on a layout by Wordpress Searchperience
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3934
|
__label__wiki
| 0.722801
| 0.722801
|
https://apnews.com/Business%2520Wire/04e0ffb015914e9f841a53e1e156b9a9
Business Wire: Medical
Colorado Life Sciences Companies Raise $750 Million in 2019
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2019--
Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem raised $750 million in 2019, with funds from federal and state grants, successful financing rounds and acquisitions. The record-breaking acquisition of Boulder-based Array BioPharma by Pfizer for $11.4 billion raises the Colorado financing total to $12.1 billion.
Major financings contributed to the notable fundraising year for Colorado companies and institutions. Clovis Oncology raised $175 million in clinical trial financing and Inscripta closed $125 million in Series D financing to fund commercialization of its digital genome engineering platform.
Additionally, more than 40 companies and institutions in Colorado received federal grants including funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Air Force and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants from the Small Business Administration. The University of Colorado, National Jewish Health and Colorado State University were the state’s largest recipients of federal grants, all from the National Institutes of Health.
Jennifer Jones Paton, President & CEO of Colorado BioScience Association, says:
“Our ecosystem’s track record of successful financings and acquisitions highlights the global impact made by companies and organizations from Colorado. Life sciences breakthroughs from our state change and save lives around the world. The record-breaking acquisition and successful fundraising demonstrate the strong interest in Colorado’s thriving life sciences ecosystem.”
Emily Roberts, Vice President of Colorado BioScience Association, says:
“We are proud of the companies in our ecosystem that landed Advanced Industries Grants from the state of Colorado. These funds are critical for our start-up and mid-stage companies as they seek to prove out concepts and move into commercialization. We are committed to advocating for this important state funding of our innovators and job creators.”
The State of Colorado awarded 16 Advanced Industries grants to Colorado life sciences companies in 2019, with grants ranging from $20,000-$250,000. As a designated Advanced Industry in Colorado, the life sciences ecosystem makes a significant contribution to the state’s diverse and fast-growing economy, creating high-paying jobs for more than 89,000 Coloradans.
Colorado BioScience Association works actively on capital and growth initiatives to accelerate investment in our state’s life sciences ecosystem. While robust, Colorado’s percentage of funding per capita lags behind bioscience clusters in California and Massachusetts.
Connect with CBSA: Twitter @COBioscience, Facebook and LinkedIn
About Colorado BioScience Association
Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) creates co-opportunity for the Colorado life sciences community. CBSA champions a collaborative life sciences ecosystem and advocates for a supportive business climate. From concept to commercialization, member companies and organizations drive global health innovations, products and services that improve and save lives. The association leads Capital and Growth, Education and Networking, Policy and Advocacy, and Workforce Cultivation to make its members stronger, together. Learn more: cobioscience.com
CONTACT: Media Contact:
Sheliah Reynolds
Primavera Group for Colorado BioScience Association
sheliah@theprimaveragroup.com
KEYWORD: COLORADO UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH ONCOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES
SOURCE: Colorado BioScience Association
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3936
|
__label__cc
| 0.57714
| 0.42286
|
41.26.200 << 41.26.211 >> 41.26.221
Notice for hearing required prior to petitioning for judicial review.
Any person aggrieved by any final decision of the director must, before petitioning for judicial review, file with the director of the retirement system by mail or personally within sixty days from the day such decision was communicated to such person, a notice for a hearing. The notice of hearing shall set forth in full detail the grounds upon which such person considers such decision unjust or unlawful and shall include every issue to be considered, and it must contain a detailed statement of facts upon which such person relies in support thereof. Such persons shall be deemed to have waived all objections or irregularities concerning the matter on which such appeal is taken other than those specifically set forth in the notice of hearing or appearing in the records of the retirement system.
[ 1984 c 184 § 16; 1981 c 294 § 6; 1969 ex.s. c 209 § 19. Formerly RCW 41.26.052, 41.26.210.]
Severability—1984 c 184: See note following RCW 41.50.150.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3938
|
__label__wiki
| 0.816754
| 0.816754
|
Madagascar was one of the last major landmasses on earth to be colonized by humans. The earliest settlers from present-day Indonesia arrived between A.D. 350 and 550. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The island was conquered by the French in 1896 who made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014.
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
20 00 S, 47 00 E
total: 587,041 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
arable land 6%; permanent crops 1%; permanent pasture 64.1%
10,860 sq km (2012)
periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
24,430,325 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
French (official), Malagasy (official), English
Christian, indigenous believer, Muslim
note: population largely practices Christianity or an indigenous religion; small share of population is Muslim
Madagascar’s youthful population – just over 60% are under the age of 25 – and high total fertility rate of more than 4 children per women ensures that the Malagasy population will continue its rapid growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. The population is predominantly rural and poor; chronic malnutrition is prevalent, and large families are the norm. Many young Malagasy girls are withdrawn from school, marry early (often pressured to do so by their parents), and soon begin having children. Early childbearing, coupled with Madagascar’s widespread poverty and lack of access to skilled health care providers during delivery, increases the risk of death and serious health problems for young mothers and their babies.
Child marriage perpetuates gender inequality and is prevalent among the poor, the uneducated, and rural households – as of 2013, of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24, more than 40% were married and more than a third had given birth by the age of 18. Although the legal age for marriage is 18, parental consent is often given for earlier marriages or the law is flouted, especially in rural areas that make up nearly 65% of the country. Forms of arranged marriage whereby young girls are married to older men in exchange for oxen or money are traditional. If a union does not work out, a girl can be placed in another marriage, but the dowry paid to her family diminishes with each unsuccessful marriage.
Madagascar’s population consists of 18 main ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language. Most Malagasy are multi-ethnic, however, reflecting the island’s diversity of settlers and historical contacts (see Background). Madagascar’s legacy of hierarchical societies practicing domestic slavery (most notably the Merina Kingdom of the 16th to the 19th century) is evident today in persistent class tension, with some ethnic groups maintaining a caste system. Slave descendants are vulnerable to unequal access to education and jobs, despite Madagascar’s constitutional guarantee of free compulsory primary education and its being party to several international conventions on human rights. Historical distinctions also remain between central highlanders and coastal people.
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1%
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
ANTANANARIVO (capital) 2.61 million (2015)
Child labor - children ages 5-14
total number: 1,827,423
percentage: 28%
note: data represent children ages 5-17 (2007 est.)
urban: 18% of population
47,900 (2015 est.)
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
female: 3% (2012 est.)
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara
former: Malagasy Republic
note: the name "Madageiscar" was first used by the 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco POLO, as a corrupted transliteration of Mogadishu, the Somali port with which POLO confused the island
semi-presidential republic
name: Antananarivo
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
26 June 1960 (from France)
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010 (2016)
civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Madagascar; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen
residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
chief of state: President Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimana (since 25 January 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly SOLONANDRASANA (since 13 April 2016); Prime Minister Jean RAVELONARIVO (since 17 January 2015) resigned 8 April 2016
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 December 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president
election results: Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA (FIDO) 53.5%, Jean Louis ROBINSON (AVANA) 46.5%
note: on 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc RAVALOMANANA stepped down, handing the government over to the military, which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA; a power-sharing agreement established a 15-month transition period to conclude with a general election in 2010, which failed to occur; a subsequent agreement aimed for an early 2013 election - the first round was held on 25 October 2013 and the second on 20 December 2013
description: unicameral National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena (151 seats; 87 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 64 directly elected in two-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held on 20 December 2013 (next to be held in 2017); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections held in 2013 after repeated delays
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - MPAR 17.3%, MR 10.8%, VPM MMM 8.2%, PHI 3.8%, AMHM 3.5%, LF 2.8%, FFF 1.6%, AIM 1.0%, SFN 0.3%, independent and other 50.6%; seats by party - MPAR 49, MR 20, VPM MMM 13, PHI 5, AMHM 2, LF 5, FFF 2, AIM 2, SFN 2, other 22, independent 25, seats with delayed elections 4
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 11 members; addresses judicial administration issues only); High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 9 members); note - the judiciary includes a High Court of Justice responsible for adjudicating crimes and misdemeanors by government officials including the president
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court heads elected by the president and judiciary officials to serve single-renewable, 3-year terms; High Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 each by the president, by both legislative bodies, and by the Council of Magistrates; members serve single, 6-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; provincial and city tribunals
AVANA Party [Jean-Louis ROBINSON]
Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery/LEADER Fanilo or LF [Manasse ESOAVELOMANDROSO]
Green Party/Parti Vert or AMHM [Sarah Georget RABEHARISOA]
National Unity, Freedom, and Development or FFF [Benjamin RADAVIDSON Andriamparany]
New Force for Madagascar or FIDIO [Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA]
Parti Hiaraka Isika or PHI [Albert Camille VITAL]
Party of Andry Rajoelina or MPAR [Andry RAJOELINA]
Pillar of Madagascar or AIM [Andry RAKOTOVAO]
Ravlomanana Movement or MR [Marc RAVALOMANANA]
Sambo Fiaran'i Noe or SFN
Union Party or Tambatra [Pety RAKOTONIAINA]
Vondrona Politika Miara dia Malagasy Miara Miainga or VPM MMM [Milavonjy ANDRIASY]
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR
Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert ZAFY]
National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Velotiana Rakotoanosy RAOBELINA (since 20 June 2011)
consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert T. YAMATE (since 13 January 2015); note - also accredited to Comoros
embassy: Lot 207A, Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo
mailing address: B.P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (23) 480 00
FAX: [261] 20 23 480 35 or [261] 33 44 328 17
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity
traveller's palm, zebu; national colors: red, green, white
name: "Ry Tanindraza nay malala o" (Oh, Our Beloved Fatherland)
lyrics/music: Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA
$9.74 billion (2015 est.)
Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel,
After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until the onset of a political crisis, which lasted from 2009 to 2013. The free market strategy had pla
Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 following the democratic election of a new president the previous year. In November 2015, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a Rapid Credit Facility to Madagascar worth about $42.1 million to hel
$36 billion (2015 est.)
investment in inventories: 0%
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
meat processing, seafood, soap, beer, leather, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism, mining
12.98 million (2016 est.)
NA% (2015 est.)
62% (31 December 2016 est.)
-$223 million (2016 est.)
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, clothing, chromite, petroleum products
France 15.2%, US 12.7%, China 7.1%, South Africa 5.9%, Japan 5.5%, Netherlands 5.4%, Germany 5.1%, Belgium 5%, India 4.4% (2015)
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
China 24.8%, France 10.3%, Bahrain 5.6%, India 5.5%, Kuwait 4.5%, Mauritius 4.5%, South Africa 4.3% (2015)
$832 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar -
3,243.4 (2016 est.)
population without electricity: 19,500,000
1.4 billion kWh (2014 est.)
m 500,000 kW (2014 est.)
2.01 billion cu m (1 January 2012 es)
3 million Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 253,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: system is above average for the region; competition among the three mobile service providers has spurred recent growth in the mobile market
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 45 per 100 persons
international: country code - 261; landing point for the EASSy, SEACOM, and LION fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2015)
state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international bro (2007)
total: 994,000
percent of population: 4.2% (July 2015 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 16
narrow gauge: 836 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
total: 37,476 km
600 km (432 km navigable) (2011)
by type: cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara (Tulear)
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
18-25 years of age for male-only voluntary military service; no conscription; service obligation is 18 months for military or equivalent civil service; 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits and 35 years of age for those with military experience (2012)
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
IDPs: 21,475 (floods in 2015) (2015)
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3943
|
__label__wiki
| 0.687703
| 0.687703
|
X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Accumulation and Secretion of Discrete Intracellular Zinc Pools in the Lactating Mouse Mammary Gland
Nicholas Mc Cormick, Vanessa Velasquez, Lydia Finney, Stefan Vogt, et al
http://www.mendeley.com/research/xray-fluorescence-microscopy-reveals-accumulation-secretion-discrete-intracellular-zinc-pools-lactat
{"title"=>"X-ray fluorescence microscopy reveals accumulation and secretion of discrete intracellular zinc pools in the lactating mouse mammary gland", "type"=>"journal", "authors"=>[{"first_name"=>"Nicholas", "last_name"=>"McCormick", "scopus_author_id"=>"36446357200"}, {"first_name"=>"Vanessa", "last_name"=>"Velasquez", "scopus_author_id"=>"36446916600"}, {"first_name"=>"Lydia", "last_name"=>"Finney", "scopus_author_id"=>"7003957879"}, {"first_name"=>"Stefan", "last_name"=>"Vogt", "scopus_author_id"=>"7101896529"}, {"first_name"=>"Shannon L.", "last_name"=>"Kelleher", "scopus_author_id"=>"27169261400"}], "year"=>2010, "source"=>"PLoS ONE", "identifiers"=>{"issn"=>"19326203", "scopus"=>"2-s2.0-77956214419", "pui"=>"359293466", "doi"=>"10.1371/journal.pone.0011078", "isbn"=>"1932-6203 (Electronic)\\r1932-6203 (Linking)", "sgr"=>"77956214419", "pmid"=>"20552032"}, "id"=>"e12f6d0f-f559-33c0-ae00-d4ea5700093c", "abstract"=>"BACKGROUND: The mammary gland is responsible for the transfer of a tremendous amount of zinc ( approximately 1-3 mg zinc/day) from maternal circulation into milk during lactation to support the growth and development of the offspring. When this process is compromised, severe zinc deficiency compromises neuronal development and immune function and increases infant morbidity and/or mortality. It remains unclear as to how the lactating mammary gland dynamically integrates zinc import from maternal circulation with the enormous amount of zinc that is secreted into milk.\n\nMETHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Herein we utilized X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) which allowed for the visualization and quantification of the process of zinc transfer through the mammary gland of the lactating mouse. Our data illustrate that a large amount of zinc first accumulates in the mammary gland during lactation. Interestingly, this zinc is not cytosolic, but accumulated in large, discrete sub-cellular compartments. These zinc pools were then redistributed to small intracellular vesicles destined for secretion in a prolactin-responsive manner. Confocal microscopy identified mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus as the sub-cellular compartments which accumulate zinc; however, zinc pools in the Golgi apparatus, but not mitochondria are redistributed to vesicles destined for secretion during lactation.\n\nCONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data directly implicate the Golgi apparatus in providing a large, mobilizable zinc storage pool to assist in providing for the tremendous amount of zinc that is secreted into milk. Interestingly, our study also provides compelling evidence that mitochondrial zinc pools expand in the mammary gland during lactation which we speculate may play a role in regulating mammary gland function.", "link"=>"http://www.mendeley.com/research/xray-fluorescence-microscopy-reveals-accumulation-secretion-discrete-intracellular-zinc-pools-lactat", "reader_count"=>31, "reader_count_by_academic_status"=>{"Professor > Associate Professor"=>3, "Researcher"=>7, "Student > Ph. D. Student"=>8, "Student > Postgraduate"=>1, "Student > Master"=>6, "Other"=>1, "Student > Bachelor"=>1, "Professor"=>4}, "reader_count_by_user_role"=>{"Professor > Associate Professor"=>3, "Researcher"=>7, "Student > Ph. D. Student"=>8, "Student > Postgraduate"=>1, "Student > Master"=>6, "Other"=>1, "Student > Bachelor"=>1, "Professor"=>4}, "reader_count_by_subject_area"=>{"Unspecified"=>1, "Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"=>6, "Materials Science"=>1, "Agricultural and Biological Sciences"=>19, "Physics and Astronomy"=>1, "Chemistry"=>3}, "reader_count_by_subdiscipline"=>{"Materials Science"=>{"Materials Science"=>1}, "Chemistry"=>{"Chemistry"=>3}, "Physics and Astronomy"=>{"Physics and Astronomy"=>1}, "Agricultural and Biological Sciences"=>{"Agricultural and Biological Sciences"=>19}, "Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"=>{"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"=>6}, "Unspecified"=>{"Unspecified"=>1}}, "reader_count_by_country"=>{"Czech Republic"=>1, "United States"=>1, "Brazil"=>1, "Mexico"=>2, "Spain"=>1}, "group_count"=>0}
http://doi.org/10.1039/C2MT20176C
http://doi.org/10.3367/UFNr.2017.07.038174
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2016.04.002
http://doi.org/10.1021/cb300171p
http://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.8b00977
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.036
http://doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.150623
http://doi.org/10.1152/physiolgenomics.00137.2010
http://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.22900
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2013.09.006
http://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20121506
http://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.R114.592618
http://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00443.2011
http://doi.org/10.3945/an.110.000232
http://doi.org/10.1097/HP.0b013e31824e7023
http://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M115.637439
http://doi.org/10.1039/C5RA07599H
http://doi.org/10.1021/cr400546e
http://doi.org/10.3390/nu3110910
http://doi.org/10.1038/sigtrans.2017.29
http://doi.org/10.1021/cb4003859
Europe PMC Citations 1607 Apr 14:20 UTC
{"@_fa"=>"true", "link"=>[{"@_fa"=>"true", "@ref"=>"self", "@href"=>"https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77956214419"}, {"@_fa"=>"true", "@ref"=>"author-affiliation", "@href"=>"https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77956214419?field=author,affiliation"}, {"@_fa"=>"true", "@ref"=>"scopus", "@href"=>"https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=77956214419&origin=inward"}, {"@_fa"=>"true", "@ref"=>"scopus-citedby", "@href"=>"https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=77956214419&origin=inward"}], "prism:url"=>"https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77956214419", "dc:identifier"=>"SCOPUS_ID:77956214419", "eid"=>"2-s2.0-77956214419", "dc:title"=>"X-ray fluorescence microscopy reveals accumulation and secretion of discrete intracellular zinc pools in the lactating mouse mammary gland", "dc:creator"=>"McCormick N.", "prism:publicationName"=>"PLoS ONE", "prism:eIssn"=>"19326203", "prism:volume"=>"5", "prism:issueIdentifier"=>"6", "prism:pageRange"=>nil, "prism:coverDate"=>"2010-08-10", "prism:coverDisplayDate"=>"2010", "prism:doi"=>"10.1371/journal.pone.0011078", "citedby-count"=>"44", "affiliation"=>[{"@_fa"=>"true", "affilname"=>"Pennsylvania State University", "affiliation-city"=>"University Park", "affiliation-country"=>"United States"}], "pubmed-id"=>"20552032", "prism:aggregationType"=>"Journal", "subtype"=>"ar", "subtypeDescription"=>"Article", "article-number"=>"e11078", "source-id"=>"10600153309", "openaccess"=>"1", "openaccessFlag"=>true}
{"type"=>"COMMENT", "annotationUri"=>"info:doi/10.1371/annotation/5c3b3542-03db-4861-83ac-ddff489106a7", "title"=>"Well Done!", "body"=>"Greetings from East Lansing!\nThis is a superb paper. It provided me with a rich and diverse learning experience. ", "isRemoved"=>false, "created"=>"2010-10-17T23:11:28Z", "lastModified"=>"2010-10-17T23:11:28Z", "creator"=>{"userId"=>"165667"}, "highlightedText"=>"", "competingInterestStatement"=>{"creatorWasPrompted"=>true, "hasCompetingInterests"=>false}, "parentArticle"=>{"doi"=>"info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078", "state"=>"published", "journals"=>{"PLoSONE"=>{"journalKey"=>"PLoSONE", "eIssn"=>"1932-6203", "title"=>"PLOS ONE"}}}, "replyTreeSize"=>0, "mostRecentActivity"=>"2010-10-17T23:11:28Z", "replies"=>[]}
Nature26 Apr 01:08 UTC
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845847"], "description"=>"<p>Representative confocal micrographs illustrate that FluoZin-3 (green) and Bodipy TR (red) are largely co-localized (merge, yellow) in non-secreting mammary epithelial cells (panel A). Mammary epithelial cells were treated with prolactin and cortisol for 24 h differentiate to a secreting phenotype (panel B). Confocal micrographs of FluoZin-3 (green) and Bodipy TR (red) in secreting mammary epithelial cells illustrate partial co-localization (merge, yellow) of “labile” Zn and the Golgi apparatus in hormonally treated cells. Moreover, distinct non-Golgi apparatus-associated Zn pools were detected in secreting cells.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["zn", "pools", "golgi"], "article_id"=>516300, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g006", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>0, "page_views"=>9, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_Labile_Zn_pools_are_partially_associated_with_the_Golgi_apparatus_/516300", "title"=>"Labile Zn pools are partially associated with the Golgi apparatus.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:03:52"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845193"], "description"=>"<p>Mouse mammary gland (20 µm) was visualized by phase contrast microscopy (20× magnification) and analyzed using XFM. The alveoli lumen (L) is surrounded by a single layer of mammary epithelial cells (MEC). The corresponding element (phosphorus, P; zinc, Zn) and its minimum and maximum threshold values in micrograms per square centimeter are given above each image. The rainbow-colored scale bar reflects the signal intensity measured as micrograms per square centimeter in each pixel, with darker pixels representing areas of low concentration and brighter pixels representing areas of increasing concentration. A scale bar (20 µm) is shown below the elemental maps.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["mammary", "gland", "non-lactating", "lactating"], "article_id"=>515624, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g001", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>0, "page_views"=>13, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_XFM_analysis_of_the_mammary_gland_from_non_lactating_and_lactating_mice_/515624", "title"=>"XFM analysis of the mammary gland from non-lactating and lactating mice.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 00:59:58"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845353"], "description"=>"<p>Mouse mammary gland (20 µm) was analyzed using XFM. The corresponding element (phosphorus, P; zinc, Zn) and its minimum and maximum threshold values in micrograms per square centimeter are given above each image. The rainbow-colored scale bar reflects the signal intensity measured as micrograms per square centimeter in each pixel, with darker pixels representing areas of low concentration and brighter pixels representing areas of increasing concentration. A scale bar (10 µm) is shown below the elemental maps. Zinc and phosphorus maps of ∼1–4 mammary cells in the mammary gland from a mouse that had suckled her offspring for 30 min (suckled; used as a baseline), a suckled mouse, 60 min post-suckling (Post-suckled; reflecting Zn accumulation), a mouse injected with bromocriptine (Bromocriptine; used to eliminate prolactin secretion) and a mouse injected with haloperidol (Haloperidol; used to increase prolactin secretion). The red circles on the Zn maps denote corresponding nuclei.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["intracellular", "zn", "pools", "mammary", "gland"], "article_id"=>515796, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g002", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>1, "page_views"=>16, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_XFM_analysis_of_intracellular_Zn_pools_in_mouse_mammary_gland_during_lactation_/515796", "title"=>"XFM analysis of intracellular Zn pools in mouse mammary gland during lactation.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:01:03"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845482"], "description"=>"<p>(A) Representative confocal images to illustrate vesicular and mitochondrial Zn pools detected using FluoZin-3 (green) and RhodZin-3 (red), respectively, in mammary cells (HC11). Scale bar (5 µm). (B) Mammary cells were treated with prolactin (1 µM) for 24 h and the accumulation of Zn in vesicular and mitochondrial Zn pools were detected by fluorometry using FluoZin-3 (green) and RhodZin-3 (red), respectively. Data represent mean fluorescence ± standard deviation, n = 6 samples/treatment. Asterisk indicates a significant effect of treatment (p<0.001).</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["lactogenic", "prolactin", "increases", "vesicular", "mitochondrial", "zn", "pools", "mammary"], "article_id"=>515918, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g003", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>0, "page_views"=>2, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_The_lactogenic_hormone_prolactin_increases_vesicular_and_mitochondrial_Zn_pools_in_mammary_cells_/515918", "title"=>"The lactogenic hormone prolactin increases vesicular and mitochondrial Zn pools in mammary cells.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:01:44"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845996"], "description"=>"<p>Representative confocal micrographs of p58 (Golgi apparatus marker) visualized with Alexa Fluor® 568-conjugated anti-mouse IgG in untreated (p58 −BFA) and Brefeldin A-treated (p58 +BFA) mammary epithelial cells. Images verify that Brefeldin A treatment disrupts the Golgi apparatus in mammary epithelial cells. Representative confocal micrographs of FluoZin-3 in untreated cells (FluoZin-3 −BFA) and cells treated with Brefeldin A (FluoZin-3 +BFA). Images illustrate that the distribution of “labile” Zn pools is diffuse by Brefeldin A treatment (inset) indicating that “labile” Zn is associated with the Golgi apparatus.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["zn", "pools", "disrupted", "brefledin"], "article_id"=>516441, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g007", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>0, "page_views"=>2, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_Labile_Zn_pools_are_disrupted_by_Brefledin_A_treatment_/516441", "title"=>"Labile Zn pools are disrupted by Brefledin A treatment.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:04:41"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845721"], "description"=>"<p>Representative confocal micrographs of mammary epithelial cells treated with FluoZin-3 (green) and ER Tracker (red) which illustrate that “labile” Zn pools do not exist within the endoplasmic reticulum and are, in fact, associated with a distinct compartment proximal to the endoplasmic reticulum (merge).</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["zn", "pools", "compartment", "proximal", "endoplasmic"], "article_id"=>516165, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g005", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>1, "page_views"=>8, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_Labile_Zn_pools_are_associated_with_a_distinct_compartment_directly_proximal_to_the_endoplasmic_reticulum_/516165", "title"=>"Labile Zn pools are associated with a distinct compartment directly proximal to the endoplasmic reticulum.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:03:07"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/845572"], "description"=>"<p>Representative confocal micrographs of lysosomes detected with Lysotracker Green in untreated cells (Lysotracker) and cells treated with chloroquine diphosphate (Lysotracker +CLQ).. Images verify that chloroquine diphosphate disrupts lysosomes in HC11 cells. Representative confocal micrographs of “labile” Zn pools detected using FluoZin-3 in untreated cells (FluoZin-3) and cells treated with chloroquine diphosphate (FluoZin-3 +CLQ). Images illustrate that the distribution of “labile” Zn pools in mammary cells is not affected by lysosomal disruption.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["zn", "pools"], "article_id"=>516019, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g004", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>1, "page_views"=>13, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_Labile_Zn_pools_are_not_associated_with_lysosomes_/516019", "title"=>"Labile Zn pools are not associated with lysosomes.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:02:19"}
{"files"=>["https://ndownloader.figshare.com/files/846135"], "description"=>"<p>Mammary cells were treated with prolactin for 24 h to differentiate to a secreting phenotype. Following differentiation, cells were stimulated with prolactin and changes in “labile” Zn pools were quantified by fluorometry using FluoZin-3. Data represent mean fluorescence ± standard deviation, n = 6–8 samples/treatment. Asterisk denotes a significant effect of prolactin on FluoZin-3 fluorescence, p<0.001.</p>", "links"=>[], "tags"=>["stimulates", "mobilization", "vesicular", "zn", "pools", "secreting", "mammary"], "article_id"=>516580, "categories"=>["Cell Biology", "Medicine"], "users"=>["Nicholas McCormick", "Vanessa Velasquez", "Lydia Finney", "Stefan Vogt", "Shannon L. Kelleher"], "doi"=>"https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011078.g008", "stats"=>{"downloads"=>1, "page_views"=>2, "likes"=>0}, "figshare_url"=>"https://figshare.com/articles/_Prolactin_stimulates_the_mobilization_of_vesicular_Zn_pools_in_secreting_mammary_cells_/516580", "title"=>"Prolactin stimulates the mobilization of vesicular Zn pools in secreting mammary cells.", "pos_in_sequence"=>0, "defined_type"=>1, "published_date"=>"2013-02-21 01:05:28"}
{"month"=>"8", "scanned-page-browse"=>"0", "cited-by"=>"0", "abstract"=>"1", "full-text"=>"11", "year"=>"2010", "pdf"=>"4", "unique-ip"=>"10", "figure"=>"12", "scanned-summary"=>"0", "supp-data"=>"0"}
{"scanned-page-browse"=>"0", "month"=>"11", "cited-by"=>"0", "abstract"=>"0", "full-text"=>"15", "unique-ip"=>"14", "pdf"=>"11", "year"=>"2010", "figure"=>"0", "scanned-summary"=>"0", "supp-data"=>"0"}
{"month"=>"6", "scanned-page-browse"=>"0", "cited-by"=>"0", "abstract"=>"43", "full-text"=>"4", "year"=>"2011", "pdf"=>"5", "unique-ip"=>"9", "figure"=>"0", "scanned-summary"=>"0", "supp-data"=>"0"}
{"scanned-page-browse"=>"0", "month"=>"11", "cited-by"=>"0", "abstract"=>"0", "full-text"=>"6", "unique-ip"=>"5", "pdf"=>"2", "year"=>"2011", "figure"=>"1", "scanned-summary"=>"0", "supp-data"=>"0"}
{"start_date"=>"2010-01-01T00:00:00Z", "end_date"=>"2010-12-31T00:00:00Z", "subject_areas"=>[{"subject_area"=>"/Biology and life sciences/Physiology", "average_usage"=>[275, 545, 699, 818, 931, 1035, 1128, 1212, 1291, 1366, 1439, 1514, 1580, 1649, 1708, 1765, 1826, 1877, 1940, 2009, 2076, 2150, 2215, 2266, 2335, 2395, 2459, 2521, 2596, 2669, 2724, 2787, 2840, 2890, 2961, 3025, 3081, 3142, 3195, 3261, 3314, 3377, 3442, 3491, 3538, 3583, 3649, 3699, 3747]}, {"subject_area"=>"/Medicine and health sciences", "average_usage"=>[277, 558, 715, 845, 963, 1070, 1166, 1258, 1336, 1410, 1485, 1561, 1638, 1707, 1767, 1834, 1896, 1960, 2030, 2096, 2165, 2229, 2300, 2368, 2425, 2489, 2553, 2617, 2679, 2743, 2814, 2873, 2941, 2995, 3050, 3111, 3169, 3235, 3300, 3363, 3428, 3487, 3548, 3605, 3670, 3726, 3785, 3844]}, {"subject_area"=>"/Physical sciences/Chemistry", "average_usage"=>[263, 516, 673, 791, 892, 992, 1079, 1153, 1232, 1303, 1368, 1432, 1509, 1569, 1628, 1694, 1755, 1818, 1875, 1935, 1981, 2036, 2098, 2164, 2226, 2291, 2357, 2429, 2487, 2543, 2595, 2661, 2719, 2778, 2850, 2901, 2971, 3023, 3088, 3150, 3223, 3266, 3311, 3366, 3415, 3478, 3522, 3596, 3649]}]}
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3954
|
__label__cc
| 0.545623
| 0.454377
|
All posts in category Mammals
The Wisdom of the Aged: Matriarch Elephants Lead with Experience
As many people know, African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in complex matrilineal societies, with closely-knit family groups led by a matriarch who is typically the oldest and largest female in the family. In order to appreciate the importance of these matriarchs, it may help to first consider a traditional Japanese folktale:
Once there was an arrogant young village lord who, deciding that old people were useless, banished them to the mountains to die. Although the villagers were distressed, they obeyed rather than face severe punishment. One young farmer couldn’t bear to follow this cruel decree, though, and hid his aged mother away in a safe and secret room.
Several years later, an invader arrived, announcing that he’d spare the village only if three tasks could be performed. First, he must be presented with a box containing one thousand ropes of ash. Next, a silk thread must be drawn through a small hole that bent seven times along the length of a log. Finally, he must be given a drum that sounded without being beaten.
In each case, the village lord offered rewards, cajoled and threatened the townspeople, but nobody knew what to do; all were in despair. The tasks all seemed impossible. Each time, though, the farmer asked his mother and she knew the answer: soak ordinary rope in salt water before burning it; tie the silk thread to an ant at one end of the hole and place sugar at the other; put a bumblebee in a drum and it will buzz as it tries to escape. The village was spared.
Ultimately, the lord finds out that they have all been saved by the wise old mother, and from that time on elders in the village are revered.
Shifting scenes now from the mountains of long-ago Japan to the plains of today’s Africa, it turns out that older matriarch elephants are much like the heroic old Japanese mother – they are the ones with the answers, the ones that can save their fellow elephants from outside threats with the wisdom they have accumulated through experience.
Listen to your Grandmother! (image copyright ElephantVoices)
As we know from the decades of observation and research performed by Cynthia Moss and her colleagues in Kenya and Tanzania, matriarch elephants act as group leaders, holding together their families and providing behavioral guidance during times of crisis. Many observers believe that the oldest matriarchs – those with the most experience and greatest ecological knowledge – make the best decisions, but until recently it has proved to be difficult to quantify the relevant skills in a manner conducive to experimental testing.
In a March 2011 paper published online in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, however, a team of scientists led by Karen McComb of the University of Sussex reported on a clever set of experiments that tested whether older Amboseli National Park matriarchs were better than their younger counterparts at assessing the perceived threat posed by various lion roar recordings.
While African elephants are able to fend off most natural predators, they have to watch out for lions, who occasionally prey upon younger calves. Also, even though lionesses perform the, ahem, lion’s share of the hunting for the pride, male lions actually pose a greater threat to elephants. Male lions, despite their generally well-deserved reputation for laziness, are, on average, half again as large as females and much stronger, giving them a better chance of overpowering a vulnerable young elephant.
Accordingly, the researchers assembled lion “playbacks” in four separate categories – single female roars, single male roars, three female group roars and three male group roars – which they then played to 39 elephant family groups over a period of slightly more than two years. Because of the extensive demographic information compiled by the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, they knew the age of the matriarch in each of the 39 families.
After playing the different roars, the researchers analyzed video of the elephants’ responses, focusing particularly on the behavior of the matriarchs. They documented specific defensive reactions, including prolonged listening to the roars, whether the family bunched around the matriarch after hearing the roars, the speed and intensity of any bunching behavior, and whether the matriarch changed her direction and moved toward the source of the playback.
Here are two brief videos, one showing an elephant family reacting to lion roars and the other narratively describing the reactions as reflected in still images:
After recording all of the responses, the research team performed statistical analyses and sorted their results by matriarch age. They found that, while matriarch age did not have an impact on how the elephants reacted to varying number of lions (all elephant families consistently ratcheted up the intensity of their response when the number of lions roaring went from one to three), it did have a strong impact on the elephants’ response to the more serious threat presented by male lion roars, with male roars leading to more prolonged listening and intensive defensive bunching in families led by older matriarchs.
As the researchers put it:
Our work provides the first direct experimental evidence that older matriarchs are in fact able to make better decisions when faced with ecological challenges — in this case, the presence of dangerous predators. It thus bridges an important gap between theoretical predictions about how knowledge might be expected to affect leadership and empirical studies, which to date have been largely confined to observational accounts.
Based on these findings, I’m quite confident that the older matriarchs will do quite well on their next set of tasks involving burning ropes, crooked logs and drums. Now, if only that was enough to keep humans from invading their villages….
The Japanese folktale can be found, among other places, in The Wise Old Woman/retold by Yoshiko Uchida; illustrated by Martin Springett. ISBN: 0689505825.
McComb, K., Shannon, G., Durant, S., Sayialel, K., Slotow, R., Poole, J., & Moss, C. (2011). Leadership in elephants: the adaptive value of age Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 278 (1722), 3270-3276 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0168.
Posted in Mammals
Tagged Elephants, Learning, Memory
https://animalwise.org/2011/10/12/the-wisdom-of-the-aged-matriarch-elephants-lead-with-experience/
Analogical Reasoning in Animals
In today’s post, I’d like to explore some surprising recent findings about the abilities of animals in the area of analogical reasoning.
Reasoning by analogy is central to the way we think, enabling us to use familiar concepts to solve new problems. When a catastrophic event strikes Wall Street, economists inevitably point to analogous historical disruptions in their attempts to predict whether we’re facing long-term troubles or a quick recovery. When lawyers advocate on behalf of clients in new realms such as digital media, they often ground their arguments in principles that evolved centuries ago to protect real property interests. When scientists explain the motion of molecules and other phenomena that we cannot directly perceive, they frequently turn to concrete examples such as colliding billiard balls or streams of water.
On a more mundane level, analogical thinking underlies many of our idioms and permeates our everyday language. Think how lost you’d be if you were suddenly unable to understand phrases that explicitly or implicitly apply concepts from one context to events or actions in another. Conversations at work would confuse you (more than usual). Your boss’ suggestion that you take some time off to recharge your batteries would leave you scratching your head rather than looking for deals on tropical island vacations. You wouldn’t be able to follow political discussions (oh no!). You’d be the only one asking “oh my god, was it with guns or knives?” after hearing that one candidate outdueled another in a debate. You’d be the only one worrying about cannibalism after learning that the people were hungry for new leadership. You’d find sports to be newly upsetting, as you’d literally go into mourning after learning of your favorite team’s fatal missteps. (Ok, I take that back – nothing has changed here, especially for Boston Red Sox fans.)
Relational Matching Tests
One of the most common tests used to assess an individual’s ability to solve analogy problems is known as relational matching-to-sample or RMTS. In its classic form, RMTS involves first showing the subject a sample set consisting of two or more objects that are either identical (for example, two circles) or nonidentical (for example, a square and a circle). Sets containing identical objects are sometimes referred to as reflecting the “identity relation” and those containing nonidentical objects are said to reflect the “nonidentity relation.” Next the subject is shown two comparison sets containing novel objects, one embodying the identity relation (e.g., two triangles) and the other the nonidentity relation (e.g., a rectangle and a triangle). To succeed, the subject must choose the comparison set that matches the relationship demonstrated by sample set. For instance, the correct choice for a subject shown two circles in the sample would be the comparison set containing the two triangles, whereas the correct choice for the subject initially shown the square and the circle would be the comparison set containing the rectangle and the triangle.
RMTS is particularly well suited for testing the abilities of non-human animals, as it poses an analogy problem in a strictly visual manner, not relying in any way on linguistic skills. In essence, success requires the subject to not only make a “first order comparison” between same and different, but also to make a “second order comparison” by applying this underlying distinction to a novel environment. Many researchers consider this ability to lie at heart of analogical reasoning.
A “Profound Disparity”?
Until recently, studies have suggested that humans and a select few great apes stand far apart from all other animals in terms of analogical reasoning abilities. While many animals can successfully distinguish between same and different shapes or colors, they tend to struggle when it comes to making second order comparisons of the sort required by RMTS tasks. Since only humans and some chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans have performed well at RMTS testing, researchers have proposed that a “profound disparity” exists between the analogical reasoning capacity of hominids and other animals.
For example, several studies have shown that some baboons and pigeons can learn to pass RMTS tests if they involve large-sample and comparison sets (e.g., comparisons involving 4 x 4 grids of 16 all identical and 16 all different objects), but that their performance rapidly deteriorates as the size of the grid decreases as well as when the distance between the objects in the grid increases. According to researchers, one reason why animals do better with larger sample sets may be that there’s a greater amount of variation or “entropy” between non-analogous grids in larger sample and comparison sets, which makes the task of distinguishing between potential answers easier.
Notwithstanding these prior findings, however, two studies published in the last few months now pose a challenge to the “profound disparity” concept, suggesting that a suitable testing environment can showcase robust analogical reasoning skills in non-apes.
Clever Capuchins
In the first study, which was published in PLoS ONE in August 2011, researchers led by Valentina Truppa and Elisabetta Visalberghi of the National Research Council in Rome, Italy, found that New World tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were capable of solving RMTS tasks involving sample and comparison sets involving sets of as few as two objects.
What are all of those freaking squiggles in that diagram above my head? (image credit: Charlesjsharp)
The research team studied five capuchin monkeys, testing them over and over again on RMTS tasks involving varying numbers of icons. While the specific tests varied, the general approach was to start by giving the monkeys trials involving a relatively small pool of different icons and, only if and when a monkey achieved proficiency (as measured by percentages of correct answers) over the course of thousands of trials, to introduce novel icons for comparison. Also, in one of the experiments, if the monkey did not ultimately reach the proficiency threshold on a two-icon comparison test, “entropy” was increased and the monkey was given an easier four-icon test.
Ultimately, after a total of 21,888 trials (yes, that’s correct!) one of the five capuchins, Roberta, proved to be a real overachiever. As the researchers put it:
The current study demonstrates the acquisition of abstract concepts based on second-order relations by one capuchin monkey, Roberta. She was first successful with four-item stimuli and then with two-item stimuli, the latter being the most difficult condition previously thought to be mastered only by apes. Since her performance was robust across different types of stimuli and well above that of the other subjects, we can argue that relational analogies are very difficult for capuchins, but under specific circumstances not impossible.
Way to go, Roberta!
Bright Baboons
In a second study, published on September 20, 2011, in Psychological Science, a research team headed by Joël Fagot of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique at the Université de Provence reported that guinea baboons (Papio papio) can learn to perform surprisingly well at RMTS tasks … and then retain this ability over a 12-month period. In this study, 29 baboons with no language training and little or no experience with relational matching tests participated in various RMTS experiments involving geometric shape comparisons.
All this RMTS stuff gives me a headache (image: Animal Globe)
The first experiment consisted of classic RMTS trials, each involving a sample set made up of pairs of identical or nonidentical geometric shapes, and two comparison sets with new geometric shapes, with only one of the comparison sets matching the relationship demonstrated by the sample set. At first, the testing pairs were selected randomly from among 10 geometric shapes, but once a baboon had achieved an accuracy level of 80% or better in three consecutive sessions of 100 trials, new geometric shapes were introduced up to a maximum of 90 shapes by the end of the experiment. Six of the 29 baboons were able to make it to the 80% threshold level, and five were ultimately able to proceed through testing until they reached all 90 shapes.
The second experiment included changes designed to make the challenge more difficult: the geometric shapes were moved further apart and, perhaps more significantly, in half of the tests the “incorrect” comparison pair, rather than containing all new geometric shapes, actually contained one of the shapes from the sample pair. In other words, even though this comparison pair was incorrect from the standpoint of analogy testing, it contained a shape that was directly linked to the sample set, potentially confusing the baboon if it was focused on the similarity of the shapes rather than the conceptual relationship between the shapes.
In spite of the enhanced degree of difficulty, all five of the baboons who participated – the same baboons who had been successful in the first experiment – performed at above chance levels throughout the second experiment (although, not surprisingly, their performance tailed off somewhat in the trials where the incorrect response shared a shape with the sample set).
Finally, the research team retested the five successful baboons in accordance with the first experiment methodology after a one-year lapse during which the baboons had no practice at RMTS tasks. All five baboons reached the 80% success level far more quickly than they had the first time around, providing strong evidence that they had been able to retain their relational matching skills over this one-year period.
As with the capuchin monkeys, the baboons were not naturals at these tests – they went through thousands upon thousands of trials and only gradually acquired their relational-matching skills. Once again, though, the research strongly suggests that there is not a bright line “profound disparity” between the capabilities of hominids and those of other animals, and that other animals can demonstrate the cognitive foundation necessary for abstract analogical reasoning.
So, as in other areas, the more we explore the abilities of animals, the more we find that we have been wrong about what we thought were cognitive barriers. As we become more adept at designing experiments that are patiently conducted and thoughtfully tailored to the skills and natural adaptations of the specific animals we are studying (rather than the skills and adaptations of college undergraduates), we should continue to see the breakdown of additional barriers.
Truppa, V., Piano Mortari, E., Garofoli, D., Privitera, S., & Visalberghi, E. (2011). Same/Different Concept Learning by Capuchin Monkeys in Matching-to-Sample Tasks PLoS ONE, 6 (8) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023809
Fagot, J., & Thompson, R. (2011). Generalized Relational Matching by Guinea Baboons (Papio papio) in Two-by-Two-Item Analogy Problems Psychological Science, 22 (10), 1304-1309 DOI: 10.1177/0956797611422916
by paulfnorris on October 7, 2011 • Permalink
Posted in Birds, Mammals
Tagged Analogical Reasoning, Learning, Primates
Posted by paulfnorris on October 7, 2011
https://animalwise.org/2011/10/07/analogical-reasoning-in-animals/
Converging with Canines: Are Humans and Dogs Evolving Together?
In our man-made world, it can feel like everything is converging all at once. Indistinguishable glass skyscrapers sprout up in cities all over the globe, near identical car models vent carbon dioxide into the air on different continents, and people around the world see their waistbands expand as they gulp down the same McFood. Global economies are more connected than ever, with natural disasters in Japan, sovereign debt issues in Europe, and rumors of Wall Street misdeeds shaking worldwide markets within minutes. Even the social media that deluge us with information seem like they’re growing more and more alike, as we now drown in unending streams of look-alike feeds, postings, messages and links from Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and others.
You may wonder whether the forces of convergence are a recent phenomenon, a product of human technology, or whether they may have deeper roots in the natural world. In fact, convergence can and does occur in the realm of biological evolution, albeit at a more comfortable pace. For example, “convergent evolution” occurs when different species independently evolve similar solutions to comparable evolutionary pressures. A classic example of this is the development of wings and the ability to fly by birds, bats and pterosaurs:
Diagram of wing morphology and/or and comparative network hub structure of Twitter, Facebook and Google+ (image credit: National Center for Science Education)
Consider also the independent evolution of sleek, torpedo-shaped bodies by fish, cetaceans and ichthyosaurs:
Sleek ocean swimmers (image credit: All About Reptiles)
Closer to home, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have concluded that we may be undergoing a process of cognitive convergent evolution with dogs based on our social relationships over thousands of years with these “best friends” of ours. In a paper published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Brian Hare and Michael Tomasello reviewed a large number of studies focused on canine, human, and non-human primate social and communicative skills and reached some interesting conclusions.
Proof of convergent canine-human evolution (source unknown)
They began their analysis by focusing on research showing how well domestic dogs do at interpreting human social and communicative behavior. For example, dogs excel at tests in which experimenters hide food in one of several opaque containers and then signal where it has been hidden by pointing, gazing, bowing or nodding, or placing markers in front of the target location. The dogs easily interpret this type of cue, passing tests such as these on the first attempt and performing correctly even when humans try to trick them by walking towards the wrong container while pointing in the opposite direction to the correct container.
Also, studies have shown that dogs are aware of what humans can see. For instance, if a human turns around during a game of fetch, the dog will almost invariably bring the ball back around the human and drop the ball in front of his face. Similarly, dogs have shown that they prefer to beg for food from humans whose eyes are visible than from ones whose eyes are covered with a blindfold or bucket, but are more likely to approach forbidden food when a human’s eyes are closed.
Indeed, dogs actually consistently outperform chimpanzees and other primates at these types of skills, even though, in areas of non-social cognitive performance, dogs do not do so well. For example, non-human great apes are much better at making inferences about the location of hidden food based on non-social cues (such as a tilted board that might be tipped up by hidden treats) and at tests that require them to achieve food rewards by, for example, reeling in food attached to strings.
With this in mind, Hare and Tomasello turned to whether domestic dogs’ specialized social skills are likely to be due to convergent cognitive evolution with humans or whether another explanation is more plausible.
First, they considered the possibility that dogs learn to recognize human social cues based on their experiences growing up in human households. They found, however, that studies show that even puppies as young as nine weeks old are adept at solving problems using human pointing and gaze cues, and that puppies raised without much exposure to humans are equally skilled at interpreting these cues.
Then, they considered whether domestic dogs may have simply inherited their social skills based on their common ancestry with wolves, since wolves are, after all, pack hunters who need to be able to follow complex social interactions with other wolves and with prey. However, although wolves are generally equal to or better than domestic dogs at memory tests and tasks involving general problem-solving abilities, wolves (even those raised by humans) are simply unable to match the performance of dogs at spontaneously using human social cues to solve problems.
Next, the researchers sought evidence for the evolution of social skills in dogs through their long-term relationship with humans. They looked at a population of domesticated foxes, where the selection for breeding had been based solely on the tendency of individual foxes to be non-aggressive and fearless around humans. Interestingly, these foxes were just as adept as dogs in using and interpreting human social cues, and far better than a population of control foxes that had been bread randomly with respect to their attitude towards humans.
Based on all of these comparative findings, Hare and Tomasello concluded that the best explanation for dogs’ specialized social skills is that they evolved as a consequence of dogs having been domesticating by humans, representing a case of convergent cognitive evolution. Interestingly, Hare and Tomasello went further and, based on their review of the research on domesticated foxes, concluded that the evolution of specialized social skills in domesticated dogs may actually have been an incidental byproduct of an initial decision to select based solely on nonaggression (as opposed to social intelligence).
Finally, turning to primate evolution, Hare and Tomasello speculated that a similar process may have contributed to differences between human and chimpanzee social skills. Under what they refer to as the “emotional reactivity” hypothesis, they predicted that differences in temperament between humans and other primates may help explain some of humans’ extraordinary social cognitive abilities. They point to studies showing that chimpanzees’ willingness to cooperate with each other can often be limited by lack of social tolerance for one another resulting from fear and/or aggression, and contrast this to a more socially tolerant temperament that may ultimately have enabled our hominid ancestors to develop flexible forms of cooperation and communication. In other words, humans underwent a form of self-domestication leading to greater social abilities, thereby convergently evolving with our canine companions who were undergoing the same process.
I’m not sure I entirely buy the notion that we humans are so exceptionally tolerant, but I have noticed that you’ve started to look a bit like your dog. In a future post, we may look at whether we may also be evolving to be more like members of the cat family:
Which one is the lion? (source unknown)
Hare, B., & Tomasello, M. (2005). Human-like social skills in dogs? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9 (9), 439-444 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2005.07.003
by paulfnorris on September 26, 2011 • Permalink
Posted in Mammals, Social Behavior
Tagged Chimpanzees, Cooperation, Dogs, Evolution, Learning
Posted by paulfnorris on September 26, 2011
https://animalwise.org/2011/09/26/converging-with-canines-are-humans-and-dogs-evolving-together/
Grief in Animals
I’ve been thinking about grief lately. It can be so overpowering – the dull ache of emptiness, the stabbing pain of loss, and the prism of sadness that transforms the bright colors of everyday life into a harsh and alien landscape. Consumed by grief, we are alone; yet somehow our solitary suffering can end up strengthening the bonds we have with others we know and love.
I’ve also been thinking about grief in animals, and what we know about it. When our cat Puggsley died, our younger Siamese, Moose, felt the full impact of the loss. The two had always been close, perhaps tied together by their mutual skepticism over Wednesday, our third cat and official people-pleaser. Moose and Puggsley were constant companions, playmates, napping buddies, and a rather frightening pair of mischief makers. When Puggsley became old and frail, he would curl up stiffly by the fireplace, and Moose would bed down near him. At the very end, Moose was right there, tenderly licking Puggsley as he was overcome by a seizure. And after he was gone, she mourned – she was lost without her friend, and had little appetite or energy for weeks. She never bedded down by the fireplace again. How do I know this was grief? Well, it was obvious; I just know.
Puggsley and Moose
But what do we really know about grief in animals – that is, in a scientific sense? Not particularly much, it turns out.
We are (mostly) beyond the era in which animals were considered thoughtless automatons, incapable of feeling pain and other emotions. Still, there have been relatively few formal studies of how animals experience grief.
In a way, this isn’t so surprising. For one, opportunities to systematically observe grieving behavior in the wild are rare and, if you think about it, it’s difficult to design ethical studies intended to cause social animals to grieve in captive settings. Also, what specifically do you test for and how do you quantify and evaluate an inherently subjective experience like grief? It’s tough enough to evaluate this sort of thing in humans, who can respond to questionnaires and use language to express their emotions….
As a result, most the scientific literature about grief in animals is anecdotal or observational in nature, and in many of these accounts it’s clear that otherwise objective researchers have struggled to come up with scientific ways of reporting what, in the end, are their own reactions, what they just know.
Although the record is sparse everywhere, there have been some recent papers on grief in primates. Brian Switek, who writes the Laelaps blog for Wired Magazine, has written a terrific piece on this research in his “What Death Means to Primates” posting (I strongly encourage you to check out Laelaps; it’s one of the best blogs out there on paleontology, evolution, and the history of science).
As Brian recounts in detail, studies have documented chimpanzee and other primate mothers who have continued to carry dead infants, sometimes for weeks and even to the point of mummification. In one of the studies1, researchers described two chimpanzee mothers (Jire and Vuavua) in Bossou, Guinea, who carried their dead babies (aged 1.2 years old and 2.6 years old, respectively) after they had died in a respiratory epidemic, grooming them regularly, chasing away flies, and carrying them during all travel. The researchers pondered:
An obvious and fascinating question concerns the extent to which Jire and Vuavua “understood” that their offspring were dead. In many ways they treated the corpses as live infants, particularly in the initial phase following death. Nevertheless they may well have been aware that the bodies were inanimate, consequently adopting carrying techniques never normally employed with healthy young (although mothers of handicapped young have also been known to respond appropriately).
In another study2, James Anderson, Alasdair Gillies and Louise Lock reported on the peaceful death of an older chimpanzee, Pansy, who lived in a safari park. They videotaped the reactions of Pansy’s companions and observed a number of behaviors that they found to be comparable to human bereavement. The degree to which the researchers sought out human counterparts to the chimps’ behavior is evident from the following description in their paper:
During Pansy’s final days the others were quiet and attentive to her, and they altered their nesting arrangements (respect, care, anticipatory grief). When Pansy died they appeared to test for signs of life by closely inspecting her mouth and manipulating her limbs (test for pulse or breath). Shortly afterwards, the adult male attacked the dead female, possibly attempting to rouse her (attempted resuscitation); attacks may also have expressed anger or frustration (denial, feelings of anger towards the deceased). The adult daughter remained near the mother’s corpse throughout the night (night-time vigil), while Blossom groomed Chippy for an extraordinary amount of time (consolation, social support). All three chimpanzees changed posture frequently during the night (disturbed sleep). They removed straw from Pansy’s body the next morning (cleaning the body). For weeks post-death, the survivors remained lethargic and quiet, and they ate less than normal (grief, mourning). They avoided sleeping on the deathbed platform for several days (leaving objects or places associated with the deceased untouched).
With this focus, it’s not surprising that they concluded by proposing that “chimpanzees’ awareness of death has been underestimated.”
Also, more anecdotally, many were moved by the apparent grief captured in this poignant National Geographic photo of chimpanzees at a rehabilitation center peering at the lifeless body of Dorothy, their long-time companion, being taken to her burial:
Chimpanzee burial (National Geographic, photo: Monica Szczupider)
There has also been some research into the behavior of elephants towards the dead and dying. In one study3, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Shivani Bhalla, George Wittemyer and Fritz Vollrath reported on the death of Eleanor, a matriarch elephant in the Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. They were able to use GPS technology to track the movements of elephants in Eleanor’s family and in other families as they reacted to her collapse and subsequent death. The researchers found that Eleanor was visited frequently by both related and unrelated elephants, concluding:
Combined with earlier work and the data of other scientists it leads to the conclusion that elephants have a generalized response to suffering and death of conspecifics and that this is not restricted to kin. It is an example of how elephants and humans may share emotions, such as compassion, and have an awareness and interest about death.
Grace visiting Eleanor's body (photo: Douglas-Hamilton, et al)
In another paper4, Karen McComb, Lucy Baker and Cynthia Moss described experiments in which they assessed elephants’ strong interest in and sometimes dramatic reactions to elephant bones and tusks. After systematically presenting elephants in Amboseli National Park in Kenya with different combinations of elephant and other animal skulls, ivory and pieces of wood, the researchers found that the elephants were significantly more interested in elephant skulls and tusks than they were in the skulls of other animals or in the wood, but that they did not demonstrate a special affinity to the skulls or ivory of deceased relatives. The following video provides a nice glimpse into the way in which elephants seem to be fascinated by elephant bones and tusks:
Several reports have also documented cetaceans reacting with apparent grief. In one report5, for example, Mark Simmonds described an incident in which two male orcas appeared to grieve over the death of a female orca thought to be their mother. For years, the two males had spent all their time swimming with this female. After her death, the males were seen swimming together but apart from all other orcas for a day or two, repeatedly visiting the places that their mother had passed in her last few days. In another instance, Robin Baird of the Cascadia Research Collective reported seeing two orcas, a mother and adult son, swimming with a dead calf in the Puget Sound, with the mother balancing the calf on her rostrum or carrying it on top of her head and occasionally lifting it out of the water, and both adults diving deep to recover the baby when it began sinking.
Dolphin and calf (Tethys Research)
Scientists at the Tethys Research Institute related a similar occurrence off the coast of Greece, where a mother bottlenose dolphin was seen interacting with a dead newborn calf. Their description vividly underscores the difficulties in evaluating these sorts of situations from a scientific perspective:
Whilst researchers must avoid being driven by their own feelings and make arbitrary interpretations, in this case it was quite clear that the mother was mourning. She seemed to be unable to accept the death, and was behaving as if there was any hope of rescuing her calf. She lifted the little corpse above the surface, in an apparent late attempt to let the calf breath. She also pushed the calf underwater, perhaps hoping that the baby could dive again. These behaviours were repeated over and over again, and sometimes frantically, during two days of observation.
The mother did never separate from her calf. From the boat, researchers and volunteers could hear heartbreaking cries while she touched her offspring with the rostrum and pectoral fins. Witnessing such desperate behaviour was a shocking experience for those on board the research boat.
Finally, Marc Bekoff (he of the Yellow Snow fame) has written an eloquent article that includes many additional anecdotes regarding animal grief in his Psychology Today column.
Ultimately, there is much we will never be able to understand regarding how animals experience the world. We can trace commonalities between human and other animal brain structures and neural pathways associated with emotional experiences, and we can try to add more systematic observations to our collection of behavioral anecdotes, but in some fundamental ways the animal mind (and, for that matter, the mind of other humans) will always be cloaked in private experience, inaccessible to us. Moreover, as some of the accounts in this post have illustrated, our attempts at understanding animal emotions are inevitably colored by our own human experiences. We can know human grief, but how can we understand what it means to experience chimp grief, or elephant grief, or orca grief?
Nevertheless, just because we cannot fully comprehend what we see in other animals, that does not mean that grief in animals does not exist or that animals cannot lead rich emotional lives. Indeed, what we do see is a pattern that makes it increasing clear that death can impact other animals profoundly.
How do I know this? Just ask Moose, Puggsley or Wednesday – I just know.
1Biro, D., Humle, T., Koops, K., Sousa, C., Hayashi, M., & Matsuzawa, T. (2010). Chimpanzee mothers at Bossou, Guinea carry the mummified remains of their dead infants Current Biology, 20 (8) DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2010.02.031.
2Anderson, J., Gillies, A., & Lock, L. (2010). Pan thanatology Current Biology, 20 (8) DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2010.02.010.
3Douglas-Hamilton, I., Bhalla, S., Wittemyer, G., & Vollrath, F. (2006). Behavioural reactions of elephants towards a dying and deceased matriarch Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100 (1-2), 87-102 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.014.
4McComb, K., Baker, L., & Moss, C. (2006). African elephants show high levels of interest in the skulls and ivory of their own species Biology Letters, 2 (1), 26-28 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0400.
5Simmonds, M. (2006). Into the brains of whales Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 100 (1-2), 103-116 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.015.
Tagged Cats, Chimpanzees, Dolphins, Empathy, Grief, Primates, Whales
https://animalwise.org/2011/09/12/grief-in-animals/
Multi-Modal Monkey Memory
Recognizing someone you know is actually not a simple cognitive task – it requires you interpret the information you’re currently receiving through your senses, and then link back to a previously-formed conceptual representation you have of the individual in question. It’s especially difficult if you are acting cross-modally, for example matching someone’s voice to a photograph or vice versa.
Oh yeah, I remember him. He's the one with the high squeaky voice, isn't he? (photo credit: Joe Kegley)
Recently, two separate studies have shown that rhesus macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are quite up to this challenge, reflecting that they possess a considerable degree of social memory and engage in complex conceptual thinking about other individuals.
French Pictures
In the first study1, published earlier this year in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a French research team headed by Julian Sliwa of the University of Lyon confirmed that rhesus macaques are able to spontaneously match the faces of known macaques and humans to their voices.
In their experiments, the research team gave six macaques a large number of tests in which they played short voice samples of known individuals (coos and grunts for other macaques, short French sentences and phrases for humans) and then measured how long the macaques spontaneously looked at cropped photographs of two known faces, only one of which matched the voice they had heard. The researchers statistically analyzed whether the macaques spent more time looking at specific photos after hearing the matching voice than they did after hearing a different voice, and found that the macaques did indeed stare significantly longer at a photo – whether of another macaque or a human – if the matching voice had been played first.
In reviewing individual performance, the researchers observed that five of six of the macaques displayed this effect overall, and that a greater number were better at recognizing photos that matched human voices than ones matching the voices of fellow macaques (the researchers noted that they were surprised at this finding, but pointed out that perhaps the explanation was that there were more useful auditory cues in the human speech samples than there were in the monkey coo vocalizations). Finally, the researchers found that five of the six monkeys showed preferences for specific faces, spending an especially long time looking at matching” photos of certain individuals – often a “neighbor” monkey or the researcher who was their main caregiver.
The researchers concluded that rhesus macaques can recognize individuals, linking together abbreviated visual and auditory perceptual cues (small, two-dimensional photos and short sound samples) to spontaneously identify other macaques and socially-relevant humans, and even to reflect the preference biases they have towards specific individuals.
The second study2, published last week in PLOS ONE, extended the findings to show that rhesus macaques can also recognize photos of other macaques whom they had seen during video clips, an additional challenge because specific features can be harder to identify in dynamic movies than in still images.
In this study, researchers led by Ikuma Adachi of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center began by training five macaques to watch brief silent video clips of familiar individuals before identifying which of five randomly placed photos represented the individual in the video. At first the macaques were allowed to continue to look at the last frame of the video before having to choose the correct photo, but in a second phase of the experiment the screen went black after the video was played, and the monkeys had to choose the correct photo after a time lag.
In each case the macaques became proficient at the task, even performing well after seeing videos taken from a novel perspective that was substantially different than the view in the training videos. Thus, their performance suggested that they were able to recognize specific features of known individuals as they appeared in dynamically-changing scenes in a range of videos, and then extract that information to identify those individuals later on in still images.
Next, the researchers repeated the testing, but this time they tweaked the conditions by playing a brief vocalization right after showing the last frame of the some of the videos – either a vocalization of the macaque in the video (the “congruent condition”) or of a different macaque (the “incongruent condition”). Only two of the macaques participated in this testing, as apparently the other three weren’t comfortable with working in the sound isolation booth necessary for this phase.
The researchers found that the macaques, who had never been trained to use vocalizations to guide their test responses, continued to be good at choosing the “correct” photo, but that when they made errors, they were statistically more likely than chance to pick the image of the vocalizing monkey, rather than the one in the video.
In other words, hearing the vocalizations systematically biased the macaques’ choice behavior, indicating that the voices may have activated visual representations of the vocalizing monkeys that occasionally superseded the impact of what had been seen in the video. Again, the macaques were demonstrating how they processed the information they used to recognize information cross-modally.
So, clearly “see no evil” is linked to “hear no evil” – perhaps we’ll see how “speak no evil” fits into the picture in a later post.
1Sliwa J, Duhamel JR, Pascalis O, & Wirth S (2011). Spontaneous voice-face identity matching by rhesus monkeys for familiar conspecifics and humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108 (4), 1735-40 PMID: 21220340.
2Adachi, I., & Hampton, R. (2011). Rhesus Monkeys See Who They Hear: Spontaneous Cross-Modal Memory for Familiar Conspecifics PLoS ONE, 6 (8) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023345.
by paulfnorris on September 1, 2011 • Permalink
Tagged Macaques, Memory, Primates, Senses
Posted by paulfnorris on September 1, 2011
https://animalwise.org/2011/09/01/multi-modal-monkey-memory/
Grandmothers and Menopause in Cetaceans and Humans
As single income families become rarer and aging baby boomers begin to play a greater role in caring for their grandchildren, people have increasingly come to appreciate how much help a doting grandmother can provide. In fact, interest in the helpful role played by the elderly has given rise to the so-called grandmother hypothesis, which posits that women have evolved to live well past their reproductive years because, free from the costs of childbearing, they are able to invest more time into benefiting their grandchildren and other younger family members, raising the odds that their genes will be carried on to future generations.1 While the strength of the evidence for the grandmother hypothesis is still being debated2, it’s certainly got some intuitive appeal (especially, perhaps, to harried young parents).
What’s also quite fascinating is that the long post-reproductive life of human females – up to a third of a woman’s lifespan or more – is extremely rare: menopause appears to be unique to humans and (somewhat controversially) certain other great apes, as well as to certain toothed whales, including short-finned pilot whales and killer whales. (It’s possible that other species of cetacean may undergo menopause, but this hasn’t been established yet; also, more to come about elderly elephant matriarchs in a later post…)
To grandmother's house I go! (Photo: © Alice MacKay, Cascadia Research)
So, why is post-reproductive life is so rare? If the grandmother hypothesis applies to great apes and toothed whales, why isn’t it at work with other long-lived animals who live in socially-cooperative societies? Also, if evolution favors post-reproductive life because it provides distinct social advantages, why did menopause evolve in humans and toothed whales, given the very different social structures of humans and whales?
A fascinating study published last year in Proceedings of the Royal Society B3 by Rufus Johnstone of the University of Cambridge and Michael Cant of the University of Exeter may offer plausible answers to these questions.
In a nutshell, they found that, although humans, pilot whales and killer whales have quite different social systems, in each case older females become, on average, more genetically related to those with whom they associate. By contrast, in most other long-lived complex mammal societies, older females become increasingly less related to those in their local groups as they age.
Did grandma pinch you on the cheek too? (photo credit: NOAA)
The researchers began by developing a mathematical model that would allow them to draw general conclusions about age-related changes in the genetic relatedness of long-lived social animals as individual group members disperse, die and are replaced over time. (For those interested in such things, they based their approach on the “infinite island” model that is commonly used in considering the process of gene flow among a set of subpopulations.)
With their model in hand, the researchers analyzed three relevant social scenarios:
Males Move On. In the large majority of social animal societies, males tend to move on as they mature, ultimately mating with unrelated females they find within new social groups. In this type of society, the researchers’ model determined that, over time, an older female will become less related to her group mates as she ages. She starts out in a highly related group that includes her father, but over time her older male relatives die, and her sons, and the sons of her relatives, leave the group and are replaced by unrelated males from other groups. Her average genetic relationship to the females in the group doesn’t change much, but since her relatedness to local males declines, overall her genetic connection to the group lessens as she gets older.
Females Move On. Conversely, evidence suggests that during the course of human evolution, women were the ones that were more likely to move on to start families in new environments. (In support of this proposition, Johnstone and Cant cite the behavior of other great apes, human DNA variation patterns, and social patterns among human forager societies, evidence they concede is “far from conclusive.”) In this type of society, where males stay at home and females disperse, an older female tends to become more related to her fellow group members over time. She begins her reproductive life in new surroundings where she has few genetic ties to those around her, but as she produces sons who are likely to remain in the group, her relatedness to local males builds up over time. Again, because the degree of her relatedness to other females stays fairly constant – she starts out with little relation to the females in her new group and this doesn’t change much as her daughters leave and are replaced by new unrelated females – her overall genetic connection to the group increases as she ages.
Males and Females Stay Put, But Mating Occurs Between Different Groups. In the resident killer whale and pilot whale societies studied, males and females stay with their natal groups for life, but mating occurs non-locally, that is, between females and males from other groups. In this final scenario, even though the social structure is quite different from “female moves on” societies, the results are the same: an older female tends to become more related to her fellow group members over time. A female begins her reproductive life separate from her father and her paternal relatives (who belong to a different group), but as she has male offspring her relatedness to males within her group grows over time. Once again, her relatedness to other females stays more or less constant, meaning that her overall genetic affinity with her group increases as she grows old.
Thus for human and certain whale societies, in contrast to most other social animal groupings, a female’s relatedness to her group increases as she becomes older.
Johnstone and Natal next considered the fitness costs of reproduction. They noted that having children imposes costs on other breeders within one’s group due to increased competition for food, resources and mating opportunities, whereas cessation of reproduction confers a benefit, due to a corresponding reduction in competition. Then, using a using a statistical model involving an “inclusive fitness” approach to generate quantitative results for the three scenarios described above, they reached a not-surprising conclusion: in scenario 1 (males move on), it is less advantageous for older females to “help” younger generations by stopping their own breeding, whereas in scenarios 2 and 3 (the human and toothed whale scenarios), non-breeding “help” is favored by evolution, as it confers advantages on a younger generation that is progressively more related to the older helper.
So there you have it. Does Johnstone and Natal’s analysis sound plausible? It certainly offers a neat way of finding an underlying similarity in great ape and whale societies that may explain menopause and support the grandmother hypothesis in these very distinct groups.
No wonder cetaceans often look like they’re grinning – they’ve been spoiled by their grandmothers!
1See, e.g., Lahdenperä, M., Lummaa, V., Helle, S., Tremblay, M., & Russell, A. (2004). Fitness benefits of prolonged post-reproductive lifespan in women Nature, 428 (6979), 178-181 DOI: 10.1038/nature02367; Shanley, D., Sear, R., Mace, R., & Kirkwood, T. (2007). Testing evolutionary theories of menopause Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 274 (1628), 2943-2949 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1028.
2See, e.g., Kachel, A., Premo, L., & Hublin, J. (2010). Grandmothering and natural selection Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 278 (1704), 384-391 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1247.
3Johnstone, R., & Cant, M. (2010). The evolution of menopause in cetaceans and humans: the role of demography Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277 (1701), 3765-3771 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0988.
by paulfnorris on August 30, 2011 • Permalink
Tagged Cooperation, Whales
Posted by paulfnorris on August 30, 2011
https://animalwise.org/2011/08/30/grandmothers-and-menopause-in-cetaceans-and-humans/
Elephant Insight
With each passing week, it seems like we’re finding out more and more about how smart elephants are. Now, in addition to their other cognitive abilities, it turns out that elephants can have “aha!” moments of insight as they face puzzling dilemmas. [No, not a-ha as in 1980s synth-pop from Norway; if you’re looking for an early MTV a-ha moment, you should probably go here!]
Elephants have the largest brains and the greatest volume of cerebral cortex of all terrestrial mammals. They live in elaborate matriarchal societies that include long-lasting relationships, close family bonds, and complex social groupings that change over time. They squabble and negotiate with each other over travel directions; they flirt, show empathy towards one another and solve problems cooperatively. They are one of the very few animals that can recognize themselves in mirrors (more about self-recognition testing here and here). True to their reputations, they have terrific memories, are adept at making and using tools, are logical thinkers, and even appear to mourn their dead in a “ceremonial” manner suggesting they may have a real awareness of the separate lives and experiences of other elephants.
Until now, however, on the few occasions when elephants have been tested for insightful problem solving abilities, they have been performed poorly. In these previous tests, the elephants failed to use their trunks in order to gain access to food treats that had been placed just beyond reach (for example, by using a stick grasped in the trunk to reach out for the food, or by pulling on a retractable cord with their trunks in order to reel in the food reward).
In a paper just published online on August 18th in PLoS ONE, a research team led by Preston Foerder and Diana Reiss of the City University of New York reported on its own revelation that led to a breakthrough in tests for elephant problem-solving insight. The researchers surmised that the problem with prior testing was not that elephants were incapable of insight, but rather that the tests had called for the elephants to act in ways that undermined their ability to use their trunks as effective sense organs during the task:
We believe that the problem in previous studies has been in treating the elephant trunk as a grasping appendage analogous to a primate hand. Although the trunk is a highly manipulable appendage, in food foraging its function as a sensory organ may take precedence. The elephant has an extraordinary sense of smell, and the tip of the trunk is as highly enervated as a human fingertip…. When a stick is held in the trunk, the tip is curled backwards and may be closed, prohibiting olfactory and tactile feedback…. We posit that previous failures to observe insightful problem solving in elephants is not indicative of a lack of cognitive ability but rather is due to the reliance on problem solving tasks that precluded the use of the trunk as a sense organ.
To address this issue, the researchers set up a series of experiments designed to allow elephants to keep their trunks free while facing problem-solving challenges. They tested three Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), two adult females and a 7-year-old juvenile male, at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, with the juvenile male, Kandula, soon emerging as the rock star problem-solver.
In the first experiment, the researchers dangled enticing fruit rewards from a cable they had placed across the elephant yard, including from positions that were just beyond trunk-reach. After leaving a large plastic cube and some other objects in the yard, they let Kandula into the yard for sessions to see whether he would figure out how to obtain the dangling food reward. While Kandula had previously played with the cube as an enrichment toy, he had no prior training in pushing large objects or in standing on them to reach for things.
During an initial six sessions, each lasting 20 some minutes, Kandula showed interest in the food dangling above his reach, played with the cube, moved it on several occasions, and once even stood on it briefly, but never tried to reach out for anything while standing on the cube.
Then, during the seventh session, Kandula suddenly had his moment of epiphany: he rolled the cube into position beneath the hanging food, stood on the cube with his front two feet, stretched out his trunk, and grabbed his prize.
Kandula - Insightful and Now Less Hungry Elephant
From then on, Kandula was off to the races. In the next session, he not only rolled the cube over and stood on it to reach the fruit again, he also started using the cube as a tool to reach other objects: e.g., standing on it to explore the inside of an enrichment object and, after rolling it to the edge of the yard, using it as a platform to reach for blossoms on an overhanging tree branch.
Moreover, Kandula showed he was able to apply his insight to new situations. For example, in a second experiment, the researchers used the same general setup, but began moving the cube around from place to place, including behind fences and in locations that Kandula couldn’t see as he entered the yard. In each case, Kandula found the cube and rolled it over to capture his food reward. Here’s a video of Kandula retrieving the cube from behind a fence:
Next, the researchers replaced the cube with a large tractor tire – in three of four sessions Kandula used the tire as a tool, rolling it to the proper place, and then standing on it to obtain the food reward.
In a final experiment, the researchers replaced the cube and the tire with a variety of other objects, including large plastic balls, discs, cones, a barrel lid and three cutting boards that would have to be stacked to form a platform for Kandula to reach the food. While Kandula didn’t stack all three boards (he did stack two, though), he experimented with various approaches such as standing with one foot on separate objects. Ultimately, he reached the food by standing on a plastic ball, a solution that surprised the researchers since he had never placed his weight on a similarly unstable platform before.
So, to summarize, Kandula demonstrated sudden insight – using a tool to solve a problem in a novel and spontaneous fashion, without evidence of prior trial and error learning. Further, he showed that he could repeat, transfer and extend his technique in subsequent sessions.
If you’re an elephant, please feel free to give yourself a pat on the back. Job well done!
1Foerder, P., Galloway, M., Barthel, T., Moore, D., & Reiss, D. (2011). Insightful Problem Solving in an Asian Elephant PLoS ONE, 6 (8) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023251.
Posted in Mammals, Tool Use
Tagged Elephants, Learning, Problem Solving
https://animalwise.org/2011/08/20/elephant-insight/
The “Yellow Snow” Test for Self-Recognition
The Mirror Self-Recognition Test
The mirror self-recognition (MSR) test has long been used to assess whether an animal is self-aware, whether it has a sense of self. In the classic version of the test, a colored mark is placed on an animal’s body in such a way that it can only be seen in a mirror. To pass the test, the animal must spontaneously use the mirror to detect the mark and then scratch or otherwise direct activity toward it, thereby indicating recognition of the image in the mirror as itself and not some other animal.
Not only is self-recognition considered to be an indication of higher cognitive functioning, but it has also been seen as a potential springboard to even more sophisticated abilities, such as being able to attribute mental states to other individuals (sometimes referred to as “theory of mind”).
To date, only a relatively few animals have passed the MSR test, including certain primates, dolphins, elephants, and, as we saw in a prior post, magpies.
But is the test itself biased? We humans rely heavily on our eyesight and may naturally – anthropocentrically – have settled on a test that is based on visual interpretation.
What about animals who rely more on their sense of smell – dogs, for instance? Well, Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, wondered about this too.
The Yellow Snow Test
Over a five year period, Bekoff performed a study1 in which he diligently tracked the behavior of his own dog, Jethro, when Jethro encountered clumps of snow saturated with his own and other dogs’ urine (“yellow snow”) while walking freely along a bicycle path in Colorado on winter mornings.
Snow pile, snow pile, on the ground, who’s the finest smelling hound? (photo: Walter Jeffries)
Bekoff would wait until Jethro (a neutered male German Shepherd and Rottweiler mix) or other known female and male dogs urinated on snow, and then scoop up the clump of yellow snow as soon as Jethro was elsewhere and did not see him pick it up or move it (Bekoff used clean gloves each time and took other precautions to minimize odor and visual cues). Bekoff then moved the yellow snow varying distances down the path so that Jethro would run across the displaced urine: (i) within about 10 seconds, (ii) between 10-120 seconds later, or (iii) between 120-300 seconds later. After Jethro arrived, Bekoff recorded how long he sniffed at the yellow snow, whether he urinated over it using the typical male raised-leg posture, and whether urination immediately followed the sniffing (“scent marking”).
After compiling and statistically analyzing the data, Bekoff found that Jethro paid significantly less attention to his own displaced urine than he did to the displaced urine of other dogs. For example, when Jethro encountered the yellow snow within 10 seconds, he sniffed for longer than 3 seconds only about 10% of the time when it was his own urine, compared to over 80% of the time when it was other dogs’ urine. (Jethro did tend to have longer sniffs at his own urine when he arrived after more than 10 seconds, but in all scenarios he still sniffed significantly longer at the other dogs’ urine.) Likewise, he very rarely urinated over or scent-marked his own yellow snow, but frequently did so with the yellow snow of other dogs, particularly other males.
The following table summarizes the data collected (note that the reference to “120-150s” in the Arrives column appears to be erroneous, and should instead read “120-300s”):
In sum, Jethro’s behavior clearly demonstrates that he was able to discriminate the scent of his own urine from that of other dogs. Of course this is just one set of tests on one dog, but would it surprise anyone if other dogs showed similar abilities?
Is there a fundamental difference between an animal recognizing its own image in a mirror and one recognizing its own scent in yellow snow? There certainly are different cognitive process involved (Bekoff himself has suggested that the yellow snow test may be more indicative of a sense of “mine-ness” in dogs than of a sense of “I-ness”2).
At a minimum, though, the yellow snow test stands as a useful warning that we humans need to be careful not to make quick judgments about animal intelligence or cognitive capacity (or lack thereof) based on tests that are well-suited to humans, but that fail to match the skills and abilities of the particular animal.
1Bekoff, M. (2001). Observations of scent-marking and discriminating self from others by a domestic dog (Canis familiaris): tales of displaced yellow snow Behavioural Processes, 55 (2), 75-79 DOI: 10.1016/S0376-6357(01)00142-5.
2Bekoff, M. Considering Animals—Not “Higher” Primates. Zygon 38, 229-245 (2003).
Tagged Anthropocentrism, Dogs, Self-Recognition
https://animalwise.org/2011/08/16/the-yellow-snow-test-for-self-recognition/
Be Kind to Cattle
The AnimalWise Soapbox
In a more ideal world, cattle would be free to lead lives consistent with their ancestry as nomadic grazers covering wide ranges. Of course, this isn’t a perfect world, particularly for the cows and other farmyard animals whose entire existence we have repurposed into the provision of meat and dairy products.
Without wading too deeply into the morass of moral issues raised by how we humans have transformed the environment and put other animals to work to serve our needs, it’s pretty clear that we have assumed a responsibility for the well-being of these animals who depend on us for everything.
Now, jumping down from the soapbox, what’s interesting is that, even if we were to disavow any ethical obligation to our bovine helpers, research continues to underscore how much it is in our own selfish interest to treat them with kindness and care.
A Cow by Any Other Name…
For example, one recent study1 that enjoyed some popular press attention found that named cows were better milk providers. That’s right, cows with names.
Uh oh, here comes what's-his-name...
In this study, researchers led by Catherine Bertenshaw and Peter Rowlinson of Newcastle University sent a detailed survey to every fourth dairy farm in England and Wales (1,000 in total), asking, farmers a number of questions regarding their attitudes toward cattle, how they managed dairy herds, and their perceptions of cows’ emotional and cognitive capacities. The response rate was 56% (52% after weeding out respondents who had recently ceased farming), with 90% coming from experienced stock managers who had worked with cattle for more than 15 years.
As noted above, cows don’t appear to enjoy toiling away in obscurity. On 46% of the surveyed farms, cows are called by name, and these cows produced an average of 258 liters more of milk per 10 month lactation period than did their anonymous peers (7938 liters versus 7680 liters). Moreover, on farms where the stock manager thought it important to know every individual animal, heifers had a 197 liter higher average milk yield over their first lactation than on farms where the manager thought it wasn’t important (6931 liters versus 6734 liters).
Does this mean that cows recognize their own names and appreciate it when they hear themselves being singled out?
While this is possible, the more likely explanation is that farmers who name and individually recognize dairy cows are more likely to treat them well. Bertenshaw and Rowlinson cite previous research finding attitude to be a reliable predictor of a person’s behavior around animals and that those having a positive attitude towards cows are “likely to handle animals patiently, to believe that regular positive contact is important, and to show positive behaviors towards the cows.”
Overall, the survey results indicate that – at least from the farmers’ perspective – there is a relatively positive relationship between dairy cows and stock persons on UK farms. Ninety percent of the respondents thought that cows had “feelings,” only 21% believed that dairy cattle were fearful of humans, and 78% thought cows were intelligent. (It would be interesting to see what percent think that their human coworkers were intelligent.) Also, on a somewhat reassuring note, 44% gave “love of cows” as a reason why they chose to work with cows.
Obviously, this is a subjective survey from one viewpoint (no word on when the cows will be receiving their questionnaires), but it provides important insight into the importance of our nurturing our relationships with other animals … and lessons that will serve us well when the Revolution comes (hilarious Dana Lyons video below):
♫ ♫ We will fight for bovine freedom, and hold our large heads high! ♪ ♫ ♪
1Bertenshaw, C., & Rowlinson, P. (2009). Exploring Stock Managers’ Perceptions of the Human–Animal Relationship on Dairy Farms and an Association with Milk Production Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 22 (1), 59-69 DOI: 10.2752/175303708X390473.
Tagged Cows, Empathy
https://animalwise.org/2011/08/14/be-kind-to-cattle/
Pantomiming Primates
When considering language abilities in non-human animals, it pays to keep in mind that spoken words are not the only path to sophisticated communication. For example, while great apes like chimpanzees and orangutans may be limited in their ability to adapt their vocalizations to human speech, they are able to control their hand movements very well, and can engage in extremely expressive and effective gesturing behavior.
In a thought-provoking study first published online last year and now appearing in the August 23, 2011 issue of Biology Letters1, two Canadian researchers, Anne Russon of Glendon College and Kristin Andrews of York University, reported on their extensive review of data regarding instances in which orangutans in Borneo have used “pantomime” to communicate with their target audiences.
What part of "give me more food" don't you understand? (photo credit: Tom Low)
Russon and Andrews mined 20 years’ data that had been collected during systematic observational studies on the behavior of ex-captive orangutans as they underwent rehabilitation and were living free or semi-free lives in the forest. After reviewing original field notes and videos covering over 7,000 hours of observation, they identified 18 salient pantomime cases (14 addressed to humans and four to other orangutans) in which orangutans physically acted out messages in order to communicate specific goals.
In most of the cases, the orangutans used pantomime to provide additional or better information after an initial attempt at communication had failed – for example, by being more specific about an action, item or tool requested; by offering better tools for a requested task after a previous tool had been ignored; by pretending to be unable to perform a task after a request for help had been ignored; or by clarifying friendly intent after non-aggressive approaches had been refused.
A few specific examples will help to illustrate how the orangutans used pantomime to achieve specific communication goals:
An adolescent female named Siti, who had partially opened and eaten a coconut, handed it to a technician who in turn handed it back to her, gesturing to her that she should finish the job. She proceeded to briefly, weakly and ineffectively poke at the coconut (very much in contrast to her prior behavior), before handing it back to the technician. When he again refused to help her, she used a palm petiole (stalk) to chop at the coconut repeatedly, as one would with a machete. Russon and Andrews described their interpretation of the incident in the data supplement to their paper:
After [the technician’s] first refusal she faked inability to do the job herself; after the second refusal she elaborated her request by acting out what she wanted done, specifying what tool and target to use and how to use the tool. She acted out the actions she wanted of her partner, which included a skill that was not in her own repertoire (machete use). Given the complex conjunction of conditions and the specificity of her request, Siti’s pantomime must have been invented on the spot even if she was familiar with all constituent elements.
Fortunately, you can see this incident for yourself, as there’s a video of Siti and the coconut – enjoy!
After a three year old female named Kikan had hurt her foot on a sharp stone, a research assistant removed the stone and dripped latex from the stem of a fig leaf on the wound to help make it heal faster. After that, Kikan (who had previously not been particularly friendly with the assistant, hitting or trying to bite her when she passed by) approached the assistant in a friendly manner on a number of occasions, holding up her wounded foot for the assistant to see. On one specific occasion, Kikan picked up a leaf, pulled the assistant’s hand until she paid attention, and then acted out the leaf treatment the assistant had given to the foot. (This is not only interesting for its communication content, but it could be an indication of episodic-like memory (mental time travel), a topic that Felicity Muth recently discussed in some detail in two Scientific American blog posts, here and here).
An adult female named Unyuk played with forest assistant who pretended to give her a haircut with a Swiss Army Knife. While they played she noticed a backpack, an item regularly stolen by orangutans in hopes of finding food. Unyuk made no immediate move for the pack – instead she continued to act out her role in the haircutting game, grabbing the hair on top of her head and inviting the assistant to continue playing as she gradually moved sidewise and closer to the pack. Once she had a free path, she lunged and made a grab for the unattended pack. (This was one of seven pantomimes that the researchers labeled as deceptive, where the actor feigned an inability, an interest or an intent in order to obtain help, distract, or express friendly intent and facilitate reconciliation.)
Russon and Andrews believe that some of the pantomime cases contain attributes of natural language:
including compositionality (large meaningful units are composed of smaller meaningful units…), systematicity (the actions and entities pantomimed are meaningfully rearranged following predictable patterns…) and productivity (…unique creations of the moment). Thus, orangutans can communicate content with propositional structure and have the kind of cognitive capacities with constituent structure typically associated with linguistic capacities.
Although spontaneous pantomiming appears to be fairly rare among orangutans (again, a total of 18 examples were unearthed from 20 years’ of data), the underlying data came from studies that were not focused on communication, and the researchers believe that other studies may have missed similar pantomiming to the extent that they focused on the functional aspects of gestures rather than the significance of pantomime as a medium for communication.
In any event, the study offers an eye-opening lesson in how sophisticated – to the point of being linguistic – non-verbal communication can be. If nothing else, we should not be too overconfident if we ever have a chance to play charades against a team of orangutans.
1Russon, A., & Andrews, K. (2010). Orangutan pantomime: elaborating the message Biology Letters, 7 (4), 627-630 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2010.0564.
Posted in Language, Mammals
Tagged Communication, Memory, Primates
https://animalwise.org/2011/08/10/pantomiming-primates/
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3961
|
__label__wiki
| 0.800408
| 0.800408
|
Nordin Field
No. 5 Coast Guard Comes From Behind to Defeat No. 4 Women's Lacrosse 8-7 in NEWMAC Quarterfinal
Coast Guard (12-6, 4-4 NEWMAC) 3 5 8
Wheaton (Mass.) (8-10, 5-3 NEWMAC) 5 2 7
G: 2 Players (#16, #19) - 2
A: 3 Players (#6, #10, #18) - 1
Sv: Molly Witten - 13
GB: Molly Witten - 6
G: Haley Howard - 3
A: Daria McKenna - 2
Sv: Mary Budri - 7
GB: 2 Players (#28, #32) - 5
Draw Controls
Free Position Shots
SCORE: Wheaton 7 - Coast Guard 8
RECORDS: Wheaton (8-10, 5-3 NEWMAC) - Coast Guard (12-6, 4-4 NEWMAC)
LOCATION: Norton, Mass. (Diane C. Nordin '80 Field)
Haley Howard of the Coast Guard Academy led all players with the games only hat-trick, while also collecting three groundballs and causing two turnovers in the win. The Bears also received goals from Brenna Farrington (2), Luisa Santos, Marietta Davis, and Haley McCue.
Wheaton was led by two-goal performances from senior Katie Peters and sophomore Molly Covarrubias. Kennelly Allerton, Lilly Callahan, and Kyra Schwartzman also found the back of the next for the Lyons.
Megan Hemmerlein led all players with five draw controls, while senior goalkeeper Molly Witten led the field with six groundballs. Witten played the complete game for Wheaton, coming up with 13 saves.
Mary Budri led the Bears with five groundballs in 60 minutes of action, while coming up with seven saves on the night.
In a rematch from last Saturday, Wheaton turned the tables on the Coast Guard, jumping out to a strong first half lead. The scoring started two minutes into the contest with a quick put away from Callahan. Peters followed with a successful free position shot less than a minute later, which was followed by a man-up goal from Covarrubias. Emma Ford made it a 4-0 game for the Lyons with a cheeky pass to Schwartzman who blasted the ball past Budri. McCue put the Bears on the board with 9:32 remaining in the half but saw it eclipsed by an Allerton free position shot a minute later. The Coast Guard was able to find space in the final moments of the half with Santos and Howard cutting the deficit to 5-3 at the intermission.
Davis carried the momentum into the second half for the Bears, opening the new period with a goal with help from McKenna. Covarrubias and Peters responded with back-to-back goals, pushing the Wheaton advantage back to three with 18:33 left in the game. The Coast Guard continued to pressure and find space in the Wheaton defense, which resulted in consecutive goals from Farrington, pulling the Bears within a goal. McCue hit Howard with a pass at the 8:56 mark with the Lyons playing down a man, knotting the contest at 7-7. The game-winner came just a minute later with another Howard goal. Both sides traded shots over the final seven minutes of action with neither side being able to put one away.
Saves: Wheaton 13 / CGA 7
Ground Balls: Wheaton 26 / CGA 27
Clears: Wheaton 9-17 / CGA 17-23
Draw Controls: Wheaton 11 / CGA 4
Free Position Shots: 2-6 / CGA 1-4
Shots: Wheaton 22 / CGA 34
UP NEXT: Wheaton ends the season 8-10 overall and 5-3 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), while the Coast Guard will now travel to No. 1 Babson on Saturday, May 5 for a 12 p.m. NEWMAC Semifinal game against the Beavers. The winner of that game will take on the winner of No. 2 MIT/No. 3 Springfield on Sunday, May 6 at 1 p.m.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3962
|
__label__wiki
| 0.790659
| 0.790659
|
BUILT FOR THE FANS. BY THE FANS. BRAVES. HAWKS. FALCONS. PREDS. UNITED. COLLEGE.
Atlanta Sports HQ
Your source for all things Atlanta Sports. Built for the fans, by the fans
ATLUTD
Georgia State MBB
Georgia Tech MBB
Kennesaw State MBB
UGA MBB
Georgia State Football
Georgia Tech Football
Kennesaw State Football
Phil Veasley
Bret Anderson
Bob Lancaster
Tushar Patel
Daric Clemens
Mike Gaines
Edin Pelja
Stewart Zwald
Evan Nix
Chop Up Chop Down
HQ Live
This is not Goodbye
HQ Live | Sunday 8:30
HQ Live | Episode 34 | Thursday 8:30
HQ Live EP 33 | Tuesday 8:30
Hawks Win Season Opener In Trae-mendous Fashion
Home > Uncategorized > Why the Hawks are doing something special in Atlanta?
Why the Hawks are doing something special in Atlanta?
Phil Veasley - April 9, 2016 September 15, 2017
Jeff Teague’s game clinching basket in Game 5 of the 2015 Eastern Conference First Round Series against the Brooklyn Nets
Do you believe? I believe!!! I wouldn’t say that phrase is the Atlanta Hawks motto looking back over the last three seasons, but whenever I hear Hawks Public Announcer Ryan Cameron utter those words, resonates with me. As a long-time Atlanta Hawks fanatic, that places things in a perspective on what’s going on in the city of Atlanta and with the Hawks organization as well.
Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (L) of the Dominican Republic dunks the ball over Philadelphia 76ers guard Kendall Marshall (R) during the first half of their NBA basketball game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 16 December 2015. epa/Erik S. Lesser
Although we’re headed in the right direction, I’ll be honest with you. Growing up supporting Atlanta teams, this city is considered one of the fair weather cities when it comes to supporting the three major sports franchise that call our city their home. If the Hawks, Braves or Falcons are posting wins, we have arguably one of the best fan-bases around; however, when we’ve seen the franchise have rough times, many fans don’t show their support in the stands or as some would describe “Atlanta fans would jump ship.” Sadly, we’ve seen this mentioned several times by major networks such as ESPN, who actually ran a segment last season when the Falcons started 3-0 on “Where are Atlanta Falcons fans?
For example, if you are a fan of playing the popular EA Sports frachise “Madden NFL 16”, when you are playing with the Atlanta Falcons, they list the fans in the city as “fair weathered. For a video game to even describe some of the fans of a team that I love in a negative way is embarrassing; however, I am very proud of how the Atlanta Hawks have made a huge impact in the local communities.
ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 1: Jeff Teague #0 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 1, 2016 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
In our nationally televised loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN analysts were attempting to call out the Atlanta fans by stating that they have only saw fans around the city support legitimate contenders. At one point in the broadcast, Hubie Brown said “Atlanta had so much success last season and it hasn’t carried over. As you can see, tonight is only the 11th sellout and it’s far behind the number the Cleveland Cavaliers have sold out.” However, when you have a player on the level such as #23 (LeBron James), his name will generate sell-out home crowds alone.” Perception is big flaw we’ve seen in sports and the common perception from people outside of Atlanta is that our fans don’t care about the team. Looking at the attendance numbers this season, we’ve seen the Hawks endure a slight decline which is expected when you have a team that have endured some of the inconsistencies as the Atlanta Hawks have shown, especially before the All-Star Break.
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith dunks against the Boston Celtics during the 2008 NBA Playoffs. (Photo by Bob Rosatto)
The Hawks were at an all-time high in attendance last year sitting at 17th in the league averaging 17,412 fans in attendance per game compared to this year, which has Atlanta ranked at 21st in the league avaeraging around 16,785 per game. For many fans who aren’t familar with the city of Atlanta and the Hawks organization, they would view those numbers with high criticism and wouldn’t think the organization was making any progress. Not so fast my friend, before the historic 2014-2015 season, the Atlanta Hawks spent a few seasons near the bottom of the league in attendance per home game. After finishing 18th in the 2009-10 season, the Atlanta Hawks slipped every season until the 60-win campaign last season. In 2011, the Hawks slipped to 22nd (15,648 per game), dropped to 23rd in 2012 (15,109 per game), after the Joe Johnson/Josh Smith era came to an end, the attendance fell to 26th in the league with (15,125 per game) and even during Coach Bud’s first season, Atlanta was the third worst team in attendance only ahead of Philadelphia and Milwaukee at (14,339 per game) For a 10 year stretch, the Hawks were one of the league’s worst teams in attendance and barely averaged 11,000/12,000 people per game as well.
Al Horford’s game winner against the Washington Wizards in Game 5 of last year’s Semi-Finals
The Hawks are making progress in the community and in return the fans are showing up supporting the team. I’m not from Atlanta, but I visit frequently being an Atlanta sports fan. During my previous visit for the Atlanta Falcons/ Indianapolis Colts game in November, as we were getting closer to the NFL Playoff Race with the Falcons still in playoff contention. While walking around in the city, the talk wasn’t about the football team, it was about the Atlanta Hawks and what they were doing and some of the fans I asked were excited to see what direction the team would go after our first Eastern Conference Finals appearance a year ago.
Hearing the excitement in local fans was a new experience for me because when I have asked about their feelings of the Hawks in past visits, I would receive a rude response such as “who cares, they won’t make it past the first round.” I can honestly say the Atlanta Hawks are on the rise with third-year head coach Mike Budenholzer leading the way. Another key factor for the Hawks progression is our principle owners and amazing ambassadors such as Al Horford, Mike Muscala, and Paul Millsap amongst other players for the Hawks and NBA. The Atlanta Hawks are doing something special people stay tuned. #TrueToAtlanta
@ChosenOne_MT10
If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a writer for ATLSportsHQ please DM Phil Veasley (@_ATLPhil) on Twitter or IG. Or send a sample article to atlsportshq@gmail.com.
Phil Veasley is a resident of Atlanta who has been a die-hard Hawks fan since 2005. He is Civil Engineer student at KSU. Currently, Phil writes for Atlanta Hawks Talk while also managing all ATLSportsHQ sites. He can be reached on Twitter at @_ATLPhil
(52-25) Toronto Raptors at (46-32) Atlanta Hawks Preview
Three Seed Scenarios
ATL Sports HQ
Atlanta Sports Headquarters is your homegrown source for all things Atlanta Sports. We are dedicated to bringing the fans the best Atlanta Sports coverage on the web! Built For The Fans By The Fans. Be sure to check out all our Twitter Feeds:
@ATLHawks_Talk
@BirdsInTheBenz
@ChopUpChopDown
@SSSATLUTD
@ATLSportCollege
@ATLSportsHQ
@WreckHavocATL
Visit our Partner
West GA Auto Transmission
ATLSportsHQ
#ATLSportsHQLIVE!
Andrew Carter
Jackson Stone
If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a writer for ATLSportsHQ please DM Phil on Twitter or send a sample article to atlsportshq@gmail.com.
Derrick Allen Transfers to Georgia Tech
International Spotlight: Ezequiel Barco called up to Argentina's U-20 National Team for Upcoming U-20 World Cup in Poland
© 2020 Atlanta Sports Headquarters
Powered by | Theme: AccessPress Mag
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3963
|
__label__wiki
| 0.537799
| 0.537799
|
Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage
Ping-Chang Lin, David A. Reiter, Richard G. Spencer
MRI is increasingly used to evaluate cartilage in tissue constructs, explants, and animal and patient studies. However, while mean values of MR parameters, including T1, T2, magnetization transfer rate km, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and the dGEMRIC-derived fixed charge density, correlate with tissue status, the ability to classify tissue according to these parameters has not been explored. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity with which each of these parameters was able to distinguish between normal and trypsin-degraded, and between normal and collagenase-degraded, cartilage explants were determined. Initial analysis was performed using a training set to determine simple group means to which parameters obtained from a validation set were compared. T1 and apparent diffusion coefficient showed the greatest ability to discriminate between normal and degraded cartilage. Further analysis with k-means clustering, which eliminates the need for a priori identification of sample status, generally performed comparably. Use of fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to define centroids likewise did not result in improvement in discrimination. Finally, an FCM clustering approach in which validation samples were assigned in a probabilistic fashion to control and degraded groups was implemented, reflecting the range of tissue characteristics seen with cartilage degradation.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.22110
Collagenases
Lin, P-C., Reiter, D. A., & Spencer, R. G. (2009). Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 62(5), 1311-1318. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.22110
Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage. / Lin, Ping-Chang; Reiter, David A.; Spencer, Richard G.
In: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Vol. 62, No. 5, 01.11.2009, p. 1311-1318.
Lin, P-C, Reiter, DA & Spencer, RG 2009, 'Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage', Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, vol. 62, no. 5, pp. 1311-1318. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.22110
Lin P-C, Reiter DA, Spencer RG. Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 2009 Nov 1;62(5):1311-1318. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.22110
Lin, Ping-Chang ; Reiter, David A. ; Spencer, Richard G. / Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage. In: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 2009 ; Vol. 62, No. 5. pp. 1311-1318.
@article{77f5ece2a1534a6bbf07633fc5bed3b2,
title = "Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage",
abstract = "MRI is increasingly used to evaluate cartilage in tissue constructs, explants, and animal and patient studies. However, while mean values of MR parameters, including T1, T2, magnetization transfer rate km, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and the dGEMRIC-derived fixed charge density, correlate with tissue status, the ability to classify tissue according to these parameters has not been explored. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity with which each of these parameters was able to distinguish between normal and trypsin-degraded, and between normal and collagenase-degraded, cartilage explants were determined. Initial analysis was performed using a training set to determine simple group means to which parameters obtained from a validation set were compared. T1 and apparent diffusion coefficient showed the greatest ability to discriminate between normal and degraded cartilage. Further analysis with k-means clustering, which eliminates the need for a priori identification of sample status, generally performed comparably. Use of fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to define centroids likewise did not result in improvement in discrimination. Finally, an FCM clustering approach in which validation samples were assigned in a probabilistic fashion to control and degraded groups was implemented, reflecting the range of tissue characteristics seen with cartilage degradation.",
keywords = "Cartilage, Degradation, Osteoarthritis, Sensitivity, Specificity",
author = "Ping-Chang Lin and Reiter, {David A.} and Spencer, {Richard G.}",
doi = "10.1002/mrm.22110",
journal = "Magnetic Resonance in Medicine",
T1 - Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage
AU - Lin, Ping-Chang
AU - Reiter, David A.
AU - Spencer, Richard G.
N2 - MRI is increasingly used to evaluate cartilage in tissue constructs, explants, and animal and patient studies. However, while mean values of MR parameters, including T1, T2, magnetization transfer rate km, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and the dGEMRIC-derived fixed charge density, correlate with tissue status, the ability to classify tissue according to these parameters has not been explored. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity with which each of these parameters was able to distinguish between normal and trypsin-degraded, and between normal and collagenase-degraded, cartilage explants were determined. Initial analysis was performed using a training set to determine simple group means to which parameters obtained from a validation set were compared. T1 and apparent diffusion coefficient showed the greatest ability to discriminate between normal and degraded cartilage. Further analysis with k-means clustering, which eliminates the need for a priori identification of sample status, generally performed comparably. Use of fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to define centroids likewise did not result in improvement in discrimination. Finally, an FCM clustering approach in which validation samples were assigned in a probabilistic fashion to control and degraded groups was implemented, reflecting the range of tissue characteristics seen with cartilage degradation.
AB - MRI is increasingly used to evaluate cartilage in tissue constructs, explants, and animal and patient studies. However, while mean values of MR parameters, including T1, T2, magnetization transfer rate km, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and the dGEMRIC-derived fixed charge density, correlate with tissue status, the ability to classify tissue according to these parameters has not been explored. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity with which each of these parameters was able to distinguish between normal and trypsin-degraded, and between normal and collagenase-degraded, cartilage explants were determined. Initial analysis was performed using a training set to determine simple group means to which parameters obtained from a validation set were compared. T1 and apparent diffusion coefficient showed the greatest ability to discriminate between normal and degraded cartilage. Further analysis with k-means clustering, which eliminates the need for a priori identification of sample status, generally performed comparably. Use of fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering to define centroids likewise did not result in improvement in discrimination. Finally, an FCM clustering approach in which validation samples were assigned in a probabilistic fashion to control and degraded groups was implemented, reflecting the range of tissue characteristics seen with cartilage degradation.
KW - Cartilage
KW - Degradation
KW - Osteoarthritis
KW - Sensitivity
KW - Specificity
U2 - 10.1002/mrm.22110
DO - 10.1002/mrm.22110
JO - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
10.1002/mrm.22110
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3967
|
__label__cc
| 0.689375
| 0.310625
|
Marni Graff is the Award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries.
The Nora Tierney English Mysteries feature American Nora living in England. THE BLUE VIRGIN received First Prize in the Mystery and Mayhem Award for Best British Cozy from Chanticleer Review and is set in Oxford. THE GREEN REMAINS takes Nora to the Lake District and murder follows and won the same award for Best British Cozy. THE SCARLET WENCH, shortlisted for the same award, finds Nora involved in finding the murderer from a visiting theatre troupe living amongst her and her son at the lodge where she’s staying. A copy of SW is in the archives of the estate of Noel Coward, as all of the chapter epigrams are lines from his farce, “Blithe Spirit” which figures in the action. The fourth, THE GOLDEN HOUR, finds Nora visiting Brighton, Cornwall, and her beloved Oxford, with key action in Bath. The entire series has been narrated for Audible books by British actress Nano Nagle and are available on Kindle.
The first Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery, Death Unscripted, is based on Graff’s real-life work as a medical consultant for a New York movie studio. Trudy has that job, too, but in her case, murder follows. This is the book P. D. James insisted Graff write and is dedicated to her. The book was named a finalist for the IAN Awards and was shortlisted as Best Mystery from Chanticleer Media. Book 2 in that series, DEATH AT THE DAKOTA, debuted in 2019. Actress/director Lucinda Gainey narrates both Trudys on Audible, and these are also on Kindle.
Graff is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, an author’s cooperative based out of Baltimore, MD, and writes this crime review blog, Auntie M Writes. Her short story, “Quiche Alain” appears in Malice Domestic’s Anthology, Mystery Most Edible.
Also known as Auntie M, MK and Marnette, Marni grew up in Floral Park, NY. She currently resides in rural North Carolina, and lives on the Pungo River, part of the coast’s Intracoastal Waterway with her her stand and two Aussie Doodles.
She is the author of screenplays, stories, essays and poetry, in addition to the two mystery series. Her creative nonfiction was most recently seen in Southern Women’s Review, Fine Line Anthology, and Shelf Pleasures. Her poem about Amelia Earhart in an anthology of poems dedicated to the pilot that is on display in Earhart’s hometown museum.
Author Marni Graff (R) with Barb Jancovic, owner 365 Days of Christmas
Marni’s background as a registered nurse always encompassed her love of writing. She was a feature writer for Nursing Spectrum for six years and editor of a nursing journal for three. Her favorite nursing position was as a medical consultant for television and motion pictures, working on scripts from home and medical scenes on set in Manhattan.
She also wrote interview articles for seven years for Mystery Review, an opportunity to interview and learn from many of her favorite mystery authors, including Val McDermid, Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, and her mentor and friend for many years now, the Queen of British Mystery, P D James, who remained a mentor and friend until the Baroness’ death in 2014. Graff later attended her memorial service in London’s Inner Court.
Leaving nursing to pursue writing full time has taken Marni to study literature six times at the University of Iowa and one summer at Oxford University, as well as courses at New York University, Harvard and Radcliffe. She has taught Creative Writing and Memoir in North Carolina, and has done book reviews for Raleigh’s largest paper, The News and Observer. Marni edits manuscripts, conducts writers workshops, and has twice been the recipient of month-long writing residencies at the Vermont Studio Center.
One of the founders of the ground-breaking Screw Iowa! Writers Group, Marni is a member of Sisters in Crime and of Mystery People in UK, and has twice attended St Hilda’s Mystery and Crime Conference In Oxford, England.
UK: You can order all books through Bridle Path Press or Amazon.com.UK . The Blue Virgin is also available as an eBook for other ereaders through Smashwords.com; all for sale in Belgrade, Maine at 365 Days of Christmas and in Washington, NC at RiverWalk Gallery. All of the novels are available on Kindle and on Audible books.
Contact Marni at: bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com. Twitter: @GraffMarni Facebook: bluevirgin.graff or Marni Graff.
Share this:Auntie M Writes
Michael Robotham says:
Dear Marni, thanks for the lovely review of BLEED FOR ME. I tried to email a reply but it bounced back. I’ll ask my US publicist to send an ARC of the new one SAY YOU’RE SORRY when it becomes available. Best, Michael.
I just finished The Blue Virgin, and I can say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is part of my review:
There’s a genteel consistency to this beautifully-written mystery in both the story, English setting, and in the well-defined characters.
I stand by that.
auntiemwrites says:
Polly thank you for your generous comments!
scrapgirl1467 says:
OMG, we are living opposite lives! I am here today for Marilyn’s blog post on her tour and wanted to find out more about you. I live in Floral Park, having grown up on Long Island, but having moved back from North Carolina (Wilson, NC to be exact) in 2007. I would love to hear from you via email and will be checking out both your series!
Maureen, was at the NC Writers Network conference in Greensboro since Thursday and just got home to see this! Too Funny!
Where in Floral Park? I grew up on Mayfair Ave in the west end near Fl Pk-Bellerose School. Actually, I’ll be back there in Sept. doing a program at the library. We have to meet!!!
EM me at : bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com
Simon Toyne says:
Dear Marni,
thank you so much for the lovely, and perceptive review of SANCTUS. Eco was indeed an inspiration for the novel. Hope you have got your hands of an ARC of THE KEY in advance of the launch on June 19th.
I just received THE KEY and look forward to the read!
Susan Goater says:
Exceptional review of an exceptional Trilogy – x
Kathy Ackley says:
Hi Marni, I’ve been trying to send a reply to your e-mail query about the August mystery tour but my message keeps bouncing back. Will keep trying but wanted you to know that I have replied! Thanks, Kathy Ackley
Dorothy Hayes says:
You both look happy and obviously love what you’re doing. Thanks for giving writers a platform.
Deirdre Anderson says:
Hello Marni!! Can’t wait to see and meet you in NYC in July. I don’t know about you but I am super excited. Peter is my favorite author, what are you going to wear?
Deirdre Anderson
deirdre9232@gmail.com
Cutting Down to Size | Let The Word Go Forth says:
[…] a post I wrote originally for the lovely and talented Marni Graff, who runs the Auntie M Writes Blog – don’t tell her I borrowed this, okay? It’s […]
Nora Tierney English Mystery Series by M. K. Graff — says:
[…] Author info (from her website) […]
ARC Book Review: The Golden Hour by M.K. Graff – Touch My Spine Book Reviews says:
[…] You can find more about the author and her works on her WordPress site @ https://auntiemwrites.com/about/ […]
Hello Marni,
I love your blog, it is so informative!
Plenty to read and great suggestions.
Wendy High says:
Beautiful writing! I would love to read your books! It’s so inspiring to see stories such as yours. I’m so excited to be following your blog and see what other amazing stories you have to review!
The First Two Pages: “Quiche Alain” by M.K. Graff – Art Taylor says:
[…] Death at the Dakota, is due soon. For more information on all Marni’s work, visit her at Auntie M Writes, where she reviews contemporary crime […]
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3969
|
__label__cc
| 0.641751
| 0.358249
|
Centro Autónomo
AUSM Mexico
Semester Program
AUSM Cuba
FrayBa
Oventic Language School
News & Analysis • January 16 – 31, 2017
by AUSM | Feb 3, 2017 | News & Analysis | 0 comments
Autonomous University of Social Movements (AUSM)
WEEKLY NEWS AND ANALYSIS
1 – Trump’s border wall is Peña Nieto’s escape valve
2 – AUSM Programs
On January 25, President (really!?, we still can’t fathom the concept) Trump formalized a campaign threat to build a wall along the Mexico-US border – and force Mexico to pay for it. The announcement came on the same day Mexico’s Foreign Minister, Luis Videgaray, reportedly a close friend of the Trump family, began preliminary discussions in Washington for a visit by President Peña Nieto. This was widely reported as a diplomatic blunder and a slap in the face to Peña Nieto. It’s possible the Idiot in Chief (yes!, that’s more accurate than President) Trump truly is so ham-handed, or perhaps so egotistical, that he needs to embarrass foreign leaders in public. British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Shinzo Abe all reached out to Trump in the early days of his Idiocy, only to be embarrassed publicly within days. In any case, Peña Nieto came under mounting pressure from an increasingly nationalistic domestic audience and canceled the visit, originally scheduled for January 31.
But there may be something else happening in the case of Peña Nieto, who is increasingly detached from the Mexican people. On January 25 his approval rating stood at 12% according to La Reforma, a center-right newspaper, largely because of a series of policies directed at making the rich (mainly the political class) richer, including privatization of Pemex. Government corruption has always been a problem in Mexico, no matter the party in charge, but under Peña Nieto the levels surprise even seasoned observers. To site only the most recent example, former Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte of Peña Nieto’s PRI stands accused of stealing $2.5 billion in federal funds. In this context, a brave and stalwart Peña Nieto defending Mexico’s dignity by canceling a meeting with Trump is just what the doctor ordered. A political and business class, nervous about the level of popular uprising associated with the gasolinazo, quickly came together around a call to support Peña Nieto in his confrontation with Trump. Even the centrist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the leading candidate for the presidency in 2018 and normally a stalwart critic of Peña Nieto, rallied to the unity call.
Trump makes for an easy boogeyman in Mexico, not that he doesn’t deserve his horrible reputation. But on the verge of an inevitable renegotiation of NAFTA, simultaneous with a political class looking to benefit from the privatization of Pemex, Mexican elites need a nationalist rallying cry that will distract popular sentiments. The last time Mexico privatized a major part of its patrimony, the national telephone company TelMex, it created the wealthiest man in Mexico and third wealthiest in the world, Carlos Slim, plus a political class that benefited from bribes for decades of legislation permitting monopoly pricing. In comparison to Pemex, TelMex was small potatoes. In this context, nothing could be more convenient than a renewed outbreak of nationalist spirit, always smoldering below the surface in Mexico-US relations.
On January 27, Trump and Peña Nieto spoke for an hour by phone. One can only speculate on the real content of the call, but the two men clearly have an agenda largely isolated from their populations. While the mainstream media plays up a brewing diplomatic crisis, expect future nationalist rhetoric on both sides of the border to obscure the real agendas of business elites and political classes.
info@ausm.community
Venezuela and the struggle for sovereignty
Samir Flores, opositor al Proyecto Integral Morelos
Challenges for Cuba’s New Constitution
Mexico and ALMO
Cuba “Sonic” Incidents
News and Analysis – January 16-31, 2017 | Autonomous University of Social Movements on News & Analysis • Jan 1-15, 2017
Centro Autonomo
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3970
|
__label__wiki
| 0.574794
| 0.574794
|
Australian British FinTech Cyber Catalyst Winners
The Australian British Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of its second Australian British FinTech Cyber Catalyst (ABFCC) 2018, visiting London and the South West from 2-5 July, 2018.A…
USA Cyber Security Mission
USA cyber security mission background
11-13 April – Washington DC, USA 16-20 April – San Francisco, USA
AustCyber in partnership with Austrade, state and territory governments and Data61…
Australian TAFEs Join Forces to Tackle the Cyber Security Skills Gap
Australia's first national skills-based cyber security Certificate and Diploma level qualifications, to be delivered by TAFEs across the country in 2018, were launched by the Minister for Law…
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3971
|
__label__cc
| 0.644659
| 0.355341
|
Popular Digital Pianos & Tools
Favourite Digital Pianos & Tools
Get Piano Sheet Music
Guide to Choosing a Travel-Sized Piano
9 Grand & Flowing Piano Pieces
Better Practice Hacks
The 4 Deadliest Practice Mistakes Ever
How to Enjoy Training Your Fingers & Other Boring Tasks
To Practice More Efficiently, Try to Stop Practicing
What My Broken Fridge Taught Me About Music Practice
How to Get Stronger Fingers Today
Teaching Piano Guide
Is Being “Self-Taught” Good Enough?
How I Re-Started Teaching Piano in One Week
Piano Playing Guide
What You Need to Start Playing Piano
The 3 Biggest Mistakes that Beginner Pianists Make
Creative piano advice & stories
The Secret to Accomplishing Anything, Easily
Do you ever feel hopeless towards a goal?
I’ll admit that I’ve felt like I’m so far from a goal that it doesn’t feel real.
Do you ever feel that you won’t get there no matter how long you work at it?
Or do you just have goal to work towards?
Whether your goal is sight reading, perfecting a piece, or even calculus homework, there’s a simple solution to accomplishing anything.
I can’t just give it to you.
But I can show you how to get it, just like I did.
It’s Flow
Flow is complete focus, “being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one… Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost“, says Csíkszentmihályi, the (positive) psychologist who coined the term.
Flow is when you’re so absorbed in something that you lose track of time. You’re reaching your potential because all your energy is directed at one single activity.
You’ve experienced flow before.
Humans have been ‘flowing’ long before Csíkszentmihályi came along and named it ‘flow’.
How to Find Flow
How, exactly, can you find flow, if it’s so great?
The key to finding flow is balancing challenge.
All you need to do is make sure that you have a challenge that takes up all of your focus.
You need a thing that’s just right:
Hard enough so that you’re entirely focused, but easy enough so that you feel like you’re improving and you don’t get frustrated.
A challenge that’s too easy won’t need your undiverted attention, so you won’t go into flow.
Let’s take a basic example that most of us have been through:
You can’t get past the first octave of a scale (playing at a certain tempo) without your hands splitting up, yet you’ve been trying again and again with the metronome for the past hour.
You’re not going into flow and you’re not improving much, if at all.
It’s too hard and you know that you’re not improving.
To find flow, you need to make it a bit easier.
You can make it easier in lots of different ways, as long as it makes you feel that the goal is doable.
For the example above, you can first play it slower and fix your fingering.
When that gets too easy, you can then aim for evenness. (More on this in a later post.)
And when that gets too easy, then you can increase the tempo again– in the end, you’d get your goal, painlessly!
When you make it harder in small steps like that, you would be in a state of flow the entire time, as opposed to hours upon hours of frustration.
Flow Tip
Find out how you concentrate best.
Distractions? Silence, neatness, or even white noise?
Create conditions where you concentrate best, then you will flow.
Even something simple like closing the door might help your concentration.
I personally concentrate best when it’s quiet; that’s when I work best– I find noise distracting.
Test out different ways and find one that works best for you.
You’ll improve at anything much quicker when you’re in flow because all your energy is concentrated on one challenge and you’re “using your skills to the utmost”.
When you’re in flow, you’re getting more product for your effort than you would get if you weren’t in flow.
Being in a state of flow is ultimately enjoyment, even for the most mundane tasks, as long as there’s a doable challenge– time literally flies because you’re so concentrated on it.
Flow really pushes your potentials because you need to keep adjusting your challenges to achieve even greater challenges.
Want more of this?
Get exclusive music tips and fresh stories in your email inbox by signing up below. It's Free!
Guest post: How to be confident (when you’re not feeling it) | Frances Wilson's Piano Studio November 16, 2012 at 7:29 am
[…] people say that performing puts them in the state of flow, and who’s to argue with […]
We use cookies to improve your experience! If you're ok with it, click "Ok" (or see the link if you want to learn more) Info about cookies
Hi, I’m Grace
Grace helps people practice smarter using creative music techniques. She teaches piano from Seattle. Read more...
Practice Piano Efficiently
Muscle Memory: Only for “Smart Musicians”?
One Simple Tip for Accomplishing Anything
How to Get 10% More Motivation in One Step
Should You Quit Music Now?
Who are these people on the blog?
Contributors to the blog
© 2020 Artiden. All Rights Reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Back to top
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3977
|
__label__cc
| 0.549123
| 0.450877
|
Beqanna › Live › Loess
» [private] show me where my armor ends; castile
[private] show me where my armor ends; castile
Lepis
Height: 14.2 hh
Color: perlino dun tobiano with navy points
Markings: strong navy primitive dun markings
Player: Kahzie
Genetic Traits: empathic projection, thought projection, wings
Non-Genetic Traits: none
Defects: heavy scarring
When their visitor has left in search of his family, Lepis turns back to her piebald uncle.
“The mention of political ties was for you,” she tells him with a wry smile, though the dun mare is already quite sure that he knows this already. “That’s why I’m here in the first place, after all.”
Their departure for the north had been more than a year ago, and while Lepis knows that her son is here as often as he is in Taiga, her own visits have been far less frequent. First there was the responsibility of stabilizing her rule, and then her pregnancy, and then the care of a newborn. Her return to Loess has been spurred not only by finally having the time for it, but by shifts in the rest of Beqanna as well. The conversation that she and her husband had recent had with her in-law is the most fresh in her mind, but she is eager to discuss the many things that have transpired.
“Taiga is doing well under my command,” she tells him, and there is a bit of pride flickering behind her blue grey eyes. The redwood forest is still eerie, but it is no longer quiet. “I’ve spoken with Litotes, and I think I can see what you and Bane see in him. And Heartfire recently came to Nerine.” Here she pauses, her curious gaze attempting to read his draconic face. That there is tension between Loess and Nerine is no secret, but Lepis is not sure the exact source.
She does know that her actions will undoubtedly make it worse, but it is the only way forward that she can see, and so she has convinced herself that she must take it.
“I told her I intended to make the Taiga a territory of Loess rather than Nerine.” Another pause, and then: “I think she declined, and so I’m here for advice.”
Loess Leader
Breed: Friesian/Mustang Hybrid
Color: Smoky Black Tobiano
Markings: Gold band on face arching toward eyes then down to his jaw
Player: Aeris
Genetic Traits: Immortality, Dragon Shifting
Non-Genetic Traits: Color Changing
and underneath the layers, I find myself asking what's left
a hollowed out form, the skeleton of a ghost, the pitiful echo of what once was
”I figured,” he flatly states with a slight upturn of his mouth, always admiring his niece’s brash and forward nature. Although she isn’t nearly so iron-fisted as his mother, the similarities are near enough. Lepis is still a formidable force. With Taiga now resting in her palm, Castile assumes that she will climb the ladder to continue achieving greatness. Ever ambitious, ever proud. That’s the reason why he lacks surprise when she slips into Taiga’s welfare. ”I expected no less,” she has the ability to berth life into deadened land. It’s a gift of hers.
A brow lifts, intrigued by her news, but his curiosity is piqued when she mentions Heartfire. Refraining from speaking out of turn, Castile merely nods his head and continues to listen, noting the slight uncertainty in Lepis’ tone of voice. It would’ve been too easy if Heartfire agreed, of course, so although her reciprocation was expected, it still throws a wrench into everyone’s plans.
”A shame,” he finally murmurs with a contemplative tilt of his head. Far north lies the kingdom from where he was born. It still holds a piece of his heart – it forever will – but he realizes how impossible it seems to enjoy a visit to the familiar black shoreline. ”I always considered her an aunt. I’ve known her since childhood since she was in Nerine during mother’s reign,” he more or less thinks aloud, pulling Lepis into the depths of his memories. ”Heartfire actually visited Loess a while ago. She wanted information from me and wanted to know my plans. I told her that unless she was here to forge an alliance, I would tell her nothing,” a shrug ripples through his muscular shoulders, ”An agreement was never made.” The woman wants to understand the world so that she may capture the knowledge and hold power above them all, but he refused to indulge her just as Lepis now has.
But where does that place them in this great game?
A thoughtful breath sighs from Castile’s lungs as his eyes search those of Lepis. ”I feel as though Loess, Taiga, Pangea, and our other political ties can provide greater protection than Nerine. Perhaps, we need to continue extending our influence. Icicle Island, although quiet, would still pose an advantage if they side with us. That will leave Nerine surrounded by enemies. Tephra, on the other hand, has two islands. The Resort is quiet and I’ve not heard much from Ischia.” Piecing everything together aloud cements it further into memory, helping him to realize the great lengths that Loess’ friendships have extended. It isn’t even about power or subkingdoms. The fact of it all is friendship – that’s the glue binding all these lands.
”We’re going to have to give Heartfire no other option, I suppose.” Castile’s eyes gleam and crackle like the fire in his soul.
As a child, Lepis had worked hard for her uncle’s approval. She finds that the sensation of having pleased him is not much different as an adult, and she smiles warmly up at him, her grey-blue eyes bright. He is clearly thoughtful, though the dragon still listens to what she has to say before speaking and she is grateful for the lack of interruption.
What he has to tell her is not something she knows; Lepis knowledge of the Nerenian kingdom is limited to what she had been told as child. It was not a place that her mother knew well, and Castile only ever spoke of it in fond reminisces. Though she knows the rulers have shifted from one woman to the next, she does not know them from each other. Heartfire is only a known entity for her relation to Lepis’ husband; of her ability as queen Lepis knows only that she seems content to rule an empty kingdom and is reluctant to give up what little power a quite land possesses. (Lepis is much the same way, of course, and thinks no less of her for it).
“I’m sending out diplomats,” she tells her uncle. “To most of the lands. anyway. I intend on going to the Isle myself, and then to Nerine pending the conversation with their ruler. I hear he’s recently fended off an usurper. Perhaps he might be interested in further methods to protect his land.” Methods that she intends to let him know Nerine cannot provide. A small smile has slipped onto her navy mouth, the prospect of juggling a multitude of conversations and responsibilities is as invigorating as she remembers.
“I’d be glad to represent Loess on those trips as well,” she adds, raising one brow as she takes her gaze from the horizon back to her piebald relative. ‘May I wield the power of Loess?’ she asks without saying as much, knowing that the weight of four lands and their allies is a far more impressive show of power than arriving simply as the Comtesse of Taiga. “Perhaps save you a trip north?” she adds with a grin, rather pleased at her own wit and impudence.
Castile draws in a deep breath as his memories race back to Nerine and its salty air. It had been his dream to forever live there once, but that was so long ago. The world has toyed with his mind and heart multiple times to steer him away from the rocky cliffs. Although it holds a piece of him – it forever will – he has found himself comfortable in the warmer climate of Loess where he can soar high above and retreat to the mountains when solitude seems decadent.
What has become of the northern kingdom, however, he is embarrassingly unaware. Heartfire still reigns, keeping pace with the land’s reputation and established hierarchy. She visited Loess once. They came together for the first time in years, but since peeled away with mistrust rippling between them. It would be beneficial to visit, but Lepis’ curiosity has already put her into contact with his pseudo-aunt. Any information he craves can be translated through his niece. It spares him the trip, just as it may with the Icicle Isle. ”Tempting,” he grumbles when he focuses on her and escapes the dreamy grip of his childhood. ”I’ve never been one for the cold and I trust you to represent Loess well.” His acquiescence hangs in the small space between them, a fondness in the gentle tone of his voice.
”I’ve always respected Heartfire,” the confession arises suddenly, unexpectedly even, after having advised Lepis to shave away the Queen’s options. ”But it sounds like she may be losing her influence and power. I applaud her efforts to resist,” but he will not commend it forever. Sooner or later, she will bend the knee – not to him, no, he isn’t his mother – to the empire that is rising and surrounding Beqanna. He wants to witness it before setting his crown aside and handing the throne to someone else when Loess’ power is near its peak.
With the stakes rising and the determination mirroring, Castile cannot help to tilt his head down and regard Lepis almost as an adoring father would. ”You make me feel old, you know. From a little squirt of a Queen, to disappearing, to returning more ambitious than ever,” a low chuckle slips from him as he shakes his head slowly in disbelief of how quickly time has passed.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3993
|
__label__cc
| 0.618637
| 0.381363
|
Not everyone was a fan of the original iPhone
If you ever need proof that tech pundits and even seasoned tech executives often can’t appreciate a revolutionary product even when it stares them in the face, you won’t find a better example than the original iPhone. When Steve Jobs first introduced the device in January of 2007, it was readily apparent that the device was an absolute game-changer. Although the original iPhone lacked some features such as copy and paste, its multitouch display and full web browser were nothing short of revolutionary. Indeed, it’s no accident that nearly every single smartphone on the market today is based on the blueprint that the original iPhone laid out 10 years ago.
Don't Miss: OK seriously, we need to talk about the crazy iPhone 8 video that just leaked
If we go back in time, some of the early thoughts and impressions regarding Apple’s first-gen iPhone are laughably off-base. With the iPhone’s 10th anniversary upon us, we thought it would be a good time to go back in time and see what some of the naysayers said about Apple’s iconic device way back when.
Ed Colligan
We’ve learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They’re not going to just walk in.
Now to be fair, former Palm CEO Ed Colligan’s quote about the iPhone was uttered before Apple actually delivered the device. Still, it serves as a stark reminder that industry incumbents in tech can never be assured of their position atop of the mountain.
Richard Sprague – Microsoft marketing director
I can’t believe the hype being given to iPhone. Even some of my blindly-loyal pro-Microsoft friends and colleagues talk like it’s a real innovation and will “redefine the market” or “usher in a new age.
I just have to wonder who will want one of these things (other than the religious faithful). People need this to be a phone, first and foremost. But with 5 hours of battery life? No keypad? (you try typing a phone number on that screen, no matter how wonderful it is — you will want a keypad). And for all that whiz-bang Internet access, you absolutely need the phone to work, immediately, every single time. Will it do that?
So please mark this post and come back in two years to see the results of my prediction: I predict they will not sell anywhere near the 10M Jobs predicts for 2008.
Scott Rockfeld – Microsoft
We are not at all worried. We think we’ve got the one mobile platform you’ll use for the rest of your life. They are not going to catch up
Steve Ballmer – Microsoft CEO
Speaking of Microsoft, this is the granddaddy anti-iPhone example of them all.
The iPhone is “is the most expensive phone in the world,” Ballmer said, “and it doesn’t appeal to business customers because it doesn’t have a keyboard which makes it not a very good email machine. So, I, I kinda look at that and I say, well, I like our strategy. I like it a lot.”
Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek
An AP report from March 2008 reads in part:
Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek said in a note to clients that he thinks the impact of Apple’s software development kit is neutral to RIM and maintained his ‘Buy’ rating and $150 target price for the stock,” The Associated Press reports.
“‘Microsoft, with Windows Mobile/ActiveSync, Nokia with Intellisync, and Motorola with Good Technology have all fared poorly in the enterprise. We have no reason to expect otherwise from Apple,’ he said,” AP reports.
Ed Zander – Motorola CEO
An IDG report published one month before the iPhone went on sale.
Motorola Chairman and CEO Ed Zander says his company is ready for competition from Apple’s iPhone, due out next month.
“How do you deal with that?” Zander was asked at the Software 2007 conference Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif. Zander quickly retorted, “How do they deal with us?” He was onstage with M.R. Rangaswami of Sand Hill Group, who asked the CEO questions after Zander spoke.
Tony Cripps
Even if [the iPhone] is opened up to third parties, it is difficult to see how the installed base of iPhones can reach the level where it becomes a truly attractive service platform for operator and developer investment.
Apple’s apparent ditching of conventional application paradigms for mobile phones seems ill-advised if the company really wanted the iPhone to be perceived as a smartphone and to take on mobile juggernauts such as Nokia, Microsoft and Motorola.
David Haskin
I’m more convinced than ever that, after an initial frenzy of publicity and sales to early adopters, iPhone sales will be unspectacular. If Apple doesn’t respond quickly by lowering the price and making nice to AT&T, which surely will be ticked off, iPhone may well become Apple’s next Newton.
An all-time classic issued before the iPhone hit store shelves.
Apple should pull the plug on the iPhone… What Apple risks here is its reputation as a hot company that can do no wrong. If it’s smart it will call the iPhone a ‘reference design’ and pass it to some suckers to build with someone else’s marketing budget. Then it can wash its hands of any marketplace failures.
Otherwise I’d advise people to cover their eyes. You are not going to like what you’ll see.
Eamon Hoey
This gem from a consultant was from April of 2008.
It just doesn’t matter anymore. There are now alternatives to the iPhone, which has been introduced everywhere else in the world. It’s no longer a novelty.
Image Source: Shutterstock
Tags: Apple, iPhone
These are our 10 favorite new iOS 11 features
Free food: Here are all the restaurants where you can get free stuff for your birthday
By Zach Epstein 2 days ago
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3996
|
__label__wiki
| 0.940091
| 0.940091
|
Hebreus 11
Bíblia ROTH
1 But faith is, of things hoped for, a confidence, of facts, a conviction, when they are not seen;
2 For, thereby, well-attested were the ancients.
3 By faith, we understand the ages to have been fitted together, by declaration of God,to the end that, not out of things appearing, should that which is seen, have come into existence.
4 By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain,through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
5 By faith, Enoch was translated, so as not to see death, and was not found, because that, God, had translated him; for, before the translation, he had received witness that he had become well-pleasing unto God;
6 But, apart from faith, it is impossible to be well-pleasing; for he that approacheth unto Godmust needs have faith, that he is, and that, to them who seek him out, a rewarder he becometh.
7 By faith, Noah, having received intimation concerning the things not yet seen, filled with reverence, prepared an ark to the saving of his housethrough which he condemned the world, and, of the righteousness by way of faith, became heir.
8 By faith, being called, Abraham obeyedto come forth into a place he was destined to receive for an inheritance; and he came forth, not well knowing whither he was coming.
9 By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as a foreign land, in tents, dwelling, along with Isaac and Jacob, the joint-heirs of the same promise;
10 For he was awaiting the city having foundations, whose architect and builder is, God.
11 By faith, even Sarah herself, received power for founding a seed, even beyond the season of lifes prime,seeing that, faithful, she reckoned, him that had promised;
12 Wherefore, even from one, were born, and, as to these things, one who had become dead,like the stars of the heaven, for multitude, and as the sand that is by the lip of the sea, that cannot be numbered.
13 In faith, all these diednot bearing away the promises, but, from afar, beholding and saluting them, and confessing that, strangers and sojourners, were they upon the land.
14 For, they who such things as these are saying, make it clear that, of a paternal home they are in quest;
15 And, if indeed of that they had been mindful, from which they had come out, they might, in that case, have had an opportunity, to return;
16 But, now, after a better one, are they reaching, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be invoked as, their God,for he hath prepared for them, a city.
17 By faith, Abraham, when tested, offered up Isaac, and, the only-begotten, would he have offered up, who the promises had accepted,
18 Even him of whom it had been saidIn Isaac, shall there be called to thee, a seed:
19 Accounting that, even from among the dead, God, was able, to raise ,whence, even in similitude, he bare him away.
20 By faith, even concerning things to come, did Isaac bless Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith, Jacob, when about to die, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and bowed in worship on the top of his staff.
22 By faith, Joseph, when drawing to his endconcerning the exodus of the sons of Israel, called to remembrance, and, concerning his bones, gave commandment.
23 By faith, Moses, when bornwas hid three months by his parents, because, they saw, that, goodly, was, the child, and were not affrighted, at the decree of the king.
24 By faith, Moses, when grown uprefused to be called the son of a daughter of a Pharaoh,
25 Rather choosingto be jointly suffering ill-treatment with the people of God, than, for a season, to be having, sins enjoyment;
26 Accountingas greater riches than Egypts treasures, the reproach of the Anointed One; for he was looking away unto the recompense.
27 By faith, he forsook Egyptnot put in fear of the wrath of the king; for, as seeing him who cannot be seen, he persevered.
28 By faith, he hath kept the passover and the besmearing of the blood, lest, he that was destroying the first-born, should be touching them.
29 By faith, they passed through the Red Sea, as over dry land,which the Egyptians, seizing an attempt to do, were swallowed up.
30 By faith, the walls of Jericho, fell, having been surrounded for seven days.
31 By faith, Rahab the harlot perished not with them who refused to yield, she having welcomed the spies with peace.
32 And what more can I say? For, time, will fail me while I go on tellingconcerning Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jephthah, David also, and Samuel, and the prophets,
33 Who, through faithprevailed in contest over kingdoms, wrought righteousness, attained unto promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouths of the sword, were made powerful from weakness, became mighty in battle, overturned, camps of aliens;
35 Women received, by resurrection, their dead; but, others, were put to the rack, not accepting redemption, that, unto a better resurrection, they might attain:
36 Others, again, of mockings and scourgings, received trial, nay! further, of bonds and imprisonments:
37 They were stoned, were pierced through, were sawn asunder, by murder, with a sword, died, went about in sheep-skins, in goat-hides,being in want, suffering tribulation, enduring ill-treatment:
38 Of whom the world, was not worthyupon deserts, wandering, and mountains, and in caves,and in the caverns of the earth.
39 And, these all, though they obtained witness through their faith, yet bare not away, the promise:
40 God, for us, something better providing,that, not apart from us, should they be made, perfect.
Significados:SamuelIsraelAbel
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line3998
|
__label__cc
| 0.57232
| 0.42768
|
Baryshnikov Arts Center + Performance Space 122 Present
Molly Lieber + Eleanor Smith
Basketball (World Premiere)
JAN 7, 8, 10
SAT, SUN, TUE at 7PM
JAN 8, 9
SUN + MON at 4PM
Howard Gilman Performance Space
“These women are tied together. One would carry the other across a desert, it seems, if they didn’t kill each other first.” - The New York Times
Basketball reinvents past shames as colorful, sculptural, and textural expressions. Engulfing one another with fully embodied presence, Lieber and Smith move backward and forward through time and space in a dreamlike reimagining of personal histories. Improvisation acts as an empowerment of physicality and emotionality, viscerally felt through observing the intimate, raw nature of their bodies in space.
Co-presented by Baryshnikov Arts Center and PS122 as part of COIL 2017 Festival.
Impressions of: Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith's “Basketball” as part of PS122's COIL Festival at Baryshnikov Arts Center
Dance Enthusiast
DanceLog
Dancers Strip to Essentials in ‘Basketball’ and ‘TranSenses’
Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith have been making experimental dances in New York since 2006. Their work is unique in that it is an equal collaboration between the two choreographers, always within the duet form, always performed by Lieber and Smith. Their most recent work Rude World, was their third project together over the past three years and premiered through PS122 and The Chocolate Factory Theater in the COIL 2015 Festival.
Their work is recognized by the tension of a powerful yet submerged inner world, cultivated through a brave and continuous study of duet improvisation. Recent works include Tulip (Roulette, 2013, Judson Now at Danspace Project, 2012), and Beautiful Bone (The Chocolate Factory Theater, 2012). They were a 2015 Rosas Summer Studios Residency Artist, were among the inaugural season of PS122’s 2014/2015 Ramp Residency artists, a 2014 Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) Artist in Residence, were nominated for a 2013 New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) Award for Emerging Choreographer, and received the 2013 NYFA Fellow Finalist Award. Lieber and Smith were Guest Artists in Residence at Connecticut College in September 2015.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4001
|
__label__wiki
| 0.546066
| 0.546066
|
Which Eagles Quarterback Will be the Odd Man Out?
NFL teams generally carry no more than three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster during the season.
The Eagles now have four quarterbacks after drafting Arizona's Nick Foles in the third round.
Foles will likely make the team given his status as a third-round pick. So will Mike Vick, who is the obvious starter this season
It will likely come down to either Mike Kafka or Trent Edwards, who has started games in the past and according to reports "bulked up" this offseason, adding at least 10 pounds. However, Edwards sat out the entire 2011 season.
Looking at the Eagles quarterbacks, you take a look at Foles, and with quarterback being the most important position on the field, any decision in regards to that position is a big one.
This is a position battle that will be a heated one in all the preseason games, you can't carry four quarterbacks, you will probably carry three - so who is the odd man out?
You spend a third round pick on Foles, you already have Vick, leaving Kafka and Edwards to battle for the back-up spot. The obvious answer would seem to be Edwards, he wasn't drafted by the Eagles, they like Kafka and he has been in the system.
But keep in mind, the Eagles went out and got Edwards after he sat out the entire season last year. While it's hard to get a real gauge on how the Eagles feel about Kafka who sat behind Vince Young last season when Mike Vick was hurt.
Edwards has played in 36 games in this NFL career, Kafka just four.
So if/when Vick gets hurt are the Eagles ready to turn things over to a guy who has played four NFL games or do they want to give those starts to Edwards?
That battle should be real interesting to watch during camp to get a real sense of who will win the back-up role.
Will play determine who wins the spot or will resume?
I'll end the argument right here: Mike Vick starts, Kafka will be the back-up and Foles is the third-stringer.
It all begins May 12th at the first Eagles OTA.
Filed Under: Eagles, Mike Kafka, Mike Vick, nick foles, quarterbacks, Trent Edwards
Categories: Articles, Eagles, Philadelphia Sports
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4004
|
__label__wiki
| 0.769751
| 0.769751
|
Bryce Harper sweepstakes could heat up at winter meetings
By David Schoenfield
Who is Bryce Harper? Well, he first appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was 16, which created a circus of hype about his impending stardom. Because of that early attention, he's one of the few baseball players with name cachet outside of the sport, which is one reason his free agency is being followed with such intense interest. Plus, he's a guy with great hair. He's not the best player in the game, but he's arguably the most famous.
Harper finished high school a year early, spent a year in junior college, was the first overall pick by the Nationals in the 2010 draft, reached the majors at age 19 in 2012, won the National League MVP award in 2015 and enters free agency at 26. He's in the prime of his career, not always the case for a prestige free agent, and that makes his free agency even more intriguing. You're not betting on a 30-something star to defy the aging curve in the later years of the contract; if you sign Harper, you're expecting a long run of excellence.
With that mind, here are some questions and issues to consider ...
What kind of contract will Harper receive?
At the general managers meetings in early November, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said he made an offer to Scott Boras, Harper's agent, late in the season -- a reported 10-year, $300 million offer. That figure could be considered a baseline, although it does come with a couple of caveats:
1. Rizzo would have known there was no way Harper and Boras would take that deal at that point in the season, so his public revelation of the offer was really more about telling the fans, "Hey, we tried to give him $300 million, so we tried to sign him." It's easy to throw that out there when you know it's not going to be accepted. What we don't know is if that offer is still on the table.
2. We don't know the details of the offer. Were there opt-out clauses? Was a bunch of the money deferred, as is the case in Max Scherzer's contract? Was there a signing bonus or team or player options?
Anyway, $300 million is a starting point on a long-term deal for Harper. Maybe it gets up to $350 million. It probably won't be the $400 million or $500 million that seemed possible or even likely after his MVP season. It could include some crazy opt-out options, even after one or two seasons. The largest contract in MLB history is Giancarlo Stanton's 13-year, $325 million deal signed with the Marlins. You know Boras wants to beat that.
Which teams are the possible fits?
The two ways to look at this: Who needs a power-hitting corner outfielder with a high on-base percentage? And who can afford him?
Here are the teams with the worst right-field production in the majors in 2018:
Diamondbacks: .273 wOBA (weighted on-base average)
Angels: .283 wOBA
Orioles: .304 wOBA
White Sox: .307 wOBA
Phillies: .311 wOBA
Cardinals: .311 wOBA
We can cross off the Diamondbacks and Orioles from that list. The Angels do have Kole Calhoun in right field (and Justin Upton in left) and have to re-sign Mike Trout in two years (or hope to re-sign him), so they seem unlikely.
The White Sox, Phillies and Cardinals are possible fits. We already know the Phillies are in hot pursuit of Harper and Manny Machado. They were also interested in Patrick Corbin, but the Nationals just signed him, so that should increase their desire to add a big bat, no matter the price. Earlier in the offseason, Phillies owner John Middleton said he's ready and willing to spend big in free agency, infamously adding "and maybe even be a little bit stupid about it."
The Cardinals are known for being fiscally prudent, but they've also gone three straight seasons without making the playoffs, which hadn't happened to them since 1997-99. They have right-field options, but the feeling is they need to add a star bat to a good-but-not-great lineup. Their projected payroll right now is about $136 million, compared to a $160 million Opening Day payroll last season. They have room to make a big splash.
The White Sox are clearly a dark horse, but their projected payroll sits it a lowly $53 million. They need some star power. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf used to spend on free agents. One big hiccup: There is long-standing animosity between Reinsdorf and Boras.
The teams with the worst left-field production:
Giants: .275 wOBA
Tigers: .275 wOBA
Reds: .308 wOBA
Royals: .308 wOBA
The Giants would seem to be a possibility. We know they made a pitch to acquire Stanton last offseason. They have deep pockets. They also have a deep power alley in right-center that would cut into Harper's home run totals. The Tigers are rebuilding and unlikely to spend any major cash for another couple of years.
Worth noting: Also in the bottom 10 were the Rangers, Astros and Rockies. I would love to see Harper go to Colorado to see what a proven hitter could do in the thin air. Those wOBA figures aren't park-adjusted; if they were, the Rockies would fall even further. Both their left fielders and right fielders ranked in the bottom six in the majors in WAR. The Rockies, however, would prefer to re-sign Nolan Arenado. Denver would be a short flight to Harper's hometown of Las Vegas though.
The Rangers move into a new park in 2020 and have deep pockets, but they also have Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara locked in at the outfield corners and seem a couple of years away from a potential competitive window. The Astros are probably a long shot, but you can see the fit: They need a left-handed bat in a lineup that scored 99 fewer runs last season than in 2017 and do have some room to spend. They also need to find some starting pitching and might instead look to upgrade first base or DH with a long-term commitment.
What about the Dodgers and Yankees?
We can't ignore these two franchises. Under Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers have been reluctant to give out huge free-agent contracts, but Harper's relative youth perhaps makes him the target the Dodgers would be willing to spend big on. Outfield isn't an obvious need, but they could clear right field by trading Yasiel Puig, who is in his final season before free agency.
The Yankees have a more crowded situation, with Stanton already signed through 2027 and Aaron Judge locked into right field. Having two corner outfielders signed to megadeals feels a little risky -- and that's before Judge's future comes into play -- but money shouldn't stop the Yankees. They also re-signed Brett Gardner to a one-year deal. I don't really see an issue here, if the Yankees really want Harper -- especially knowing he's the perfect fit for the short porch in right at Yankee Stadium. Adding Harper simply means five guys for four positions (along with center fielder Aaron Hicks). That's still plenty of playing time for everybody.
The Yankees didn't get Corbin. We know they're going to spend on somebody this offseason. Maybe Machado is the better fit given the roster needs, but the Yankees could use a lefty bat to help balance out Stanton, Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, all right-handed hitters. Maybe that makes Harper a better fit than Machado.
What about the Cubs?
The Cubs have a crowded outfield picture with Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora and Jason Heyward, plus Ian Happ and Ben Zobrist getting time out there. They're already over the luxury tax, supposedly one reason they didn't re-sign reliever Jesse Chavez, who went to the Rangers on a two-year, $8 million deal. Still, Harper is buddy-buddy with Kris Bryant, his pal from Vegas, and a report Tuesday in The Athletic said Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are expected to "check in" on Harper as he meets with teams.
So the chances seem slim, except ... well, for one thing, the Cubs are printing money these days. They clear a lot of room off the payroll after this season (Cole Hamels at $20 million, Zobrist at $12.5, a bunch of relievers at around $30 million combined, Jose Quintana if they don't pick up his option). They could trade Schwarber to open up left field. So don't count out the Cubs, especially given the way the offense collapsed down the stretch.
Is Harper worth $300 million?
That's kind of an important question and one that has been glossed over. Here's a quick little comparison. Eight position players entering their age-27 season (or younger) have signed long-term deals worth at least $150 million. They weren't all free agents -- some signed extensions before hitting free agency -- but it's interesting to compare Harper to these nine:
As you can see, Harper's WAR over the past three years isn't in the same vicinity as the other young stars. Via Baseball-Reference, over the past three seasons, Harper ranks 85th among position players in WAR -- tied with Scooter Gennett, who nobody is suggesting is a $300 million ballplayer. Now, B-R docks Harper quite a bit for his defense, especially in 2018. OK. FanGraphs evaluates him with more kindness, with a three-year cumulative WAR of 11.2, 34th among position players. That would still place him ninth among the nine players listed above.
The enticing part of the Harper equation, however, lies in that final column: His career-high WAR of 10.0. That came in his MVP season four years ago, when he hit .330/.460/.649 for an insane OPS+ of 198, played good defense and for one season did indeed rival Mike Trout as the best player in the game.
Over the past three seasons he has hit .267/.391/.505, including .249/.393/.496 in 2018. It took a second-half surge just to get those numbers, as he hit .214 in the first half. We'll dissect Harper's hitting at some point later in the offseason, but suffice it to say: There's a lot of volatility in his future production.
There is some safety here in his profile: He's going to hit home runs and his high walk rate means he's getting on base even with a low average. The defensive issues in 2018 are a concern, but there's some feeling he was maybe bothered by the knee injury suffered in 2017 (and there's little doubt that he played it cautious out there in order to avoid injury). But he also misplayed some routine plays and recorded just one assist.
Maybe we'll never see that 2015 season again, but the signing team will at least hope he settles in at something close to his 2017 level -- a 6.4 WAR pace over 150 games (he played 111 games due to the injury).
Who are the favorites?
These predictions rarely go as expected, but I rank it as Phillies, Dodgers, Yankees, Cardinals, White Sox. The Corbin signing drops the odds of a return to the Nationals. Sleeper team: the Astros.
Which means he'll probably sign with the Padres.
Will he sign at the winter meetings in Las Vegas next week?
It would be a storybook announcement to push Harper into the spotlight in his hometown, but it's very unlikely. Consider the signing dates of Boras' big free agents last year: Eric Hosmer on Feb. 18, J.D. Martinez on Feb. 26 and Jake Arrieta on March 12. Boras isn't going to rush a deal just to get it done in Vegas.
Does Corbin signing affect Nats' decision to retain Harper?
Buster Olney explains how Washington was able to land Patrick Corbin and why GM Mike Rizzo is operating like Bryce Harper "doesn't exist."
sportsespnmlbchicago white soxst louis cardinalsnew york yankeeshouston astrosphiladelphia phillieswashington nationalssan diego padrestexas rangerssan francisco giantslos angeles dodgerscolorado rockieschicago cubsbryce harper
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4006
|
__label__cc
| 0.660259
| 0.339741
|
Physics dissertation: Do I give a reference every time I mention a certain piece of work?
I'm currently writing my BSc Physics dissertation and I'm using LaTeX with BibTeX so the format of the references is all correct, but there are a number of other papers that I talk about at several points throughout the paper. When referencing one of these papers do I need to include a reference each time I mention it?
Throughout this paper I will adopt values for cosmological parameters obtained by the Planck Collaboration [1].
and later on in the paper...
... there have been numerous projects attempting to measure features of the CMB including the COBE satellite [2], the WMAP [3] and, more recently, the Planck Collaboration ([1]?).
citations thesis
BradBrad
Your department ought to have a preferred citation style, which will give you details for how these citations need to be formatted (for example, some styles license "ibid." and/or "id." for repeated citations under certain circumstances). – 1006a Mar 28 '18 at 20:51
Not twice in the same paragraph, though. I'm not a physicist but don't go overboard. – einpoklum Mar 29 '18 at 13:23
@1006a This is something I've already remarked several times elsewhere: many universities or departments around the world don't have style guides or the style guides don't cover such details. See also this meta answer of mine. Said in another way, don't expect there's a policy for everything everywhere. – Massimo Ortolano♦ Mar 30 '18 at 12:27
Yes indeed. For several reasons:
people might not read your work sequentially, from page 1 to the end;
people might forget that there was already a citation somewhere;
people don't want to recall all previous citations;
the context is different and people don't assume that the reference is the same.
Massimo Ortolano♦Massimo Ortolano
and: While editing, the first reference might be moved or removed. – Peter Mar 28 '18 at 0:59
There is no downside to following this advice: it is so easy to include citations with the tools you are using. And if you are worried about distracting the reader: a. don't; b. choose a style of citation eg [23] which offers minimal visual interruption to your text. – JeremyC Mar 28 '18 at 8:47
With the reasoning in the first three points, you would also need to put full terminologies instead of their abbreviations throughout the dissertation. – Orion Mar 28 '18 at 8:59
A numeric superscript style interrupts the flow of text even less than the square bracket style @JeremyC suggests, and is common in physics (e.g. AIP journals) – Chris H Mar 28 '18 at 14:45
@Orion It's much easier to flip (or text-search, or Google) back to the first reference to look up an abbreviation that it is to link two possibly entirely distinct statements to a single reference. – Azor Ahai Mar 28 '18 at 18:50
The short answer is yes, for the reasons mentioned by Massimo Ortolano.
How sparsely can you cite? If you're talking about others' work, you should make it clear what work you're talking about at least once a paragraph. E.g.:
The Planck Collaboration ([1]) produced estimates of cosmological constants using lasers and mirrors. The lasers were really cool and allowed them to precisely measure X as equaling pi. Further, Y was e, and Planck's constant was 7.
It also turns out that Z is a complex number, 1+7i. This further implies that our universe is shaped like a donut. The implications go further, suggesting time is periodic. [1]
Having the citation at the end of the paragraph means that every single fact in that paragraph is sourced from that paper. If you are interspersing your own calculations or implications, then you would have to put the citations back at the sentence-by-sentence level.
If your work is in conversation with one main work, then you may have a case for giving them a nickname for that section only, instead of constantly citing them.
In this section that follows, I closely review the 2012 paper by the Planck Consortium [1]; for convenience, I will refer to that work as PC.
PC further found that Z is complex. I question that assumption based on my calculations. If we start with PC's assumption of ..., then necessarily ...
cactus_pardnercactus_pardner
As the others already mentioned: Yes you should. I know, that it sometimes could disturb the reading but as Massimo said, somebody may just read a part and not your whole dissertation and may want to know the citation there.
winnetouwinnetou
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged citations thesis or ask your own question.
What are the best ways to organize one's research workflow when using multiple Operating Systems?
Is it good practice to have hyperlinks in bibliographies?
Multiple accounts of plagiarism (?) during literature study: are my standards too high or should I take action?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4012
|
__label__cc
| 0.714256
| 0.285744
|
Keep Moving: Chicago’s Free Mvmt Shop
Posted by fppatry on August 13, 2019 August 13, 2019 in Movement
On August 11, Speed Mvmt took over our West Loop store in Chicago. What is Speed Mvmt, you may ask? We went straight to the source to learn all about it.
Meet Ashley, the instructor and founder of Free Mvmt Shop:
“I fell in love with dance at the age of 2 and, frankly, haven’t stopped since. All through my early education I danced in a Toledo, OH performance company where I truly established my foundation through amazing training. It was my first glance at life as a professional dancer and what that could offer. After attending a conservatory of performing arts for college in Pittsburgh, it was West Coast to East Coast to what I truly never thought — Midwest. Chicago became my home after I accepted a job dancing in a professional jazz company here. Several years of my life traveling the world, performing, teaching and doing what I love. It was incredible and set me up wonderfully for all that was to come. I explored other avenues outside of concert dance including theater, dancing with the opera, commercial gigs including the most insane of experiences, dancing for Beyonce… (That was actually a total coincidence! I happened to attend an audition, for whom it wasn’t disclosed. Once we got there, little rumors began that it was Beyonce. From then on I was dead set on booking that job, and I did. And they put my right off her shoulder. It was a dream. I did two shows with her and, as one could say, my dance bucket list was basically complete.
“When I retired from performing, I knew I wanted other things — a family, a business. Crazy, so young in life to say “retired,” but life shifts fast, especially when your career is such a physical one. Before I settled on Free Mvmt Shop, I knew I was interested in a physical space. That could have been a number of things ie. coffee shop, donut shop, dance studio, etc. I just wanted a place where people could gather and feel good. At the time I was teaching dance to corporate adults in their offices, and loved it. After every class, people always came up to me and asked me where they could replicate these 30 minutes of joy and movement (many of them with zero previous dance experience) and I didn’t have an answer. It was in those moments that Free Mvmt Shop was born.
Free Mvmt Shop truly is a unicorn in the fitness space. There is nothing like it. We are truly a space in which people of all bodies and all levels can come to access movement equally. I specifically refer to dance as “movement,” because the word dance tends to intimidate people. People quickly disqualify themselves as dancers and they have an easier time identifying as a mover. Our studio is lively, artistic and designed to make you feel safe and at home. No judgement and inviting to all. That may seem obvious as something all studios stand for but, being in one of the most fitness-driven cities in the world, I can say a lot of spaces aren’t as committed to this approach. We lead with openness and from a place of kindness. Environment and feeling are of the utmost importance to us. Finding freedom through movement and your voice is empowering. And something that we believe you can carry into your everyday life. It’s more than just dance, yoga and cardio to us — we are creating a literal movement. And a new approach to wellness, self care, loving yourself. I’ts not fluff. The classes kick your butt and feed your soul. The music gets you hype and keeps you going. The community lifts you up and inspires you. “
If you are in the Chicago area and would like to check out one of Ashley’s amazing classes, check out the Free Mvmt website here.
For upcoming pop-ups in our nationwide Free People Stores, click here!
Follow Patry on Instagram.
TAGS: chicago, fp movement, free people stores, movement, movement classes, pop up
Your Free People Horoscope by Tracy Allen, Week of August 12-18
Office Style: Meet Jenna
Sounds like a great workout! Thanks for the playlist too!
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4017
|
__label__cc
| 0.540766
| 0.459234
|
Rafiki – A Kenyan Love Story
2 October ,2018
by Sheena M
I arrived about 20 minutes early, and already there was a large gathering waiting to see Rafiki. The moment I walked into the waiting area at Prestige Plaza cinemas, I felt the stares. We were all sizing each other up. Who are you? Do I know you? Are you a threat? Do I have to be concerned about your presence?
It was all nerves, muscles tensed and ready to spring into action. It was like we were all doing something we knew our parents would not approve of. This feeling wasn’t unfounded. I mean, you only need to look at Ezekiel Mutua’s tweets about this movie to how bad it is. So being at the cinema waiting to watch a movie about two Kenyan girls falling in love felt like a risk in itself, whatever your sexual orientation.
The movie’s director Wanuri Kahiu has already given various statements in the media about why she chose to go ahead with Rafiki, despite it not being welcome in its own home. She insisted that she wanted to make a love story and “contribute to that language of softness.” I can confidently say that Wanuri accomplished that desire.
Rafiki is the first Kenyan feature film to be screened at a Cannes Film Festival –it was filmed earlier last year. To have a Kenyan film, about Kenyans, made by Kenyans, showcased at the largest international showcase of cinematic art is a feat to be celebrated. Wanuri is no stranger to the movie scene. Her first feature film, From a Whisper, won awards at the Pan African Film Festival and the African Movie Academy Awards. While that movie was based on the events of the 1998 bombings on the US Embassy in Nairobi, Rafiki’s inspiration was drawn from the 2007 Caine Prize Winning Short Story “Jambula Tree” by Ugandan author Monica Arac de Nyeko.
Watching Rafiki was a reminder that we are really all the same. The 83-minute film was so captivating that I did not want it to end.
Set in a fictional place called Slopes in Kenya, Rafiki tells the story of Kena (played by Samantha Mugatsia), a young tomboy living a regular Kenyan life. As we watch Kena skating along and meeting up with her male friends, it’s clear that she’s been accepted as ‘one of the guys’, even though one of the guys calls her ‘his number one girl’. When Kena’s not hanging out with Blacksta, she’s helping her dad run his shop or making sure her mom’s fed – a good Kenyan girl doing the good Kenyan girl thing.
Then one day, Kena notices a girl noticing her. This girl is obviously different – you can tell from her long, multi-coloured braids and the makeup. Even though this girl is the daughter of Kena’s father’s political opponent, Kena can’t help but be drawn to her. A friendship quickly blossoms between Kena and Ziki (played by Sheila Munyiva) and just as quickly grows into something more.
“The courage that you have when you’re in love is really what I hope resonates.”
~ Wanuri Kahiu
The opening scene of Rafiki is like an ode to all things Kenyan. Kiosks, campaign posters stuck on walls and the noa noa guy sharpening knives at the corner all blend together to paint the picture of a local Kenyan neighbourhood. As soon as the movie started, whatever tension we all had within us began to dissipate. Watching such familiar scenes drew us into a sense of comfort, a feeling of being home, even before we heard anyone speak onscreen.
As an audience, that bound us instantly. Kena may as well have been one of us – going to church with her mother every Sunday, hanging out with her boys at the local spot, eating chapo dondo. It only made the tender moments more tender and the harsh ones more painful, more alive, more real. We laughed as one at the funny parts, held our breaths when we didn’t know what was coming, gasped at the moments that shocked us and cried silently as we watched Kena and Ziki struggle to stay true to themselves.
The music was on point as well. From Kena skating along to the gentle moments between Kena and Ziki, the songs that played throughout the movie matched the mood perfectly. It was no surprise that the artists featured include some of Kenya’s most dynamic musicians. Muthoni the Drummer Queen, Blinky Bill, Mayonde, Chemutai Sage, Mumbi Kasumba, Njoki Karu, Trina Mungai and Jaaz Odongo all lent their musical prowess to the magic of Rafiki.
Wanuri’s directing shines brightest in the use of vivid close ups shots and nothing but facial expressions, showing us a lot of what is said through the unsaid, the sneer, the turn of the check, looking away and so forth. The first time Kena and Ziki share an intense staredown, it lasts long enough to undeniably feel the emotion behind it. It also lasts long enough to deliberately make us uncomfortable.
Not for any other reason other than the guilt of intruding on a moment of intimacy.
The movie tells the story of how Kena and Ziki find love and then face opposition from their family and friends because of it. Wanuri’s creative storytelling and the actors’ in-depth portrayal of their characters pull us in. The mirror image given by Rafiki is such an accurate reflection of our society that it’s impossible not to be moved.
All things 254
The hairstyles, the clothes, the buildings, the boda boda guy with his pimped out ride and even the local neighbourhood gossip were all familiar to anyone who’s lived in Kenya. Seeing all of them in cinema in a high-quality movie was surreal. It made everything seem possible. And the dialogue was so typically Kenyan we couldn’t help but relate. If anything it’s the way we say things that made many of us laugh out loud. Like Ziki saying, “A nurse? You? Why?”
Wanuri was right.
We don’t get to see as many moments of tenderness in cinema as exist in real life. Rafiki removed the veil from things we normally distance from ourselves. It helped us see that we are just as capable of love as we are of everything that is not.
And that is what makes Rafiki a powerful movie.
Sheena M is in love with words and how they shape themselves. That’s why she keeps a blog that’s not as ‘organised’ as most. To see her musings, check out her blog What She Thinks
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4024
|
__label__cc
| 0.611978
| 0.388022
|
TIMES INTERNET
#WelcomeToTheNewHood: MensXP's campaign celebrates the man you choose to become
The campaign has been jointly conceptualised by From Here On communications (FHO) and Times Internet’s in-house creative team
November 09, 2017, 18:00 IST
MensXP - the online men’s lifestyle brand is launching its first ever brand campaign. Today, the site reaches over 15 million young urban Indian millennials every month around topics that help them navigate their daily lifestyle needs.
These are light hearted humorous films, talking about the danger of making a fool of yourself, if you don’t stay updated with the trends in the men’s lifestyle space.
Watch the campaign here:
&amp;amp; Watch more of the campaign here.
Speaking about the campaign, Pratik Mazumder, CMO, Times Internet, says: “Our first campaign ‘WELCOME TO THE NEWHOOD’ celebrates the man you chose to become. Role of a man in the society has evolved with time. From just being an alpha and brute sect, the definition of being a man is broadening. There is no one way manhood can be defined. Its codes are ever changing. We aim at positioning MensXP as the lifestyle destination for this new-age man.”
The campaign has been jointly conceptualised & executed by a leading, creative and digital agency, From Here On communications (FHO) and Times Internet’s in-house creative team. The campaign’s insight was derived from the thought that Masculinity today has moved away from its conventional definition. Being a good man is more important than just being a man. More than just being an alpha, macho, hero or a leader. Men today are choosing their own manifestation of manhood. It is driven by their desire to seek beauty, truth, wisdom, justice, being kind, honest, and true.
Angad Bhatia, COO, Indiatimes Lifestyle Network and founder, MensXP, says, “We at MensXP explore the codes of manhood and pursue the most interesting stories of and around men. From the ones who break stereotypes to the one who make new ones, we engage them all. And it isn’t about redefining Manhood. It is about giving Manhood an expression, most relevant today.”
Rajesh Aggarwal, CEO, FHO, says, “The team was thrilled about the brief because here was a product/brand that was all about relooking the stereotypical codes and labels associated with manhood and relaying the ethos in a way that portrays the realities of new age manliness, this is a clutter breaking campaign amidst the cacophony.”
1. Creative agency – From Here On Communications (FHO)
2. Account Management – Mukul Angral
3. Creative Team – Devdas Nair, Jerin George & Yogita Sharma
4. Production House – Uncommonsense Films
5. Directors – Pratik Mazumder & Diksha Grover
6. Executive Producer – Ashutosh Joshi
7. Producer – Amit Tripathi
Rajesh Aggarwal
Pratik Mazumder
MensXP
Indiatimes Lifestyle Network
From Here On communications (FHO)
angad bhatia
Advertising / 23 hours ago
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4025
|
__label__wiki
| 0.811217
| 0.811217
|
Packaged Juice Market
India's packaged juice market on a downward spiral
The number of juice packs sold in the first quarter of FY20 has fallen 4.9%, compared with 20% growth in April-June 2018
Ratna Bhushan
India’s packaged juice market has reported its steepest decline in the June quarter, with consumers opting for lowerpriced beverages such as soft drinks and milk-based brands.
Industry executives from Pepsi-Co, Dabur and ITC, which dominate the organised juices market, attributed the decline to multiple reasons that include high prices, the late onset of summer in the northern consumer belt, and increased competition.
Nielsen research data, sourced from industry, show that the 100% juices and nectars category declined 3.1% in the April-June quarter, compared with 18% growth in the corresponding year-ago quarter by way of sales.
Similarly, the number of packs sold in the first quarter of FY20 has fallen 4.9%, compared with 20% growth in April-June 2018.
“All players are now competing for the same but shrunk consumer wallet,” packaged foods and personal care maker Dabur’s chief executive Mohit Malhotra said. Dabur sells juices under the Real brand, and has bucked the trend, the data showed.
“The juice industry has been witnessing strong headwinds and increased competitive intensity from milk-based players,” Malhotra added.
Consumption has slowed, driven by softening demand for essential- and impulse-food categories across all food and non-food categories, including juices, salty snacks, biscuits, and tea.
Read Also: TV makers cut down production since June-July as sales decline
Consumer facing firms say growth forecasts are lower than earlier projections, as consumers are down-trading to lower-priced products despite health concerns. Diversified group ITC, which derives over 25% of its revenues from newer FMCG businesses, confirmed the decline in the juices and nectars category on the basis of Nielsen data.
“There has been an overall decline in the juices and nectars category in general this summer, with growth being pegged at -3.1%, according to Nielsen. One possible reason could be that in north India (which accounts for a lion’s share of the category nationally), summer kicked in late this year in the latter part of April,” said an ITC spokesperson.
ITC said its internal estimates indicate that its packaged juice brand, B Natural, has witnessed double-digit growth.
Last month Nielsen revised its growth forecast for the FMCG sector to 9-10% in 2019 from its previous outlook of 11-12%, citing a sharp rural slowdown.
Read Also: With declining sales Audi puts investments on hold in India
PepsiCo’s Tropicana, which competes against Dabur’s Real, said it does not comment on Nielsen figures. “One often sees a lag in sales reporting for the industry, which normally gets corrected over a 12-month moving average period,” a PepsiCo spokesperson said. He added that as per its estimates, Tropicana has grown in double digits in the quarter.
Separately, companies are addressing the issue by launching smaller packs priced at Rs 10. On an individual brand basis, Dabur said its juice business grew by over 3% through the introduction of a product at the Rs 10 price point, addition of capacity of smaller packs to straddle the rural route to market, and enhanced penetration of packaged fruit juices in rural India.
A spokesperson for Del Monte said its retail growth in the juice segment in Q1 was ‘distinctly’ better than in the corresponding quarter of previous year.
juice companues
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4026
|
__label__wiki
| 0.747846
| 0.747846
|
Maruti Suzuki says will not ignore any segment
On rolling out vehicles with premium features, R S Kalsi said with changing economic profile of the customers they now seek a vehicle which does not have any functional compromise
Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) would continue to bring in models with varied body styles as it aims to cater to 'every segment and lifestyle', a top company official said. The auto major, which has over 50 per cent market share in the domestic passenger vehicle segment, is also focussing on giving enhanced features across its model range with market moving gradually towards premium products.
"Our intent is that we will provide car for every pocket for every lifestyle and for every aspiration and we will also keep focus on the premiumisation in terms of the variants which we are giving," MSI Senior Executive Director (Sales and Marketing) R S Kalsi told .
The company's strategy is keep launching varied body types -- hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs, he added.
"We won't ignore any vertical," Kalsi said.
He was responding to a query if the company would focus more on SUV body style going ahead as the segment is showing tremendous growth in the country.
He, however, added that Vitara Brezza has given the company some good insight in the market place and certainly MSI would respond to expectations of the customers.
On rolling out vehicles with premium features, Kalsi said with changing economic profile of the customers they now seek a vehicle which does not have any functional compromise.
"So they want good features even in the entry level. We are not compromising on any of the functional features. So it is not like earlier times when we used to go for bare bones model at lower price. It is not so now," he noted.
On sales network, Kalsi said that the company is focussing both on urban and rural areas for future growth.
"We are bringing in new dealers, investing in land parcels, which will be given to dealers..sales network expansion is as important as products," he added.
Kalsi said the company is on track for double digit growth in the current fiscal, he added.
Couple of years back, MSI had announced a target to achieve a target of 2 million sales per annum by 2020.
Kalsi said MSI is committed to 20 lakh sales target and introduction of 20 models by 2020.
"Anything else which might come would be a bonus," he added.
In the first quarter of this fiscal, MSI sold 4,90,479 vehicles, a growth of 24.3 per cent over the same period of the previous year. Sales in the domestic market stood at 4,63,840 units, a growth of 25.9 per cent.
The company sold a total of 16,53,500 units in 2017-18, a growth of 14.5 per cent over 2016-17.
R S Kalsi
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4027
|
__label__cc
| 0.747011
| 0.252989
|
Breaking911
Home Crime Florida Man Shot After Charging at Deputy With Scissors
Florida Man Shot After Charging at Deputy With Scissors
MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A man who deputies were called to remove for trespassing from his parent’s home was shot by a Martin County Sheriff’s Deputy.
The suspect, who refused to comply with deputy’s commands, charged one of the deputies with scissors. The deputy fired one shot hitting the suspect in the abdomen. The man was transported to the hospital. The deputy was not injured.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office
The family of the suspect wanted him removed from the property and contacted the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Despite warnings to stay off the property, the suspect returned.
Deputies witnessed the man come back to the home and confronted him. That’s when the suspect tried to attack the deputy with the scissors.
Previous articleWATCH: Fox News hosts apologize after airing graphic reporting death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Next articleEx-NFL Star Arrested at Texas Whataburger
Woman Arrested After 18-Year-Old Missing Woman’s Body Found In Plastic Bin...
POLICE: Armed Guard Saved Lives By Killing Gunman During Mass Shooting...
Teacher’s Aide Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Half A Dozen Girls
New York Sheriff’s Deputy Stabbed While Responding To Call
Explosions Heard Near U.S. Embassy In Baghdad
© Copyright 2017 | Breaking911 All rights reserved
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4028
|
__label__cc
| 0.568805
| 0.431195
|
Coaching Rooms for rent in New York City
With Breather, you can instantly reserve coaching rooms in New York City for a few hours or day—even at the last minute. Pick an affordable space in Soho, Flatiron District and more.
Coaching Rooms in Flatiron District, New York City
Our network of coaching rooms in the Flatiron District are designed with a nod to the neighborhood’s past. Named after one of NY’s first skyscrapers, the area balances Beaux-Arts brio with contemporary charm, and our coaching rooms attempt the same.
See All Coaching Rooms in Flatiron District, New York City (8)
37 East 28th Street, #201-2
Coaching Rooms in SoHo, New York City
Like working in the middle of it all? Our SoHo coaching rooms can be reserved on-demand, allowing you access to them when you need them most. Enjoy amazing views of downtown at our Greene Street coaching rooms or get productive in our tucked away quiet space near Prince Street.
See All Coaching Rooms in SoHo, New York City (21)
648 Broadway, #910
Coaching Rooms in Chelsea, New York City
Want to infuse a little creativity into your next off-site? Surrounded by historic buildings and steps from Washington Square Park (chess, anyone?), these coaching rooms offer something different.
See All Coaching Rooms in Chelsea, New York City (15)
601 West 26th Street, #1890
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4029
|
__label__cc
| 0.675497
| 0.324503
|
Dude Gifts
For some reason we always find buying presents for dudes a challenge–we’re not mind readers, ok? So we asked some of our favorite contributors to come up with guy-friendly gifts from around the borough. If you’re feeling more DIY about the holidays, check out Jon Reiss’ guide to the Mix Drive on our blog. Check out our other gift guides, too: Green Goddesses and Sexy Santas post, the Agoraphobe’s Gift Guide–an online guide to buying Brooklyn, and great stuff for Cooks and Eaters.
Brooklyn Writers Space membership, $330/four three months (58 Garfield Pl., Park Slope, 718-788-2697): As illustrious as the life of a Brooklyn Based writer sounds, finding a place to get your work done can be one of the most challenging parts of the gig. Even the best coffices close, or their wi-fi stops working. The Brooklyn Writers space offers quiet desks good light, wi-fi, printing and a kitchen space for socializing. Membership is $330 for four months and satellite spaces are now available in Carroll Gardens and Gowanus. This is perhaps the greatest gift you could give a professional or aspiring writer and even if they don t think they need it, it won’t take them long to admit how wrong they were. — Jon Reiss
Stocking Growler, $7 to $18 at Bierkraft (191 5th Ave., Park Slope, 718-230-7600): To find a present for the beer snob in your like, look no further than Bierkraft in Park Slope. The gourmet grocery store and beer emporium possesses over 1000 different beer offerings as well as more than 250 artisan cheeses, 100 gourmet chocolate bars and seven collections of boutique chocolates. Bierkraft house-roasts organic hams and turkeys, too. But back to the beer snob on your list. Grab a growler of one of Bierkraft’s 16 fresh-brewed beers on tap and give a new meaning to “hoppy holidays.” Unopened growlers stay fresh for up to three months and come in 22-oz. and 64-oz. sizes, though we doubt it your stocking growler will make it through the first round of afternoon football. –Jordan Galloway
Gimme! Coffee Gift Box, $33 at Gimme Coffee (495 Lorimer St., Williamsburg, 718-388-7771): Best beans in the bleedin’ borough! If your dude doesn’t live close to Gimme!, you can make many of his mornings to come with this gift box featuring two bags of their finest beans and two mugs. It’s also a great dad or boss gift. — J.R.
The Very Many Varieties of Beer or The Grand Taxonomy of Rap Names by Pop Chart Lab Posters, $25-$30 at Everbrite Mercantile Co. (351 Van Brunt St., Red Hook, 718-522-6121): These two graphic prints by Brooklyn-based Pop Chart Lab could work for the hip-hop or hops loving gal, but somehow the idea of diagramming every craft beer and beer style in the world, and creating a family tree that connects Q-Tip to RZA seems particularly suited for men who like to discuss (i.e., show off their knowledge of) arcane items. –Leigh West
80 Blocks From Tiffany’s DVD $20 at Photoplay (933 Manhattan Ave., Greenpoint, 718-383-7782): When I was working at the sorely missed Williamsburg movie haven, Reel Life, the owner John would, from time to time, play his favorite movies from his personal collection. One day he took out took out this old VHS tape and said, “This is one of the rarest videos I have.” The movie, a documentary about Bronx-based gang life in the late 70s, is a veritable buried treasure. Until now, to snag a copy, you would have to pony up a few hundred bucks on eBay, but thanks to the newly re-released DVD, you can score it for 20 bucks, with bonus materials. — J.R.
Titanium Flatlinks, $60-$80 at Stewart/Stand (Front and Pearl St., Dumbo, 718-875-1204) or Pocket Square, $25 at Brooklyn Circus (150 Nevins St., Boerum Hill, 718-858-0919): For the dapper man in your life, you could go the dependable cufflink route, but Stewart/Stand turns it up a few classy notches with their original, Titanium “flatlinks” that are easy to slide into a French cuff shirt. Or, take a leap of faith that he will be willing to rock a pocket square. It’s really just another word for kerchief, but place it just so in the left breast pocket of a blazer, and it can radically up their gentleman quotient. Brooklyn Circus has a nice selection priced at $25 per, and you can always get one that’s slightly fem in case he’s not going there. –L.W.
Vintage gear, Sweet Deliverance Pop-up Store (616 Lorimer St., Williamsburg): Chef (and BB pal) Kelly Geary has opened a pop-up shop in the old Brooklyn Kitchen space on Lorimer Street and she’s filled it with art, her own Sweet Deliverance jams, jewelry and vintage goods she collected on a trip from Brooklyn to Madison, WI and back. She has some sweet stuff for guys, including wool shirts, vintage ties, and this tool box from the 30s–it’s a real one-of-a-kind for an extra special dude. –Annaliese Griffin
Word Made Flesh $15, Destroy All Movies $35 at Greenlight Book Store (686 Fulton St., Ft. Greene, 718-246-0200) or Word, (126 Franklin St., Greenpoint, 718-383-0096): Word Made Flesh is the perfect coffee table book for the badass literary Brooklynite. This book, edited by Justin Taylor and Eva Talmadge, features beautiful glossy photos of tattoos inspired by literature. There are a bunch of crude cartoon images from the work of Shel Sivelstein, as well tattoos inspired by Bukowski, Rimbaud, George Orwell and the like. Edited by Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly, Destroy All Movies is an encyclopedic guide to every punk rocker that’s ever been portrayed on film. Open it up to any random page and you’re guaranteed to find one of the greatest, campiest films of all time. The book is 600 big, colorful pages of entries featuring everything from Suburbia to Repo Man, with interviews from directors like Penelope Spheeris and a forward by Richard Hell. — J.R.
Bone, Brooklyn Comics & More, (493 7th Ave. Windsor Terrace, 718-840-5840)
For fans of the late and great Brooklyn Monster Factory, check out Brooklyn Comics & More, a mom-and-pop store that recently took over the space. Located at the corner of 7th Avenue and Prospect Avenue in Windsor Terrace, the new shop is kid-friendly and ideal for the comic lover who already owns all the most obscure graphic novels. Besides its extensive vintage collection and five for $1.00 comic boxes, Brooklyn Comics & More offers outdoor tee shirt racks, books, magazines, DVDs, toys, and character figurines appealing to a range of ages. As a special treat for the nephews or the second grader you babysit, nab a paperback copy of Jeff Smith’s Bone, a black and white comic strip that takes place in the eerie land of Boneville. The strip is in production for a future Warner Brothers film. –Kelly Murphy
TwoThousandLights - December 7th, 2010
I’m sure you didn’t MEAN to be sexist because I can’t see one gift on this list that wouldn’t be awesome for the ladies though.
Magdalena Concepts - December 7th, 2010
Personally, I don’t know any guys asking for coffee table books, but I do know a bunch looking for t-shirts, especially badass ones of great musicians and original art that no one else has. Check ’em out at http://www.magdalenaconcepts.com
Bank Robber - December 8th, 2010
Surprised you missed Brooklyn’s own legend, Paul Cox.
Formerly of Indian Larry and Gasoline Alley, Paul is world famous for his choppers, his saddles and leather work, and his knives.
Paul is producing a limited edition knife for this holiday season that he designed with world famous furniture designer Frank Pollaro.
Paul is only making 15 for this edition, available exclusively from Brooklyn’s own Ateliers Velocette..
Clearly, these are collector pieces targeted for the wine lover or knife collector and are priced accordingly.
http://ateliersvelocette.com/paulcoxknives.html
Brooklyn’s Ateliers Velocette rents motorcycles for film shoots, fashion photography, retail and event promotions. They have become a bit of a sensation in the last few days, attracting over 10,000 views to their eBay auction for two very rare Ducati MH900E’s for $1 million, with at least $900k going to Habitat for Humanity.. Clearly for the man who has everything..
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4032
|
__label__cc
| 0.662597
| 0.337403
|
Home » Blogs » Liberation after Narcissistic Abuse » Breaking the Deceptive and Toxic Cycle of Trauma Bonding
Liberation after
with Kim Saeed
Breaking the Deceptive and Toxic Cycle of Trauma Bonding
By Kim Saeed - Author, Researcher, Educator
When people think of unconditional love, they tend to imagine positive images of nurturing mothers or life-long friends. In these situations, the relationships have a healthy bond based on qualities like trust, loyalty, and most of all: compassion for each other.
But not all unconditional love formed through bonding is healthy – when a narcissist is involved, this unconditional love becomes destructive and toxic.
Why do people stay in abusive relationships with narcissists?
Why can’t you just leave?
A big part of the answer lies in trauma bonding: forming an unconditional love you don’t share with anyone else on the planet.
This is the chain keeping you from going “No Contact.”
It’s not your fault and there’s nothing wrong with you, but you can take control of the situation. Here’s how traumatic bonding works and how to break the chain for good.
It’s easy to identify trauma bonding when you’re on the outside looking in.
“Tell your abusive mother you don’t need her anymore,” you yell at the TV character. “Get over him and find someone who appreciates you,” you say about the protagonist in the movie.
We watch physical abuse from the sidelines and ask ourselves “why do people stay in abusive relationships” even while we are in emotionally and psychologically abusive relationships with narcissists ourselves.
We believe that no matter how toxic the relationship becomes, we cannot leave because we have already formed a special bond with this person. In many cases, this bond feels so intense that relations with other people – even close friends – pale in comparison.
It’s very scary to watch a friend or loved one experience traumatic bonding because the level of vulnerability and possibility for danger is so high.
What is Trauma Bonding?
Narcissists thrive on fights for a few reasons. For one, you’re providing the narcissist with undivided attention, emotional capacity, and energy – all of which feeds their addiction.
But the psychological effects go deeper than that. Although the narcissist may not objectively realize it, they instinctively know that fighting actually brings you two closer together.
This is known as “trauma bonding.”
Now, traumatic bonding isn’t necessarily toxic.
Let’s say you and a friend experienced a traumatic event together – such as another friend passing or suffering a chronic illness. You all come out of that hardship with a stronger bond, right?
For the narcissist, however, trauma is just another tool in the shed for furthering their toxic agenda of keeping you hooked – biologically and mentally.
The Difference Between Trauma Bonding and Love Addiction
Love addiction and traumatic bonding occur simultaneously so often that most people can’t pick them apart.
People with a love addiction crave an emotional bond so badly they’re willing to put up with extreme abuse and unhealthy situations – even for a meager payoff.
Just like a person suffering from substance abuse, a person suffering from a love addiction ignores personal boundaries they’ve set for other people. They might manufacture situations to gain attention from the abuser, feel needy and desperate, and put up with anything to avoid loneliness.
You can share a traumatic bond with someone without feeling compelled to put up with their abuse. Why do people stay in abusive relationships?
Love addiction plays another large part.
How Intermittent Reinforcement Keeps You Hooked
Intermittent reinforcement is another dangerous tool the narcissist uses to exploit your love addiction and cement traumatic bonding.
Studies show that when people receive a reward at consistent intervals, they start to expect the reward and work less intensively. If people don’t know when a reward will pop up, they tend to work harder than they would (or should) in hopes of receiving a reward.
Even in healthy relationships, people start to take each other for granted due to consistent reinforcement. In these cases, people communicate their feelings and work together to improve the situation.
But a narcissist does not process feelings and emotions the same way. A narcissist uses your feelings of inadequacy, desperation, and worthlessness as an opportunity to hold their own affection hostage. It’s the carrot and stick approach.
You confront the narcissist for hurting you. They ignore your feelings. By the end of the argument, you’re apologizing to them. Then, for a fleeting moment, they also apologize and tell you how much they value you.
That’s your reward and it’s completely void of any actual intention or real emotion – don’t buy it for a second.
Traumatic Bonding is the Chain Keeping You Linked to the Narcissist
The narcissist thrives on your need for approval and love while manufacturing traumatic situations to enforce bonding.
In healthy relationships, people bond with each other through positive experiences. But the narcissist is different. To them, emotions exist to manipulate and control others.
That breaking point where the narcissist finally changes will never happen because they honestly believe they are in the right. That’s why psychological experts admit that it’s almost impossible for narcissists to change – even through comprehensive therapy.
Keep in mind: these concepts of intermittent reinforcement, trauma bonding, and love addiction take many forms and many narcissists will enter your life. Imagine a mother-in-law or mother you can never seem to please no matter how hard you try. Think of a boss dangling a raise over your head.
How Trauma Bonding Skews Your Sense of Normal Intimacy
When you’re relying on traumatic bonding to maintain a relationship with a narcissist, it changes how you perceive normal intimacy.
You’ve probably opened yourself up to the narcissist more than you have to anyone else in your life. We tell the narcissist things we’ve never said to anyone. We kick boundaries to the curb. We make ourselves completely vulnerable and call it bonding.
It’s pretty intense and in the beginning, it feels really good.
Letting someone go through your phone feels like building trust.
Who cares if your friends say it’s a toxic behavior? Your relationship with the narcissist feels so connected that you’ll never share that intimacy with anyone else.
No one understands.
Much like a person newly sober, other relationships and experiences seem boring because they lack such a deep intimacy and excitement.
But this is a false intimacy.
10 Signs You’re Suffering Traumatic Bonding with a Narcissist
A co-dependency formed through trauma bonding can become extremely dangerous – both physically and physiologically – when a narcissist is involved. Trauma bonding is basically Stockholm Syndrome inside of a relationship with someone you know and care for.
It’s already very difficult to leave relationships when we’ve formed a strong bond with someone. Keep an eye out for these signs.
You have trouble relating to other people – even long-time friends or friendly coworkers.
You constantly feel burned out.
You routinely check each other’s phones and pick fights over small things.
You’re afraid that you’ve exposed too much of yourself to the narcissist.
You think that your relationship with the narcissist is misunderstood by friends and family.
You feel like nothing you do or say is enough to please the narcissist.
You prioritize responding to the narcissist’s texts over work, eating, or other important activities.
You’re convinced you’ll never have such a deep relationship with anyone else.
When you try to leave, you are tormented by such longing to get back with your partner you feel it might destroy you.
You know this person will cause you more pain, yet you constantly give them the benefit of the doubt and expect them to follow through on their promises, even though they never do.
Recovering from Trauma Bonding
Why do people stay in abusive relationships? Why are you so drawn to people who seem physically incapable of providing love and genuine affection?
There’s no broad-brush reason here: I’d have to type a different answer for everyone reading this post. In order to figure out why you’re using trauma bonding as a crutch, you need to examine your own disposition.
How have you been conditioned over the years to form relationships? How have you been conditioned to bond with people and express intimacy?
Not to get too Freudian, but think back to your childhood and how you learned to receive love or approval from parents or family members.
It takes quite a bit of self-reflection and isn’t easy to do without some third-party perspective from a therapist, counselor, or qualified mentor. Although friends are great (and necessary), their support and advice are still subjective.
As humans, we seek out situations and experiences that feel familiar.
After all, change is scary and uncomfortable. This also means that we’re more likely to find ourselves in toxic relationships (especially if abuse feels familiar) and less likely to leave the relationship once we’re in it.
Breaking Free is the Only Answer
Although you’ve formed a trauma bond – possibly over the course of many years – with a narcissist, No Contact is the only solution.
Much like kicking a drug, you can’t recover from trauma bonding and narcissistic abuse with the narcissist remaining in your life. At the same time, like substance abuse recovery, love addiction recovery and breaking your bond with the narcissist require healthy support structures, inflection, and planning.
But you can rid yourself of the abuse.
You can and will form healthy and meaningful relationships with other people. And you’ll come out stronger and happier than you ever thought possible.
Kim Saeed - Author, Researcher, Educator
Kim Saeed is an internationally respected self-help author and educator specializing in recovery and rebuilding after narcissistic abuse. She is the author of two Kindle bestsellers, How to Do No Contact Like a Boss! and 10 Essential Survivor Secrets to Liberate Yourself from Narcissistic Abuse. She is also writing an upcoming book, The Way of the Warrior, for Balboa Press, a division of Hay House.
Kim is a credentialed educator with a background in psychology, education, research and development, and organizational development. Her work has been shared in non-profit women's shelters and lauded by therapists and mental health experts. If you struggle and have a hard time, consider enrollment in The Essential Break Free Bootcamp.
You can find Kim’s work and sign up for her newsletter at kimsaeed.com
, . (2019). Breaking the Deceptive and Toxic Cycle of Trauma Bonding. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 21, 2020, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/liberation/2019/01/breaking-the-deceptive-and-toxic-cycle-of-trauma-bonding/
Long-Term Narcissistic Abuse Can Cause Brain Damage
Why the Narcissist Seems to Hate You But Won't Let You Go Easily
11 Mandatory Rules for Dealing With a Narcissist
The Brutal Truth About Selfies, Narcissism, and Low Self-Esteem
The Spirituality of Narcissistic Abuse
Dan: Thanks for this article. I found it tremendously enlightening and inspirational in my early recovery from...
Jenn: I am over here balling my eyes out reading these comments. I live with a narcissist and dont know how to break...
Jim: Good article. Sadly true. Narcissists prey on compassionate people and anyone that feeds their Evil...
PatriceM: I cry as I read this article. Im still in my relationship. My heart is broken, my soul is tired. I find...
Page Pike: Kim: I find this very fascinating. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for those who have...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4035
|
__label__cc
| 0.646293
| 0.353707
|
← Summer Quarterly – Island (August 2013 / 13.16)
Poetry Special – (September 2013 / 13.18) →
Flash (Mob) Special (Sept 2013 / 13.17)
Posted on September 15, 2013 by Michelle Elvy
Nazifa Islam, whose cover art became the symbol of Flash Mob 2013, grew up in Novi, Michigan and received her B.A. in English from the University of Michigan. Her poetry and paintings have appeared in a number of publications, including Anomalous Press, splinterswerve, and Flashquake. Her debut poetry collection searching for a pulse is available from Whitepoint Press. She frequently updates her blog Thoughts Interjected and is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at Oregon State University. ‘Deep Sea was created using watered-down acrylic paint on a white cotton canvas. The unmarked canvas was pressed down on a pool of green and blue paint to create a sea weed-inspired fractal pattern.
Tracey Upchurch
All Proud
(Highly Commended and “Best Gerontagogy”)
They sit beside each other, him and her, gumming their digestives and staring at the horizon.
Seventy-five years ago today, she gave birth to him. She’s remembering the pain as she pushed, the tearing of her, and the wet heat as he was dumped on her chest, writhing, alive, all hers. Beautiful. A lifetime ago… yesterday. She sips her tea and thinks, I’m old.
He licks the digestive crumbs from his lips, his tongue smearing them but not agile enough to remove them. He wishes he had a Bourbon Cream, and hopes she’s remembered his birthday. Seventy-five. He thinks, so how long have I got?
Both of them hope she dies before him; it’s important. It might be the only important thing left. Both of them hold their breath for a moment, trying death out. Then they both inhale, and it still feels good.
‘Birthday, kid,’ she says.
‘Ma,’ he looks into her eyes. He’s said ‘Ma’ about fifty thousand times now, reckon.
She grins, and brandishes a parcel wrapped in shiny paper.
‘Seventy-fiiiive,’ she says, all proud, just like she said, five, six, seven.
It makes them laugh.
Tracey Upchurch lives and writes in a tiny house overlooking the Atlantic. She blogs at www.traceyupchurch.com and tweets as @traceyupchurch. More here.
W F Lantry
Remembrances (Finalist)
Memories resemble sight: the edges stay the longest, and the words. You reinvented every word for me: cashmere, peacock, bangle. I always thought those were bracelets. Until you told me they’re a term of art. Your art, the careful ornamentation of movement. Orchestrated with sound and flashes of gold, sapphires depending on the light, slants or unsuspected sudden beams, the considered harmonies of woven cloth, the echoes of your steps on marble.
I was alone in a foreign place. Summer: not the solitary night of the countryside, the boisterous firelight of a central square. There was music from a cafe, long flickering shadows of people and forms milling half in and half out of darkness. A few were sitting on the edge of a fountain, I could hear the water behind them. If I’d looked up, I could have seen stars, the constellations changed from the seasons, changed from the ones I’d known.
But I wasn’t looking up. I was watching you dance. I didn’t know you then. You had on a long skirt, gold threaded. I could tell in the starlight, in the swirling reflections of flame. And a long scarf bordered with lace: when you raised your arms above your head, it trailed behind your hands. I remember the way you gave yourself to the music, as if it moved through you, as if no-one could see. You surrendered yourself to joy, gave yourself over to ecstasy as you moved across the cobbles, the stones set there centuries ago. I nearly turned away, thinking it might not be you.
You still say it wasn’t you. And yet I remember the bangle on your arm, the same one you still wear. I remember the peacock pin. Everything external, everything on the edge. The cashmere. I remember the graceful joy.
W.F.Lantry’s poetry collections are The Structure of Desire (Little Red Tree 2012), winner of a 2013 Nautilus Award in Poetry, a chapbook, The Language of Birds (Finishing Line 2011), and a forthcoming collection The Book of Maps. Recent honors include the National Hackney Literary Award in Poetry and the LaNelle Daniel and Potomac Review Prizes. His publication credits include Valparaiso Fiction Review, StepAway, and Eclectica. He is an associate fiction editor at JMWW.
Sarah Ni Shuilleabhain
Few Are Chosen
(Finalist)
In memory of Walker Evans (1903 – 1975) ~ American Photographer
He submerges himself into the city streets. The rubber-burnt air fills his nostrils and seals over against the noise and life above. The lens of his camera blinks at the world from his lapel. Good leather shoes sands the city steps as he goes lower, his cheaper wool suit feels tight in the heat.
He waits on the platform his back to a curving wall, watching. He will take their train. The wire from his 35mm Contax winds its way down the left arm of his jacket. He gently checks the press with his thumb at it rests in the palm of his hand.
When the doors gasp open, he joins the masses. He sits and watches in silence faces that sit and watch and rock gently at points. He likes how the human landscape changes as the carriage passes through his days on Lexington Avenue; City Hall; South Ferry; 7th Avenue and Pelham Bay Park. His father would despair at the pointlessness. Why do you feel you need to do that? Is there not enough here for you? But his heart fills with the capturing: eyes, gestures, bowler hats, fur, pursed lips and feathers.
A couple sit directly opposite him. They’re hard working. They’re doing all right. They were downtown. She wears her good coat with fur trim and a cleverly augmented beret with feather. He wears his work jacket but under is a carefully pressed pullover and shirt. They whisper in the close corner, united in hope and reality.
He likes them. He decides to take their photograph.
Just as his finger glides over the shutter press, they stop their talk and look directly at the hidden camera. Like they felt it there. He alights at their stop in Brooklyn, a million miles from where he started out.
Sarah Ní Shúilleabháin is trying to find the muse that used to fuel her to write and that she somehow lost touch with after college. She took a train from Dublin to Galway but the muse got off in Athlone and headed somewhere else altogether. To get it back, she started a blog. Her posts are so sporadically sparse that at least two of the three subscribers will email to see if she’s alright (her mother and her friend Claire). She attended a Stinging Fly workshop in Newbridge with Sean O’Reilly, learnt a lot, made two friends, and realised that she was somehow on the right road. She lives in Tipperary, Ireland with Seán, Elly and Sadhbh.
Kyle Hemmings
A Girl Named China is Your Brittle Future
She was taking care of her terminally ill mom and a set of potted silk plants. Her words were crazy trains rushing past me, over me. We spoke between classes or when the bus broke down or under trees hiding fat squirrels with eyes that knew us. Weeks passed like slow flames. Her mother was sleeping more, talking less. I came over twice a week, brought several shades of neediness. We did it quietly in her room while her mother remained dreamless with her mouth open. I felt dizzy in that house, un-knowing myself or my motives, made stupid jokes about growing onions upside down or how during sex, our bodies sometimes squelched. China didn’t laugh. Her dark eyes remained frozen, unreadable . Evenings became strained, more humid. I wondered what it would be like to plant myself in her shoes. Which way would I grow? Her mother’s body had shut down, became a mysterious void.
China jumped at the beep of a feeding pump. She was becoming more obtuse, saying that she didn’t believe in the word “decompose” or “dead,” She said bodies evaporate the way liquids do in our experiments for Mr. Hennessey’s Physical Science labs. I suspected she had a crush on him because ugly men to her were a challenge. They needed merciful weeding and make-over. They needed a patient gardener, sensitive to root need. When her mother finally evaporated, China disappeared for weeks, her rooms closed for sex. My nose itched. I gave wrong answers in Hennessey’s class. My mother bought powdered milk because she believed it was healthier. When China did return from whatever state of matter or not-matter, she was mute. My thumbs hurt from planting vegetables.
Kyle Hemmings lives and works in New Jersey. He has been published in Elimae, Smokelong Quarterly, This Zine Will Change Your Life, Matchbook, and elsewhere. He loves cats, dogs, and garage bands of the 60s. More at his blog.
*** On Helen Weaver, Amelia Earhart and the Sibyl of Cumae
I am in ruins.
Oed’ und leer das Meer.
Sometimes we make the most unwise of decisions. Sometimes the most unwise decisions are made for us.
Leaving her enigmatic fiancée, Helen takes flight from Worcester hoping to sail to a different place.
The Sibyl’s wish, as she grasps the black grains of sand with her fists, is for long life. Failing to see the many meanings of her own oracles, she plants her roots into the black soil of the underworld.
Amelia, grand-daughter of Daedalus, searches to be loved by all. It takes two mirrors, two pieces of silvered glass to catch the sun and send a ray of light down the dusty hollows of chill mansions, catching each island mote in the path of fatigued vision.
Helen pursues calm seas and a prosperous voyage over the oceans, carried by gyre and Tasman currents, to the romanza of tympanic engines and violins.
The Sibyl shrinks with old age, held in her ampulla for all to see.
Electra plots her revenge on her mother and stepfather. Fred floats the thin atmosphere, navigates the journey with a sextant, flies north and south. Amelia escapes the winter, forgets the cry of the gulls and, like Enoch, was not.
Trimalchio asks after the Sybil’s desire. The boys tell him she wants to die.
On Taranaki’s glassy black sands, Helen connects nothing with nothing. A damp air brings cold rain from the South.
We all are stranded on some strange shore, trapped in a cage of water or glass or living under the black ash of some fiery mountain.
We are all bit parts, variations on an original theme, fragments have I shored against my ruins.
Sometimes I go south in winter.
Martin Porter, born in Jersey, lives a quiet life in New Zealand writing poetry and flash fiction. He has recently had flash fiction published in Flash Frontier and Flash Flood and read at Auckland Library for the NZ National Flash Fiction Day Awards 2013. This piece reflects his current of experimentation with different types of flash fiction, where seemingly unlinked themes may be interwoven and non-alphanumeric characters used to reference sources, such as the *** taken from the title of Elgar’s 13th Enigma variation. More at Poetry Notes and Jottings and Small Stony Notes and Jottings.
This entry was posted in Fiction Special, Flash. Bookmark the permalink.
6 Responses to Flash (Mob) Special (Sept 2013 / 13.17)
Pingback: ALL PROUD | t upchurch
Pingback: Up at Blue Five | t upchurch
Pingback: ALL PROUD
bluefifthreview says:
Happy to include your work.
Pingback: Archives for 2013 | Blue Fifth Review: Blue Five Notebook Series
Pingback: ALL PROUD — Flash Mob 2013 | t upchurch
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4038
|
__label__cc
| 0.605474
| 0.394526
|
← The Boom rule
Booch muscles up. →
How offensive will Georgia’s offense be?
If it’s reasonable to expect Georgia’s defense to improve over last year’s results, based on the reasons elaborated here yesterday, what should we have grounds to expect from the offense?
It’s great that with Chubb and Michel back, the Dawgs are loaded at running back. The tight end position looks set. Eason’s got a year of the SEC wars under his belt. Jim Chaney’s had a year to feel his way around what he’s got and what Smart wants. There’s a noticeable infusion of new talent on the offensive line.
But it’s worth remembering how far offensive production has fallen in just two seasons.
But as a unit, the entire offense will seek added production after a couple of down years. From 2010-14, when Mike Bobo was Georgia’s offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs averaged no less than 32 points per game in a season. In 2014, Bobo’s offense averaged 41.3 points and 257.9 rushing yards per game, which helped him land the Colorado State head coaching job.
In 2016, Georgia averaged 24.5 points and 191.2 yards per game.
Remarkably, Georgia didn’t manage to achieve its 2014 scoring average in a single game last year. To expect a return to 2014 levels of offensive production, then, even with the areas of optimism detailed above, is an unrealistic stretch. Consider this, though: if the Dawgs had scored one more touchdown per game in 2016, they would have finished with a regular season record of 10-2. 31.5 points per game isn’t exactly a monster number, either. It would have been fifth best in the conference and 48th nationally.
If it’s likely the defense will improve, you’d have to think the team would be looking at a very productive season with an offensive scoring average of 31.5 points. Thinking is one thing, though. Attaining is a whole different matter.
98 responses to “How offensive will Georgia’s offense be?”
This is where coaching up needs to happen. I’m not sure Chaney’s that capable.
We’ll see for sure. I have zero confidence in our version of Jabba the Hutt.
Right. Everytime I see him, I think…if he doesn’t have the will power or isn’t disciplined enough to exercise a modicum of control something as vitally important as his own health, how can I be confident that he’ll have the discipline to do everything in his power to ensure the O will be successful? (be it through planning, self improvement/evaluation, etc.) Not to mention that being overweight/obese leads to greater fatigue, reduction in brain power, etc. Sounds harsh, but surely I’m not alone on this.
Lots of football coaches and ex-football players for that matter are overweight. Doesn’t mean they can’t get the job done.
It’s one thing to have a small paunch; it’s quite another to be very obese. How many top coaches, historically or present, look anything like him? Besides, if nothing else, being that overweight can only hurt you, not help you.
While they only had mixed success as head coaches (where physical appearance might be more relevant as the “face of the program”), Mark Mangino and Charlie Weis won a national championship and Super Bowls, respectively, as offensive coordinators.
I’m not saying that being obese is healthy. But it doesn’t preclude successful play-calling.
I never said that you can’t be successful; only that it doesn’t exactly give me confidence and that it certainly can’t help matters.
Damn Hutson Mason….only 41/game.
Only 18.5 ppg vs. Tech and UF.
Padding stats with 66 vs. Troy, 63 vs. UK and 55 vs. charleston southern doesn’t impress me.
And I’m still unimpressed with how the tech game ended that year. Time and time again our qbs have made big plays at the end of the tech game to win it:
Belue brought us from way back in ’78 including a gw td pass
Bobo had two game winning td passes against them
Hines converted 8 3rd downs in a row to set up a game winning FG
Greene came off the bench with an injury to seal a win when DJ struggled in relief
Stafford came through with a game winning TD pass
Even Lambert converted a big third and long with his back against our goal line to seal a win
Hutson threw a pick on an RPO instead of putting it in Chubb’s gut and it was over.
KornDawg
Joe Cox pulled one out, too, didn’t he? Touchdown Massaquoi!
Boy, I screwed that one up. That was Stafford in ’06, Cox did beat Tech in ’09 but that was the “We Run This State” year.
He also finished the year completing 68% of his passes, good enough for 6th in the country…..a QB rating of 155.75, 10th in the country and a 41.3 scoring average, 8th in the country and tops in the SEC….that also broke the school record. I sure could have used some of that last year. He did not look sexy, but he got the job done for the most part. He certainly did better than what I anticipated. Most every team plays a cupcake or two, it is all relative…..a DGD in my book.
He may be a DGD. He’s no DGQB. He benefits from what the offense has looked like since to be sure. People tend to forget that he nearly lost that job to Brice at home vs. Tennessee. Stats are all good and nice but it’s W’s that matter. In the big games and moments he was at best mediocre. Not one 200 passing day vs. a ranked team.
It was because he was doing what QB’s should do for the most part, get the ball to his playmakers….as evidence to the records that were broken that year (ppg). Agree on the W’s comment, but Mason sure as hell did better than what I expected….a pleasant surprise for me. He did not have the physical tools that Eason does….but our season and offense changes if Eason can hit 68% of his passes.
Greyson had 2 passes hit the ground in 120 minutes of football. Doesn’t make him a good qb. A guy hitting a high percentage against bad defenses is all good and well but we need a qb to be an asset in the big games. You don’t beat the top teams on your schedule with a tailback anymore: When your running backs have as many 200 yard games as your qb, something’s wrong.
The 2014 Clemson game proves otherwise. Alabama is famous for employing “game managers” at QB and they seem to be doing alright.
So famous that every qb that won a natty played in the league save Coker and that was due to injury.
Not sure what your point is…..but mine is, a QB that breaks the school records (PPG, completion % ? & etc) & finishes 9th nationally …..is a pretty good QB. Did not say he was great, but he was a good QB. We were better with him rather than without. I would love to see Eason step up and get the offense more involved like Mason did…to see the field better and etc. He has the potential, physical gifts that Mason did not have….if he does not, it will not get much better than last year imo (if we stick with him). Improved QB play, is the key to our season.
I’m just saying that you can’t win titles with that guy. He’s pretty good week 4 at mizzou. I suppose that’s worthy of a comment… or not.
I guess what you are saying is, if you can’t win a title or beat your rivals…you’re no good, right??
Peyton Manning was 0-3 against UF as a starter & 0-4 in games he played in…he could not win a title, but Tee Martin could.
Annnnnd, mic drop.
You are correct Puff. In the vernacular of the young folks, Derek has been owned, powned, roasted, toasted, and microwaved.
Find me a season in his last three where Peyton had zero 200 yard games passing vs. ranked teams and then we can talk about your Hutson = Peyton because both are .000% vs. uf as starters.
Peyton does have a SEC ring and two Super Bowls. But yeah neither beat UF so essentially they are the same guy.
Derek you act like the QB makes the schedule. He is playing who the school has schedules and both Hudson and Lambert were winners. They could have lost to Vandy and Tech but they didn’t. The team lost the games not the QB’s. We get it you will only be happy when we are undefeated, it just gets old when you Dawgrade an individual player because the team was not able to beat UF.
CMR’s teams were qb dependent. You can’t argue that.
All teams are QB dependent, dependent on getting the ball to their playmakers. Can you argue that??
Yeah, but sometimes those playmeakers need to be downfield rather than a few steps away.
If all you asked me to do was shovel pass I could complete 100%. It would be up to the coach to put a “playmaker” two steps in front of me I guess but stats!
Like when Florida couldn’t beat Georgia with 27 passing yards in 2014. Your QB just has to be a difference maker to beat the best teams on the schedule.
The Florida game was also Mason’s biggest passing day of the season in terms of completions, attempts and yardage. He didn’t turn the ball over. One might call what he had a good day. If he wasn’t so shitty, though, he probably would have filled in at outside linebacker and occasionally set the edge.
Right. The game that we could only win if the qb took it, we got beat badly. They took the run and said Mason can’t beat us. They were right.
Florida won because the Georgia defense was terrible. It had nothing to do with their brilliant defensive gameplan. If it had gone like a typical Florida game when they were overmatched that season, the defense would have kept them in it for a while until their complete ineptitude on offense got them beat. Instead, Georgia let them run for about 240 more yards than their average in their other 11 games.
It was brilliant enough to hold us to 13 points with 4 seconds to play.
Don’t blame Mason for the ’14 Tech loss. That was all on CMR (remember the “pooch kickoff” when kicking it deep would have won the game. Georgia was behind Tech late in the fourth quarter when Mason marched the team down the field to score what should have been the winning TD with only 30 seconds left in the game. At that point the game was a UGA win and Mason was the hero of the game. CMR lost it in usual CMR fashion with an idiot end of game decision which snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. I do NOT miss that guy.
I heard this argument so many times it makes me want to puke.
Who was in the Georgia dome when Ray kicked it deep under similar circumstances? I was. Didn’t turn out good for us.
We’ve kicked it deep and given up td returns and we’ve pooched and given up returns. The only good answer is to execute whatever play you call, kick it correctly and make a tackle.
The right call for Richt would have been to kick it deep and cover. You don’t surrender field position to a run-only offense who’s special teams had not made a decent kick return all day. I don’t normally jump on the armchair QB bus, but that one deserved second guessing.
I agree that there are times where you don’t want to kick it deep, but Tech didn’t have some phenom kick-returner back there. In fact, I’d be surprised if Tech had returned a kickoff for a touchdown that entire season, which is the kind of detail you would expect these coaches to know. I loved Richt (still do), wish him all the best at Miami, but that decision to pooch kick is hard to defend. And yes, I understand that the pooch kick wasn’t executed to perfection and we still had an opportunity to stop Tech on defense.
I agree it wasn’t a good call, but everyone misses sometimes. Had they run it back from deep, we would be saying he should have pooched it.
That ship sailed a long time ago.
That’s sort of the point, Ug. Tech WOULDN’T have run it back for a TD. They hadn’t done that all season.
The obvious answer is to have a leg that kicks it out the back of the endzone. Unfortunately Richt’s tenure was filled with directional kicking.
You are pissed because Mason did not pull off TWO game-winning drives to take the lead twice in the final minutes. Got it. Should have had you out there throwing those little short passes as you suggested earlier, since any pansy can do that. I am sure you would have the school completion record and a natty.
Go pound sand.
I blame John Madden (Madden Football)…..but I guess we all have a cross to bear.
Good points, Derek, but all SEC teams stats are padded from playing cupcakes..so if we adjust Georgia’s down, we need to do the same to everyone else…but by what percent? CMR was renowned for pulling back once a lead was safe. Most others (SOS for one) would run it up to a hundred if they could. So Georgia’s point padding is real but not as severe as most others.
And I’m not real certain CMR took the best approach to that. Cupcakes sacrifice their dignity for a paycheck..a fat one. So maybe it’s better to get all you can out of them. You’r paying for it. Hell, CMR even took a knee on the goal line against Auburn once.
Which is why stats are misleading and are never the whole story. If you want to know if someone is good, see how well they do vs. good competition. We thought we were ok at qb until bama rolled in. Then we found out Greyson was a stiff. He had two incompletions in the prior two games. Hell I think we may have been favored. Any way we showed up without a qb and got throttled.
(If you’re thinking of telling me you’re so smart you knew he’d fall flat vs. alabama, please save it. If you can date the comment to before the game, fine but I don’t need your belated expertise.)
No sweat. Nothing worse than someone being full of himself. I honestly didn’t know what to make of GL after the SC game. I never dreamed he’d have rigor-mortise, though. The coaches must have had at least a small idea about it…in fact I believe his record performance that night was a combination of the coaches realizing Lambert needed quick throws, and the SC coaches playing it too soft because of his reputation for a deep gun. It was a perfect storm that set us up with unreasonable expectations.
“all SEC teams stats are padded from playing cupcakes..”
All P5 team stats… FIFY
3 keys to whether the season is a boom or bust:
Chubb playing like he did before the injury in Knoxville
Vastly improved production from the WR group
Credible offensive line play
You check all of those boxes and we’re in Atlanta. Chubb has to be Chubb in the big games. We have to have WRs who can both get seperation AND block and catch and we need to stop getting whipped up front at the point of attack.
If all of those come through a 35ppg average is easily within reach.
southernlawyer11
. . . and i think we have to ready and willing to ride Sony when things are bogging down. Frankly, until I see clear evidence of 2014 Nick Chubb, I think Sony is the better back. Sometimes i feel like people think this is heresy even saying something like this but… JMO.
He’s the more natural runner but he’s not the battering ram that Chubb can be. Sony makes people miss. Chubb makes people pay. In today’s world of DB’s who don’t like contact, a guy like Chubb running in space can be invaluable. He demoralizes defenses when he’s right. That’s a big asset.
I think that’s why he said “until I see clear evidence of 2014 Nick Chubb”. Pre injury, he was one of the front runners to win the Heisman. Nobody’s arguing that. However, if you look at last year alone, no doubt Sony looked like the better back. I think Chubb knows that too. Nobody wants to Nick Chubb again more than Nick Chubb. With that injury nearly 2 full years behind him and a full season last year under his belt to get that confidence back, I think we get the old Nick Chubb back. Maybe even a better Nick Chubb, which is one scary thought for the defenses on our schedule.
Agreed. I want those Clemson 2014 endorphins firing off in my brain again.
Absolutely. If Chubb can return to his form of churning up defensive backs, he will de-moralize them even before the game starts. I personally believe he will be back, not in original form, but in even BETTER form. His determination, work ethic and drive will pay off. Hell, they could even put him at tight end occasionally to freak out the defense. Can you imagine what the LBkers and CBs on that side would be thinking if Chubb lined up at tight end inside the redzone? At the very least they’d have to waste a time-out. With this kind of an imagination, I should be an OC .
Gotta have some blocking first or Chubb will never even get to the DBs.
Damn dude don’t say this much but that is spot on . All the talk about Eason not holding up last year was bull . He had zero help.
With the wr’s, if we could just get some combination of consistency and upside (big plays/catches), it would go a long way. We had neither last year.
If the defense goes from good to great, wouldn’t you expect the offense to be better, just based on likely more and better opportunities?
This is where I am also, almost guaranteed that our offense will be better in 2017 with no improvement at all from Chaney’s group. That doesn’t mean it will be enough in a couple of key games to insure a W, but if we do improve on offense, this team will be excellent. Interesting game will be against ND, their defensive front will show us how much we have improved on the OL. We should also know about Eason before the end of September. I am more confident about improvement on the OL than I am with what Eason has to do, if he makes a couple of big steps forward this could be a 2002 like season for the Dawgs.
We’ll be better than 2016 at QB and WR and at least no worse at OL. I can only believe Chaney and the offense will at least be a little better. Either that or Kirby throws more of his players under the bus while we lose to Vandy as Tech.
And just think, people didn’t like Mike Bobo. SMH
Some people still don’t.
bulldogbry
I mean….wow. Just wow. Is that sad? Is it funny? Who can tell. That blogger just doesn’t like anyone.
What in the world did you do to that guy??
LOL!…probably did not agree with him on something. For some, that is all it takes….
Bobo was probably the best OC UGA ever had. But he did have one shortcoming that I don’t see attributed to him. He didn’t do whatever he needed to do to get offensive linemen onboard. I don’t know if it’s because CMR had a totally different philosophy on what was needed, or if they just couldn’t get the bigguns to come to UGA…but either way, when he left us he left us without a SEC caliber O front.
I still remember him beating Texas in the Cotton Bowl with that late touchdown. One of the great moments of Bulldawg Glory!
DGD, that Mike Bobo!
That was John Lastinger …
Don’t let the facts get in the way……
Well….shit…it sure was Lastinger. Both DGD’s none the less.
Wait a minute..it was Tarkenton.
Zeke Bratkowski possibly?
Yes….what time is it in Texas?
H. Randolph Holder
It’s always 10 to 9 in Texas. 🙂
yEiGh!!!….BIL is a UT (Austin) grad, he helped tutor Earl one year. We always go back & forth with football….but he has nothing on the “10 to 9” thingy. All good natured…..
He was great in the 78 Bluebonnet Bowl too…
Ha! If he would just respond like that to all your posts, that would make for double my entertainment.
Gee thanks senator, I had forgotten that jerk.
That guy is obsessed with you, and his writing is about the quality of a 1st grader.
That was tough to read…
I am still not sure I get all the complaints on Chaney, he didn’t take over a loaded offense. The best player was returning from major knee injury, true freshman QB, poor OL play, no threat at WR. This year we should see improvement by a TD a game, if not, then yea Chaney may need to be replaced.
We are exerting our will. That has nothing to do with the OC.
I agree with this sentiment. OL was an absolute train wreck and Catalina may have been the least talented OL we have ever had. Freshman QB and very marginal WR talent. What was he supposed to do? When you can’t block, throw, catch, or run there are not a ton of plays in the playbook…
Are you talking about Tyler Catalina, the former Georgia Bulldog offensive tackle who is currently on the Washington Redskins roster having signed a 3 year contract for $1.66 Million. That Catalina? http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/12634/tyler-catalina Just wanted to be sure who you were discussing.
I don’t want to beat it to death but coaching, particularly coaching decisions, have hell of a lot to do with the success of players and the success of the team. The HC is supposed to use his players in such a way as to maximize their chances for success. When you, as a coach, have a finesse OL and you try to play smash mouth football with that OL, you get what you deserve. Unfortunately bad coaching decisions impact everyone, including players and the alums/fans. I get it that you are pissed off, Will. Rightly so. Just be pissed off at the right person.
Like others have said, I just keep telling myself, our ’17 offensive line can’t be worse than ’16. I hope we’re right.
Scary to start to true freshmen in the SEC, but that’s the way I see it playing out at this point.
So we have to replace multiple spots on the OL with guys that could not beat out players from an awful OL and we are hoping to see improvement. fThe influx of talent at WR is filled with freshman, inexperienced and unproven, yet we hope to see improvement. The running game is relying upon an RB that has yet to return to his pre-injury form, yet we hope he does. Our QB struggled with accuracy and field vision last season, and we hope that he is the real deal. Sure, I hope for improvement as well. Just not gonna happen this year.
LOL!!….Munson, is that you???
Greg..Munson was Barney the Dinosaur compared to Skeptic. But Skeptic is a very essential contributor to GTP’s balance. He keeps us from getting overconfident or even somewhat confident. Skeptic is the anchor that is solidly gripping the seabed and will rip the transom off the back of our the good ship “Enthusiasm” if we take off with too much slack in the chain..which I believe he dreads happening. So he allows us to drag him along as he tempers our speed. When and if Skeptic ever says, “Weigh Anchor! All hands prepare to make good time to ATL”, you better hurry out to Vegas and put every penny you can muster on the Dawgs winning it all. Skeptic actually does make me stop and wonder if we’ll even win 5 games. It’s a life philosophy that I have learned to often apply…if you expect a lot, you’re probably going to get disappointed, if you expect little, you may get a nice surprise! I can see it. In fact, I would be kind of sad to see him convert to the bright side. He’s a comfortable old shoe.
Oh I know, read plenty of his posts and love them….keeps us humble. Thanks!
If everything in your life is a turd then everything starts to look like a turd. Hence Septic….er….Skeptic Dawg
Speaking of Turds, what’s happened to Fergerson? Good poster.
yes, we signed more OL talent last year than Right signed in 15.
Reality check here
Phil Steele is kukewarm on Georgia but he predicts an improvement on offense to 30 ppg.
It sure as shit was offensive last year.
I would like to see us try Charlie Woerner out like Ole Miss used Evan Ingram. If we’re still not getting proper separation and / or Eason is struggling with tight windows, throw back shoulder lobs to Woerner and let him use his height. That back shoulder jump ball type throw Ole Miss used so frequently is devastating…..not only does the hybrid TE/Receiver have a height advantage but the smaller defender has even less of a chance at climbing the ladder if he has to reverse momentum, plant and then try and compete with somebody who already has the advantage. It’s like trying to out rebound an athletic power forward when he already has prime position.
In short, I’m going to be pissed if we are stagnant again, while still asking why we didn’t use [insert 1 of 4 freak tight ends who could play anywhere in America] more.
Yep, Woerner would be tough to cover split wide.
Get the ball to Mecole, Sony, Chubb and Nauta.
Has anyone bothered to check Chaney’s history? He’s a mediocre OC who’s bounced around cfb for a few decades now, never producing anything of note. At least a fellow overweight like Friedgen has shown a high level of expertise and some success in tough places. The day we dump Chaney is the day our offense immediately improves.
My point about Chaney is he has never gotten a sniff of a head coaching gig. People respond with Norm Chow except Chow would be on lists as a candidate but just didn’t get the job. Schools haven’t even looked at Chaney.
I’d love to see Chubb in pre-injury form, but honestly, I don’t think our offensive production is going to depend on this as heavily as others seem to think. If the OL is improved, Michel and Herrien will run all over people. But if the OL isn’t improved, not even Chubb will be successful. So Chubb isn’t the issue here.
My main concern on offense is Eason. Stafford-level talent. But between the ears, he’s basically the anti-Stafford. Stafford never saw a pass he didn’t think he could make, and as we all remember (and as those of us who are Lions fans still witness regularly), it gets him into trouble. Eason, on the other hand, seems reluctant to throw the ball unless his receiver is wide open, and so, he hesitates, hesitates, … and then starts dancing around as the DL closes in around him. Gunslingers aren’t supposed to be afraid to pull the trigger.
It was to-be-expected during his freshman season, as he adjusted to SEC play. But to be honest, it looked just as bad (if not worse) in the most recent G-Day game. So, unless he’s taken great strides this summer (or unless our receiving corps figures out how to get much more separation), I expect this to remain a liability on offense. But this time, it could get interesting, with a confident Fromm waiting on the sidelines.
Pingback: “This was, for all intents and purposes, a voluntary rebuild.” | Get The Picture
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4040
|
__label__cc
| 0.715108
| 0.284892
|
← Okay, a real MPC
When you’ve got nothing good to say… →
August 10, 2018 · 12:05 PM
“We pound on them like they pound on us.”
I tend to roll my eyes a bit at the “iron sharpens iron” happy talk, with one exception.
That’s certainly true when it comes to the daily battles being waged at practice between the Bulldogs’ offensive and defensive lines, two units – at least on paper – that figure to be two of the best in the SEC.
“For us, it’s the same approach as last year,” left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “Whoever’s in front of us we’re going to move them, and when we have to pass protect, it’s the same thing. We’re going to bring that same attitude.”
Ditto for the defensive line.
The Bulldogs are having to replace the likes of nose John Atkins and tackle Trenton Thompson, but this year’s defensive front – led by Jonathan Ledbetter, Tyler Clark and Julian Rochester – could ultimately be one of Georgia’s most talented groups in recent years.
“Jonathan Ledbetter going to make me better every day, Tyler Clark is going to make me better every day, Julian Rochester is going to make me better – every day,” left guard Kendall Baker said. “Those guys are monsters.”
For Rochester, the feeling is mutual.
“I think they’re best,” he said. “They’ve worked really hard and I feel the consistency level is what’s so good. They work hard every single day. We pound on them like they pound on us. Iron sharpens Iron. I feel like the sky’s the limit.”
Man, I think both lines have a chance to be special this year. I’ve felt that way for a while about the o-line — hardly a minority opinion, I know — but I’m feeling better and better about the d-line, too.
Now, if somebody can just make me feel better about replacing Roquan…
39 responses to ““We pound on them like they pound on us.””
You don’t just replace Roquan.
This is what tickles my Munson nerve. His ability shut Tech down almost completely. They popped one big play to get them in a position to score; otherwise, he was all over them from one side of the field to the other. Just a great, great player.
Granthams replacemen
The play where the ref missed the obvious block in the back after the RB had a 10 yard gain?
No, you don’t MESS with the Roquan!
If the D-line is good enough, it could take some of the stress off of whoever takes Roquan’s spot.
Agreed and UGA has had a good run of LBs. Rennie Curran, Jarvis Jones etc. with Smart’s recruiting success I am not worried about effectiveness of the defense.
Dominance on the line of scrimmage is key to that little trip the 2nd week. If we whip them across both LOS’s we win. If not, it’s gonna be a nail-biter.
I wanna see grass stains on the backside of every USC(e) lineman.
“I wanna see grass stains on the backside”
Just reminded me of an old coach I use to have, God rest his soul. He use to say he didn’t want to see any “Lily Whites” after a practice or game (his team). Will never forget him or that term. In this case, he would want to see the grass stains there also.
Yeah, that sentiment rings with me and I won’t drive a white vehicle because of it.
You don’t replace Roquan, these lines however are going to bring salty tears to a lot of people.
FivePoints
Senator, I would be curious your take on Roquan’s contract holdout. It echos his previous decision not to sign a NLI, and seems to reinforce a mindset that he is going to challenge the power disparities between administrations/owners and players, at least while he is in a position of leverage. I personally respect his willingness to take the slings and arrows of impatient fan bases to get what he thinks is a fair deal. On the back end Chicago will not find a more devoted player and ambassador for the team. And that’s gotta be worth something.
Not the Senator, but I hope he makes the Bears come crawling, begging for him to sign on his terms. If it takes not signing altogether, so be it. He’ll become a free agent and have 31 other teams competing to be the highest bid on the best linebacker in the rookie class, and they won’t force the stupid clause that makes him forfeit his “guaranteed” money.
Eli Manning did it. So can Roquan.
This. Labor has to get all it can at those few moments when it has leverage. All power to the Roquan.
How does his free agency work? When would he be able to sign with another team? If the Bears can keep him out of the league for a full season before he would be a free agent he may not have as much “leverage” as some think.
I don’t think you have to worry about the Bears “come crawling…”, pro teams don’t usually come crawling for rookies. I agree about the clause being stupid but the Bears are known as a pretty dumb bunch when it comes to those sort of things.
So I was wrong earlier when I said he would be a free agent. The Bears would still retain the rights to him even if he refuses to sign, but that essentially means he’s a wasted 1st round pick. So they could sit on the rights to him and wait for an offer from another team and trade him or release him. They won’t release him because he has too much value. And there’s definitely a market for him (can’t think of any of the other 31 teams that wouldn’t want him). Roquan definitely has some leverage here. John Elway was drafted by the Colts in 83 and refused to play for them. They traded him to Denver for two players and a 1st round pick in the next draft. More recently Eli Manning comes to mind, but that was a trade worked out beforehand by the Giants and the Chargers.
This is a good summary about the “Why” of the holdout
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-roquan-smith-holdout-contract-20180809-story.html
Thanks, good context. I think they don’t give Roquan enough credit in the motivation for this holdout (painting him as a bit of a pawn of CAA), which again doesn’t jive with the posture he took on NLI in college. That said CAA may have found their principled horse that they can ride a lot further to push contract terms than any other player would have. Hope they don’t ride it into the ground…
Yeah, talk dirty to me.
Replacing Roquan will simply have to be by committee.
Indeed. R was a special breed, that fortunately came along at the best time possible. Doubt we win the SEC, and really doubt we would be in the final without his services.
We have 2-3 quality ILBs if they stay healthy this year, and some quality youngsters. Collectively, we should be fine, so in this regard, it does “take a village”. I also think it requires some scheme changes to adjust to not having that one stud to rely on. It might not be regarded as a position of strength this year, but far from a weakness, imo.
Did I read somewhere somebody has liked what they’ve seen out of Wyatt, but maybe expect him to not come into the mix maybe until later in the year?
I’m too lazy to do it, but I’d be interested to read a review of last year’s pre-season talk about our linebackers. In particular, did we know Roquan was going to push for the Butkus? I just don’t remember being so high on him last year. Good, yes, absolutely. But best in the Nation??? My point being, at this time last year, we didn’t KNOW we had what we had, and neither do we this year. I, for one, think we DO have the next Roquan on the team, we just have identified him yet.
I saw him as best D on the team, upper echelon in SEC, never really nominated him as nationally elite until about 1/2 way thru season
Roquan got a lot of exposure from his great plays against Miss State. From then on, everyone knew who he was!
While its difficult to replace anyone who ended up being a top 10 draft pick, I don’t believe we lack talent at ILB. Natrez, Rice, Taylor, McBride, Crowder, Q. Walker and Tindall is a good group. Rice was impressive last year and on G-Day. Look for Natrez to redeem himself and have a very good senior year. We’re not up to bama standards with multiple 5-star LBs (yet). But we’ve got a solid nucleus.
Perhaps this is the difference in the mindset of a Georgia fan and an Alabama fan. Over the years, we’ve become accustomed too (and expect) ‘off’ years. I blame Herschel. The idea of ‘we need a generational player to have a chance’ is (hopefully) transitioning to ‘we need to maintain the high level of play from all of our student-athletes’
In any event, I am soooooo ready for football to start.
Agree on Roquan, he was to the defense what Fromm is on offense. Gonna be hard to replace, more than just a talent.
I may be struck by lightning by typing this, but Roquan was not a perfect LB. He missed reads and keys from time to time, and even had bad halfs of play (see Rose Bowl, first half). But his speed corrected those mistakes a lot of times. What we have now though is multiple talented ILBs who have played 2 full years in this system and several newbies with Roquan-esque speed but less experience. That combo should suit us fine, because of the scheme and good teaching they get from this staff.
What we have now though is… several newbies with Roquan-esque speed…
You are the only person I’ve seen suggest this. How do you know and whom are you referring to?
Tindall and Walker are elite recruits known best for their speed of pursuit. McBride is a 4.4 guy as well.
LAWD!… can’t believe I just read that. For me, he is the best overall linebacker I’ve seen at UGA….and that could probably be argued. But certainly one of the best. BTW, how do you know what assignments or reads he missed??….unless you knew what defense was called and the responsibility he had on the play.
I couldn’t agree more with you. My point was that he wasn’t perfect and can be replaced by experienced players who know the defense just as well (or more) and put themselves in the right places on run fits. Whether they can run with a slot receiver or fast TE to the back of the end zone and tip away a pass, maybe not so much, but you make adjustments to your formation and assignments accordingly. The young guys are speedy and could be developed into playmakers perhaps as early as this year. Walker and Tindall are two of the best LBs I’ve seen coming out of HS in GA since Roquan and Reuben Foster.
My point was only that I’m not as worried as others seem to be about the loss. That doesn’t mean I don’t think Roquan was great. I was at the Rose Bowl and watched him destroy OU in the second half too. He is an all-time great for a reason. As for whether I know about assignments, I know as much as you or the broadcast team does, since none of us are calling plays. But there were several times over the course of the year where it was shown on the broadcast that he missed the assignment and his speed made the difference in making the play. Feel free to go back and watch the broadcasts to confirm.
I can respect that, but I would have to go back and see what you are talking about. But no matter how good you are, you will get beat from time to time. As far as Roquan goes, he was always around the ball…you do not always see that. One of the reasons he got drafted in the 1st.
The dude had the desire, he had the attitude and he had the DOG in him….and as I posted earlier, he was also a leader.
He will be missed, I’ve probably on seen 2 or 3 like him in the past 20 or so years (college or pro) …but I like you, hopes somebody steps up. Again, I respect your opinion & hope your right.
McBride supposedly has great speed, 2nd year guy but I guess would be a newbie to seeing the field much other than ST
I love Roquan, and support his holdout, and we’ve know for years that he was fast (he was one of the few that could cover a receiver out of the backfield effectively), but all that said, the D last year was designed to showcase his talents. They could do that (basically cut him loose to make a read) because the talent around him was good enough and willing to play assignment football. I am not watching practices, but I suspect we have folks that are fast enough, and quick enough that we could showcase another LB this year with all the other talent we have in support. Maybe Rice. Maybe not even a LB, maybe LeCounte. I’m going to let Kirby and Mell work it out, but I don’t think the question is can we replace RS; I think it is more who replaces him and is the support going to be there. I’m optimistic. 🙂
Solid take,
Well according to the two talking heads on SEC Now last night we aren’t even in the Top 5 on DL…
Good. I like it when we’re under the radar.
TMC DAWG
The defense will take care of itself. IMO Tyler Clark is the most underrated d lineman in the sec. we will be suprised with the play of the linebackers. And in the secondary we have 3 guys that should be all sec. Baker, Reed and LeCounte
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4041
|
__label__wiki
| 0.546552
| 0.546552
|
bme pr pros
Pros We Love
Friends We Love
The Mentoring Scheme
BME PR Pros/PRWeek Mentoring Scheme 2020 – FAQs
The Blueprint – Meet the Advisory Board
Home Pros We Love
Pros We Love: Sarah Whyte, Communications Account Manager, Brent Council
by Elizabeth Bananuka
Sarah Whyte is an account manager at Brent Council. She leads on the communications for public health, children and young people, and adult social care as well as being the editor of the council publication The Brent Magazine.
After a year at an agency after graduation, Sarah realised she preferred being embedded in an organisation and made the move in-house. Sarah spent four years working for the NHS encouraging people to donate blood, organs and stem cells, a cause she is still passionate about. A few more public sector comms roles followed before Sarah settled at Brent.
Sarah is trying to break down stereotypes about what black women don’t do and you can find her waxing lyrical about snowboarding, surfing and riding a motorbike – three of her hobbies where black woman are hugely under-represented in the UK.
Describe your background/yourself in 5 words max?
Jamaican heritage, North West Londoner
How did you get into PR/comms/creative?
I knew I wanted to get into PR from an early age. I loved reading magazines and writing but also wanted the creativity that advertising was known for. I thought PR would offer a nice mix of that so that’s what I studied at Uni.
What do you love about your job?
I love working on behaviour change campaigns and helping to change people’s views and habits.
Working in the public sector, a lot of the work I do has a direct impact on the way people live, work and play. I enjoy promoting initiatives that make people’s lives easier, provide them with opportunities or help them in the future. I also love working on targeted campaigns for specific communities, especially those that are underrepresented and often unheard.
What are you most proud of?
Getting back on the saddle! I passed my motorbike test 18 months ago and I had an accident on my first ride on my bike which resulted in a broken foot. Although I’m still a nervous rider, I’m glad that I got back on my bike as soon as I could and didn’t let fear overwhelm me. I’ve had some amazing times on my bike this year and I can’t wait to get out on it even more.
What’s been the hardest lesson to learn?
Not every win will be a big win. Sometimes you work really hard on a project and the result is not what you hoped it would be. But I’m learning to embrace the small wins as well as the big ones.
Who are your favourite people in PR and why?
She’s not in PR (she is a social media manager) but my friend and ex-colleague Melissa Thermidor is continuously doing amazing work promoting blood and organ donation within the black community.
At the start of her time with the NHS, she would rock the boat a bit and would often ask for forgiveness rather than permission. This helped change the way the organisation interacted with its fans on social media and she has helped grow channels immensely in the years she has been there. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Melissa’s work has made 100s of people become blood donors and join the organ donor register, which is an amazing achievement.
I’m also really in awe of all the work the ladies from Vamp have done in the past few years. The work they did to promote the Black Panther film in the UK was amazing and I’m not sure if black journalists from publications like Black Ballad would have had the opportunities they had to cover the film and interview the cast if Vamp weren’t so heavily involved in the promotion.
What skill do you think every PR/comms/creative has to nail?
I think being a good writer is key to working in PR. You need to be able to tailor your message to the right people and adapt it to use on the right platforms. Having a thick skin also helps.
What is your favourite social network and why?
Twitter! I love it. It inspires me, makes me laugh, makes me cry, connects me to people all over the world, provides me with news, endless memes and has given me opportunities as well. I spend more time than I am willing to admit on it.
Who is your favourite journalist and why?
I’m a Black Ballad founding member because I really believe in supporting black women and I think Tobi Oredein is an excellent journalist. Tobi has seen a gap in the market and has filled it by providing black women with a place to read about issues that relate to them while also paying black women for their words so that they feel valued.
Tobi’s editors letters are amazing and always resonate with me, which is why diversity in the industry is so important. Before the work of Black Ballad, gal-dem and Media Diversified I would often feel like the lived experiences of black women were hardly spoken about and often brushed aside. Now mainstream publications such as Stylist are catering to BAME voices more and it’s great to see.
I also really appreciate all the work Amelia Gentleman has done reporting on the Windrush scandal.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Introduce yourself to everyone and ensure that senior managers know who you are. Even if you are at the beginning of your career, having people know you and what projects you’ve worked on can often be the difference between you and a similarly experienced colleague getting a promotion. Visibility is key.
Best campaign of 2019 so far?
I really liked WWFs #10YearChallenge. Jumping on something which is trending on social media doesn’t always work but I think the stark contrasts between the before and after pictures made a really powerful statement.
Finally, on the D’ word… What can the sector do to encourage diversity?
Champion diverse voices at all times instead of having them be an afterthought. Don’t just think about diversity when trying to target diverse audiences, include them at all time so it becomes the norm. I’d like to see more black PR people on panels, in top 10 lists, providing commentary.
Don’t only include black people when talking about “black” issues. Although there are times when I think black people should definitely be included. After “Jerk Rice” gate, none of the people featured in a PR Week article about the issue were black. I thought one of the responses was actually quite patronising and it made me think about whether I would be happy to work for a company where an issue like this was dismissed so quickly. Companies need to show that they treat black people with respect and don’t dismiss their lived experiences as rubbish or nonsense. No one wants to be fighting micro aggressions at work every day.
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Sarah is a mentee on the BME PR Pros/PRWeek Mentoring Scheme. She will be mentored by Addy Frederick, Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Bupa.
Pros We Love: Emily Wong, Senior Account Manager, Nelson Bostock
Pros We Love: Cherise Silavant, PR Assistant, Thomas Sabo
Elizabeth Bananuka
Friends We Love (15)
Mentors (18)
Pros We Love (61)
Pros We Love: Maria Adediran, Senior Account Manager, Wimbart
Pros We Love: Matt Brown, Director of News & External Relations, Transport for London
Pros We Love: Jermaine Dallas, Senior Copywriter, Edelman
Copyright © bme pr pros 2020
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4042
|
__label__cc
| 0.571233
| 0.428767
|
Pokemon delta emerald rom hack cheats. What is the cheat code for a rare candy in Pokémon Emerald?
Pokemon delta emerald rom hack cheats Rating: 8,7/10 682 reviews
Berita: Pokemon Emerald VBA Gameshark Codes (Complete)
You can play the game on mulator, just make sure to download a best emulator. So you can try the Levels of the game which are the essential part of the game to make the game to the next level. The Story of Pokemon Omicron Game rom hacks is totally different and some new levels are also added as the time goes on. Now you will experience that the Gyms are also included and made more advanced than ever. First, you have to dive in the water deeper to find things quicker. For Android users, the cheat perfectly works for and. You can play the game on your Android Devices as well.
Pokemon Emerald Master Ball Cheat via GameShark Code
As all of us knows that once you arrive at Four Island with the Ferry you have in hand. For playing the game on Android you need to install the Emulator, similarly, while playing the game on windows you also need a perfect emulator. You are going to experience a totally new game in the market because this one has the storyline that will amaze you and will be eager to play the game to the end. Some cheats are for the purpose of hiding from your enemies while some can be used for destructive purposes also. Master Ball Cheat Code The fastest and easiest way to obtain master ball is through cheating with GameShark codes. Always remember this essential rule before you start with other codes for cheating.
In this way, you will be able to finally get all of your Pokemon to level 100 in no time! You have to receive the Rainbow Passes in the game with the exchange of Tri-Pass. We all know that rare candy is known to be one of the best items that we can ever have in Pokemon because it simply gives one level to our beloved Pokemon for them to become more useful in battle. While you are there in the area. Give them the Tri-Pass that you have in the Pokedex and they will give you the Rainbow Pass. I have successfully tested the master ball cheat code for Emerald U V1.
Pokemon Omicron ROM Free Download Working [Updated 2018]
Some new amazing halls are also added which increases the gameplay more complex and enjoyment-full. Gary will first come to talk to you. Master ball location In Pokemon Emerald, you can find master ball In , located east of Lilycove. Rare candy - 82005274 0044 But, here, unlike in fire red and leaf green, you don't take it out from the computer. Some new challenges can be given by your enemies as well by your masters and guides. As the developers have introduced some realistic features that can be seen in the environment.
What is the cheat code for a rare candy in Pokémon Emerald?
Take note that this is only for rare candy cheats, and if you want to get more items and even catch many types of rare Pokemon, then all you need is to check out cheats for your GameBoy Advance emulator for you to start winning inevitably —. There are about 70+ hours which will be some entertaining hours for you. One of the classics I use to play. Some new Tiles are also present in the game which makes it more attractive and enjoyable to play. We all know that rare candy is known to be one of the best items that we can ever have in Pokemon because it simply gives one level to our beloved Pokemon for them to become more useful in battle. The Missions which are included in this game have a different storyline this time.
The Battle System is present and updates are also there to experience the new features. You will be enjoying the new battle System of the game as there are new poke balls which can be used wisely while completing the battles like. For completing the tasks and missions you will be given some time limit and even you will need the internet connectivity as well while completing the missions assigned to you. Below are some of the amazing features and changes made in the latest version of Pokemon Zeta omicron rom hack. However, the cheat may not work for V1. There is some mega evolution In the game from the previous games.
Pokemon Leaf Green ROM Free Full Version [100% Working Link]
Professor will assign you the first mission to complete. There will be some missions in the garden as well like you have to find some new pokemons in order to compete with your enemies and complete the tasks assigned to you. A lot of Puzzles and trick houses are also present in the game. So be ready for new challenges and missions to go ahead and complete the game. Once you start the game, you are playing the role of Starter Pokemon and have a lot of areas to discover and catch the pokemons. There are some new teams which are ready for a fight with you. Now one of the amazing things is that the gameplay of the game is made more complex in time as well In completing missions.
Your role of playing the game will be different this time. You may take help from your Pokedex by selecting different Pokemon Characters as well from the Pokemon database as well. . So according to analysis, there are about 13 Gyms installed in the cities which are located all over the places in the game which can be experienced. Rainbow is a type of pass that your opponent character posses.
Now its is fully fixed, now play the game without any lagging. You can also apply the cheats while playing the game. After that, you can use them wisely as they are quite useful in this sense. Alternatively, you can get it in the Lilycove department store lottery corner. Want to have your own Master ball in your Pokemon Emerald game? Remember that you have to use some cheats and tricks that can lead a battle to a Win-Win Situation. Now some new characters can be used for playing the different roles in the battles. Some new characters and tales are added into the storyline of the Omicron Pokemon Hack.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4049
|
__label__wiki
| 0.799495
| 0.799495
|
Home / Job Opportunities / Academic Opportunities at Carleton University
Academic Opportunities at Carleton University
Carleton University is recognized for excellence in research and scholarship, and seeks to recruit top-notch faculty to advance this reputation.
The University offers an intellectual and collaborative community of scholars, a strong infrastructure of support for applied and theoretical research, as well as an inclusive and collegial culture that values both individual expertise and personal aspirations.
Academic opportunities at Carleton include faculty/library positions, contract instructors, researchers, and honorary ranks. View the complete list of academic positions at Carleton and the application procedure on the Faculty Affairs website.
Carleton University is strongly committed to fostering diversity within its community as a source of excellence, cultural enrichment, and social strength. We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our University including, but not limited to: women; visible minorities; First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; persons with disabilities; and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expressions.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Explore academic opportunities now
Short URL: https://carleton.ca/hr/?p=20
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4054
|
__label__wiki
| 0.564856
| 0.564856
|
The Western New York Tea Party: Rebuked
Western New York’s Tea Party is as horrible electorally as it is with respect to policy. They lost yesterday, and they lost big.
Carl and the Conservative Fusion Party
This tea party crowd, which accuses everyone who doesn’t think like they of being “sheeple”, circulated a list of Conservative Fusion Party candidates for whom to vote, without explanation or argument. Just a straight “C” ticket. There is no thought there, just blind following and demands of ideological purity. Politics is, at its heart, a game of compromise. When you foreclose that possibility, you’re bad for America, and you’re going to lose, sooner or later.
Astorino’s WBEN-Mentum
Local delusional hate radio, which was so deep in the tank for Astorino that it became self-parody, spent all afternoon yesterday using callers to its own radio shows as a representative sample of the electorate. It claimed that Cuomo suffered from an enthusiasm gap, and predicted a wild and unexpected win for its chosen candidate. Last week, during what’s supposed to be the straight morning news program, Astorino’s daily schedule was a news item. Cuomo’s schedule was not given equal time.
WBEN is not “NewsTalk” or “News Radio” or, God help us, the “Voice of Buffalo”. It is a right-wing talk radio station; Limbaugh & his clones, all day. It’s not even the official organ – the Komsomolskaya Pravda – of the Republican Party anymore, having firmly aligned itself with Lorigo’s Conservative Fusion Party and the tea party. Everything that this crew falsely accuses the Buffalo News of being, it is.
Not only did Cuomo win with ease, Erie County went for Andrew Cuomo for the first time. It was never even close, and people should think about where they get their information.
Str8t Talk About Weppner
For a year that brought about a nationwide Republican wave, Brian Higgins did quite well, thankyouverymuch. Higgins will return to Congress with yet another mandate – 69% versus 31% for the tea party.
In a what, now?
Kathy Weppner lost, and so far none of her (or her shills’) social media accounts contain anything except venom, vitriol, and victimhood. Don’t be surprised – this is a woman so self-absorbed and obsessed with portraying herself as a victim, she couldn’t even muster a “thank you”, instead denigrating and insulting the students who asked her relevant questions at the St. Joe’s debate.
The loss left her somewhat speechless,
Some tea partiers thought that hers was a “brilliant” campaign. I guess, insofar as it was the most popular WNY comedy act in recent memory. But she only just outperformed the last two tea party activists who ran against Higgins, and she ran a campaign based on resentments and urban legends.
Weppner is the very embodiment of the low-information talk-radio caller / Buffalo News commenter who regurgitates Twitchy and Fox News talking points. Her wealth and shamelessness enabled her to mount what was, in the end, a nasty and whiny vanity campaign. Maybe at least she can now return all of her radio and blog archives back online for everyone to read.
Panepinto & The Law of Unintended Consequences
Did you need more evidence of how – despite their deep gun fetish – the tea party can’t shoot straight?
It rejected Republican Mark Grisanti and instead backed Kevin Stocker. Stocker rejected the tea party – its titular head Rus Thompson especially. So, the tea party’s own candidate rejected them, they had burned all their bridges with the establishment’s Grisanti, and all of this led to a Panepinto win and a Democratic pickup in the state Senate.
Great job, guys! Congratulations, Marc Panepinto!
Republican Pickup in Cheektowaga
Paladinocrats Lose
You don’t go from being a Paladino stooge one day to being a Democrat the next. Johnny Destino was a homophobic Paladino stooge a couple of years ago, and ran this year as an endorsed Democrat. The voters rejected him.
In NY-27, Jim O’Donnell was MIA. He complained that he couldn’t raise money, but that didn’t stop others from doing it for him, but he refused. What really irked me was that he was rude or dismissive to people who offered to help him out. He was prone to outbursts of anger, and simply didn’t bother to do even the free, little things that could have earned him some free media – or at least a Facebook share.
We also learned on Sunday that O’Donnell was an aide for the 2010 Paladino campaign. If you’re going to strike out in politics, and you scan all the races available to help out, and you land on the homophobic promoter of racism and pornography, don’t come asking Democrats for support without disclosure and vocal rejection. I wrote my own name in for NY-27, but perhaps for the first – likely last – time, I wished Team Collins good luck. At least Collins is honest and consistent about where his loyalties lie.
Anyhow, thanks for reading.
Tags: Buffalo, Conservative, Conservative Fusion Party, Conservative Party, media, tea party, WBEN
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4059
|
__label__wiki
| 0.704298
| 0.704298
|
Canada's Building Trades Unions
About CBTU
Canadian Executive Board
Provincial Councils
President and Secretary Treasurer
Governing Board of Presidents
Build Together – Workforce Development
Types of Construction
Government Affairs and Public Policy
MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT UNIONS
Trades Information
Union Locals
Helmets To Hardhats
Training and Initiatives
Build Together Partners with LeanIn.Org
Women continue to make up less than five per cent of the construction workforce.
Build Together: Women of the Building Trades has made significant strides over the years to develop resources and materials that address real issues women face in the construction sector, including the establishment of provincial Build Together Chapters. Utilizing this established network, Build Together, along with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), have launched Lean In Circles for Union Tradeswomen a new partnership with www.leanin.org to connect tradeswomen, help them learn new skills to navigate bias and advocates for themselves, for a piloted six-month program across Canada and in St. Louis, MO.
“More needs to be done to address the growing skilled trades shortage in Canada, and this includes implementing best practices around innovation and resources that are aimed at helping underrepresented groups obtain successful careers in our industry,” said Arlene Dunn, Director, Canada’s Building Trades Unions. “We are hopeful this unique partnership with LeanIn.Org and the opportunity to pilot it across Canada with our provincial Build Together Chapters will produce tangible outcomes that will help us achieve that goal”.
Today, the formal announcement of the partnership took place in St. Louis, MO, where the pilot program will also engage local tradeswomen there. Simultaneously, the pilot will run in existing Build Together Chapters across Canada including in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.
“We believe something special happens when women come together to support each other, especially in the workplace,” said Rachel Thomas co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.Org. “Our research shows how challenging it is to be the only woman on a team, much less on a job site. We hope Lean In Circles for Union Tradeswomen become a place where women encourage each other, get and advice, and build solidarity.”
LeanIn.Org, an initiative of the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, has been an important voice in raising awareness of bias and advancing women in workplaces through rigorous and thoughtful research and encouraging companies to take action. Now, LeanIn.Org is expanding to support women who work in the trades. The foundation worked with a diverse group of subject matter experts, NABTU leaders, and women in the building trades to develop content that is specifically designed for women in the trades. The content is built by tradeswomen for tradeswomen.
“This pilot will formalize what we have been doing informally for so long through Build Together: mentoring, supporting, providing advice,” said Lindsay Amundsen, Director, Workforce Development, Canada’s Building Trades Unions. “Our Build Together Chapters across the country will have the opportunity to utilize this research-based curriculum and provide feedback to enhance and make any necessary changes to ensure this program works for the tradeswomen and apprentices it was intended for.”
Over the next six months, Build Together Chapter members who have already undergone facilitator training, will deliver training modules to the other Chapter members and women of the building trades and provide ongoing feedback to the LeanIn.Org team to make changes, as necessary to increase the effectiveness of the program and evaluate its potential. To learn more about the partnership and get involved, contact: lamundsen@buildingtrades.ca.
CBTU Calls on Federal Government to Approve Teck’s Frontier Oil Sands Project
Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) has sent a formal request to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, encouraging the approval of Teck Resources Ltd. Frontier Project…
CBTU Letter to Minister Qualtrough on EI Reform
Recently, with a number of partners, Canada’s Building Trades Unions participated in a forum on Employment Insurance and as a result of the discussions that took place, sent a letter to…
Build Together - Workforce Development
Canadian Plan
© Canada’s Building Trades Unions72 Chamberlain AvenueOttawa ON K1S 1V9
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4060
|
__label__cc
| 0.686891
| 0.313109
|
Fmr Delegate for Youth thanked for Christian witness
Bishop calls for pledges to ‘I Care’ project
Strategic Intentions – Big Picture 2019
Published by CN Admin at February 2, 2019
pastoral plan
We move to the implementation phase of the Pastoral Planning process for 2019. Consistent with feedback received as we execute, the emphasis this year is on two of the six priority areas— Catholic education and parish.
Mindful that youth and family have been elevated to capstone elements, our big pastoral challenge will focus on embracing and nurturing our millennials+ generation (YZA) in a way to form Missionary Disciples. (See table below for definition of Generations):
This is vital if we are to bridge the present Church with the future Church. The overarching strategy, then, is to find creative and innovative ways to engage the Millennials in partnership (as a bridge) to reach and form Generations Z & A into missionary disciples. It will be achieved through the transformation of the Catholic school and parish while at the same time changing how we practise leadership in the Church and society, a necessity to achieve all our aspirations.
Catholic Education—the strategic intention
The draft Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan intention for Catholic education:
Our Catholic schools are led by principals and teachers who are missionary disciples, steeped in the philosophy of Catholic education who work with parents/guardians to ensure each child achieves his/her full potential as children of God and citizens of Trinidad and Tobago and the world community through excellence in faith, academic, physical, emotional and character formation within excellent facilities.
According to His Grace, “I am very conscious that Catholic education is a major initiative of this second year 2019. Aligning Catholic education with our aspiration will be an immense benefit to the Church and the nation.”
It is in our schools (primary and secondary) that we have Gen Z and A. We need to stimulate the religious imagination of these two generations in our schools so that missionary discipleship becomes integral to their aspirations and desires. This will have the deepest positive impact on each family, the school, and ultimately, the nation.
We have begun a number of initiatives in 2018 that have brought us closer to this aspiration. During 2019, we intend to accelerate these and other initiatives to transform the academic character of the Catholic primary school—the quality assurance programme from CEBM, defining the framework for Catholic Education, strengthening CREDI for transforming our schools, implementing the transformation program for Catholic education, formation of our teachers and principals to become missionary disciples, to name a few.
Again, listening to the feedback, we have included a new component—creating the vocation of the catechist, calling forth people to commit to this vocation and forming them with the capacity to form staff and students to become missionary disciples.
These will be a mixture of retired teachers and young people who will work as a team for ongoing formation in our parishes and schools. They will be a major engine for transforming the Catholic school towards the aspiration.
The Catholic Parish—the strategic intention
Our aspiration for the Catholic parish:
Our parishes are Christ-centred communities that continually form missionary disciples, especially among the youth, spaces of collaboration and co-responsibility, welcome and hospitality where all are initiated into the sacred mysteries and where by encountering Jesus Christ, our parishioners will be friends and defenders of the poor.
The major pastoral initiative this year, 2019, is to renew the Sunday experience by focusing on the three (3) Hs—Hymns, Homilies and Hospitality. The Sunday liturgy is where we meet all our active parishioners.
If we engage them better and feed them well at the table of the Word and Eucharist in a liturgy that engages all their senses, we may lead them to full active and conscious participation in liturgy and life. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. We need, in every parish, to find the way to achieve this end.
Here millennials need to be integral to the leadership process. If they are to be the bridge then we need to form partnerships with this generation, to hear and understand their needs and aspirations, especially, surrounding the Sunday experience and ongoing faith formation. We need to structure conversations with this generation as an integral part of our strategic direction.
This focus will allow the parish to slow down a bit and reflect more deeply on the overall pastoral plan. During this year, we will also work with the priests on leadership in the parish community and on building structures and activities that are necessary for the long-term transformation of the parish.
We propose that each parish have a Ministry Animation Team and that this team has 8–12 members (some of whom will be alternates) with at least two millennials on the team. This is important so that as we begin the long road of parish renewal, we consciously engage this generation.
Liturgy School & Communication School will be a major initiative. We will encourage each parish to send a few people to each of these schools and to have a specific way of them contributing to the parish upon their return. This will contribute to the overall formation of people and parishes.
We encourage parishes to use the above as a guide to begin conversations and planning around the three Hs engaging ministry leaders and a wide cross section of parishioners about how we can revitalise/renew our parishes around ‘Hospitality’, ‘Hymns’ and ‘Homilies’, designing and implementing innovative and creative actions to reach the majority of Catholics in the pews, especially the millennials, with awesome Sunday experiences and a deep sense of belonging.
Ultimately, we want vibrant parishes and active parishioners formed as Missionary Disciples walking the road in evangelising our lapsed Catholic sisters and brothers.
The Mass was held outdoors with a stage mounted on the school’s carpark with seating in the quadrangle for invited guests, religious, parents, former students and current students representing the various forms.
Fatima College turns 75
Cropped shot of pews in an empty church
Recommended ritual for all Masses
The ritual for the celebration of the Word of God
Word of God Sunday
Our baptism is a ‘bligh’
It’s still illegal for children to smoke marijuana
Tweets by @CatholicNewsTT
Do you believe that the season of Advent is over shadowed by Christmas preparation?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4066
|
__label__cc
| 0.688346
| 0.311654
|
—Sameer Padania
Fact-checking, transparency in news and journalism online
Human rights, video, privacy, technology
Online and documentary film
Schools and education resources
Tag Archives: david bowie
You’ve seen the Bowie one. Here’s Helen Green’s mesmerising Warhol time-lapse. I’d love to see her do a Peter Gabriel illustration.
Consultant on innovation in human rights, journalism and philanthropy.
Fascinating snippets (mid-1970s, I think) for anyone engaged in, thinking about or critiquing #philanthropy twitter.com/philliteracy/s… 27 minutes ago
Cc @roselonghurst twitter.com/philliteracy/s… 29 minutes ago
The challenges of funding #innovation - “community archaeology...” twitter.com/philliteracy/s… 30 minutes ago
Follow @sdp
Pinboard links
Chris Michael
Lina Srivastava
Rachel Abrams
Richard Geefe
Siobhan Warrington
Solana Larsen
Me elsewhere
Regular reads
The Broker
Ubu.com
Visual media / human rights
ESoDoc
The Netizen Report
WITNESS Blog
Yale Visual Law Project
"The idea of the inclusive society as a policy instrument is based on equality of opportunities and..." 22/05/2019
"15 years is an eternity in the digital age. YouTube, Twitter, CreativeApplications.Net..." 08/05/2019
Germany’s Federal Cartel Office takes on Facebook 02/05/2019
Categories Select Category Activism (14) africa (3) Caribbean (1) cellphone (8) Central Asia & Caucasus (1) children (1) citizen journalism (5) Clippings (219) Cyber-Activism (10) Dalits (1) Death Penalty (1) del.icio.us links (130) East Asia (3) Elections (1) Events (34) film (1) Film writing (16) Freedom of Speech (11) Governance (12) GV (14) health (1) Human rights (119) humanitarian (1) internet (13) Journalism (97) Latin America (2) law (13) lgbt (1) Links (198) Media (44) Middle East & North Africa (3) military (5) Militia (1) mobile (5) News (219) North America (2) online video (15) Personal (9) police (9) Policy, Law & Regulation (225) politics (9) Presentations (3) Prisons (2) protest (9) Publications (3) REGION (3) religion (2) Research & Evidence (4) Resources (4) sexuality (2) Software & Tools (2) south asia (2) south east asia (1) Technology (73) Trafficking (1) Trivia (1) Uncategorized (4) unions (3) Video (68) violence (5) War & Conflict (4) WITNESS (15) women (5) Work (1,267)
africa censorship china del.icio.us del.icio.us links ethics europe freedom of expression Hub Blog Human rights india internet journalism law media media ownership media policy mediapolicy.tumblr.com news politics privacy Regulation research social media surveillance Technology UK usa Video WITNESS
Archives Select Month November 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 July 2005 December 2002
View my profile on
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4072
|
__label__wiki
| 0.551908
| 0.551908
|
Crews & Hoods
Brandon Westgate Interview
Posted on August 2, 2019 11:50 am
Portrait courtesy of New Balance Numeric.
In his early days of sponsorship, Brandon Westgate assisted his dad with handyman jobs around their neighbourhood in Wareham, Massachusetts so he could earn enough money to travel into New York and skate with the 5Boro crew. It’s hard to think this aspect of his life hasn’t contributed to his enduring work ethic.
On top of this working class background, Brandon had the fortune of 5Boro owner Steve Rodriguez guiding him at an early age. After making the move to Zoo York early into his career, he became friends with Donny Barley; a constant influence whether as teammates or through the common ground of fatherhood in recent years. Whilst we’re on this subject, a final credit is owed to Jon Miner whose Machiavellian approach to filming (more on that later) has cultivated the displays of shocking pop, commanding yet loose lines and pristine flick which Brandon bestowed onto audiences for the past decade.
The juxtaposition of an unassuming personality against his domineering force only amplifies the awe of Brandon’s actions on a skateboard and, with zero regard for trends, his impact on post-2000s skateboarding (especially the ‘East Coast powerhouse’ genre) is undeniable.
Now, as a married 30 year-old and father of two, with an already prolific career, Brandon would be within his right to start taking things easy if he wished. However, he wholeheartedly embraces the value of graft and continues to pay his dues to skateboarding with interest even though they’re long settled.
Besides, there’s no slowing down when it takes Heath Kirchart dragging you in on a motorcycle to try your tricks…
I’ve always thought that if skateboarding falls apart I can just get a job. 90% of the people out there just have a regular job to support their family and that’s how I was raised.
Brandon handles a far from perfect run up and powers into an awkward kickflip before speeding off to put the kids to bed. photo: Jake Darwen
Hey Brandon. Congratulations on having on your second kid, is it a boy or a girl?
Oh, thank you! It’s a girl so I’ve got two girls now.
What can you remember about your career before becoming a dad the first time around? As things at Zoo York were hectic behind the scenes, for a while prior to you leaving, did moving to Element bring a newfound sense of stability which contributed to you and your wife’s decision to start a family?
I want to say I was 27; we had a house, we’d been together for eight years and we were already married. I don’t know if there was any thought of if it was a good time – we were just ready anyway.
It took a while to have our first kid. We were trying for eight or nine months. It got to the point where we gave up, because I didn’t think it was going happen, then once we gave up it just happened a couple of weeks after that, [laughs].
I don’t know if it was really a financial thing when we decided to have a kid. I’ve always thought that if skateboarding falls apart I can just get a job. 90% of the people out there just have a regular job to support their family and that’s how I was raised. So, it wasn’t a financial decision for us, I feel we were just old enough and at the right time to do this. If skating fell through tomorrow I’d have to get a job anyway. Get the nine-to-five. I’m not afraid to work, I guess.
This is a pretty broad question but how does becoming a dad change your perspective on life?
It was hard for me at first as I was used to being able to go skating or work on a project at home. But your kid comes first so it was easier as I accepted that that’s how it is. With our second daughter it was way easier because you’re already in the right mindset. Watching both of them grow and seeing how innocent and happy they are really does melt your heart. It’s a great thing to see and it’s definitely why we wanted to have another kid as well. You get past the baby stage – it goes so fast – you forget about it and then the next thing you know you’re right back in it, [laughs].
Due to the responsibilities of being a parent are you more cautious of injuring yourself and does that affect the way you skate?
I try to not think about that because it’s inevitable. If I get hurt then I get hurt and there’s nothing I can do. It doesn’t do any good to worry because, if I was that worried, I might as well quit skating. I try not to get too crazy [about injuries] because then you start spiralling.
You’ve talked about your mum being hesitant about you going on trips as a kid as you would be surrounded by adults. Now, as a parent yourself, do you have a better perspective of where she was coming from?
Yeah, definitely. But being able to do that, being surrounded by older people – I was also surrounded by a lot of good people who were looking after me. My mom knew a lot of them too like Steve Rodriguez. He really looked after me and she was close with him. If there was someone like him, who I trusted, I would definitely be happy for them to take that route. Seeing different places and experiencing life on a way grander scale, than staying in a small town, is really beneficial. You can’t control someone else’s choices so hopefully I can raise them well enough to have a good head on their shoulders.
Seeing different places and experiencing life on a way grander scale, than staying in a small town, is really beneficial. You can’t control someone else’s choices so hopefully I can raise them well enough to have a good head on their shoulders.
Is ‘Bring Your Parent to School Day’ still a thing in America? How do you feel about the prospect of showing up to one of your kid’s classes in a few years and introducing yourself as a professional skateboarder?
[Laughing], I don’t know if that’s still a thing but I would definitely do that. I’m down to share what I do and get the kids stoked. I think that would be great anyway because it’s a future generation of possible skateboarders you could inspire. The more the merrier. It’s a great ‘sport’ and I like that skateboarding is independent but also has team vibes. You’ve got your crew but, when you’re on your board, you have your own thoughts, style and trick selection.
How do other parents, who you and your wife are friends with, react when you tell them what your job is?
I guess the people we surround ourselves with just know about it so it’s the norm. It’s not like we’ve gained more friends, because of the kids, as newer parents.
For anybody living in my general area, I think they’re confused and don’t understand it. I usually tell them to just Google my name and then they seem impressed. Seeing all the videos gives them a better understanding of what I actually do rather than trying to explain it, [laughs].
Since I’ve gotten into farming, I’ve met a lot of older famers who have no fucking clue [about skateboarding] but I’ll tell them to Google my name and they get hyped, [laughs].
Since I’ve got into farming, I’ve met a lot of older famers who have no fucking clue but I’ll tell them to Google my name and they get hyped
Despite occasionally telling people to Google him, Westgate is too humble to bask in the grandeur of his accomplishments in skateboarding. As a result, he dedicated this 360 flip to Old Glory (who you can see cheering him on in the background). Personal satisfaction never came into the equation. photo: Jake Darwen
Did you grow up in a pretty blue collar environment?
Yeah, for sure. Both of my parents had full time jobs and my dad has always worked. He’s even had side projects landscaping or fixing houses after hours. They’re both hard workers. When I was younger I had to mow a certain amount of lawns to get a skateboard. My dad had a little thing going on in our neighbourhood so I would get out of school and go push the mower around with a couple of buckets and a weed whacker. After I did so many he would buy me a skateboard. I guess that’s where I learned if you put in a certain amount of time you’ll be rewarded in some way.
Then you got sponsored and the lawns in your neighbourhood ended up overgrown.
[Laughs], yeah. No, my dad would do them too. Then I needed money to take the bus into to New York to meet up with the 5Boro guys so I had to continue cutting lawns to be able to afford a bus ticket.
Has inheriting that work ethic from your parents influenced the way you’ve approached being a sponsored skateboarder?
Yeah, it’s definitely a job even though it’s something I love. I work for companies who expect a certain quality, or amount of effort, in return.
With that in mind, have you found it difficult to relate with, or frustrating to be around, people who have never really known any responsibility outside of skating for a living?
That makes sense but I never really think about skating in that way because even though some skaters don’t do anything, other than skate, it’s still hard work. It’s a lot more mental than some of the other work out there. Plus you’re slamming due to the physical aspect so it takes a certain type of person to skateboard [for a living]. I think it takes a work ethic. Maybe people don’t apply it to other things in their life but I feel everyone who is a sponsored skateboarder works hard.
Westgate’s blue collar upbringing provided an affinity with the colour scheme of this bump to bar. Let those kickflip shapes soak in for a bit. photo: Jake Darwen
Donny Barley’s influence is really apparent in your skating. Has he been somewhat of a mentor, or ‘other dad’, to you over the years?
For sure. I was with Donny the weekend before last. He lives about an hour away and I was chatting it up with him, getting advice and whatnot. He’s definitely been a role model and idol to me.
He helped out with getting me on a few companies, like Zoo, and a long time ago I rode for Volcom which I think was down to him putting in a little word for me. He’s been looking out for me even more than I know, on the backseat, which I appreciate. I love Donny.
The thing that really sticks out is watching Donny skate. He’s in his mid-40s and – like I said – I was with him a few weekends ago and he was ripping. I like seeing that because a lot of people, especially in this area, think I’m going to be beat to shit when I’m 40 years old but Donny Barley still looks beautiful on a skateboard and he’s like 45. I really look up to the fact he’s still out there ripping, at his age, and he’s got a job and three kids.
A lot of people, especially in this area, think I’m going to be beat to shit when I’m 40 years old but Donny Barley still looks beautiful on a skateboard and he’s like 45. I really look up to the fact he’s still out there ripping, at his age, and he’s got a job and three kids.
You’ve also had Jon Miner pointing a camera at you for the majority of your career, spanning from your Emerica days until more recently. A few years ago, I interviewed Spanky, around the release of MADE Chapter 2, and he said through filming with Miner that “his standards became my standards.” How do you feel about that statement in regards to your own relationship with Jon? I get the impression he’s kind of a hard-ass but in a way which brings the best out of people by making them take things seriously.
Absolutely, I’ve been working with Miner for so long. I know when he’s happy with it then it’s good, you know? I always knew the effort I was putting in was worth it – I would never have to do a trick again because he blew it. He’s always had a really strong vision so I listen to him. Once in a while, I’d argue here and there, but I feel he has a good standard so I’ve tried to make it my standard as well.
He’s definitely is a little harder than most but I think it’s a good aspect [of his personality] because the end result is well worth it. If a project turned out half-assed I would think, “Yeah, Miner is crazy,” but I’ve always looked up to what he did and been inspired by it. I like to work with someone who also has a work ethic to make it feel like you’re accomplishing something.
As Miner made the move from Emerica to Element to work on PEACE [2018], this is probably a good place to bring up you parting ways with Emerica for New Balance Numeric. It was refreshing to see how amicably it wrapped up between you and Emerica especially considering certain sponsor changes over the past few years. How do you feel the Emerica guys shaped you as person?
I got to ride for one of the best shoe companies and hang out with some of the best dudes like Leo [Romero] and Andrew [Reynolds]. When you’re skating with guys on that level you have to step it up. You can’t fuck around. Miner too – he had a lot to do with that. There were a lot of good times. I rode for them for 12 years and when I parted ways everything was understandable. I was cool with them and I waited until my contract was up and I talked a lot about it with them.
You’ve had a recurring running shoe influence throughout your signature shoes. Obviously, New Balance originate from running so was there anything eye-opening which occurred to you during the development of your NB Numeric shoe?
The amount of technology they have is insane. When I went in they had 3D printers and endless materials but we used TPU, which is a plasticky type of rubber, as part of the lace stay. I wanted a shoe that didn’t bag out so the designer, Jeff, came up with the idea of using the TPU because it doesn’t really stretch and should hold its form a lot better. I think it worked out, the shoe feels great on your foot and doesn’t feel soggy after a few sessions.
Brandon braves the bricks for a brisk frontside flip and is rewarded with burnt out legs and a bad back. Pass the Tiger Balm… photo: Jake Darwen
In your Bog Town part [2018], you kind of reinvented the wheel with how to skate bank-to-bank spots part by taking a couple as step-up gaps. Those steep red brick banks… Judging from the footage in your Rough Cut, that spot doesn’t look like it offers much clearance.
To push an ollie up it was pretty hard. I don’t like messing with those bungees so a tow-in was the best option to skate that spot. The brick one was so steep. You have to go really fast but you hit the bottom of it so hard that it jolts you and you lose your speed. That trick was just luck combined with hope that I could fling one up there. I’d have it figured out then two tries later I was at a point where it wasn’t consistent enough to seem like I would land it – then one just went up there.
It actually hurt my back a lot, over the next couple of days I was super sore from hitting the bottom of it so fast. I landed one, but I wanted to do it better, and I tried for an hour afterwards but my legs were getting cooked the longer I kept going. I just had to settle for the one that I got.
Whether it was intentional or not, the combination of a frontside flip and a tow-in is a bit of Heath Kirchart tribute. But you also launched a back three over ‘the Heath gap’ after getting towed in from the man himself. Let’s wrap this up by talking about that trick. Where is that spot and what lead to you trying it?
It’s in Southern California. Miner talked me into trying it. He does that a lot, [laughs].
How did he pitch it?
He has a certain way of talking you into things. It starts with: “I think you need something right here [in a timeline]. A single trick…” He’s already got the spot and the trick in mind.
It’s a gradual progression. It’s really casual, and almost like a new conversation, but I know it’s premeditated, every time he brings it up. The first time I tried that back three it was for two hours and I couldn’t get it but he stayed positive. I flew home, chilled for a few days and then Miner calls me up and I already knew what’s coming.
“Alright dude, this is what I’m thinking…”
“What are you thinking?”
“Fly back out and get the back three. It will fill in this section of your part. Then if we have time we can go get this kickflip over a fence with better lighting.”
He has a way of talking people into things and he’s been doing it for a long time. He knows how each individual works, so I’m sure he has his own way with each skater, but I guess that’s how we go about it, [laughs].
The first time, there wasn’t anyone at the school. I got towed in for two hours and it was totally casual. The second time, there was all this shit going on at the school. There wasn’t anyone in the basketball courts, it was all indoors, but before we even started skating, before Heath brought his bike in, this lady came up and said: “I hope you aren’t trying to skate here because this is illegal.”
Westgate blasts a back three over the spot where Heath Kirchart ended his final video part. After being dragged in by his former teammate, Heath Kirchart. Oh, sweet nuance. photo: Jake Darwen
Did you ask Heath to tow you in or did he catch wind of the trick and was down?
Miner linked it up. You know what I was just saying about how he suggests a trick? He literally has everything planned out in his head so you almost can’t say ‘no’. He’s already got the trick, he’s got the spot, he’s thought of Heath because Heath has a bike…
We barged it and, sure enough, 20 minutes later the lady came back and was pissed. She got on the phone to the cops. It was actually the first time I had seen Miner stressing out because he’s usually pretty collected. The lady was [on the phone] saying: “They’ve got a motorcycle in here!” She said she was a superintendent or an official. She worked for the school so getting busted in a California schoolyard, with a motorcycle towing you in, would have been even worse. We were just ignoring her, we weren’t being rude of anything, I just kept on going because sometimes that’s what you’ve got to do.
As soon as I landed it, Miner bolted off this trash can [he was stood on] and took off. There was this other dude, Ryan, perched filming on a basketball hoop and I had to grab the trash can and help him down. Mason Silva was there and he went to the front lot, where he had parked, as the lady was getting worked up because he didn’t want to deal with the cops. Mason said as soon as we took off the cops were rolling in so if we parked in the front we would have gotten nailed. Luckily, Miner had some inclination to park in the back, I guess he was nervous and didn’t want to walk his camera gear by the front doors. We bolted and Heath drove his bike out, parked it on some side street and started walking around. When he took off, he told Miner, “Grab my shit!” because his helmet was in the van and he was spooked he was going to get arrested. It all worked out somehow but we were so close to getting tickets and getting Heath’s bike impounded.
He’s already got the trick, he’s got the spot, he’s thought of Heath because Heath has a bike…
Heath has put in a his fair share of suffering at that spot. What was he giving it in between towing you in? Was he surprised at the trick you were trying?
I don’t know if he was surprised. We rushed off and everyone got split up. It was every man for themselves and we somehow all got together and no-one got caught. Miner went to some shopping plaza. Heath was walking around without his phone, so he couldn’t get in touch with us, but I guess he found Mason so they jumped in together. We met up and it was this moment of, “Holy shit, we almost got caught.” He was definitely stoked. Heath hasn’t been on a skate mission where you can get busted in a while and was saying he’d forgotten about the adrenaline [of those situations]. Miner let Heath choose wherever he wanted us to eat. Heath picked some steakhouse and the three of us had a dope meal.
Interview by Farran Golding.
Head to our webstore to find a selection of footwear from New Balance Numeric, including the Westgate NM913, by clicking HERE
Chad Muska Interview
Chad Muska is a legend who has visited us more than a few times over the years. Whether on his first visit to Europe or bringing his infectious energy to the shop...
Mark Suciu Interview
There isn't another skateboarder who has bookended the last decade with their presence in the way Mark Suciu has...
Nike SB Rayguns QS
SB Heritage Dunks don’t come much better than this limited QS release. Re-imagined in tribute to Nike SB legend, Sandy Bodecker, who regularly wore a Raygun Hood with tie-dye pattern...
Instagram Twitter Facebook YouTube Vimeo
© 2020 Copyright Slam City Skates.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4073
|
__label__cc
| 0.565938
| 0.434062
|
Can technology really replace the human touch?
Posted by Steve Warnham on April 5, 2017 | No comments
“Things are moving and evolving so fast in recruitment right now,” says Jo Caine, Director of Cathedral Appointments. Caine, along with eight of the West Country’s leading recruiters, joined a recent totaljobs roundtable to debate the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in the region during this period of change.
AI vs humans
With 56% of employers saying that they lack access to relevant candidates, the ongoing challenge of volume versus quality remains. In trying to tackle this problem, the rise of virtual recruiters and video interviewing has surfaced. The debate over whether or not Artificial Intelligence can ever truly replace human relationships has gripped the industry, and our panel, ever since.
What’s clear is that there’s more choice and opportunity for recruiters than ever before with increasingly intelligent ways to target candidates. “Jobseekers and recruiters use a variety of search methods which increase in complexity as candidate salaries increase,” says Karen Pollard, Owner & Managing Director, Brite Recruitment.
Karen Pollard, Brite Recruitment.
Face to face relationships still remain crucial throughout all levels of the recruitment process. “Recruiter relationships with their clients and candidates are imperative. Clients trust you to find the right person for the role based on their experience, and it’s the recruiter’s job to make sure that what the client wants is accurately portrayed across all mediums both on and off line,” says Emma Summers, Owner & Managing Director, Juice Recruitment Ltd.
Tech-talk
Meanwhile Caroline Bendall, Owner of Blake & Blake Recruitment highlights perhaps the most important issue for recruiters in 2017 and beyond – technology. “With technological advancements speeding up the pace of recruitment, candidates are more impatient than ever, demanding faster response times.” “The next big thing in recruitment is to find a human, cultural fit through technology,” explains Jessica Sullivan, Product Specialist at Totaljobs Group.
Attracting top talent
It’s clear is that the recruitment market has changed, and continues to do so, but what can employers do to stay ahead of the curve?
Totaljobs Sales Manager, Richard Collins, says, “Understanding what top talent wants is more difficult than ever. The impact of technology on all aspects of the workplace cannot be overstated, while some sectors are feeling the ripples faster than others.” Citing a recent totaljobs survey of 3,000 candidates and 100 recruiters, he states, “53% of candidates said that location is the number one priority when looking for a new job, so when you’re competing in volume something as significant as the inclusion of a postcode in an advert could be the differentiating factor.”
Mark Muscroft, Director, Artis Recruitment and Cogito Talent Ltd, adds to this saying “It’s always important to include a salary or you’re wasting your time advertising.” He continues, “Today there is a need for recruiters to understand their candidates better than ever before, utilising a cross section of on and offline recruitment methods and employing specific targeting. Sifting out unsuitable candidates relies on a heady combination of technological savvy and finely tuned interpersonal skills.”
This perfect marriage of skills and cultural fit can at times be hard to find, but in a post-Brexit world where nothing is certain, “looking outside your conventional hunting
grounds is key,” says Heat Recruitment Managing Director Steve Preston. He continues, “While the techno-effect is surely putting pressure on the recruitment industry to ‘speed up’, the human factor cannot be replaced.”
Future focused
Looking to the future, finding a way to use technology to allow recruiters to-hire based on cultural fit would be a recruitment breakthrough. A conclusion from the roundtable debate is that technology can only take recruitment so far. Cultural fit in any business still remains vital and as Heat Recruitment’s Steve Preston says, “the human factor can only be established face to face.” Only time will tell what will come next.
The Round Table Debate Attracting Top Talent was hosted by totaljobs at The Marriott Hotel City Centre, Bristol and attended by: Emma Summers, Owner and Managing Director of Juice Recruitment Ltd; Kim Richens, Director of Alexander Mae; Steve Preston, Managing Director of Heat Recruitment; Karen Pollard, Owner and Managing Director of Brite Recruitment Ltd; Patrick Murtagh, Managing Director of Rytons Associates Ltd; Jo Caine, Director of Cathedral Appointments, Mark Muscroft, Director of Artis Recruitment and Congito Talent Ltd; Caroline Bendall, Owner of Blake and Blake Recruitment; Richard Collins, Sales Manager at totaljobs and Jessica Sullivan, Product Specialist at totaljobs.
Future talent proofing
How to replace unsuitable candidates
Five top tips when recruiting for SMEs
Should recruiters keep in touch with employed candidates?
About the author: Stephen Warnham View Stephen Warnham's other posts
View Stephen Warnham's Twitter page
Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, experts, roundtable
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4075
|
__label__wiki
| 0.708363
| 0.708363
|
Distribute A Press Release To 250 Major News Outlets
Published by admin on May 30, 2019 May 30, 2019
News wires are used to submit and distribute press releases to news wires, journalists, reporters, social networks, news aggregators and other news outlets. When your company needs to release a news statement or other information, you can use a news wire or press release distribution service and it’s one of the most inexpensive methods of advertising your business or website.
https://prwirepro.com/where-can-i-distribute-a-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/how-does-press-release-distribution-work/
https://prwirepro.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-send-a-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/how-do-i-submit-a-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/do-you-need-a-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/how-do-i-send-out-a-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/how-long-should-a-press-release-be/
https://prwirepro.com/how-do-you-write-a-good-press-release/
https://prwirepro.com/where-can-i-send-press-releases-for-free/
Distribute your press release to news wires, agencies, journalists, reporters, other various media outlets. Download the press release newsroom app. Press release distribution services can send your press releases to a wide network of targeted media outlets. Press releases will help you rank higher on search engines and be found in places like google and bing. Press release distribution will also help you rank for more keywords relative to your site or blog.
Press release distribution services are used to distribute press releases to news wires and journalists. Learn more about Press Release Writing.
Click here to learn more about PR Wire Pro’s Press Release Distribution Services.
CalTech Receives Elite Cyber Verify AA Risk Assurance Rating
The best list of press release distribution companies in 2020
Real Estate Forms Invoice Templates Business Plans
BEST PR COMPANY
Best PR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES FIRMS
WORDPRESS THEMES Press Release Templates WordPress Themes Google Slides Templates Resume Templates Book Cover Templates Report Templates NDA Templates Legal Documents Real Estate Forms Invoice Templates Business Plans Forms Web Design Vector Stock Other Press Read more…
Press Release Writing Services Press release writing service starting at $50 300 Words, High Quality Content Well written by English, US Copywriters with SEO Optimization Experience Helps improve seo results Includes Dashboard Access 24 Hour Read more…
Introduction into Public Relations book now available on Apple Itunes
https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1466651703 Press Release Distribution Introduction into Public Relations Topics include marketing strategy, public relations, press release distribution and online marketing. Learn more at https://prwirepro.com or visit http://wireaccess.net for other marketing books and free additional information Read more…
Press Release Template
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4078
|
__label__cc
| 0.5734
| 0.4266
|
Britain’s Prince Harry Attends Africa Conference In London
Uhuru Opens Trading At London Stock Exchange, Launches Kenya’s First Green Bond
International Tourism Growth Continues To Outpace The Global Economy
Kadaga Calls For National Registration Of Ugandans With Albinism
Sudan Sick Lion ‘Evacuated For Treatment’
Sports Focus
Home > Analysis & Opinions > The Best Performing CEOs Of Top Companies In 2019
Analysis & OpinionsFeatured
The Best Performing CEOs Of Top Companies In 2019
Taddewo William Senyonyi December 13, 2019 December 18, 2019 3
A lot of things happen in boardrooms; key decisions are made and deals sealed.
Some of the decisions backfire and in the process, some Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Managers are sacked.
Over the last 12 months, a number of CEOs have overcome huge challenges to register a successful year and thus deserve recognition.
In no particular order, below is Business Focus’ list of the best performing CEOs in 2019. The selection was done based on responses from our online platforms. We also consulted a number of Uganda based business/ finance journalists. Read on!
Emmanuel Tineyi Mawocha, Opportunity Bank
Emmanuel Tineyi Mawocha is the Chief Executive Officer at Opportunity Bank Uganda Ltd. A seasoned banker, who has been at the helm of the bank, since October 2016, Mawocha saw Opportunity Bank that had been trading as a Credit Institution (Tier 2) transform into a Commercial Bank (Tier 1) institution effective September 13, 2019.
It is quite a tasking process for an institution to be granted a commercial banking status. It is therefore a bigger milestone for the institution and Mawocha together with his team take credit for this milestone. It means the bank’s corporate governance is up to the standard.
As of September 2019, the financial institution had total assets worth USh132 billion, with shareholders’ equity of about USh28 billion.
Rajiv Ruparelia, Ruparelia Group
Rajiv Ruparelia, 29, is not only one of the youngest CEOs in Uganda, but also one of the best performing.
He is the defacto CEO of Ruparelia Group founded by his father Sudhir Ruparelia.
As the property mogul ages, he is slowly giving powers to his son to take over management of the Group and the young, dynamic and vibrant entrepreneur has not disappointed.
Despite the controversial takeover and sale of Crane Bank, Ruparelia Group has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.
This year, the Group launched multi-billion buildings that added beauty to the ever changing Kampala skyline.
In May, the Group opened Shs1.2 trillion Kingdom Kampala Mall and thereafter officially launched fancy Speke Apartments located in Kitante, a Kampala suburb. In September, Ruparelia Group officially launched Shs36bn Electrical Plaza that is located in Nakasero.
Rajiv (L) with his father Sudhir
At Victoria University where Rajiv is a Director and responsible for its smooth running, the University not only launched Accredited Programmes in Logistics and Transport, but the institution also acquired land for expansion.
“Victoria University has acquired a 45-acre piece of land in Naalya (an upscale Kampala suburb) to design and construct a fully fledged campus for hands on training in technology and other courses with facilities like laboratories,” Rajiv said at this year’s graduation ceremony.
He added that most of the University’s graduates are already working because the University is practical centered. The University says it’s ready to roll out courses in artificial intelligence and robotics, thanks to Rajiv’s leadership.
Silver Mugisha- National Water
Unlike some government agencies that are marred with scandals in addition to poor service delivery, National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has generally performed well, thanks to the wise leadership of Mugisha, the Executive Director of the government agency.
Mugisha has been at the helm of NWSC since 2013. While the Corporation continues to extend clean water to Ugandans, it is also looking at creating more sources of income like forming own investment company.
Mugisha
“We decided to form our own captive insurance so that we put all our money in our own insurance company. The board has already approved it and the purpose is that if that money is not used; we can borrow it and use it to expand services,” Mugisha said recently.
He added: “We’re forming our own investment company to pitch for jobs and tap into jobs of at least Shs10bn. That’s how we’re dealing with BUBU Initiative. We shouldn’t be spending our money on external companies.”
NWSC has managed to maintain water at a low cost; a jerry can of water costs Shs25 only.
The Corporation is also leveraging on ICT; it’s now using systems like e-payments to get things done much easily. NWSC is currently constructing what is going to be the largest sewage treatment plant in East and Central Africa at Bugolobi, and a sewage pumping station in Kinawataka. These projects are aimed at providing clean water and streamline sewerage services for Ugandans.
Additionally, due to his impressive performance, Eng Mugisha was elected President of the African Water Association (AFWA) on 15th November, 2019.
He is the first Ugandan to hold the position.
Patrick Mweheire, Stanbic Bank
Mweheire, the Chief Executive at Stanbic Bank will bow out at the end of this year after five successful years at the helm.
Sources say he will still serve Standard Bank Group, the parent bank of Stanbic Uganda but at a regional level. When you think about indigenous CEOs that have performed exceptionally well, Mweheire is no doubt one of them.
He has kept Stanbic not only growing, but also the leading bank in Uganda on almost all key performance parameters. He also takes credit for leading a bank of Stanbic’s magnitude without any big scandal during his tenure.
Patrick Mweheire – CEO Stanbic Bank Uganda
He has grown the bank’s assets from Shs3.7 trillion in 2015 to Shs5.31 trillion in 2018.
Profits have also been increasing year after year. The bank made a net profit of Shs150.1bn in 2015 before increasing cumulatively to Shs215bn in 2018.
Stanbic Bank Uganda recorded exceptional half year results, posting a 39.5% year-on-year increase in its Profit After Tax which grew from Shs96.1 billion in June 2018 to Shs134 billion at the end of June 2019
Asked what makes him stand out among his peers in one of the interviews, Mweheire said it’s his passion to get things not just done but done the right way.
“If you get things done right, you get the job done,” he said.
Doris Akol- Commissioner General, URA
Akol has been the Commissioner General at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for the last five years.
This year Akol saw the completion and launch of URA Tower, a 22-floor building that was constructed at a total cost of Shs139 billion. It will save taxpayers about Shs11bn the tax body has been spending in rent annually.
The rolling out of digital tax stamps is also one of the major highlights for URA this year.
Akol
Digital Tax Stamps are physical paper stamps that are applied to goods or their packaging but in this case contains security features and codes to prevent counterfeiting. They are sought to enable manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers to conveniently verify and trade all specified goods throughout the distribution chain while ensuring that they meet their tax obligations.
Heading URA is indeed one of the most difficult positions in Uganda; trying to raise money for government while meeting her boss’s targets is quite tasking.
Although the tax body has registered tax shortfall in recent months, Akol takes credit for keeping URA scandal free in 2019.
URA also successfully hosted the 4th International Conference on Tax (ICTA) in Africa from 18th to 22nd November 2019. It was a pleasure to host such a prestigious conference. The meeting attracted 48 Countries of which 37 were from Africa, with representation of over 450 delegates.
Jean Byamugisha- Executive Director, UHOA
Byamugisha, the Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA) Executive Director continues to promote Uganda’s tourism sector with passion and enthusiasm.
Jean Byamugisha
Those who follow her on social media, you will appreciate that Byamugisha is key in lobbying and advocating for UHOA members.
She is also regular on the plane either on UHOA duties or promoting Uganda’s tourism sector. Kudos!
Kin Kariisa- CEO, Next Media Services
Next Media Services whose flagship brand is NBS TV continues to grow in leaps and bounds.
With Kariisa at the helm, Next Media Services continues to shape Uganda’s media landscape.
Kariisa
The media house’s strategic partnership with international media like BBC has seen NBS produce some of the best selling stories. Needless to say, his media companies have continued to poach the best talent from competitors.
All this has been possible to due to Kariisa’s wise leadership.
Amos Wekesa, CEO Great Lakes Safaris
When you mention or hear the name Amos Wekesa, what immediately comes to mind is tourism.
Like in the past years, Wekesa has been aggressive in marketing Uganda’s tourism sector and in the process, expanding his business empire out of the proceeds he gets from foreign tourists. He is also one of the Ugandans leading the #SaveMurchisonFalls campaign after government revealed plans to destroy the tourist attraction by constructing a power dam on it.
Wekesa
Godfrey Mutabazi, Executive Director, UCC
Mutabazi has been a pillar at Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) as Executive Director. He has also been instrumental in the growth of ICT sector in Uganda. Mutabazi and UCC have generally performed well in as far as streamlining of the media and telecom sectors are concerned.
Mutabazi
This year, UCC issued new framework guidelines which include a requirement for national telecom operators to float at least 20% of the shares on the Uganda Securities Exchange within two years of acquiring the new license. With all the pressures from moneyed telecom giants, Mutabazi and UCC deserve credit.
Jimmy Onesmus Adiga, CEO- BRAC Uganda Bank Limited
As Chief Executive Officer, Adiga saw BRAC Uganda, one of the largest Microfinance institutions in Uganda transform into a Tier 2 Credit Institution (BRAC Uganda Bank Limited (BUBL) in April 2019.
The institution is now authorized to operate as bank, supervised by the Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.
As a credit institution, it is not authorized to offer checking accounts or deal in foreign exchange. The company is authorized to take in customer deposits and to establish savings accounts. It is also authorized to make collateralized and non-collateralized loans to savings and non savings customers.
At the time it acquired Tier II banking status in April 2019, the bank served over 270,000 customers in at least 80 of Uganda’s 136 districts.
As of December 2017, the institution’s total assets were valued at US$55.677 million (USh202.223 billion), with shareholder’s equity of US$30.056 million (USh109.164 billion).
Adiga said BRAC Uganda Bank Ltd is the first regulated BRAC branch in all the countries they operate in outside Bangladesh.
Samuel Kirubi
Kirubi is the Managing Director at Equity Bank Uganda.
Equity Bank Uganda Limited was created in 2008 when the Equity Group Holdings Limited purchased Uganda Microfinance Limited, a Tier II, Ugandan Microfinance Company for an all-share price of US$27 million. Equity Bank (Uganda) launched under its new brand on 30 March 2009. The bank is fast growing, thanks to grand breaking innovations championed by the top management.
Equity Bank Uganda MD, Samuel Kirubi
Equity bank has already broken into the top 10 profitable banks in a market of now 26 banks (two joined this year).
The bank’s profit after tax grew by 26% to Shs35.29bn in 2018, up from Shs28.09bn recorded in 2017, thanks to Kirubi and the Bank’s Executive Director, Anthony Kituuka for the steadfast leadership.
With Equi Duuka, Equity Bank is literally the pioneer of agency banking in Uganda.
In a period of less than two years, the Bank has grown the number of agents (agency banking) to 2,800 across the country as of July 2019. These register an average of 20,000 transactions daily.
Shs250bn is transacted monthly via Equity Bank’s agency banking.
Additionally, the bank’s mobile app, Eazzy Banking App which allows one to transfer funds to other accounts and mobile wallets or pay utility bills, has been a magic bullet to the institution.
Juilus Kakeeto
Kakeeto resigned his position as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Orient Bank to join PostBank as Managing Director.
He leaves Orient Bank having turned it into a stable and profitable entity.
His performance at Orient Bank has been incredible. In a market of 24 banks then, Orient was the 14th most profitable bank in Uganda in 2018, having recorded Shs5.5bn net profit, up from Shs4.8bn recorded a year earlier.
Under Kakeeto’s stewardship, Orient Bank introduced a Business Academy, one of the best in the market. Headed by Emmanuel Njuki, Orient Business Academy is increasingly shaping blossoming entrepreneurs through hands-on training with the aim of growing small businesses into bigger ones, albeit sustainably.
Kakeeto
In 2019, a number of entrepreneurs applied to join the program and successful ones are undergoing training.
In July, Kakeeto also saw the bank introduce a combined Medical and Life Insurance cover dubbed MedLife.
This is a totally new product compared to what is already on the market which separates Medical and Life Insurance into two products.
Annet Nakawunde Mulindwa
Nakawunde is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Finance Trust Bank. She is one of the few women a heading a bank in Uganda.
Having been appointed Managing Director and CEO of what was still known as Uganda Finance Trust, a microfinance institution on 3 April 2012, Nakawunde became the first CEO of Finance Trust Bank when Bank of Uganda granted it a full commercial banking license in 2014.
She has since done a commendable job at the bank that strives to empower women; the bank’s profits have steadily been increasing.
Finance Trust Bank was awarded the Best Visionary Bank of the Year at the 7th Visionary Awards 2019 under the category of Banking and Finance.
The awards are organized by the Government of Uganda. The award, presented by The People of The Republic of Uganda was in appreciation of Finance Trust Bank’s outstanding contribution towards Uganda Middle Income Status Aspiration and Vision 2040.
Finance-Trust-Bank-Managing-Director, Annet Mulindwa Nakawunde poses with the-award
FTB was the 13th most profitable bank in 2018 in a market of 24 banks then. Uganda now has 26 commercial banks, with two having joined the market late this year.
The bank made a net profit of Shs5.84bn in 2018, up from Shs2.37bn in 2017.
The bank’s assets have increased tremendously from Shs92.2bn in 2013 to Shs206.5bn in 2018. All this has been possible due to decisions taken by the top management headed by Nakawunde.
Bemanya Twebaze
Twebaze is the Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). Besides the Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL) saga where he has been the Adiministrator until recently, Twebaze continues to do a commendable job at URSB.
Last the financial year 2018/19 (which ened in June 2019), the Bureau hit its target with surplus of Shs16bn as collection of Non Tax Revenue.
Under his leardship, URSB has embraced technology so much that much of the work is done online.
Most importantly, in September 2019, Twebaze was elected President of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Executive Committee on Enforcement.
Twebaze
His election is a major milestone for Uganda and has come at a time when Uganda has enhanced protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
“Enforcement is a key aspect in promoting innovation and creativity in member states and thus the need to balance enforcement of intellectual property with members development priorities,” Twebaze said in his acceptance speech.
URSB enforcement unit has since its creation in 2016 seized infringing goods and saved business owners of losses of approximately Shs20bn.
Allen Kagina, UNRA
Kagina is the Executive Director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). She was appointed to that position on 27 April 2015 and had an arduous task of cleaning the roads agency of corrupt practices, shoddy works and questionable contracts. Has she delivered on this?
Fours at the helm of UNRA now, Kagina has greatly improved the image of the roads agency. This perhaps explains why she has been given more money. In 2019/20, UNRA was allocated Shs4.3 trillion despite returning Shs3.4bn unutilized funds to the consolidated fund.
This is an increment by one trillion shillings from the Shs3.1 trillion that was allocated to UNRA in 2018/19.
The one trillion shilling increment was attributed to the allocation of funds for national road maintenance, commencing construction of 518 km of roads, constructing 58 bridges and acquires 1,217 hectares for right of way in 2019/2020.
Allen Kagina controls billions at UNRA
In 2019, UNRA has not only been busy opening up new tarmac roads, but has also responded positively to emergencies as a result of floods and heavy rains that have left some bridges and roads destroyed.
During FY 2018/19 (which ended in June 2019), the total National Rod Network increased by 310.8 Km to 20,856 Km from 20,544 due to newly constructed roads and others that were gazetted as National Roads by Ministry of Works and Transport. Keeping the roads agency without a major money scandal in 2019 is enough to give Kagina and her team credit.
Lilly Ajarova, UTB
Lilly Ajarova was in January 2019 appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) replacing Dr Stephen Asiimwe. Bradford Ochieng was appointed Ajarova’s deputy.
Ajarova and her team have generally performed well in 2019 in as far as marketing Uganda as a top tourist destination is concerned.
UTB has almost seized every opportunity to market Uganda.
In March, Uganda hosted a delegation from India comprising of Bollywood stars and members of Travel Agents of India (TAFI).
The group, led by Bharat Dabholkar, a distinguished film director, actor, writer and advertising guru, toured various tourist attractions.
The team went gorilla tracking at Bwindi, visited Queen Elizabeth National Park and also enjoyed a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel, among other activities.
Ajarova (standing) tipping women entrepreneurs about investment opportunities in tourism sector
In the same year, UTB successfully welcomed 230 Israeli tourists aboard 1st ever direct flight from Israel to Uganda since the 1976 ‘Raid on Entebbe’.
Commenting on the trip, Tali Yativ, the organizer and team leader of the group said that this was a first of a kind tour for the group.
UTB has also embarked on integrating all digital marketing tools aimed at meeting its mandate of increasing the volumes and value of tourism in Uganda for both international and local tourists.
According to UTB Deputy CEO, Bradford Ochieng, UTB will work with Information Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders to among others increase connectivity in tourist sites, ease payment systems at tourist sites and increase the flow of information about tourism sites available to the markets.
Do you have/know a CEO that has performed exceptionally well in 2019 and is not on this list? Get in touch with us via: staddewo@gmail.com/0775170346
Kenyan Farmers Pour Out Milk Over Low Prices, A Litre Goes For UShs600
Bashir’s Wife ‘Summoned Over Finances’
Taddewo William Senyonyi
https://www.facebook.com/senyonyi.taddewo
3 thoughts on “The Best Performing CEOs Of Top Companies In 2019”
MWESIGYE ABEL
There is alot we have improved at KACITA especially under my new management and we look for greater in 2020. How we link up with you for more of the business updates and collaborations since we have a wider membership business platform ?
Looking forward to working together.
Abel Mwesigye
CEO KACITA Uganda
We’ll get in touch with you.
Byaruhanga Frank
This list surely should include Richard Byarugaba of NSSF
Death Toll Up To 22 As Another Woman Is Murdered In Entebbe
BusinessFocus Reporter August 28, 2017
Ethiopia Swears In Country’s First Female Supreme Court President
BusinessFocus Reporter November 1, 2018
Analysis & OpinionsFeaturedNews
How Fake Ugandan Liquor Is Sneaked Into Kenya
BusinessFocus Reporter October 31, 2018
Corporate Hysteria
Vouge
Kamakune suzan on Meet Nsimenta, 30, Who Quit Shs30m Job For Cosmetics Business
Patrick Atwooki on Secrets Of Museveni, Amama Latest Engagements Leak As The Two Meet In Togo
Kasaija on How To Earn Shs20m From An Acre Of Matooke
Owiny Tom on Top 30 Agribusiness Enterprises You Can Start In 2020 & Become Rich
Byabagambi on Top 30 Agribusiness Enterprises You Can Start In 2020 & Become Rich
© 2019 BusinessFocus
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4082
|
__label__wiki
| 0.748602
| 0.748602
|
Cork company Bia Beauty acquired by Codex Beauty
Latest News & Updates From Our Recommended Partners
Irish company, Bia Beauty has been acquired for an undisclosed sum and integrated into Codex Beauty.
Ireland will continue to play a unique role in the evolution of the Codex Beauty story with their first Bia collection which launches across the US and Europe this month following investment from venture capital firm, Sekhmet Ventures, a beauty and wellness venture capital firm. Established by Sekhmet Ventures’ Founding Partner Barbara Paldus, Codex is a global collective of skincare brands, dedicated to offering all-natural, science-backed beauty products to consumers of all ages and skin types.
Tracey Ryan, founder of Bia will stay on with the company as Master Formulator and Managing Director of Codex Beauty Europe and Barbara Paldus will act as CEO of Codex Beauty. Originally from Tipperary, Tracey Ryan is a herbal scientist who grew up making potions from plants that she foraged and harvested near her home. She created the Bia Beauty brand originally on her kitchen table in Dripsey while still a student and a new mom in Cork. With a €5,000 loan from the credit union, Bia Beauty grew and developed to being sold through more than 100 retailers nationwide. Up until the Codex acquisition, Tracey ran Bia as a family business with no more than 5 people in its workforce in a small factory in the Marina in Cork.
As Bia Beauty has become part of Codex Beauty Europe, Ireland will be the hub for European operations. It will also continue doing R&D, development and technology transfer in Cork. Therefore, as the company grows, Codex Beauty will continue adding positions in these key functional areas, as well as logistics and service support functions for DTC sales in Europe. It is estimated that the project will increase the number of people from the current 6 to 20 over the next 2/3 years.
“This is really new for me to be part of a global team and be able to have the experts that I’ve always wanted to have at my fingertips now, experts in regulations, sales and marketing,” said Tracey. “It’s absolutely a dream come true for a small brand like Bia. A benefit of teaming up with Codex is the ability to conduct clinical trials, which we previously couldn’t afford. The results of the first trial have been outstanding so far.”
“Ireland has a sense of entrepreneurship, excellent educational institutions with one of the few European herbal sciences programs at CIT, very clean sources of both terrestrial and marine organic flora, and a great source of people with experience in biotechnology. This confluence of factors makes Ireland and in particular Cork very unique” said Barbara Paldus, founder of Codex Beauty.
Codex Beauty is a global collective of clean beauty skincare brands that are responsibly revolutionising how the world views and maintains optimal skin health using ancient herbal traditions, innovative, vegan formulations, unprecedented quality standards and pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing, science, and transparency. By developing products using carefully selected ingredients, formulation innovation, and information transparency, Codex Beauty is empowering skin care customers with the products and peace-of-mind they deserve.
Codex Beauty is launching June 27th 2019 and will be available to purchase from www.codexbeauty.com and at select Meadows and Byrnes stores.
Minister Ring publishes first ever Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland
2413 Euro Business Park,
Little Island, Cork
michael.mulcahy@businessisland.ie
6-9 Trinity Street,
Dublin 2, Dublin
54 Elmwood Avenue,
Business Kilkenny
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4083
|
__label__cc
| 0.7463
| 0.2537
|
Black Women's Roundtable 2016 Election Voter Guide
Issues Important to Black Women
Black Women In the United States, 2016
About National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
About Black Women’s Roundtable
General Voter Information
Voter Registration Deadlines
Primary and General Election Dates
Democrat and Republican Conventions
Official 2016 Presidential Debates
2016 Presidential Election Briefing
#WeDecide: Presidential Election 2016
Essence BWR Election Poll
Responses to BWR 2016 Presidential Questionnaire
Economic Opportunity Equity and Access
Workplace and Income Inequality
Affordable Housing for Renters and Homeowners
Quality Public Education
K-12 Public Education
Quality Health Care and Health Justice
Health and Reproductive Justice
Systematic Racism and Criminal Justice
Reducing Prison Population and Policing
Violence and Gun Safety
Voting Rights, Immigration and Human Rights
Response from Ted Cruz
Response from Jeb Bush
Response from John Kasich
Q12: Do you have a plan to address affordable housing for low and middle income households?
Clinton: “I support affordable housing for low and middle-income households. For example, as Senator, I introduced legislation to dedicate new funds to subsidized rental and safety net housing, and co-sponsored the LEGACY Act to help grandparents who are raising grandchildren secure affordable housing. I also worked to expand employer-assisted housing, opposed the Bush administration’s plan to cut the community development block grant program, and worked to preserve Section 8 housing assistance. I will be sharing my ideas on affordable housing in the coming months.”
Sanders: Yes. “It is no secret that over the past decade, incomes have failed to keep up with the escalating costs of housing. At a time when millions of families are struggling to get by, and when many households are spending 50 percent or more of their limited income on housing, we need to provide resources to build and provide affordable housing many Americans so desperately need.
“In 2001, I proposed legislation to create a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) to construct, preserve, or rehabilitate at least 1.5 million rental housing units each and every year for extremely low to moderate income households. Last year, I successfully worked with the Federal Housing Finance Agency to provide hundreds of millions in funding for affordable rental housing nationwide, albeit not nearly enough to address the severe crisis that now exists. As President, I will work to fully fund and expand the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the National Low Income Housing Tax Credit to make sure all Americans have access to affordable housing.”
Carson: “Improving the economy and creating a vibrant job market makes housing more affordable for low and middle income households “
Black Women’s Roundtable
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4084
|
__label__wiki
| 0.613568
| 0.613568
|
Creating a vibrant Australian community energy sector
Pingala Plans Solar Farms for Sydney
05/03/2014 /0 Comments/in CE Projects & Offers, News /by C4CE
The community energy group Pingala sees a future where solar power will play a vital role in providing Sydney’s energy requirements. Tom Nokolds, the secretary of Pingala, says the organisation has plans to develop “many solar farms … owned by the community … right here in Sydney”. Nokolds feels that the Community Energy Congress in […]
http://c4ce.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/C4CE_logo_long.png 0 0 C4CE http://c4ce.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/C4CE_logo_long.png C4CE2014-03-05 00:22:242015-09-13 04:49:33Pingala Plans Solar Farms for Sydney
ARENA helping put power in the people’s hands
25/02/2014 /0 Comments/in News, Policy /by C4CE
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) became a key supporter of the emerging Australian community energy sector in November 2013 when it announced substantial funding for the Coalition for Community Energy (C4CE), led by UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures, to help catalyse community renewable projects around the country. The ARENA funding will go to develop […]
http://c4ce.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/C4CE_logo_long.png 0 0 C4CE http://c4ce.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/C4CE_logo_long.png C4CE2014-02-25 08:15:292015-09-13 04:49:46ARENA helping put power in the people’s hands
View our small scale solar guide
Watch our 2017 Webinar series – everything you need to know to get started with community energy
Watch our 2018 Webinar series, showcasing some of the best inititives from our sector this year
See highlights!
63 members: Check out who’s joined C4CE
See the recently completed National Community Energy Strategy
New community energy projects and share offer
Communities are taking renewable power into their own hands
Community energy is a hugely exciting opportunity with growing support. However, there are still significant barriers to realise the full potential of community energy in Australia. That is why the organisations at the forefront of the emerging community energy sector in Australia have founded the Coalition for Community Energy (C4CE).
The Coalition for Community Energy was founded using a Collaborative Impact approach and credit needs to go to Nicky Ison and the team at Community Power Agency who have worked tirelessly to bring the organisation to life. C4CE facilitates collaboration. It’s Strategic Initiatives and Congress build on the strengths of its member organisations ~ community energy projects, groups, support organisations and stakeholders in the wider renewable and mainstream energy system ~ to create mutually beneficial outcomes. C4CE fosters win-win situations and in so doing is creating a quicker, more efficient path to a community energy sector with hundreds of community energy projects that benefit all Australian communities.
C4CE initiatives are created and led by one of more members. The overall coordination of C4CE is led by the Steering Group with the support of a Secretariat.
C4CE believes collaboration creates greater impact than the simple sum of individual member efforts. Together, we can make the difference.
C4CE’s objectives are to:
Guide and support development of the community energy sector
Create a coordinated voice to better advocate for the needs of the sector
Grow the sector’s profile, influence and membership (beyond the ‘usual suspects’)
Facilitate the alignment of efforts by Members with support, systems, tools and training which enable collaboration for collective impact
Identify and create strategic opportunities and attract investment for the sector
Coordinate strategic initiatives which build the knowledge, know-how and capacity of Members and the sector
While it was unincorporated, C4CE was auspiced by Starfish Initiatives and then ATA – their support has been hugely appreciated and has helped the organisation become established.
As C4CE becomes Embark Australia Ltd, the new organisation will trade as Coalition for Community Energy and benefit from DGR status, which means your donations are now tax-deductible.
Fave Community Energy Group/s
C4CE Membership is open
Become a member of the Coalition for Community Energy today
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4085
|
__label__wiki
| 0.893316
| 0.893316
|
https://ca-security.inforisktoday.com/
Assessing The Maturity of Zero Trust Across Organizations
Five Charged in $722 Million Cryptomining Ponzi Scheme
OnDemand Webinar | 6 Steps to Securing Unstructured Data
DOJ: Pair Used SIM Swapping Scam to Steal Cryptocurrency
The Importance of Accessibility in The Digital Age
Case Study: How IU Health Manages Vendor Security Risk
Sumeet Mathur
Alex Mosher
Chip Mason
The State of IT Operations & Cybersecurity Operations
SANS Review: Investigate Attacks on Critical Assets with Network Detection & Response (NDR)
Network Detection & Response for MITRE ATT&CK Framework
IDC Workbook: Best Practices for Cloud Security
Live Webinar | Security Leaders Share Secret Sauce for Success with Digital Transformation•
Digital Identity•
Identity & Access Management , Incident & Breach Response , Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development
US Power Company Fined $2.7 Million Over Data Exposure
Grid Regulator Says Company Left Critical Data Exposed for 70 Days Mathew J. Schwartz (euroinfosec) • March 14, 2018
An unnamed U.S. power company has agreed to a record settlement after it was accused of leaving sensitive data exposed online for 70 days in a violation of energy sector cybersecurity regulations.
The $2.7 million settlement agreement was outlined in a Feb. 28 notice from the North American Electric Reliability Corp., or NERC, to Kimberly D. Bose, secretary of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Her agency regulates, monitors and investigates electricity, natural gas, hydropower, oil matters, natural gas pipelines, LNG terminals, hydroelectric dams, electric transmission, energy markets and pricing.
NERC's Feb. 28 letter to FERC, announcing the $2.7 million settlement.
NERC's notice says security problems at the unnamed company resulted in sensitive information remaining internet-exposed for more than two months.
"The data was exposed publicly on the internet for 70 days. The usernames of the database were also exposed, which included cryptographic information of those usernames and passwords," according to the notice. "Exposure of the username and cryptographic information could aid a malicious attacker in using this information to decode the passwords."
NERC wrote that it was filing the "notice of penalty" - including information about the flaws and how they have been resolved - after the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and the unnamed company reached a settlement agreement over two violations of the Critical Infrastructure Protection NERC Reliability Standards. The council is one of eight regional entities that NERC has designated to monitor and enforce its standards.
Map showing the Regional Reliability Councils and Interconnections in North America. (Source: Bouchecl, via CC BY-SA 3.0)
At Risk: Control Centers, Substations, SCADA
The published notice, which has been stripped of "non-public and confidential" information, refers to the offending power company only as Unidentified Registered Entity, or URE.
According to the notice, WECC determined that the company failed to comply with the information protection portion of NERC's CIP-003-3 standard for security controls, which "requires that responsible entities have minimum security management controls in place to protect critical cyber assets."
The data, exposed by the company's asset management system, could also have been used to compromise other sensitive systems, NERC said. "These violations posed a serious or substantial risk to the reliability of the bulk power system (BPS). The CCAs [Critical Cyber Assets] associated with the data exposure include servers that store user data, systems that control access within URE's control centers and substations, and a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that stores critical CCA information."
Patrick McBride, vice president at cybersecurity firm Claroty, tells Information Security Media Group: "State-sponsored adversaries have been targeting U.S. and European electric and other industrial companies networks writ large to glean information or gain foothold into the network that can be leveraged when they choose. While the U.S. electric grid, and particularly nuclear power plants, are above-average in their cybersecurity posture, that average for industrial systems is unfortunately quite low. Given the active an ongoing targeting of these systems by determines adversaries, asset owners, like the power company in question, need not make it any easier."
30-Day Review Period
The penalty will become final 31 days after the notice was published, unless FERC chooses to review it.
If finalized, this would be the biggest-ever energy sector fine for violating information security regulations, according to E&E News, which first reported on the proposed fine.
Reached for comment, FERC spokesman Craig Cano says the notice remains under review. "If the commission determines to take further action on a NERC notice of penalty, it may result in a subsequent FERC order or settlement providing more detail," he tells Information Security Media Group. "However, commission investigations are non-public, so if they do not result in an order/settlement the specific details would not be public."
Thus it's not clear if the as-yet-unnamed power company might ever be unmasked.
Who's the Culprit?
But suspicion has fallen on Pacific Gas and Electric, a large electric utility based in California, which was the focus of a May 2016 security alert from information security researcher Chris Vickery.
In a blog post, he reported finding a "publicly exposed database" that "appeared to be PG&E's asset management system," and noted that the company's IT department was trying to claim that the database was fake.
Vickery said the database included sensitive information.
"Among other things, it contained details for over 47,000 PG&E computers, virtual machines, servers, and other devices. All of it completely unprotected. No username or password required for viewing," he wrote. "We're talking about IP addresses, operating systems, hostnames, locations, MAC addresses, and more. This would be a treasure trove for any hostile nation-state hacking group. That's not to mention the 120 hashed employee passwords, or the plaintext NTLM, SOAP, and mail passwords."
The Obama-era Presidential Policy Directive 21, issued in 2013, classified the energy sector - together with communications systems - "as uniquely critical due to the enabling functions they provide across all critical infrastructure sectors."
Extract from the Presidential Policy Directive 21, issued in 2013.
Accordingly, Vickery had said he was attempting to share a copy of the data he'd obtained with the Department of Homeland Security.
PG&E Backtracked: Data Wasn't Fake
In a June 2016 statement, PG&E said that no systems had been breached and blamed the information exposure on a vendor that was developing an asset management platform for the energy firm.
"Our initial review indicated that the data was non-sensitive, mocked-up data," PG&E said. "We based this feedback on an initial response from the vendor stating that the information in the database was demo or 'fake' data. Following further review, we learned that the data was not fake and removed access."
PG&E didn't immediately respond to a question about whether it was the "unidentified registered entity" in the Feb. 28 NERC notice.
Locking Down Assets
Whatever the identity of the energy company that's entered into the settlement agreement, its information exposure resulted from a software development server not being properly locked down. According to FERC's notice, once the organization took the server offline, that corrected the problem. The firm reportedly also conducted three digital forensic analyses to confirm that only an unnamed security researcher had accessed the data, requested that the researcher share all data they had obtained and attest in an affidavit that they had shared the data as well as deleted it from their own systems.
To prevent a recurrence of the problem, the unnamed power provider implemented a new system for handling source code. "To allow vendors to perform development work on projects, URE [unidentified registered entity] implemented a process whereby an authorized URE employee must copy the source code from the asset management database and securely transfer it to the software development vendor," the notice reads. "Upon work completion, the vendor would then securely transfer the new version of code to an authorized URE employee who would load it back onto the asset management database."
The organization also added stronger access controls to the database, in part to prevent "classified emails and attachments from being sent to outside email addresses," according to the notice. Plus, it now requires all of its vendors to take annual information security and privacy awareness training. And it implemented "a new vendor remote access platform, and enhancing policies, background checks, and contract language for vendor employees."
The organization has also begun using data classification to ensure that all information relating to information security gets appropriately designated as such and then protected.
Incident & Breach Response
Winter Olympics Gold Medal for False Flag Goes to ... ?
Malaysia's Central Bank Blocks Attempted SWIFT Fraud
Mathew J. Schwartz
Executive Editor, DataBreachToday & Europe
Schwartz is an award-winning journalist with two decades of experience in magazines, newspapers and electronic media. He has covered the information security and privacy sector throughout his career. Before joining Information Security Media Group in 2014, where he now serves as the executive editor, DataBreachToday and for European news coverage, Schwartz was the information security beat reporter for InformationWeek and a frequent contributor to DarkReading, among other publications. He lives in Scotland.
Evolving to a Zero-Trust Architecture
Cloudspotting Risk: Findings of the 2019 Cloud Risks Report
Keeping Pace of Growing Networks and New Attack Surfaces: SANS Report
The Special Threat Posed by Privileged Users
© 2020 Information Security Media Group, Corp. https://ca-security.inforisktoday.com/ Toll Free: (800) 944-0401
https://ca-security.inforisktoday.com/us-power-company-fined-27-million-over-data-exposure-a-10715
Our website uses cookies. Cookies enable us to provide the best experience possible and help us understand how visitors use our website. By browsing ca-security.inforisktoday.com, you agree to our use of cookies.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4086
|
__label__cc
| 0.593884
| 0.406116
|
Thanksgiving history, from the Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving to the strange way turkey day became a holiday
Revisit ‘Holiday Inn,’ starring Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire – the movie that introduced ‘White Christmas’ (1942)
47 dangerous old playgrounds that our great-grandparents somehow survived
Bannercatch & Agent USA computer games from Scholastic (1984)
Tiny terrariums: Vintage ideas for gardens & more decor under glass
25 things most people under 25 have never seen in real life (and probably can’t name)
1964’s ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ was one of the musical Christmas specials that kids waited all year to see
Annie lights up Broadway as the stage musical starring Andrea McArdle breaks records (1977)
Glenn Miller got the world ‘In the Mood’ – and then disappeared forever during WWII
Chocolate Knox Blox: Get the retro recipe for these gelatin dessert squares
How Hot Dr Pepper became a cool thing in the world of warm winter drinks (1960s)
10 old-fashioned macaroni and cheese recipes
This privacy policy was last modified on May 23, 2018
Synchronista, LLC (“Company,” “we,” or “us”) knows that you care how information about you is used and shared. This Privacy Policy explains what information of yours will be collected by Company when you use ClickAmericana.com and related services (the “Service”, “Site”, “Websites”), how the information will be used, and how you can control the collection, correction and/or deletion of information. We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy.
Our website address is: https://ClickAmericana.com, and we are owned by Synchronista LLC.
We collect the minimal amount of data necessary to provide site visitors with our service.
When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. Learn how your comment data is processed.
If you use our web form or comment to contact us, we will have all of the information you provided as well as your IP address to help with abuse and for spam protection. If you contact us via social media, we will have your name and any other public information available. Privacy policies for these communications are covered by those social media companies/third party sites.
If you leave a comment on our site, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
Our site does not accept orders or payments. Our shop links to third party online merchants, such as Amazon, who process all sales. Privacy policies for these companies apply, and are provided by those third party sites.
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, music, social media posts, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website. These files send data to the hosted site just as if you were visiting that site directly (for example, when you load a ClickAmericana.com page with a YouTube video embedded in it, YouTube receives data about your activity). We do not control what data third parties collect in cases like this, or what they will do with it. Embedded content from a third party is not covered by this privacy policy, but is covered by the privacy policy of the third-party service.
This website also uses services provided by Automattic’s Jetpack service for WordPress. For a better understanding of how Jetpack uses your data, please refer to the Automattic Privacy Notice, the Automattic Privacy Policy, and the detailed What Data Does Jetpack Sync? support article.
Third-party social media APIs/Connections
When you click to share a post on social media using one of our social media sharing tools, they will send that request to third-party APIs via your web browser to fetch information (like social shares, social comment count). This request made by web browser may include your IP address, which can then be seen by the third-party that it’s being requested from, and may be matched to your data/account on that third party site, and is therefore covered by the privacy policy of the third-party service.
We will only use the personal data we collect as reasonably necessary for the following purposes:
to allow you to use and interact with the Site;
to provide the Services to you as our customer;
to inform our continued development of the Site and the Services;
to communicate with you from time to time in response to your requests for information;
as required by applicable law or legal requirements pertaining to records retention or for internal administrative purposes; or
as specifically authorized by you in writing.
We and our partners use cookies and similar technologies to analyze trends, administer the Site, track users’ movements around the Site, and gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. Ads appearing on our Site may be delivered to you by advertising partners who may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer. This information allows ad networks to, among other things, deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. This Privacy Policy covers our use of cookies and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers. However, data tracking files used by us may also be used by these advertisers and, when combined with other information held by them, be used to identify you personally. For more information on third-party cookies and instructions on how to opt-out of those cookies set by members of the National Advertising Initiative, please click here. Or, if you are located in the European Union, please visit the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance here.
Many websites, like ours, use Google services to improve content and keep it free. When we integrate these services, we share information with Google.
For example, when you visit a website that uses advertising services like AdSense, including analytics tools like Google Analytics, or embeds video content from YouTube, your web browser automatically sends certain information to Google. This includes the URL of the page you’re visiting and your IP address. They may also set cookies on your browser or read cookies that are already there. Apps that use Google advertising services also share information with Google, such as the name of the app and a unique identifier for advertising.
As is true of most websites, we gather certain information automatically through your use of the site. This information may include Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring or exit pages, the files viewed on the site (e.g., HTML pages, graphics, etc.), operating system, date/time stamp, and clickstream data to analyze trends in the aggregate and administer the site. We use analytical software to help us understand this information. This software sends information to its licensor. Other sites and companies may also use this software. As a result, the licensor may collect information that, when aggregated by them, allows them to identify you individually. We have no responsibility for this collection and use.
Google uses the information shared by sites and apps to deliver services, maintain and improve them, develop new services, measure the effectiveness of advertising, protect against fraud and abuse, and personalize content and ads you see on Google and on our partners’ sites and apps. See their Privacy Policy to learn more about how they process data for each of these purposes, and their Advertising page for more about Google ads, how your information is used in the context of advertising, and how long Google stores this information.
As part of Google’s commitment to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), they provide publishers with controls to select which ad technology providers are allowed to serve and measure ads in the European Economic Area (EEA), to support ad delivery, ad measurement, and other functions. All providers listed here have shared certain information that is required by the GDPR, a link explaining their data usage, and they have agreed to comply with data usage policy.
Location Information: We may determine the approximate location of a visitor’s device from the IP address. We collect and use this information to, for example, tally for our Users how many people visit their Sites from certain geographic regions. If you’d like, you can read more about the Site Stats feature for WordPress and Jetpack sites.
We use some third-party vendors and hosting partners, such as Amazon and WPEngine, for hardware, software, networking, storage, and related technology we need to run this website. Like most sites, we maintain server logs and event logs. By using our site, you authorize us to transfer, store, and use your information in the United States and any other country where we operate.
Email newsletters: By providing your email address and other data when you sign up for our email newsletter, you will be giving us those details, which are shared with our third-party mailing list company, MailChimp. See their privacy policy here.
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue. We do not offer user accounts.
Visitor comments are checked through an automated spam detection service. Akismet collects information about visitors who comment. The information collected typically includes the commenter’s IP address, user agent, referrer, and Site URL (along with other information directly provided by the commenter such as name, email address and the comment).
If you email us or use our web form or comment to contact us, we will have the contact information you provided.
Disclosure to third parties.
We will not disclose your personal data to third parties except as follows:
when we believe disclosure is reasonably required to comply with any law or legal request;
to enforce our legal and contractual rights, or to protect the rights and safety of others;
to third parties who help us provide any part of the Site or the Services, to the limited extent required for such help, and on condition that they may not further disclose your data or use it for any other purpose; or
as part of a sale of our assets or a merger of our company.
We remain responsible for compliance with this Privacy Policy by third parties to whom we disclose your personal data.
Procedures to protect personal data.
We have put in place reasonable measures and appropriate procedures for implementing these policies and for safeguarding the personal data we collect. However, we cannot guarantee that personal data we collect will never be disclosed in a manner inconsistent with this Privacy Policy.
We follow generally accepted standards to protect the personal data submitted to us, both during transmission and once it is received.
We only collect information about you if we have a reason to do so — for example, to provide our Services, to communicate with you, or to make our Services better. You may also provide us information when you respond to surveys, leave a comment or communicate with us.
Log Information: Like most online service providers, we collect information that web browsers, mobile devices, and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, IP address, unique device identifiers, language preference, referring site, the date and time of access, operating system, and mobile network information.
Information from Cookies & Other Technologies: A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. Pixel tags (also called web beacons) are small blocks of code placed on websites and emails. We may use cookies and other technologies like pixel tags to help us identify and track visitors, usage, and access preferences for our Services, as well as track and understand email campaign effectiveness and to deliver targeted ads.
How to limit the data collected
Website Cookie Preference Tool: You can exercise preferences about what cookies are served by visiting the TRUSTe preference center by clicking this link: http://preferences-mgr.truste.com/.
Browser Controls: You can set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our Websites, although your access to some functionality and areas of our Websites may be restricted. As the means by which you can refuse cookies through your web browser controls vary from browser-to-browser, you should visit your browser’s help menu for more information.
Disabling Most Interest-Based Advertising: Most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of Interest-Based Advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or http://www.youronlinechoices.com.
Mobile Advertising: You can opt out of having your mobile advertising identifiers used for certain types of Interest-Based Advertising, including those performed by us, by accessing the settings in your Apple or Android mobile device and following the most recent published instructions. If you opt out, we will remove all data about you and no further data collection or tracking will occur. The random ID we (or our third party partners) had previously assigned to you will also be removed. This means that if at a later stage, you decide to opt-in, we will not be able to continue and track you using the same ID as before, and you will for all practical purposes be a new user to our system.
Do Not Track: Some Internet browsers — like Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari — include the ability to transmit “Do Not Track” or “DNT” signals. Since uniform standards for “DNT” signals have not been adopted, our Websites do not currently process or respond to “DNT” signals. MailChimp takes privacy and meaningful choice seriously and will make efforts to continue to monitor developments around DNT browser technology and the implementation of a standard. To learn more about “DNT”, please visit All About Do Not Track.
14 retro hamburger recipes for some differently delicious dinners
See 200 vintage license plates for all the American states & beyond
The Kerner Report, a groundbreaking 1968 study of racism in America, was ignored by the president who ordered it
Nilla wafer cranberry cheesecake: Vanilla wafers crushed and whole make for a gorgeous dessert (1994)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4088
|
__label__wiki
| 0.898887
| 0.898887
|
Full Celebrity Profile: Helen Paul Bamisile
By ykwhizy January 6, 2017
Helen Paul Bamisile Professionally known as Tatafo is a Nigerian stand-up comedian, on-air personality, singer and actress. Her style is quirky and spontaneous, and her petite stature and voice range make her sound like a child. She is married with three kids to Femi Bamisile.
Helen was born in Edo State and was raised in Lagos State. she spent most of her early years with her mother and grandmother. She entertained friends, neighbours and small groups of peers, within the neighbourhood as a little girl. As she grew, the entertainer in her also developed with time. According to the comedian in interviews granted to several media houses, she was raised by two disciplinarians and she also said growing up wasn’t easy. She is a graduate of Theater Arts of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka.
RELATED: See Forbes Richest Pastors In Africa 2017/2018 [See List Here]
She has worked as a part-time and full-time presenter at several media houses, in Nigeria. These include Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS), Lagos Television (LTV 8), MNet (as a co-presenter on Africa Magic Channel 114’s “JARA”) and others. Helen broke out as a [email protected] comic character (Tatafo) radio continental,102.3FM Lagos Program titled Wetin Dey. On the Program wetin dey, she is an intelligent child who addresses societal issues in a sarcastic manner.
Tatafo worked as a front desk manager and as a back-up and voiceover artist at Eko Reelmix Studios, Radio Lagos. She was featured on various music projects with artists and music groups including, Infinity, Olufunmi, P-Square, Yinka Davies, etc. She recorded radio jingles for several companies and brand names, including Cowbell Milk, Bank PHB, Indomie Noodles and Peak Milk
Helen started stand-up comedy professionally whilst she was an undergraduate at the university of Lagos. She was invited to an event with a group of friends, the stand-up comic paid to perform at the event failed to show up. Helen’s friends who believed she could perform better than the comedian practically pushed her onto the stage. The organizers of the event were at that time nervous, later lurched a sigh of relief when Helen took to the stage and put up a brilliant performance that elicited a thunderous applause from the crowd.
RELATED: Full Celebrity Profile: Oluwatosin Jedi Ayoola
Helen runs a bridal and fabric boutique (Massive Fabrics and Bridals). She opened a film and theater academy (Helen Paul Theater and Film Academy) in 2014
Helen Paul released her debut album “Welcome Party” in July 2012
On air personality, Helen Paul, anchors two entertaining radio programmes: Tatafo Gist on Naija FM 102.7 Lagos and Comedy Drive Time on Metro FM 97.7 Lagos On the programme, she talks to listeners of the programme about trending issues in the society in a satirical Manner and it gives people the opportunity to call in to share their comments.
RELATED: These Are The 5 Most Powerful Women In Nigeria (Photos)
Helen Paul signed a huge endorsement deal with one of Africa’s leading telecommunications giants Globacom telecommunications company, Harpic Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and GoTV(a cable television station owned by Multichoice) and School of Money.
Helen Paul has received different awards including Comedienne of the year for African Film award (2012), TV presenter of the year for Exquisite Lady of the year award(2012), National institute for cultural orientation(2012) and Merit award in recognition for support of children initiative.
lwkm
Helen Paul Bamisile
Full Celebrity Profile: Gbadewonuola Olateju Oyelakin (Teju Babyface)
Full Celebrity Profile: Oni Lukmon Olarenwaju (Ambassador Wahala)
Checkout How Aliko Dangote Became The Richest Person In Africa
Twenty (20) Memorable Quotes Of Nelson Mandela
These Are The 5 Most Powerful Women In Nigeria (Photos)
See Top Facts From Dagrin Biography You Probably Don’t Know (Photos)
Checkout Interesting Biography Of Talented Gospel Singer Yinka Ayefele
Top 20 Richest Igbo Men and Women (Photos)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4091
|
__label__cc
| 0.581352
| 0.418648
|
Scottie James Lovell Cabbil Caleb Homesley Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz Sports College basketball Basketball College sports Men's college basketball Men's basketball Men's sports
Liberty Big South NJIT
Liberty bounces back to beat NJIT 77-57
- Feb. 02, 2019 09:01 PM EST
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz scored 18 points, Caleb Homesley added 17 and Scottie James had 16 with 10 rebounds as Liberty bounced back from its lone conference loss with a 77-57 win over NJIT on Saturday night.
Pacheco-Ortiz made all four of his 3-point attempts and Homesley and Lovell Cabbil (13 points) made three each for the Flames, who shot 52 percent overall and 46 percent from the arc.
The Flames (19-5, 8-1 Atlantic Sun) lost to league-leader Lipscomb in their previous game but have now won nine of their last 10.
Homesley scored 12 points and James 11 in the first half when Liberty shot 57 percent and took a 40-28 lead with a 17-2 half-ending run. NJIT got within nine with 12:46 remaining in the game before the Flames took off with a 15-6 run, going on to lead by as many as 22.
Abdul Lewis scored 14 points and Diandre Wilson and Donovan Greer 13 each for the Highlanders (18-6, 6-3), who had a five-game win streak snapped.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4096
|
__label__cc
| 0.614771
| 0.385229
|
Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking if they are willing to fight for their country.
The men and women are from very different backgrounds — a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer and a beautiful female fencer.
All answer the call of duty, but each do it for a secret reason of his or her own. They bond immediately in a group code-named Dragonfly.
A dramatic cat-and-mouse game begins as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and firing-squad execution of one of their team. But is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?
“Meacham ratchets the suspense ever tighter, while providing fascinating backstory on the intrepid five [American spies] as well as delivering a detail-rich portrait of Paris during the Occupation,” says Booklist.
“Meacham’s nail-biting tale will please fans looking for an intricate story of spycraft and deception,” says Publishers Weekly.
Published on December 30, 2019 in Literary Loop and tagged front by Kristy Johnson.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4099
|
__label__cc
| 0.550563
| 0.449437
|
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 15 Go Down
No insider knowledge but I would be very surprised to see Clifford leave, why would he want to leave and Gustard clearly rates him ("the consistently impressive Jack Clifford").
Quote from: arniepie on Friday 04-Jan-2019, 17:20*
It is the only explanation for me constantly having to remind people you posted all these “rumours” weeks ago.
Worrying that a talent like Clifford may be looking to leave a Quins now hopefully moving forward with Gustard 👎
Hopefully Clifford stays, he is forming a very good back row partnership with Chis and Dombrandt, one that is young and could form the nucleus of the forwards for years to come.
Academy Captain
Wasn't expecting much from Clifford after such a long period of injuries, but he's really impressed. Hope he stays.
JammyGit
Quote from: TomBuckQuin on Friday 04-Jan-2019, 09:11*
Almost as funny as the tweet where he says that "Tom Hill (worcs) is allegedly very very good, I've heard he's excellent" and then quoted himself as "I told you he was good" - no mate, someone else told you he was good!
But not as funny as how much various people in the sport think he's a child
Touchline Member
« Reply #51 on: Saturday 05-Jan-2019, 07:43* »
I can imagine, Cligford has been offered the chance to play no 8 at Exeter.
https://www.ruck.co.uk/transfer-rumour-england-back-rower-reportedly-on-the-move/
Ruck.co.uk quoting the "reliable" RIL that Clifford is rumoured to be leaving for Exeter, in my usually wrong opinion this would be a big loss to Quins.
Not sure why the report is talking about him kick-starting his career at Exeter when he is getting game time at Quins.
« Last Edit: Saturday 05-Jan-2019, 08:12* by Now ex-Navyquin »
Quote from: Twickersman on Saturday 05-Jan-2019, 07:43*
Will be tough going at Exeter for the no8 shirt with Kvesic playing there at the moment and Sam Simmonds coming back.
Simmons is badly injured and fairly small. Kevesic is no 8, he is filling in and they needs more strength there. Exeter is a place where players who get a little disillusioned, the are winning things at the moment.
8 Clifford was an excellent 8 in junior rugby.
His big competition at after would come at 6 & 7 eg Kevesic, Armand and Ewers.
Good move for Clifford. He’ll get Heineken Cup experience & play for a team they can win away from home
Simmonds is injured now. Clifford has spent most of his career injured.
Simmonds is small for an 8 but incredibly fast and has scored a heap of tries. Clifford is small (but not quite as small) for an 8 but is quite fast and hasn't scored a heap of tries.
As an 8, Clifford is a downgrade on Simmonds at the moment. Plus he knows his only chance of England recognition comes at 7.
arniepie's rumours are pretty reliable so it seems likely he'll leave, but I really don't think it's as clear cut a good move as you reckon
I think putting size over ability is a growing problem within rugby at the moment, although Simmonds is classed as small for his position I would love to have him at Quins as he scored and creates a lot of tries.
I'm worried that arniepie announced this. However, I am holding out hope that Gussy has watched Jack put a run of games together and entered into talks to keep him. Clifford has pretty much nailed down the 7 shirt and also gives us options later in the game, as he can shuffle across the back row depending on who's coming off the bench. Which means as long as he stays fit, he plays at the moment. If it's a matter of losing back rowers to make room in the cap then I'd rather lose White and/or Wallace (sorry to say because Luke has been a great servant to the club and I like him as a personality but just isn't rounded enough).
I could be wrong, but what arnipie said about Clifford was different to the others he announced. Unlike the rest Clifford was not a done deal, it was just a possibility and was by no means certain.
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 15 Go Up
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4101
|
__label__cc
| 0.72025
| 0.27975
|
Forrester just released a new report on mobile and new technology priorities for marketers, based on our latest global mobile executive survey. We found out that marketers: Fail to deliver on foundational mobile experiences. Consumers’ expectations of a brand’s mobile experience have never been higher. And yet, 58% of marketers agree that their mobile services […]
Founded by Pavel Durov, creator of Russia’s equivalent to Facebook, Telegram launched in 2013 as a lightweight messaging app to combine the speed of WhatsApp with the ephemerality of Snapchat along with claimed enhanced privacy and security through its use of the MTProto protocol (Telegram has offered a $200k prize to any developer who can crack MTProto’s security). Telegram has 100M MAUs, putting it in the second tier of messaging apps in terms of popularity.
For designing a chatbot conversation, you can refer this blog — “How to design a conversation for chatbots.” Chatbot interactions are segmented into structured and unstructured interactions. As the name suggests, the structured type is more about the logical flow of information, including menus, choices, and forms into account. The unstructured conversation flow includes freestyle plain text. Conversations with family, colleagues, friends and other acquaintances fall into this segment. Developing scripts for these messages will follow suit. While developing the script for messages, it is important to keep the conversation topics close to the purpose served by the chatbot. For the designer, interpreting user answers is important to develop scripts for a conversational user interface. The designer also turns their attention to close-ended conversations that are easy to handle and open-ended conversations that allow customers to communicate naturally.
Es gibt auch Chatbots, die gar nicht erst versuchen, wie ein menschlicher Chatter zu wirken (daher keine Chatterbots), sondern ähnlich wie IRC-Dienste nur auf spezielle Befehle reagieren. Sie können als Schnittstelle zu Diensten außerhalb des Chats dienen, oder auch Funktionen nur innerhalb ihres Chatraums anbieten, z. B. neu hinzugekommene Chatter mit dem Witz des Tages begrüßen.
Chatbots can have varying levels of complexity and can be stateless or stateful. A stateless chatbot approaches each conversation as if it was interacting with a new user. In contrast, a stateful chatbot is able to review past interactions and frame new responses in context. Adding a chatbot to a company's service or sales department requires low or no coding; today, a number of chatbot service providers that allow developers to build conversational user interfaces for third-party business applications.
“It’s hard to balance that urge to just dogpile the latest thing when you’re feeling like there’s a land grab or gold rush about to happen all around you and that you might get left behind. But in the end quality wins out. Everyone will be better off if there’s laser focus on building great bot products that are meaningfully differentiated.” — Ryan Block, Cofounder of Begin.com
Chatfuel is a platform that lets you build your own Chatbot for Messenger (and Telegram) for free. The only limit is if you pass more than 100,000 conversations per month, but for most businesses that won't be an issue. No understanding of code is required and it has a simple drag-and-drop interface. Think Wix/Squarespace for bots (side note: I have zero affiliation with Chatfuel).
Google, the company with perhaps the greatest artificial intelligence chops and the biggest collection of data about you — both of which power effective bots — has been behind here. But it is almost certainly plotting ways to catch up. Google Now, its personal assistant system built within Android, serves many functions of the new wave of bots, but has had hiccups. The company is reportedly working on a chatbot that will live in a mobile messaging product and is experimenting with ways to integrate Now deeper with search.
Online chatbots save time and efforts by automating customer support. Gartner forecasts that by 2020, over 85% of customer interactions will be handled without a human. However, the opportunites provided by chatbot systems go far beyond giving responses to customers’ inquiries. They are also used for other business tasks, like collecting information about users, helping to organize meetings and reducing overhead costs. There is no wonder that size of the chatbot market is growing exponentially.
Getting the remaining values (information that user would have provided to bot’s previous questions, bot’s previous action, results of the API call etc.,) is little bit tricky and here is where the dialogue manager component takes over. These feature values will need to be extracted from the training data that the user will define in the form of sample conversations between the user and the bot. These sample conversations should be prepared in such a fashion that they capture most of the possible conversational flows while pretending to be both an user and a bot.
Alternatively, think about the times you are chatting with a colleague over Slack. The need to find relevant information typically happens during conversations, and instead of having to go to a browser to start searching, you could simply summon your friendly Slack chatbot and get it to do the work for you. Think of it as your own personal podcast producer – pulling up documents, facts, and data at the drop of a hat. This concept can be translated into the virtual assistants we use on the daily. Think about an ambient assistant like Alexa or Google Home that could just be part of a group conversation. Or your trusted assistant taking notes and actions during a meeting.
Open domain chatbots tends to talk about general topics and give appropriate responses. In other words, the knowledge domain is receptive to a wider pool of knowledge. However, these bots are difficult to perfect because language is so versatile. Conversations on social media sites such as Twitter and Reddit are typically considered open domain — they can go in virtually any direction. Furthermore, the whole context around a query requires common sense to understand many new topics properly, which is even harder for computers to grasp.
However, as irresistible as this story was to news outlets, Facebook’s engineers didn’t pull the plug on the experiment out of fear the bots were somehow secretly colluding to usurp their meatbag overlords and usher in a new age of machine dominance. They ended the experiment due to the fact that, once the bots had deviated far enough from acceptable English language parameters, the data gleaned by the conversational aspects of the test was of limited value.
Each student learns and absorbs things at a different pace and requires a specific methodology of teaching. Consequently, one of the most powerful advantages of getting educated by a chatbot is its flexibility and ability to adapt to specific needs and requirements of a particular student. Chatbots can be used in a wide spectrum, be it teaching people how to build websites, learn a new language, or something more generic like teach children Math. Chatbots are capable of adapting to the speed at which each student is comfortable - without being too pushy and overwhelming.
“HubSpot's GrowthBot is an all-in-one chatbot which helps marketers and sales people be more productive by providing access to relevant data and services using a conversational interface. With GrowthBot, marketers can get help creating content, researching competitors, and monitoring their analytics. Through Amazon Lex, we're adding sophisticated natural language processing capabilities that helps GrowthBot provide a more intuitive UI for our users. Amazon Lex lets us take advantage of advanced AI and machine learning without having to code the algorithms ourselves.”
Kik is one of the most popular chat apps among teens with 275M MAUs and 40% of those are in the 13–24 year old demographic. In April, Kik launched its own bot store with 16 launch partners including Sephora, H&M, Vine, the Weather Channel, and Funny or Die. Using Kik’s bots currently feel like using the internet in 1994, very rough around the edges and limited functionality / usefulness. However, we’ll see how their API and bots progress over time, Kik’s popularity among an attractive demographic might convince some brands to invest in the platform.
In a procedural conversation flow, you define the order of the questions and the bot will ask the questions in the order you defined. You can organize the questions into logical modules to keep the code centralized while staying focused on guiding the conversational. For example, you may design one module to contain the logic that helps the user browse for products and a separate module to contain the logic that helps the user create a new order.
Your first question is how much of it does she want? 1 litre? 500ml? 200? She tells you she wants a 1 litre Tropicana 100% Orange Juice. Now you know that regular Tropicana is easily available, but 100% is hard to come by, so you call up a few stores beforehand to see where it’s available. You find one store that’s pretty close by, so you go back to your mother and tell her you found what she wanted. It’s $3 and after asking her for the money, you go on your way.
Marketing teams are increasingly interested in leveraging branded chatbots, but most struggle to deliver business value. My recently published report, Case Study: Take A Focused And Disciplined Approach To Drive Chatbot Success, shows how OCBC Bank in Singapore is bucking the trend: The bank recently created Emma, a chatbot focused on home loan leads, which […]
Simplified and scripted. Chatbot technology is being tacked on to the broader AI message, and while it’s important to note that machine learning will help chatbots get better at understand and responding to questions, it’s not going to make them the conversationalists we dream them to be. No matter what the marketing says, chatbots are entirely scripted. User says x, chatbot responds y.
The bot (which also offers users the opportunity to chat with your friendly neighborhood Spiderman) isn’t a true conversational agent, in the sense that the bot’s responses are currently a little limited; this isn’t a truly “freestyle” chatbot. For example, in the conversation above, the bot didn’t recognize the reply as a valid response – kind of a bummer if you’re hoping for an immersive experience.
Operator calls itself a “request network” aiming to “unlock the 90% of commerce that’s not on the internet.” The Operator app, developed by Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, connects you with a network of “operators” who act like concierges who can execute any shopping-related request. You can order concert tickets, get gift ideas, or even get interior design recommendations for new furniture. Operator seems to be positioning itself towards “high consideration” purchases, bigger ticket purchases requiring more research and expertise, where its operators can add significant value to a transaction.
Intents: It is basically the action chatbot should perform when the user say something. For instance, intent can trigger same thing if user types “I want to order a red pair of shoes”, “Do you have red shoes? I want to order them” or “Show me some red pair of shoes”, all of these user’s text show trigger single command giving users options for Red pair of shoes.
Lack contextual awareness. Not everyone has all of the data that Google has – but chatbots today lack the awareness that we expect them to have. We assume that chatbot technology will know our IP address, browsing history, previous purchases, but that is just not the case today. I would argue that many chatbots even lack basic connection to other data silos to improve their ability to answer questions.
Evie's capacities go beyond mere verbal or textual interactions; the AI utilised in Evie also extends to controlling the timing and degree of facial expressions and movement. Her visually displayed reactions and emotions blend and vary in surprisingly complex ways, and a range of voices are delivered to your browser, along with lip synching information, to bring the avatar to life! Evie uses Flash if your browser supports it, but still works even without, thanks to our own Existor Avatar Player technology, allowing you to enjoy her to the full on iOS and Android.
Yes, witty banter is a plus. But, the ultimate mission of a bot is to provide a service people actually want to use. As long as you think of your bot as just another communication channel, your focus will be misguided. The best bots harness the micro-decisions consumers experience on a daily basis and see them as an opportunity to help. Whether it's adjusting a reservation, updating the shipping info for an order, or giving medical advice, bots provide a solution when people need it most.
The trained neural network is less code than an comparable algorithm but it requires a potentially large matrix of “weights”. In a relatively small sample, where the training sentences have 150 unique words and 30 classes this would be a matrix of 150x30. Imagine multiplying a matrix of this size 100,000 times to establish a sufficiently low error rate. This is where processing speed comes in.
Chatbots have been used in instant messaging (IM) applications and online interactive games for many years but have recently segued into business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) sales and services. Chatbots can be added to a buddy list or provide a single game player with an entity to interact with while awaiting other "live" players. If the bot is sophisticated enough to pass the Turing test, the person may not even know they are interacting with a computer program.
These days, checking the headlines over morning coffee is as much about figuring out if we should be hunkering down in the basement preparing for imminent nuclear annihilation as it is about keeping up with the day’s headlines. Unfortunately, even the most diligent newshounds may find it difficult to distinguish the signal from the noise, which is why NBC launched its NBC Politics Bot on Facebook Messenger shortly before the U.S. presidential election in 2016.
Chatbots can strike up a conversation with any customer about any issue at any time of day. They engage in friendly interactions with customers. Besides, virtual assistants only give a bit of information at a time. This way they don’t tire customers with irrelevant and unnecessary information. Chatbots can maintain conversations and keep customers on your website longer.
Despite the fact that ALICE relies on such an old codebase, the bot offers users a remarkably accurate conversational experience. Of course, no bot is perfect, especially one that’s old enough to legally drink in the U.S. if only it had a physical form. ALICE, like many contemporary bots, struggles with the nuances of some questions and returns a mixture of inadvertently postmodern answers and statements that suggest ALICE has greater self-awareness for which we might give the agent credit.
If you ask any marketing expert, customer engagement is simply about talking to the customer and reeling them in when the time’s right. This means being there for the user whenever they look for you throughout their lifecycle and therein lies the trick: How can you be sure you’re there at all times and especially when it matters most to the customer?
Through Amazon’s developer platform for the Echo (called Alexa Skills), developers can develop “skills” for Alexa which enable her to carry out new types of tasks. Examples of skills include playing music from your Spotify library, adding events to your Google Calendar, or querying your credit card balance with Capital One — you can even ask Alexa to “open Dominoes and place my Easy Order” and have pizza delivered without even picking up your smartphone. Now that’s conversational commerce in action.
Closed domain chatbots focus on a specific knowledge domain, and these bots may fail to answer questions in other knowledge domains. For example, a restaurant booking conversational bot will be able to take your reservation, but may not respond to a question about the price of an air ticket. A user could hypothetically attempt to take the conversation elsewhere, however, closed domain chatbots are not required, nor often programmed to handle such cases.
The classification score produced identifies the class with the highest term matches (accounting for commonality of words) but this has limitations. A score is not the same as a probability, a score tells us which intent is most like the sentence but not the likelihood of it being a match. Thus it is difficult to apply a threshold for which classification scores to accept or not. Having the highest score from this type of algorithm only provides a relative basis, it may still be an inherently weak classification. Also the algorithm doesn’t account for what a sentence is not, it only counts what it is like. You might say this approach doesn’t consider what makes a sentence not a given class.
Its a chat-bot — For simplicity reasons in this article, it is assumed that the user will type in text and the bot would respond back with an appropriate message in the form of text (So, we will not be concerned with the aspects like ASR, speech recognition, speech to text, text to speech etc., Below architecture can anyways be enhanced with these components, as required).
…utilizing chat, messaging, or other natural language interfaces (i.e. voice) to interact with people, brands, or services and bots that heretofore have had no real place in the bidirectional, asynchronous messaging context. The net result is that you and I will be talking to brands and companies over Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and elsewhere before year’s end, and will find it normal.
Designing for conversational interfaces represents a big shift in the way we are used to thinking about interaction. Chatbots have less signifiers and affordances than websites and apps – which means words have to work harder to deliver clarity, cohesion and utility for the user. It is a change of paradigm that requires designers to re-wire their brain, their deliverables and their design process to create successful bot experiences.
Through Knowledge Graph, Google search has already become amazingly good at understanding the context and meaning of your queries, and it is getting better at natural language queries. With its massive scale in data and years of working at the very hard problems of natural language processing, the company has a clear path to making Allo’s conversational commerce capabilities second to none.
Feine, J., Morana, S., and Maedche, A. (2019). “Leveraging Machine-Executable Descriptive Knowledge in Design Science Research ‐ The Case of Designing Socially-Adaptive Chatbots”. In: Extending the Boundaries of Design Science Theory and Practice. Ed. by B. Tulu, S. Djamasbi, G. Leroy. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 76–91. Download Publication
When considering potential uses, first assess the impact on resources. There are two options here: replacement or empowerment. Replacement is clearly easier as you don’t need to consider integration with existing processes and you can build from scratch. Empowerment enhances an existing process by making it more flexible, accommodating, accessible and simple for users.
“Bots go bust” — so went the first of the five AI startup predictions in 2017 by Bradford Cross, countering some recent excitement around conversational AI (see for example O’Reilly’s “Why 2016 is shaping up to be the Year of the Bot”). The main argument was that social intelligence, rather than artificial intelligence is lacking, rendering bots utilitarian and boring.
Bots are also used to buy up good seats for concerts, particularly by ticket brokers who resell the tickets.[12] Bots are employed against entertainment event-ticketing sites. The bots are used by ticket brokers to unfairly obtain the best seats for themselves while depriving the general public of also having a chance to obtain the good seats. The bot runs through the purchase process and obtains better seats by pulling as many seats back as it can.
While AppleTV’s commerce capabilities are currently limited to purchasing media from iTunes, it seems likely that Siri’s capabilities would be extended to tvOS apps so app developers will be able to support voice commands from AppleTV directly within their apps. Imagine using voice commands to navigate through Netflix, browse the your Fancy shopping feed, or plan a trip using Tripadvisor on AppleTV — the potential for app developers will be significant if Apple extends its developer platform further into the home through AppleTV and Siri.
Love them or hate them, chatbots are here to stay. Chatbots have become extraordinarily popular in recent years largely due to dramatic advancements in machine learning and other underlying technologies such as natural language processing. Today’s chatbots are smarter, more responsive, and more useful – and we’re likely to see even more of them in the coming years.
An Internet bot, also known as a web robot, WWW robot or simply bot, is a software application that runs automated tasks (scripts) over the Internet.[1] Typically, bots perform tasks that are both simple and structurally repetitive, at a much higher rate than would be possible for a human alone. The largest use of bots is in web spidering (web crawler), in which an automated script fetches, analyzes and files information from web servers at many times the speed of a human. More than half of all web traffic is made up of bots.[2]
This chatbot aims to make medical diagnoses faster, easier, and more transparent for both patients and physicians – think of it like an intelligent version of WebMD that you can talk to. MedWhat is powered by a sophisticated machine learning system that offers increasingly accurate responses to user questions based on behaviors that it “learns” by interacting with human beings.
To be more specific, understand why the client wants to build a chatbot and what the customer wants their chatbot to do. Finding answers to this query will guide the designer to create conversations aimed at meeting end goals. When the designer knows why the chatbot is being built, they are better placed to design the conversation with the chatbot.
NBC Politics Bot allowed users to engage with the conversational agent via Facebook to identify breaking news topics that would be of interest to the network’s various audience demographics. After beginning the initial interaction, the bot provided users with customized news results (prioritizing video content, a move that undoubtedly made Facebook happy) based on their preferences.
Authentication. Users start by authenticating themselves using whatever mechanism is provided by their channel of communication with the bot. The bot framework supports many communication channels, including Cortana, Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger, Kik, and Slack. For a list of channels, see Connect a bot to channels. When you create a bot with Azure Bot Service, the Web Chat channel is automatically configured. This channel allows users to interact with your bot directly in a web page. You can also connect the bot to a custom app by using the Direct Line channel. The user's identity is used to provide role-based access control, as well as to serve personalized content.
Shane Mac, CEO of San Francisco-based Assist,warned from challenges businesses face when trying to implement chatbots into their support teams: “Beware though, bots have the illusion of simplicity on the front end but there are many hurdles to overcome to create a great experience. So much work to be done. Analytics, flow optimization, keeping up with ever changing platforms that have no standard.
Niki is a personal assistant that has been developed in India to perform an impressively wide variety of tasks, including booking taxis, buses, hotels, movies and events, paying utilities and recharging your phone, and even organizing laundry pickup and delivery. The application has proven to be a huge success across India and won the Deep Tech prize at the 2017 AWS Mobility Awards.
in Internet sense, c.2000, short for robot. Its modern use has curious affinities with earlier uses, e.g. "parasitical worm or maggot" (1520s), of unknown origin; and Australian-New Zealand slang "worthless, troublesome person" (World War I-era). The method of minting new slang by clipping the heads off words does not seem to be old or widespread in English. Examples (za from pizza, zels from pretzels, rents from parents) are American English student or teen slang and seem to date back no further than late 1960s.
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4104
|
__label__wiki
| 0.702571
| 0.702571
|
Cellist Nathan Waks leads Seppeltsfield buyout investors
5 September 2007 Beer review, People, WineChris Shanahan
About a year after putting historic Seppeltsfield on the market, Foster’s last week announced its sale to a group of investors led by little-known Clare Valley based Kilikanoon Wines.
Kilikanoon Managing Director, Nathan Waks, says that the purchase is being executed through The Seppeltsfield Estate Trust. The trust’s owners include Kilikanoon Wines, Janet Holmes a’Court, Greg Paramor and Kilikanoon’s major shareholders, Nathan Waks and Bruce Baudinet.
In a complex deal the Trust will buy the entire property and fortified wine stocks but will lease 108-hectares of vines back to Foster’s and enter into a long-term agreement with Foster’s to manage the fortified stocks.
The 185-hectare property is a treasury of Barossa winemaking history dating to the early 1850s. Visitors to the site drive through an avenue of date palms – established to keep workers employed during the depression – to the complex of cellars, dwellings and National Trust listed Seppelt family homestead.
Five generations of the Seppelt family established this sprawling village before the company floated in 1970 and subsequently passed, intact, through successive ownerships by South Australian Brewing Holdings, Adsteam, Southcorp and Fosters.
Perhaps the most direct links to the past, with continuing relevance to wine today, are the 108-hectares of vines and around nine million litres of fortified wine stored in an estimated thirty thousand barrels – each in need of TLC.
With the market for fortified wine all but dead, the question, until now, was who will take on such a colossal volume of high maintenance wine, even if it is some of the best material in the world?
To Foster’s credit, it steadfastly avoided a carve up of the property or a fire sale of the unique fortified stocks. Those thirty thousand barrels carry wines dating back to 1878 and underpin the magnificent Seppeltsfield fortified range.
But who would be interested in continuing to make these wines, finding a market for them and for looking after a heritage property with a reported $1-million a year maintenance bill?
It was never likely to be a large public company – Foster’s had already admitted that this type of niche operation didn’t fit its global plans. As well, Seppeltsfield held strategic assets that Foster’s needed to access in the future. So the buyer had to have capital, a vision for the property and its fortified wine and a willingness to meet Foster’s needs.
Foster’s wanted continued access to grapes from the Seppeltsfield vineyard – particularly to ‘icon’ quality shiraz – company jargon for material good enough for flagship Penfolds reds, Grange and RWT Shiraz.
Seppeltsfield also holds within its complex soleras (a fractional blending system for ageing fortified wines) material used in Penfolds products, including Grandfather and Great Grandfather ports.
The deal cobbled together by the Kilikanoon team sees the 108-hectare vineyard leased back to Foster’s. Foster’s will maintain the vineyard, keep the grapes that it needs for the Penfolds brand and sell some of the material, including the fortified varieties, touriga and palomino, to the new Seppeltsfield owners.
Foster’s fortified winemaker, James Godfrey, will continue to maintain the soleras and to make fortified wines on site for both Foster’s and Seppeltsfield. And the Kilikanoon press release says that ‘The Seppeltsfield Trust will employ apprentice and junior winemakers to learn the specialist art of fortified winemaking from one of the world’s finest exponents’.
And who are the new owners? Kevin Mitchell founded Kilikanoon Wines in the Clare Valley about ten years ago. In 2000, at Kevin’s request, a group of investors, including Nathan Waks and Bruce Baudinet, became involved and expanded the company’s interest beyond the Clare Valley.
Nathan Waks now heads an export-focused business (‘our exports are bigger than our domestic sales’, says Nathan) with vineyards in Clare, Barossa, McLaren Vale and the Southern Flinders Ranges. It’s a business that’s ‘grown organically and quickly’ says Waks.
With solid financial support Waks plans to ‘bring the village back to life around the Seppeltsfield fortified brand’. He views the fortifieds as a niche product and a good fit with Kilikanoon’s boutique, hand-sell operation.
He believes that Australia can learn to love top-end fortifieds consumed in small quantities with sympathetic food. And he sees tremendous potential in export markets where the wines, with the exception of muscats and tokays from Rutherglen, are virtually unknown.
Although Seppeltsfield remains one of the most visited sites in the Barossa, Waks observes that ‘there’s not much for them to do’ – hence a plan to ‘revive the village in all its facets’.
Under the Seppelt family the property produced not just wine but vinegar, wine barrels, smoked meats and raspberry cordial. Under the new owners these activities will recommence – and olive oil production could be part of it.
Already under Foster’s the Seppeltsfield fortifieds have a regional focus and the European wine names ‘sherry’ and ‘port’ have been dropped. The fino, amontillado, oloroso and tawny styles all focus on Barossa Valley origins and the tokays and muscats on Rutherglen.
The new owners intend to maintain this regional focus. And, for the most part, wines offered at Seppeltsfield will be estate grown and made. The wine plan includes a recommissioning by next vintage of the historic 1880s gravity-fed winery – sitting unused but in good nick since the 1980s.
And there’ll be music and dancing, too. The press release says, ‘The well-known musical careers of Kilikanoon partners, violinist John Harding and cellist Nathan Waks will ensure that the arts take centre stage in the future with a Seppeltsfield Festival high on the agenda’.
Press release + Q&A — Foster’s and Kilikanoon agree Seppeltsfield sale
For sale — Seppeltsfield, Aussie icon, fortified wine treasure trove
Wine review — Seppeltsfield, Wicks Estate and Tscharke
← Grape and grain together — Saltram Pepperjack Ale Wine review — Heggies, Pooles Rock, Stefano Lubiano & Eileen Hardy →
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4108
|
__label__wiki
| 0.696368
| 0.696368
|
Normandy Chair for Peace
Chair Leader
General Coordinator of the Chair
Overview of Chair objectives for 2019-23
1. Processes of Change of Fundamental Rights and Legal Systems
2. Success Stories
3. Climate Justice
4. Indigenous Peoples
5. Education for the Rights of Future Generations
6. Philosophy and Bioethics
7. Transitional Justice
8. Legal Indicators
9. CPR Economics
10. Representation and Defence of Future Generations
NCP Blog
Professor Nicholas A. ROBINSON is an Environmental Law Professor from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Since the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, Professor Robinson has been a leader in the environmental legal programs of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He edited the United Nations’ praparatory work for the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, served on the drafting team for the UN World Charter for Nature, and was both IUCN’s Legal Advisor and Chair of its World Commission on Environmental Law. He led the formation of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law. He has specialized in the law of environmental impact assessment since 1969, and founded the environmental legal education programs at Pace University in New York. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Normandy for Peace Chair on Law and Future Generations (Sept. 2019-Sept. 2022).
Background to the Normandy for Peace Chair
The Normandy for Peace Chair will work over the next four years on various legal changes at an international and also French and Norman level, relating to the new field of rights of future generations. The Chair for Excellence, a unique tool, will bring together fundamental reflection, diverse universities research and links with civil society. This growing knowledge base will benefit citizens now and in the future, and will be the fruit of community action, locally and within the world of international scientific diplomacy.
Amazon – What should be done for the Amazon?
In Pictures / Indigenous Peoples
Video: Sanctuarizing Forests
In Pictures / Legal Indicators
Video: Legal indicators of law for future generations
In Pictures (5)
Legal Indicators (2)
NCP Blog (1)
{{site_title}} © {{year}}. All Rights Reserved.
A blog proposed by Hypotheses - Privacy Policy
Syndication Feed - Credits
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4113
|
__label__cc
| 0.653884
| 0.346116
|
Enhance the whole Tom Joyce experience
Who is this man named Tom Joyce?
Tom Joyce's chamber of the bizarre
Your recommended daily allowance of weird
Two-Sentence Horror Stories, 2016 edition
My father has died.
Interview With Author Kevin Smith
Back from PhilCon!
About "Chamber of the Bizarre"
Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers
Special guest stars
The Freak Foundation Operative's Report
Web stuff
Archives Select Month October 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 October 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 September 2013 August 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011
Good discussion site
Good tech advice from my pal Doug
The Druken Comic Book Monkeys got a blog!
Very cool writer Odina Coven
WEIRD FACTS: Books bound in human skin
Posted: August 28, 2014 in Books, Random stuff
Tags: Abdul Alhazred, Aleister Crowley, anthrodermic bibliopegy, Anton LaVey, Baudelaire, books bound in human flesh, grimoire, Marquis de Sade, Necronomicon
Books bound in human skin are a staple of horror fiction. But sometimes it happens in real life. The following is a partial list of books that, at some point in their publication history, have been issued in bindings made of human flesh:
“De Humani Corporis Fabrica” by Vesalius
“The Necronomicon” by Abdul Alhazred
“Martha’s Having Friends for Dinner! 120 Easy Long Pig Recipes” by Martha Stewart
“The Book of Lies” by Aleister Crowley
“The Satanic Ritual: Companion to the Satanic Bible” by Anton Szandor Lavey
“Ziglar on Selling: The Ultimate Handbook for the Complete Sales Associate” by Zig Ziglar
“Acid Indigestion Eyes” by Wayne Lockwood
“Des Destinees de l’Ame (Destinies of the Soul)” by Arsene Houssaye
“The Highwayman: Narrative of the Life of James Allen alias George Walton” by James Allen
“Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective” by Donald J. Sobol
“Long Lost Friend” by John George Hohman
“The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage” translated by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
“100 Things Giants Fans Should Know and Do Before they Die” by Dave Buscema
“The Book of Lies 3: Tokyo Drift” by Aleister Crowley
“The Book of Black Magic” by Arthur Edward Waite
“Justine et Juliette” by Marquis de Sade
“My First Grimoire!” by Carrie Mullen
“My First Pop-Up Grimoire!” by Carrie Mullen
“Les Terres du Ciel” by Camille Flammarion
“Chicken Soup for the Satanist’s Soul” by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Satan
“Les Fleurs du Mal” by Charles Baudelaire
“Kelley Blue Book Used Car Guide Consumer Edition April-June 2014” by Abdul Alhazred
Book Review: “The Poor Boy’s Game” by Dennis Tafoya
Posted: August 21, 2014 in Books, Writers
Tags: Cormac McCarthy, crime thriller, Dennis Tafoya, Dope Thief, No Country for Old Men, Philadelphia, The Poor Boy's Game
I’m reluctant to tell you the plot of Dennis Tafoya’s novel “The Poor Boy’s Game.”
Not because of spoilers. More because a basic synopsis of the plot may give you the impression that it’s a very different kind of book than it actually is.
I’m reminded of the time I got ambushed — there’s really no other way to describe it — by Cormac McCarthy’s “No Country for Old Men.”
I was getting ready to take a long car trip, and checking out the books-on-CD selection at the library for something to listen to on the drive. On a whim, I happened to pick up “No Country for Old Men,” knowing nothing about the book or its author.
The dust jacket described the plot. A guy discovers a cache of organized crime loot and goes on the run with it, pursued by a relentless hit man. Meanwhile, an old-school sheriff goes searching for hunter and hunted alike to head off any bloodshed.
My reaction? “Gee, that’s original.” Seemed like the kind of book where you could not only predict all the major plot developments, but the pages where they occur.
But I figured what the heck, I’d give it a listen anyway. And … Ho … Lee … Shit!
Technically, yeah, the sequence of events on the dust jacket described the plot. But it was in no way the conventional thriller it sounded like.
Tafoya’s novel is nowhere near as bleak as McCarthy’s. But it’s similar in the respect that it starts with what looks like a fairly conventional set-up for a crime thriller, then takes it to unexpected places for a richer and more nuanced story than you initially thought you were going to get. (Unless you’ve read Tafoya’s stuff in the past, and know not to expect the commonplace.)
The story concerns U.S. Marshal Frannie Mullen, who finds herself suspended when an operation goes bad. Then the bad news keeps mounting. Her father, who provided muscle for some local thugs before going away to prison, has escaped. He’s brought violence into her life before. And judging by the fact that somebody is intent on killing her, it seems old habits die hard.
As in Tafoya’s previous novel “Dope Thief,” he sets up the main conflict and then spends a lot of time wandering away from it. It often annoys me when thriller writers do that. Call me a Philistine, but I’m just not that interested in the criminal profiler’s troubled relationship with his estranged wife. I want to know how the whole catching-the-serial-killer thing is shaping up.
In Tafoya’s novels, though, that meandering is one of their strongest attributes. The situation obliges Mullen to revisit and try to make sense of the damage her father left behind in her life, and that of her alcoholic sister.
As a Philadelphia-area resident myself, I can verify that Tafoya has a good feel for the details of the city where the story takes place. The vernacular. The attitude. The overall texture of the perhaps inappropriately nicknamed City of Brotherly Love.
All of this gives the book a naturalistic, lived-in vibe. The characters come across as real people, not the catchphrase-spouting automatons that populate too many crime thrillers. You actually feel like you’re hanging out with these people, watching their lives unfold. As a result, the action sequences pack that much more of a wallop.
So I’d highly recommend “Poor Boy’s Game.” Like Frannie Mullen, you might find that checking out a familiar neighborhood with a new perspective yields some rewarding insights.
Science fiction vs. techno thriller
Posted: August 15, 2014 in Books, Culture, Uncategorized
Tags: Drift, Jon McGoran, Michael Crichton, science fiction, techo thrillers
My recent review of Jon McGoran’s excellent thriller “Drift” got me thinking about the definition of “science fiction.”
On the surface, defining science fiction looks pretty simple, doesn’t it? Does it have science in it? Is it fiction? Then it’s science fiction. Whew! Gotta take a nap. All this thinking has plum wore me out!
Except maybe it’s a little more complicated than that.
Don’t want to go into too many details here lest I drop any spoilers. McGoran’s book is about a modern-day cop who stumbles into a criminal conspiracy involving the bioengineering of crops. I’ll tell you this much. The secret he uncovers turns out to be pretty jaw-dropping, yet it’s grounded in modern scientific developments. Incredible, but not intelligent-walking-plant-creatures-menacing-humanity incredible.
That aura of plausibility, coupled with the fact that it takes place in modern times instead of the future, would seem to place it in the realm of “techno thriller” rather than “science fiction.”
Though I’m not one of these obsessive buffs who reads nothing BUT science fiction, I still love it.
It’s interesting to me, how science fiction developed. It (debatably) started around the turn of the 20th century, at a time of staggering scientific and technological advances that were radically changing the world for better and for worse. People were interested in reading stories that speculated about what changes might be in the works, and what those changes might bring.
A lot of early science fiction wasn’t intended as escapist fantasy, so much as a peek at how sweeping technological developments could affect the future.
I’m not suggesting that all science fiction was based on sober speculation. I doubt anybody read John Carter’s adventures on Mars because of their gritty realism. Still, a lot of early science fiction was based on a sense that the fantastic scenarios and inventions being described were plausible. Even imminent. If transcontinental air travel — a bizarre and fanciful notion for the generation preceding those early science fiction writers — was plausible, how much of a leap was it that the next generation would be living on the moon? If Americans could meet and interact with people on the other side of the globe, was it really that big a stretch that we might someday be shaking hands with the occupants of Mars or Venus?
So what makes one fictional work involving science a “techno thriller,” and another “science fiction?”
I saw a few reviews comparing McGoran to Michael Crichton. I’m reluctant to do that, because I really liked McGoran’s book, and I’m not a big fan of Crichton as a writer or as a scientific theorist. (“Global warming? Poppycock!” Good call, Mike. Very scientifically rigorous.)
Still, Crichton’s books were frequently classified as techno thrillers too, as opposed to science fiction. No matter how outlandish the premise — such as resurrected dinosaurs — the contemporary setting and mere nod to scientific plausibility would take them out of the realm of science fiction.
It seems that these days, a work gets classified as “science fiction” more because it incorporates certain tropes associated with the genre, than because it has anything to do with science. Tropes such as time travel, space travel, extraterrestrials, cyborgs, etc. Not based in actual scientific research on any of those topics, so much as variations on previous works about them. Being curious and knowledgeable about science doesn’t necessarily appear to be a qualifier for science fiction writers anymore, so much as a desire to write about spaceships and robots.
That’s not a diss. Like I said, I love science fiction — vintage and modern. And I guess it’s not a recent phenomenon. I just did a Google image search for science fiction pulp magazine covers, and they don’t exactly make the words “scientific rigor” come to mind. The raison d’être for many of them is apparently finding excuses to depict babes in metallic bikinis on the covers.
And of course there are plenty of exceptions. The subgenre of cyberpunk, much like early 20th century science fiction, attempted to combine rollicking adventure with genuine speculation about how radical contemporary technological developments might affect the future. You’ve also got works such as Scott Pruden’s “Immaculate Deception” that deliberately subvert standard science fiction tropes for purposes of social satire.
Still, it’s interesting that incorporating genuine science into a story these days might disqualify that story as science fiction.
Book Review: “Drift” by Jon McGoran
Tags: Drift, Frankenfoods, GMOs, Jon McGoran, organic farming, thriller, Weavers Way Co-op
If I was to sit down and rack my brain to think of subjects that could serve as the basis of a gripping thriller, I probably wouldn’t include “botany” on that list. Well, not before I read “Drift” by Jon McGoran, anyway.
Turns out plant science can make for a pulse-pounding story. And I’m not talking Day-of-the-Triffids-style monster plants, either. I’m talking about regular ol’ plant science, grounded in modern-day technology.
The “drift” in the title refers to cross-pollination, which drives the plot. Doesn’t exactly get your heart racing? Trust me on this one. In capable hands, nuts-and-bolts (or nuts-and-berries if you will … sorry) science can make for some very engaging reading. And McGoran’s hands are eminently capable.
It’s basically a techno thriller. But with plants.
McGoran draws on contemporary developments in bioengineering to depict a queasily plausible scenario where unethical parties can exploit those scientific advances — manipulating natural processes at will to produce drugs or weapons. To McGoran’s credit, this isn’t some hysterical, misinformed screed about GMOs. He periodically steps back, providing a rational assessment of the benefits and risks of the scientific advances at the book’s core.
Still, don’t get the impression that this is some dry treatise on modern agriculture. It’s got all the components that fans of slam-bang thrillers (like me) demand of their page-turners. An intriguing mystery. Compelling characters. Kick-ass action sequences. And simmering tension building to a final setpiece that … well, don’t want to give anything away here. Just stick with it.
The story concerns Philadelphia narcotics detective Doyle Carrick, who gets a 30-day suspension and ends up spending it in rural Pennsylvania. There, he encounters some organic farmers who are wrapped up in the political and ethical issues of commercial crop cultivation.
McGoran makes a canny decision in casting Carrick as the reader surrogate, who’s initially not into this stuff. The story gets some nice comic moments out of his reactions meeting some of the eccentric characters who are.
Even if Carrick doesn’t know anything about organic farming, he’s still got a cop’s instincts that tell him when something fishy is going on. A bunch of known thugs showing up in this small farming community, a mysterious developer buying up land, threatening phone calls to the holdouts and some apparent junkies who seem strangely insistent about their abstinence from drugs all point to something going on under the surface.
With the assistance of new-found friends in the organic farming community, Carrick begins piecing it together and learning as he does. I hasten to add that this isn’t one of those edu-ma-cational thrillers that periodically brings the story to a screeching halt so some character can awkwardly deliver a lengthy academic lecture. (*Cough cough! Dan Brown. Cough cough!* Pardon me. Something caught in my throat.) McGoran keeps the pacing quick, and the storytelling tight.
So read “Drift” for the entertainment value. And if you learn something along the way, so much the better.
My application as a blogger for oppressed rich people
Posted: August 2, 2014 in Uncategorized
Many thanks to my friend Dave for making me aware of this Craigslist ad, which I am honest-to-freakin-God not making up:
Emotional Writer Needed For Support Community for Affluent Individuals
Special community for people who have earned a lot of money or been born into a wealthy family needs a blog ghostwriter. The focus of the community is providing psychological support for the problems money brings — family tensions, unfulfillable expectations, boredom, etc. To do this you must be intimately familiar with the problems faced by wealthy people. If you grew up wealthy or through some other means can write detailed blog posts on this topic, please get in touch.
The posts need to be highly personal, emotional and have a strong editorial voice. These are anything but generic lectures. We are looking for 3 posts per week and each post pays $30. If you’re interested, please send a brief cover letter with some suggested topics so we can see that you really can come up with specific topics which touch the hearts of people from affluent families along with some writing samples of your personal, emotionally charged writing. It should all be pasted into the body of the email. We can’t open attachments. Thanks!
Here’s my application. I would appreciate any feedback:
I am responding to the request for a blog ghostwriter serving your special community that provides psychological support for the problems money brings. I believe that I am qualified. For I myself have felt the ache within my heart that comes with being born into wealth, and would like to bring succor and comfort to those similarly afflicted.
Yes, I was born into money. My father was a wealthy entrepreneur who pioneered the use of orphans’ tears as industrial lubricant. My mother was a heavy hitter in the fashion industry. I assume you’re familiar with the Bulimiqúe line of designer emetics?
I grew up in what many would consider comfortable circumstances. Champagne mimosas to go with my Fruity Pebbles. Servants fighting with claw hammers for my amusement. I attended exclusive boarding schools, was summarily spanked by headmistresses, and tipped accordingly.
Starting from young adulthood, my life was a glittering panorama of trendy nightclubs, casinos and resorts. Monaco. Dubai. Atlantis. (Oh, it exists. Don’t laugh. Hard to get a decent vodka martini there, but it’s one of the few places in the world where the hookers are willing to give you a “Tijuana Bassoon Solo.” Tijuana, surprisingly, is not one of them.)
Yet the suffering inherent to my lot in life tormented me night and day. The family tensions. The unfulfillable expectations. The boredom. The incessant whining of those crybabies complaining about picayune annoyances such as lack of access to basic nutrition and health care. How I wept inside at the tragedy that was my existence!
I recently remarked upon this to a friend. We were at a resort in … oh, I forget the country. All I remember is that the natives were distastefully short and swarthy. But they did have a nice restaurant. One of those places where you can go up to a pen full of albino snow leopards and pick out which one you want for your entrée.
Anyway, we were sitting at a table. My friend was tucking into his albino snow leopard stir fry, and I was snorting a line of Peruvian flake off a tragically beautiful Victoria Secret model’s cleavage.
“You know,” my friend said, “if only there was a blog devoted to alleviating the anguish of those such as us.”
“That’s it!” I cried. “That is my mission in life! To be a literary champion who speaks out against the cruel oppression of the rich in our society! For we bleed, my friend. We bleed. Yet what is the heart that pumps that blood if not a heart of fire for the songs of freedom and mercy that course unto the night eternal?”
“I … didn’t really get any of that,” my friend said.
“Sorry,” I replied. “That’s the Peruvian flake talking.”
And so I offer my services as your scribe. Your champion. Your villain’s banana. Wait. Did that last one make any sense? This Peruvian flake is kicking my ass. Damn! What were we just talking about?
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4114
|
__label__cc
| 0.652069
| 0.347931
|
Medium Car
Big Car
Caroline's Favourite Cars of 2014
|In Features
|By Caroline Kidd
It’s the end of the year so I thought I would pick out my favourite cars of 2014.
I will try to explain why I’ve chosen these in particular. My list is not about budget, practicality or anything sensible like that, though some of these cars would tick those boxes anyway.
More often than not it’s because there is something really interesting about this car that I like – it’s different, innovative or boldly doing something new to make itself stand out from the crowd.
So here are my favourite cars of 2014 in no particular order…
You can also watch my video blog which explains the reasons behind my choices.
I was a bit worried about the future of the supercar. I thought the pressure of the green movement might anaesthetise it a bit. But in fact it’s just made the supercar cooler and cutting edge and the BMW i8 is the ultimate embodiment of that. It’s got an amazing wedge shape, it harks back to the BMW supercars of yore. The fact that it can do amazing mpg means more smiles per mile. And it’s got awesome if severely impractical doors.
I love the gentle evolution of the classic TT styling. I would plug for the petrol model as always ‘cos a sexy beast like this just cannot have a diesel under the bonnet. If you want a diesel in this, go buy an A3 for God’s sake. The virtual cockpit is very cool too.
I’ve chosen the C4 Cactus because though it’s very odd-looking – some might say it’s a bit ugly – I really take my hat off to Citroen for bringing this car to market in this form. It’s so different to anything out on the road.
Volkswagen e-Golf
Volkswagen is so great at making cars that if I was going to buy an electric car in this era I would want Volkswagen to have made it. You just know it will be smart and easy to live with. Volkswagen engineers want to help you out in life – not build a car that will be the biggest mistake you ever made. Thankfully they have chosen one of their best loved models, the Golf, and not made it weird or odd, but just smartly turned it into an eco lovin’ hatchback.
I was excited about driving this car all year because I was curious about the rear wheel drive, rear engine layout in a city car. I applaud Renault for going against the grain and trying something different – though the results are more about practicality (roomier cabin and more manouvrability) than tyre squealing action. But I loved that little whirr of engine behind my ears. It’s cool to tell people your engine is in the boot. And the Twingo is cute as a button too. I was smiling the whole time I was driving this car. That’s why it’s one of my favourite cars of the year – and all for less than €15,000.
Caroline Kidd
Caroline Kidd is the founder and editor of Changing Lanes. She has been writing about cars and the motor industry for over five years and is a juror for Irish Car of the Year. Changing Lanes offers consumers and car enthusiasts a friendly, honest and alternative viewpoint on cars and the motor industry
2020 Renault Clio TCe 100 Petrol Review
2020 Audi e-tron 55 quattro Review
Guide To IONITY At Circle K In Ireland
Me And My Car: Eugene Devereux, Irish Bootstrapper
Mazda MX-5 30th Anniversary Review
Copyright Changing Lanes | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Web Design by Blackstairs Web Design
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4115
|
__label__cc
| 0.607675
| 0.392325
|
Civil Services Preparation, Current Affairs, General Studies
International Kaleidoscope
International Current Affairs
India and The World
Persons in News
Geography (English)
Polity and International Relations (English)
Economy (English)
Readings for Mains
Readings for Prelims
March 18 2019
Highlights of Interim Budget 2019
css Readings for Prelims Prelims Special 2019 0
The interim Budget 2019 is the last budget of the Narendra Modi government and was presented in the Lok Sabha by Shri Piyush Goyal on February 01, 2019. It contains many populist measures in view of coming Parliamentary and some state assembly elections. The major takeaways of the interim budget 2019 include exemption of people with an earning of up to Rs 5 lakh from payment of income tax, announcement of an annual cash dole-out of Rs 6,000 to small farmers and provision of a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to workers in the unorganised sector, among others.
Following are the key highlights of the interim Budget 2019-20 presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in the Lok Sabha on February 1, 2019.
Income up to Rs 5 lakh exempted from income tax
Standard deduction raised to Rs 50,000 from Rs 40,000
Direct tax proposals to provide Rs 23,000 cr relief to 3 crore taxpayers
Persons with gross income up to Rs 6.50 lakh not required to pay any income tax if they make investments in provident funds, specified savings and insurance.
12 crore small, marginal farmers to be provided assured yearly income of Rs 6,000 under PM-KISAN scheme
TDS threshold raised to Rs 40,000 from Rs 10,000 on interest earned on bank/post office deposits
Tax exempted on notional rent on a second self-occupied house
TDS threshold for deduction of tax on rent to be increased to Rs 2.40 lakh from Rs 1.80 lakh
Tax benefits for affordable housing extended till March 31, 2020
Tax exemption period on notional rent on unsold inventories extended to two years from one year
Allocated Rs 20,000 crore in 2018-19, Rs 75,000 crore for FY2019-20 for PM-KISAN scheme
Interest subvention of 2% during disaster to be provided to farmers for the entire period of reschedulement of loan
2% interest subvention to farmers for animal husbandry and fisheries activities; additional 3% in case of timely repayment
Rs 3,000/month pension for 10 cr unorganised sector workers with contribution of Rs 100/55 per month under PM Shram Yogi Maandhan scheme
Fiscal deficit pegged at 3.4% of GDP for 2019-20; target of 3% of fiscal deficit to be achieved by 2020-21
Current Account Deficit pegged at 2.5% of GDP for FY20
Total expenditure to rise by 13 pc to Rs 27.84 lakh cr in FY20
National Education Mission allocation increased by about 20% to Rs 38,572 cr
Allocation for Integrated Child Development Scheme increased by over 18% to Rs 27,584 cr
Disinvestment target of Rs 80,000 cr in 2018-19 likely to be met; Target for FY20 set at Rs 90,000 cr
25% additional seats in educational institutions to meet the 10% reservation for the poor
Defence budget to cross Rs 3,00,000 cr for the first time
Allocation for North East increased by 21% to Rs 58,166 cr in FY20
Railways to get capital support of Rs 64,587 cr in FY20
Indian filmmakers to get access to single window clearance for ease of shooting films; regulatory norms to rely more on self-declaration
2% interest subsidy for MSMEs on an incremental loan of Rs 1 crore for GST-registered entities
At least 3% of the 25% sourcing for the government undertakings to be from women-owned SMEs
One lakh villages to be transformed into digital ones in 5 years
New portal to support national programme on Artificial Intelligence
Reforms in stamp duty; amendments to ensure streamlined system for levy of stamp duties to be imposed and collected at one place
A separate Department of Fisheries to be created for welfare of 1.5 crore fisherman
22nd AIIMS to be setup in Haryana
Rs 60,000 crore allocation for MGNREGA in 2019-20
India poised to become USD 5 trillion economy in next 5 years; aspires to become USD 10 trillion in the subsequent 8 years
What is budget?
Budget is an annual account of government’s receipts and expenditure. The Union Budget of India is also referred to as the Annual Financial Statement in the Article 112 of the Constitution of India. The Government presents it on the first day of February so that it could be materialized before the commencement of new financial year in April. Till 2016 it was presented on the last working day of February by the Finance Minister of India in Parliament. The budget, which is presented by means of the Finance bill and the Appropriation bill has to be passed by Lok Sabha before it can come into effect from April 1, the start of India’s financial year.
Interim budget and vote on account
An Interim Budget is not the same as a ‘Vote on Account’. While a ‘Vote on Account’ deals only with the expenditure side of the government’s budget, an Interim Budget is a complete set of accounts, including both expenditure and receipts. An Interim Budget gives the complete financial statement, very similar to a full Budget. While the law does not debar the Union government from introducing tax changes, normally during an election year, successive governments have avoided making any major changes in income tax laws during an Interim Budget.
The Indian budget: Who presented first and who more times
The first Union budget of independent India was presented by R. K. Shanmukham Chetty on November 26, 1947.
As of September 2017, Morarji Desai has presented 10 budgets which is the highest followed by P Chidambaram’s 9 and Pranab Mukherjee’s 8. Desai presented budgets that included five annual budgets and an interim budget during his first stint and three final budgets and one interim budget in his second tenure when he was both the Finance Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister of India.
Yashwant Sinha, Yashwantrao Chavan and C.D. Deshmukh have presented 7 budgets each while Manmohan Singh and T.T. Krishnamachari have presented 6 budgets.
After Desai’s resignation, Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, took over the Ministry of Finance to become the only woman to hold the post of the Finance Minister.
What is an interim budget?
Appropriation and Finance Bill
An appropriation bill, also known as supply bill or spending bill, is a proposed law that authorizes the expenditure of government funds. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending. In most democracies, approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money. There is little difference between the two. A bill, which solely deals with the matters prescribed in Article 110 clause 1 of the Constitution, is considered as a Money Bill. While a finance bill is a bill proposed in the parliament that contains provisions relating to revenue and expenses.
What is Money Bill?
A Money Bill refers to a draft law introduced in Lok Sabha. The Bill deals with issues such as receipt and spending of money, such as tax laws, laws governing borrowing and expenditure of the government, prevention of black money etc. Instead of being a separate Bill in itself, a money bill is more like a category. The Speaker has the power to decide whether a bill is a money bill or ordinary bill. The examples of Money Bills are Finance Bill and Appropriation Bill.
Article 110 of Indian constitution talks about Money Bill.
Under Article 110(1) of the Constitution, a Bill is deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters:
(a) the imposition, remission, abolition, alteration or regulation of any tax;(b) regulation of borrowing by the government;(c) custody of the Contingency Fund or Consolidated Fund of India, and payments into or withdrawals from these Funds;(d) appropriation of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India;(e) declaring of any expenditure to be expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the increasing of the amount of any such expenditure;(f) receipt of money on account of the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India or the custody or issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of the Union or of a State; or (g) any matter incidental to any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f).
Economic Development and Policies
International Trade and Economy
Student’s Column
भारतीय इतिहास
भारतीय चित्रकला
भारतीय दर्शन
भारतीय नृत्य
भारतीय संगीत
भारतीय स्थापत्य
हड़प्पा सभ्यता
The Alternative Deal between UK and EU on Brexit: Miles to Go
India-US Bilateral Defense Trade To Reach $18 Billion By Year End: Pentagon
Civil Services Prelims Solved Paper- Series B
Some Important Economic Terms
Hairstyles Men on The rise of right wing populism: Meaning, reasons and implications
Geneva Bennett on The rise of right wing populism: Meaning, reasons and implications
Sergio Blake on The rise of right wing populism: Meaning, reasons and implications
Rose Morales on The rise of right wing populism: Meaning, reasons and implications
Nasir Sayani on Sri Lanka: Ghastly Easter attacks
Civil Services Strategist
Powered and Managed by
Sahaj Takneek
© Civil Services Strategist 2020
Developed and Managed by Sahaj Takneek
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4126
|
__label__cc
| 0.677621
| 0.322379
|
In 2014, 93% of NZEI members voted no confidence in the Ministry's Investing in Educational Success (IES) initiative, and we asked for genuine discussion with educators. We asked for flexible, locally-driven ways to support collaboration. We asked for resourcing to support kids and their learning, not just for new roles. We rejected top-down, one-size fits all models and said we should build off existing successful practice. We voted against National Standards being the determinant of resourcing or roles. We asked for evidence-based approaches.
And we came up with a better plan—one that was detailed and costed out—for the Government's planned $359 million of funding.
Both the union and the Ministry agreed that it's in the best interests of students and the education system to recognise our differences, but to make progress where there is agreement—in particular, keeping students at the centre of teaching and learning, supporting successful collaboration and transitions and developing improved career pathways.
Our Better Plan
In 2014, the Government planned to spend $359 million on a highly-paid cadre of managers to oversee groups of schools. But parents and educators had a better plan to make a real difference to our children.
1: Smaller class sizes to ensure individualised learning
A phased in programme of improved teacher:student ratios, starting with years 4-8, was estimated to cost from $50 million a year.
2: Ensure all children are attending ECE services with 100% qualified and registered teachers
The Government dropped the target of 100 percent qualified and registered ECE teachers and associated funding in 2010. ECE services are currently only required to have 50% of teachers qualified and registered. Restoring funding for 100% qualified and registered ECE teachers was estimated to cost $32 million a year.
Better funding for children with special needs to support 20,000 more kids
In 2014, around 3% of school learners (30,000 children) had high special education needs, but ORS funding is rationed to 1%. Increasing the ORS fund to 3% was estimated to cost $180 million a year to support 20,000 more kids.
4: Sustainable funding for support staff so teachers can focus on teaching and learning
Teacher aides and other school support staff are funded through schools' operations grants, which means they have insecure work and low wages. Sustainable funding is needed to ensure there are enough teachers aides to support children with learning needs and enough administrative support so teachers can focus on teaching and learning.
5: Support initiatives that make a real difference for Māori and Pasifika students
Children who can access their own culture and language do better at school. But bilingual and rumaki units in schools are under pressure because of the limited numbers of teachers with language fluency. We need more resources for recruitment, training and retention of teachers of te reo Māori and for bilingual education for Pasifika students.
For more detail, download the Better Plan document.
The Joint Initiative
The Joint Initiative is a process for the Ministry and NZEI to work together to identify:
flexible models of collaboration
improved transitions for children and students from early childhood education through their schooling, and
the possible resourcing and career pathways required to support this.
The initiative is comprehensive, looking at what resourcing and roles are needed throughout early childhood education, primary, support staff and special education.
The Joint Initiative Governance group continues to meet regularly. We aim to use this process to:
monitor and evaluate the implementation of the joint Initiative recommendations including pushing for ECE and support staff to be included and resourced as equal partners
keep pushing for more “stretch” in the Community of Learning model so that CoLs can be genuinely responsive to their students’ needs and ECE and support staff
provide feedback from the ground into re-design of the education system so that authentic collaboration and what children need for successful transitions drive change rather than a one size fits all hierarchical model
Today, with a new government, the work we did together is even more relevant. NZEI leaders in the Joint Initiative group continue to advocate for children and their learning.
Read the full Terms of Reference
Work we've done
Working parties were established to look at collaboration, transition and success for Maori and Pasifika learners. These working parties looked for examples of successful practice throughout New Zealand. The Joint Initiative working party made visits around the country, meeting with researchers and processing 1300 survey responses from NZEI members.
See more about what we learned.
How the Joint Initiative working group interacted with the governance group and local presences. (Click to expand)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4130
|
__label__wiki
| 0.635491
| 0.635491
|
Cam Levins Talks Canadian Marathon Record And Future Goals
Mark Dwyer
(Cam Levins spoke with FloTrack in 2017 about his return to action following injury)
Cam Levins took down Jerome Drayton's long-standing Canadian marathon record earlier this month in Toronto during his debut at the distance. The Black Creek, British Columbia native, who now resides in the United States and represents Hoka ONE ONE, threw down a 2:09.25 at the Waterfront Marathon to eclipse Drayton's mark of 2:10.09, which was set way back in 1975 in Fukuoka, Japan.
Prior to his recent focus on the marathon, Levins was a 5,000m and 10,000m specialist who competed at the 2012 London Olympic Games. His career achievements include collecting a bronze medal in the 10,000 at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as well as a trio of Canadian XC Championships (2010 to 2012), among many others. Levins, who represented Southern Utah during his college days, owns a number of world class pr's that include: 3:54.74 - indoor mile, 13:15.19 - 5,000m and 27:07.51 - 10,000m.
Discussing Cam Levins breaking the Canadian record in his debut marathon, the most interesting hypotheticals surrounding the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and the finalists for the IAAF Athlete of the Year.https://t.co/u1ks8dX6cS
-- FloTrack (@FloTrack) October 23, 2018
MileSplit caught up with Cam to gain more insight on his record setting run and to learn about what's next in his athletic career.
Firstly, what does it mean to you to have overtaken Jerome Drayton's long-standing national marathon record?
Taking Jerome's record would have been an achievement I'd appreciate at any point in my career. However, it's especially important to me now, because it feels like a resurgence of my career and a sign that I can compete well in this sport again.
With the temperature reaching as low as -2 degrees Celsius during your race combined with high winds in parts, to many observers it didn't appear to be a recipe that would lead to a record setting day. Talk about how you executed your plan and how you overcame the adverse weather conditions to get the job done.
There was a certain amount of naivety on my part. Since I hadn't ran one before, I was simply following the pacers and seeing where that put me. I had two fantastic pacers who helped make sure I stayed on track and did a great job bringing me back to our pack when a gap developed at the bottle stations. It probably wasn't ideal weather conditions, but I felt great and executed my race plan well.
Cam Levins shown competing at the 2014 USATF High Performance Distance Classic.
Did you encounter any tough patches throughout your run? Aside from weather, what adversity did you face during the race?
Mostly I felt that I spent much of the race holding back until I pushed the last 10-12 km; that may be in part because I didn't know how the marathon was supposed to feel. Until the last 8 km I felt smooth, and even when I was tired I had strength from which to pull. I did find some surges in pace a little uncomfortable to cover, but they didn't really wear me out ultimately.
"Confidence is all about believing in yourself even if no one else will. Without it, you are giving up before you start." - @CamLevins (Canadian Marathon Record Holder) #MondayMotivation PC: Cole Burston/Canadian Press pic.twitter.com/LgQbA0bHjD
-- BC Athletics (@BC_Athletics) October 22, 2018
Can you give us a snapshot of a typical week of training or perhaps a difficult week of training in your lead-up to Toronto Waterfront.
I do long runs every 10-12 days, and those are typically at a steady pace with a faster finish. I like to aim for at least 3 workouts per week, and 2-3 runs most days. I wouldn't say there's enough consistency in what sessions are included in a typical week. However, most workouts were based around marathon and half marathon pace. I would like to include some more based around 5-10 km pace for speed in the future.
You are widely known to have put in huge mileage weeks earlier in your career. Do you think the endurance foundation that you built factored heavily into your immediate success at the marathon distance?
There are so many factors to being a successful athlete. Ultimately, I believe the mileage helped my legs feel more fresh and less thrashed late in the race. I ran lots in my preparation for this marathon along with how much I've done over my career, and so I don't know which was more important. However, more mileage isn't always the key for everyone, as there are successful marathoners who run fewer miles per week than me.
Do you have aspirations to lower your new Canadian standard? If so, how low do you think you can take it in the future?
I think it's reasonable to expect I can lower my time from a debut. There is a lot I could have done better in my lead-up to this marathon, and I believe experience can have an especially strong effect on marathon results. I don't like setting limits in any event, so I won't speak to what I may end up running at my best, but I hope to make the Canadian national record competitive with other top countries.
Cam Levins is focused on the marathon for now, but he doesn't rule out a return to the track.
In terms of your future competition goals, is it all about the marathon for you or do you ever foresee yourself going back to the track for 5,000m / 10,000m races or heading to the road-racing circuit for shorter distance contests?
I'm excited about training and racing the marathon at the moment, but I can definitely see myself on the track again at some point. However, in the mean time, I plan to contest shorter road races during future marathon lead-ups.
Jerome Drayton
Cameron Levins
Comox Valley Cougars
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4134
|
__label__cc
| 0.641735
| 0.358265
|
Resting in reaction mode
“(W)e need to invest in more rigorous analyses of possible futures…”
No one can predict the future. In a world of rapid change and global interactions, how is it possible for governments with certainty to look forward to, and more to the point, prepare for what may come?
They can predict some things, such as the aging population. As Don Drummond pointed out in his Ontario report last year, there is so much that we can forecast and yet, as governments, we are slow to prepare and too often content to rest in reaction mode.
Why is this? Sometimes, it is politically difficult to invest in preparation. To take one case, we may be able to predict that an ageing population is going to require specific care, but it could be difficult for governments to pursue the slow, steady and costly investments required to prepare for that.
Or take the example of infrastructure. It was no secret in New Orleans that the levy system was at risk. But there was no action to seriously address the issue until Katrina came and went.
The slow and steady approach, too often, is foregone, resulting in a crisis response that probably costs more in the long run, but at least can demonstrate that government is able to act when called upon.
There is a growing business in foresight, in which organizations prepare for what may come, based on multiple scenario options.
In the U.S., the Department of Veterans Affairs has a quadrennial strategic planning process that is based on a 10-15 year assessment of drivers and the alternative “future worlds” veterans will face.
In the world of public sector transformation, it would be great to have a crystal ball that could foresee what government will look like in the future. In Ottawa, some work has been done in this area to help deputy ministers in how to respond to possible scenarios of public sector change.
It would be fascinating to see what the scenarios look like.
Renewal Leading a culture of change February 28, 2014
Renewal For what it’s worth March 4, 2015
Renewal Lend us your enthusiasm and passion May 7, 2012
Renewal Fast tracking new recruits September 3, 2014
Renewal The challenge for Blueprint 2020 November 4, 2013
CGE Magazine
January 2017 issue: A proposal to change public service culture
In this issue of Canadian Government Executive, our lead story is...
A Serious Error in Judgement: Former PBO throws Public Service Leadership under the Bus
Written by Jason McNaught Former Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page doesn’t...
A curriculum fit for public service transformation
Like all governments, the federal public service faces increasing demands for...
Social leadership and a public servant’s pride
As a new assistant director in the Human Resources Branch at...
UK’s chief public executive keynote at APEX symposium
John Manzoni, the head of the U.K. public service, will be...
Systems evolution: A gigamap
What is the central challenge facing government institutions and societies in...
Policy development in the digital age
Last September the federal government announced a small business hiring credit....
We hear it often about the digital era: “Everything has changed.”...
Global Solution Networks: A revolution in governance
I don’t think governments have changed fundamentally since Al Gore made...
When data meets regulatory uncertainty
Last September Netflix refused the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC)...
When accountability goes viral
Go ahead. Read the comments that anonymous users post under online...
There’s something happening here. It might not warrant the protest cry...
Blueprint 2020 an opportunity to tap Millennials’ technological prowess
Blueprint 2020 continues to be the key driver in the federal...
Youth advocates for open and responsive government
On October 7, 2014 the World Bank Group (WBG) opened its...
Election 2015: Will Millennials find their voice?
Barring an early federal election call fraught with risk, our next...
Digital Governance: What does it mean for public organizations?
The mantra on technology and change is becoming tiresome, I’m sure,...
Attempting to regulate the present from the past
and that Related posts: Uber Canada boss suggests cities allow taxis to update biz model Uber faces insurance woes in Edmonton, launches preemptive PR move in TO Insurance firms fix sights on drones as government works on regulations...
Civic engagement as art
The traditional definition of civic engagement is voter turnout. The traditional...
Yes we can…transform
Well, there is little doubt that on the public sector front...
When Westminster meets digital
Most public sector conversations around the impact of digital refer to...
Moving from buzzwords to action
Since joining the federal government just over two years ago, there...
Fast tracking new recruits
In the U.K., reform of the public sector has been a...
A partisan public service?
“Do you believe public servants are too politicized?” This was the...
Get Ready for the Net Generation
I call today’s youth the Net Generation. Born between 1977 and...
A healthy debate
they tend to gloss over the substantial range of public servants...
Fellowship of the Ring: Government and civil society
Commitment to social justice can erode in times of austerity, change,...
Lessons on stifling innovation
Francis Fukuyama is best known for his book, The End of...
Restoring citizen trust and confidence
i.e. profit. The public sector Related posts: The Intrapreneurial Spirit Summit Speaker Profile: Vince Molinaro On the need for Departmental Chief Procurement Officers...
A collision of one too many good ideas?
while there is something very good to be said about consistent...
Bracing for the second wave
commentEmail””:””peter.karwacki@servicecanada.gc.ca”” Related posts: Global Solution Networks: A revolution in governance Digital Governance Forum keynote videos For what it's worth...
Rebranding the public service
but it’s an important distinction that the marketing needs don’t overshadow...
Reports: Time to remove excessive controls and allow more risk tolerance
A year ago, the 7th annual report of the Prime Minister’s...
When even change is caught up in red tape
While the gist of the 7th annual report of the Prime...
What are you doing to improve performance in your organization?
If there is one thing governments spend a lot of time...
After seven years in the public service it was time to...
How to hire the best and brightest
One of the challenges facing the public service is recruiting and...
Stewards of innovation: Leaders in the middle
Middle managers are emerging as the true change makers and disciples...
Acknowledging elephants
APEX suggests that some public servants do not appear to appreciate...
Leading a culture of change
Public sector leaders face an environment characterized by complexity, shifting demographics...
Constant change is the new normal
The second annual CGE Leadership Summit was held yesterday in Ottawa....
Can a Chatham House Party cure CLM Disease?
Departments and social media platforms within the government have been encouraging...
The Purple Zone: Political-administrative interface
In 1996, Pacific Rim Commonwealth countries shared experiences in managing complexity...
Looking beyond efficiency
The changes that the public sector is going through are well...
Blueprint 2020: The canary in the coal mine
December was the six month check-in for Blueprint 2020, the current...
Responsibility to create: Politicians and a professional public service
Prime ministers matter when it comes to public service reform. In...
Behavioural science and Blueprint 2020
If you’ve read Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, you...
Blueprint 2020: New process, same destination
Blueprint 2020 follows similar efforts of previous Clerks who were trying...
Reinventing government and democracy for the Digital Age
The push for government cutbacks is running up against growing public...
CGE Summit: Change for the future
It should come as no surprise that citizens who suffered the...
Sustaining the buy-in for cultural change
According to Booze and Co., change management, “because it is predicated...
Citizen, customer and partner
Some of us are old enough to remember the New Public...
Blueprint 2020: Forging the future
There has been no shortage of change initiatives driven by federal...
A collective appetite for renewal
The Blueprint 2020 process is historic because it engages employees across...
The art of the possible: Open government
Many nations look to the Canadian public service as a model...
What if we need real transformation?
Throughout the Blueprint 2020 campaign, I’ve heard one thing again and...
The challenge for Blueprint 2020
Over the past months, a number of teams within the federal...
A call for smarter collaboration
Collaboration is the new mantra for how governments can work more...
Blueprint 2020: Smart use of technology
In June, the Clerk of the Privy Council, Wayne Wouters, launched...
UK reform five years in….
As government departments and the GoC Twitterverse continue to respond to...
Blueprint 2020: A tool to increase your engagement
To adapt to the forces of change reshaping our world and...
Institutional entrepreneur: The new public servant
Dramatic transformations to historically stable institutions are creating exciting opportunities to...
Program revolution: New ways for solving government’s toughest problems
Just had a fascinating discussion with Paul Macmillan about the new...
Better criteria for sober second thought
as it were.rnrnInstead...
Does Blueprint 2020 hold Wouters?
the message on the sign starts to sound juuuuust a little...
Blueprint 2020: Raising expectations for real change
I was not surprised to hear one individual advise Louise that...
We want your voice
Today we are launching a CGE blog. So, you might ask,...
Recruiting the next generation
There is no denying that today’s students are the future of...
Capitalizing on the volunteer spirit
The government of the United States of America is starting to...
Let’s celebrate public servants
National Public Service Week’s theme this year is “Proudly Serving Canadians.”...
The rise of mutuals and the entrepreneurial ethic in the UK
As part of its Big Society initiative, and linked to Prime...
Time to tell our stories
I used to be a proud public servant. Now I’m not...
Crowdsourcing a future vision
In the Twentieth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the...
A blueprint for the future public service
The Clerk of the Privy Council spoke at the APEX Symposium...
Public service in profoundly changing times
At this time of global uncertainty, Canada has strong frameworks: a...
Building sandcastles
The best sand castle I ever built was constructed on top...
A pithy and powerful take on public service transformation
Yesterday the Auditor General released his spring report. The media played...
To give is to motivate
It is interesting that when you ask people why they work...
No one can predict the future. In a world of rapid...
Thatcher’s legacy: new public management
The commentaries on Margaret Thatcher have focused on her determination and...
A dysfunctional public service?
There are very few countries in the world where public sector...
Incremental reform: The impressive impact of interrelated initiatives
Too often those implementing change in the public sector can get...
Come jam with us
If you are a senior leader interested in adopting the Community...
More lessons from U.K. reform
I often refer to reports and information on government from the...
Transformation by sequestration
Federal public servants south of the border are, of course, concerned...
At the risk of repeating ourselves…
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a U.K. National...
Strengthening public sector value through culture change
Culture change takes time and requires the dedication of employees and...
Reaching our full potential: Alberta Public Service renewal
Barrie!””...
Transformation lessons worth heeding
The U.K. government public sector reforms, as outlined in the 2011...
The world today seems to be changing significantly faster than ever...
Public value model would require greater public participation
Many think the traditional Westminster system of public management is on...
One Choice: Culture, engagement and passion
Choice. It seems like such a simple thing, to choose to...
The private sector call still resonates
In Monday’s Globe and Mail, Donald Savoie wrote an op-ed piece...
Sage advice for a public service career
I recently had the opportunity to attend Mega-ConnEX – a government-wide...
A new message for government
Minister Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, was preaching to...
Tony Clement: Rethinking government
Countries, particularly in the western industrialized world, are coming under increasing...
Sky Pilot: Ministering to public service renewal
Henry Mintzberg observed in a 2007 CGE interview that management and...
Big challenges for the new Secretary of the Treasury Board
The new Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada, Yaprak Baltacioglu,...
A balanced role for government
Last night in Toronto the head of the Ontario public service,...
Strategic downsizing: Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater
It’s all very well to talk about making government smaller. But...
Managing to what end?
The question is: when will governments wake up and figure out...
The public service and varsity sports
More and more, money alone doesn’t cut it to attract and...
Arm’s length agencies: The next generation
During the mid 1990s Canada gained a reputation internationally for public...
The future public service: Open and fast moving
The U.K. has released its Civil Service Reform Plan, and anyone...
What new professionals need
What do new professionals (NPs) need to better engage, contribute, and...
End game: a leaner, more efficient government
At the APEX Symposium last week, the President of the Treasury...
Great expectations: Reshaping the public service
Wayne Wouters spoke at the APEX Symposium yesterday, and reiterated two...
CGE Vol.13 No.5 May 2007 Karen Ellis is Vice-President of the...
Employees want renewal
CGE Vol.13 No.1 January 2007 What exactly do federal public servants...
Renewing public service
CGE Vol.13 No.6 June 2007 Public service renewal has become a...
Renewal and communications
Renewal is an ongoing process demanding hands-on commitment across a broad...
Focused renewal: Vital public-private connections
CGE Vol.13 No.3 March 2007 Kevin Lynch is Clerk of the...
Unleashing creativity in the cubicle
When someone I meet for the first time asks me the...
The Long Emergency: Renewal in an age of crisis and opportunity
Thanks to demographic shifts, climate change, energy shortages, global economic meltdowns...
L’urgence de longue durée : le renouvellement dans une période de crise et de possibilités
À cause de l’évolution démographique, du changement climatique, des pénuries d’énergie,...
Public Service 2.0: A new participative ethos
Is there reason to hope? Once again, the federal government has...
Promouvoir la collaboration
Dans son quinzième rapport annuel au Premier ministre sur la fonction...
Hiring for collaboration
In the fifteenth annual report to the Prime Minister on the...
Imagination, innovation et audace sont nécessaires
Mes amis, vous avez fait un bon choix. En entrant dans...
Un renouvellement vital : mythe et réalité
La Direction de la conservation et de la protection (C&P) est...
Living Renewal: Myths and Reality
Conservation and Protection (C&P) is the enforcement arm of Fisheries and...
Riding the wave of potential
As canada@150 approaches the one-year anniversary of its final report, we...
Permission to fail: Changing the culture of the public service
Wicked issues? What does that mean? It means that traditional solutions...
We would like to share with you our ideas on how...
Lend us your enthusiasm and passion
In the April edition, the Federal Youth Network wrote a memo...
Why we need to tell our stories
When I was hired into the federal government in 2003, I...
Connecting beyond boundaries
Chairing two national networks from Prince Edward Island can be challenging....
Collaborative effort to renew public service culture
Recently I had the opportunity to be part of a panel...
Réconciliation avec les Premières nations : Bâtir la confiance et la compréhension
Un demi-millénaire après le premier contact entre les Autochtones et les...
Relevant renewal: Creating a culture of pride, risk and innovation
Over the next five to ten years, the private and public...
Avantages aux citoyens
En Nouvelle-Zélande, la fonction publique représente 31 % du PIB....
Connecting with a future workforce
In November, Canadians came face to face with the reality of...
A la recherche de jeunes professionnels? Comprenez leurs stades de vie
Pour concrétiser tout véritable effort de renouvellement, la fonction publique devra...
Conversation required: The public service and its future role
On March 22, Federal Budget Day, the Harper government authorized the...
The intrapreneur: Government’s game changer
The economic meltdown has crippled governments already challenged by global warming,...
Citizen gains: Meeting New Zealand’s service expectations
New Zealand’s State Services comprise 31 percent of GDP. State servants...
Australia’s blueprint for public sector reform
As promised, the advisory group on the future of the Australian...
Seeking young professionals? Understand their life stages
Any truly meaningful renewal of the public service will, by necessity,...
Public service reform Down Under
While the Canadian approach has been piecemeal and incremental, some countries...
Renewal: Will it be different this time?
CGE Vol.13 No.10 December 2007 Public servants are used to secretaries...
The Clerk’s campaign for cultural change
On March 31, the Clerk of the Privy Council Office submitted...
What’s on your horizon?
Join us on a trip around our planet as we explore...
Redefining government’s role
Treasury Board President Tony Clement is leading the federal government”s Strategic...
Trust, transformation and technology
Allan Seckel joined the British Columbia public service in 2003 after...
Restoring confidence in integrity requires a cultural shift
The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner was created by...
Engaging new professionals in the renewal dialogue
Many young Canadians have joined the public service to serve their...
From best to smart practice: A global perspective
Best practices are a way of accomplishing a business function that...
A call for clarity: A strengthened political-civil servant relationship
The public service today has been enduring a barrage of criticism...
Trust and Engagement: Renewal at NRCan
An interview with Deputy Minister Cassie Doyle....
Confiance et mobilisation
Une entrevue avec le vice-ministre Cassie Doyle....
Living the canada@150 vision
Recognizing that the federal public service must evolve to keep pace...
A wired public service
With cuts anticipated in the upcoming budget, many public servants are...
Creating the space to explore
When the National Managers’ Community gathers in Montreal in March for...
Commonwealth reform: Ministers champion good governance
In October 2012, the Commonwealth Ministers Forum on Public Sector Development...
Bridging the public and academic sectors
The Canada School of Public Service is playing a significant role...
A brand to believe in
Although the value of Canada’s professional and non-partisan public services is...
Globalization’s challenge for tomorrow’s public servants
As a new public servant, I sometimes think about the future...
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4136
|
__label__wiki
| 0.588374
| 0.588374
|
Experimental Therapeutics, Molecular Targets, and Chemical Biology
PI3K Pathway Activation Mediates Resistance to MEK Inhibitors in KRAS Mutant Cancers
Susan Wee, Zainab Jagani, Kay Xiaoqin Xiang, Alice Loo, Marion Dorsch, Yung-Mae Yao, William R. Sellers, Christoph Lengauer and Frank Stegmeier
Susan Wee
Zainab Jagani
Kay Xiaoqin Xiang
Alice Loo
Marion Dorsch
Yung-Mae Yao
William R. Sellers
Christoph Lengauer
Frank Stegmeier
DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-4765 Published May 2009
The RAS pathway is one of the most frequently deregulated pathways in cancer. RAS signals through multiple effector pathways, including the RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)/ERK MAPK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT signaling cascades. The oncogenic potential of these effector pathways is illustrated by the frequent occurrence of activating mutations in BRAF and PIK3CA as well as loss-of-function mutations in the tumor suppressor PTEN, a negative regulator of PI3K. Previous studies have found that whereas BRAF mutant cancers are highly sensitive to MEK inhibition, RAS mutant cancers exhibit a more variable response. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this heterogeneous response remain unclear. In this study, we show that PI3K pathway activation strongly influences the sensitivity of RAS mutant cells to MEK inhibitors. Activating mutations in PIK3CA reduce the sensitivity to MEK inhibition, whereas PTEN mutations seem to cause complete resistance. We further show that down-regulation of PIK3CA resensitizes cells with co-occurring KRAS and PIK3CA mutations to MEK inhibition. At the molecular level, the dual inhibition of both pathways seems to be required for complete inhibition of the downstream mammalian target of rapamycin effector pathway and results in the induction of cell death. Finally, we show that whereas inactivation of either the MEK or PI3K pathway leads to partial tumor growth inhibition, targeted inhibition of both pathways is required to achieve tumor stasis. Our study provides molecular insights that help explain the heterogeneous response of KRAS mutant cancers to MEK pathway inhibition and presents a strong rationale for the clinical testing of combination MEK and PI3K targeted therapies. [Cancer Res 2009;69(10):4286–93]
RAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancer ( 1). Oncogenic mutations in RAS lead to deregulation of several effector pathways that control cell proliferation, survival, and migration and thus promote malignant transformation. The best-characterized RAS effector pathway is the RAF-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) MAPK cascade. RAF becomes activated, in part, through RAS-mediated recruitment to the plasma membrane, where RAF activates MEK1 and MEK2, which in turn activate ERK1 and ERK2. ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylate several cytosolic and nuclear proteins, including transcription factors that control the G1-S cell cycle transition ( 1). Approximately 30% of all human tumors exhibit signs of MAPK pathway activation based on high phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 ( 2). Whereas many growth signaling pathways regulate MAPK activation, deregulation of this pathway in cancers occurs most frequently through activating mutations in KRAS or BRAF. Given the strong genetic evidence implicating the RAS pathway in the etiology of human cancer, much effort has focused on the development of therapeutic agents that inhibit critical downstream pathway components, such as RAF and MEK kinases ( 3, 4).
KRAS also stimulates signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway ( 5). The PI3K family encompasses lipid kinases that convert phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate to phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate, which in turn initiates a signaling cascade that promotes cell growth and survival ( 6). In addition to activation by oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases, deregulation of the PI3K signaling pathway in cancers can also occur through activating mutations in PIK3CA, which encodes the catalytic p110α kinase subunit, or through loss-of-function mutations in the lipid phosphatase PTEN ( 7, 8). Extensive cross-talk has been observed between the PI3K and RAS-RAF-MEK signaling pathways. In addition to RAS activating both RAF-MEK and PI3K signaling, both pathways can modulate the activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase through the negative regulation of the TSC1/2 complex ( 9– 13).
Most cancers exhibit a myriad of genetic and epigenetic changes, and “driver” oncogenic lesions are selected during the clonal expansion of cancers if they provide a growth or survival benefit. Hence, mutations in components of the same signaling pathway often exhibit a pattern of mutual exclusivity when there is no or little selective advantage gained from the acquisition of multiple pathway lesions. For example, activating mutations in both RAS and BRAF are rarely found to coexist in the same tumor ( 14– 16). Similarly, mutations in PI3K and PTEN are rarely concurrent ( 17). In the case of RAS and PI3K pathway mutations, however, the situation seems to be more complex. Whereas RAS and PI3K pathway mutations are found to be mutually exclusive in breast cancers, a significant fraction (22%) of colorectal cancers have genetic lesions in both pathways ( 18, 19). The molecular significance and therapeutic implications, however, of co-occurring mutations in the PI3K and RAS pathway are presently unclear.
A recent study found that the proliferation of BRAF mutant cancers is strongly affected by pharmacologic MEK pathway inhibition, whereas RAS mutant cell lines exhibited a more varied response and were generally found to be less sensitive to a MEK1/2 inhibitor ( 20). The molecular mechanism responsible for this variable response of RAS mutant cancers is currently not known. In this study, we found that activation of the PI3K pathway strongly influences the response of KRAS mutant cancers to MEK inhibitors. Activating mutations in PIK3CA significantly decrease the response to MEK pathway inhibition, reflected by a more than 10-fold shift in IC50 required to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Interestingly, loss of PTEN function leads to even more pronounced resistance to MEK pathway inhibition. We further show that p110α down-regulation is able to resensitize tumors with coexisting KRAS and PIK3CA mutations to MEK pathway inhibition both in vitro and in vivo. Together, these findings provide a strong rationale for combination therapies of PI3K and MEK inhibitors for cancers that harbor concurrent mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA.
Cell Culture and Reagents
LS513 and SW620 were generous gifts from Neal Rosen (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY). All other cell lines were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. All untransduced cells were cultured in DMEM (Invitrogen) and supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum (FBS; Invitrogen). All short hairpin RNA (shRNA)–transduced cell lines were grown in DMEM supplemented with 10% Tet-approved FBS (Clontech) in the presence of appropriate antibiotic selection. Expression of shRNA was induced by growing cells in the presence of 10 to 100 ng/mL of doxycycline (Sigma).
Cells were lysed in a modified radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer containing 50 mmol/L Tris-HCl, 1% NP40, 120 mmol/L NaCl, 25 mmol/L NaF, 40 mmol/L β-glycerol phosphate, and 1× Halt protease inhibitor cocktail (Pierce). All primary antibodies were obtained from Cell Signaling Technology, unless otherwise noted: anti-p110α, phospho-AKT, total AKT, total PTEN, phospho-S6, phospho-ERK1/2, phospho–glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), total ERK, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and cleaved caspase-7. Anti–glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was purchased from Imgenex, anti-PRAS40 from Invitrogen, and anti-KRAS from Santa Cruz Biotechnology. Proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocellulose membrane, and blocked in Odyssey blocking buffer followed by immunodetection with the indicated primary antibodies. Secondary antibody IRDye800 anti-rabbit and IRDye680 anti-mouse were purchased from Rockland Immunochemicals.
Apoptosis and Proliferation Analysis
Apoptosis. Cells were grown in 10 cm2 dish for 48 h in the presence or absence of 10 ng/mL doxycycline followed by treatment with 50 nmol/L PD0325901 for 24 h. Cells were then trypsinized and resuspended in PBS containing 10% NP40, 37% formaldehyde, and 1 mg/mL Hoechst 33342. Apoptotic or fragmented nuclei were visualized and counted under a UV microscope.
Soft agar assay. Cells were plated at 2,000 to 4,000 per well in a 96-well plate (Costar). An equal volume of 0.6% agarose (FMC Bioproducts) was added to each well to a final volume of 100 μL/well. After an hour at room temperature, the cells were kept in a 37°C and 5% CO2 incubator for 2 wk. Doxycycline, at a final concentration of 100 ng/mL, was replenished every 72 h. Colonies were then stained with the fluorophore Alamar Blue (Biosource International) and read 5 h afterwards in a fluorescence spectrophotometer equipped with a 540 excitation filter and 590 emission filter. Proliferation and colony formation assays were carried out as described previously ( 6).
Compound Treatment
The MEK1/2 inhibitor PD0325901 and etoposide were dissolved in DMSO to a final concentration of 10 mmol/L and stored at −20°C. Cells were plated in triplicate 96-well plates at 2,000 to 5,000 per well. After overnight attachment, cells were treated with serial dilutions of the indicated compound. Cells were incubated in the presence of compound for 72 h and viable cells were measured by CellTiter-Glo (Promega). The IC50 was calculated using Excel XLFit program using the one-site dose-response model 205.
Lentiviral RNA Interference
The inducible shRNA vector used in this study has been previously described in refs. 6, 21. shRNA sequences used in this study are as follows: control, 5′-TGGACTCTTGAAAGTACTATC-3′ (sense); PIK3CA#1, 5′-CCAGTACCTCATGGATTAGAC-3′ (sense); PIK3CA#2, 5′-GACAACTGTTTCATATAGATC-3′ (sense); KRAS#1, 5′-CGATACAGCTAATTCAGAATC-3′ (sense); KRAS#2, 5′-GGAGCTGGTGACGTAGGCA-3′ (sense); and PTEN, 5′-ACTTGAAGGCGTATACAGGAC-3′ (sense).
Tumor Xenografts
Female athymic nude mice (Harlan) were acclimated in Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research animal facility with ad libitum access to food and water for 3 d before manipulation. Animals were handled in accordance with Novartis Animal Care and Use Committee protocols and regulations. HCT116 cells engineered with Tet-inducible shRNA against PIK3CA were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% Tet-approved FBS. Mice (6–8 wk old, n = 8) were inoculated s.c. with 1 × 106 cells in the right dorsal axillary region. Tumor volume was measured by calipering in two dimensions and calculated as (length × width2) / 2. Drug treatment started 11 d after implant when average tumor volume was 110 mm3. Animals received vehicle (5% dextrose, 10 mL/kg, orally, four times daily), doxycycline hyclate (25 mg/kg, orally, four times daily), or PD0325901 (6 mg/kg, orally, four times daily) for the duration of the study (17 d). Doxycycline was dissolved in 5% dextrose, whereas PD0325901 was formulated in 10% ethanol, 10% propylene glycol, and 16% Captisol. A separate set of animals (n = 3) was dosed for 5 d with vehicle control, doxycycline, and/or PD0325901 for biomarker analyses only. At termination of the study, tumor tissue was excised and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for immunoblot analyses of biomarkers.
Quantitative Reverse Transcription-PCR
mRNA levels were measured using Taqman Gene Expression Assays on an ABI Prism 7900 HT Sequence Detection System supplied by Applied Biosystems. RNA isolation was performed using the Qiagen TurboCapture mRNA kit and followed by cDNA synthesis (iScript; Bio-Rad). The PIK3CA probe was purchased from Applied Biosystems. VIC-MGB B-Actin primers were used in each reaction to coamplify the actin transcript. All experiments were performed in triplicate and normalized to β-actin levels. Relative mRNA expression was calculated using the formula 2−(CT of sample − CT of β-actin), where CT (cycle count) is the threshold cycle value.
PI3K pathway activation in KRAS mutant cancer cells confers resistance to MEK inhibitors. To identify molecular modifiers that influence the sensitivity of KRAS mutant cancers to MEK pathway inhibition, we profiled a panel of cancer cell lines to determine their response to the MEK1/2 inhibitor PD0325901, which inhibits ERK phosphorylation with an IC50 of 10 to 20 nmol/L ( Fig. 1B ; ref. 22). Given the frequent co-occurrence of KRAS and PI3K pathway lesions, many of these cell lines harbored both KRAS and PI3K pathway mutations ( Fig. 1A). As expected, cell lines that are wild-type for KRAS were generally insensitive to PD0325901 ( Fig. 1A, black columns). However, the sensitivity of the 11 KRAS mutant cell lines to the MEK1/2 inhibitor varied drastically. We noted that the sensitivity to MEK inhibitors seemed to strongly correlate with the PI3K pathway mutation status. For example, four of five cell lines that harbor KRAS mutations but have a wild-type PI3K pathway are very sensitive to MEK inhibitor treatment ( Fig. 1A, light gray columns), with IC50 values similar to those required for complete phospho-ERK suppression ( Fig. 1B). In contrast, cell lines harboring activating mutations in PIK3CA were significantly less sensitive to MEK pathway inhibition. It is important to note that the antiproliferative effect in HCT116 cells (IC50 of 400 nmol/L), for example, occurred at concentration of PD0325901 that was much higher than that required for the complete suppression of phospho-ERK (20 nmol/L). Strikingly, cancer cells with loss of PTEN function were far more resistant to MEK1/2 inhibitors, as their proliferation was not affected even at micromolar concentrations. The MEK1/2 inhibitor blocked MEK-ERK signaling with similar efficiency in sensitive and resistant cells, excluding the possibility that incomplete target modulation accounts for the varying responses.
Mutations in the PI3K pathway correlate with resistance to MEK1/2 inhibitors in KRAS mutant cells. A, cell survival IC50 values for a panel of cancer cell lines treated with the MEK1/2 pharmacologic inhibitor PD0325901. The values are the average of three independent experiments. Black columns, KRAS wild-type (wt) cells; light gray columns, KRAS mutant (mut) cells; dark gray columns, cells harboring both KRAS and PI3K pathway mutations. The number of viable cells was determined 72 h after treatment as described in Materials and Methods. IC50 values are provided along the top of the graph. B, lysates harvested from cells treated for 2 h with the indicated concentration of PD0325901 were immunoblotted for phospho-ERK (pERK). GAPDH is shown as a loading control. C, KRAS mutant SW620 cells were stably transduced with either control or PTEN inducible shRNA. Lysates from cells grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline (DOX) for 96 h were harvested for immunoblot analysis. D, the IC50 value of SW620 cells containing either control or PTEN inducible shRNA in response to PD0325901 treatment is graphed. Effect on cell growth was determined 72 h after inhibitor treatment by CellTiter-Glo. PTEN depletion renders KRAS mutant cell lines insensitive to MEK inhibition.
These findings provide strong correlative evidence that activation of the PI3K pathway renders KRAS mutant cancer cells less sensitive to MEK pathway inhibition. To test this hypothesis directly, we engineered a KRAS mutant cell line to inducibly activate the PI3K pathway. We introduced an inducible shRNA targeting PTEN into the SW620 cell line, which harbors a KRAS mutation but has an intact PI3K pathway. PTEN depletion strongly increased the phosphorylation of AKT, a downstream marker of PI3K pathway activation ( Fig. 1C). In addition, PTEN depletion strongly reduced the sensitivity of SW620 cells to the MEK1/2 inhibitor ( Fig. 1D), providing direct evidence that PI3K pathway activation in KRAS mutant cells is sufficient to confer resistance to MEK-ERK inhibition.
Cells with coexisting mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA still exhibit KRAS dependency. The observation that KRAS mutant cells with PI3K pathway activation were less sensitive to MEK inhibition raised the question as to whether these cells more generally lost dependence on KRAS signaling or only the MEK effector pathway. To specifically address this question, BxPC3, SW480, and HCT116 cell lines were engineered to inducibly express shRNAs targeting KRAS. The induction of KRAS shRNAs resulted in a significant reduction of KRAS mRNA levels (Supplementary Fig. S1A–C) and KRAS protein ( Fig. 2A ). KRAS depletion in the KRAS mutant colorectal cancer cell line SW480 strongly impaired proliferation ( Fig. 2B) and efficiently suppressed downstream pathway signaling, as measured by the phosphorylation of ERK, AKT, and the AKT substrates S6 and PRAS40 ( Fig. 2A). In contrast, the proliferation of BxPC3 pancreatic cancer cell line, which is wild-type for both KRAS and the PI3K pathway, was not affected by KRAS depletion. When we tested HCT116 cells, which harbor mutations in both KRAS and PIK3CA, we found that KRAS depletion strongly affected proliferation and downstream MAPK signaling. These results indicate that HCT116 cells remain dependent on KRAS signaling, consistent with previously published data ( 23). Interestingly, KRAS knockdown had a stronger effect on reducing phospho-ERK levels compared with phospho-AKT in HCT116 cells presumably because mutational activation of p110α at least partially bypasses the need for KRAS signaling for the activation of the AKT pathway. Taken together, our results show that cells harboring mutations in both the PI3K and KRAS pathways are still dependent on KRAS function despite their reduced sensitivity to MEK pathway inhibition.
MEK-insensitive KRAS mutant cells are KRAS dependent. A, BxPC3, SW480, and HCT116 cells transduced with control or KRAS inducible shRNA were cultured in the presence or absence of doxycycline (10 ng/mL) for 72 h and harvested for immunoblot analysis. Knockdown of KRAS and its effect on downstream signaling, through changes in phospho-473AKT (pAKT), phospho-PRAS40 (pPRAS40), and phospho-S6 (pS6) status, were determined. B, BxPC3 and SW480 cells seeded at 2,500 per well and HCT116 cells seeded at 500 per well were plated in a 96-well dish and grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline. Cell viability was determined by Alamar Blue.
Inhibition of p110α sensitizes HCT116 cells to MEK pathway inhibition. We and others have previously shown that cell lines with PIK3CA activating mutations, such as HCT116, are dependent on PIK3CA activity for proliferation and AKT pathway signaling ( 6, 7). However, blocking PI3K activity only reduced but did not completely prevent cell growth or in vivo tumor formation, indicating that additional pathways contribute to the transformed phenotype ( Fig. 3B ; Supplementary Fig. S2A–D). Based on our previous finding that KRAS depletion also caused a strong antiproliferative effect in HCT116 cells, we wanted to directly compare the effects of p110α and KRAS depletion. Whereas PIK3CA knockdown caused a marked reduction in PI3K pathway signaling (phospho-AKT and phospho-S6 in Fig. 3A), cell proliferation ( Fig. 3B), and colony formation (Supplementary Fig. S2A), we found that KRAS depletion resulted in a significantly greater antiproliferative effect ( Fig. 3B; Supplementary Fig. S2A and C). We reasoned that this more pronounced dependency may stem from the ability of KRAS to activate both PI3K and MEK-ERK pathways. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that whereas PIK3CA depletion only affected AKT pathway activation, KRAS depletion strongly reduced both phospho-ERK and phospho-AKT downstream signaling ( Fig. 3A).
Inhibition of the PI3K pathway potentiates the antiproliferative effect of MEK1/2 pharmacologic inhibitors in HCT116 cells. HCT116 cells were transduced with control, PIK3CA, or KRAS inducible shRNAs. A, cells were grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline (10 ng/mL) for 72 h and harvested for immunoblot analysis with the indicated antibodies. B, cell proliferation in response to target gene knockdown was determined by Alamar Blue. C, cells grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline were treated with PD0325901 for 72 h. Harvested lysates were immunoblotted with the indicated antibodies. D, cells cultured in a six-well dish for 14 d in the presence (10 ng/mL) or absence of doxycycline were stained with crystal violet to visualize colony growth. A representative of triplicate experiment is shown.
These findings suggested that inhibition of both downstream effector pathways may be required to achieve maximal antiproliferative effects. We therefore tested the effects of combined inhibition of p110α and MEK using two independent inducible shRNAs targeting PIK3CA and the MEK1/2 inhibitor PD0325901. Indeed, blocking both pathways resulted in stronger antiproliferative effects compared with blocking either pathway alone ( Fig. 3C and D; Supplementary Fig. S3A and C). Notably, whereas both MEK and PI3K pathway inhibition alone reduced phospho-S6 and phospho-GSK3 levels, only the combined inhibition of MEK and p110α resulted in complete suppression of phosphorylation of both proteins ( Fig. 3C, lane 8). Together, these findings show that the combined inhibition of the PI3K and MEK-ERK pathways leads to more pronounced growth inhibition in HCT116 cells.
Combined inhibition of the MEK and PI3K pathways induces cell death. We next wanted to explore the molecular mechanism responsible for the increased antiproliferative effect in response to combined inhibition of the MEK and PI3K pathways. We have previously shown that PIK3CA knockdown in HCT116 cells results in a prolonged G1-phase arrest with little effect on cell survival ( 6). We therefore wanted to investigate whether the more potent growth-inhibitory effect elicited by the combination treatment may be a result of increased cell death. Depletion of either PIK3CA or MEK1/2 inhibitor treatment alone did not induce a significant apoptotic response ( Fig. 4 ). However, combining the depletion of PIK3CA with MEK inhibitor treatment induced several markers of apoptosis, including cleavage of PARP and caspase-7 ( Fig. 4A), sub-G1 DNA content ( Fig. 4B), and apoptotic nuclei ( Fig. 4C). These findings indicate that the growth-inhibitory effects in response to simultaneous disruption of MEK-ERK and PI3K pathway signaling are at least in part mediated by an increase in apoptotic cell death.
Inhibition of the PI3K and MEK-ERK pathway enhances cell death in HCT116 cells. HCT116 cells stably transduced with control or PIK3CA inducible shRNA were treated with PD0325901 in the presence or absence of doxycycline. A, lysate was harvested from cells treated with 10 nmol/L PD0325901 for 48 h. Effect on PARP and caspase-7 cleavage was determined by immunoblot analysis. GAPDH is shown as a loading control. B, percentage of cells in sub-G1 in the presence or absence of PIK3CA knockdown was determined by propidium iodide staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis 48 h after treatment. For each sample, 10,000 cells were analyzed. C, HCT116 cells grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline were treated with PD0325901 for 48 h. Cells were subsequently fixed with formaldehyde and stained with Hoechst 33342 to visualize fragmented nuclei. For each treatment condition, 1,500 cells were counted under a fluorescence microscope.
Combined inhibition of p110α and MEK is most effective in cancer cells with coexisting mutations in PIK3CA and KRAS. Given the promising response of HCT116 cells to combined inhibition of p110α and MEK1/2, we wanted to further investigate which cancer cells are most responsive to this combination strategy. We therefore tested whether PIK3CA depletion increases the sensitivity to the MEK inhibitor PD0325901 across a panel of cancer cell lines that differ in their KRAS, PIK3CA, and PTEN status. Each cell line was stably transduced with an inducible shRNA targeting PIK3CA, and effective knockdown of PIK3CA in response to doxycycline treatment was verified by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR; Fig. 5A ). The IC50 for PD0325901 was measured in cells expressing PIK3CA (−DOX) and cells depleted for PIK3CA (+DOX). An IC50 ratio (−DOX/+DOX) of >1 indicates that the cell line is more sensitive to PD0325901 treatment when the PI3K pathway is inhibited ( Fig. 5B). Strikingly, all cell lines with concurrent activating mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA (HCT116, NCI-H460, and DLD1) exhibited a markedly increased sensitivity to PD0325901 when PIK3CA expression was down-regulated. In contrast, the two cell lines with coexisting mutations in KRAS and PTEN, DU145 and PC3, were not sensitized by PIK3CA depletion. Whereas recent studies indicate that PIK3CB rather than PIK3CA is the major PI3K isoform driving the proliferation of PTEN mutant cancer cell lines ( 6, 24), we surprisingly found that knockdown of PIK3CB in PC3 cells did not increase its sensitivity to PD0325901 (Supplementary Fig. S4A and B). We confirmed that PIK3CA down-regulation did not cause a general sensitization to compound treatment, as PIK3CA depletion did not influence the sensitivity to the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide ( Fig. 5B). Together, these findings indicate that inhibition of p110α sensitizes KRAS mutant cancer cells with PIK3CA, but not PTEN mutations, to MEK pathway inhibition.
Modulation of the PI3K pathway alters the response to MEK pharmacologic inhibitors. A, cells transduced with control or PIK3CA shRNA were grown in the presence or absence of doxycycline (10 ng/mL) for 72 h. Knockdown of PIK3CA in all lines was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. B, cells were grown in 96-well plates and treated to a dilution series of PD0325901 in the presence or absence of doxycycline. The graph depicts the respective IC50 ratios resulting from the pharmacologic inhibition of MEK1/2 with PD0325901 in the presence of PIK3CA (−DOX) versus in the absence of PIK3CA (+DOX). Knockdown of PIK3CA in cell lines containing activating mutations in p110α sensitizes cells to PD0325901 treatment.
Combined inhibition of the MEK and PI3K pathways potently inhibits tumor growth of HCT116 in vivo. We next wanted to examine whether the synergistic antiproliferative effect of combined MEK and PI3K pathway inhibition can be recapitulated in vivo. To test this, HCT116 xenografts stably expressing inducible PIK3CA shRNA were implanted into nude mice. Doxycycline treatment (+DOX) strongly reduced the levels of p110α and decreased the phosphorylation of downstream pathway components, including AKT and PRAS40, whereas treatment with PD0325901 strongly inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK ( Fig. 6B ). In concordance with the results from our in vitro studies, we found that whereas either PIK3CA knockdown or PD0325901 alone reduced phospho-S6 levels, only the combined treatment led to complete ablation of S6 phosphorylation ( Fig. 6B). In the tumor growth studies, we found that whereas inhibition of either pathway alone via PIK3CA depletion or PD0325901 treatment reduced tumor growth (70% and 28% growth compared with vehicle controls, respectively), tumor stasis was observed only with combination treatment (2% residual tumor growth compared with controls; Fig. 6A). In addition, significant tumor regression during the first 21 days was only observed in response to the combination treatment. These findings further support the notion that complete inhibition of downstream mTOR signaling may be required to achieve maximal antitumor effects. Collectively, our study shows that cancer cells harboring concurrent mutations in KRAS and PIK3CA rely on both signaling pathways for growth and survival and suggests a clear rationale for combination therapies for cancers harboring these genetic lesions.
Combined inhibition of the PI3K and MEK-ERK pathways results in tumor stasis in vivo. A, stable HCT116 cells containing PIK3CA inducible shRNA were implanted into nude mice and administered vehicle control or doxycycline in combination with PD0325901 (6 mg/kg). Tumor size was measured using calipers. Points, mean; bars, SE. B, tumors harvested from vehicle-, doxycycline-, and/or PD0325901-treated mice for 5 d were analyzed by immunoblot with the respective antibodies.
Due to its prevalent deregulation in cancer, the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway has been an attractive target for therapeutic intervention, resulting in the development of several potent MEK inhibitors ( 3). A previous study found that whereas BRAF mutant cancers are very sensitive to pharmacologic MEK inhibitors, RAS mutant cancers exhibit a more variable response to these compounds ( 20). The molecular underpinnings of this heterogeneous response, however, remain largely unexplored. In this study, we profiled a larger panel of KRAS mutant cancer cell lines for their response to the allosteric MEK inhibitor PD0325901. In agreement with the study of Solit and colleagues, we observed that the sensitivity of KRAS mutant cancer cells to MEK inhibitor varied extensively despite efficient MEK pathway inhibition in resistant and sensitive settings. We noted that the majority of MEK inhibitor–insensitive cell lines harbored activating mutations in the PI3K pathway as a result of either activating mutations in PIK3CA or loss-of-function mutations in PTEN. In contrast, four of five KRAS mutant cancers with an intact PI3K pathway exhibited exquisite sensitivity to the MEK inhibitor. In addition to this correlative evidence, we directly show that depletion of PTEN renders a previously MEK inhibitor–sensitive KRAS mutant cell line resistant to MEK pathway inhibition. Collectively, these findings show that PI3K pathway activation is a major resistance mechanism that impairs the efficacy of MEK inhibitors in KRAS mutated cancers. This observation parallels the clinical finding that PI3K pathway mutations confer resistance to trastuzumab therapy in HER2-overexpressing breast cancers ( 25).
Although our study clearly shows that PI3K pathway activation renders KRAS mutant cancers less sensitive to MEK inhibitors, we noted that the extent of resistance conferred by PIK3CA and PTEN mutations seems to differ significantly. Activating mutations in PIK3CA caused a 5- to 10-fold shift in IC50, whereas loss of PTEN function apparently conferred complete resistance. It is important to note that the more modest increase in IC50 in the presence of PIK3CA mutations is likely to be clinically relevant, as increased dosing of MEK inhibitors may not be an option due to dose-limiting toxicities. Moreover, these findings further support the notion that mutational activation of PIK3CA is not functionally equivalent to loss of PTEN. It is currently not clear, however, whether this phenotypic difference is due to more potent activation of downstream PI3K pathway by PTEN loss or due to PI3K pathway–independent functions of PTEN ( 26– 28).
The observation that co-occurring PI3K pathway mutations render KRAS mutant cancer cells less sensitive to MEK inhibitors prompted us to investigate whether we could use these insights to design rational combination strategies. We focused our studies on down-regulation of PIK3CA, as this is the most frequently deregulated PI3K isoform in human cancers. Indeed, we found that PIK3CA depletion in cancer cell lines with concurrent PIK3CA and KRAS mutations sensitized those cells to MEK inhibitors. However, in cancer cell lines with coexisting PTEN and KRAS mutations, neither PIK3CA nor PIK3CB depletion was sufficient to sensitize these cells to MEK inhibitors. This finding suggests that in the background of a KRAS mutation, PTEN mutant cells may rely on multiple p110 isoforms for growth and survival signaling. Thus, it will be important to test in future studies if pan-PI3K inhibitors will synergize with MEK inhibitors in cancers with coexisting PTEN and KRAS lesions.
We previously found that inhibition of p110α in HCT116 cells, which harbor PIK3CA and KRAS mutations, causes cells to arrest in G1 but not cell death ( 6). In this study, we show that combined inhibition of the MEK and PI3K pathways is required to induce an apoptotic response. This enhanced apoptotic response translates into augmented antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. At the molecular level, we noted that the phosphorylation status of the ribosomal protein S6 correlates much better with antiproliferative response compared with more upstream pathway markers such as phospho-AKT and phospho-ERK. Whereas the inhibition of MEK and p110α reduced phospho-S6 levels, only the combined pathway inhibition led to a complete suppression of S6 phosphorylation in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Given that the MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT pathways converge on the regulation of mTOR through their regulation of TSC1/2, pharmacodynamic response markers downstream of mTOR may serve as an integrating signal of both upstream pathways.
In summary, our study provides a molecular explanation for the heterogeneous response of KRAS mutant cancer cells to MEK inhibitors and further underscores the need to tailor cancer therapies to match the genetic context of the cancers to achieve optimal treatment response. Our findings and other recent studies ( 17, 29, 30) provide a strong rationale for the combination of PI3K and MEK inhibitors in cancers with coexisting PIK3CA and KRAS mutations. In addition, based on our observations, we predict that PI3K pathway lesions are likely to present a major mechanism of acquired resistance in clinical settings with MEK inhibitors. In this light, it will be important in future studies to explore whether combination therapy with PI3K and MEK inhibitors will be able to prevent the emergence of such resistance.
S. Wee is an employee of Bristol-Myers Squibb. C. Lengauer is an employee of Sanofi-Aventis. The other authors disclosed no potential conflicts of interest.
We thank Stephen Fawell, Carlos Garcia-Echeverria, Michel Maira, Dmitri Wiederschain, and Tobi Nagel for helpful discussion and advice; Huaping Tang and Andrea Bell for technical support; and Markus Warmuth and Mark Hickman for critical reading of the manuscript.
Current address for S. Wee: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ 08543. Current address for C. Lengauer: Sanofi-Aventis, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94403 Vitry-sur-Seine, France.
Revision received March 11, 2009.
Accepted March 11, 2009.
Downward J. Targeting RAS signalling pathways in cancer therapy. Nat Rev Cancer 2003; 3: 11–22.
Hoshino R, Chatani Y, Yamori T, et al. Constitutive activation of the 41-/43-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in human tumors. Oncogene 1999; 18: 813–22.
Saxena N, Lahiri SS, Hambarde S, Tripathi RP. RAS: target for cancer therapy. Cancer Invest 2008; 9: 948–55.
Sebolt-Leopold JS. Advances in the development of cancer therapeutics directed against the RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Clin Cancer Res 2008; 14: 3651–6.
Repasky GA, Chenette EJ, Der CJ. Renewing the conspiracy theory debate: does Raf function alone to mediate Ras oncogenesis? Trends Cell Biol 2004; 14: 639–47.
Wee S, Wiederschain D, Maira SM, et al. PTEN-deficient cancers depend on PIK3CB. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105: 13057–62.
Samuels Y, Diaz LA, Jr., Schmidt-Kittler O, et al. Mutant PIK3CA promotes cell growth and invasion of human cancer cells. Cancer Cell 2005; 7: 561–73.
Cantley LC, Neel BG. New insights into tumor suppression: PTEN suppresses tumor formation by restraining the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1999; 96: 4240–5.
Kinkade CW, Castillo-Martin M, Puzio-Kuter A, et al. Targeting AKT/mTOR and ERK MAPK signaling inhibits hormone-refractory prostate cancer in a preclinical mouse model. J Clin Invest 2008; 118: 3051–64.
Cully M, You H, Levine AJ, Mak TW. Beyond PTEN mutations: the PI3K pathway as an integrator of multiple inputs during tumorigenesis. Nat Rev Cancer 2006; 6: 184–92.
Rodriguez-Viciana P, Warne PH, Dhand R, et al. Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase as a direct target of Ras. Nature 1994; 370: 527–32.
Gupta S, Ramjaun AR, Haiko P, et al. Binding of ras to phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α is required for ras-driven tumorigenesis in mice. Cell 2007; 129: 957–68.
Shaw RJ, Cantley LC. Ras, PI(3)K and mTOR signalling controls tumour cell growth. Nature 2006; 441: 424–30.
Brose MS, Volpe P, Feldman M, et al. BRAF and RAS mutations in human lung cancer and melanoma. Cancer Res 2002; 62: 6997–7000.
Davies H, Bignell GR, Cox C, et al. Mutations of the BRAF gene in human cancer. Nature 2002; 417: 949–54.
Gorden A, Osman I, Gai W, et al. Analysis of BRAF and N-RAS mutations in metastatic melanoma tissues. Cancer Res 2003; 63: 3955–7.
Yuan TL, Cantley LC. PI3K pathway alterations in cancer: variations on a theme. Oncogene 2008; 27: 5497–510.
Parsons DW, Wang TL, Samuels Y, et al. Colorectal cancer: mutations in a signalling pathway. Nature 2005; 436: 792.
Velho S, Oliveira C, Ferreira A, et al. The prevalence of PIK3CA mutations in gastric and colon cancer. Eur J Cancer 2005; 41: 1649–54.
Solit DB, Garraway LA, Pratilas CA, et al. BRAF mutation predicts sensitivity to MEK inhibition. Nature 2006; 439: 358–62.
Wiederschain D, Wee S, Chen L, et al. Single-vector inducible lentiviral RNAi system for oncology target validation. Cell Cycle 2009; 8: 498–504.
Sebolt-Leopold JS, Herrera R. Targeting the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade to treat cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2004; 4: 937–47.
Shirasawa S, Furuse M, Yokoyama N, Sasazuki T. Altered growth of human colon cancer cell lines disrupted at activated Ki-ras. Science 1993; 260: 85–8.
Jia S, Liu Z, Zhang S, et al. Essential roles of PI(3)K-p110β in cell growth, metabolism and tumorigenesis. Nature 2008; 454: 776–9.
Berns K, Horlings HM, Hennessy BT, et al. A functional genetic approach identifies the PI3K pathway as a major determinant of trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer. Cancer Cell 2007; 12: 395–402.
Oda K, Okada J, Timmerman L, et al. PIK3CA cooperates with other phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase pathway mutations to effect oncogenic transformation. Cancer Res 2008; 68: 8127–36.
Chalhoub N, Baker SJ. PTEN and the PI3-kinase pathway in cancer. Annu Rev Pathol 2008; 4: 127–50.
Myers MP, Stolarov JP, Eng C, et al. P-TEN, the tumor suppressor from human chromosome 10q23, is a dual-specificity phosphatase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1997; 94: 9052–7.
Yu K, Toral-Barza L, Shi C, Zhang WG, Zask A. Response and determinants of cancer cell susceptibility to PI3K inhibitors: combined targeting of PI3K and Mek1 as an effective anticancer strategy. Cancer Biol Ther 2008; 7: 307–15.
Engelman JA, Chen L, Tan X, et al. Effective use of PI3K and MEK inhibitors to treat mutant Kras G12D and PIK3CA H1047R murine lung cancers. Nat Med 2008; 14: 1351–6.
You are going to email the following PI3K Pathway Activation Mediates Resistance to MEK Inhibitors in KRAS Mutant Cancers
Cancer Res May 15 2009 (69) (10) 4286-4293; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-4765
Loss of S1P Lyase Upregulates Bcl-2
MBP-1 Inhibits Breast Cancer Metastasis
Decitabine Sensitivity in Testicular Cancer
Show more Experimental Therapeutics, Molecular Targets, and Chemical Biology
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4137
|
__label__wiki
| 0.557103
| 0.557103
|
Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology
OTX2 Is Critical for the Maintenance and Progression of Shh-Independent Medulloblastomas
David C. Adamson, Qun Shi, Matthew Wortham, Paul A. Northcott, Chunhui Di, Christopher G. Duncan, Jianjun Li, Roger E. McLendon, Darell D. Bigner, Michael D. Taylor and Hai Yan
David C. Adamson
Qun Shi
Matthew Wortham
Paul A. Northcott
Chunhui Di
Christopher G. Duncan
Jianjun Li
Roger E. McLendon
Darell D. Bigner
Michael D. Taylor
Hai Yan
DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-2331 Published January 2010
OTX2 is a developmentally regulated transcription factor involved in early morphogenesis of the central nervous system. This gene is amplified and overexpressed in medulloblastoma cell lines, but the nature and extent of its genetic alterations in primary tumors have not been evaluated. Analysis of a large cohort of primary medulloblastomas revealed frequent focal copy number gain of a region minimally containing OTX2 as a single gene. OTX2 copy number gain was restricted to tumor subtypes that did not express a molecular signature of Wnt or Shh pathway activation. FISH analysis revealed copy number gain in a subset of cells within medulloblastoma samples, suggesting a late event in tumor progression. Gain of OTX2 copy number was associated with the presence of anaplastic histologic features and shorter survival in medulloblastoma patients. In support of a functional role, ectopic OTX2 expression enhanced proliferation and tumorigenicity of immortalized primary cells, whereas OTX2 knockdown in medulloblastoma cells prolonged the survival of animals bearing xenograft tumors. Mechanistic investigations revealed upregulation of MYC as a potential mechanism whereby OTX2 promotes tumor progression. Our findings define OTX2 as an important oncogenic driver in medulloblastoma. Cancer Res; 70(1); 181–91
OTX2
MYC
Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children, with a peak incidence at 7 years of age (1–3). In recent years, medulloblastoma has been redefined by the development of treatment strategies, including surgical resection, radiation, and chemotherapy. Still, an unacceptably large percentage of children die of this disease, with 5-year survival rates reaching only 50% to 60% (4–6). Moreover, long-term survivors frequently suffer life-long sequelae from aggressive treatment regimens (7–9). More refined tumor grading systems are therefore urgently needed to optimize efficacy and minimize treatment-related toxicity for each patient.
Histologically, medulloblastomas exhibit substantial heterogeneity both among and within tumors, and histologic characteristics do not uniformly correlate with clinical prognosis or treatment response. However, molecular analysis of medulloblastomas has shown that incorporating gene expression and genetic alteration data along with clinical and histopathologic data into a patient's profile may better stratify patients into particular treatment and prognostic groups (5, 10–13).
Recently, we and others identified OTX2 amplification and overexpression in medulloblastoma cell lines and primary tumors (14–17). Gene expression analyses revealed that OTX2 transcripts were present at high levels in 14 of 15 (93%) medulloblastomas with anaplastic histopathologic features. Additionally, we showed that knockdown of OTX2 expression by small interfering RNAs (siRNA) inhibited medulloblastoma cell growth in vitro (15).
OTX2 is a member of a well-conserved family of bicoid-like homeodomain (HD)–containing transcription factors that play important roles in embryo patterning, brain regionalization, and lineage specification (18). OTX2 is expressed in the prospective cerebellum (the midbrain/hindbrain boundary) of the early embryo as well as in the rapidly expanding population of cerebellar granule cell precursors (19, 20). OTX2-deficient mice fail to develop the mesencephalon and prosencephalon, and heterozygotes exhibit a lethal “headless” phenotype of variable penetrance (21, 22). Although the expression pattern and function of OTX2 in brain morphogenesis have been well studied in progressive developmental stages of rodent models (20, 23), there is little understanding of how OTX2 relates to the clinical and histopathologic features of medulloblastoma or to the molecular pathways of medulloblastoma pathogenesis.
To further our understanding of the genetic mechanism of OTX2 activation and its clinical implications in medulloblastomas, we examined its copy number and expression status in a large cohort of tumors (201 and 103 primary medulloblastomas, respectively). Here, we identify recurrent OTX2 gain (∼21%) and, even more commonly, OTX2 overexpression (∼74%) in primary medulloblastomas. OTX2 focal gains were limited to tumors not expressing signatures of Wnt or Shh pathway activation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed that OTX2 copy number gain was present in a subset of medulloblastoma cells and was associated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype and adverse clinical outcome. To understand its oncogenic functions, we overexpressed OTX2 in immortalized primary cells and showed that OTX2 could promote cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. Furthermore, we determined that stable OTX2 knockdown prolonged survival in a medulloblastoma xenograft model. Finally, we showed that OTX2 transcriptionally regulates the medulloblastoma oncogene MYC. These results suggest that OTX2 plays a role in progression and maintenance of a large subset of medulloblastoma tumors and thus represents a promising therapeutic target.
Medulloblastomas were obtained from the Duke University Medical Center Brain Tumor Biorepository and the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, according to Internal Review Board protocol. This biorepository contained specimens obtained from Duke and the (now defunct) Pediatric Oncology Group that had been originally studied for MYC amplification (24).
Classic, desmoplastic/nodular, and anaplastic/large cell medulloblastomas used in FISH analysis were examined by a neuropathologist (R.E.M.) and classified using the WHO guidelines (1). The classic, or diffuse, pattern of medulloblastoma presents a histologic appearance of densely packed cells with round-to-oval or carrot-shaped hyperchromatic nuclei surrounded by scanty cytoplasm growing in sheets. Neuroblastic, or Homer-Wright, rosettes are most commonly encountered in this group (25).
The anaplastic variant is composed of cells with elongated hyperchromatic nuclei that are densely crowded and exhibit characteristic nuclear wrapping against adjacent tumor cells, abundant individual cell necrosis frequently associated with geographic regions of necrosis, and numerous mitotic figures (26). Moderate anaplasia lacks the degree and extent of necrosis seen in severely anaplastic tumors and is more commonly recognized by a “starry sky” pattern of individual cell necrosis interrupting the sheets of tumor cells.
Single-nucleotide polymorphism array and microarray analysis
Hybridization, detection, and analysis of Affymetrix single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and exon arrays were carried out as previously described (27, 28).
Flourescence in situ hybridization
FISH was performed as described previously (29). Bacterial artificial chromosome clones RP11-1085N6 (56.159277-56.402022 Mb, spanning the OTX2 gene) and CTD-2505P22 (103.186989-103.414534 Mb, located telomeric to OTX2 on chromosome 14q) were obtained (Invitrogen) and used to generate probes for the OTX2 gene and an internal control, respectively. One hundred cells were counted in each of 10 classic medulloblastomas, 11 desmoplastic/nodular medulloblastomas, 10 medulloblastomas with moderate anaplastic features, and 11 medulloblastomas with severe anaplastic features. OTX2 copy number was determined by the average ratio of green to red probes per cell, and copy number gain was designated as tumors with a ratio >1.2.
The significance level for all tests was set a priori at 0.05 by using a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). All statistical and survival analyses were performed with SAS E-guide software (SAS Institute).
Plasmid constructs
A full-length cDNA of human OTX2 was derived from pCMV6-XL5-OTX2 (OriGene) and subcloned into the pEGFP-N1 vector.
Cell culture, proliferation, and apoptosis assays
Medulloblastoma and rat kidney epithelium (RK3E) cell lines were maintained as described previously (15, 30). Cell line D425MED was derived from a patient with a primary medulloblastoma, whereas D458MED was established independently from cerebrospinal fluid samples of the same patient at a later date. MTT and colony proliferation assays were performed as described (15, 30).
Establishing an RK3E line stably expressing OTX2
RK3E cells were transfected with pEGFP-N1 or pEGFP-OTX2. The transfected cells were cultured in DMEM containing 500 μg/mL G418 (Invitrogen) for 3 to 4 wk. Single-cell dilution was used to select monoclonal cell lines that were resistant to G418 and expressing OTX2.
Tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice
Groups of seven or eight mice per cell line were used to investigate the tumorigenicity of RK3E cells stably transfected with pEGFP-N1 or pEGFP-OTX2, respectively. We implanted 106 cells stereotactically into the cerebral hemisphere of BALB/c athymic nu/nu mice. Brains of euthanized mice were collected, fixed in formalin, paraffin embedded, and sectioned. The presence of intracranial tumors, indicated by parenchymal invasion, was assessed microscopically in multiple brain sections. The tumor proliferation activity was examined by Ki67 immunoreactivity using a Ki67 monoclonal antibody (Lab Vision). OTX2 immunoreactivity was detected with biotinylated anti-human OTX2 antibody (BAF1979; R&D Systems) followed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)–conjugated secondary antibody.
OTX2 was detected with biotinylated anti-human OTX2 antibody (BAF1979) and HRP-rabbit anti-goat IgG secondary antibody (Zymed). MYC and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were detected with 9E10 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) and FL-335 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology), respectively, and enhanced chemiluminescence anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibody (Amersham Biosciences).
siRNA and short hairpin RNA of OTX2 and MYC
Medulloblastoma cells were plated at 2 × 105 per well into a six-well plate and transfected with siRNA or short hairpin RNA (shRNA) using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen). siRNA and shRNA sequences used are described in Supplementary Materials and Methods.
Animal survival studies
Approximately 107 D425MED cells were transfected with scrambled shRNA or OTX2 shRNA, suspended in 10 μL PBS, and stereotactically introduced into the right cerebral hemisphere of a BALB/c athymic nu/nu mouse. Mice were euthanized at the first sign of neurologic dysfunction. The date when each mouse became symptomatic was recorded to calculate the time to event. Standard Kaplan-Meier estimates were generated for each time to event, and groups were compared with log-rank tests.
For luciferase assays, we obtained the pBV-del-3-Luc plasmid, composed of a 1.1-kb genomic fragment encompassing the MYC promoter inserted upstream of a minimal promoter and the firefly luciferase reporter gene in the pBV-Luc plasmid (Supplementary Fig. S3B; ref. 31). Medulloblastoma cells were seeded at 1 × 105 per well in 48-well plates for 24 h, and then each well was cotransfected with 0.8 μg of firefly luciferase reporter plasmid pBV-del-3-Luc, the internal control plasmid pRL-CMV, and 0.8 μg of pEGFP-OTX2 or the control vector pEGFP-N1. Dual-Luciferase Reporter assays were performed according to the manufacturer's protocol (Promega).
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was performed using a ChIP Assay kit (Upstate Cell Signaling Solutions) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Immunoprecipitation was performed overnight at 4°C with biotinylated anti-human OTX2 antibody (R&D Systems). Immunoaffinity-enriched and control DNA fragments were then purified for DNA PCR amplification.
Recurrent OTX2 focal gains and overexpression in medulloblastomas
To determine the frequency of OTX2 genetic alterations in a large cohort of primary tumors, we used high-density SNP arrays to perform a genome-wide search for genetic changes in 11 medulloblastoma cell lines and 201 primary medulloblastomas (27). The most frequent target of focal gain among the 212 samples was a region mapping to chromosome 14q23, detected in ∼10% (21 of 212) of the medulloblastomas (Fig. 1A). This locus exhibited either focal (i.e., <1 Mb) or large (i.e., 14q gain) genomic gain in a total of ∼21% (9.9% and 11.3%, respectively) of cases profiled. Examination of the minimal common region gained in these samples using the University of California Santa Cruz Genome Browser7 revealed that the single gene OTX2 was completely located within this minimal region of chromosomal gain (Fig. 1A). OTX2 gain of copy number indicated by SNP arrays was verified by real-time PCR on genomic DNA of selected medulloblastoma samples (Supplementary Fig. S1). The highly specific gain of OTX2 copy number in a large proportion of medulloblastomas implies that OTX2 gain is a driver event that confers a selective advantage during clonal expansion of this neoplasm.
Frequent gain and overexpression of OTX2 in medulloblastomas. A, OTX2 copy number status in 212 medulloblastomas (201 primary medulloblastomas and 11 medulloblastoma cell lines) was inferred using Affymetrix SNP arrays (100K and 500K). Each red line shown in the ideogram represents copy number gain for a single sample in the region shown. B, Affymetrix exon arrays were used for gene expression profiling of 9 fetal cerebella (CB), 5 adult cerebella, 103 primary medulloblastomas (MB), and 7 medulloblastoma cell lines. OTX2 expression levels are shown as a heat map. C, box and whisker plot representing distribution of OTX2 expression level within normal and medulloblastoma sample groups.
In addition to harboring focal gains and activating mutations, oncogenes are commonly overexpressed to activate tumorigenic pathways. To determine the prevalence of OTX2 mRNA overexpression, we used Affymetrix exon arrays to measure OTX2 mRNA level in 9 normal fetal cerebella, 5 normal adult cerebella, and 103 primary medulloblastomas. We found that fetal cerebellum expressed OTX2 at a modestly higher level than adult cerebellum; however, among the 103 medulloblastomas, 76 tumors (74%) expressed OTX2 at significantly (i.e., >2-fold) higher levels than fetal or adult cerebellum (P < 0.001, Student's t test; Fig. 1B and C).
To understand OTX2 amplification at the cellular level, we performed dual-color FISH to validate OTX2 amplification in three medulloblastoma cell lines previously identified to bear OTX2 amplifications. We noted OTX2 genomic amplification as double-minute chromosomes in D425MED, D458MED, and D487MED cell lines (Supplementary Fig. S2, a–c). Moreover, increased OTX2 copy number was also observed in the primary tumors from which the medulloblastoma cell lines D425MED and D487MED were derived (Supplementary Fig. S2, d and e).
Medulloblastomas can be classified into distinct molecular subgroups based on gene expression signatures (28, 32, 33). Our clustering analysis of a large cohort (n = 103) of tumors based on Affymetrix exon arrays previously revealed four distinct medulloblastoma subtypes: tumors expressing a molecular signature of Wnt pathway activation, those exhibiting a signature of Shh pathway activation, and those bearing two additional distinct molecular signatures designated group C and D tumors (28). Group C and D tumors as well as those with Wnt pathway activation are typically of the classic histopathologic subtype, whereas tumors with a Shh molecular signature are often of the nodular/desmoplastic histopathologic subtype (32, 33). Examination of OTX2 focal gains among medulloblastoma subtypes reveals that this event is limited to group C and D tumors (Fig. 2A). Additionally, OTX2 is differentially expressed in the molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma (P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA), with the most aberrant expression observed in group C and D tumors as well as tumors with a Wnt pathway signature (Fig. 2B).
OTX2 gain and overexpression are specific to medulloblastoma subgroups. A subset of the primary medulloblastomas (n = 81) analyzed in Fig. 1 was classified into four molecular subgroups based on gene expression signatures obtained from exon arrays. A, focal gain of OTX2 (red) is limited to group C and D medulloblastomas. The minimal region of gain (∼10.5 kb) is boxed. B, OTX2 mRNA overexpression is highest in group C and D tumors, as well as those expressing a signature of Wnt pathway activation.
OTX gain of copy number associates with anaplastic features and a worse patient outcome
To understand the clinical implication of OTX2 activation in medulloblastomas, we collected medulloblastoma samples with linked clinical data and studied OTX2 genetic status in these cases using FISH. A total of 39 patients with complete clinical data were available for survival analysis based on the FISH data, including 20 with tumors of classic or nodular histology and 19 with tumors of moderate to severe anaplasia. Classic and desmoplastic/nodular sections consistently showed no evidence of increased OTX2 copy number (0 of 20). However, a significant number of tumors with moderate and severe anaplastic characteristics displayed increased OTX2 copy number (12 of 19; P < 0.05; Fig. 3A). Only a subpopulation of cells in those samples revealed increased copy number, with OTX2 copy number ranging from 3 to 24 per individual cell (mean, 2.3 ± 1.7). Among the 39 patients, 12 patients who had gain of OTX2 copy number in their tumors had a shorter overall survival compared with those with diploid OTX2 copy number (P = 0.005; Fig. 3B). The 5-year survival estimate is 46% (95% CI, 24–87%) for the group with increased OTX2 copy numbers and was nearly doubled (86%; 95% CI, 74–99%) for the group with normal OTX2 copy numbers. Age stratification of this sample group revealed that survival of these patients mimics that of medulloblastoma patients in general, with age <3 years indicating poor prognosis (P = 0.001; Fig. 3C).
Interphase FISH of OTX2 in primary medulloblastoma showing that OTX2 copy number gain is associated with tumor anaplasia and poor patient survival. A, increased OTX2 copy number is seen in primary medulloblastoma tumors with anaplastic features. The Y axis is the ratio of the mean copy number of OTX2 to the control chromosome 14 probe in each cell of each sample. B, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of patients stratified by mean OTX2 copy number. C, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of patients stratified by age.
OTX2 promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenicity and is essential for medulloblastoma cell survival
To examine the transforming potential of OTX2, we transfected the pEGFP-OTX2 plasmid into nonneoplastic RK3E cells, an adenovirus E1A-immortalized epithelial line that has been widely used for neoplastic transformation studies (30). This assay reveals oncogenic activity independent of cell origin effects, which is suitable considering that the cell origin of medulloblastomas harboring OTX2 focal gains (group C and D tumors) is unknown. OTX2 protein expression was detected by Western blotting (Fig. 4A). Overexpression of OTX2 promoted a significant increase in colony formation (P < 0.05; Fig. 4A). To assess the ability of OTX2 to promote in vivo tumor growth, we injected RK3E cells expressing either pEGFP-OTX2 or pEGFP-N1 into the cerebral hemispheres of nu/nu mice. We found that whereas all OTX2-expressing clones formed tumors and displayed high mitotic indices scored by Ki67 staining (Fig. 4A), green fluorescent protein (GFP)–expressing clones formed tumors much less frequently and scored relatively lower for Ki67 staining (P < 0.001; Supplementary Table S1). To verify that the transformative ability of OTX2 relies on its transcriptional activity rather than alternative functions, we introduced a loss-of-function mutation into the OTX2 homeodomain to abolish DNA binding (Supplementary Fig. S3A; ref. 34). We then transfected MHH-1 medulloblastoma cells with either OTX2 or its HD NAAIRS mutant [pEGFP-OTX2 (K)] and measured MTT activity. As expected, wild-type OTX2 increased proliferation of MHH-1 cells, and the effect was greatly reduced in the NAAIRS mutant (Fig. 4B).
OTX2 promotes tumorigenesis and is required for tumor maintenance in vivo. A, RK3E cells were transfected with pEGFP-N1 or pEGFP-OTX2 and colony formation potential was determined. Tumors derived from intracranial xenografts of stably transfected RK3E cells were stained for Ki67 and OTX2, and representative samples are pictured. Green arrows identify intratumor blood vessels. IHC, immunohistochemical. B, MHH-1 cells were transfected with pEGFP-N1, pEGFP-OTX2, or pEGFP-OTX2 (K). After three doubling times, proliferation was determined with an MTT assay. C, D425MED cells derived from OTX2 shRNA knockdown or scrambled shRNA were injected into the right cerebral hemisphere of mice. Representative H&E-stained tumor sections from each group are pictured. Mice were euthanized at the first sign of neurologic dysfunction and survival time was recorded.
We have previously shown that OTX2 knockdown reduces viability of medulloblastoma cell lines (15). To determine if OTX2 expression is required for tumor maintenance in vivo as well as in vitro, we carried out RNA interference experiments in medulloblastoma xenografts. First, we used OTX2 siRNA or shRNA to confirm that OTX2 knockdown inhibited cell growth or survival in an expanded cohort of OTX2-expressing medulloblastoma cell lines (Supplementary Fig. S4). We then applied the pSUPER vector system to stably suppress endogenous OTX2 expression in D425MED cells (Fig. 4C) and examined whether downregulation of OTX2 expression affected survival in nude mice bearing intracranial xenografts. Although tumors were detected from both the OTX2 knockdown group and the control group, reducing OTX2 expression significantly increased the survival time of the animals from 22.6 ± 4.7 days to 30.8 ± 5.9 days (P = 0.0061; Fig. 4C).
MYC expression is regulated by OTX2
Amplification and overexpression of the oncogene MYC are also common in medulloblastoma, particularly in those exhibiting anaplastic histopathologic features (35). Therefore, we performed biochemical studies to investigate the relationship between OTX2 and MYC.
We first examined the correlation between OTX2 and MYC expression by Western blot in medulloblastoma cell lines that do not have OTX2 or MYC amplification. We observed that detectable MYC expression level was limited to cell lines expressing OTX2 (Fig. 5A). Using serial analysis of gene expression data from the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project, we found that the presence of OTX2 mRNA correlated with the presence of MYC mRNA in medulloblastomas (P = 0.0140; Supplementary Fig. S5).
MYC is a target gene of OTX2 in medulloblastoma cell lines. A, expression of endogenous OTX2 and MYC in medulloblastoma cell lines shown by Western blotting. B, medulloblastoma cell lines were treated with OTX2 siRNA (+) or scrambled siRNA (−), and protein expression of OTX2, MYC, and GAPDH was detected by Western blotting. C, cells were treated with MYC siRNA or scrambled siRNA and, after three doubling times, assessed for viability with the MTT assay. D, medulloblastoma cell lines were treated with MYC siRNA (+) or scrambled siRNA (−), and protein expression of OTX2, MYC, and GAPDH was detected by Western blotting.
To determine whether OTX2 is required for MYC expression in medulloblastoma, we applied OTX2-specific siRNA to knock down OTX2 expression in medulloblastoma cell lines and found that MYC expression was also downregulated by the OTX2 siRNA (Fig. 5B). The complementary experiment in which MYC is knocked down by siRNA resulted in cell growth inhibition (Fig. 5C) but not downregulation of OTX2 (Fig. 5D). We then used a luciferase assay to show that OTX2 upregulates MYC via cis-acting elements in its promoter (Fig. 6A), which contains multiple putative OTX2 binding sites (Supplementary Fig. S3B). Finally, ChIP of fragments enriched with an anti-OTX2 antibody in cell lines expressing both MYC and OTX2 revealed direct binding of endogenous OTX2 to the MYC promoter in the context of native chromatin (Fig. 6B).
The OTX2 HD is required for OTX2-mediated MYC transcription. A, MHH-1 cells were cotransfected with the MYC promoter reporter construct (pBV-del-3-Luc) and either pEGFP-N1, pEGFP-OTX2, or pEGFP-OTX2 (K), and then the relative luciferase reporter activity was measured. B, OTX2 ChIP and PCR analyses were used to validate binding of endogenous OTX2 to the promoter region of MYC (primers were designed to span the region 375 bp directly upstream of the MYC transcription start site) in OTX2-expressing cell lines. D425MED and D384MED are OTX2-expressing medulloblastoma cell lines, whereas MHH-1 does not express OTX2. i, input of total DNA from cell lysates; +, OTX2 antibody immunoaffinity-enriched DNA; −, IgG control antibody immunoaffinity-enriched DNA.
Medulloblastoma patients have widely disparate and often unpredictable clinical outcomes. It is therefore important to develop better predictive molecular diagnostic tools that could be used in clinical practice to better define prognosis and guide therapy. In the current report, the investigation of OTX2 genetic status and its pathogenic roles in medulloblastoma oncogenesis have revealed that OTX2 genetic alteration is associated with tumor progression and poor survival and thus may have diagnostic value. Furthermore, we have shown a requirement for OTX2 in medulloblastoma viability, potentially revealing a novel therapeutic target in this tumor. We have also identified MYC as a downstream target gene of OTX2. This study advances our knowledge of the pathogenesis of medulloblastoma and has great potential to lead to significant contributions to the therapeutic intervention of this frequently lethal cancer.
The specific and recurrent focal gain of OTX2 represents a driver event in medulloblastoma tumorigenesis. OTX2 copy number gain is limited to tumors not bearing a molecular signature of Shh or Wnt pathway activation and thus represents an oncogenic event in tumor subtypes whose molecular progressions are currently unclear. The group C and D tumors that distinctly harbor OTX2 copy number gains are typically of the classic histopathologic subtype (32, 33). Considering that OTX2 gain is also associated with the presence of anaplastic features, it would be expected that there would be substantial overlap between group C or D molecular signatures and the presence of anaplasia. It has been described previously that anaplastic features can be present in variable degrees of severity and extent among the medulloblastoma histopathologic subtypes (36).
Using FISH, we found that OTX2 copy number varies widely among tumor cells, suggesting that OTX2 gain of copy number is a late event that is selected for within the tumor as a step of tumor progression. This model is consistent with the association of OTX2 copy number gain with worse patient survival as well as the presence of anaplastic features, which has been proposed to result from the progression of less aggressive tumors (37).
It remains a challenge to identify the patients with unfavorable prognoses who may benefit from the most aggressive treatment. Patient stratification is particularly important to medulloblastoma due to the deleterious effects of aggressive treatment in young patients. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significant association between increased OTX2 copy number and worse survival. Similar to other study populations, this group of patients also showed a clear association between poor survival and age <3 years, a well-known negative predictive factor for medulloblastoma. These findings support the possible use of OTX2 genetic status as an important marker for prognosis. In addition, OTX2 status may improve stratification schemes for current treatment protocols. de Haas and colleagues (38) did not observe a similar correlation between OTX2 expression and outcome, which suggests that copy number gain is a more faithful indicator of poor prognosis than overexpression alone.
Although mutation and copy number analysis of tumor specimens has revolutionized our understanding of recurrent molecular events in cancer, it is important to confirm oncogenic activity by functional studies. Here, we have shown in vitro and in vivo that OTX2 promotes cell growth and enhances tumorigenicity and that medulloblastoma cells rely on OTX2 transcriptional function for their aggressive tumorigenic phenotype. Therefore, we have shown that the highly prevalent overexpression of OTX2 in medulloblastoma has functional significance.
Recent advances in cancer genetics and the development of mouse models have shown a relationship between developmentally associated molecular pathways and medulloblastoma pathogenesis (39). The current study supports previous work implicating OTX2 as one such developmental gene involved in tumorigenesis (16, 17). Whereas medulloblastomas arising from oncogenic Shh signaling arise from committed granule cell precursors (40, 41), the cell origins of group C and D medulloblastomas (which distinctly harbor OTX2 focal gains) are currently unknown. During normal cerebellum development, OTX2 is expressed in the prospective cerebellum as well as emergent and migrating granule cell precursors (20, 38). Mouse models have shown that OTX2 coordinates lineage differentiation in the central nervous system, promoting generation of dopaminergic neurons and, in some domains, repressing lineage commitment to granule cell and serotonergic neural lineages (42, 43). Understanding the potential of OTX2 to facilitate tumorigenesis of particular cerebellum lineages will yield considerable insight into the cell origin of group C and D medulloblastomas.
The molecular classification of medulloblastoma using gene expression signatures and select genomic features has been reported by three independent laboratories to date: Thompson and colleagues (33), Kool and colleagues (32), and ours (28). In all of these studies, very similar bioinformatics was used. In each case, class discovery was achieved by performing unsupervised hierarchical clustering (Pearson correlation) using the genes showing the greatest variance in the data set. Thompson and colleagues and Kool and colleagues each identified five molecular subgroups (based on 46 and 62 primary tumors, respectively), whereas we used 90 tumors and identified four molecular subgroups. The disparity between the five versus four subgroups pertains to what we have designated group C and group D, which are equivalent to what Kool and colleagues referred to as C, D, and E. We have since analyzed a larger cohort of our own 103 cases and again generated the same four molecular subgroups with extremely high confidence (≥97% reproducibility).8 The larger sample cohort and more robust array platform (i.e., Affymetrix exon arrays versus U133 arrays) used in the current study provides increased power and statistical confidence in class discovery. Further application of the proposed molecular clustering strategies will reveal the most faithful method of tumor classification.
This study provides important insights into the mechanisms by which medulloblastomas develop through the dysregulation of OTX2, a gene normally silenced in adult cerebellum. Furthermore, these results establish OTX2 as a potential therapeutic target, the inhibition of which could result in tumor cell growth inhibition. For the future development of targeted therapies, it will be important to perform detailed molecular studies of the oncogenic pathways driven by OTX2 as well as the pathways maintaining its expression in tumors. These studies will aid the development of molecular diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for patients whose tumors present with this molecular hallmark. Once such strategies become available, there is promise that in tumors with OTX2 expression, the dysregulated signaling pathway can be corrected by specifically reducing OTX2 expression or inhibiting other components of this pathway.
No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.
Grant Support: Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute at Duke, Damon Runyon Foundation Scholar Award, Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation Research Grant, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation Innovation Award, V Foundation Cancer Research Grant, and NIH grant R01CA118822. M.D. Taylor was supported by grants from the Canadian Cancer Society and the Pediatric Brain Tumour Foundation as well as a Clinician-Scientist award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
↵7National Center for Biotechnology Information Build 35, hg17 (http://genome.ucsc.edu/).
↵8P.A. Northcott et al., in preparation.
Received July 1, 2009.
Revision received October 12, 2009.
Kleihues P,
Louis DN,
Scheithauer BW,
. The WHO classification of tumors of the nervous system. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2002;61:215–25; discussion 26–9.
Pietsch T,
Taylor MD,
Rutka JT
. Molecular pathogenesis of childhood brain tumors. J Neurooncol 2004;70:203–15.
Kaye AH,
Law ER
Zakhary R,
Keles GE,
Aldape K,
Berger MS
. Medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumors. In: Kaye AH, Law ER, editors. Brain tumors: an encyclopedic approach. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2001, p. 605–15.
Packer RJ,
Reddy A
. New treatments in pediatric brain tumors. Curr Treat Options Neurol 2004;6:377–89.
Gajjar A,
Hernan R,
Kocak M,
. Clinical, histopathologic, and molecular markers of prognosis: toward a new disease risk stratification system for medulloblastoma. J Clin Oncol 2004;22:984–93.
Ray A,
Ho M,
Ma J,
. A clinicobiological model predicting survival in medulloblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2004;10:7613–20.
Ris MD,
Packer R,
Goldwein J,
Jones-Wallace D,
Boyett JM
. Intellectual outcome after reduced-dose radiation therapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy for medulloblastoma: a Children's Cancer Group study. J Clin Oncol 2001;19:3470–6.
Xu W,
Janss A,
Phillips P,
Moshang T Jr
. Endocrine outcome in children with medulloblastoma treated with 18 Gy of craniospinal radiation therapy. Neuro Oncol 2004;6:113–8.
Hoppe-Hirsch E,
Renier D,
Lellouch-Tubiana A,
Sainte-Rose C,
Pierre-Kahn A,
Hirsch JF
. Medulloblastoma in childhood: progressive intellectual deterioration. Childs Nerv Syst 1990;6:60–5.
Fernandez-Teijeiro A,
Betensky RA,
Sturla LM,
Kim JY,
Tamayo P,
Pomeroy SL
. Combining gene expression profiles and clinical parameters for risk stratification in medulloblastomas. J Clin Oncol 2004;22:994–8.
Lee Y,
Miller HL,
Jensen P,
. A molecular fingerprint for medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2003;63:5428–37.
MacDonald TJ,
Brown KM,
LaFleur B,
. Expression profiling of medulloblastoma: PDGFRA and the RAS/MAPK pathway as therapeutic targets for metastatic disease. Nat Genet 2001;29:143–52.
Pomeroy SL,
Gaasenbeek M,
. Prediction of central nervous system embryonal tumour outcome based on gene expression. Nature 2002;415:436–42.
Boon K,
Eberhart CG,
Riggins G
. Genomic amplification of orthodenticle homolog 2 in medulloblastomas. Cancer Res 2005;65:703–7.
Di CH,
Liao SH,
Adamson DC,
. Identification of OTX2 as a medulloblastoma oncogene whose product can be targeted by all-trans-retinoic acid. Cancer Res 2005;65:919–24.
Yokota N,
Mainprize TG,
. Identification of differentially expressed and developmentally regulated genes in medulloblastoma using suppression subtraction hybridization. Oncogene 2004;23:3444–53.
Michiels EM,
Oussoren E,
Van Groenigen M,
. Genes differentially expressed in medulloblastoma and fetal brain. Physiol Genomics 1999;1:83–91.
Simeone A,
Puelles E,
Acampora D
. The Otx family. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2002;12:409–15.
Broccoli V,
Boncinelli E,
Wurst W
. The caudal limit of Otx2 expression positions the isthmic organizer. Nature 1999;401:164–8.
Frantz GD,
Weimann JM,
Levin ME,
McConnell SK
. Otx1 and Otx2 define layers and regions in developing cerebral cortex and cerebellum. J Neurosci 1994;14:5725–40.
Matsuo I,
Kuratani S,
Kimura C,
Takeda N,
Aizawa S
. Mouse Otx2 functions in the formation and patterning of rostral head. Genes Dev 1995;9:2646–58.
Ang SL,
Jin O,
Rhinn M,
Daigle N,
Stevenson L,
Rossant J
. A targeted mouse Otx2 mutation leads to severe defects in gastrulation and formation of axial mesoderm and to deletion of rostral brain. Development 1996;122:243–52.
Acampora D,
Mallamaci A,
. A vertebrate gene related to orthodenticle contains a homeodomain of the bicoid class and demarcates anterior neuroectoderm in the gastrulating mouse embryo. EMBO J 1993;12:2735–47.
Aldosari N,
Bigner SH,
Burger PC,
. MYCC and MYCN oncogene amplification in medulloblastoma. A fluorescence in situ hybridization study on paraffin sections from the Children's Oncology Group. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2002;126:540–4.
McLendon RE,
Rosenblum MK,
Bigner DD,
Russell DS,
Rubinstein LJ
. Russell and Rubinstein's pathology of tumors of the nervous system. 7th ed London: Hodder Arnold; 2006.
Burger PC
. Anaplasia and grading in medulloblastomas. Brain Pathol 2003;13:376–85.
Northcott PA,
Nakahara Y,
. Multiple recurrent genetic events converge on control of histone lysine methylation in medulloblastoma. Nat Genet 2009;41:465–72.
Fernandez LA,
Hagan JP,
. The miR-17/92 polycistron is up-regulated in sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastomas and induced by N-myc in sonic hedgehog-treated cerebellar neural precursors. Cancer Res 2009;69:3249–55.
Wang TL,
Diaz LA Jr.,
Romans K,
. Digital karyotyping identifies thymidylate synthase amplification as a mechanism of resistance to 5-fluorouracil in metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004;101:3089–94.
Kolligs FT,
Hu G,
Dang CV,
Fearon ER
. Neoplastic transformation of RK3E by mutant β-catenin requires deregulation of Tcf/Lef transcription but not activation of c-myc expression. Mol Cell Biol 1999;19:5696–706.
He TC,
Sparks AB,
Rago C,
. Identification of c-MYC as a target of the APC pathway. Science 1998;281:1509–12.
Kool M,
Koster J,
Bunt J,
. Integrated genomics identifies five medulloblastoma subtypes with distinct genetic profiles, pathway signatures and clinicopathological features. PLoS One 2008;3:e3088.
Thompson MC,
Fuller C,
Hogg TL,
. Genomics identifies medulloblastoma subgroups that are enriched for specific genetic alterations. J Clin Oncol 2006;24:1924–31.
Briata P,
Ilengo C,
Bobola N,
Corte G
. Binding properties of the human homeodomain protein OTX2 to a DNA target sequence. FEBS Lett 1999;445:160–4.
Kratz J,
Wang Y,
. Histopathological and molecular prognostic markers in medulloblastoma: c-myc, N-myc, TrkC, and anaplasia. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2004;63:441–9.
Kepner JL,
Goldthwaite PT,
. Histopathologic grading of medulloblastomas: a Pediatric Oncology Group study. Cancer 2002;94:552–60.
Stearns D,
Chaudhry A,
Abel TW,
Eberhart CG
. c-myc overexpression causes anaplasia in medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2006;66:673–81.
de Haas T,
Grajkowska W,
. OTX1 and OTX2 expression correlates with the clinicopathologic classification of medulloblastomas. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2006;65:176–86.
Wechsler-Reya R,
Scott MP
. The developmental biology of brain tumors. Annu Rev Neurosci 2001;24:385–428.
Yang ZJ,
Ellis T,
Markant SL,
. Medulloblastoma can be initiated by deletion of Patched in lineage-restricted progenitors or stem cells. Cancer Cell 2008;14:135–45.
Schuller U,
Heine VM,
Mao J,
. Acquisition of granule neuron precursor identity is a critical determinant of progenitor cell competence to form Shh-induced medulloblastoma. Cancer Cell 2008;14:123–34.
Vernay B,
Koch M,
Vaccarino F,
. Otx2 regulates subtype specification and neurogenesis in the midbrain. J Neurosci 2005;25:4856–67.
Omodei D,
Mancuso P,
. Anterior-posterior graded response to Otx2 controls proliferation and differentiation of dopaminergic progenitors in the ventral mesencephalon. Development 2008;135:3459–70.
You are going to email the following OTX2 Is Critical for the Maintenance and Progression of Shh-Independent Medulloblastomas
Cancer Res January 1 2010 (70) (1) 181-191; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-09-2331
PACE4 Splicing in Cancer
SGK1: An Integral Component of the PI3K-Transforming Pathway
HIF1α/STK33 Signaling in PDAC Progression
Show more Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4138
|
__label__cc
| 0.581957
| 0.418043
|
The Cape Cod Chronicle
Chatham News
Harwich News
Orleans News
Effort To Revive Eldredge Garage Purchase 21 July 2016
By: Tim Wood
Topics: Board of Selectmen News , Infrastructure
The Eldredge Garage property. TIM WOOD PHOTO
CHATHAM – The Eldredge Garage property on Main Street may be the last, best hope to get additional public parking in downtown Chatham.
“This is it,” said business owner Sandy Wycoff, referring to the land at 365 Main St.
Earlier this summer, selectmen decided to pass after holding preliminary talks with the Eldredge family on possible town purchase of the property. Wycoff is rallying merchants and residents to urge the board to reconsider their position.
The issue will be discussed at the board's meeting this Tuesday, July 26.
In early June selectmen announced that they had decided not to pursue acquisition of the property, which includes a vacant parcel as well as land which contains a garage and former gas station. The board said it balanced the opportunities presented by the property with the potential environmental consequences of long-term use of the property as a gas station and auto repair facility, as well as the impact of the $2.5 million asking price on the tax levy and free cash and the remove of the land from the tax rolls. The board was unwilling to hike taxes or decrease free cash for the purchase.
Wycoff said she's spoken with several selectmen, the chamber of commerce and the Old Village Association about the property, and is circulating a petition asking the board to revisit its decision.
She is also a member of an ad hoc downtown parking committee that has recommended several steps to help ease the downtown parking crunch, such as signs directing visitors to parking areas outside of downtown. But the Eldredge property is probably the last large piece of land that could potentially be available for public parking, she said.
“We need to look long and hard at it,” she said, adding that “the best thing people can do is come to the meeting.”
Selectmen will take up the discussion Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the annex.
John E. Hall hand-sanding Reservoir Bogs on the ice in Harwich, 1958. Photo courtesy of Alan J. Hall
Harwich To Move Ahead With Complete Streets Program
CBI Launches Second Season Of Winter Art Series
Goldsmith Proposes $32.7M Operating Budget
Nauset Principals Present ‘Lean’ Budgets for Fiscal Year 2021
Construction Slowed In 2019, But Values Up Slightly
Tweets by CCCNewsroom
The Cape Cod Chronicle is an independent weekly newspaper covering the towns of Chatham, Harwich and Orleans, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.
Contact us at The Cape Cod Chronicle, 60C Munson Meeting Way,
Email: info@capecodchronicle.com
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4139
|
__label__wiki
| 0.64809
| 0.64809
|
Psychopathological status, behavior problems, and family adjustment of Kuwaiti children whose fathers were involved in the first gulf war
Fawziyah A Al-Turkait1 &
Jude U Ohaeri2
Following the end of the Gulf War that resulted in the liberation of Kuwait, there are no reports on the impact of veterans' traumatic exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on their children. We compared the severity of anxiety, depression, deviant behavior and poor family adjustment among the children of a stratified random sample of four groups of Kuwaiti military men, viz: the retired; an active -in-the-army group (AIA) (involved in duties at the rear); an in-battle group (IB) (involved in combat); and a prisoners -of- war (POWs) group. Also, we assessed the association of father's PTSD/combat status and mother's characteristics with child psychosocial outcomes.
Subjects were interviewed at home, 6 years after the war, using: the Child Behavior Index to assess anxiety, depression, and adaptive behavior; Rutter Scale A2 for deviant behavior; and Family Adjustment Device for adjustment at home. Both parents were assessed for PTSD.
The 489 offspring (250 m, 239 f; mean age 13.8 yrs) belonged to 166 father-mother pairs. Children of POWs tended to have higher anxiety, depression, and abnormal behavior scores. Those whose fathers had PTSD had significantly higher depression scores. However, children of fathers with both PTSD and POW status (N = 43) did not have significantly different outcome scores than the other father PTSD/combat status groups. Mother's PTSD, anxiety, depression and social status were significantly associated with all the child outcome variables. Parental age, child's age and child's level of education were significant covariates. Although children with both parents having PTSD had significantly higher anxiety/depression scores, the mother's anxiety was the most frequent and important predictor of child outcome variables. The frequency of abnormal test scores was: 14% for anxiety/depression, and 17% for deviant behavior.
Our findings support the impression that child emotional experiences in vulnerable family situations transcend culture and are associated with the particular behavior of significant adults in the child's life. The primacy of the mother's influence has implications for interventions to improve the psychological functioning of children in such families. Mental health education for these families has the potential to help those in difficulty.
The first Gulf War (GW) that resulted in the liberation of Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation in early 1991 has given rise to an impressive literature on the issue of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-morbid conditions among the veterans of that war, even in recent times [1, 2]. However, the focus has been on PTSD among veterans of the war from the USA and other western nations. In addition, the available literature on the impact of veterans' traumatic exposure and PTSD on their children has been concerned with Vietnam veterans [3–6].
It has been shown that veterans with chronic PTSD suffer both significant intrapersonal and interpersonal difficulties, including problems with family cohesion, self-disclosure, sexual intimacy, and the expression of affection, hostility and aggression [7, 8]. These problems are thought to have a negative ripple effect on the wives and children [6, 9]. However, psychological characteristics, such as locus of control [10, 11] and self-esteem [12–14] can mitigate the expression of the negative impact on families.
In the case of children, they are particularly vulnerable to developing PTSD and other mental disorders (especially anxiety and depression) when exposed to severely traumatic experiences [15–17]. Childhood PTSD is commonly associated with co-morbid mental disorders [18]. The presence of PTSD and violence in veteran trauma survivors has been linked to family dysfunction and symptoms in their children. These include lower self esteem, higher mental disorder rates and symptoms resembling those of the traumatized parent [19]. This has given rise to the suspicion of a transgenerational transmission of effects of war-related trauma [20], which could have a biological basis [21]. Of particular interest in the literature is the impact on child mental status and family adjustment, of veteran's PTSD status and combat exposure, as well as maternal psychosocial distress [5, 6, 9, 15]. These factors were found to interact in such a way as to compromise the child's adjustment. The value of these findings is that they obviate the need to identify children at risk in such potentially provocative home situations and to target them for preventive intervention [15].
A study of psychopathological status, behavior problems and family adjustment among the children of Kuwaiti war veterans is important. First, it will contribute to the scarce literature on how the interaction of GW veterans' PTSD status/combat exposure and their wives' PTSD status impact on their children's psychosocial adjustment. Second, it is an opportunity to examine whether the psychopathological and family adjustment characteristics of these children from a different society that is characterized by being highly conservative (with pronounced male dominance, extended family setting and totally Muslim), transcend cultural barriers by being similar to those of children from the western world. In this regard, it is to be noted that the Kuwaiti society is materially affluent and has an effective national social welfare system. A recent nation-wide epidemiological study showed that Kuwaiti children hail from fairly large, stable and extended family homes (average sibling size of 6.3), with parents predominantly living together (co-habiting is forbidden by law) and fathers gainfully employed, while majority of mothers are housewives[22].
Previous reports on the possible impact of the Gulf War on Kuwaiti children emanated from a general population study [23], as well as studies on personality trait changes, and psychological symptoms among Kuwaiti undergraduate [24] and high school students[25]. In the general population study, the prevalence of PTSD among the children was 10.6% [23]. The study of students revealed significant levels of symptoms of anxiety, depression, somatization, anger, and low self-esteem. However, the findings were not linked to indices of behavior and family adjustment, and the surveys did not include children from military families.
In order to address these issues, we assessed some indices of psychopathology and social adjustment among children of a stratified random sample of Kuwaiti Gulf War veterans, and highlighted the relationship between child and parental psychopathologies. The groups of military men (i.e., fathers) were as follows, in increasing order of war traumatic exposure: a retired group (retired from the army prior to the invasion); an active -in-the-army group (AIA) (i.e., those on duty during the invasion, but involved in duties at the rear only); an in-battle group (IB) (i.e., those involved in actual combat at the fronts); and a prisoners -of war (POWs) group (those imprisoned by the Iraqi forces and released after the liberation). In other words, the POWs were the most exposed to trauma, followed by the IB and AIA, while the retired group was the least exposed.
The specific objectives of the study were as follows:
1. to compare the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as behavior abnormalities, poor adaptation, and indices of poor family adjustment among the children of Kuwaiti military men, divided into four groups, as highlighted above. In addition, we highlighted the frequency of probable abnormal test scores for these five conditions.
2. to assess the relationship of fathers' other characteristics (i.e., prevalence of PTSD, co-morbid anxiety/depression, indices of family adjustment, locus of control and self-esteem), on the one hand, with indices of child psychopathology, behavior and family adjustment, on the other hand.
3. to assess the relationship between the mothers' psychopathology (i.e., PTSD, co-morbid anxiety/depression), her social characteristics, such as, number of children, living arrangements (i.e., nuclear family/extended family home), age, employment and educational status, and indices of family adjustment, on the one hand, and the children's psychopathology, behavior and family adjustment, on the other hand.
4. to examine the relationship between fathers'/mothers' PTSD and the children's psychopathology, behavior and family adjustment.
In tandem with the objectives, we hypothesized that fathers' degree of traumatic exposure and PTSD severity would be associated with the severity of psychopathology and poor family adjustment among their children. Specifically, that anxiety and depression scores would be highest among the children of the POWs and IB, as well as the children of men with PTSD (compared with the children of the retired and AIA and the men without PTSD). Similarly, children of mothers with PTSD/anxiety/depression, larger number of offspring, with little or no formal education and living in extended family homes (versus nuclear family homes) would have more severe anxiety/depression scores and poor family adjustment indices [26]. In addition, parents' scores on indices of locus of control, family adjustment and self-esteem would be significantly correlated with their children's scores on indices of psychopathology and family adjustment. Children whose both parents had PTSD would have more severe psychopathological conditions.
This report concerns only the results of the assessments for the children. The reports on the characteristics of the fathers (i.e., Kuwaiti veterans) [27] and the mothers [28], have been presented in detail elsewhere.
Selection of subjects and nature of trauma
The Kuwaiti army has only men in its service. The method for selecting the military families has been described in detail elsewhere [27, 28]. It should be noted that, although the military groups were chosen to represent degrees of exposure to the trauma of war, all Kuwaitis had potential to be exposed to psycho-trauma during the occupation [2, 28].
Instruments for assessing the parents
Among the instruments used to interview the parents were the following: (i) the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) (for the fathers) – for DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD [29]; (ii) the Hopkins Symptom Checklist -25, to screen for anxiety and depression (HSCL -25) [30]; (iii) internal-external locus of control (I-E LOC) [31]; (iv) the 10-item Self-esteem Scale (SES) [32]; (v) the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) [33]; and (vi) the PTSD Checklist (PCL) (for the mothers) – for ascertaining probable DSM-IV PTSD [34, 35].
Details about these questionnaires have been presented elsewhere [27, 28].
Instruments for assessing the children
The children were assessed with three instruments (see below for details), viz:
The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) [33] was administered in face-to-face interview, only to children who were over 12 years of age (N = 281). This is in line with standard guidelines for using the questionnaire. Similarly, the Child Behavior Inventory (CBI) and Rutter Scale A-2-parent's version were used to assess child anxiety/depressive symptoms and behavioral problems, respectively. For the CBI, the questionnaire was completed by interviewing mothers of children below 10 years of age, while children aged 10–16 years were interviewed face-to-face. Also for the Rutter Scale, only children aged 6 – 16 years were assessed, as recommended (i.e., N = 355 for CBI and Rutter Scale interviews).
The Family Adjustment Device (FAD) [33]
This is a screening instrument to identify problem areas in the most simple and efficient manner. It is based on the assumption that family functioning is much more related to transactional and systematic properties of the family system than to intra-psychic characteristics of individual family members. It was designed to avoid genuine differences in view, where the family may not be perceived in the same way by observers with different points of view. The 53 items are statements a person could make about his/her family. Each family member rates his/her agreement with how well an item describes the family by selecting among the four response options: strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. Higher scores indicate unhealthy family adjustment. The FAD is made up of seven subscales which measure the individual's perception of how well the family is adjusted in the following domains: Problem Solving, Communication, Family Roles, Affective Responsiveness, Affective Involvement, Behavior Control and General Functioning. The subscale labels are indicative of their underlying constructs. For example, problem solving refers to the family's ability to resolve issues which threaten their integrity and functional capacity. Communication refers to the exchange of information among members. The dimension, Roles, focuses on whether the family has established patterns of behavior for handling a set of family functions, including provision of resources, nurturance and support [33]. In view of the absence of standard cut-off scores, it is recommended that abnormal test scores should be judged by the group mean plus one standard deviation.
Child Behavior Inventory (CBI) [36]
The scale was designed to assess children's anxiety, depression and behavioral symptomatology following experience of traumatic events of war. The English version has 43 questions. The measure has been translated into Arabic, and has been adapted for use in Lebanon and Kuwait [23]. The Kuwaiti version has 42 items. Before its use in Kuwait, the CBI was pilot-tested to assess the meaning and relevance of the questionnaire items for Kuwaiti children. The items are grouped into five domains: aggression, depression, anxiety, prosocial and planful behavior. Each domain is represented by a set of questions that inquire about the child's behavior six months prior to the assessment. The five domains are also grouped into two main headings: a) mental health symptoms of aggression, depression, and anxiety; b) adaptational outcomes of prosocial and planful behavior.
Mental health symptoms
(i) Aggression (9 items: a maximum score of 27): e.g., gets angry easily, verbally aggressive, physically aggressive towards others, destroys his/her or other peoples things, etc.
(ii) Depression (9 items: a maximum score of 27): e.g., appears sad or unhappy, distances him/her self from love and care, etc.
(iii) Anxiety (6 items: a maximum score of 18): e.g., jumpy, indicates that he/she is frightened that something bad will happen to him/her, reacts with fear to things or situations that do not usually scare other children, etc.
Adaptational outcomes
(i) Prosocial behavior (9 items: a maximum score of 27): e.g., helpful towards other children, helpful towards adults, shows concern or cares for others, etc.
(ii) Planful behavior (9 items: a maximum score of 27): e.g., takes the lead in initiating activities, plans and thinks ahead, skillful in solving problems, etc. Each question is scored on a four-alternative, forced-choice format, ranging from 0 = never, through, 1 = rarely and 2 = sometimes, to 3 = always.
Higher scores for the mental health items indicate pathology, while for the adaptational outcome items, higher scores indicate positive adaptation.
Rutter A-2 Scale – Parents' version [37]
This scale, which is a slightly modified version of the original form A, consists of 31 statements concerning the child's behavior. The mother rated the extent to which the statement applied to the child. The scale is divided into 3 parts:
(i) Health problems (8 items): e.g., headache, stomach-ache, wets bed, temper tantrums, truants from school, etc. The subscale score is 0–16.
(ii) Habits (5 items): e.g., stammers/stutters, steals things, eating problems, etc. The subscale score is 0–10.
(iii) Statements on behavior (18 items): e.g., restless, destroys own or others' belongings, fights with others, has twitches, mannerisms or tics, sucks thumb or finger, disobedient, tells lies, bullies other children, etc. The total score is 0–36.
The most prominent behavioral problems that can be extracted from these 18 statements are:
(i) Neurotic: the following are scored for a neurotic subscale: tears on arrival at school, sleep problems, worried and fearful.
(ii) Antisocial: the following are scored for the antisocial subscale: steals things, destroys own or others' belongings, disobedient, tells lies, bullies other children.
Each item is scored on a scale of 0, 1 or 2. The subscale scores are computed by adding the ratings for each item. Higher scores indicate pathology.
The Arabic version of the above questionnaires (produced by back-translation), has been used by previous workers in the Kuwaiti and neighboring Arab populations, and the contents were found to be relevant to the respective constructs and easily understood by Arabs [23, 38, 39]. We note that these instruments are not meant to be diagnostic of the various underlying constructs, but give indication of severity of probable problems in the respective domains.
Reliability coefficients
The internal consistency of the questionnaires was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and Guttmann's split- half coefficient, using the responses of all the subjects. The alpha coefficients were above the recommended 0.7. For the CBI, Rutter Scale and FAD, the alpha values were, respectively, 0.92, 0.85 and 0.76.
Construct validity – Factor analysis for the CBI and Rutter's Scale
In view of the wide cultural difference between Kuwait and the western world where the questionnaires were originally articulated, it was necessary to examine whether the responses of our subjects would yield similar domains as in the original questionnaires. We used factor analysis with principal component analysis and varimax rotation for factors with eigen values above one. This analysis was not done for the FAD because our sample size (N = 281 for subjects aged > 12 years) was not considered adequate for this analysis, since the FAD has 53 items.
For the CBI and Rutter Scale, the original constructs of the questionnaires were adequately replicated, with the items loading highly (> 0.45) on their respective factors (data available on request from the authors).
As a result of the national security situation at that time (the old regime in Iraq continually threatened the sovereignty of Kuwait), and the difficulty of obtaining permission for the study from the military authorities, coupled with the conservative nature of the society, and the problem of contacting the sampled subjects, it was six years after the GW that the study could commence. Ethical approval was obtained from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait, and the Ministry of Defense, Kuwait. All responding veterans gave written informed consent for their wives and children to be interviewed. Accordingly, the rest of the family agreed to be interviewed. In the Kuwaiti culture, the father's consent for such a non-invasive exercise is a sufficient reason for the remainder of the family to participate.
The interviews were conducted by eight Arab female psychology graduates, who were employed in the mental health service as psychologists/social workers, and had previous experience in interviewing people for social science/mental health research. At the preliminary stage of the study, the principal investigator trained the research assistants for one week by lectures and practical demonstrations in the technique of interview. They took turns to read and rate the responses of patients at the special PTSD clinic (Al-Riggae Center), and were thereby able to harmonize their ratings. The formal study began when the investigator was satisfied that the research assistants had achieved satisfactory inter-rater reliability of ratings. Unfortunately, no formal inter-rater reliability tests were done. However, at monthly intervals, the research team met to jointly rate subjects and ensure that interviews were being done correctly. After the period of training, the research team conducted a pilot study with the families of ten soldiers (not part of the main study), who were receiving treatment for PTSD at the Al-Reggae Center, at their homes. It was found that, although the interview lasted an average of two hours for each family, the relaxed atmosphere at home and the manner in which the subjects had been approached, made the exercise acceptable to the subjects. Respondents were not compensated for the interviews, as the cultural norm does not support material inducements for such activities. Different research assistants interviewed the husband, wife and children, and each respondent was interviewed privately, in order to avoid bias in ratings.
Each prospective respondent soldier was firstly contacted by telephone, and according to his choice, the family was interviewed either at his home in the evenings, or at the Al-Riggae Center. This report concerns the results of interviews with the children only.
Data were analyzed by SPSS version 11. The total scores for the following child outcome variables were computed by summing up the scores of the corresponding subscales of the questionnaires: Child Behavior Inventory (CBI) anxiety, CBI depression, CBI aggression, CBI prosocial behavior, CBI planful behavior; Rutter Scale (RS) health problems, RS habits, RS statements of behavior, RS neurotic, RS antisocial; Family Adjustment Device (FAD) Roles, FAD Response, FAD communication, FAD involvement, and FAD general.
For the first objective, we used one-way ANOVA to compare the scores on child outcome variables across father's combat exposure levels. Effect sizes were also calculated. In view of the fact that the three instruments for assessing the children have no standard cut-off scores for Kuwait, and the data were fairly normally distributed, probable abnormal test scores were judged by the following: scores greater than the group mean plus 1 SD for CBI depression/anxiety/aggression/Rutter/FAD; and less than the group mean plus 1 SD for CBI prosocial/planful.
For the second and third objectives, we used t-test and effect size to compare scores in child outcome variables, between those whose parents had PTSD and those whose parents did not have PTSD. Similarly, we assessed differences in child outcome variables for the different categories of parental socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., employment status, nuclear/extended family home). Furthermore, we used Pearson's correlation to assess the relationship between child outcome variables and parental characteristics, such as age, and scores on self-esteem and locus of control. In view of the many significant relationships in the above univariate tests, we used multiple regression analyses to determine the parental characteristics that could predict child outcome variables. For this analysis, each child outcome variable (e.g., CBI anxiety, CBI depression score) was used as the dependent variable, while parental continuous variables (e.g., age, PTSD severity score, anxiety/depression scores) were used as independent variables.
For the fourth objective, we grouped the children, first according to categories of father versus mother combinations of PTSD status (e.g., father has PTSD and mother has PTSD; both parents do not have PTSD, etc). Second, we grouped the children according to categories of father's PTSD status versus combat exposure combinations (e.g., father is retired and had no PTSD; father was POW and had PTSD, etc). We used two-way ANOVA (general linear model) to assess the interactions of father – mother PTSD and father's PTSD – father's combat exposure on child outcome variables. In the post-hoc tests that followed the two-way ANOVA operations, we used one-way ANOVA to assess group differences in child outcome variables. In view of the differences in father's age, as well child's age and level of education (by level of trauma exposure groups), the association of parental characteristics with child outcome variables was also assessed by analysis of covariance (using parental age, child's age and child's education as covariates).
Where multiple tests were done, the level of significance was set at P < 0.01 (Bonferroni correction); otherwise, the P level was 0.05. All tests were two-tailed.
Of the 200 veterans assessed, 187 were married and 166 wives had children.
We defined a child as one who was still living at home, never married and never earned a salary. Thus, the 489 (51.1% m, 48.9% f) children who fulfilled these criteria belonged to 166 military father and 166 mother pairs. On the whole, however, the mothers had an average of 4.6 (SD 2.2) children. The mean age of the children was 13.6 (SD 5.4) years (range 6–33). Majority (252 or 51.5%) were aged 11–20 years, 174(35.6%) were aged 6–10 years, 51 (10.4%) were aged 21–25 years, 10 (2.0%) were aged 26–30 years, while only 2 (0.4%) were aged over 30 years. All the children had some level of education: 139 (28.5%) were in primary school, 274(56.1%) were in high school, and 75 (15.4%) were studying for diploma/university degrees. Mean age did not differ by gender (M = 13.5, F = 13.7, P = 0.7), and level of education was similar by gender (P = 0.3). However, the children of the retired men were significantly older (F = 34.6, df = 3/485, P < 0.001) and had higher educational attainments (X2 = 130, df = 4, P < 0.001) than the other groups.
According to fathers' level of combat exposure, the 489 children were sorted into the following categories: children of the retired, 183 (37.4%); children of the active-in-army (A-I-A), 102 (20.9%); children of the in-battle (IB), 103 (21.1%); and children of the POWs, 101 (20.7%). However, following standard recommendations for using the instruments, the CBI and Rutter Scale were applied to only the 355 children aged 6–16 years, while the FAD was applied to only the 281 children aged above 12 years.
Frequency of probable abnormal test scores and co-morbidity for the subscales of the three child outcome instruments (Table 1)
Table 1 Frequency of abnormal test scores for the CBI (N = 355), Rutter Scale (N = 355) and FAD (N = 281)*
Using the group mean (+/- 1 SD) as cut-off scores, we found that 14.4% and 14.9% had probable clinical severity of depression and anxiety, respectively. In addition, 17.1% evidenced a tendency for antisocial behavior, 9.6% – 23.1% indicated significant problems in family adjustment, and 16.6%–19.7% probably had problems in adaptational behavior. Furthermore, anxiety/depression co-morbidity was a common feature. Hence, 27(52.2%) of those with probable clinical depression also had clinical anxiety, and 27(50.9%) of those with probable clinical anxiety also had clinical depression (X2 = 67.8, df = 1, P < 0.0001, in each case). Clinical depression was highly significantly associated with child's aggressive behavior (X2 = 37.3, df = 1, P < 0.0001), deficient prosocial behavior (X2 = 9.4, df = 1, P < 0.002), and deficient planful behavior (X2 = 5.1, df = 1, P < 0.002). Similarly, clinical anxiety was significantly associated with child's aggressive behavior (X2 = 34.6, df = 1, P < 0.001) and deficient prosocial behavior (X2 = 6.1, df = 1, P < 0.01). However, child clinical anxiety and depression were not significantly associated with the probability of having significant family adjustment problems (P > 0.05).
Association of father's combat exposure and PTSD status with child's outcome variables (Table 2)
Table 2 Groups with significant differences in psychopathological, behavioral and family adjustment scores, by father's combat exposure
Children of POW veterans consistently tended to have higher anxiety, depression and abnormal behavior scores, while having higher adaptational scores (CBI adaptation). These trends reached significance for the following: (i) for depression: the POW group scored significantly higher than the retired and IB (P < 0.003); (ii) for Rutter Statements on behavior, the POW group scored significantly higher than the AIA (P < 0.03); and (iii) for prosocial behavior, the POW group had higher scores than the IB group (P < 0.006). In the case of family adjustment, the children of retired veterans tended to have more positive adjustment scores. This tendency reached significance for family problem solving and communication (versus the IB group) (P < 0.001), and for FAD Roles (versus AIA) (P < 0.003).
With regard to father's PTSD status, the only significant difference was for child's CBI depression. Those whose fathers had PTSD (N = 105) scored significantly higher (7.3, SD 5.1), than those whose fathers did not have PTSD (N = 250) (5.8, SD 4.6; t = 2.6, df = 353, P = 0.01) [Effect size & 95% C.I. = 0.32 (0.09–0.54)].
Interaction of father's PTSD status and combat exposure (Tables 3 &4)
Table 3 Prevalence of combined groups of father's PTSD status and military status (N = 489)
Table 4 Interaction of father's PTSD status and military status on child's psychopathological, behavioral and family adjustment variables
Although there was significant interaction between father's PTSD status and combat exposure in two- way ANOVA, the post hoc tests showed that, of the 43(8.7%) children whose fathers were both POWs and had PTSD, there was no significant tendency for them to score higher than the children in other groups on indices of child psychopathology, behavior and family adjustment (Tables 3 &4). But the POW status (without PTSD) was commonly associated with higher scores in depression, anxiety, Rutter Statements on behavior, Rutter discrimination, and prosocial behavior, compared with the other groups. However, there was a consistent tendency for the children whose fathers were both retired and had no PTSD, to score least on psychopathological and abnormal behavior indices, while having better family adjustment indices. The in-battle group was significantly associated with abnormal family adjustment indices, compared with the retired (P < 0.01). In ANCOVA, with father's age, child's age and child's education as covariates, the above differences in Rutter Statements on behavior, CBI depression and anxiety were no longer significant (P > 0.05). But the findings for prosocial behavior (POW > AIA; P < 0.04), as well as poor family adjustment indices for the in-battle group, remained significant (P < 0.01).
Relationship with mother's PTSD status (Table 5)
Table 5 Groups with significant differences by mother's PTSD status
Mother's PTSD status had significant association with all the child outcome variables. Hence children of mothers with PTSD had significantly higher scores for CBI anxiety, depression, and aggression; lower scores for CBI planful behavior (i.e., were less motivated); higher scores for the Rutter subscales (i.e., abnormal behavior) (P < 0.01); and poorer family adjustment scores (P < 0.02).
Interaction of father's and mother's PTSD (Table 6)
Table 6 Interaction of father's and mother's PTSD: groups with significant differences.
Although there was no significant interaction between parents' PTSD status, the post hoc tests showed that, children whose mothers had PTSD or both parents had PTSD, consistently tended to have higher psychopathological, abnormal behavior and poorer family adjustment scores, in comparison with those whom both parents did not have PTSD. This tendency reached significance for CBI depression (P < 0.003), anxiety (P < 0.001), aggression (P < 0.003), FAD communications, and involvement (P < 0.001). However, when the data were subjected to ANCOVA, with the parent's age, child's age and child's level of education as covariates, the differences were no longer significant for the following: CBI depression, CBI aggression, CBI planful, Rutter neurotic, FAD roles and FAD general. The findings for CBI anxiety (P < 0.03), FAD problem (P < 0.04) and FAD communication (P < 0.003) remained significant.
Correlation of child outcome variables with parent's psychopathological and FAD scores
Using Pearson's correlations, we found that the relationships between child and parental variables that reached significance level of P < 0.001, were mostly with regard to the mother. Hence, child psychopathological, behavioral and family adjustment scores were more commonly highly significantly correlated with mother's PTSD, anxiety and depression scores, compared with father's scores (Pearson'r for mother's anxiety/depression versus child's scores: mostly > 0.30, P < 0.0001). This is in line with Tables 5 and 6.
Multiple regression analyses (Table 7)
Table 7 Predictors of child's psychopathological, behavioral and family adjustment variables: multiple regression analyses
The above findings (i.e., Tables 5 &6) were supported by the results of the multiple regression analyses. Table 7 shows that the commonest and most important predictors of child outcome variables were the mother's anxiety and depression. Hence, of the 11 child psychosocial outcome variables, mother's anxiety accounted for the majority of variance in six, while mother's depression accounted for the majority of the variance in two. Father's PTSD/combat exposure accounted for the majority of the variance only in the case of adaptive behavior and the roles/response subscales of the FAD.
Limitations and strengths of the study
The major limitations of the study are that we did not use diagnostic instruments, and we did not specifically assess the impact of social supports. Furthermore, we did not assess the possible influence of child cognitive capacity and personality, which are thought to be important determinants of psychological vulnerability after trauma [40]. However, our instruments are time-tested, of wide international use, and have been found to be valid and reliable in previous studies in Kuwait and neighboring states [23, 36, 38, 39]. In addition, the scales in the instruments showed very good internal consistency and validity. The acceptability of the questionnaires and the interview process is shown by the low refusal rate (4% of soldiers contacted), and the fact that all those who consented to be interviewed did cooperate to complete the process. With regard to the time of assessment after the traumatic event, it has been shown that combat-related and home-coming effects persist on a range of psychosocial endpoints 20–30 years after exposure [41–43]. Also, longitudinal studies have shown that the psychological impact of war traumatic events on children persist for several years [40].
The strengths of the study include the fact that we assessed whole families, including all children in the home in face-to-face interviews, and correlated parent-child psychosocial outcomes. The assessment of all children in the home is rare in the literature, and it helped to offset the possible bias that could result from interviewing single children who may have special relations with their families [19]. In addition, our study involved a wide age range of offspring, who were assessed for several child outcomes, including anxiety, depression, deviant behaviour outside the home, adaptive behaviour, and adjustment within the family. In studying groups of children whose fathers had different levels of combat exposure, we were enabled to have adequate comparison groups, so that we could provide reliable data on the interaction of veterans' combat exposure and PTSD status with their children's psychosocial outcome.
Father's combat exposure and PTSD status
With regard to our first hypothesis on the relationship between veterans' combat exposure/PTSD status and their children's psychosocial outcome variables, we found that combat exposure seemed to play a more significant role than PTSD. In this regard, it is noteworthy that there was no significant interaction between combat exposure and PTSD status for the 43 children whose fathers had both PTSD and POW status. The strength of combat exposure is shown by the fact that the children of the retired veterans consistently scored lowest on anxiety/depression and deviant behaviour, while having more positive scores on the subscales of adaptation and family adjustment (Table 4). However, these findings should be judged from the perspective that they seemed to have been influenced by the age of the father, the child's age and child's level of education. An implication of this ANCOVA finding is that, for this group of children, the experience and maturity that age tends to confer, coupled with better child formal education, could help to offset the possible adverse impact of their fathers' condition on their psychological functioning. There are conflicting reports in the literature on the issue of the impact of veterans' combat exposure and PTSD status on their children's psychological functioning. While some studies reported on the primacy of veterans' PTSD status [5, 6], others found that veterans' combat exposure was positively correlated with hostility and violent behaviour among their children [9].
Mother's characteristics: interaction with father's PTSD status
Our results were in support of the second hypothesis concerning the impact of the mothers' characteristics on children's outcome variables. We found that the mothers' PTSD status, anxiety, depression, and family adjustment were significantly correlated with the children's psychopathological status, behaviour, adaptation and family adjustment (Tables 5 &6). The mother's PTSD had a greater impact on the child outcome variables than the father's PTSD. Indeed, the group with father PTSD/mother no PTSD had significantly higher planful behavior than the group with father no PTSD/mother PTSD (P < 0.02), thus supporting a protective effect for mother's mental stability (Table 6). Again, the results of the ANCOVA analysis showed that it is possible that, with greater the experience and maturity that age tends to confer on the parents and the child, as well as better formal education for the child, it can be hoped that the child could overcome adverse family influences consequent on the parents' condition [44]. The results of the multiple regression analyses strengthened our observation of the primacy of the impact of the mother's characteristics (Table 7).
There is much support in the traumatology literature for our finding that the mothers' condition (especially anxiety) has a wide ranging impact on their children's psychosocial outcome [15, 44–46]. This may have evolutionary [47] and biological [21] bases. In a study of offspring of holocaust survivors, it was found that maternal PTSD was particularly associated with their (non-PTSD) children having lower mean cortisol levels [21].
According to other reports, the factors that seemed to magnify the impact of veterans' condition on their children are veterans' abuse of alcohol and abusive violence on their wives [4, 20]. The fact that these two factors were not much in evidence for the veterans in our study [27], probably contributed to the finding that the fathers' condition had less important association with the children's outcome variables. We conclude from this finding that, culture, per se, is not necessarily a protective factor; rather, it is the particular behaviour of significant adults in the child's life that impacts on the child's emotional functioning, behaviour and family adjustment. Although Arab scholars have advanced theories to show that the norms and dynamics of the culture are in support of our finding of the primacy of the mother's condition [48], we are more impressed by the concordance of our findings with biological studies [21, 47].
Abnormal test scores and co-morbidity
With regard to the prevalence of abnormal test scores, our finding about the commonness of anxiety-depression co-morbidity is in line with the literature [49, 50]. We found the following frequencies: about 14% for anxiety/depression, 17% for deviant behaviour, 16.6%–19.7% for poor adaptive behaviour, and 9.6% – 23.1% for poor family adjustment. Some comparable general population data in the Arab world are available from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. In a study of 2100 subjects aged 5.4 – 16.6 years, using Rutter B2 Scale, it was found that 13.5% showed some form of behaviour disorder [51]. From the same community in the UAE, using Rutter Parent Questionnaire, the rates of behavioural disorders reported were 11.8% to 16.5% [52, 53]. The rates of DSM-IV disorders among children in the general population in the Al-Ain community ranged from 10.4% to 22.4% [52, 54]. By comparison, in a study of 4500 youth aged 9–17 years in a rural community in the USA, it was found that 21.1% had at least one DSM-IV disorder (including: any depressive disorder, 2.9%; any anxiety disorder, 6.4%; and conduct disorder, 5.4%) [55]. Thus, our findings support the universality of childhood psychological experience for those in vulnerable family situations.
Our findings support the impression that child emotional and behavioral experiences in vulnerable family situations transcend culture and are associated with the particular behaviour of significant adults in the child's life. The primacy of the mother's condition implies that interventions for children with these problems should include attempts to improve the psychological functioning of their mothers. Coupled with the finding of the positive influence of parental age, child's age and child's education, mental health education for these families has the potential to help those with psychosocial problems.
Engel CC, Hyams KC, Scott K: Managing future Gulf War syndromes: international lessons and new models of care. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006, 361 (1468): 707-20. 10.1098/rstb.2006.1829.
Stein AL, Tran GO, Lund LM, Haji U, Dashevsky BA, Baker DG: Correlates for posttraumatic stress disorder in Gulf War veterans: a retrospective study of main and moderating effects. J Anxiety Disord. 2006, 19 (8): 861-876. 10.1016/j.janxdis.2004.09.006.
Beckham JC, Lytle BL, Feldman ME: Caregiver burden in partners of Vietnam War veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996, 64: 1068-1072. 10.1037/0022-006X.64.5.1068.
Evans L, McHugh T, Hopwood M, Watt C: Chronic posttraumatic stress disorder and family functioning of Vietnam veterans and their partners. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2003, 37 (6): 765-772. 10.1111/j.1440-1614.2003.01267.x.
Caselli LT, Motta RW: The effect of PTSD and combat level on Vietnam veterans' perceptions of child behavior and marital adjustment. J Clin Psychol. 1995, 51: 4-12. 10.1002/1097-4679(199501)51:1<4::AID-JCLP2270510102>3.0.CO;2-E.
Westerink J, Giarratano L: The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder on partners and children of Australian Vietnam veterans. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1999, 33 (6): 841-847. 10.1046/j.1440-1614.1999.00638.x.
Jordan BK, Marmar CR, Fairbank JA, Schlenger WE, Kulka RA, Hough RL, Weiss DS: Problems in families of male Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. J Clin Consult Psychol. 1992, 60 (6): 916-926. 10.1037/0022-006X.60.6.916.
MacDonald C, Chamberlain K, Long N, Flett R: Posttraumatic stress disorder and interpersonal functioning in Vietnam War veterans: a mediational model. J Trauma Stress. 1999, 12 (4): 701-717. 10.1023/A:1024729520686.
Glenn DM, Beckham JC, Feldman ME, Kirby AC, Hertberg MA, Moore SD: Violence and hostility among families of Vietnam veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Violence Vict. 2002, 17 (4): 473-489. 10.1891/vivi.17.4.473.33685.
Frye JS, Stockton RA: Discriminant analysis of posttraumatic stress disorder among a group of Vietnam veterans. Am J Psychiatry. 1982, 139: 52-56.
Regehr C, Hill J, Glancy GD: Individual predictors of traumatic reactions in firefighters. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2000, 188: 333-339. 10.1097/00005053-200006000-00003.
Bunce SC, Larsen RJ, Peterson C: Life after trauma: personality and daily life experiences of traumatized people. J Pers. 1995, 63: 165-188. 10.1111/j.1467-6494.1995.tb00806.x.
Harmon-Jones E, Simon L, Greenberg J, Pyszczynski T, Solomon S, McGregor H: Terror management theory and self-esteem: evidence that increased self-esteem reduces mortality salience effects. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1997, 72 (1): 24-36. 10.1037/0022-3514.72.1.24.
Haine RA, Ayers TS, Sandler IN, Wolechik SA, Weyer JL: Locus of control and self-esteem as stress moderators and stress mediators in parentally bereaved children. Death Stud. 2003, 27: 619-640. 10.1080/07481180302894.
Silva RR, Alpert M, Munoz DM, Singh S, Matzner F, Dummit S: Stress and vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. Am J Psychiatry. 2000, 157: 1229-1235. 10.1176/appi.ajp.157.8.1229.
Copeland WE, Keeler G, Angold A, Costello EJ: Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress in childhood. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007, 64: 577-584. 10.1001/archpsyc.64.5.577.
Elbedour S, Onwuegbuzie AJ, Ghannam J, Whitcome JA, Abu Hein F: Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among Gaza Strip adolescents in the wake of the second Uprising (Intifada). Child Abuse Negl. 2007, 31: 719-29. 10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.09.006.
Famularo R, Fenton T, Kinscherff R, Augustyn M: Psychiatric comorbidity in childhood posttraumatic stress disorder. Child Abuse Negl. 1996, 20: 953-961. 10.1016/0145-2134(96)00084-1.
Davidson AC, Mellor DJ: The adjustment of children of Australian Vietnam veterans: is there evidence for the trans-generational transmission of the effects of war – related trauma?. ANZ J Psychiatry. 2001, 35: 345-351.
Rosenheck R, Fontana A: Transgenerational effects of abusive violence on the children of Vietnam combat veterans. J Trauma Stress. 1998, 11: 731-42. 10.1023/A:1024445416821.
Yehuda R, Teicher MH, Seckl JR, Grossman RA, Morris A, Bierer LM: Parental posttraumatic stress disorder as a vulnerability factor for low cortisol trait in offspring of holocaust survivors. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007, 64: 1040-8. 10.1001/archpsyc.64.9.1040.
Al-Fayez GA, Ohaeri JU, Al-Zabin Z, Kamil N: Prevalence of physical, psychological and sexual abuse among Kuwaiti adolescents: its impact on quality of life, self-esteem and mental health. Occasional Scientific Specialized Series 31. 2007, : Kuwait Society for the Advancement of Arab children
Al-Hammadi A, Staer A, Behbehani J, Staer M, Aref M, Al-Turkait F, Al-Asfour A: The traumatic events and mental health consequences resulting from the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait. A report submitted to the United Nations. 1994
Al-Ansari B: The impact of the Iraqi aggression on the personality traits of Kuwaiti students of both sexes: Center of Gulf and Desert Studies. The International Conference of Iraqi aggression on Kuwait. 1994, Second: 53-68.
Al-Saraf Q: The effects of the Iraqi invasion on the emotional aspects of the Kuwaiti secondary school students in the general system. The International Conference about the effect of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Kuwait University, April 2–6. 1994
Shields M: Stress and depression in the employed population. Health Reports. 2006, 17: 11-29.
Al-Turkait FA, Ohaeri JU: Prevalence and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder among Kuwaiti military men according to level of involvement in the first Gulf War. Depress Anxiety. 2007, DOI 10. 1002/da.20373
Al-Turkait FA, Ohaeri JU: Posttraumatic stress disorder among wives of Kuwaiti veterans of the first Gulf War. J Anxiety Disord. 2008, 22: 18-31. 10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.01.011.
Blake D, Weathers F, Nagy L, Kaloupek D, Gusman F, Charney D, Keane T: The development of a Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. J Trauma Stress. 1995, 8: 75-90.
Mollica RF, Wyshak G, de Marneffe D, Khuon F, Lavalle J: Indo-Chinese version of Hopkins Symptom Checklist -25: A screening instrument for the psychiatric care of refugees. Am J Psychiatry. 1987, 144: 1567-1573.
Rotter JB: Generalized expectancies and internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychol Monogr. 1966, 80 (1): 1-28.
Rosenberg M: Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, Princeton University Press. 1965
Epstein NB, Baldwin LM, Bishop DS: The McMaster family Assessment Device (FAD). J Marital Fam Ther. 1983, 9: 171-178. 10.1111/j.1752-0606.1983.tb01497.x.
Blanchard EB, Jones-Alexander J, Buckley TC, Forneris CA: Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Behavior Res Ther. 1996, 34 (8): 669-673. 10.1016/0005-7967(96)00033-2.
Grieger TA, Cozza SJ, Ursano RJ, Hoge C, Martinez PE, Engel CC, Wain HJ: Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in battle-injured soldiers. Am J Psychiatry. 2006, 163: 1777-1783. 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.10.1777.
Macksoud SM, Aber L, Dyregrov A, Raundalen M: Child behavior inventory: Project on children and war. Center for the study of human rights. 1990, Columbia University, NY, USA
Rutter M, Tizard J, Whitmore K: A children's behavior questionnaire for completion by parents. Education, Health and Behavior. Edited by: Rutter M, Tizard J, Whitmore K. 1970, NY: Wiley, 412-421.
Seidia A: The relationship between locus of control and self-concept in university students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (in Arabic). 1986
Abou-Nahia SM: Standardization scale of internal-external Locus of Control for children and adolescents in the higher classes of primary education in Palestinian milieu in the Gaza Strip. J Psychology (Egypt). 1989, 3 (9): 113-122. (in Arabic)
Qouta S, Punamaki RL, Montgomery E, El Sarraj E: Predictors of psychological distress and positive resources among adolescents: trauma, child, and mothering characteristics. Child Abuse Negl. 2007, 31: 699-717. 10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.07.007.
Grayson DA, Marshall RP, Dobson M, O'Toole BI, Schureck RJ, Ffrench M, Pulvertaft B, Meldrum L: Australian Vietnam veterans: factors contributing to psychosocial problems. AAust N Z J Psychiatry. 1996, 30 (5): 600-13. 10.3109/00048679609062655.
Dagleish T: Cognitive approaches to posttraumatic stress disorder: the evolution of multi-representational theorizing. Psychol Bulletin. 2004, 130: 228-260. 10.1037/0033-2909.130.2.228.
Solomon Z, Mikulincer M: Trajectories of PTSD: a 20-year longitudinal study. Am J Psychiatry. 2006, 163: 659-666. 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.4.659.
Tiet Q, Bird HR, Davies M, Hoven C, Cohen P, Jensen PS, Goodman S: Adverse life events and resilience. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998, 37: 1191-1200. 10.1097/00004583-199811000-00020.
Laor N, Wolmer L, Mayers LC, Golomb A, Silverberg DS, Weizman R, Cohen DJ: Israreli preschoolers under Scud missile attacks. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996, 53: 416-23.
Koenen KC, Moffitt TE, Poulton R, Martin J, Caspi A: Early childhood factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder: results from a longitudinal birth cohort. Psychol Med. 2007, 37: 181-192. 10.1017/S0033291706009019.
Mineka S, Davidson M, Cook M, Keir R: Observational conditioning of snake fear in rhesus monkeys. J Abnorm Psychol. 1984, 93: 355-372. 10.1037/0021-843X.93.4.355.
Haj-Yahia MM, Musleh K, Haj-Yahia YM: The incidence of adolescent maltreatment in Arab society and some of its psychological effects. J Fam Issues. 2002, 23: 1032-1064. 10.1177/019251302237302.
Ohaeri JU: The management of anxiety and depressive disorders: a review. International J Mental Health and Addiction. 2006, 4: 103-118. 10.1007/s11469-006-9016-x.
Moffitt TE, Harrington H, Caspi A, Kim-Cohen J, Goldberg D, Gregory AM, Poulton R: Depression and generalized anxiety disorder: cumulative and sequential comorbidity in a birth cohort followed prospectively to age 32 years. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007, 64: 651-660. 10.1001/archpsyc.64.6.651.
Al-Kuwaiti MA, Hossain MM, Absood GH: Behavior disorders in primary school children in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. Ann Trop Paediatr. 1995, 15: 97-104.
Eapen V, Al-Gazali L, Bin-Othman S, Abou-Saleh M: Mental health problems among school children in United Arab Emirates: prevalence and risk factors. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998, 37: 880-6. 10.1097/00004583-199808000-00019.
Eapen V, Swadi H, Sabri S, Abou-Saleh M: Childhod behavior disturbance in a community sample in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. East Mediterr Health J. 2001, J7 (3): 428-34.
Eapen V, Jakka ME, Abou-Saleh MT: Children with psychiatric disorders: the Al-Ain Community Psychiatric Survey. Can J Psychiatry. 2003, 48: 402-7.
Angold A, Erkanli A, Farmer EM, Fairbank JA, Burns BJ, Keeler G, Costello EJ: Psychiatric disorder, impairment, and service use in rural African American and white youth. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002, 59: 893-901. 10.1001/archpsyc.59.10.893.
We thank the Ministry of Defense for approving the study and facilitating contact with the families. The statistics unit of the Ministry of Defense advised on sample selection. Professor Michael W. Eysenck and Dr J Behbehani advised on the planning and execution of the study. Abdul-Hamid El-Abassi played an invaluable role in data analysis. We thank the research assistants for their professionalism in interviewing the subjects. We thank the soldiers and their families for their kindness and patience in welcoming us to their homes and cooperating for the interviews.
Department of Psychology, College of Education, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait, P.O. Box 117, Safat, 13002, Kuwait
Fawziyah A Al-Turkait
Department of Psychiatry, Psychological Medicine Hospital, Gamal Abdul Naser Road, P.O. Box 4081, Safat, 13041, Kuwait
Jude U Ohaeri
Search for Fawziyah A Al-Turkait in:
Search for Jude U Ohaeri in:
Correspondence to Jude U Ohaeri.
FAA conceived and planned the study and supervised data collection, FAA and JUO did literature search, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
Al-Turkait, F.A., Ohaeri, J.U. Psychopathological status, behavior problems, and family adjustment of Kuwaiti children whose fathers were involved in the first gulf war. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2, 12 (2008) doi:10.1186/1753-2000-2-12
Prosocial Behavior
Combat Exposure
Family Adjustment Device
Family Adjustment
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4141
|
__label__cc
| 0.680497
| 0.319503
|
Would an underpass/tunnel on Keese Mills Road decrease the percentage of amphibian mortality due to road mortality?
Abstract: Road Mortality has had a huge impact on Amphibian populations worldwide. Several options are available to help maintain and preserve migrating populations across roadways. One method that is looked at during this study is underpass and fencing. In this study, I assessed the need for an underpass and if it could help reduce the amount of amphibian’s mortality by traffic and, if an underpass is necessary, properly predict a location. I also looked at if underpasses alone could reduce the mortality of amphibians. I constructed arrays and pitfall traps to simulate an underpass on Keese Mills Road at Paul Smiths and Santa Clara, Franklin County New York. I predicted that underpass would decrease the amount of amphibian being slayed. I also predicted that certain locations would have more usage then others. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the location of the sites and whether they would be used by the amphibians. The results also showed that there was no correlation between the species that were captured and the species that were killed.
Major: Biology
Authors: Jorge Velazquez
White-tailed Deer Browse Preference: A Comparative Study of the Catskill and Adirondack Mountain Regions, New York State
Abstract: Abundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in New York State, United States, affect forest regeneration and stand composition through feeding (browse) pressure. White-tailed deer browse preference of six different hardwood tree species in two mountain ranges, the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains, within New York State were compared in order to determine the extent of browse selection by deer. There were no statistically different browse selection by white-tailed deer within the Catskills or Adirondack study area or between each study site. Visual analysis of the study areas after concluding the study revealed that red maple (Acer rubrum) was the preferred browse species at each study site.
Major: Biology, Natural Resources Management and Policy
File Attachments: Title, abstract, TOC , Report
Authors: John MacNaught, Blaine Kenyon, Mark Staats, Travis Boucher, Noah Finlayson-Gesten
The Effects of Varying Wavelengths of Light on Diatom Movement
Abstract: Diatoms were studied in order to determine in which wavelength of light they would be most active. It was surmised this knowledge would allow easier testing of future diatom movement hypotheses. This knowledge could, in turn, allow control over diatom movement in order to prevent or circumvent hazardous diatom blooms. Specimens were studied using a Parco scientific microscope in a dark room. They were studied both with and without cover slips to ensure the cover slips did not hinder movement. Sheets of high quality color transparency paper were laid over the microscope light, producing a single, strong color. In the end, the diatoms didn’t move at all, no matter the circumstances. The diatoms could have had no reason for movement or have been restricted by the small amount of water on the microscope slide due to the vast difference between the slide and the diatoms’ natural environment.
File Attachments: Diatoms.docx
Authors: Eric Swiecki
Examination of Potentially Ectoparasite-driven Behavior in Burrowing Owls: Tests of Alternative Hypotheses
Abstract: Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) and their nests harbor at least 39 species of arthropods from 21 different families. Among the ectoparasites on Burrowing Owls are fleas, which are primarily Pulex irritans (Family Pulicidae), the human flea. Fleas can number in the hundreds on individual Burrowing Owls. Thus, we hypothesized that flea infestation has shaped Burrowing Owl behavior to avoid the costs of ectoparasitism. As part of experiments using infrared trail cameras deployed at Burrowing Owl nests in southern Idaho ¬¬during 2012-2013, we noticed apparent sunning behavior in both adult and nestling Burrowing Owls. Camera images captured owls lying on the ground with wings outstretched and flat. We only observed this behavior during daylight hours, although cameras were active for 24 h/day. Sunbathing in birds is often associated with ectoparasite reduction, although sunning has not previously been examined in relation to flea infestation. During 2014 we conducted an experiment that included fumigating some nests with a flea removing insecticide and examined the prediction that sunbathing would occur more frequently in control nests where ectoparasites remained. As sunning was not during the coolest parts of the day, it did not appear to function for warming. Also, we ultimately found no difference in the frequency of sunning in fumigated and control nests, and there was no relationship between sunning and abundance of fleas on owls. Thus, the evidence is not consistent with the ectoparasite hypothesis, as owls sunned irrespective of flea load. We also evaluated the alternative hypotheses that sunning was related to thermoregulation, anting, drying or feather degrading bacteria. The first three we were able to reject, and the last will need future research.
Authors: Skyler Wysocki
Abstract: This culminating experience happens in two phases. Throughout the semester, students have been taking on the role of Executive Chef in our Palm Restaurant. They have each created a menu, ordered food supplies, developed budgetary proposal, and assigned duties pertaining to food production and front of house service. Each dinner took on a different food related theme that the students researched and developed. This poster session provides the students to describe their process, their findings, and what they learned from the experience. My theme was based on cheese.
Authors: Lisa McCartney
Abstract: This Casptone includes exhilarating information about the multiple species of tubers. It goes in depth about the multiple uses of the potato and all of the nutrition of each species.
File Attachments: Potato
Authors: Nicole Landry
A Taste Of Legumes
Abstract: This capstone investigates the history and use of legumes over the years. Contained within you will find information about the agricultural and culinary importance of these plants.
File Attachments: KIC%20Document%200001-5.pdf
Authors: Elizabeth Savoie
Interpreter's Guide to the Finger Lakes Trail
Abstract: Guidebooks help hikers to navigate trail systems and gain a better understanding of their surroundings. Many types of guides exist for popular long distance hiking trails such as the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. The Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) runs 558 miles across the base of New York State, yet has very little associated literature. I hiked a 52 mile section of the Finger Lakes Trail from Ellicottville to Portageville in western New York. Using observations from the trail and related literature, I wrote an interpretive guide for this section. My FLT interpretive guide covers topics related to planning and packing for a multiday backpacking trip, natural history of western New York forests, the story of the development of the FLT system, and backpacking ethics. This work will help satisfy the human need to acquire knowledge and potentially enrich the experience of FLT hikers.
File Attachments: Interpreter's Guide to the Finger Lakes Trail.pdf
Authors: Jennifer Maguder
Limnological Report of Marvin (Potters) Pond
Abstract: Long term data of limnological conditions is crucial to understand lentic freshwater ecosystems. Marvin (Potters) pond is a 2.04 hectare kettle pond located in Franklin County, New York in the Northern Adirondack Park. There have been numerous short studies of the pond over the past 30 years but the pond has never been intently monitored to date. The pond is assumed to be meromictic by the NYSDEC. The objectives of this study are to 1) calculate the morphometry of the pond and its watershed; 2) the determination of the trophic status of the pond; 3) to document the chemical composition of the pond, particularly as it relates to acidity and acid neutralizing capacity; 4) to document the annual dynamics of temperature and dissolved oxygen. Evidence from profile data on dissolved oxygen and total iron suggests that the pond is monomictic with the capability to be meromictic under certain climatic conditions. The mixing period of the pond occurred in the month of November. The morphometry of Marvin pond was found to have a conical cross sectional area and large depth for the surface area of the pond. The trophic state of Marvin pond was found to be eutrophic for chlorophyll-a and total phosphorus concentrations but mesotrophic for the secchi disk reading. The acidity of the pond was found to be high with a low buffering capacity.
File Attachments: capstone project final copy.docx
Authors: Robert Frank
(-) Spring (12)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4142
|
__label__cc
| 0.725203
| 0.274797
|
Lower St. Regis Lake Survey: A Comparative Study of Fish Population Structure and Function over Time
Abstract: Lake surveys are performed on bodies of water to provide a health analysis of fish populations over time. Lake surveys can be conducted in a variety of ways to attain specific data. Lower St. Regis Lake was surveyed to determine the fish community composition and to understand fish population traits. Using fyke nets placed at six predetermined locations for 24 hours, as well as fishing, we collected data for age, length (mm), weight (g), and parasites present. Data was analyzed in the lab using Excel to form graphs and tables to demonstrate our findings. Catch rates were lower compared to years before and comparing our data to New York State Department of Conservation data found that our length-at-age data was lower for the six-species sampled. Pumpkinseed and yellow perch were the only two species to have over twenty fish sampled. Decreased air temperatures brought in by a cold front during the week of our sampling may have been a reason for our lower number of fish caught. Mesh size is also a bias while using these nets as smaller fish can escape, and predatory fish can prey on smaller fish while in the net. Some species of fish such as black crappie may be more susceptible to capture due to its habit of associating with structure.
Major: Biology, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Fisheries and Wildlife Science, Natural Resources Conservation and Management
File Attachments: Capstone_Final.docx
Authors: Deacon Chapin, Jared Chlus, Louis Daversa, Jon Herrman, Robert Visicaro
A Comparison of Winter Wildlife Use of Minimally, Moderately and Highly Impacted Shorelines on Lower St. Regis Lake and Black Pond in the Adirondack Park, NY
Abstract: Continued development and human interference with freshwater shorelines creates a degraded environment and can negatively affect native wildlife along impacted areas. Throughout the Adirondack Park, shorelines have experienced substantial degradation with the development of lakeside summer homes. There tends to be a strong preference for the aesthetics that lakes offer, as well as the numerous recreational opportunities they provide. The increased human use of shorelines and the development of anthropogenic structures has directly resulted in the degradation of shorelines in the Adirondack Park. Likewise, the Paul Smith’s College shoreline along Lower St. Regis Lake has been subjected to degradation throughout the history of the campus. This highly impacted site was selected, alongside minimally and moderately impacted sites in the surrounding areas as representatives for different impact levels. Shoreline degradation includes a decline in the health and presence of natural vegetation, creating a decrease in available food source for native wildlife. The removal of natural vegetation creates a decline in shoreline stability with the removal of root systems, allowing for greater amounts of erosion to occur. Additionally, degradation decreases available canopy cover and increases exposure of wildlife to predation. The objective of this study was to determine the difference in wildlife activity and diversity between three levels of shoreline impacts: minimal, moderate, and high. It was expected that the minimally and moderately impacted shoreline sites would show a greater diversity and abundance of wildlife than highly impacted shorelines. Trail camera data was analyzed at three sites for each treatment on Paul Smith’s College property, along both the Lower St. Regis Lake and Black Pond. Although we detected no significant differences in either activity or diversity across the treatments, there was higher relative activity and diversity in moderately impacted shorelines than minimally or highly impacted. However, wildlife species that are more rare and/or area-sensitive, such as the fisher (Martes pennanti) and American marten (Martes americana), were only detected in the minimally impacted shorelines of Black Pond. A restoration of the highly impacted shoreline to reflect minimally and non-impacted shorelines of the surrounding region would allow for opportunities to improve habitat for native wildlife species.
Major: Biology, Ecological Restoration, Environmental Sciences
File Attachments: Shoreline Restoration
Authors: Tessa White, Caroline Matuck, Kasey Lane, Rosemary Bloodnick, Kyle Pasanen, Annalee Kraai
Effects of Silvicultural Treatments on Wildlife Communities at the Paul Smith's College Forest Research Demonstration Areas
Abstract: Logging has drastically altered North American forest ecosystems for centuries. While extensive studies have been done to determine the impacts of different silvicultural practices on plant communities, minimal research has evaluated the impacts on wildlife communities, particularly in the Adirondack Mountains. Silvicultural practices may significantly impact wildlife communities due to the disturbances it causes, as well as the way it alters the habitat. We monitored winter wildlife communities in the Forest Ecosystem Research Demonstration Area owned by Paul Smith’s College in the Northern Adirondack Park. By analyzing the data collected by trail cameras, tracks and measuring percent browse, we compared the abundance and diversity of wildlife in three silvicultural treatments (i.e., clearcut, group selection, control). We also collected data regarding the physical aspects of the silvicultural treatment plot (i.e. canopy cover and snow depth) to indicate the kind of available habitat. We found that despite there being the highest average relative activity in group selection, there is no significant relationship between average relative activity and harvest treatment type. Using the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index, we found that the highest diversity was in control/reference. Due to our limited treatment sample size, we did not have conclusive findings in most areas of our study. However, the highest total tracks and relative activity were found in the clearcuts. We suggest that more research be done on this study in order to eventually make forest management plans that properly account for both plant and wildlife species.
Major: Biology, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Conservation and Management
File Attachments: Effects_Silviculture_Wildlife_FERDA.docx
Authors: Jacob Adams, Caitlin De Bellis, Tyler Fisk, Hyla Howe, Mark McHugh, Daniel Sutch
Vista Wellness: An Educational Community Center for the Glenview Preserve
Abstract: The Glenview Preserve is home to a beautiful open vista of the High Peaks. This land was recently purchased by the Adirondack Land Trust and is looking for ways to sustainably manage the property by utilizing Paul Smith’s College capstone students for recommendations. One viable opportunity the ALT can incorporate, is the addition of a sustainable forum and conference center. With a community-oriented mind, Vista Wellness will provide a multitude of spaces for businesses and individuals to retreat while partaking in recreational activities. Vista Wellness is designed to be low impact with features such as a living roof and LEED certification. Using a promotional commercial and an intricate model, using state of the art construction supplies, we are able to convey the need for this addition to the Glenview property.
Major: Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Communities & Working Landscapes
File Attachments: VIstaWellness_FinalDraft.docx
Authors: Kimberly Kehr
, Matthew Syke
, Thomas Szabo
Influence of Slope on Soil Organic Carbon on Costa Rican Coffee Farms.
Abstract: Soil management is an important factor on agroforestry farms that help with soil fertility and carbon storage. Coffee agroforestry farms in Central Valley Atenas, Costa Rica were analyzed between November 2008 and May 2017. The objective of this study was to see if there is a relationship between mean slope and annual soil organic carbon sequestration (Mg/ha), and mean slope and soil organic carbon storage (Mg/ha), from samples taken on November 2008/May 2009 and November2016/ May 2017. Sample were taken on five farms with twenty 0.05 ha plots. Many coffee farms in the central valley are assembled on steep slopes or sides of mountains. Steep slopes are susceptible to erosion affecting the amount of soil organic carbon sequestration and storage. There was not a significant relationship found between mean slope and loss of carbon sequestration annually in November 2016/ May 2017 (Mg/ha). Mean slope and soil organic carbon storage from November 2016/May 2017 were compared by testing the effects of slope with carbon storage and there was no relationship. Whereas a statistically significant positive relationship was found between mean slope and soil organic carbon storage from November 2008/ May 2009. Additional data was examined to look at annual carbon sequestration loss on conventional and organic farms. However there was not a significant difference between the two. When all farms were compared for their annual carbon sequestration loss, marginally significant difference was found, but reasons for these differences remain a hypothesis. Further research to examine these differences may include practices of the farmers and erosion steeper slopes before erosion implications were taken by the farmers.
File Attachments: JMcLaughlin_Capstone.docx
Authors: Jessica McLaughlin,
Homesteading for Beginners
Abstract: Homesteading isn’t just a movement, it’s a way of life. Our first research proposal was to create a guide to homesteading for beginners. Initial research showed there are countless types of homesteads and so we decided to research what homesteading is and the different ways you can homestead. Homesteading can be defined as a life of self sufficiency. But our research found that there can be many ways to achieve that goal.
Major: Natural Resources Management and Policy, Natural Resources Sustainability Studies
Authors: Ron Fina
Erica Martin
(-) Spring (3)
(-) Business Management and Entrepreneurial Studies (0)
(-) Recreations, Adventure Travel and Ecotourism (0)
(-) Surveying Technology (0)
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4143
|
__label__wiki
| 0.513891
| 0.513891
|
Design by Monolic
Silicon Valley’S Competing Philosophies On Tech Ethics With The New Yorker’S Andrew Marantz
Arman Tabatabai | Techcrunch
“If Silicon Valley is going to keep telling itself the story that the only uses of their technology will be the most optimistic, the most hopeful, the most salubrious, the most prosocial,” New Yorker staff writer Andrew Marantz told me in Part 1 of this recent conversation for Extra Crunch, “you can try to rebut that logically, or you can just disprove it by showing a very glaring counterexample. If somebody is going around and saying, ‘all swans are white,’ you can argue against that logically, or you can just show them a black swan.”
Image via Penguin Random House
Marantz, a brilliant and eclectic writer, has in recent years trained his attention on the tech world and its contribution to social unrest in the United States and beyond. He has just published a new book, “Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation“, which, along with recent New Yorker essays expanding on the book’s themes, is sure to provoke debate.
How ‘the Internet broke America’ with The New Yorker’s Andrew Marantz
In part 2 of our conversation below, we discuss the Alt-Right and White Nationalists in tech and politics; Silicon Valley spirituality today; competing philosophies of tech ethics; and more.
Greg Epstein: If you look at the alt-right later that year and in 2017, I myself spent a lot of time poring over these figures like Richard Spencer and Gavin McInnes, and their videos, and their writings, and whatever thinking, ‘These guys are really taking over our society right now.
andrew marantz
ethics of technology
tech ethics
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4156
|
__label__wiki
| 0.913794
| 0.913794
|
BriefMobileMobile Apps
Google Play Pass: A Monthly Subscription Service for Premium Apps and Games
We heard about the ‘Play Pass’ subscription of Google during summer last year. The tech giant has finally put the monthly subscription under testing in an effort to launch it soon. The Google Play Pass monthly subscription will give you access to premium Android apps and games.
According to the reports by Android Police, Google has decided to launch ‘Play Pass’ parallel to the monthly subscription service ‘Apple Arcade’ announced by Apple early this year.
However, ‘Apple Arcade’ isn’t rolled out yet but Google has begun testing of ‘Play Pass’.
Google ‘Play Pass’ is expected to offer access to several new Android games and apps. The big techie has carefully curated the catalogues to attract users and make it fun for them.
The screenshots received by Android Police reveals the signup page for Google ‘Play Pass’ and a monthly subscription for $4.99. The monthly cost, however, is subjected to roll out and may change.
One of the information pages read, “Explore a curated catalogue spanning puzzle games to premium music apps and everything in between. From action hits to puzzles and fitness trackers, with Google’s Play Pass you unlock access to hundreds of premium apps and games without ads, download fees or in-app purchases.”
Games like Stardew Valley and Marvel Pinball are also expected to be part of the subscription games.
Google’s spokesperson confirmed to Android Police that the company is testing this new monthly subscription service. There was no comment on its availability though.
Google Play Pass: Enticing Enough?
How many users will gravitate towards this monthly subscription on Android devices is still a question. On the contrary, more money is spent by iOS users on apps and games. Nevertheless, Google doesn’t mind trying.
According to 9to5Google, Google might as well include fitness trackers and music premium apps in the list of apps and games for the monthly subscription. Moreover, Google’s subscription service will also offer you non-entertainment software ad-free and without in-app purchases.
It is expected that Apple will also fuel the launch preparation of Apple Arcade to compete with Google Play Pass. Apple Arcade is expected to be available on iPhone, iPad, Macs, and Apple TV. It is not known yet whether Google will launch Play Pass on other platforms such as Android TV.
The main focus of the subscription seems to be games, including a variety of games for you to pick from. The range covers from action games to hit puzzles and whatnot. Stardew Valley, which is usually $7.99, will be free if you have Play Pass.
Play Pass can be accessed under the ‘Explore Google Play Pass’ section which reads ‘apps and games we think you will love’. The fast forward icon has traditional four Google Play colours. A game which is part of the subscription will be promoted by a purple banner under the buy button.
Play Pass
Previous articleOnly Half Of Google Pixel Device Users Stay Loyal
Next articleWhatsApp Encrypted Chats: The Big Five Countries Want To Peep Into It!
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4160
|
__label__wiki
| 0.525628
| 0.525628
|
Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tenn., is a private research university and medical center offering a full-range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.
Kurse und Spezialisierungen
Spezialisierung Android App Development
Justice, Mercy and Mass Incarceration
Faster Together, Enhancing the Recruitment of Minorities in Clinical Trials
Data Management for Clinical Research
Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative
Building Cloud Services with the Java Spring Framework
Understanding the Music Business: What is Music Worth?
Leading Innovation in Arts and Culture
Introduction to Programming with MATLAB
Case Studies in Personalized Medicine
Hot Topics in Criminal Justice
Akos Ledeczi
Professor of Computer Engineering / Senior Research Scientist
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science / Institute for Software Integrated Systems
Christopher Slobogin
Milton R. Underwood Chair in Law and Director, Criminal Justice Program
Vanderbilt Law School
Consuelo Wilkins
M.D., M.S.C.I.
Health Equity, VUMC
Dan Roden, M.D.
Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Personalized Medicine
David A. Owens, PhD, PE
Practice of Management and Innovation
Dr. Julie L. Johnson
Dr. Jerry Roth
Professor of the Practice
Dr. Douglas C. Schmidt
Professor of Computer Science and Associate Chair of the Computer Science and Engineering Program
Dr. Jules White
Graham Reside
Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Jen Gunderman
Assistant Professor of Musicology
Blair School of Music
Margo Michaels
Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Instructor - Graduate Student pursuing PhD in Computer Science
Mike Fitzpatrick
Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Neurosurgery, and Radiology
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Neurological Surgery, Radiology & Radiological Sciences
Paul Harris, PhD
Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Engineering
Stephany Duda, PhD
Department of Biomedical Informatics
Tiffany L. Israel
Community Navigator, Co-Instructor, VU
Institute of Medicine and Public Health
Yvonne Joosten
Executive Director, Office for Community Engagement
Institute for Medicine and Public Health, Vanderbilt Institute for Medicine and Public Health
www.vanderbilt.edu
vanderbiltu
|
cc/2020-05/en_middle_0042.json.gz/line4161
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.