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__label__cc | 0.693537 | 0.306463 | Elisa Lam Death: Did Someone Know of Body in Cecil Hotel's Water Tank? [VIDEOS]
By Drishya Nair
May 18, 2013 11:36 BST
Over three months since the death of Canadian tourist Elisa Lam, the truth remains elusive. The 21-year-old was found dead in the rooftop water tank of Los Angeles' Cecil Hotel, after maintenance workers investigated the cause of low water pressure in the building's supply.
The autopsy result proved inconclusive and a toxicology assessment was subsequently called for; that report has yet to be filed, even though the investigation began in February.
As the few mysterious details of Elisa Lam's death began circulating on the Internet, a number of conspiracy theories surfaced, including reports of the Cecil Hotel's long history of suicides, murders and unsolved deaths.
Snapshot from Mop Image Credit/ Facebook/Liu Xinnan
Now, posts on a Chinese social networking site have muddied the waters further, with an unidentified person credited with this comment: "Elisa lam is in hotel water tank, seems no life, hurry up (to find her)."
The post was shared on a Facebook page belonging to Liu Xinnan [translated from刘新楠]. Xinnan claims to be a student of China's Tianjin Polytechnic University.
Is the original post genuine? Did the writer know Elisa Lam was in the hotel water tank, possibly still alive? Could she have been saved? As of now, all of this is mere speculation.
Amateur investigators, such as those on a forum called My Death Space are sceptical... and rightly so. For one thing, if true, it remains to be seen how the unknown poster knew Elisa Lam was in the water tank in the first place. And would not a more direct appeal to hotel security or staff or police been the easier choice?
At this point the more probable explanation is that the post is a hoax, manufactured by altering the date and time of the post.
Chinese Investigations
Meanwhile, a blog operated by Peter Tieryas Liu, a writer of journals and magazines, has a video from an unidentified Chinese tourist, who visited the Cecil Hotel after the Elisa Lam incident and videotaped his inquiries.
The recording shows the lobby, the hallways, the elevator and the water tank, as well as other areas, and tries to answer a few basic questions - such as line of sight from within and outside the elevator. Footage from a security cam video in the elevator showed Elisa Lam behaving strangely on the last day she was seen alive. The young woman almost appeared to be hiding from someone or something.
Check out the video released by the Los Angeles Police
[Video Courtesy: MrFrankPrecidao/YouTube]
Check out the video by the Chinese amateur investigator
[Video Courtesy: YouTube/Junnxynn]
Related topics : Facebook Los Angeles | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1807 |
__label__wiki | 0.702961 | 0.702961 | Apple TV SDK to launch at WWDC: apps finally coming to your telly
Christian Zibreg on June 8, 2012
A new report published this morning claims that Apple will seed developers with a brand new Apple TV software development kit (SDK) as early as its annual developers conference which kicks off with a San Francisco keynote next Monday.
Conceivably, the goal of the SDK would be to foster growth of the third-party app ecosystem around the Apple TV, the $99 set-top box which remains closed to app developers (unless you jailbreak, that is)…
“A trusted source” told Boy Genius Report editor Jonathan Geller that the SDK will let devs write apps that will run on television by way of the Apple TV puck.
We have heard from a source that Apple will be introducing a TV SDK at WWDC next week. This would enable third-party developers to create software for Apple’s TV products.
I’ve always insisted that Apple will want to unleash its iOS ecosystem in the living room, for which I’d often been ridiculed by my former boss.
It’s a no-brainer, really.
For example, esteemed pundit John Gruber recently speculated over at his Daring Fireball blog that a bunch of “To Be Announced” sessions on the WWDC agenda indicate that apps are coming to the Apple TV.
It’s one of the few things I can imagine would that would be big, new, and different enough to warrant that much attention at WWDC.
With the iOS SDK now supporting four different screen resolutions going all the way up to the iPad 3’s 2,048-by-1,536 pixel Retina display, why just not add a full HD 1,920-by-1,080 preset and let people create programs for the big screen?
Everyone is figuring out how to crack this space and Apple would be really foolish to ignore it, lest it risks getting left behind.
An artist’s rendition of an Apple-branded television set.
This new reports jives nicely with a recent write-up, also by Boy Genius Report, claiming that a near feature-complete version of the re-worked Apple TV operating system will launch at WWDC.
The story specifically mentioned that this new software will power a standalone television set. A new “control out” API is also being mulled, reportedly letting third-parties engineer accessories compatible with the iTV.
One would also be able to control any connected components, all from the Apple remote. As the current Apple Remote has very limited functionality, a redesign would be needed, quite possibly akin to the concept outlined in this patent.
So, third-party apps on your television screen.
Yes or no?
Apple’s rumored TV service to include local stations, likely won’t launch by early fall
Steve Jobs told executives Apple would not release a TV
Kuo: A7-driven Apple TV in 2014, iTV in 2015-2016
Apple seeds iOS 14.4, iPadOS 14.4, watchOS 7.3, macOS 11.2 Big Sur, and tvOS 14.4 Release Candidate to developers and public beta testers | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1811 |
__label__wiki | 0.819404 | 0.819404 | Trowbridge report ‘disappointing’, argues ISA
Industry fund lobby group Industry Super Australia (ISA) has voiced its concerns regarding the Trowbridge report, claiming it “fails to tackle” the conflicts caused by the “existence of commissions”.
by Reporter - March 27, 2015 10 comments
In a statement responding to the recommendations made by the Life Insurance and Advice Working Group independent chairman John Trowbridge, ISA said the report was disappointing in its “failure” to consider the removal of commissions from life insurance.
“While the report’s proposals may deal with the most egregious situations of churn, it fails to tackle the fundamental conflict caused by the existence of commissions, even if capped,” ISA deputy chief executive Robbie Campo said.
“Conflicted remuneration structures are the primary cause of poor advice in Australia, featuring in every major advice scandal of the past decade.”
If allowed to remain, they will continue to undermine the quality of advice and insurance outcomes for clients,” she said.
Ms Campo pointed out that a transition to “phasing out” commission-based remuneration is the only long-term sustainable solution compatible with a professional financial advice industry.
Other options, such as allowing capped commissions only up to the value of advice provided, do not seem to have been seriously considered,” Ms Campo said.
"There is no evidence that sales commissions lead to or are necessary for higher levels of insurance coverage,” she said.
Ms Campo added that ISA welcomes the release of the federal government’s consultation on improving professional standards in financial advice.
“Industry super funds have long championed the raising of professionalism in financial planning, particularly the banning of conflicted forms of remuneration and the requirement for advisers to act in the best interests of their clients,” Ms Campo said.
“However, any consideration of the parliamentary joint committee recommendation to establish a co-regulatory model should not ignore the industry’s very recent resistance to any improvement in standards,” she said.
Last Updated: 27 March 2015 Published: 27 March 2015
Bachrach welcomes LIAWG report
Advisers not to blame, says Trowbridge | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1813 |
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September 20, 2018 | Existing Home Sales Flat Following Four-Month Decline
Mike 'Mish' Shedlock
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Mike Shedlock / Mish is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction.
“It was a disappointment, but at least it wasn’t a loss. Existing home sales were expected to increase in August.”
Mortgage News Daily reports Existing Home Sales Level Out After Long Decline.
It was a disappointment, but at least it wasn’t a loss. Existing home sales, which were expected to increase in August after four straight months of declines instead remained unchanged from July. In fact, almost the entire report on August’s existing home sales can be summarized by the word, “flat.”
Said sales of single-family homes, townhouses, condos, and cooperative apartments were at the seasonally adjusted rate of 5.34 million, identical to the July rate. Sales in July had fallen 1.5 percent below those from a year earlier, and that too was unchanged in the August to August comparisons. Existing home sales were selling at an annual rate of 5.42 million in August of last year.
Econoday said the analysts it polls were expecting at least a modest increase after months of lagging sales analysts. They forecasted results in the range of 5.290 million to 5.460 million with a consensus of 5.360 million.
Sales of both single-family homes and condos didn’t sparkle either. Single-family sales were at the same 4.75 million annual rate as in July and condo sales remained at 590,000 units. Single family sales remain below sales a year earlier, by 1.0 percent and condo sales are down 4.8 percent.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says the decline in existing home sales appears to have hit a plateau with robust regional sales. “Strong gains in the Northeast and a moderate uptick in the Midwest helped to balance out any losses in the South and West, halting months of downward momentum,” he said. “With inventory stabilizing and modestly rising, buyers appear ready to step back into the market.”
Do declines hit a plateau or a trough? It could be the former with another wave down.
Sales in the Northeast bumped up by 7.6 percent in August to an annual rate of 710,000 units which was however down 2.7 percent lower from a year earlier. The median price in the Northeast was $292,800, a 2.6 percent annual increase.
In the Midwest, existing-home sales rose 2.4 percent to an annual rate of 1.28 million, remaining behind the year-ago level by 0.8 percent. The median price in the region rose 3.4 percent to $208,500.
Existing-home sales in the South were at an annual rate of 2.23 million, an 0.4 percent decline from July but up from 2.19 million year-over-year. The median priced home in the South cost $227,900, 3.2 percent more than in August 2017.
Existing-home sales in the West dropped 5.9 percent to an annual rate of 1.12 million and are 7.4 percent below a year ago. The median price rose 4.8 percent to $392,900.
It took an increase in sales of 7.6% in the Northeast to balance things out.
That’s unlikely to be sustainable.
Coming up, the impact of Hurricane Florence will be felt. Likely an initial decline, then a surge of some sort.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
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Mike 'Mish' Shedlock September 20th, 2018
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XII. Detailed Recommendations
The Saudi government has shown some concern about abuse against domestic workers, as demonstrated by the creation of shelters by the Ministry of Social Affairs, proposals to amend the Labor Code, and public service messages about better treatment of domestic workers. But much more systematic and social change is required.
Reforms in recruitment systems both in countries of origin and in Saudi Arabia are a critical factor to ensure migrant women obtain accurate, full information about their jobs, copies of their contracts in a language they understand, and avenues for assistance if needed. Transformation of labor and immigration policies is also key: currently the kafala system and the exclusion of domestic workers from labor laws place migrant domestic workers at high risk of exploitation. Finally, the Saudi government must implement massive improvements in the criminal justice system, labor-dispute mechanisms, and repatriation channels to ensure that those domestic workers who are unfortunate enough to encounter abuse also find justice.
To the Government of Saudi Arabia
Provide equal and comprehensive legal protection to migrant domestic workers, a timeline for adopting such protections, and the tools for implementation.
Adopt the proposed annex to the labor law to extend protections to domestic workers. Ensure this amendment guarantees protections equal to those afforded other workers, including provisions governing hours of work, payment of wages, overtime, salary deductions, a weekly rest day, paid holidays, and workers’ compensation.
Ensure the proposed annex is justiciable through the labor courts.
Improve domestic workers’ access to labor courts to resolve wage disputes and other labor matters.
Implement provisions in the Civil Procedure Code that require expedited payment of owed wages to domestic workers.
Introduce mandatory orientation programs for Saudi employers on their legal rights and obligations when employing a domestic worker, strategies for dealing with misunderstandings due to communication barriers and cultural differences, and referrals to resources if problems should arise.
Introduce mandatory orientation programs for migrant domestic workers upon arrival on their legal rights and obligations. Such programs should include information on where they can seek help in case of problems, training on financial literacy to use bank accounts, information about how to stay in touch with their families, introduction to officials from their embassies, and information about Saudi laws, such as activities that may be permissible in their home countries but criminalized in Saudi Arabia .
Reform sponsorship laws that link a migrant domestic worker’s legal status, ability to change employers, and ability to exit Saudi Arabia to her employer.
Reform or abolish the kafala sponsorship system so that temporary employment-based visas are nonspecific about the employer. Ensure that workers can change employers without losing legal status and without having to obtain their first employer’s permission.
Eliminate the requirement for migrant domestic workers to secure the consent of their sponsors for “exit visas” to leave the country.
Create an inspection body to monitor rigorously the activity of recruitment agencies if they take over sponsorship of foreign workers as currently proposed. This body should have the power to investigate allegations of misconduct and institute penalties, including revocation of operating licenses, imposition of substantial fines, and referral of cases for criminal prosecution. Create a board with representation from all stakeholders, including labor-sending countries and civil society.
Create an easily accessible and regularly updated database of employers and employees in order to track employers when domestic workers are missing or unable to name or locate their employer.
Simplify procedures for authorization to repatriate the remains of migrants who die in Saudi Arabia.
Cooperate with labor-sending governments in regard to detained nationals.
Notify embassies about detained nationals and developments in criminal proceedings, such as hearing dates, in a timely manner and according to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
Promptly notify migrant workers of their right to contact their consular officials, and provide access to facilities to do so.
Cooperate with labor-sending countries to conduct rescues of migrant domestic workers confined to their employers’ house and forced to continue employment against their will. Simplify the procedures for authorization of such rescues.
Improve the facilities and protocols for the centers for domestic workers operated by the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Provide women housed in the center with greater freedom of movement and communication, including the ability to call their families and embassies, take walks outside, and keep mobile phones.
Computerize the files for ease of processing and tracking cases, sharing information with other relevant Saudi authorities and labor-sending countries’ embassies, and to monitor trends. Create and share blacklists of abusive employers and recruitment agencies.
Provide professional interpreters for any interviews or meetings involving a domestic worker’s case and ensure the availability of staff fluent in the languages that domestic workers speak.
Create a detailed intake form to ensure that all the issues of concern a domestic worker experienced are identified upon entry into the center.
Separate the negotiations regarding unpaid wages and funds for a return ticket from the employer’s consent to provide an exit visa, to avoid heavily imbalanced bargaining power.
Keep domestic workers informed about the status of their case and their available options.
Rigorously prosecute employers and employment agents whose treatment of domestic workers violates existing national laws.
Investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators of physical and sexual violence against domestic workers.
Allow domestic workers to transfer power of attorney to their embassies in such cases so they can return home and avoid waiting in shelters for long periods of time.
Investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators of labor rights abuses that violate existing national laws.
Increase penalties against abusive employers beyond prohibitions from hiring domestic workers in the future.
Provide training for police to identify and investigate abuse against domestic workers and protocols on how to respond to such situations, and offer appropriate referrals. Educate police and immigration authorities about the importance of not returning domestic workers to abusive employers against workers’ wishes, and make sure they are familiar with procedures for filing complaints against employers and labor agents.
Reform criminal justice laws, including evidence laws that make it difficult to prove rape, criminal punishment for adult consensual sexual behavior, and arbitrary punishments for supposed witchcraft or “black magic.”
Strengthen the regulation and monitoring of recruitment agencies.
Improve the Ministry of Labor’s monitoring of recruitment agencies, including through an increased number of inspectors and unannounced inspections.
Strengthen and professionalize protocols for recruitment, transfers, handling employer/employee disputes, and referral systems to Saudi authorities and labor-sending countries’ embassies.
Consider an insurance program for employers to recover lost recruitment fees in situations where they have not committed any labor violations or abuse and a domestic worker has terminated her employment early.
Comply with international human rights standards.
Ratify the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (Migrant Workers Convention) and key International Labor Organization conventions without reservations. Comply with treaty-body reporting requirements.
Comply with the recommendations already issued by both the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with respect to abolition of the practice whereby employers retain employees’ passports, and by the Committee against Torture regarding access to consular protection for migrant domestic workers in detention.
Remove sweeping reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Issue invitations to the United Nations special rapporteurs on the human rights of migrants and on trafficking in persons to conduct country visits to investigate the situation of migrant domestic workers.
To the Governments of Migrants’ Countries of Origin (including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Nepal)
Strengthen the regulation and monitoring of recruitment agents.
Set forth clearly defined standards for fees and recruitment practices to reduce overcharging and deception by local brokers and subagents; and ensure that subagents who violate the regulations face meaningful penalties.
Establish mechanisms for regular and independent monitoring of labor agencies and retained subagents. Conduct unannounced inspections of recruitment agencies.
Establish a monitoring system by which domestic workers report to the government the costs they paid to recruitment agents prior to migrating.
Rigorously collect and investigate complaints about nationals working at labor agencies in the countries of employment. Create procedures that allow domestic workers to register this information at foreign missions in the countries of employment and upon return.
Improve services for migrant domestic workers at embassies and consular offices in Saudi Arabia.
Share information among embassies and Saudi authorities on blacklisted employers and recruitment agencies.
Increase the number of trained staff to assist migrant domestic workers seeking assistance, especially in the areas of collection of wages, investigation and prosecution of alleged abuses, and rights while in detention.
Introduce mandatory training for all levels of staff posted in Saudi Arabia on the rights of domestic workers and how to assist them. Ambassadors should send a strong signal that migrant domestic workers are citizens who have the right to consular assistance, highlight the contributions of domestic workers, and host events for domestic workers.
Improve conditions in shelters and safe houses by training staff, providing trauma counseling and health care, and alleviating overcrowding.
Develop a system for periodically checking on the welfare of domestic workers who have previously contacted the foreign mission for assistance.
Provide services such as weekly skills training or Arabic classes to give employers an incentive to provide workers with a weekly day off.
Ensure foreign missions have a 24-hour assistance hotline and/or is staffed 24 hours per day for domestic workers fleeing abusive workplaces.
Enhance pre-departure training programs for domestic workers.
Increase the rights-awareness and foreign language components of training.
Provide more detailed information about redress mechanisms such as how to pursue cases against employers and labor agents in the countries of employment, as well as after return.
Provide information about legal limits on recruitment fees and mechanisms for lodging complaints against recruitment agents who violate the law.
Ensure departing domestic workers receive an information kit containing the name, address, and telephone number of their employer; the address and telephone number of the embassy; the name, address, and telephone number of their labor agency based in the country of employment; a mobile phone or telephone card with pre-programmed numbers of the embassy; a certain amount of money in local currency; a copy of their passport; and a copy of their employment contract in both Arabic and the primary language of the domestic worker.
Expand public awareness-raising programs for prospective migrant domestic workers.
Target villages and local places of employment of prospective migrant domestic workers to inform them about legal limits on recruitment fees and work contract regulations in Saudi Arabia.
Collaborate with migrants’ rights groups to make this information available to prospective migrant domestic workers before they have made the decision to migrate and have retained a labor agency.
Expand educational and employment opportunities for women so they are able to migrate out of choice and not desperation.
To All Governments
Cooperate to create mutually recognized and enforceable employment contracts, translated into both Arabic and a language the domestic worker understands.
Cooperate to create mechanisms to ensure redress for workers with complaints, including after they have returned to their home country.
Develop a system for freeing domestic workers who are confined in the workplace and unable to escape. Coordinate between local law enforcement, foreign diplomatic missions, and NGOs as necessary. Examples include providing all domestic workers with mobile phones, promoting multilingual hotlines (including text message hotlines), and implementing time-bound protocols for response.
Actively solicit the input of migrant domestic workers and civil society in crafting and implementing policies.
To the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The ILO should adopt a Convention on Domestic Work when it examines domestic work as a standard-setting issue at the International Labour Conference in 2010. The ILO should create guidelines for integrating these provisions into national laws, a model employment contract for domestic workers, and tools for monitoring and enforcement.
Work with local groups to expand technical programs that provide labor rights education for migrant workers regarding international labor standards and their rights under Saudi Arabian law.
Work with governments to provide technical assistance and specific language to strengthen labor regulations, recruitment standards, and enforcement consistent with international labor standards.
Work with governments to increase regional cooperation and establish regional minimum standards for short-term labor migration, including through the Colombo Process, the Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labourers, and the Global Forum for Migration and Development.
Work with trade unions to conduct outreach and mobilization involving domestic workers.
To Donors such as the World Bank and Private Foundations
Provide greater financial and institutional support for local NGO and other civil society advocacy efforts and services for migrant domestic workers. This includes support for participation in regional processes such as the Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labourers, and increased networking between civil society groups in labor-sending and labor-receiving countries.
Increase resources for shelter facilities and trained staff, including social workers, for domestic workers at foreign missions.
Fund microcredit lending programs that provide more favorable interest rates for women who want to migrate, to cover migration costs.
Fund long-term domestic employment strategies for women, such as projects to develop sustained income-earning activities in their home countries. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1821 |
__label__wiki | 0.690042 | 0.690042 | Part of HuffPost Comedy. ©2021 Verizon Media. All rights reserved.
Stewart RIPS Glenn Beck's Civil Rights Rally: 'I Have A Scheme' (VIDEO)
By Katla McGlynn
"The Daily Show" has a knack for going on vacation when important things happen, so it's nice to see Jon Stewart proactively "report" on Glenn Beck's Aug. 28 civil rights rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In a segment dubbed "I Have A Scheme," Stewart picked apart Beck's plan to "restore honor" to the republic on the same day and in the same place as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did exactly 47 years ago.
Beck claims not to have realized the coincidence when planning his "Beckapalooza" and Stewart honestly believed him. "Wow, so Glenn Beck didn't realize that was an important day in African-American history?" he asked. "I find that... Totally plausible. I find that totally plausible."
While Beck will not be standing in the same EXACT spot as Dr. King did on that historic day (he'll be standing two flights down) Stewart did take issue with Beck's plan to "reclaim the civil rights movement." Beck argued that white people can't praise or support the mission of Dr. King without criticism.
"Who acts like white people can't praise Martin Luther King?" Stewart said in disbelief. "Or is it that they don't want people who called Barack Obama, the first black president, a racist to praise Martin Luther King?"
30 Of The Funniest Tweets About Cats And Dogs This Week (Jan. 8-15) A Sean Hannity Insult Of Joe Biden Enrages Twitter After Inauguration Army Confirms Flynn Brother Involved In Capitol Riot Military Response: Report Nancy Pelosi: It Would Be 'Harmful To Unity' To Skip Trump Impeachment Trial
Katla McGlynn
Senior Comedy & Viral Editor, The Huffington Post
Funny Videos Jon Stewart The Daily Show Comedy Glenn Beck | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1825 |
__label__cc | 0.642089 | 0.357911 | What Quran Says About Islam & Muslim delivered by Muhammad Shaikh in 1991
Islam & Muslim From the Series ‘What Quran Says’ delivered by Muhammad Shaikh in 1991
An introduction to What is Islam / Peace, as described in The Quran. This enlightening lecture is important for those wanting to learn more about History of Islam as it highlights the word “Islam / Peace” in Quran and point out how we have to enter into “Peace” which is sought by all mankind throughout history, from every background, but who are trying to reach it through their own way not prescribed by God. What is Islam is a question asked more today than ever before because how Islam is being portrayed in media. Even traditional Muslims just know the basic five pillars of Islam and the History of Islam as taught by historians, but no one teaches WHAT IS ISLAM from its one and only authentic source, that is the Quran / Koran. In this lecture you will find that Islam is more than just the five pillars of of Islam taught to us traditionally along with the History of Islam, which has nothing to do with the “Islam” as described in the Quran.
Islam / Peace is achieved through following the ways of Islam described in the Quran and unfortunately those are not shared by the scholars and educated ones. This lecture is meant to bring to light what is hidden from the masses, that will bring peace to the souls / psyches seeking it. It is a practical approach to life backed with evidence from the Quran, so we have our actions and beliefs are justified and we attain peace in our souls and psyche. Peace is the most important objective in life for every human (and its the system established by our creator) and so the only being that can guide us towards that Peace is our creator through His words preserved in the form of Al – Quran / The Reading.
English Booklet: https://www.muhammadshaikh.com/english_pdf/islam_to_attain_peace.pdf
Urdu Booklet: https://www.muhammadshaikh.com/urdu_pdf/islam_to_attain_peace.pdf
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__label__wiki | 0.938529 | 0.938529 | The team celebrates after their overtime win against Mitchell. (Courtesy photo by Tristan Nordhausen)
Kobe Clevenger goes for a layup against Mitchell at the Cabela’s Holiday Tournament on Dec. 31. (Courtesy photo by Tristan Nordhausen)
Longhorns take overtime win against Mitchell
By Megan Kelley
Due to poor weather the Longhorn basketball team only got one game out of the Cabela’s Holiday Tournament in Sidney on Dec. 31, but they made it count with a one-point overtime win.
After receiving a bye for the first day of the rescheduled tournament, the Longhorns played Mitchell in the championship game last week, winning 62-61.
Prior to the holiday moratorium, Head Coach Chris Bartels had said he was excited for a game against Mitchell.
“They’re a good team; they like to go fast and they have a lot of guards,” Bartels said before the tournament. “I think that’d be a fun match-up.
“I was worried, going 17 days without a game,” he added.
The Longhorns’ last game was at home against Ogallala on Dec. 14. Except for the five-day moratorium, they had a practice every day.
“They say basketball is a game of runs,” Bartels said, “(the Mitchell game) definitely was.”
Bartels was pleased with the start of the first quarter, “but we didn’t end it very strong,” he said.
By the end of the first quarter, Chase County led 14-11.
“We only scored two points in the second quarter,” Bartels said.
One problem Bartels said was adjusting to officials. “But that’s any game,” he added. “The officials you get are the officials you get, so you have to adjust to them.”
Defense was the message at halftime.
“Shots weren’t going in and we were letting that affect our defense,” Bartels said.
The Longhorns went into the third quarter with harder, man-to-man press “and we got a double-digit lead,” he added.
Five different Longhorns hit 3-pointers in the third quarter.
“Hitting five threes in one quarter is tough, but having five different players do it, that’s impressive,” Bartels said.
“I really think it was because of the intensity and the energy that we brought on defense that got us this win,” he added. “It’s just the way this team works. If we’re playing well on defense, the offense is going to take care of itself.”
With a 17-point lead going into the fourth, Mitchell found their game and fought back.
The Longhorns started using timeouts and fouling to keep Mitchell from getting too big of a lead.
A 3-pointer by Kobe Clevenger tied it up at the end of regulation, giving the Longhorns another chance.
After more back and forth between the Longhorns and the Tigers, Chase County was down three points with 25 seconds left on the clock in OT.
Mason Nordhausen sunk a three, tying the game 60-60.
“We fouled them, they made one,” Bartels said. By that time, there were only about six seconds left on the clock with Mitchell holding a 61-60 lead.
During the overtime, Cedric Maxwell fouled out.
After some miscommunication by Mitchell on a pass, Nordhausen stole the ball and passed to Bennett Bauerle.
“All (Bauerle) had to do was take one dribble and make one of the easiest shots he’s probably ever had,” Bartels said. Bauerle made the shot. “It was crazy,” Bartels added.
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__label__wiki | 0.568125 | 0.568125 | Home » Current Affairs , Current Affairs 2017 , Events , India GK , People , Tamil Nadu GK » PM Modi inaugurates APJ Abdul Kalam's memorial at Rameswaram
PM Modi inaugurates APJ Abdul Kalam's memorial at Rameswaram
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on 27th July inaugurated the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam memorial at Rameswaram. He unveiled a statue of Dr. Kalam, and offered floral tributes at Kalam Sthal. The Prime Minister also briefly interacted with the family members of Dr. Kalam. Prime Minister flagged off the Kalam Sandesh Vahini, an exhibition bus which shall travel across various States of the country and reach Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on October 15, which marks the birth anniversary of the former President.
He said Dr. Kalam reflected the simplicity, depth and calmness of Rameswaram. The memorial for Dr. Kalam showcases his life and times in a remarkable manner, the Prime Minister said. He dedicated Dr Kalam Memorial at Rameswaram this morning in presence of Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao, chief minister Edapadi K Palaniswamy, Central and State Ministers and other dignitaries. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1834 |
__label__wiki | 0.959994 | 0.959994 | Home » Slideshows » Malayalam Cinema: 3 films to lock horns this Weekend!
Malayalam Cinema: 3 films to lock horns this Weekend!
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 • Tamil Comments
#Dulquer Salmaan
Megastar Mammootty, an actor par excellence, needs no introduction. In a career spanning three decades, has acted in over 380 films and has won three National Awards. On Mammootty's birthday today, we look at some of his best performances over the years.
Parava
Actor Soubin Shahir's directorial debut 'Parava' is one of the most awaited projects in Mollywood. 'Parava' mainly features comedians Aby's son Shane Nigam, Harisree Ashokan's son Arjun and late Zainudeen's son Zinil, Jacob Gregory, Indrans and Srinda Arhaan in pivotal roles. The movie will feature Dulquer Salmaan in an extended cameo role that has around 25 minutes screentime. 'Parava' marks to be second time association of Dulquer and Soubin after blockbusters Charlie and Kali. Coming from a fresh team, Parava has already created hype with its unique posters, character looks and songs.
Lavakusha
Actor Neeraj Madhav is making his debut as a scriptwriter with Lavakusha, featuring the actor himself along with Aju Varghese and Biju Menon in the lead roles. The movie is about Lava and Kusha who aspire to be cops but never quite make it due to their physique. How to find an alternative is what takes the story forward. The movie, which also has Deepti Sati and Aditi Ravi as the heroines, is a spy comedy. The upcoming Malayalam movie is the directorial venture of Nee Ko Njaa Cha-fame Gireesh Mano. Music composer Gopi Sunder and cinematographer Prakash Velayudhan are also part of the crew. Produced by Jaison Elamgulam, the movie is slated to hit the screens on September 22nd.
Pokkiri Simon
Pokkiri Simon is said to be one of the biggest films, in the acting career of Sunny Wayne, so far. Directed by Jijo Antony, the movie will narrate the story of few Vijay fans hailing from Trivandrum. Sunny Wayne, Sarath Kumar and Gregory will be seen as ardent fans of Ilayathalapathy Vijay in the film along with Prayaga Martin playing the female lead. On the occasion of actor Vijay's 43rd birthday, the 'Pokkiri Simon' team surprised the audiences by releasing a special video teaser dedicating to the actor. With back to back release of the movie's posters and songs, this Sunny Wayne starrer has created huge hype among audiences. Pokkiri Simon will hit the theatres on September 22.
Three Mollywood projects are expected to clash at the Kerala box office this week-- Neeraj Madhav...
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Thalapathy Vijay's Telugu business is even more 'Mersal' | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1835 |
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A t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 positive synovial sarcoma in the pelvis of a young adult male: A rare case report with review of literature
B Rekhi1, NA Jambhekar1, SB Desai1, R Basak2, A Puri3, M Agrawal3
1 Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, India
2 Department of Molecular Pathology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Khargar, Navi Mumbai, India
3 Department of Orthopedic Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, India
B Rekhi
Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai
DOI: 10.4103/0019-509X.41774
Synovial sarcoma is uncommonly documented in the pelvis. Rarely, such cases have dealt with molecular analysis. A 19-year-old boy presented with pain and swelling in his left lower limb of two months duration. He developed acute urinary retention four days prior to his hospital admission, wherein radiological examination unraveled a large soft tissue mass, displacing his pelvic muscles, along with a lytic lesion involving his right pubic bone. Biopsy showed a cellular spindle cell sarcoma, exhibiting hemangiopericytoma-like vascular pattern with focal necrosis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed positivity for vimentin, BCL-2, calponin and MIC 2. Cytokeratin (CK) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were negative. MIB 1 count was 70% (high). P53 was positive. Diagnosis of a poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma was offered and confirmed with a positive t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 translocation. This case highlights the value of molecular analysis in diagnosis of a synovial sarcoma at rare sites, especially when IHC results are equivocal and the biopsy material is limited.
Keywords: Molecular analysis, pelvic synovial sarcoma, pelvic tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 translocation.
Rekhi B, Jambhekar N A, Desai S B, Basak R, Puri A, Agrawal M. A t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 positive synovial sarcoma in the pelvis of a young adult male: A rare case report with review of literature. Indian J Cancer 2008;45:67-71
Rekhi B, Jambhekar N A, Desai S B, Basak R, Puri A, Agrawal M. A t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 positive synovial sarcoma in the pelvis of a young adult male: A rare case report with review of literature. Indian J Cancer [serial online] 2008 [cited 2021 Jan 21];45:67-71. Available from: https://www.indianjcancer.com/text.asp?2008/45/2/67/41774
Synovial sarcoma (SS) is defined as a mesenchymal spindle cell tumor, displaying variable epithelial differentiation and is characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation t(X: 18) (p11; q11). [1] It is uncommon, accounts for 5-10% of soft tissue sarcomas and is unrelated to the synovium. Traditionally, extremities form the commonest sites of its occurrence in 80-90% cases. [2] However, with the advent of ancillary techniques, it has been identified at unusual locations like head and neck region, lung, prostate. [3],[4] Few cases of SS have been documented in the pelvis, especially involving the bone. [5],[6],[7],[8] Still rare is its objective identification with molecular results in this location. [7] Herein, we report a t (X; 18) SYT-SSX2 positive, poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma in the pelvis of a young adult male, describing the value of molecular analysis in ascertaining this diagnosis.
A 19-year-old boy presented with swelling and pain in his left lower limb of two months duration. Four days prior to his hospital admission, he developed acute urine retention. Subsequently, he underwent radiological evaluation.
X-ray pelvis showed a permeative lesion involving his right pubic bone, superior and inferior pubic ramus, including a transverse fracture. In addition, a soft tissue mass was seen displacing the obturator and psoas fat planes.
Ultra fast slice plain and contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan showed a highly vascular, large, lobulated, mixed density mass measuring 13.3 x 12.4 x 9.9. cm with speck of calcification, in the right inferolateral aspect of urinary bladder, extending into the upper thigh. It was seen destroying the pubic bones and the anterior half of right acetabulum. Multiple non-enhancing areas, within the lesion, suggestive of cystic and necrotic components, were noted.
Anteriorly, the lesion extended till the pubic symphisis and posteriorly, up to the anterior surface of sacrum [Figure 1]. All the visceral organs were normal. A diagnosis of 'Ewing' sarcoma was suggested.
Subsequently, a core needle biopsy was performed and the tissue was submitted for histopathological diagnosis.
Histopathological findings
Grossly, multiple small grey white soft tissue bits aggregating to 1.5 x 1 x 0.4 cm were received and processed for paraffin blocks. 5 µ thick sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain and further subjected to immunohistochemistry (IHC) using Avidin-biotin method. A wide panel of antibody markers was performed viz. vimentin, cytokeratin (CK), cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), BCL-2, calponin, MIC2, synaptophysin, P53, MIB1, desmin, CD34, smooth muscle actin (SMA), S-100, C-KIT. (Dako, Produkionsveg, Glostrup, Denmark)
H and E stained sections showed a cellular tumor comprising oval to spindly cells, displaying 'stag-horn' arrangement of vasculature, reminiscent of a hemangiopericytoma-like (HPC) pattern. Focal areas showed myxoid change, necrosis and apoptosis. Mitoses were 7/10 high power field (hpf). Reticulin stain highlighted HPC pattern and reticulin deposition around single and cell groups along with focal reticulin low areas (inset). A provisional diagnosis of a high grade, poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma of spindle cell type was formed [Figure 2 A-D]
IHC showed diffuse positivity for vimentin, bcl-2, calponin and negativity for cytokeratin (CK), EMA, AE1/AE3, S100, synaptophysin, desmin, SMA, CKIT and CD34, the latter most that highlighted the vascular pattern. MIB 1 was 70% (high). P53 was positive. MIC 2 showed weak, focal positivity [Figure 3A-F] A diagnosis of a high grade, poorly differentiated, synovial sarcoma of spindle cell type was offered.
Further, paraffin block was subjected to RT-PCR analysis. Total RNA was isolated using Optimum TM FFPE RNA Isolation kit (Ambion Diagnostics). This was reverse transcribed using cDNA synthesis kit (Gibco-BRL). The primer sequences were as follows; [7]
SYT (Forward): 5´ CCA GCA GAG GCC TTA TGG ATA 3´
SSX (Reverse): 5´ TTT GTG GGC CAG ATG CTT C 3´
For SYT-SSX translocation detection, PCR was done using following primers;
SYT (Forward): 5´ CAA CAG CAA GAT GCA TAC CA 3´
SSX1 (Reverse): 5´ GGT GCA GTT GTT TCC CAT CG 3´
SSX2 (Reverse): 5´ GGC ACA GCT CTT TCC CAT CA 3´
The PCR products were analyzed on 10% Polyacrylamide gel, which showed a positive band for t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 translocation. Diagnosis of synovial sarcoma was confirmed [Figure 4].
The patient was a candidate for surgery with adjuvant CT. However, unfortunately, he was lost for treatment.
Synovial sarcoma (SS) forms a distinct clinical, morphological and a genetic type of a soft tissue sarcoma, which has been described in various body sites. [3],[4],[5] Intraabdominal primary SS is unusual. Nearly 50 cases have been documented so far. Still rare, is a pelvic location, wherein only five cases have been identified to the best of our knowledge. [5],[6],[7],[8] Only one such case has dealt with molecular analysis. [7]
The present case of a SS was seen in a young boy, whose radiological evaluation unraveled a large, bone-destructive pelvic mass, a feature that has not been seen with the similar documented cases. Moreover, he constitutes the youngest of all such cases, wherein the age ranged from 25-72 years [6],[7],[8] [Table 1].
Radiologically, a pelvic SS reveals an admixture of cystic and necrotic elements, leading to a "bowl of fruit" sign, as seen in the present case. [8] This led to a putative diagnosis of a Ewing's sarcoma. Biopsy showed a high grade, spindle cell sarcoma, which led to a range of differential diagnoses, including a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), Ewing sarcoma, a leiomyosarcoma (LMS), a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) and a sarcomatoid mesothelioma, as noted in earlier reports. [7],[8] Despite an X-ray appearance of a permeative lesion and cytomorphological presence of oval cells, conspicuous presence of short spindly cells, made diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma, less likely. The presence of myxoid areas led to MPNST, LMS and GIST as other differentials. While lack of wavy/ 'serpentine' nuclei was helpful in ruling out an MPNST; lack of 'cigar-shaped' nuclei with blunt ends made diagnosis of a LMS, less likely. Negative S-100, desmin and SMA expression helped in ruling out these possibilities. GIST and DSRCT were included as other differentials, as seen earlier. [7] Lack of epithelial markers (CK, EMA and AE1/AE3), made DSRCT as a less likely possibility. Lack of epithelial marker expression in a SS was also noted by Cole et al [7] but this finding was in contrast to other studies. [6],[7] In a series of 20 cases of poorly differentiated SS, van de Rijn M [9] identified EMA positivity in 92% cases and CK in 42% cases. This explains a rare IHC profile in our case. At the same time, there is a possibility that negative epithelial marker expression might have been due to limited biopsy material in our case. Nonetheless, BCL2 and calponin positivity with focal MIC-2 expression helped to reinforce this diagnosis, as noted by others. [9],[10],[11] GIST was ruled out in view of CKIT and CD34 negativity. [10]
In view of equivocal IHC results, molecular analysis was recommended, which showed t(X; 18) SYT-SSX2 positive transcript. SS has been shown to consistently express a t(X; 18; p 11; q11) translocation, which usually represents either of the 2 gene fusions, SYT-SSX1 or SYT-SSX2 that encode specific putative transcriptional proteins. [12],[13] Apart for its diagnostic value, this translocation was believed to have a prognostic value. Compared to SYT-SSX2 fusion, mostly seen in monophasic SS, a SYT-SSX1 positive transcript, more commonly seen in a biphasic SS, was associated with a relatively unfavorable prognosis. [14] However, lately studies, including the one by Guillou et al [15] have observed lesser prognostic value of specific transcript in comparison to tumor grade.
Even though, the present case of a pelvic SS of spindle cell type, like the one described by Cole et al [7] exhibited similar SYT-SSX2 transcript, the other parameters forecast an unfavorable prognosis. Apart from site, larger tumor size, poor differentiation, necrosis, apoptosis along with high mitoses are indicators of a grim prognosis, as noted earlier. [1],[6],[7],[16] As per literature, it has been seen that invariably, pelvic SSs are associated with a dismal outcome as a result of local recurrences and metastasis, latter that has been noted in 4/6 similar documented cases. [6],[7],[8]
Surgery is the treatment mainstay. However, marginal clearance is difficult to achieve in this location. Adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) have been given. [6],[8],[16] Despite that, recurrences and metastasis have been noted. Our case is a candidate for surgery with adjuvant CT. In a nutshell, this case reinforces value of molecular analysis in a SS at uncommon sites.
1. Fisher C, Bruijn DRH, Geurts van Kessel A. In: Tumors of soft tissue and bone. Pathology and genetics. World Health Organization classification of tumors. Lyon: IARC Press; 2002.
2. Weiss SV, Goldblum R, editors. Enzinger and Weiss's soft tissue tumours, 4 th ed, St Louis: CV Mosby; 2001.
3. Tilakaratne WM. Synovial sarcoma of the mandible. J Oral Pathol Med 2006;35:61-3. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
4. Fritsch M, Epstein JI, Perlman EJ, Watts JC, Argani P: Molecularly confirmed primary prostatic synovial sarcoma. Hum Pathol 2000; 31: 246-250.
5. Adam YG, Oland J, Halevy A, Park SH, Ayala AG, Ro JY. Primary retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcomas. J Surg Oncol 1984;25:8-11.
6. Fisher C, Folpe AL, Hashimoto H, Weiss SW. Intra-abdominal synovial sarcoma: A clinicopathological study. Histopathology 2004;45:245-53. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
7. Cole P, Ladanyi M, Gerald WL, Cheung NK, Kramer K, LaQuaglia MP, et al . Synovial sarcoma mimicking desmoplastic small round-cell tumor: Critical role for molecular diagnosis. Med Pediatr Oncol 1999;32:97-101. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
8. Narula MK, Madan R, Pathania OP. Primary intra-abdominal synovial sarcoma. Appl Radiol 2007;36:48A.
9. van de Rijn M, Barr FG, Xiong QB, Hedges M, Shipley J, Fisher C. Poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma: An analysis of clinical, pathologic, and molecular genetic features. Am J Surg Pathol 1999;23:106-12. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
10. Suster S, Fisher C, Moran CA. Expression of bcl-2 oncoprotein in benign and malignant spindle cell tumors of soft tissue, skin, serosal surfaces and gastrointestinal tract. Am J Surg Pathol 1998;22:863-72. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
11. Fisher C, Montgomery E, Healy V. Calponin and h-caldesmon expression in synovial sarcoma: The use of calponin in diagnosis. Histopathology 2003;42:588-93. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
12. Shipley JM, Clark J, Crew AJ, Birdsall S, Rocques PJ, Gill S, et al . The t(X; 18) (p11.2; q11.2) translocation found in human synovial sarcomas involves two distinct loci on the X chromosome. Oncogene 1994;9:1447-53.
13. Ladanyi M: The emerging molecular genetics of sarcoma translocations. Diagn Mol Pathol 1995;4:162-73.
14. Ladanyi M, Antonescu CR, Leung DH, Woodruff JM, Kawai A, Healey JH, et al . Impact of SYT-SSX fusion type on the clinical behavior of synovial sarcoma: A multi-institutional retrospective study of 243 patients. Cancer Res 2002;62:135-40. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
15. Guillou L, Benhattar J, Bonichon F, Gallagher G, Terrier P, Stauffer E, et al . Histologic grade, but not SYT-SSX fusion type, is an important prognostic factor in patients with synovial sarcoma: A multicenter, retrospective analysis. J Clin Oncol 2004;22:4040-50. [PUBMED] [FULLTEXT]
16. Brodsky JT, Burt ME, Hajdu SI, Casper ES, Brennan MF. Tendosynovial sarcoma. Clinicopathologic features, treatment, and prognosis. Cancer 1992;70:484-9.
[Figure 1], [Figure 2 A-D], [Figure 3A-F], [Figure 4] | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1836 |
__label__wiki | 0.844286 | 0.844286 | For the King Review
Worth Getting
A charming, challenging game, with a lot of replay value and a whole slew of content to get your fangs into. For the King is a fun game and a recommend for anyone who likes tabletop RPGs.
By WoLf on 2019-05-21 | Version reviewed: Xbox One
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For the King!
I've been playing a little game which came to Xbox Game Pass very recently, a fun game, a game which I am both in love with, but also frustrated by - because really I just don't like to fail. We got sent code for this on Xbox One.
I'm talking about For the King, and frankly, I'm really enjoying this game.
It's not an easy game, but there's a variety of difficulty options which will make it easier/harder depending on what you go for.
What's For the King anyways?
It's a turn based adventure strategy game with hex-based movement and turn-based combat.
The best way to describe For the King is a fantasy rogue-like where death is always around the corner, the stakes are high, and you're going to die ... a lot. But whilst you'll always go back to the beginning, you'll keep a currency called Lore which will allow you to slowly unlock new things in the Lore Store.
There's none of those pesky micro-transactions, this is all about unlocking in-game content via in-game currency accrued through several play sessions with the game. It's all about using your victories and defeats to get Lore and buy new characters, items, gear, locations, costumes and more for your band of heroes.
Note: There are a few characters that're hidden on the world map, and must be unlocked in play before you can get them in the store.
Quest: for the King!
Pick your Quest adventurer: The console versions of the game come with all previous released DLC and modes. So there's a lot to get for your money's worth and a pretty-endlessly replayable slew of content. For this review we'll be concentrating on the main questline of For the King though.
There are six of these modes and For the King is the original story mode, along with this though you have the Dungeon Crawl (no story), Frost Adventures (A much harder campaign), Hilderbrant's Cellar (Endless dungeon that gets harder and harder), Gold Rush (an 'uncooperative mode'), and Into the Deep (sea faring adventures with boats and kraken).
Once you've picked your quest, chosen any house rules or difficulty and modes, you get to assemble a 3 person band from the unlocked characters you've got access to at the start:
Blacksmith: Think of them like a warrior, they have a hammer and hit hard.
Hunter: You want to attack from range, and be a badass with a bow, this is where you start.
Scholar: Books eh, yeah, you love them. Also, love burning your enemies with magical doo-dad sorcery.
Minstrel: Support class, kind of like a Bard, because everyone has to have some kind of Bard in their group. Darn, musicians!
These characters can be customised and you can change the gender, eventually you can also get more cosmetic looks for them and different costume skins.
Each character has a set of core stats, which you can refer to when you look at the game help. These are basically: Strength, Vitality, Intelligence, Awareness, Talent, Speed, Luck, Armour, Resistance, and Evasion. I'm not going to go into the stats and what they do, but they govern a lot of the tests in the game and they'll come into play throughout your adventure in some way/shape/form.
Once you've decided what your party is going to be, you'll be dumped onto the world map and every single playthrough is randomly generated in terms of the creatures and events that you'll encounter as you make your way through the quest.
The King is dead, and the Queen wants heroes. That's all I'm going to say on the subject, since you're going to be weaving your own story of trials/tribulations/adventurer and glory from this moment on. Through single player, or co-op (online as well) you'll take your band of 3 heroes from rags to riches as you face off against what monsters and events the game throws at you.
Each character is controlled independently, and has a roll to determine how far they can move on their turn. You can interact with locations in the world, shop and gear up at towns, resting in inns and so on.
You can discover secrets, fight monsters and all the while you need to remember that since you're moving three characters independently of each other, you might want to ensure they remain fairly close so they don't get ambushed by a sudden monster attack and miss out on a battle where they can earn loot and experience.
Each character has a resource called Focus; this will come into play during various tests and in combat. Think of it as a way to tilt the die rolls in your favour and ensure you always get a solid outcome on a roll.
There's a day/night cycle and a Chaos timer which counts down, the more Chaos the land has, the harder things get and the nastier monsters become. You can beat back the Chaos by finding and destroying Chaos Generators and taking part in special encounters. You can also take down Haunts and Scourges, which are basically nasty special encounters which can have very detrimental effects on your playthrough at the time - making things even harder by adding debuffs to your quest and characters.
You'll be spending a lot of time collecting gear, fighting monsters, and equipping your characters each and every run. Just don't expect to survive for too long when you first play, just bear in mind the game's designed to be challenging and tough.
Fight, fight, fight!
Eventually, sooner rather than later, you're going to be caught in a battle and if your characters are in range of each other you'll be able to bring in the full 3 character party.
You can also attempt to ambush bad guys. It's here you can spend Focus to help improve the chances of this happening. Starting a battle with the upper hand is always good.
Combat is turn based and you can employ various attacks/items and abilities as you attempt to destroy the foes before you. Focus can be spent here too to ensure you'll get a solid hit, a critical or a special effect. It's all self-explanatory though, and intuitive - you'll get the hang of it in no time at all.
Arrows fly, spells sizzle, and hammers smash as you try and finish off the enemies. You can use belt items to heal your characters, but supplies are limited to what you brought with you when you were at a town or what you found recently.
You can always attempt to flee as well, but remember, you'll need to roll to escape and each character has to try that... so if it goes wrong, you might end up with a sudden slaughter as the Scholar can't get away from those teeth and claws.
When combat's over, you'll get XP, you'll get loot and might even get some Lore which can be spent later on for goodies in the store.
Aesthetic Adventures
For the King has a fun art style, and whilst it's devilishly hard at times, the graphics and the animations ensure that it's also always a joy to play. Even though you're defeated you've always got another go to clear a dungeon or get a bit further. You can try out different characters, or even unlock a brand-new one in the store.
Hint: Herbalists are amazing and expensive.
The music is good, the sound effects and sound design in general are excellent.
Solo or Co-op
Yep, this game scores big points for me for including a co-op option for offline as well as online. Up to 3 of you can play together over Xbox Live and you just need to remember to coordinate your movement and attacks so you can get the best out of your adventure. Also, don't be a stinge with the loot - share and share alike.
A Few Issues
There's one glaring issue we've had on the Xbox One version of the game so far, and it's crashed a few times sending us back to the desktop. Fortunately the checkpoint saves have ensured no loss of progress so far, but it's still a bit irksome to see.
Hopefully it'll be fixed pretty soon, since it's a really fun and challenging game.
For the Queen too!
It is solid value for money too with all the content and random generated maps/encounters and unlockable content.
Remember as well, it's on Xbox Game Pass at the moment, so you can try it out if you're on that service.
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The King of Fighters XV puts up another character trailer
Meitenkun, your turn now.
Kingdom of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is coming to Nintendo Switch in March
One of the most underrated games of the previous decade.
Hitman 3's launch trailer is up and ready
One day....just one day left!
Ace Combat 7 gets its 2nd Anniversary update today
The Sky is the limit.
Samurai Shodown's Xbox Series X|S upgrade is coming out this March
It lands on March 16. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1837 |
__label__cc | 0.685608 | 0.314392 | The Passing
By: Jeff Tolbert
The Passing Movie Review
Written by Jeff Tolbert
Released by Global Digital Releasing
Directed by Gareth Bryn
Written by Ed Talfan
2015, 89 minutes, Not Rated
Released on VOD on June 13th, 2017
Dyfan Dwyfor as Iwan
Annes Elwy as Sara
Mark Lewis Jones as Stanley
I should probably start by saying that I adore Wales and everything Welsh. I have a Welsh dragon tattoo and a Welsh flag on the wall in my office. I love Brains beer and had a beloved cat named Cadfael. This is all relevant because The Passing is a Welsh film with a Welsh cast and crew, filmed entirely in the Welsh language. What I’m saying is, I might be a teensy bit biased.
Stanley is a stoic, silent man living alone in a huge, ancient house somewhere in the Welsh countryside. He is preoccupied with building a well, which seems slightly ironic given the relentless rain. Sara and Iwan are a couple whose car crashes into the nearby river. Stanley happens upon them, pulls Sara from the wreckage, and silently welcomes the couple into his modest home. He helps nurse the wounded Sara back to health, and endures jittery Iwan’s neuroses.
The couple appears to be on the run from something, though of course it doesn’t become clear what until the final act. Stanley, meanwhile, has secrets of his own, but is oddly endearing in his near refusal to speak. He is gruff and at first appears unfriendly, but we gradually learn that this isn’t the case: he simply doesn’t know how to interact with other people. Sara seems fragile but slightly duplicitous. Iwan is an anxious, jealous mess. The three are the only characters in the entire film, and all three cast members do a great job conveying a collective sense of hopelessness mixed with a weird sense of perverse optimism. Maybe Sara and Iwan have found a place they can stay, and briefly the little group seems almost to be a kind of family. Of course this can’t last, but there’s a moment of beauty in it, slightly askew, but beautiful nonetheless.
I mentioned that the cast members are great, and they are. Mark Lewis as Stanley, though, positively dominates the screen. He perfectly walks the line between a hulking, vaguely menacing creep and an awkward, somehow cute, child-in-a-man’s-body. He is very, very good here, and even without the strong performances of Dyfan Dwyfor and Annes Elwy, he could have carried the film on his own.
This is the quietest and slowest of dark dramas. Horror really isn’t the right word: not because I’m persnickety about what is or isn’t horror, but because there’s not really anything horrifying here. (Maybe there is, but I can’t say.) It’s extremely slow and the central conceits—what sent Sara and Iwan running, Stanley’s reason for living as he does—feel slightly unconvincing. But see it. It’s good. And it’s Welsh.
Author: Jeff TolbertWebsite: https://folkloresque.net
Jeff studies folklore for a living (no, really) and digs the supernatural. He loves a good haunting, and really strongly recommends that everyone stop what they're doing and go play Fatal Frame right now.
Video Palace: In Search of the Eyeless Man
Shock Docs - Season 1, Episode 1: "Devil's Road: The True Story of Ed and Lorraine Warren"
Folklore - Season 1, Episode 6: "Mongdal"
Angry Scholar
Global Digital Releasing
Gareth Bryn
Ed Talfan | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1845 |
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__label__wiki | 0.924806 | 0.924806 | Home Breaking News COVID-19
Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Completes $20-Million Renovation
COVID-19 Kostuch Media Ltd. - January 14, 2021 0
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Manga Hotels has re-opened the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport following a $20-million renovation. The 12-storey hotel now features improved offerings and a modern design, including...
Ontario Entering Province-Wide Shutdown December 26
COVID-19 Kostuch Media Ltd. - December 21, 2020 0
TORONTO — In response to rising COVID-19 cases, the Ontario government announced it will impose a Province-Wide Shutdown that will take effect on December 26 at 12:01...
Alberta Set to Introduce Stricter Measures
CALGARY — Alberta has introduced new province-wide restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. “Alberta has sought to protect both lives and livelihoods from the...
Federal Government Proposes New and Updated Support Measures
COVID-19 Kostuch Media Ltd. - December 3, 2020 0
OTTAWA — The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, released Supporting Canadians and Fighting COVID-19: Fall Economic Statement 2020 on November 30, which...
Ontario Moves Regions to New Levels in COVID-19 Response Framework
TORONTO — The Ontario government, in consultation with Chief Medical Officer of Health, local medical officers of health and other health experts, has moved five public-health regions...
New Rent and Wage-Support Measures Passed
COVID-19 Kostuch Media Ltd. - November 25, 2020 0
OTTAWA — On November 19, Bill C-9, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy) received Royal Assent,...
Regional Restrictions Continue to Change as Cases Climb
TORONTO — As case counts continue to climb, public-health measures have become something of a moving target across the country. Below is a breakdown of some of the...
U.S. Set to Lose 9.2 Million Jobs in 2020 Due to COVID-19 and Travel...
LONDON, UK — A staggering 9.2 million jobs could be lost in the U.S. travel-and-tourism sector in 2020 if barriers to global travel remain in place, the...
Manitoba Moves into Lockdown
WINNIPEG — The province of Manitoba moved to the Critical level (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System on November 11 in an effort to halt COVID-19...
Winnipeg Moves to Lockdown Restrictions
COVID-19 Kostuch Media Ltd. - November 4, 2020 0
WINNIPEG — Manitoba has begun re-introducing COVID-19 restrictions, particularly in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, which moved to the Critical level (red) on the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System... | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1850 |
__label__wiki | 0.786792 | 0.786792 | Meretz won't delay Armenian genocide debate
Knesset faction heads to meet, decide whether to postpone discussion on Turkey's genocide of 1.5m. Armenians.
By Gil Stern Stern HOFFMAN, HERB KEINON
MONUMENT commemorating the Armenian genocide 370
(photo credit: Reuters)
The Knesset plenum may discuss Turkey’s genocide of a million-and-ahalf Armenians nearly 100 years ago this week, despite Wednesday’s planned release of a report by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss on Israel’s interception of Turkish ships bound for the Gaza Strip.
Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On asked for the issue to be discussed in the plenum last week but it was delayed due to deliberation over the “Outpost Bill.” When the Foreign Ministry asked her to wait another week due to the sensitivity of the comptroller’s report, she refused.
Knesset faction heads will meet Monday to discuss the plenum’s agenda for the week. They will decide whether the issue will be raised this Tuesday or Wednesday or delayed until next week.
Gal-On said she did not want to cause problems with Turkey and she wanted relations with the country to improve. But she said she believed the Foreign Ministry was using the comptroller’s report as an excuse to avoid dealing with the controversial Armenian issue.
“Meretz leaders raise the issue of the Armenian genocide every year because Israel has an ethical obligation to raise the issue,” Gal-On said. “It is wrong to connect the issue to the current crisis with Turkey. The report coming out is just a coincidence in timing and not a reason to not deal with the matter.”
When Gal-On raised the issue last year, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon responded on behalf of the government.
Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Foreign Ministry had any comment on the Knesset’s scheduled plenum discussion on the Armenian genocide.
One diplomatic official said that Meretz – which is behind this initiative and has been behind similar ones in the past – cannot be accused of trying to push Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman or Yisrael Beytenu’s agenda.
The discussion is coming soon after Turkey decided to indict former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and four other former top IDF officials for involvement in the Mavi Marmara incident, and after Liberman made clear last week that Israel had no intention of apologizing to Ankara over the affair.
Nine Turks were killed on the Mavi Marmara ship in May 2010 when they clashed with IDF soldiers while trying to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The official said that while attempts to raise the Armenian genocide issue in the past have been stopped, now no one had an interest in doing so.
“There are those who want to use the opportunity for some Turkey bashing, which would not be completely misplaced given the constant Israel bashing taking place in Turkey,” the official said.
Since no one in Turkey has “put the brakes” on the Israel bashing taking place in that country, including the recent indictment, “there is no need to put the brakes on this either,” the official added.
Haredi autonomy needs to stop so Israel can beat COVID-19 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1857 |
__label__cc | 0.614549 | 0.385451 | Newcrest Mining wants wearables to keep staff hydrated, reduce loo stops
By Ry Crozier on May 8, 2019 7:15AM
Pours $10k into innovation competition.
Newcrest Mining is looking to wearables and algorithms to help workers at its Telfer mine drink enough water after tests found up to one-third of all workers didn't start the day adequately hydrated.
The miner is running a competition via Unearthed with $10,000 in prizes on offer for solutions that help personnel on site either stay hydrated or keep track of their hydration levels.
Telfer is a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) gold and copper mine located about 1300 kilometres from Perth.
It typically deals with two types of workforce: one for the mine’s operation, and then another for “shutdown periods during which an additional 500 contractors arrive to carry out maintenance work” at the site.
“Outside temperatures often exceed 40°C with maximum temperatures in excess of 50°C,” the miner said.
“Working shifts of 12 hours, maintaining hydration is critical to personal safety. Dehydration can impact cognitive functions and decrease decision-making abilities and at later stages lead to serious health issues.”
Newcrest currently tests hydration levels using either self-administered, random or portable electronic urine testers.
These aren’t seen as particularly good solutions: self-tests and electronic tests require access to a toilet, which pulls people away from their work.
Additionally, some of the mandated and random test methods produce results that “can sometimes be open to interpretation”, the miner said.
Still the results a recent random test of about 150 shutdown workers produced some alarming results: three percent were “dehydrated and needed to be stood down from work or needed further medical intervention” and up to one-third were not adequately hydrated at the start of their shift.
That has the miner exploring more innovative options to the problem.
Through the competition it is hoping to uncover ways for workers to “self-monitor hydration levels”, with “no to low disruption to regular tasks”.
It also wants systems that give “a clear indication of hydrated or dehydrated without room for interpretation”, which would then produce data that could be aggregated for a better understanding of hydration for site safety purposes.
Newcrest does not specify exactly what a solution might look like, though its raises the prospect of ruggedised wearables supported by some sort of predictive capability.
It encouraged entrants to “recognise and address on-site conditions i.e. wearables must be comfortable for long durations, sweat and dust resistant”.
The competition runs through until May 28.
gold hardware hydration miningit newcrest mining ohs safety software staff water
By Ry Crozier
Fortescue manages bushfire threat from space
SA Water boosts resiliency of clean water, sewerage services
Google closes $2.1bn deal to buy Fitbit as US govt probe continues
Google undertaking for Fitbit buy fails to gain ACCC support | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1860 |
__label__wiki | 0.633625 | 0.633625 | HomestoryMeet This 24-Year-Old Student, Who Brought Electricity To A Rajasthani Village For The First Time
Meet This 24-Year-Old Student, Who Brought Electricity To A Rajasthani Village For The First Time
We can’t tolerate a minute without electricity, imagine a place where people need to travel 7 kilometres just to charge their mobile phones. We may boast of many technological events that are taking shape nowadays but we can’t ignore the villages that are yet to see the light of the day.
Nearly 76 households in the village of Naro Ka Kheda , 25 kilometres from Udaipur in Rajasthan, electricity was a distant dream till Prabh Singh, 24-year-old fulfilled it. On 23 July 2015, a house was electrified with special credit to a pilot project by a Durham University Business School student.
Prabh originally hails from Delhi and always dreamt of wearing a three-piece suit working in an investment bank. He says he was inspired by the availability of solar panels on eBay.
As per the Hufftington Post, while discussing about how the people in Britian live off the grid during their casual fishing trips using affordable solar power, he was stimulated for the project.
He further adds that when several people in the Britian can use solar power as a luxurious commodity why can’t it be used as a necessity in his country where 75m people lives without electricity.
With this “Project Kiran” was born.
Prabh’s case comes among those who have never stepped into the village but he spent nights, worked with the villagers, and had food with them to get a zest that his project could bring in the village.
The £7000 project was covered by crowd-funding from the villagers and North East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR), an autonomous society in the Indian Government that chose to be a part of the project. The project ensured the access of the residents in the remote areas of the village and came up with an ‘easy to install and service’ electricity kit. It comprised of the a solar panel, three light bulbs, a strip light and a charging socket for a mobile phone. The project has also been able to set up a maintenance network bringing in revenue, which Singh says enables the village to add around 50,000 rupees to the village kitty.
Prabh wants to take this successful project to different villages and encourage rural entrepreneurship. He is already in talks with the Central Government agency to take the same project to 50 different villages based on the same revenue model. The satisfaction which Prabh saw in the eyes of the villagers after using electricity is unmatched to any other satisfaction he could have got in any profession.
We at The Logical Indian salute the efforts of Prabh Singh who in his project luckily and fortunately gave the best gift to the villagers which even government failed to give,
Prabh’s effort will encourage every Indian to take up rural entrepreneurship. Imagine the day when a bunch of young enthusiasts will transform India with the knowledge and art at their disposal.
Source : The Logical Indian
InspiratioalStories inspirational inspirational stories InspirationalSpeech Stories story | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1861 |
__label__wiki | 0.929471 | 0.929471 | Texas fertility doctor fathered 7 children by patients under his care, at-home DNA kits show
The Texas Medical Board is investigating after two patients claimed the doctor used his own sperm to inseminate them instead of the donor they selected.
Author: Charlotte Huffman, Mark Smith
Updated: 10:33 PM CST November 24, 2020
An East Texas fertility doctor is the biological father of seven offspring by patients under his direct care at his fertility clinic in the 1980s, according to DNA records and interviews with the offspring.
Dr. Kim McMorries who still runs an obstetrics, gynecology and infertility clinic in Nacogdoches, is under investigation by the Texas Medical Board for possible “unprofessional and unethical conduct.”
The Medical Board investigation comes after two of his former patients filed complaints alleging the doctor used his own sperm to inseminate them, instead of using the donor sperm the patients had selected.
RELATED: Medical board will re-open investigation into fertility doctor
WFAA has learned of an eighth child fathered by McMorries through sperm he donated while in medical school in the 1970s, according to interviews and emails. But it’s unclear if McMorries had any role in the care or treatment of the offspring’s mother.
Most of the eight offspring – four boys and four girls – have asked to remain anonymous. But two of the half-sisters – both born in 1987 and only recently discovering that Dr. McMorries was their father – agreed to speak with WFAA.
At-home DNA kits link doctor’s biological children
Jessica Stavena, 33, of Houston, said she’s speaking out after learning the truth through a commercially available DNA kit.
“I didn't really know what to think or what to say,” Stavena told WFAA.
Stavena connected with her half-sister Eve Wiley, 33, of Dallas, who discovered in 2018 through a genetic test that her father was not the out-of-state donor her mother had initially selected. Since then, with the help of at-home DNA kits, Wiley and Stavena have connected with the other offspring.
“These women, they trusted (McMorries),” Wiley told WFAA. “They trusted him to do exactly what they asked,” she said.
Stavena's mother’s medical records show McMorries, 68, used “fresh” sperm, which experts say generally only survives an hour or two outside of the body.
Stavena said this means he may have "produced the sample and then went straight into the treatment room with his sample.”
McMorries and his attorney declined WFAA’s multiple requests for an interview.
In prior emails with Wiley, McMorries claimed his sperm was used to father only one or two other offspring with patients through artificial insemination at his clinic from 1983 to 1986. He also said he was aware of an offspring fathered with sperm he donated during his medical school days in the 1970s.
But commercial at-home DNA kits have linked Wiley to seven other half-siblings, leaving Wiley and Stavena wondering how many other half-siblings might be out there.
“When this occurred, it was not considered wrong,” McMorries wrote Wiley in a 2019 email. “No one ever considered the effect of genetic testing 32 years later," he wrote.
Confronting their physician
After being confronted by Wiley about the allegations, McMorries alleged that Wiley’s mother, Margo Williams consented to local “anonymous” donors, after repeated failures to conceive with frozen sperm from out-of-state donors. McMorries claimed to “mix” his sperm with the “primary” donor’s sperm identified as #106, in a process he called an “enhanced insemination.”
“Upon reviewing my progress note that you kindly forwarded-- it does show an enhanced insemination on Nov. 9, 1986 with the original donor #106 and local donor #12,” McMorries wrote in a March 2019 email. In the other records, McMorries acknowledged that donor #12 is himself.
“I thought she (Margo Williams) understood this,” McMorries added.
Williams, however, told the Texas Medical Board that she never consented to a local donor, including the sperm from her treating physician.
Credit: Eve Wiley
Eve Wiley (L) with her mother Margo Williams (R)
“(McMorries) was our doctor, not our donor,” Margo Williams told the Medical Board in September. “We would never have agreed to him being the biological father of our child.”
“Because we live in a small town and concerned about biodiversity and accidental incest among offspring, we chose two donors through California Cryobank and refused a local donor,” Williams added.
Stavena’s mother, Pauline Chambless, said she agreed to a local donor, but never consented for Dr. McMorries to be the donor.
“Just for the record, I never and would have never agreed to being inseminated with my doctor's sperm,” Chambless said in a written statement to the Medical Board. “The sperm donor was to be anonymous, meaning the donor would be someone I did not know.”
“I clearly remember him telling me that we could obtain fresh donor sperm from an intern-medical resident that worked at the Nacogdoches Medical Center hospital located next door to his clinic,” Chambless said in the statement.
“What he did was very unethical, deceptive, selfish, and inconsiderate, that he could make a decision for me and my child that would cause a lifetime of emotional trauma and pain,” she added.
Stavena and Wiley told WFAA that it's been an emotional rollercoaster. Yet through it all, they say, the most shocking thing is that McMorries is still practicing medicine.
“He is still seeing patients. He is still delivering babies,” Wiley said.
Case goes to the Texas Medical Board
McMorries’ actions were not illegal in the 1980s. That’s why former patients and their children say the only way the doctor can be held accountable is through penalties imposed by the Texas Medical Board, which has the authority to revoke McMorries’ state medical license.
The Texas Medical Board initially declined to take the McMorries case last year, saying his actions did not "fall below the acceptable standard of care." But days later, after WFAA aired its story about the board’s decision not to pursue an investigation, the state agency voted to re-open the investigation. The Texas Medical Board is currently reviewing the case for possible “unprofessional and unethical conduct.”
In September, Wiley's mother, Margo Williams, and Stavena virtually testified against McMorries before the Board.
When contacted, the Medical Board told WFAA it can't comment “as this information is statutorily confidential.”
“There’s a lot of secrecy it seems behind the Texas Medical Board,” Stavena told WFAA. “They're there to protect us as patients, as the ones being treated by doctors. But it feels more like they're there to protect the doctors and hide the lies and deception behind some of their practice.”
To stop the board from penalizing him and potentially revoking his license, McMorries has filed suit for a temporary injunction, claiming the statute of limitation has passed.
“…The Texas Legislature has said that, after seven years, so much time has passed that it is too difficult to know the truth with enough certainty ... to act against a physician's license,” the suit alleged. “… The board should be following that law, but it is not."
The suit also alleged “…the Board has become just another participant in the media maelstrom. Another voice, with its own agenda. The Board has abdicated its duty to follow the law and is bowing to media and other pressure for the Board’s own ends, ….”
Additionally, the suit claimed McMorries has been “at a disadvantage.”
“While former patients can go to the media and discuss as much or as little of their case as they want, the physician is still bound by confidentiality rules[,]” the suit said.
To address this concern, WFAA obtained medical releases from Wiley and Williams and provided them to McMorries and his attorney. Yet so far, McMorries has not taken the offer to speak.
Lack of regulation of growing fertility industry
While the McMorries case remains held up by legal proceedings, the fertility industry continues to grow.
In 2018, the fertility industry reportedly generated more than $13 billion. It’s expected to reach $27 billion by 2026. Meanwhile, experts say laws in the U.S. have not kept pace.
“The industry in the United States is so unregulated,” Dr. Jody Madeira told WFAA.
Madeira is a nationally recognized legal expert on reproductive rights. The Indiana University law professor filed the initial complaint against McMorries with the Texas Medical Board calling his actions "grossly unethical."
Madeira, who also recently testified at a Texas Medical Board hearing, told WFAA that the Board was not bound by any seven-year statute of limitations, as McMorries and his attorney are claiming.
Madeira said McMorries’ conduct “violates sacred tenets of informed consent when he used his own semen on un-consenting patients.”
Madeira said the McMorries case highlights widespread problems in the fertility industry.
“It’s a goliath that's entirely unregulated,” Madeira said. “There's no agency (in the U.S.) like they have in, for example, the United Kingdom – the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority - which determines which procedures will be used, assesses which doctors can carry them out (and) maintains ethical, legal and regulatory controls over the business.”
WFAA found fertility fraud lawsuits filed in 16 states across the U.S.: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Only four states have laws against it - laws that say doctors who use their own sperm to inseminate their unsuspecting patients constitutes sexual assault.
Texas is one of them. With Wiley serving as a catalyst, Texas passed legislation last year criminalizing the practice.
Wiley and Stavena want to see the rest of the country follow suit. So far, Florida, Indiana and Colorado have followed suit, thanks in part to the women’s advocacy for legislation.
“It blows my mind that this is considered to be the Wild Wild West. (We) need to have things in place to hold these doctors accountable so they don't do this,” Wiley said. “People need to be protected and they need to know that they are not protected.”
Email: investigates@wfaa.com
Faulty DNA paternity test results bring decades of heartbreak, families say
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'You will get nothing. You have to walk away': Governmental immunity blocks Texans from protection | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1872 |
__label__wiki | 0.794103 | 0.794103 | KevinTokarski.com
2005 Cycling
USCF Junior Road National Championships, Park City, Utah, June 23-25, 2005
USCF Junior National Criterium Championships, Park City, Utah, June 25, 2005-JM17-18 Final
USCF Junior National Criterium Championships, Park City, Utah, June 25, 2005-JM17-18 Qualifier 2
USCF Junior National Criterium Championships, Park City, Utah, June 25, 2005-JM15-16
USCF Junior Road National Championships, Park City, Utah, June 24, 2005-Awards
USCF Junior National Road Race Championships, Park City, Utah, June 23, 2005-JW17-18
USCF Junior National Road Race Championships, Park City, Utah, June 23, 2005-JM15-16 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1876 |
__label__cc | 0.642031 | 0.357969 | Products Liability › law-news › Labor & Employment
Read Products Liability updates, alerts, news, and legal analysis from leading lawyers and law firms:
I Wish I Knew What I Know Now: Conversations with AGG on FDA Issues - Pandemic Marketing 101: Do’s and Don’ts to Market Your Brands, Products, and Services Safely
Personal Jurisdiction Part 3 – Oral Arguments in the Ford Cases [More with McGlinchey Ep. 12]
Episode 165 -- Boeing Continues to Suffer from 737 MAX Safety Crisis
One-on-One with David Fotouhi, Acting General Counsel at the EPA
Personal Jurisdiction Part 2: The Ford Cases [More With McGlinchey Ep. 8]
Keyless Ignitions and the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Blakes Continuity Podcast: Life Sciences: Liability and Immunity During COVID-19
Personal Jurisdiction: Not what you learned in law school [More with McGlinchey Ep. 4]
Blakes Continuity Podcast: Entering the COVID-19 Marketplace: Proceed with Care
Manufacturing Masks and Protective Equipment in the Age of COVID-19: Troutman Sanders and Pepper Hamilton COVID-19 Litigation Podcast Series
Episode 139 -- DOJ Resolves Two Food Safety Criminal Cases -- Blue Bell Creameries and Chipotle Mexican Grills
Compliance into the Weeds: Episode 168-Compliance Lessons from Smithfield Foods
JONES DAY PRESENTS® AV 4.0 and the Future of Autonomous Vehicles
Litigation and COVID-19: How to Protect Your Business in This Time of Crisis
Daily Compliance News: March 17, 2020-the St. Patty’s Day edition
Innovation in Compliance - Episode 118, Coronavirus Risk Exposure with Ben Locwin
Life With GDPR: Special Emergency Valentine’s Day Edition-Facebook Dawn Raid in Ireland
Accountability: At the Heart of Compliance-Boeing, Part 3-Creating An Accountable World
Accountability: At the Heart of Compliance-Boeing, Part 2-Accountability from Management
Product Liability 2020 Year in Review
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP on 1/20/2021
Massachusetts federal and state courts issued a number of important product liability decisions in 2020. These involved a number of rulings on issues surrounding personal jurisdiction. The Product Liability practice group at...more
California Regulators Seek to Limit Use of Short-Form Proposition 65 Warnings
On January 8, 2021, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announced proposed regulations that would significantly affect how businesses may use short-form Proposition 65 warnings. Proposition...more
FDA Increases Scrutiny of CBD Companies for Marketing and Labeling Practices
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC on 1/14/2021
As the market for hemp-based products booms, many investors are grappling with (and consumers unaware of) the grey area within which hemp products are being commercialized across the country. Increasing demand for...more
Promote healthy habits in the new year
The new year is traditionally a time for reflection and recommitment to personal and professional goals that may have been neglected in the prior year. It is also traditionally a time for those goals to quickly be forgotten...more
What vape sellers need to know now about PACT Act compliance
Dentons on 1/5/2021
Sellers of traditional vapor products as well as hemp oil vapor products need to be aware of new registration, reporting, shipping, packaging, recordkeeping, and other compliance obligations imposed by the Further...more
[Virtual Event] 36th Annual FDA Boot Camp - March 24th - 25th, 8:15 am - 1:45 pm EDT
American Conference Institute (ACI) on 1/5/2021
ACI’s FDA Boot Camp returns in a completely interactive virtual format to help life sciences attorneys and executives to master the fundamentals of FDA Regulation... Gain essential working knowledge of core FDA concepts,...more
Fourth DCA Adopts Risk-Utility Test as the Standard for Some Design Defect Claims
Rumberger | Kirk on 1/4/2021
Recently, the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal opened the door to moving away from the consumer expectations test and adopting the risk-utility test for strict liability design defect claims involving complex...more
The FTC sends a holiday warning with Operation CBDeceit - so be good for goodness sake!
Dentons on 12/23/2020
On December 17, 2020, escalating the federal government’s enforcement against hemp derived cannabidiol (CBD) products, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced “Operation CBDeceit”. Operation CBDeceit is the FTC’s first...more
Recent Ruling: Ninth Circuit Rules that Dog Food Purchasers’ Class Certification Campaign Has No Bite
Perkins Coie on 12/22/2020
Last week the Ninth Circuit concluded that a campaign for class certification brought by dog food purchasers was all bark and no bite. In a memorandum disposition issued on December 9, 2020, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the...more
Top Five Drug and Device Developments of 2020
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP on 12/21/2020
In a year where the use of “unprecedented” became routine, COVID-19 dominated just about every aspect of life, and its impact on drug and device law was no less encompassing. As we bid adieu and good riddance to 2020, we...more
No Worse for Butter: Ninth Circuit Says Popcorn’s “Secret” Ingredient Does Not Confer Article III Standing
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 12/21/2020
The Ninth Circuit recently determined that the mere presence of artificial trans fats in popcorn (i.e., the “butter” in butter flavored popcorn) does not create an injury that confers Article III standing. In McGee v. S-L...more
Second Circuit Affirms Mirena MDL Court’s “Hard Look” at Plaintiffs’ Experts’ Methodology
On December 8, 2020, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the Southern District of New York’s granting of summary judgment in favor of Bayer — and resulting closure of all cases against Bayer — in the Mirena...more
The Year in Products Liability — 2020 Popular Reads on JD Supra
Beacon Insights by JD Supra on 12/15/2020
A quick look at some of the most well-read publications covering Products Liability matters on JD Supra during 2020....more
Are Tesla taxis a tragedy? Dutch taxi company demands 1.3 million euros in damages
Spirit Legal on 12/15/2020
“We’ve never had as many problems as with Tesla” (Tofik Ohoudi) Faulty vehicles, incorrect odometer readings and poor service: for one of Tesla’s biggest Dutch customers, enough is enough. Bios-Groep, which uses around...more
Taugen Tesla-Taxis nichts? Niederländisches Taxi Unternehmen fordert 1,3 Mio. Schadensersatz
"Noch nie so viele Probleme gesehen wie bei Tesla" (Tofik Ohoudi): niederländisches Taxiunternehmen fordert 1,3 Mio. Euro Schadensersatz. Defekte Autos, falsche Kilometerleistung und schlechter Service. Einer der größten...more
Northern District of California Sours Plaintiff’s Claims against “Vanilla” Soymilk Maker
The Northern District of California recently dismissed a Plaintiff’s claim that the term “vanilla” was misleading on the label of a soymilk product, but left the proverbial door open for the filing of an amended pleading. ...more
It’s Not Pop Secret, Ninth Circuit Affirms that Plaintiff Didn’t Have a Leg to Stand On
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 12/11/2020
The Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in McGee v. S-L Snacks Nat’l,., confirms that nutrition fact panel and ingredient disclosures provide information that can be used to support a motion to dismiss and remain important tools...more
If the Sprinkler Pipes Fit, You Must Acquit
Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP on 12/10/2020
What Constitutes a Product under the Economic Loss Rule - The Economic Loss Rule limits a defendant’s tort liability for defective products to injuries caused to persons or damage caused to property other than the...more
Update: Further Developments in “E-Tailer” Product Liability
Butler Snow LLP on 12/9/2020
In September, we addressed the developing caselaw governing an “e-tailer’s” exposure to products liability suits when a consumer purchases a defective product from a third-party vendor on the e-tailer’s sales platform. While...more
Consumer Product Safety Advocates Pen Memorandum to Biden Transition Team Foreshadowing Push for More Active and Aggressive CPSC
Mintz - Consumer Product Safety Viewpoints on 12/9/2020
For years consumer product safety advocate groups have bemoaned the seeming lack of aggressiveness from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”). As an example, they complain that the CPSC levied no civil penalties on...more
United States Supreme Court Tackles Personal Jurisdiction
Snell & Wilmer on 12/8/2020
Under current United States Supreme Court precedent, for a court to exercise personal jurisdiction over a manufacturer like Ford, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the court has either general or specific jurisdiction....more
International products law review 2020: Issue 78
Hogan Lovells on 12/4/2020
On 18 February 2020, the French Ministry of Economy and Finance announced the launch of a new online platform called SignalConso, an easy-to-use public service enabling individuals to report any consumer law issue they may...more
Pennsylvania Appellate Court Rejects Application of the Statute of Repose in Effect in the State Where an Injury Occurred Under...
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP on 12/3/2020
The Pennsylvania Superior Court, the state’s mid-level appellate court, recently held in Kornfeind v. New Werner Holding Co., 2020 PA Super 266, that Pennsylvania’s “borrowing statute” applies only to foreign statutes of...more
EC working group provides guidance concerning COVID-19 product claims on cosmetic products
On 12 November 2020, the European Commission’s Sub-Working Group on Borderline Products published a technical document concerning product claims related to leave-on hydro alcoholic hand gels within the context of COVID-19...more
The Food & Beverage Industry and the COVID-19 Pandemic
The global pandemic has affected not only how individuals work but also the way companies supply food, how consumers shop, and how regulators try to alleviate food shortages during the pandemic. Here are some of the biggest...more
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__label__cc | 0.694251 | 0.305749 | Plans for virtual April 2021 general conference announcedNewsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that the April 2021 general conference will be virtual only. The April proceedings will mirror the October 2020 general conference: The broadcast will originate from the Conference Center Theater on Temple Square, only the speakers and their spouses for a given session will be present in the meeting, and the music will be prerecorded from previous general conferences. “As a worldwide organization, we have an obligation to be good citizens and to act with caution as it relates to such a unique setting as general conference, which...
Elder Bednar’s remarkable story of how 1 temple stayed open nonstop for 3 days and other messages from Church leaders this weekDanielle Christensen - Editor’s note: “ This week from the pulpit ” highlights recent messages from General Authorities, General Officers, and leaders of the Church. This story has been updated throughout the week. The new year is only a few weeks in, but Church leaders are keeping as busy ever. From Elder David A. Bednar’s address at Brigham Young University to Elder Gerrit W. Gong’s worldwide devotional for young adults , the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have been hard at work in 2021. Here are some brief highlights from the messages they and more Church leaders have been sharing...
Elder Rasband explains the peace that comes from an eternal perspectiveElder Ronald A. Rasband, adapted from "Be Not Troubled" - This excerpt adapted from Be Not Troubled originally appeared in the January/February issue of LDS Living . In our challenges and trials, we experience a glimpse of Gethsemane. In the garden and in those days that followed, the Savior wrestled with our challenges, taking upon Himself all of that pain, and overcame all. His selfless sacrifice was for us that we might look to Him as our Exemplar, Savior, and Redeemer. When we draw upon the Atonement, we come to value Christ’s strength in light of our weakness. We feel a measure of peace, hoping someday to be worthy to stand...
BYU Women’s Conference will be held online this year. Here are some of the important topics it will coverDanielle Christensen - If you’ve ever wondered what BYU Women’s Conference is about but haven’t been able to attend in person, this spring may be the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet. Held online only, the conference, now in its 45th year, will be centered around the theme “I am a child of God. His promises are sure.” This theme emphasizes that all women are daughters of Heavenly Parents and that God desires to bless them. The 2021 conference will include both complimentary and paid viewing options, BYU News reported . Complimentary options include messages from Elder Ronald A. Rasband and his wife,...
See what the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple will look likeNewsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the location of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple. The temple, which was announced in April 2020 by Church President Russell M. Nelson, will be built on a 5.80-acre site located at 2093 Powell Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 32,000 square feet with a center spire. Detailed design plans for the temple are still being developed, and further details—including interior and exterior renderings—will be made public later. ► You may also like: The number of temples without an angel Moroni statue will soon double A...
After First Presidency and 5 Apostles receive COVID-19 vaccination, statement released on importance of vaccinationsNewsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Eight senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning in Salt Lake City. These leaders qualify for the vaccine in Utah because they are over the age of 70. Health care workers, first responders, and other high-priority recipients in the state had the opportunity to be vaccinated in recent weeks. Receiving the vaccine were all three members of the First Presidency and five members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and most of their spouses: President Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Wendy; President Dallin H. Oaks...
What would it be like to hear the Savior pray for you? Tom Christofferson asks how the experience would change youTom Christofferson, excerpted from “A Better Heart: The Impact of Christ's Pure Love” - The book of Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon with majestic clarity shows us a Redeemer whose heart is moved with compassion for us. For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you. And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that...
4 additional temples to begin Phase 3 in coming weeksNewsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Editor's note: This press release was originally published on May 7, 2020, and has been updated weekly. A complete list of temples and their status is included after the press release. Below is a list of temples changing status. Phase 1 No temples will open in Phase 1 on January 25, 2021. A total of 17 temples are in Phase 1. Phase 2 No temples will open in Phase 2 on January 25, 2021. A total of 121 temples are in Phase 2. Phase 3 No new temples will reopen in Phase 3 on January 25, 2021. A total of four...
Lesson Helps
From the Church
Famous Mormons
Makes You Think
12 unique study journals for 2021LDS Living Staff - Many of us hit reset on our study habits and set personal goals at the start of a new year. So why not refresh the way you record your thoughts with a unique new journal? Whether you're looking for a study tool to help with Come, Follow Me , a place to record your personal insights on gospel classics, or inspired prompts on the Sabbath or personal revelation, you're sure to find a journal hand-tailored to your stage of life. Doctrine and Covenants + Pearl of Great Price, Journal Edition The Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, Journal Edition...
Woman stunned by unexpected act of kindness
bySalt Lake Tribune | May 11, 2012
Opinions & Features
Lisa Brummer was at a Walmart in Sandy, purchasing shelf-stable food, snacks, magazines and personal care products to send to her 21-year-old nephew who is serving his second deployment to Afghanistan.
Suddenly, an amazing thing happened.
Read the rest of this story at sltrib.com
Opinions & Features Service Military Kindness CharityService,Military,Kindness,Charity,Opinions & Features
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After First Presidency and 5 Apostles receive COVID-19 vaccination, statement released on importance of vaccinations
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Tooele Valley temple relocated and renamed
4 additional temples to begin Phase 3 in coming weeks
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Elder Ronald A. Rasband, adapted from "Be Not Troubled"
10 inspiring LDS Living stories from this past year to help us see the good in 2020
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__label__wiki | 0.503408 | 0.503408 | Area roundup (12/21): Chippewa Steel restarting season next week
Leader-Telegram staff
Steel restarting season
The Chippewa Steel will restart their season on Dec. 31 with a game against the Minnesota Magicians, the franchise announced Monday.
The Steel paused the 2020-21 campaign on Nov. 24 due to schedule complications associated with Minnesota’s public health order. Chippewa plays in the North American Hockey League’s Midwest Division, which is home to the Magicians and two Alaskan clubs, Kenai River and Fairbanks, that have made Minnesota their home base this year.
Chippewa will host the Magicians again on Jan. 1 before finishing off the three-game homestand against Kenai River on Jan. 2. All games are scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
The Steel played four games before the pause, going 1-3.
Chippewa Steel | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1891 |
__label__cc | 0.732071 | 0.267929 | What is Flood Re?
Flood Re launched in April 2016 and we're a participating member of the scheme.
Recent large scale flood events highlight the impact of severe flooding, including the effect on those who struggle to find affordable home insurance.
Insurance companies and the Government have been working together to develop a different way of dealing with flood insurance. They decided on a not-for-profit flood reinsurance scheme, known as Flood Re, to help support households at highest risk of flooding.
With the launch of Flood Re:
There will be a greater choice of insurance policies for those at risk of flooding
There will be no difference to the way you buy home insurance
Any claims you need to make will continue to be handled by the insurance company you’ve chosen
Insurance companies will be able to pass on or ‘reinsure’ the flood risk element of eligible Home insurance policies to Flood Re
Will Flood Re affect my Home insurance premium?
Flood Re may affect the Home insurance premium all insurers offer their customers, but its biggest impact will be to properties that are at greatest risk of flooding. It's important to remember the flood risk is only one of many factors that we take into account when calculating a premium.
Will there be any impact if I cancel my Home insurance policy?
There are no changes to your cancellation rights and you can continue to cancel policies as set out in the terms and conditions of your policy. Our decision to reinsure a property to Flood Re will have no impact on your ability to obtain insurance elsewhere.
If you do wish to cancel your policy please ensure you have adequate cover in place first, as we may not be able to reinstate a cancelled policy and we can’t guarantee that we'll be able to offer a new policy.
Will you reinsure my property with Flood Re?
Flood Re has extensive eligibility criteria which will determine which properties can be considered for reinsurance with Flood Re. For a list of the criteria and further information please visit the Flood Re website.
It’s important to advise you that not all properties will be reinsured by us with Flood Re. Even if a property is eligible to be reinsured, we may make the decision to not reinsure based on the details specific to that property.
You can find further information by visiting the Flood Re website.
We accept no responsibility for information contained in any other sites which can be accessed by hypertext links or sites not being available at all times. Please note that when you click on any external site hypertext link, you may leave this site.
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Find out more about Home insurance Find out more about Home insurance
Get more information about Home insurance from our range of articles and guides.
We've also developed some useful hints and tips for your home, designed to help you with a range of different matters.
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Legal & General, L&G, L&G – EVERY DAY MATTERS and the Legal & General Logo are registered trade marks of Legal & General Group PLC and are used by Fairmead Insurance Limited under licence. Legal & General Group PLC has no responsibility for the products of Fairmead Insurance Limited or the servicing of those products. This policy is underwritten by Fairmead Insurance Limited which is a member of the Liverpool Victoria General Insurance Group. Fairmead Insurance Limited is not a member of the Legal & General group of companies.
Fairmead Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, Financial Services Register number 202050. Registered in England and Wales Number 00423930. Registered office: 57 Ladymead, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1DB. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1894 |
__label__cc | 0.643987 | 0.356013 | Solicitors: are you ready for the digitisation of Local Land Charges?
With Warwick District Council confirmed as the first Local Authority to complete the digitisation of its Local Land Charges (LLC1) data, SearchFlow has announced it is ready to fully support conveyancers with instantly accessing the LLC1 when it goes live with HM Land Registry from 11th July 2018.
With other English Local Authorities scheduled to follow suit over the coming months, including Liverpool, Blackpool, Norwich, Peterborough and Lambeth, SearchFlow is fully prepared to continue seamlessly ordering and delivering LLC1 and CON29 searches, without conveyancers needing to change how they order these searches or their working and internal processes.
In addition, SearchFlow has confirmed that conveyancers don’t have to worry about the issue of ‘gapping’. Previously, the Local Authority would need to ensure a CON29 was processed first, with a minimal time-gap before the processing of the LLC1. With the Land Registry delivering the LLC1 in minutes, SearchFlow’s workflow will ensure that the CON29 and LLC1 continue to be delivered together, just as it is done now.
Confirms Stephen McCluskey, Operations Director for SearchFlow: “With the digitisation of Warwick District Council’s Local Land Charges data, it marks the start of a major step-change in our industry. The aim is to be help improve the speed of delivery and the consistency of data presented from each Local Authority. We can confirm that we are fully ready to support our clients in seamlessly accessing this data from 11th July, without them having to change any of their current processes.”
As part of The National Land Information Service (NLIS), which is a Government approved and regulated electronic land and property searches portal, SearchFlow will continue to connect electronically with every Local Authority in England via the NLIS Hub meaning its customers will continue to receive a seamless service.
Explains Nick Dyoss, Director of NLIS: “NLIS was the beta test partner for this initiative earlier this year and so we are 100% prepared to support our licensed channels. For SearchFlow, being a fully licensed channel of NLIS means that its customers will experience a seamless experience: ordering and accessing the LLC1 and CON29 searches will not require any changes to existing working practices.”
NLIS connects users directly to land and property information held by Local Authorities, central Government and other organisations that provide official sources of land and property data. It offers the highest standards of electronic property search accessibility available on the market today. Regulated by Land Data, it is the safest, most secure data hub in the land and property search information market.
Talking to SearchFlow, Jan Boothroyd, CEO of Land Data added: “As a member of the Local Land Charges Programme Advisory Board, we’ve been able to work closely with HMLR to advise on the importance of keeping the time gap in delivering the LLCI and CON29 searches to an absolute minimum. As more LLC data migrates to HMLR, NLIS will ensure the gap is minimal and conveyancers will continue to benefit from a smooth and seamless electronic search service.”
With more than one million conveyancing searches run every year for over 2,500 legal clients across England and Wales, SearchFlow is regarded as one of the leading providers of comprehensive searches, surveys, identity checks and conveyancing insurance solutions.
For more information on SearchFlow, call 0870 423 2922, email sales@searchflow.co.uk or visit www.searchflow.co.uk.
Associate News is provided by Legal Futures Associates.
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SearchFlow responds to ONS House Price Index
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Data is the answer to overcome conveyancing ‘Log-Jams’ confirms SearchFlow
SearchFlow’s Customer Services Manager announced as CXA 2020 judge | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1895 |
__label__cc | 0.686384 | 0.313616 | Lew Rockwell Books
Ron Paul Books
Murray N. Rothbard Library & Resources
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LewRockwell.com ANTI-STATE•ANTI-WAR•PRO-MARKET
No 3rd Party Payments
By Ron Paul, MD
Free Market Medicine
by Rep. Ron Paul, MD by Rep. Ron Paul, MD
Last week the congressional Joint Economic committee on which I serve held a hearing featuring two courageous medical doctors. I had the pleasure of meeting with one of the witnesses, Dr. Robert Berry, who opened a low-cost health clinic in rural Tennessee. His clinic does not accept insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, which allows Dr. Berry to treat patients without interference from third-party government bureaucrats or HMO administrators. In other words, Dr. Berry practices medicine as most doctors did 40 years ago, when patients paid cash for ordinary services and had inexpensive catastrophic insurance for serious injuries or illnesses. As a result, Dr. Berry and his patients decide for themselves what treatment is appropriate.
Freed from HMO and government bureaucracy, Dr. Berry can focus on medicine rather than billing. Operating on a cash basis lowers his overhead considerably, allowing him to charge much lower prices than other doctors. He often charges just $35 for routine maladies, which is not much more than one’s insurance co-pay in other offices. His affordable prices enable low-income patients to see him before minor problems become serious, and unlike most doctors, Dr. Berry sees patients the same day on a walk-in basis. Yet beyond his low prices and quick appointments, Dr. Berry provides patients with excellent medical care.
While many liberals talk endlessly about medical care for the poor, Dr. Berry actually helps uninsured people every day. His patients are largely low-income working people, who cannot afford health insurance but don’t necessarily qualify for state assistance. Some of his uninsured patients have been forced to visit hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency treatment because no doctor would see them. Others disliked the long waits and inferior treatment they endured at government clinics. For many of his patients, Dr. Berry’s clinic has been a godsend.
Dr. Berry’s experience illustrates the benefits of eliminating the middleman in health care. For decades, the U.S. healthcare system was the envy of the entire world. Not coincidentally, there was far less government involvement in medicine during this time. America had the finest doctors and hospitals, patients enjoyed high quality, affordable medical care, and thousands of private charities provided health services for the poor. Doctors focused on treating patients, without the red tape and threat of lawsuits that plague the profession today. Most Americans paid cash for basic services, and had insurance only for major illnesses and accidents. This meant both doctors and patients had an incentive to keep costs down, as the patient was directly responsible for payment, rather than an HMO or government program.
We should remember that HMOs did not arise because of free-market demand, but rather because of government mandates. The HMO Act of 1973 requires all but the smallest employers to offer their employees HMO coverage, and the tax code allows businesses — but not individuals — to deduct the cost of health insurance premiums. The result is the illogical coupling of employment and health insurance, which often leaves the unemployed without needed catastrophic coverage.
While many in Congress are happy to criticize HMOs today, the public never hears how the present system was imposed upon the American people by federal law. In fact, one very prominent Senator now attacking HMOs is on record in the 1970s lauding them. As usual, government intervention in the private market failed to deliver the promised benefits and caused unintended consequences, but Congress never blames itself for the problems created by bad laws. Instead, we are told more government — in the form of “universal coverage” — is the answer.
We can hardly expect more government to cure our current health care woes. As with all goods and services, medical care is best delivered by the free market, with competition and financial incentives keeping costs down. When patients spend their own money for health care, they have a direct incentive to negotiate lower costs with their doctor. When government controls health care, all cost incentives are lost. Dr. Berry and others like him may one day be seen as consumer heroes who challenged the third-party health care system and resisted the trend toward socialized medicine in America.
Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.
The Best of Ron Paul, MD
Dr. Ron Paul is a former member of Congress and Distinguished Counselor to the Mises Institute.
Copyright © Ron Paul
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LRC Podcasts | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1897 |
__label__wiki | 0.641748 | 0.641748 | Ranking San Francisco
Home / Blog / Ranking San Francisco
Taking a break from our usual real estate analytics (which can still be found using the links above), below is a half-serious, semi-whimsical look at how San Francisco is ranked by a number of objective and subjective criteria, according to a wide (and not necessarily reliable) variety of authorities. Typically, these rankings were made within the last 2 or 3 years. Many should be taken with a large grain of salt.
Generally speaking, rankings are against other major U.S. cities or greater metropolitan areas. Note that both “San Francisco Metro Area” and “Bay Area” are often used to describe different groupings of counties.
San Francisco has an estimated population of 837,442 (per U.S. Census)
within 47 square miles on 43 – 50 “named” hills.
So, according to the source cited, San Francisco is ranked as:
America’s best city, per Bloomberg Businessweek
2nd best metro area in the country for resident “well-being” (after San Jose-Santa Clara), per 2014 Gallup/Healthways survey
America’s most pretentious city (followed by NYC, Boston & Minneapolis), per Travel + Leisure reader survey
1st in college degrees per square mile: 7031, per U.S. Census; 3rd in graduate degrees per capita (after DC and Seattle), per Forbes
3rd worst metro area commute (after DC and LA): average of 61 hours of delay in traffic per year, per Texas A&M Transportation Institute
5th best city for dogs, per PawNation; est. 120,000 dogs live in SF, per City Govt.
Last in children per capita (14%); approx. 113,000 children under 18, per U.S. Census
3rd in lawyers per capita by metro area (after DC & NYC); 2nd highest mean wage for lawyers, $169,000 (after San Jose), per Bureau of Labor Statistics
3rd in number of billionaires (i.e. the Bay Area, after Moscow and New York): 65 billionaires (25 in SF), though it fluctuates depending on stock prices, per SFLuxe
1st in homeless residents per capita, per Philanthropedia; percentage living below poverty level, 13.2%, per U.S. Census
14th largest city in the U.S.; 2nd most densely populated city in the U.S. (after NYC)
Misc. Fact – Estimated change in population since 2010: 32,000, per U.S. Census; new housing units added since 2010: approx. 4200, per SF Planning Dept.
Highest median asking residential rent in U.S.: $3256/month, per livelovely.com; 4th least affordable city by median-rent-to-median-income ratio – 40.7%, per Zillow
186th on Best Drivers List, per Allstate
11th most gay friendly city, per The Advocate 2014 ranking; 1st in LGBT percentage of residents, 15.4%, and 4th by total population, per Census Bureau
6th highest rate of vehicle theft, per Natl. Insurance Crime Bureau; 5400/year stolen in SF & 28,500 in Bay Area, with 85-90% recovered, per Bay Area News Group
Misc. Fact – Every year, approx. 70,000 cars are towed ($500+ fee) & 1,529,000 tickets issued in San Francisco, perTowing & Recovery & SFMTA
2nd in “walkability” (after NYC), per WalkScore
8th most bike-friendly city (Portland is 1st), per Bicycling Magazine
3rd best city to visit in the U.S. (after NYC and Chicago), per Traveler’s Choice Destination Awards and Condé Nast Readers’ Choice
Greenest city in North America, per The Economist; 2nd greenest city in the world (after Reykjavik), per Green Uptown
Bay Area is 1st in hybrid and electric car sales: 9.4% of all sales are hybrid; .52% of sales are electric, per R.L. Polk & Co.
2nd fittest city in the U.S. (after Portland), per Men’s Fitness
1st in women’s life expectancy: 84.5 years; 2nd in women’s well-being (after DC), per Measure of America
2nd smartest city in the U.S. (after Seattle; tied with Boston), per Co.Exist; approx. 35 Nobel Prize winners live in the Bay Area, per SF Business Times
4th most liberal major city in the U.S. (Oakland is #3), per Center for Voting Research. If smaller cities are included, Berkeley comes in 3rd, Oakland 5th and SF 9th
Best city for dining out, per Bon Appétit readers’ poll; best for ethnic food dining, per Travel + Leisure; most restaurants per capita, per Frommer’s
10th on the Global Financial Centres Index; 3rd in U.S. (after NYC and Boston)
15th best city for hippies (Eugene is #1 and Berkeley is #8), per Estately Blog
2nd in Fortune 500 companies: 31, with recent addition of Facebook (ranking refers to Bay Area; NYC metro area is 1st with 66), per Fortune
194th in cost of doing business, per Forbes
Misc. Fact – Avg. SF internet download speed: 22.2 Mbps vs. U.S. average of 22.9; Kansas City is at 86.3 Mbps; Provo at 84.9; NYC at 31; Austin at 27.2, per Ookla
Population breakdown: 42% non-Hispanic white (vs. 64% U.S.), 34% Asian (vs. 5% U.S.), 15% Hispanic/Latino (vs. 16%), 6% black (vs. 13%), 1% Native American (n/c), .5% Pacific Islander (.2%), per U.S. Census
4th in percentage of foreign-born residents: 30% for SF-Oakland metro area; 36% for SF alone (behind Miami, San Jose-Santa Clara and LA), per U.S. Census
Misc. Fact – Highest minimum wage in the country: $10.74/hour as of January 2014 (with a ballot measure to raise it to $15 expected in November)
21st highest office rent in the world & 4th highest in U.S. (after NY Midtown, DC East End, Boston Back Bay): SF Financial District, $70/sq.ft./year, per Cushman Wakefield
8th best city for drinking, per Forbes
13th highest rate of consumer cell phone loss or theft (35%), per Symantec; more than 50% of SF robberies involve the theft of a mobile device, per SF Police Dept.
3rd most inventive city in the world by patent applications per capita (after Eindhoven in the Netherlands and San Diego), per the OECD
3rd best city for parks in U.S. (after Minneapolis and NYC), 5384 acres equaling 18% of the city’s area, per Trust for Public Land
3rd in U.S. for number of “ultra-high-net-worth” individuals worth $30m+ (after NYC and LA), per Wealth-X; 10% of wealthiest Americans live in Bay Area, per SFLuxe
Highest median home price, per National Association of Realtors: $960,000, 1st quarter 2014, per SFARMLS; homeownership rate is 37% vs. 65% for U.S., per Census Bureau
33rd most visited city in the world, per Euromonitor Intl.; 16.9 million visitors in 2013 (or 20 visitors per resident)
Misc. Fact – the Bay Area has 2 universities in the top-ranked 6 of the world: Stanford, UC Berkeley; 3 in the top 31 (add UCSF), per Times Higher Education Ranking report
1st in the U.S. for real estate investment/development opportunity, per Urban Land Inst.
2nd most charitable city (after Seattle), per Daily Beast; 8th most generous in online giving, per Convio; as a multi-county metro area, 310th in percentage of adjusted gross income donated (2.8%), per National Center for Charitable Statistics
9th “coolest” city in the U.S., per Forbes (Houston, DC and LA were 1, 2 & 3)
SF brokerage Paragon Real Estate Group ranks 3rd in sales per agent & 4th for average sales price of the 500 largest U.S. brokerages, per RealTrends 500, March 2014
Misc. Fact – Average number of foggy days per year: 108, per Current Results
Best city for Halloween trick or treating, per Zillow
Since opening our doors in 2004, the Paragon Community Fund has donated over $500,000 to local charities and social services. The San Francisco Bay Area isn’t just where we do business; it’s our home and our community.
SoMa Real EstateBlog
Yerba Buena: Part 1Blog | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1903 |
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Member News > October 2020 > Celebrate National Co-Op Month in October
Farmer's story
Celebrate National Co-Op Month in October
From Farm to Fork, Member Connections Feed Human Progress
Together with cooperatives nationwide, we’re celebrating the month of October, National Co-Op Month, by lifting up the stories of Land O’Lakes member-owners. The occasion marks an opportunity to raise awareness of a trusted, proven way to do business — while showcasing the impact our member-owners have on the communities where they live and work.
Throughout the month of October, we will be highlighting stories featuring our cooperative owners, celebrating their innovative operations and the work they do in support of their communities.
Co-Ops Commit: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The theme for this year’s Co-op Month is “Co-ops Commit: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” representing how cooperatives are working together to better meet the needs of communities that have been excluded from economic opportunities.
As one of the nation’s largest cooperatives, Land O’Lakes, Inc. is committed to achieving a prosperous shared destiny by working to advance rural communities across the nation. We do this by supporting farming and ag business operations across the country, reinvesting our profits into our member-owners’ businesses and through groundbreaking initiatives like our American Connection Project.
Land O’Lakes has cooperative roots that reach back nearly 100 years! In 1921, 320 dairy farmers met in St. Paul, Minnesota, to form the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association. Their idea was simple: Join together to effectively market and distribute members’ dairy production across the country. Today, we’ve expanded our portfolio and our four businesses span the whole agricultural system.
Through it all, our member-owners are at the heart of everything we do. And in the world of cooperatives, we’re pretty unique. We operate as a marketing co-op for about 1,700 dairy farmers and as a supply co-op for around 800 agricultural retailers who provide crop inputs, fuel, feed and agronomic expertise to more than 400,000 farmers.
We believe we’ve only scratched the surface of how powerful our co-op system can be — from lifting up rural communities and connecting with consumers to pioneering new technologies and sustainable practices and bringing them directly to the farmgate.
Stay tuned all month for more member stories on our blog and on social media.
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© 2021 Land O'Lakes, Inc. All Rights Reserved | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1906 |
__label__wiki | 0.98152 | 0.98152 | Insurance commissioner halts fundraising to rein in contributions from firms he regulates
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, right, says he will halt all political fundraising until the end of the year while he works to change his fundraising operation.
(Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)
By Morgan Cook
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara apologized Tuesday for taking campaign contributions from — and scheduling meetings with — insurance industry-connected donors, and said he would halt all political fundraising until the end of the year while he works to put a stop to it.
Lara made the apology and announcement in a letter Tuesday to leaders of three consumer advocacy groups. The letter comes after the San Diego Union-Tribune published numerous investigative reports detailing Lara’s campaign contributions from insurers after he promised not to accept such industry-connected donations. Lara’s campaign for reelection in 2020 has refunded $83,000 in such contributions since the Union-Tribune began its inquiry.
Lara has also been criticized for decisions that appeared to benefit some of the industry-connected donors that contributed to his political campaign.
Letter from Ricardo Lara regarding campaign fundraising
Lara wrote the letter Tuesday to Amy Bach, executive director for United Policy Holders; Guillermo Mayer, president and CEO for Public Advocates; and Anthony E. Wright, executive director for Health Access. He said he would suspend fundraising until at least the end of the year while his campaign works to make changes, including better systems to screen out contributions from donors tied to the industry that Lara regulates.
“Even though no laws or rules were broken — and these interactions did not affect or influence my official actions in any way — I must hold myself to a higher standard,” Lara wrote in the letter. “I can and will do better. These failures are not consistent with my personal values nor my long career in public service.”
Lara said in the letter that he takes full responsibility for the failures and was “deeply sorry” for them.
Lara also wrote in the letter that he would terminate his longtime contract with the fundraising personnel responsible for scheduling meetings and soliciting campaign contributions from donors in the insurance industry during Lara’s first six months in office. His letter did not include the names of the fundraising personnel or identify the industry-connected people with whom he met or from whom his campaign solicited contributions.
Robin Swanson, a spokeswoman for Lara’s campaign, told the Union-Tribune by email Tuesday that the fundraising personnel with whom Lara’s campaign terminated its contract was Dan Weitzman.
Between Feb. 28 and June 25, Lara’s campaign disbursed $22,243 to Daniel C. Weitzman Consulting, according to campaign finance disclosures. Of the total, $20,856 was for “fundraising events.”
Weitzman also serves as controller for the California Democratic Party, according to the party’s website. Weitzman did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Lara’s letter goes on to lay out reforms his campaign will adopt, “effective immediately.”
The reforms include implementing rigorous vetting protocols and retaining experts to develop new processes for screening and reporting all outside political activity, requesting department attorneys develop new publicly available protocols for scheduling and conducting meetings with department-regulated entities and ordering regular public release of Lara’s official calendar of meetings with external stakeholders.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Lara’s office had not provided records of his meetings in response to a July 17 request by the Union-Tribune.
Among the campaign donations Lara returned amid scrutiny by the Union-Tribune were contributions from insurance executives and others tied to Applied Underwriters, a Nebraska workers’ compensation firm that is facing dozens of complaints from California employers who bought troubled policies.
Lara’s office intervened in several cases against Applied Underwriters to benefit the insurer before he announced he would recuse himself from further decisions related to the donors, including a pending sale of Applied Underwriters that requires Department of Insurance approval, the Union-Tribune reported.
Two of the three recipients of Lara’s letter Tuesday did not immediately respond to the Union-Tribune’s request for comment. A spokeswoman for Public Advocates said the group’s CEO was unavailable for comment because he was traveling.
CaliforniaLatestTop Stories
Morgan Cook
Morgan Cook is a member of the investigative reporting team at The San Diego Union-Tribune. She was named journalist of the year in 2017 by the local Society of Professional Journalists for a series of stories uncovering tens of thousands of dollars of improper campaign spending by Rep. Duncan Hunter. Cook has also worked at the North County Times and The Orange County Register.
Newsom promised 1 million COVID-19 vaccinations. California can’t tell if he hit goal | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1908 |
__label__wiki | 0.88266 | 0.88266 | Dove teams up with Shonda Rhimes on Real Beauty campaign
By Ellen Thomas | WWD
Dove is turning to Hollywood to further its Real Beauty message. The Unilever-owned personal-care brand has tapped Shonda Rhimes to collaborate on Dove’s new social initiative, Dove Real Beauty Productions, which supports portraying women in a realistic way.
Rhimes will act as creative director for short videos portraying everyday women explaining what their personal definitions of “real beauty” are and how they feel “real beauty” should be portrayed on film and television. Video subjects will be found via a submission process on doverealbeauty.com, where entrants are encouraged to share their stories. The submission process starts today when Dove and Rhimes announce on their respective social channels the details around the partnership.
“This is a program that has come at a time where real women want their story to be told,” said Nick Soukas, vice president of marketing for Dove at Unilever. Though he could not give an estimate how many women could submit entries, Soukas noted he expects the response to be “incredibly strong.” Their submissions’ process will be on a rolling basis, and he noted that the plan is to start generating videos quickly. Rhimes will play a part in the selection process as well.
The campaign will be a social push, with calls to enter the campaign going out on Dove’s social channels and through paid media.
Rhimes — the writer and producer behind popular ABC television shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder” — was chosen by Dove due to her history of writing strong female roles. It also helps that she has close to 1.5 million Twitter followers.
“Shonda is a powerhouse storyteller,” Soukas said. “She is committed like no one else to championing real women.”
Dove Real Beauty Productions is based on the Dove Real Beauty Pledge, which the brand introduced this month during a global press event in New York. The pledge further supports its mission of portraying women in a realistic way, including no digital enhancing or retouching in advertising.
“This is a real opportunity for women to get their stories out,” Soukas said. “We’re not looking at this as a flash in the pan. We see this as an ongoing program.”
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Ellen Thomas | WWD | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1909 |
__label__cc | 0.726852 | 0.273148 | Fourteen centuries ago, all power was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft the spell-wines. But the people revolted against harsh rule, and were saved by a demigod called Sin-Washer, who broke the First Vine, shattering the hold of the prince-mages.
In 1378 ASW, princes still rule, but Vinearts now make spellwines, less powerful than in days of old. Jerzy, a young slave, has just begun his studies to become a Vineart when his master uncovers the first stirrings of a plot to finish the work Sin-Washer began, and shatter the remains of the Vine forever. Only his master believes the magnitude and danger of this plot. And only Jerzy has the ability to stop it, before there are no more Vinearts left at all.
But no war can be fought without cost….
[A] rewarding and rich experience of high fantasy. This trilogy is a keeper.
– JM Cornwell, Red Room reviews
“[A] journey well worth the trip,” that “provides interesting surprises along the way.” – SF Scope
“If you like a traditionally inspired fantasy story minus faeries, elves, etc., but with an original, complex magic system; if you like a smart, well written story with depth and complexity, with characters who are both realistic and likable; if you appreciate detailed world building, then you will like this story. ” – Bea’s Book Nook
and, for those looking for more… the story of how Jerzy came to be a slave!
Dirt on Their Hands
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The Vineart War, Book 1: Flesh and Fire
FLESH AND FIRE was a Nebula nominee for Best Novel of 2009!
FLESH AND FIRE on Library Journal’s “Best Books of 2009” list!
A brief overview of THE VINEART WAR (Simon& Schuster.…more
Amazon | B&N.com | BooksAMillion| Simon&Schuster | Book Depository
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An island nation has vanished. Men of honor and magic have died unnatural deaths.…more
T wo thousand years ago, a demigod split the world between Vinearts and men of power, setting his heirs, the Washers, to guard the balance. But even gods fail, and now the Lands Vin are wracked by rumor, revolt, and inexplicable violence.…more | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1910 |
__label__wiki | 0.945304 | 0.945304 | Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Areas of patchy fog. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Areas of patchy fog. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Trump supporters storm US Capitol, clash with police
Ben Fox, Ashraf Khalil & Michael Balsamo | Associated Press
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) called on President Donald Trump to speak out against a riot at the US Capitol building that interrupted Congressional certification of President-elect Biden's election win.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House.
The National Guard and state and federal police were called in for control, and the mayor of Washington imposed a rare evening curfew. One person was reported to have been shot.
The protesters were egged on by Trump and his false attacks on the integrity of the November presidential election. While rallying his supporters outside the White House Wednesday morning, he urged them to march to the Capitol. But later — hours after they fought police and breached the building — he told them that although they were "very special people” and he backed their cause, they should “go home in peace.”
President-elect Biden, two weeks away from being inaugurated, had declared in Wilmington, Delaware: "I call on President Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege,”
Biden said that democracy was ’“under unprecedented assault," a sentiment echoed by many in Congress, including some Republicans.
The chaotic protests halted Congress’ constitutionally mandated counting of the Electoral College results, in which Biden defeated Trump, 306-232.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had tried to steer Congress away from Wednesday's formal protest of those results, and he said at the start of proceedings that Trump had clearly lost.
Wednesday’s ordinarily mundane procedure of Congress certifying a new president was always going to be extraordinary, with Republican supporters of Trump vowing to protest election results that have been certified by the states. But even the unusual deliberations, which included Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Majority Leader McConnell defying Trump’s demands, were quickly overtaken by the chaos.
In a raucous, out-of-control scene, protesters fought past police and breached the building, shouting and waving Trump and American flags as they marched through the halls. One person was reported shot at the Capitol, according to a person familiar with the situation. That person's condition was unknown. At least one explosive device was found that was detonated.
The protesters abruptly interrupted the congressional proceedings in an eerie scene that featured official warnings directing people to duck under their seats for cover and put on gas masks after tear gas was used in the Capitol Rotunda.
Senators were being evacuated. Some House lawmakers tweeted they were sheltering in place in their offices.
The Pentagon said about 1,100 District of Columbia National Guard members were being mobilized to help support law enforcement at the Capitol.
Pence was closely watched as he stepped onto the dais to preside over the joint session in the House chamber.
Pence had a largely ceremonial role, opening the sealed envelopes from the states after they are carried in mahogany boxes used for the occasion, and reading the results aloud. But he was under growing pressure from Trump to overturn the will of the voters and tip the results in the president’s favor, despite having no legal power to affect the outcome.
“Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!” Trump tweeted Wednesday.
But Pence, in a statement shortly before presiding, defied Trump, saying he could not claim “unilateral authority" to reject the electoral votes that make Biden president.
Despite Trump’s repeated claims of voter fraud, election officials and his own former attorney general have said there were no problems on a scale that would change the outcome. All the states have certified their results as fair and accurate, by Republican and Democratic officials alike.
Arizona was the first of several states facing objections from the Republicans as Congress took an alphabetical reading of the election results. Then the chaos erupted.
Pro-Trump mob breaks into US Capitol
Watch McConnell side against Trump in Senate speech
President Trump tells rioters at Capitol to 'go home'
Joe Biden calls on Trump to 'end this siege'
Lawmaker
Sam Houston AD: Exit to WAC driven by FBS, financial opportunities | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1917 |
__label__wiki | 0.847464 | 0.847464 | Just don’t think about itBenjamin Kunkel
Vol. 35 No. 15 · 8 August 2013
Just don’t think about it
Introduction to Antiphilosophy
by Boris Groys.
Verso, 248 pp., £16.99, April 2012, 978 1 84467 756 6Show More
Marxism has thrived as a way of thinking about art and literature, especially at times – the 1920s or the 1990s – when Marxist economic and political thinking has gone into retreat. The headwaters of the stream lie in The German Ideology (1846), where it seems an oversight that Marx and Engels don’t name art and literature, as they do religion, metaphysics and morality, as ‘forms of consciousness’ to be stripped of their ‘semblance of independence’. A historical materialist aesthetics sees in art the distorted reflection of social relations past, present and emerging. The result has often been a somewhat paradoxical model of art-making, in which the deliberate creations of the artist passively transmit unsuspected historical meaning. So in a middlebrow survey like Arnold Hauser’s Social History of Art (1951), Balzac could appear, in spite of his titanic energies and avowed royalism, as a cat’s-paw of historical progress, ‘a revolutionary writer without wanting to be’, whose ‘real sympathies make him an ally of rebels and nihilists’. And the Marxist emphasis on the basic passivity of the artist, as a sort of crossroads of historical traffic, could be greatest where the account of art was subtlest, as in Adorno.
A broadly historical materialist approach has united so many interesting critics of the past hundred years that its fruitfulness for considering art produced under capitalism can’t be denied. It has been less clear to what extent socialist theories of art could also serve as theories of socialist art. In practice, discussions of work by radicals in capitalist societies or by cultural revolutionaries in socialist ones have succumbed too easily to the idealism that historical materialism sought to overturn, as if the conscious politics of an Eisenstein, a Brecht or a Paul Robeson could secure the meaning and effect of his art. Critics have been more bleakly faithful both to materialist philosophy and to any future class-free utopia when they have considered all would-be revolutionary art as itself marked by the contradictions of class society (including socialism, which in classical Marxism is not the absence of social classes but the process of their dissolution). The Marxist critic might therefore prefer ostensibly apolitical work in which these contradictions rage untreated.
Adorno held a position like this. His posthumous Aesthetic Theory (1970) can be taken as the summit, with a corresponding barrenness and magnificence, of a Marxist aesthetics stressing the artist’s receptivity rather than activism. Far from imagining a revolutionary popular art, as Brecht and Walter Benjamin had in different ways done in the 1930s, Adorno elaborated an aesthetics of suffering, in the senses both of passivity and pain: ‘Authentic works are those that surrender themselves to the historical substance of the age without reservation’; for the audience, ‘specifically aesthetic experience’ requires ‘self-abandonment to artworks’. As for the substance of history disclosed by true art, it is little short of agony. Adorno meant to dedicate Aesthetic Theory to Beckett, and the few other modernists he singles out for praise (Kafka, Schoenberg and Celan among them) give off some of the same feeling of emotional irremediability and formal intransigence. Nor did Adorno craft a waiver for artists in self-described socialist societies, which were simply another department of ‘administered life’. East or West, all but a handful of artworks supplied only another dose of compliance and regimentation.
Adorno is worth keeping in mind while reading Boris Groys, who is one of the more interesting philosophical – he would say antiphilosophical – writers on art today. Groys never discusses Adorno, a striking omission in light of his temper and range: Introduction to Antiphilosophy, Groys’s latest book in English, contains essays on Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Kojève, Derrida and Benjamin; and Groys, like Adorno, possesses firm if abstract radical commitments and is a writer of relentlessly dialectical sentences in German. Otherwise they represent two poles of radical aesthetics. Adorno’s approach was historical materialist or Marxist yet anti-communist (at least where official Communist parties were concerned). Groys is more idealist in his belief that the radical artist can consciously understand and deliberately convey the meaning of his work – one reason, perhaps, why he has said he isn’t a Marxist – and yet more philo-communist. His recent Communist Postscript (2010) joins the efforts of other contemporary thinkers, notably Slavoj Žižek and Alain Badiou, to revive communism as a slogan of the left.
The differences go further. Where Adorno insisted on the artist’s deep passivity and independence from politics, Groys declares the artistic impulse identical to the will to power and advocates an ‘art functioning as political propaganda’. And where Adorno’s stringent conception of true art narrowed modern instances down to a few forbidding exempla, Groys’s idea of art is extraordinarily expansive: he is especially attracted to art projects that efface the boundary between art and life, and has a puckish admiration for the ‘life-building’ efforts of Soviet art.
Few later writers have shared Adorno’s anhedonia or snobbish tastes; today, leftist critics are happy to discuss the political symptomatology of Hollywood blockbusters or the shellacked sexuality of pop divas. But a sense that the interest of art derives above all from its unconscious embodiment of history is widespread among academic critics, most of whom share with the general public an aversion to expressly political work. As for work by artists with obvious progressive allegiances, the usual approach is to congratulate it for raising political questions but to fight shy of definite answers. In Art Power (2008), Groys mocks the solemn ideological vagueness of so many academic essays, exhibition catalogues and wall captions: ‘The work is “charged with tension”, “critical” (without any indication of how or why); the artist “deconstructs social codes”, “puts our habitual way of seeing into question”.’ Such language resembles a debased form of Adorno’s aesthetics: art exposes the contradictions of capitalism but leaves them to future history to work out. Apparently a summons to politics, it is in effect an evasion. Frustration with the political nugacity of the progressive-minded art world is the background to Groys’s strenuous emphasis on the ‘direct connection between the will to power and the artistic will’. At the heart of his work is a desire for contemporary art and criticism somehow to give up the autonomy of the royal fool – whose expressive freedom derives from practical superfluousness – for something more like the autonomy of the ruler, free because in command.
Born to Russian parents in Berlin in 1947, Groys grew up and was educated in Leningrad; at university he studied mathematical logic and linguistics. In 1981 he emigrated to Münster in West Germany, where he gained a PhD in philosophy. Today he teaches art theory in Karlsruhe and New York City. This unusual itinerary has been recapitulated by Groys’s intellectual trajectory and shows itself in his distinctive sensibility. After concentrating on Soviet art in The Total Art of Stalinism (1989), he has mainly written discrete essays in which he looks, with Eastern eyes, at Western art and philosophy. Art Power gathers pieces on the contemporary art world – on curating, the digitisation of imagery, ‘iconoclastic strategies in film’ and so on – together with backward glances at Nazi art and socialist realism. Introduction to Antiphilosophy discusses a dozen or so thinkers – most of them Western European, most of them unsystematic – since Kierkegaard. Only in The Communist Postscript, a short consideration of the relationship of communism to philosophy, does Groys return to the USSR, making a new case for a kind of ideally existing Stalinism. Indeed, the rare notes of romance struck in his otherwise unemotional prose are elicited by the idea (an idiosyncratic one) of the communism he knew in his youth, and by the Muscovite sots (the name a disrespectfully ambiguous allusion to socialist realism) and conceptual art scene of the 1970s and 1980s with which he was connected. His continual making and unmaking of conceptual unities and oppositions belongs to a German dialectical tradition. Yet there is no Hegelian (or Adornian) heaviness in someone who can write: ‘And so, the answer to the question: “How should we conceive the apocalypse?” has to be: “Just don’t think about it!”’
Groys’s many provocative formulations smack of an international art scene, centred on New York, in which flippancy and militancy can be hard to distinguish. The big question is how seriously he means to be taken, and how seriously he can be taken. The publication of The Communist Postscript as a little red book in Verso’s ‘Pocket Communism’ series is enough to suggest that Groys’s tonal fluttering between clever complacency and forthright provocation, joke and dare, is shared with others on today’s left.
His most substantial book, The Total Art of Stalinism, makes a novel argument about an episode of modern art that in most other accounts is either a blind spot or is moralistically dismissed. In the standard account, Stalin betrayed the Soviet revolution in the arts by imposing on artists a regime of servile kitsch. After the avant-garde flowering before and after 1917 – Malevich’s and Lissitzky’s Suprematism in painting, Eisenstein’s and Vertov’s collectivist film-making, Khlebnikov’s ‘transrational’ and Mayakovsky’s surrealist poetry – so-called socialist realism became the official programme of Soviet art, which was now charged with ‘the depiction of life in its revolutionary development’. This closed an era of proliferating movements, manifestos and formal experiments; and Stalinism persecuted many avant-gardists as citizens. Groys denies none of this. But for him Stalinism succeeds the avant-garde just as a guest accepts an invitation. Far from betraying the avant-garde, Stalin merely scuttled a transitional movement in order to fulfil on the grandest scale that movement’s goal of unifying art and politics. Much of the classical avant-garde, Russian and otherwise, had after all demanded, in reaction against the sterile autonomy of l’art pour l’art, ‘that art move from representing to transforming the world’: ‘Under Stalin the dream of the avant-garde was in fact fulfilled and the life of a society was organised in monolithic artistic forms.’ These forms, Groys concedes, were ‘of course not those the avant-garde itself had favoured’. Throughout he writes about Stalinist cultural policy with a hair-raising mixture of political neutrality and aesthetic appreciation.
The Total Art of Stalinism mounts a sort of triptych: the post-revolutionary avant-garde; then Stalinism; then what Groys calls Soviet ‘postutopianism’. The brief, happy career of the avant-garde ended on 23 April 1932, when a decree of the Central Committee disbanded independent artistic groups and conscripted all ‘creative workers’ into unitary professional unions of writers, painters, architects and so on. Groys, who pays little attention to literature and film and virtually none to music, dwells particularly on Malevich, whose abstract canvas Black Square, as Groys sees it, abolishes the cultural past so that a demiurgic unity of artist, engineer and politician can sweep into the resulting void. Not that Groys evokes the work of Malevich or other artists in detail; an art theorist with a limited plastic sensibility, he is interested mainly in art’s ideological charge. Malevich once described the state as ‘an apparatus by which the nervous systems of its inhabitants are regulated’, and for Groys the goal of the Soviet avant-garde was for artists to gain ‘absolute power over the world’.
If the avant-garde was unknowingly daydreaming of Stalin, then Stalinist socialist realism can no longer be considered a case of cultural regression marked by the rehabilitation of mediocre popular forms and the truncation of modernist experiment. Expanded to its proper dimensions, the concept of the avant-garde includes Stalinist ‘total art’ as its next and, so far, final embodiment. The Soviet Union, a new kind of society chartered not only to ‘provide greater economic security’ but also ‘in perhaps even greater measure meant to be beautiful’, could answer to aesthetic criteria in a way that chaotic capitalist societies in thrall to the profit motive could not. Groys summarises, apparently with approval, the argument of a critic writing in 1949 in the ‘ultra-officious’ journal Iskusstvo (Art): ‘In different forms adequate to the age, Soviet socialist realism preserved the vital modernist life-building impulse that [Western] modernism itself lost long ago, when it entered the academies and prostituted itself to its arch-enemy, the philistine consumer.’
Groys presents the formal staidness of socialist realism – the forced retreat from abstraction in painting, for example – as a paradoxical sign of its true vanguardism. ‘The radicalism of Stalinism is most apparent in the fact that it was prepared to exploit the previous forms of life and culture,’ whereas the avant-garde had ‘respected the heritage to such a degree … that they would rather destroy’ than preserve it. What remaining need, in other words, for modern artists to make it new when a historically original society guarantees the novelty of all it contains? Besides, modernist representational dilemmas tended to fade away as the USSR turned to more projective forms: ‘Just as the avant-garde had demanded, architecture and monumental art now moved to the centre of Stalinist culture.’
The third panel of the book’s triptych deals with Soviet art after Stalin. When Khrushchev repudiated what he called a personality cult in 1956, Soviet citizens could acknowledge that Stalin’s artistic career had also entailed, as Groys says, ‘a chain of demoralising atrocities’. These enormities (which Groys, who in an afterword to the 2010 edition of The Total Art of Stalinism says he ‘did not want to write another body-count book’, neither discusses nor disputes) don’t lead him to disqualify Stalinism as an achieved utopia of total art: he has claimed it only as a singular, not a beautiful, instance of the form. But with the recognition that utopia overlay a dungeon, Soviet art couldn’t go on as before. One response, in fiction by the so-called village writers, was a retreat from socialist realism to narratives wistful for ‘traditional Russian values’. This nostalgic current found more favour with the apparat than did sots, the ‘unofficial or semi-official’ variety of post-Stalinist art that Groys himself admires.
Groys’s post-utopians – ‘Stalin’s best pupils’ – have learned the lesson of art’s necessary entanglement with politics. Yet here he shifts the emphasis from Stalinism’s effective wielding of art power to the abstract meditations on ‘the aesthetico-political will to power’ of artists who lacked either a mass audience or a receptive ear in the Politburo. Groys remains an associate of Vitaly Komar and Alexsander Melamid, an artist duo who in the late 1970s moved from Moscow to New York. In the chapter on postutopianism they assume the central role earlier accorded Malevich, then Stalin. Komar and Melamid’s illustrated parable A. Zyablov (1973) parodies the recruitment of pre-revolutionary artists into the socialist realist pantheon: Zyablov – a fictional serf who anticipates abstraction in painting – becomes, in the duo’s sarcastic officialese, ‘a lodestar to all representatives of the creative intelligentsia seeking to achieve a typical reflection of reality in its revolutionary development’. A local moral could be drawn from this about Stalinism’s capricious canonisations and excommunications of artists.
But Groys has a more universal case to make. Equipped with ‘the fundamental intuition that all art represents power’, Komar and Melamid appropriately give up ‘the search for a form of art that can resist power, because they regard such a quest as itself a manifestation of the will to power’. Groys discusses (but, typically, doesn’t describe) Komar and Melamid’s sardonically sumptuous oil painting Yalta Conference (1982): Stalin in military uniform and Spielberg’s homesick alien E.T., dressed in FDR’s suit and overcoat, sit together, their hands and faces gleaming like rose gold against the Venetian murk of the background, while Hitler looms behind them from the parted slit of a red Turkish tent and, undetected by the figureheads of state socialism and Hollywood capitalism, places an index finger to his moustache in a gesture of conspiratorial secret-keeping with the viewer. ‘The figures of Stalin and E.T.,’ Groys writes, ‘which symbolise the utopian spirit dominating both empires, reveal their unity with the national-socialist utopia of vanquished Germany.’
Groys is a provocateur and the value of his work lies in its capacity to unsettle rather than convince. Despite encouraging critics of Soviet art to ground their findings in ‘attentive study’, The Total Art of Stalinism is light on documentation and empirically dubious. There is good evidence, whatever Groys says, that Soviet artists before 1932 were more often preoccupied by pictorial questions than by the artist’s ideal political role. Just as questionable is his presentation of Stalinism in the arts as a top-down phenomenon, without populist origins: ‘Socialist realism did not seek to be liked by the masses – it wanted to create masses it could like.’ The neat formulation contradicts Vladimir Paperny’s classic Architecture in the Age of Stalin: Culture Two (2002), which describes how socialist realism emerged from the Soviet people as much as was imposed on them. And there is no reason to believe that Stalin chiefly thought of himself as an artist; his pretensions to being a first-rank Marxist theoretician, on the other hand, are unmistakable. Finally, why accept Stalinism as a realised utopia, however dire, when Stalinism itself – in line, to this extent, with classical Marxism – considered the Soviet Union a socialist and therefore transitional society, where no final communism had yet appeared?
Logically, too, Groys is prone to shortcuts to nowhere. One of his major difficulties lies in distinguishing Soviet postutopianism – he praises it above all other art of the last four decades – from the Western ‘anti-utopianism’ he rejects. The apparent blank irony of sots art, whereby Stalin can be likened to E.T. and both of them to Hitler, has made it seem a Soviet counterpart to pop art, which could treat Marilyn, Mao and Coca-Cola as interchangeable icons. Among leading sots or post-utopian themes, Groys identifies the complicity of culture with power; the irreducibly ideological texture of experience; and the basic fictionality of all narratives. Each of these is also a basic article of the postmodernism he calls anti-utopian. He resolves the problem by convicting postmodern Westerners of a ‘neutralising and transideological’ – thus futile – attempt to disclose a world of teeming difference irreducible to universal projects or stories. ‘Russian postutopianism does not make this mistake’ because it recognises campaigns against utopianism or meta-narratives as instances of the totalising ideologies that the postmodernists would refuse. ‘To summarise this distinction it might be stated that Eastern postutopianism is not a thinking of “difference” or the “other” but a thinking of indifference.’ The question is whether this indifferentism – a flat principle, clearly Groys’s own, of the inescapability of politics for all art – itself makes for an important distinction between late Soviet and contemporary capitalist art.
The Total Art of Stalinism retains its interest today because of Groys’s audacious effort to break the post-Cold War taboo on utopias by welcoming the very accusation – Stalinist! – most effective in maintaining that taboo. Yet by the end of the book, he has inflated the notions of utopia (some version of which all aesthetics and ideologies are said to imply) and art-making (which under Stalin could extend to all activities of the state) to such dimensions that they lose as concepts the sharpness still clinging to them as rhetoric. For just as libido could be said to be the taproot of all sexuality but not sexuality itself, merely to say that all art draws on some universal reservoir of desire that may as well be called utopian is neither political nor utopian. This means that when Groys praises his postutopians for illustrating in different ways the indifferent law that art seeks power, he is avoiding any politics of art except perhaps of the most preliminary kind.
The tendency to aggrandise his ideas to the point of emptiness is Groys’s besetting vice as a writer, and it undermines the conceptual oppositions vital to his dialectical arguments. But when he holds out against his mania for generalisation, he has suggestive and disturbing things to say not only about Soviet culture but about contemporary capitalist art. Inattentive to individual artworks, he is best at conjuring the spirit of entire institutions and movements. In Art Power he shows a surprising appreciation of contemporary museums, after characterising them in The Total Art of Stalinism as mausoleums of the avant-garde. Today museums offer ‘practically the only places we can step back from our own present and compare it with other historical eras’. This is a nearly a truism; it’s more typical of Groys’s willingness to offend when he argues, in an essay on ‘Hitler’s art theory’, that we would possess an ampler sense of history if we honoured Nazism as possessing a genuine aesthetic. ‘The ultimate art work’, for the painter manqué Hitler, was ‘the viewer whom heroic politics make into a member of the heroic race’. Groys is clearly attracted in principle to art that heroically takes the viewer for its medium.
Groys’s inclination towards an art that merges with its public shapes the most interesting essay in Introduction to Antiphilosophy, ‘A Genealogy of Participatory Art’, where he makes good on the allusion to Wagner in the title of the Stalin book. The composer’s idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk, he explains, is not to be understood as a multimedia spectacle, but as a forerunner of participatory art. It aims to effect, for audience and artist alike, what Wagner called ‘the passing over of egoism into communism’. (Groys is alive to the irony of Wagner renouncing the ego: ‘One might also claim that … this self-abdication … grants the author the possibility of controlling the audience.’) Groys’s lineage of participatory art, defined by incidental resemblance rather than direct ancestry, also threads together Bakhtin’s theory of carnival; the free-form ‘happenings’ of the 1960s; Warhol’s Factory; and the situationist dérive through the streets of Paris. The varieties of participatory art matter less than their common effort ‘to devalue the symbolic value of art’ through the surrender of ‘personal individuality and authorship to commonality’.
As Groys has swung his gaze from East to West some of his critical values have also changed sides. His praise for Western museums is one such reversal; another has to do with the world outside museum walls. Various left-affiliated 20th-century art movements, from surrealists to situationists, sought a mutually transformative encounter between art and daily – especially urban – life. That dream is now dead, Groys implies, thanks to the petrification of contemporary urban life by ‘the Medusan gaze of the romantic tourist’. ‘Cities originally came about as projects for the future’; therefore ‘a genuine city is not only utopian, it is also antitourist.’ Tourism imposes ‘a homogeneity bereft of universality’. Cities become identical in spite of their cherished differences; their sameness consists in having equally abandoned the universal project of utopia to which they once gave so many local habitations and names. Thus the tourist-citizen finds wherever he goes ‘the indifferent, utterly privatised life of postcommunism’. (Groys might have pointed out that in medieval Europe a city of free citizens, without lords or serfs, was a commune.)
‘A homogeneity bereft of universality’ also sums up Groys’s view of the international art world, which artists, critics, curators and the authors of press releases more often describe in terms of its irreducible pluralism. Modernism was driven by the continual conquest of new formal territory and the abandonment of trampled battlegrounds; beginning perhaps with the extinction of avant-gardes around 1970, art in general and the visual arts in particular have more and more been defined by an omnidirectional spinning-out of styles and tendencies, with the cyclicality of fashion rather than the forward charge implied by the term avant-garde. Yet it’s precisely the contemporary art world’s ostensible pluralism, Groys argues, that constitutes its secret homogeneity:
Postmodern taste is by no means as tolerant as it seems … [It] in fact rejects everything universal, uniform, repetitive … And, of course, the postmodern sensibility strongly dislikes – and must dislike – the gray, monotonous, uninspiring look of communism … Communist aesthetics confronts the dominating pluralist, postmodern Western taste with its universalist, uniform Other … What is the origin of this dominating postmodern taste for colourful diversity? … It is the taste formed by the contemporary market, and it is the taste for the market.
There’s something attractive about this Hegelian romancing of totality: don’t ‘eclectic’, uncoordinated tastes in art often serve to rationalise a reluctance to think things through in matters of culture? But Groys’s argument that the exclusion of Communist drab from the postmodern kaleidoscope gives the lie to neoliberal ‘diversity’ is more impressive as rhetoric than logic. There’s nothing contradictory about a pluralist aesthetic disfavouring the idea of an aesthetic dictatorship: every principle is hostile to its own negation. Nor is to ‘dislike’ something necessarily to ban it; the market can include for sale Groys’s book admiring the total artistry of Stalin. What he says is perfectly consistent, except in tone, with standard apologies for liberal capitalism: the marketplace – of art as of ideas – should be unrestricted, and the minimal universalism contained in this sole tenet is the condition of pluralism, not its self-contradiction.
Still, there will be something persuasive to many gallery-goers in Groys’s sense of the paradoxical uniformity of an art world that still rewards the unique style above all else. If we glimpse a lurking void behind the busy surfaces of contemporary art, Groys’s best explanation for it lies in The Communist Postscript, which barely mentions art. Here Groys attempts to vindicate Soviet communism as philosophy as his earlier book recognised it as a total artwork. By the word communism, Groys understands not necessarily common ownership of the means of production but ‘the project of subordinating the economy to politics in order to allow politics to act freely and sovereignly. The economy functions in the medium of money. It operates with numbers. Politics functions in the medium of language.’ Thus ‘the communist revolution is the transcription of society from the medium of money to the medium of language.’ Capitalism, on the other hand, performs the same operation in reverse, converting all would-be signifiers into mere price signals. The hush of commodification falls over even the most contrary utterance. ‘Discourses of critique and protest’ can ‘in no respect’ be ‘distinguished from other commodities, which are equally silent – or speak only in self-advertisement’.
The meaning of art notoriously exceeds paraphrase. But art has enough in common with language that artistic expression today presumably faces the same empty choice between silence and self-advertisement. The deprivation, by universal commodification, of art’s capacity for transcendent meaning would then explain why the bright palette of contemporary art should seem to pall into common blankness. But what can it mean for Groys to say that ‘so long as humans live under conditions of the capitalist economy they remain fundamentally mute’?
In recent years, Žižek and Badiou have argued that a society dominated by a runaway economic process is inhuman: humans, after all, are distinguished from other animals, in the classical conception, by our capacity for speech and correspondingly political nature. To subordinate politics to economics is therefore an abdication of humanity. Such an understanding lies behind Badiou’s declaration, in The Communist Hypothesis (2010), that capitalism ‘reduces humanity, as far as its collective becoming goes, to animality’. Groys makes the same deduction from Aristotelian premises, and in The Communist Postscript offers a utopian complement to Badiou’s dystopian picture. Only with the thoroughgoing ‘linguistification of society’ by communism, he writes, would humans ‘truly become beings who exist in language’. The redemption of language through politics would at last permit society to become philosophical, philosophy being the highest and most capacious form of speech.
Groys’s vision of communism as the kingdom of philosophy is not only utopian; it is also nostalgic for Stalin’s Soviet Union, which ‘understood itself literally as a state governed by philosophy alone’. (This contradicts the idea that the USSR was organised principally along aesthetic lines – unless art and philosophy are, as sometimes seems the case in Groys, two names for the one thing.) The reigning Soviet philosophy was the revision of historical materialism that Stalin called dialectical materialism, and for Groys Stalin’s intellectual advance over his predecessors consists of two moves: first, dialectical materialism puts language above both society’s economic base and the cultural superstructure to which language might appear to belong; second, dialectical materialism can better grasp the world in its totality than other philosophies thanks to a unique tolerance for paradox. The defect of ordinary formal logic is to rule out paradox, while the traditional or pre-Stalinist dialectic ‘temporalises paradox’, seeing what Engels called the unity of opposites as produced over time: two contradictory propositions can’t be equally true at one and the same instant, but the dynamic totalityof history may grant them both their momentary truth. Dialectical materialism by contrast holds that life is defined by ‘the figure of paradox’, in the sense of the simultaneous validity of contradictory propositions. This means the Stalinist ‘revival of the Platonic dream of the kingdom of philosophers’ didn’t require in theory the totalitarian rule it excused in practice. Communism, ‘distinguished from a Platonic state insofar as it was the duty of every individual to be a philosopher, not just the duty of the governing class’, doesn’t ideally compel ‘any quieting of conflicts; on the contrary, it promises to intensify them.’
It’s impossible to know why Groys has stubbornly upheld Stalinism as the model of a society that grants art its due power, or redeems for language a philosophical significance today cashiered by capitalism. Trotsky, for one, imagined, more explicitly than Stalin, a comprehensive aestheticisation of society. ‘The wall will fall not only between art and industry,’ he wrote in Literature and Revolution (1924), ‘but simultaneously between art and nature.’ And if Stalin’s dialectical materialism implied, as Groys says, that socialism should foster rather than restrict the expression of conflicting views, Trotsky was again more forthright: ‘the powerful force of competition which, in bourgeois society, has the character of market competition, will not disappear in a socialist society, but, to use the language of psychoanalysis, will be sublimated, that is, will assume a higher and more fertile form. There will be the struggle for one’s opinion, for one’s project, for one’s taste.’ Trotsky’s chapter on a ‘communist policy towards art’ includes a proviso later contravened by socialist realism: ‘the domain of art is not one in which the party is called upon to command.’ The total art foreseen by Trotsky – in which art, no longer ‘merely “pretty” without relationship to anything else’, becomes ‘the most progressive building of life in every field’ – resembles that described in The Total Art of Stalinism except that it’s so much more democratic in spirit, with an aesthetic signature of complexity and variety rather than uniformity. Groys never mentions Trotsky’s vision. Bukharin likewise goes unnoted in his book on Soviet philosophy. Their fates are two of many to suggest that the basic rhetorical ‘figure’ of the Soviet Union wasn’t philosophical paradox so much as tragic irony.
Some of Groys’s peculiar attachment to Stalin may come from his childhood in Leningrad. But the logic of his work invites another explanation. If it’s true today that ‘every protest is fundamentally senseless, for in capitalism language itself functions as a commodity,’ a book asking you to buy the idea of Stalinism as the pinnacle of modern art or philosophy nevertheless stands out a little from the rest of the wares in the museum gift shop. Groys’s appreciation of socialist realism and dialectical materialism as formal advances – almost heroically perverse in light of Stalinist denunciations of decadent ‘formalism’ – has been, if nothing else, a momentary stay against the incorporation of his own work into the glut of distinctions without a difference that for him constitutes the contemporary art world.
Even so, Groys’s work ultimately reproduces the logic of unmeaning sameness he ascribes to capital. His most representative modern artist, after Stalin, is Marcel Duchamp, who shared with Stalin, if nothing else, the impulse to blur the boundaries between art and non-art. Duchamp’s readymades – whereby a urinal has only to be mounted on a wall to become an art object – inspire the ‘ready-made (anti)philosophy’ proposed in Groys’s latest book, which produces ‘truth effects’ in ‘the same way in which “aesthetic experience” is produced in the case of artistic ready-mades: it can be attached to any possible object.’ For Groys, the virtue of (anti)philosophy, with its tellingly optional prefix, is that unlike traditional ‘command-giving’ philosophy it opens up ‘an imaginary perspective of limitless life, in which all decisions of life lose their urgency, so that the opposition between carrying out and rejecting a command dissolves in the infinite play of life possibilities’. This sounds less like politics – a zone virtually defined by ineluctable decisions and sovereign commands – than like clinical descriptions of catatonic schizophrenia, in which complete inanition is the condition for simultaneously holding incompatible ideas of one’s self and the world. The aesthetics of Soviet ‘life-building’ and the Duchampian readymade – one an exercise of power, the other a trick of perception – can be reconciled only at the expense of the distinctive properties of each. Groys’s way of rhyming Stalinism with solipsism, as when he writes that ‘the death of totalitarianism has made us all totalitarians,’ is the sort of thing to make you wonder whether his work isn’t an elaborate prank.
A more generous, not to say historical materialist, reading might see in Groys’s particular combination of stridency and vagueness something of the general predicament of art and criticism these days. How can the artist or critic provoke a reaction when he finds himself surrounded by the jaded inhabitants of the art world? More clearly than any ideological alteration or formal dynamic, a basic change of social situation marks off postmodern (or anti-utopian or neoliberal) art from the modern art of socialist or capitalist countries. The world of so-called high art is more than ever separate from the lives of the governed or the governing classes, and art’s gain in autonomy has come at great cost to any political relevance. In Moscow in the 1980s, the poet Vsevolod Nekrasov wrote some lines rhyming Groys’s surname with that of the German artist Joseph Beuys and an imperative form of the Russian word for ‘fear’. In Ainsley Morse and Bela Shayevich’s English rendering:*
don’t oh boy Beuys
but if you gotta fret
forget Beuys, get
fed up with gross Groys
It seems that Nekrasov felt that Groys had betrayed artists like himself by defining them as ‘conceptualists’ in his 1979 essay ‘Moscow Romantic Conceptualism’. In New York or Moscow today it’s much harder for the art critic to inspire fretting or fear: a difficulty that may account for both the froth of outrageousness and the undertow of emptiness in Groys’s work. Reading him, I sometimes thought of an exchange between the comedian Will Ferrell and his co-star in the Hollywood male figure-skating film Blades of Glory (2007), a mostly boring comedy occasionally startled into wit at its own and its viewers’ expense. When Ferrell’s character insists on choreographing a pairs routine to ‘My Humps’, the anatomically puzzling hit song about ‘lady humps’ by the Black Eyed Peas, his partner complains that he has no idea what the song means. ‘No one knows what it means,’ Ferrell replies. ‘But it’s provocative.’
Is something like this the secret motto enfolding the art of neoliberalism together with the work of its desperate critics? Not long ago I was at MoMA, where I paid $25 to see, among other things, half a dozen Malevich canvases. I also saw hundreds of people surrounding the actress Tilda Swinton, asleep in a glass box. No one knew what this meant, but it was provocative – unless its apparent meaninglessness was just the reason that it wasn’t.
It marked one kind of dead end for left art criticism when Adorno argued that modern art constituted the sole remaining preserve of radical politics. For him, modernism testified at once, in its agony, to the badness of existing society and, in its very abstractness, to the enduring possibility of a good society whose blank potentiality was all that could be known of it. Today it’s clear that, blessed with official approval, even the most refractory modernism could just as well ornament the existing order as prefigure a different one: Adorno glimpsed this possibility when he noticed Kafka’s novels among the customary furnishings of the middle-class household. Groys, faced with a capitalist art world liberated from the rest of society into splendid irrelevance, has tried in different ways to imagine, not an art autonomous from society, but an art through which society itself becomes autonomous: a participatory total art. But the effort arrives at its own dead end, from a direction opposite to Adorno’s.
A theoretical communist with a more materialist outlook would see that a substantial socialisation of art must accompany any worthwhile – that is, democratic or participatory – aestheticisation of society. For now, Groys’s eccentrically communist vision of a ‘new sensibility for radical art’ can only ratify the gulf between the specialised art world and the general public that he would like to see closed. His work is nevertheless an occasion to remember, amid the tentative revival of Marxism over recent years, that a revolution in culture was also part of the socialist project. Even today the experience of art continues to radicalise many sensibilities more decisively, if obscurely, than any political argument. Groys’s favoured word ‘power’, however, used with any connotation of force, is the wrong one for this or any other effect of what we call powerful art: the essence of pity and terror, or mirth, recognition, gratitude or indignation, is to be unavailable to compulsion. As for the aesthetics of a utopia worthy of the name, it’s impossible to say what the art of an economically just, politically free and ecologically viable social formation might look like. It would be interesting, not to say beautiful, to find out.
Benjamin Kunkel’s play about global warming, Buzz, was published in 2014.
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I Live I See: Selected Poems by Vsevolod Nekrasov (Ugly Duckling, 576 pp., June, 978 1 933254 98 2). | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1918 |
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The benchmark is a comparator against which the fund’s performance can be measured. The composite index has been chosen as the fund’s benchmark as it best reflects the scope of the fund’s investment policy. The benchmark is used solely to measure the fund’s performance and does not constrain the fund's portfolio construction.
The fund is actively managed.The investment manager has complete freedom in choosing which investments to buy, hold and sell in the fund. The fund’s holdings may deviate significantly from the benchmark’s constituents.
For unhedged and currency hedged share classes, the benchmark is shown in the share class currency.
You can find more information about the objective and investment policy of the fund in the Prospectus.
Risks associated with the fund
The value and income from the fund's assets will go down as well as up. This will cause the value of your investment to fall as well as rise. There is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective and you may get back less than you originally invested.
High yield bonds usually carry greater risk that the bond issuers may not be able to pay interest or return the capital.
The fund may use derivatives to profit from an expected rise or fall in the value of an asset. Should the asset’s value vary in an unexpected way, the fund will incur a loss. The fund’s use of derivatives may be extensive and exceed the value of its assets (leverage). This has the effect of magnifying the size of losses and gains, resulting in greater fluctuations in the value of the fund.
Investments in bonds are affected by interest rates, inflation and credit ratings. It is possible that bond issuers will not pay interest or return the capital. All of these events can reduce the value of bonds held by the fund.
The fund is exposed to different currencies. Derivatives are used to minimise, but may not always eliminate, the impact of movements in currency exchange rates.
In exceptional circumstances where assets cannot be fairly valued, or have to be sold at a large discount to raise cash, we may temporarily suspend the fund in the best interest of all investors.
The fund could lose money if a counterparty with which it does business becomes unwilling or unable to repay money owed to the fund.
Operational risks arising from errors in transactions, valuation, accounting, and financial reporting, among other things, may also affect the value of your investments.
Further details of the risks that apply to the fund can be found in the fund's Prospectus.
The Fund allows for the extensive use of derivatives
The performance webpage for this fund is currently being reconfigured. In the interim, for performance information, please refer to the latest Fund Factsheet which can be found in the Literature section.
Fund Team
James Tomlins - Fund manager
James Tomlins, who has more than a decade of experience in high yield credit, joined M&G in June 2011 and started managing fixed income portfolios in January 2014. The strategies he manages include the Global High Yield Bond, the Global Floating Rate High Yield and the Global High Yield ESG Bond strategies. James was previously an analyst and then a fund manager at Cazenove Capital Management. Before Cazenove, he was at KBC Alternative Investment Management; in the three years prior to that, he worked at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. James is a CFA charterholder. He graduated with an MA in history and PgDip in economics from the University of Cambridge.
Team member biography
Stefan Isaacs - Fund manager
Stefan Isaacs is deputy head of M&G's Wholesale Fixed Income team and is fund manager of the M&G (Lux) European Corporate Bond Fund. He is also co-fund manager of the M&G (Lux) Global High Yield Bond Fund, M&G (Lux) Floating Rate High Yield Solution, M&G (Lux) Global High Yield ESG Bond Fund and M&G (Lux) Global High Yield Bond 2023 Fund, and deputy fund manager of the M&G (Lux) Optimal Income Fund. Stefan initially joined M&G as a graduate in 2001 and was subsequently promoted to corporate bond dealer specialising in high yield bonds and euro-denominated credit, becoming part of the fund management team in 2006.
Rating is at a share class level
Need further information?
For Investment Professionals only. Not for onward distribution to any other type of client. No other persons should rely on the information contained on this website. Content should therefore be shared responsibly with other investment professionals. The value of investments will fluctuate, which will cause fund prices to fall as well as rise and you may not get back the original amount you invested. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1921 |
__label__cc | 0.668063 | 0.331937 | Our chamber views our Global Familiarization Trips as a way to assist in our transition to a global economy. For the most part, our destinations are important U.S. trading partners that people may not feel comfortable traveling to on their own. The vendors we select to provide these trips have expertise in designing itineraries that appeal to chamber members.
President Dwight Eisenhower considered global travel to be the passport to world peace. “I have long believed that peaceful relations between nations requires understanding and mutual respect between individuals,” he said. Our program is directed toward helping Americans understand the culture, customs, and history of other countries as one step toward bringing the people of the world closer together.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, our Global Familiarization program is on hold. We will offer trips again in the future, when it is safe to travel internationally. Thank you for your patience - we can't wait to travel with you again!
Incredible India – POSTPONED
November 15-23, 2020 Postponed until further notice
This 9-day tour of incredible India explores the...
A Taste of Russia – POSTPONED
April 23-May 3, 2020 Postponed until further notice
Plan to reschedule in 2021 or 2022 Spend...
Discover Puerto Rico
While Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, there is much to learn...
Australia – New Zealand
Journey down-under to Australia and explore the Great Barrier...
Portugal & Spain
Discover the layers of culture and history on this amazing journey including...
South Africa is an exhilarating, spectacular, and complex country. This 10-day tour...
Japan – Frank Lloyd Wright, Fuji, and Fun!
August 23-September 3, 2018
The Chamber is headed to beautiful Japan in August! This 12-day...
Germany – Martin Luther Reformation Trip
Join the Chamber on an adventure to Germany in partnership with Mason...
Take a 9-day memorable journey to China and experience their centuries-old customs...
November 8-17, 2017 - SOLD OUT
November 29-December 8, 2017 - SOLD OUT
South Africa is...
Through the Chamber’s membership in the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives (ICCE) organization,...
Explore the land of the Pharaohs and its ancient civilizations with the Mason...
Join the Mason City Chamber of Commerce on our...
It’s the opportunity of a lifetime! Make plans now to travel with...
Journey down-under to Australia and explore the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, and... | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1927 |
__label__wiki | 0.871169 | 0.871169 | • Help support our magazine •
• Donate •
Magazine AM:PM
Cover of the album "Camila", by Camila Cabello (Epic; Syco, 2018)
Camila Cabello: Cojímar-Miami-«Havana»
3 minutos / Agapito Martínez
03.10.2018 / Reviews
With just 15 years old, Camila Cabello already knew the rigor of showbiz as a member of Fifth Harmony, a female vocal pop quintet played by and for teenagers designed by Simon Cowell - the same as the reality show Factor X. So, after his break with the group, his debut album, simply titled Camila, represented a step to one side and forward, at the same time.
Of course, a step of high risk, given the hyper-changing dynamics of urban music, genre in which the album is inserted. And is that the followers of this genre, represent a very young audience, mostly teenagers in search of idols idem, of those who enjoy on their mobile devices lists of songs tailored to taste, with monthly replacement.
This is the environment that conditions the sound of the disc, from the very beginning with the single Never be the same, that together Into it they are oriented towards the scene dance. The tropical airs could not be missing in a proposal that pretends to capitalize on the Latin flavor afterSlowly within the North American market, evident in She loves control, Inside out or as in Real friends, a slow hip-hop with a semi-acoustic segment on rhythms of Caribbean steel-drums.
And it is not that the girl lacks, precisely, talent. There are symptoms of the opposite throughout the entire disc - in his interpretation, in the authorship of the themes, and even in the fleeting moments when he offers signs of introspection and reflection in his lyrics, an example of which would be Consequences, a ballad played on piano, where he confesses the damage he feels inside when he is not reciprocated in his romantic relationships, or in Something's gotta give, where it highlights in the musical arrangement, the dramatic in-crescendo and the textures achieved with synthesizers (for which he writes these lines, the most salvageable of the disc). But in general, its voice tessitura, the use (and abuse) of autotune, the production and the finishing of the album leave us with the feeling that "we have heard this before".
And is that this collection of 11 songs is all on the shoulders of the mega-hit Havana, which produced nothing more and nothing less than Pharrell Williams and having rapper Young Thug as guest (and where the name of this city is repeated as a mantra a whopping 17 times) became the most heard song of all time in the network for a solo artist and, pay attention! One month after its launch, it propelled the album to more than one billion listeners online. I do not rule out that these huge figures will delight the counters of his record company, but I also do not rule out that for those who seek, love and prioritize music, Camila Cabello represents a similar question.
Agapito Martínez
Economist. Impenitent music lover. Independent manager of poster collections and manager of two rock bands in Cuba.
EZapo
In other areas, I would say that Mr. Agapito Martínez has a very good eye. Here, for obvious reasons, I say that you have a very good ear. Great the closing of your comment. We expect more comments of its authorship.
I read elias
You have to train the ear to taste the difference. Thank you for the light on Camila's talent.
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Magazine AM: PM is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1936 |
__label__cc | 0.613283 | 0.386717 | Central New Yorker Amber Howland Running To Support The Food Bank of CNY
Central New York runner Amber Howland was determined to race even through COVID-19. Armed with her own motivation, Howland decided to create a challenge of her own. Through a virtual challenge she’s set a lofty goal to run 1000 kilometers in 110 days and she’s giving back too.
Each day, Howland logs between six to seven miles and thanks to a different local sponsor, she’s able highlight some great local businesses along the way and help raise funds for the Food Bank of Central New York.
While Howland doesn’t have a dollar amount goal, she says that even the smallest donation can make all the difference. “Just $1 provides three meals to our local hungry, elderly, and children,” she adds. She’s also selling her own T-shirts, with proceeds going to help the Food Bank of Central New York.
To learn more about the virtual fundraiser visit AmberHowland.com.
More Bridge Street Stories
Study Edge Helps Meet The Needs of Students Amid COVID-19
The education system has seen some of its greatest challenges to date due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and one company is stepping in to help students, parents and educators across the country.
Study Edge is a national leader in providing innovative, online educational resources to more than one million students and educators across the country. The company was created in 2011 to help college students thrive, but has since expanded to help students in multiple grade levels.
SU Professor Shares Memories Of Teaching President Biden
Did you know that America’s newly inaugurated President, Joseph R. Biden, is a graduate of Syracuse University's College of Law?
President Biden received a juris doctor in 1968 and is the first SU alum to become President of the United States.
Learn To Cook in Paris Without Ever Leaving Home
On a quest to 'get away' even despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, Bridge Street Co-Host Sistina Giordano was determined to find new ways for everyone to explore, even if they couldn't leave home. Sistina's first food-inspired adventure takes us on Parisian cooking experience in the heart of Paris.
La Cuisine Paris is a leisure cooking school specializing in all things French. Pre-Pandemic experiences included in-person cooking opportunities, but Owner and Founder Jane Bertch says that everything changed nearly one year ago.
Do you have a question for one of our Bridge Street Experts?
Send them our way: BridgeStreet@LocalSYR.com
Just put "Expert" in the subject line and your questions could be part of our "Ask The Expert" segments.
We're highlighting advice from a financial advisor, a personal trainer, a doctor, a chef, a lawyer, and a nutritionist. Got a question? Share it with us.
When there's a call-in contest on Bridge Street, the number to call is 671-9990.
Occasionally, special contests will use a different phone number, so always double-check which number is given on-air.
For complete rules regarding call-in sweepstakes on WSYR-TV, please click here.
Web Contests: Click here to see the current web contests on LocalSYR.com | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1941 |
__label__cc | 0.557351 | 0.442649 | Redesigned Mercersburg Academy Magazine Celebrates Education
Is that my magazine? The summer 2019 Mercersburg Academy magazine is on its way to mailboxes, and readers will notice a big change in this latest issue. With new sections like “Living the Values” and “Alumni Life,” the look and feel has changed, but the heart of the content—remarkable stories by and of students, alumni, and friends of the school—remains the same. This latest issue explores what it means to be disruptive or innovative in education. Take a sneak peek by accessing the digital version now.
In addition to looking at innovation and the future of education, this issue honors four longtime faculty members who just retired after serving the school for a combined 153 years. It also highlights changes in the school’s dining program as Mercersburg partners with nearby farms to bring locally sourced options to the dining hall.
Within the new section “Living the Values,” we highlight individuals in our community—students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends—who are living Mercersburg’s core values as outlined in our strategic design: lofty ideals, great faith, noble integrity, and a ceaseless devotion to a mighty task. In “Campus Life,” we celebrate current happenings at the school: invited speakers, Irving-Marshall Week 2019, Commencement this past May, and more. Want to relive the excitement of Reunion Weekend 2019? Take a look at the new “Alumni Life” section.
With a social media page, vibrant photos throughout, a glimpse into the Mercersburg Archives, and the ever popular “Class Notes” section, the redesigned Mercersburg Academy magazine aims to stay true to what readers love about each issue, while also accurately reflecting our growing and changing community.
After you finish the issue, we’d love to hear from you! What do you think of our new look? Do you have story ideas to suggest? Contact Megan Mallory, Mercersburg Academy magazine editor, at mallorym@mercersburg.edu.
Mercersburg Academy magazine is an eight-time recipient of the CASE District II Accolades Award for independent-school magazines. (CASE is the international association for advancement and communications professionals in education; District II includes six states in the Mid-Atlantic region and the District of Columbia, as well as portions of Canada and the Caribbean.)
The magazine is published by the school’s Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications, designed by Mid-Atlantic Media in Owings Mills, Maryland, and is printed at HBP in nearby Hagerstown, Maryland. (John Snyder ’76 is HBP’s president.)
To see complementary content to the current issue or to read past issues, visit mercersburg.edu/magazine. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1951 |
__label__wiki | 0.747493 | 0.747493 | Lt. Governor Gilchrist & former Lt. Governor Calley team up to announce coalition to support small businesses, improve access to federal loans
Launch statewide effort to encourage Michigan businesses to apply for $349 billion SBA Paycheck Protection Program, starting today
MIpaycheckprotection.com serves as information portal for businesses seeking support through SBA Paycheck Protection Program
Forgivable loans will help businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19 keep employees on payroll, pay bills
Strong Michigan participation in PPP critical for COVID-19 economic relief efforts
LANSING, Mich. – The Whitmer Administration announced today that businesses across Michigan are now able to apply for $349 billion in Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II was joined by former Lt. Governor, and current president of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) Brian Calley and Bob Doyle, president and CEO of the Michigan Association of CPAs, in launching a new statewide website, MIpaycheckprotection.com, to provide businesses with key resources to assist with the PPP application and loan process and ensure the greatest amount of federal funding is able to be used by small businesses for economic relief efforts throughout the state.
“All across Michigan, small businesses and families are doing their part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, but this unprecedented time has, understandably, created uncertainty for many employers,” Gilchrist said. “That’s why we are working to make it as easy as possible for even the smallest businesses to apply for additional funding with the launch of the Michigan Paycheck Protection Program website. The Paycheck Protection Program offers much-needed financial support for our small businesses and their workers to help them get through this tough time.”
The Michigan Paycheck Protection Program website was launched as a collaboration between the Small Business Association of Michigan, Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan SBDC and includes key eligibility information, videos and instructions to help with the application process, information on authorized SBA lenders and more.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and the Paycheck Protection Program is a lifeline,” said Calley. “These loans, much of which may be forgivable, are just what we need to get Michigan’s economy rolling as long as businesses apply.”
Michigan small businesses (per SBA size standards) – including hospitality and food industry businesses and sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons – are eligible to apply for loans to help ensure employees continue receiving paychecks. The Paycheck Protection Program loans are designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll and may be forgiven if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.
“The Paycheck Protection Program will provide critical capital for businesses facing a temporary loss of revenue as a result of coronavirus and protect the livelihoods for workers across the state that these businesses provide,” said Mark Burton, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “While we are looking at every resource possible to support our small businesses and workforce in the face of the significant challenges they are facing, we know that federal loans, like the Paycheck Protection Program, will be paramount to economic recovery efforts in the state.”
The Paycheck Protection Program loans will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis with funding caps in place, so the state is encouraging Michigan small businesses to apply early – with the application period for small businesses opening today, April 3 and for independent contractors and sole proprietors on April 10 – and to utilize the Michigan Paycheck Protection Program website to make the process as streamlined and as simple as possible.
“This is a great opportunity to support Michigan small businesses during this difficult time,” said Bob Doyle, MICPA President & CEO. “Because these loans are designed to be forgiven assuming certain requirements are met, applicants should view this opportunity more like a grant application rather than a traditional loan.”
The Michigan Paycheck Protection Program site is the latest resource available to help Michigan small businesses negatively impact by the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, michiganbusiness.org/covid19 also features other resources for businesses across Michigan to assist them in recovering from economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 virus. This includes U.S. Small Business Administration emergency loans, support services offered through the SBDC and more. The MEDC has also developed a FAQ for Michigan businesses and communities at michiganbusiness.org/covid19-faq.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1953 |
__label__wiki | 0.679914 | 0.679914 | Home » Keywords » acquisition
Items Tagged with 'acquisition'
Ticer Technologies Acquires Manufacturing Assets
Strengthens Supply Chain and Enables Uninterrupted Product Delivery
Ticer Technologies, a manufacturer and marketer of TCR® thin film embedded resistor foil, announced that it has completed the acquisition of manufacturing assets from another global manufacturing corporation.
Mercury Systems to Acquire Physical Optics Corporation
Mercury Systems, Inc. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Physical Optics Corporation.
Vishay Intertechnology Announces Acquisition of Applied Thin-film Products
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced the acquisition of the worldwide business and substantially all of the U.S. assets of Applied Thin-Film Products, a Chinese subsidiary of the company entered into an agreement to sell certain property and equipment to a subsidiary of Vishay at a later date.
MaxLinear Acquires NanoSemi, Inc.
MaxLinear Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of NanoSemi, Inc., a provider of intellectual property that utilizes patented machine learning techniques to improve signal integrity and power efficiency in SoCs, ASICs and FPGAs used in next-generation communication and artificial intelligence systems.
BAE Systems Completes Acquisition of Military GPS Business
BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of the Collins Aerospace Military Global Positioning System (GPS) business from Raytheon Technologies Corporation.
Keysight Technologies Acquires Eggplant
Keysight Technologies has acquired Eggplant from The Carlyle Group, in a transaction valued at $330 million. Eggplant, with revenue of $38 million in 2019, provides software test automation that uses artificial intelligence and analytics to automate test creation and test execution.
National Instruments to Acquire OptimalPlus
National Instruments Corporation (NI) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire OptimalPlus Ltd., expanding NI’s enterprise software capabilities to provide customers with business-critical insights through advanced product analytics across their product development flow and supply chain.
Infineon Technologies AG Completes Acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
Infineon Technologies AG announced the closing of the acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. The San José-based company has become part of Infineon effective as of the closing.
Qorvo® Completes Acquisition of Custom MMIC
Qorvo Inc., Greensboro, N.C.
Today, Qorvo announced it has completed the acquisition of Custom MMIC, a privately held supplier of high performance GaAs and GaN MMICs, primarily for defense and space applications. Custom MMIC founder Paul Blount will be a director of engineering within Qorvo's infrastructure and defense segment.
Taoglas Acquires ThinkWireless
Taoglas has completed the acquisition of ThinkWireless Inc., an antenna provider specializing in the development and production of combination antenna systems for commercial vehicles.
More Articles Tagged with 'acquisition' | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1955 |
__label__wiki | 0.760561 | 0.760561 | Eric Holder captured: Family members of Nipsey’s alleged killer reportedly shot at or killed in retaliation
Tue Apr 02, 2019 at 5:13pm ET Tue Dec 15, 2020 at 5:13 pm EST
By Frank Yemi
Eric Holder has been named as a suspect in Nispey Hussle’s murder. Pic credit: Eric Holder/Instagram.
Nipsey Hussle’s alleged killer Eric ‘S**tty Cuz’ Holder has reportedly been captured by law enforcement. According to TMZ, a man matching Holder’s description has been held in the L.A. suburb of Bellflower.
I don’t know how true this is but I think they got Eric holder bitch ass in custody! pic.twitter.com/leWngydNZb
— Millionaire Murda💰 (@Murdaiish1) April 2, 2019
Nipsey’s alleged killer is currently being detained until his identification is confirmed. In addition, several unconfirmed reports claim that at least two family members of Eric Holder have been killed or shot at in relation for Nipsey Hussle’s murder.
The beloved rapper was a pillar of the Crenshaw, Los Angeles community. The 33-year-old actively employed locals in his impoverished neighborhood and requested a meeting with the LAPD to curb gang violence mere days before his death.
New Big Sean and Nipsey Hussle, Drake and Roddy Ricch songs leaked during Hit-Boy vs. Boi-1da Beat...
Don Hussle By @kodaklens
A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Mar 29, 2019 at 7:13pm PDT
Hip Hop media personality DJ Akademiks reported that Eric Holder’s family members have been shot at in an attempt to draw the alleged killer out of hiding.
Tariq Nasheed, a media personality and local LA resident, alleged that the alleged killer was a ‘snitch’ and may have committed other murders. Nasheed released a photo of what he claims is the crime scene of one of the accused’s family members.
According to #TariqNasheed who is a resident in LA and has gotten more inside information … #NipseyHussle killer #EricHolder was already identified by the community of Los Angeles long before law enforcement released his information… ALLEGEDLY.. the streets of Los Angles have been SEARCHING for this guy HEAVILY.
A post shared by SAVOY (@thesavoyshow) on Apr 1, 2019 at 11:06pm PDT
LAPD has reportedly put more uniforms on the street to curb any retaliatory violence in the wake of Nipsey Hussle’s brutal murder. As previously reported by Monsters and Critics, the 33-year-old rapper was shot dead in front of his clothing store.
The killing appears to be personal rather than gang-related. Nipsey Hussle is survived by his two children, Emani and Kross.
Frank Yemi
Frank Yemi covers breaking news, TV, and pop culture for Monsters & Critics. He has been a professional writer for more than eight years and... read more
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Tags Nipsey Hussle
New Big Sean and Nipsey Hussle, Drake and Roddy Ricch songs leaked... | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1956 |
__label__wiki | 0.84025 | 0.84025 | Riverdale co-stars Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse split up after dating three years
Mon May 25, 2020 at 4:43pm ET Mon May 25, 2020 at 4:43 pm EDT
By Matt Couden
Riverdale actors Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse have reportedly split up. Pic credit: ©ImageCollect.com/Carrie-nelson
Popular Riverdale actors Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse split up ahead of the coronavirus pandemic and are no longer seeing one another, according to the latest reports.
The news arrives after it had been previously hinted at by their Riverdale co-star’s girlfriend.
Lili Reinhart and Cole Sprouse split before lockdown
Cole Sprouse is known for his role as Jughead on The CW’s Riverdale, while Lili Reinhart portrays the character, Betty. In addition to their working relationship, the two had also been dating off screen for three years now. Fans referred to them as Bughead, a combination of their characters’ names.
However, the relationship may have run its course, based on the recent news.
The insider report comes from Page Six with an inside source indicating, “Cole and Lili split before the pandemic hit, and have been quarantining separately.” The insider added that the two “remain good friends” despite the split up.
The potential breakup was hinted at by Skeet Ulrich’s girlfriend, Megan Blake Irwin, during an Instagram Live Q&A session.
During that session, a person asked Skeet Ulrich and Irwin if they thought Sprouse and Reinhart were a cute couple.
Lili Reinhart comes out as bisexual, joins LGBTQ+ for Black Lives Matter Protest
Ulrich said, “I think they were a very cute couple,” to which Irwin added, “They were a very cute couple. They’re both beautiful people.”
Cheating allegations, breakup rumors previously hit the couple
Last month, Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart were at the center of previous rumors involving cheating. However, those were merely gossip, according to both individuals.
The cheating rumors occurred last April, as there was speculation that Sprouse was cheating with Cindy Crawford’s daughter, model Kaia Gerber.
However, he responded, letting everyone know that since he doesn’t update everyone on his private life, it’s allowed others to “push their own agenda onto my habits and lifestyle.”
Reinhart also addressed those rumors, insisting the photos of Sprouse and Gerber were old. In addition, she referred to the gossiping as a form of “bullying” and described it as “destructive” and “abusive.”
Back in July 2019, it was rumored that Sprouse and Reinhart had split up. However, Reinhart took to Twitter to clear up the rumors, telling everyone, “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet kids.”
This time around, it appears the Sprouse Cole and Lili Reinhart split up is official, but it seems to be based on the insider’s knowledge, they are keeping things friendly.
Matt Couden is a freelance writer for over 10 years. Matt enjoys publishing mostly about the things he loves — entertainment, sports news, and video... read more
Latest posts by Matt Couden (see all)
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Tags Cole Sprouse, Lili Reinhart
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Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa teases Jughead Jones death on Twitter and fans... | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1957 |
__label__cc | 0.666222 | 0.333778 | Big Brother 20 spoilers: Julie Chen takes viewers on a tour of the BB20 house
Thu Jun 21, 2018 at 1:29am ET Sat Jul 04, 2020 at 1:29 am EDT
By Shaunee Flowers
Julie Chen takes us on a tour of the Big Brother 20 house
Big Brother 20 is going to be a lot of fun this year and the touches added to the BB house will just make it that much better.
Big Brother spoilers have been few and far between even with the CBS hit set to premiere in less than a week, but on Wednesday host Julie Chen gave a tour of the inside of the house and all of the neat new features.
“This year the theme is technology, being playful and interactive,” Julie Chen said as the Big Brother house tour began.
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The first part of the BB house that we saw was a living room on a platform that moves. The sectional sofa, tables and everything else was built on a big circular platform that spins around to reveal a 23-foot high rock climbing wall where BB20 houseguests can work on their fitness and burn some energy.
Proving that Big Brother 20 will allow just as little privacy as the seasons before it, Julie also showed off two of the new bedrooms where houseguests will be sleeping.
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As seen in BB20 teaser photos, there will be a blue room and a pink room but they won’t always stay separated. The wall slides away between the pink and blue bedrooms, making one huge bedroom.
Big Brother pregnancy: Victor Arroyo reveals how far along Nicole Franzel is with their baby
There are actually three bedrooms. A smaller room with only three beds in it is called the “fidget spinner room” and has the trendy toys stuck all over the walls.
Next up on Julie Chen’s tour of the Big Brother 20 house is the dining room and kitchen area. There is a huge round table with place settings for 16 people plus a moving bar with three more seats.
In the kitchen, Julie made special mention of a huge gummy bear that sits on top of the refrigerator. She said that it would hold 18,120 gummy bears if someone wanted to put that many in there. Take note of that gummy bear because it will surely come up again later.
The super psychedelic kaleidoscope room has a lifesize pin wall for the Big Brother 20 cast to play with. The room itself is very colorful with kaleidoscope-type decorations and tons of pillows.
The kaleidoscope room in the Big Brother 20 house
Houseguests are getting a bigger bathroom this season. They have been blessed with four sinks instead of the standard two. That will come in handy, especially at the beginning of the Big Brother 20 season when the house is full.
Many aspects of social media have been incorporated into the design of the Big Brother 20 house including emoji pillows and “Snapchat filters” which are actually plexiglass frames with various masks or filters on them like the infamous Snapchat dog face and also a pirate.
The Big Brother 20 HoH room has been upgraded with a new look and some new hi-tech toys
The HoH room got an upgrade also. The color theme in the HoH room is red and grey but the tiles on the wall can change to any of a rainbow of colors.
The latest high-tech feature added to that special bedroom is surveillance cameras. In the past, those hiding out in the H0H room could only see who was outside their door. Now they can see what people are doing in all of the rooms but they can’t hear them.
The Big Brother 20 house looks very high tech but we don’t suppose they would stop with the furnishings. Stay tuned to see what other high tech surprises might be in store for the BB20 cast.
Big Brother 20 premieres on Wednesday, June 27 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Shaunee Flowers
Shaunee Flowers is an editor and a writer for Monsters & Critics. She primarily writes about reality TV and has watched it since the very... read more
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Big Brother: The Game coming soon, allows fans to be virtual houseguests | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1958 |
__label__cc | 0.641602 | 0.358398 | ANDREA CARLSON
Curatorial (2016)
(published for guest-edited special section of Transmotion Journal, University of Kent Vol 2, No 1&2, 2016)
Someone, somewhere, long ago decided to smear one substance on to a substrate, and talk about it. That is the tradition I come from: mucking with things and talking about it. Sometimes this practice is considered art making and it has value. In simple terms art making is the altering of physical materials and constructing verbal context around these configurations. It seems to me that art making as a profession is an extraordinary phenomenon, that over the years this amazing privilege has been pedestalized among many people groups all over the world. I am not a true believer in the institution of art, but my activities would suggest that I am an artist.
When I was asked to guest curate this issue of TRANSMOTION, I thought about myself as a context, as an artist…but also, living in what is now called North America, a cis-gendered woman of Anishinaabe descent, and this list goes on. But mostly, I identify with this strange field I’ve stumbled onto. As an artist, I occupy myself with studying materials, paying close attention to how materials react to one other. One might think that I discuss this material knowledge and the process of transforming or altering materials, but I favor instead the abstractions, metaphors and storytelling. Introducing the writings of others who have already included abstractions, metaphors and storytelling, I think it fitting to follow my false dichotomy and talk about physical materials, processes, environments and objects…of course, it is all storytelling in the end.
The surface texture of paper is often called its tooth. A rough or heavy tooth allows charcoal to cut against the surface and provides more area for the particulates to bind. Likewise, an inked brush will skate across the surface of smooth paper, but a deep tooth will offer enough resistance to make clean lines. Resistance is important. Resistance sculpts. Assimilation is antithetical to resistance, to “survivance” but even in our resistance we might find ourselves conforming to a larger, dominant framework. Resistance is near the outer edge of some greater formation and resistance is the skin of our cause. In “An open letter about the premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson in Minneapolis from Rhiana Yazzie” by Rhiana Yazzie, resistance to a performance is characterized as anti-free expression by racist playwrights who remain indignant under a self-righteous, ART-brazened banner. Here, Yazzie generously offers resistance to those who blindly lay claim to an “edgy” resistance themselves. These playwrights argue in favor of racist depictions, their cause is racism for the sake of racism…but they cry, “art!”
Back to teeth. When in the bush, my father sometimes chews dogwood in lieu of brushing his teeth. He claims bush wisdom, but my dad tends to make things up. I thought I’d check with my dentist, who supported the claim saying, “By all means, if you ever see dogwood growing in a ditch somewhere, go chew on it.” So, the jury is still out on that. My dentist also likes to make grand analogies between teeth and wood. Turns out our enamel is like hardwood, hard oaks and maples, but when worn off the tooth itself is more pithy, like softwoods. Coffee has a hard time staining the less porous enamel but stains the hell out of teeth when it’s gone. I’ve digressed. The GIFS by Pallas Erdrich are hypnotic in action. They visually chew with jagged frame jumps characteristic of gifs. Erdrich has a background in media production and is prolific in the art of gif making. These images offer up vignettes of daily intimate moments, some sleight-of-hand observations, some are rather funny. The low viscosity of the frame rate combined with the slight observations seems like antidotes, urban wisdom, charms and quick advice that requires further investigation.
When I was in school one of my professors confessed to a seemingly mystic belief about wood. He contended that dead trees or dried wood maintains a cellular memory of water and that by applying water to it the wood is reminded of being alive. He talked about old, dried wood twisting and moving after becoming wet. Hardwood floor refinishers have a term called “Water Popping” that involves applying water to unfinished hardwood. This causes the grain in the wood to bloom or splay out and become porous enough to accept new stain. Allan J. Ryan’s “Trickster Discourse in Narrative Chance: How Gerald Vizenor Helped Shape My Life in Academia” is a love letter or a confession of admiration presented in a timeline of Ryan’s career. Vizenor’s observed fluidity over a ridged plank, that of academia, creates an aliveness or an inspired space. Ryan charts and plots a careered interaction over the course of nearly thirty years, or time immemorial.
The act of carving in wood or stone is considered a subtractive form of sculpting. Additive and subtractive sculpting is analogous to positive and negative space in two-dimensional artwork. Although wood and stone can be jointed, glued or hinged together creating a continuous piece, it is the properties of clay that are valued for being versatile as both subtractive and additive forms for sculpture building. Wet clay adheres to itself and maintains its integrity as a unit until fired or let to dry. Text to the performance of “BLACKFISH” by Emily Johnson requires a slow and steady, methodical read. It is on the surface a story about a fish that nearly loses its form as a survival tactic and it is the first time that Emily Johnson’s work has ever made me cry. I heard it preformed on October 20, 2011 as part of a fundraiser event for the Indian Child Welfare Act Law Center in Minneapolis. The memory of it has stuck with me as additive in sculpture making terms.
Subtractive forms of sculpture-making is a difficult analogy. In “Honoring the Disappeared in the art of Lorena Wolffer, Rebecca Belmore, and the Walking With Our Sisters project,” Deborah Root helps us swallow our tears for a moment to discuss two artists who’ve used their platform of art making to admonish those willing to overlook the disappearance of and violence towards Native women in Mexico and Canada. Visual art is just that: visual. Inherent to visual art is its ability to make visible and place in our imaginations that which has been removed, disappeared or destroyed. Root’s essay on the work of Lorena Wolffer and Rebecca Belmore breaks the borders that have carved-up our continent to discuss the works of two artists addressing violence towards our bodies.
There are five works in this section. I call them works because it seems to be a broad enough term to be inclusive of each contribution. Consider these works abstract for a moment. Each one builds up a series of positions (or images), gradually unpacking and unfolding complex ideas. I am unable to reduce each of them to bite-sized summaries. This lies beyond my abilities, as I tend to over-estimate ideas that are new to me. I have ruminated on a delicate metaphor between the transformations described in the various contributions I have chosen for this issue of TRANSMOTION and the transformative aspects of sculpted physical materials. The five works included here by artists and writers have offered resistance and transformation, or they’ve shone a spotlight on the resistance of others, in the form of words and images. It is my understanding that this publication will exist in the world of pixels, temporary images that scroll across the smoking mirrors of tablets and screens. Please enjoy these contributions and spread them widely.
Andrea Carlson, November 2016 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1961 |
__label__wiki | 0.951927 | 0.951927 | Member of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination task force resigns after travel outside country
Inuit designers launch new line of parkas for Canada Goose
Canada Goose has launched a new collection of Inuit-made parkas.
The collection called Atigi 2.0 has 90 parkas made by 18 seamstresses who all live in Inuit Nunangat — Inuit regions of N.W.T., Nunavut, Quebec to Newfoundland and Labrador. Last year, Canada Goose launched project Atigi with 14 original parkas.
The parkas from Atigi 2.0 were shown publicly for the first time at a media launch in New York Thursday.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Stephanie Pitseolak, one of the designers who lives in Iqaluit. “I can’t believe my parka is there right now.”
New York isn’t the only international city her parka will be on display; next week it will be making its way to France where the collection will be on display at the Canada Goose store in Paris.
Pitseolak, who lives in Iqaluit, is one of 18 seamstresses who made parkas for Canada Goose’s Atigi 2.0 collection. (Travis Burke/CBC )
Pitseolak said the experience was exhausting. Canada Goose sends the seamstresses a box of materials to use for their designs. Things like fur, hollow fill insulation, zippers and Canada Goose commanders and patches with the logo. They had a month to make five identical parkas each in a different size.
Even Pitseolak was struggling. She said she couldn’t give up and felt like her late grandmother was guiding her while she sewed.
Lisa-Louie Ittukallak parka from Puvirnituq, Que. (Submitted by Canada Goose )
“I wanted people to know it’s possible, even if you’re very busy, even if you have kids, even if you’re working,” said Pitseolak.
“I’m glad I did it and I’m happy for myself.”
Emily Joanasie’s parka from Iqaluit. (Submitted by Canada Goose )
The parkas will be on sale at the Canada Goose website for $2,500 each. The proceeds will go to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), a national organization that advocates for the rights and interests of Inuit in Canada.
Canada Goose donated nearly $80,000 to ITK from the sales of last year’s Atigi parkas, according to ITK. Inuit land claims organizations for the four Inuit regions — Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Makivik Corporation, and Nunatsiavut Government each received $20,000.
Chelsey St. John’s parka from Arviat, Nunavut. (Submitted by Canada Goose )
“We have big plans and a big vision from project Atigi,” said Gavin Thompson, vice-president of corporate citizenship for Canada Goose. “We are literally just getting started.”
Thompson said they want to grow the project but wouldn’t reveal details of what that looks like.
“We are just so proud of this collection,” said Thompson. “We are excited to put it on our platforms so we can really showcase these designers and their parkas to the world.”
CANADA GOOSE INUIT DESIGNERS PARKAS
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Canada Goose slashes forecast as coronavirus eats into Chinese growth | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1962 |
__label__cc | 0.637093 | 0.362907 | 21st April 2020 21st April 2020 Mintfo
Trump offers PHL additional assistance to fight Covid-19
United States President Donald Trump has offered additional assistance to the Philippines in its fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) during a phone conversation with President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday.
“President Trump expressed his solidarity and offered additional assistance to the Philippines as it continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic. Both leaders agreed to continue working together as long-time allies to defeat the pandemic, save lives, and restore global economic strength,” the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement Tuesday.
During the call, Trump also expressed condolences for the death of 11 Philippine soldiers recently killed while fighting Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu.
The two leaders discussed how the Philippines and US can continue building upon its “strong and enduring economic, cultural, and security ties binding the two nations”.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, the US has committed a total of USD4-million in health assistance to the Philippine government.
The aid supports several efforts, including laboratory system preparedness, case-finding, and event-based surveillance, technical expert response and preparedness, risk communication, and infection prevention.
Recently, Washington also donated nearly 1,300 cots, originally intended for the Balikatan 2020 joint military exercise, for the patients and front-liners battling the deadly respiratory disease. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1968 |
__label__wiki | 0.626249 | 0.626249 | 30 Reasons Walking Is the Best Exercise
By Hristina Byrnes and John Harrington of 24/7 Tempo |
< PREVIOUS SLIDE SLIDE 1 of 31 NEXT SLIDE >
It’s easy to forget that walking is an aerobic activity. After all, more than 7 billion people do it every day. It’s low-impact, simple, natural, accessible, and has many health benefits. How can it possibly be an exercise, right?
The rule of thumb is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week. Breaking the numbers down, that’s 30 minutes five days a week. This sounds like a small price to pay if you want to significantly improve both your physical and mental health.
Not even a third of American adults exercise on a regular basis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just about 23% meet the federal guidelines for aerobic activity and strength training. But people in some places are less active than others -- these are laziest cities in America.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are the author's own and MSN does not endorse them in any way. Neither can MSN independently verify any claims made in the article. You should consult your physician before starting any weight loss or health management programme to determine if it is right for your needs.
© Kikovic / Getty Images
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__label__cc | 0.529426 | 0.470574 | » Sonny
iloveyoubutilovememore Mon 21-Oct-19 16:52:11
RPPs Mon 21-Oct-19 16:58:27
My nephew is called Sonni and he is the only kid with this name so he's memorable and popular.
DramaAlpaca Mon 21-Oct-19 17:01:49
I'm sorry, but I think it's awful.
SallyCinnamon3009 Mon 21-Oct-19 17:02:36
PoppiesarelethaltoSpellmans Mon 21-Oct-19 17:03:34
Absolutely not, unless you live in the deep south in 1950.
Disfordarkchocolate Mon 21-Oct-19 17:04:51
I love this name. I knew one once and he was a beautiful shining child. Great name.
OtraCosaMariposa Mon 21-Oct-19 17:05:55
Awful name. Although if you have a girl, you could use Daughtery.
"I love this name. I knew one once and he was a beautiful shining child. Great name"
I've never got this rationalisation. You'd hate the name if you knew an arsehole with it - you only like the name because of the person it's attached to.
IckleBear Mon 21-Oct-19 17:21:59
I like it, but I think better as a middle name.
RosaRi Mon 21-Oct-19 17:23:50
I really like it
RatherBeRiding Mon 21-Oct-19 17:24:23
Not for me - I know several Sonnys who are horses.
PlasticPatty Mon 21-Oct-19 17:25:45
Horrible. Disrespectful term from an older man to a younger.
Morado Mon 21-Oct-19 17:28:38
My friend has a boy named Sonny. I didn't like it at first but he suited it soooo much! Love it now ☺️
RuthW Mon 21-Oct-19 17:34:49
Awful for a grown man. Cute for an under 5
EmpressLesbianInChair Mon 21-Oct-19 17:43:39
It’s always going to be a little boy’s name.
BertrandRussell Mon 21-Oct-19 17:46:24
It’s like calling a child “Youngfellermelad”
Wolfiefan Mon 21-Oct-19 17:47:39
Sonny Jim.
No. Hate it.
MissHenty Mon 21-Oct-19 17:48:45
I think it’s a gorgeous name. Not wacky. Soft but manly. I think I’m biased because I know one who is a gorgeous little boy and really suits his name
Once you hear it a couple of times you don’t think of the “son” reference. It’s just a name in its own right
CoolcoolcoolcoolcoolNoDoubt Mon 21-Oct-19 17:52:21
Yeah I know a Sonny and I love it as a shortened version of his full name.
anyoldvic Mon 21-Oct-19 17:53:42
It's a nickname for a small boy, not a take-me-seriously name for a grown-up.
DisappointingBanana Mon 21-Oct-19 18:58:05
Awful. A traditional moniker for a young boy used by someone older; it could be affectionate or disparaging. It was never an actual name, though.
And it’d be ridiculous on a middle aged man.
Raphael34 Mon 21-Oct-19 18:59:33
I’ve got a sonny. I love it 🥰
mrspotatohed Mon 21-Oct-19 19:01:23
I'm having a girl but would've picked Sonny if she was a boy.
Shadow1234 Mon 21-Oct-19 19:41:17 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1974 |
__label__wiki | 0.965185 | 0.965185 | Jets' Latest South Carolina Connection
Randy Lange
NYJets.com Contributor
The Jets seem to have a home away from home in the Palmetto State.
South Carolina came onto the Green & White radar with their top two picks of the 2000 draft. Shaun Ellis went to Tennessee but he grew up in Anderson, SC, and John Abraham starred at the University of South Carolina.
More recently there've been Antonio Allen (USC) and Charone Peake (Clemson). Last year the Jets drafted T Brandon Shell in the fifth round ... out of South Carolina.
And now we present Javarius Leamon, an undrafted free-agent tackle out of South Carolina State. And with Leamon, the Jets' Palmetto family ties have been drawn even tighter.
Take Leamon's relationship with Ellis, who just happens to be a friend of the family.
"Shaun and John Abraham, I talked to both of them. They both played here," Leamon told me during the Jets' just-concluded rookie minicamp. "When I was 8 years old, I was a big kid. Shaun told me one day the Jets were going to pick me up. I didn't really know too much about it then, but it actually happened."
OK, Ellis got lucky with that one, since he was settling into his Jets home at the time.
But Leamon also knows Peake. "We're from like the same area," he said.
And Shell's kid brother, Virgil. "I went to school with him at SC State."
And fifth-round rookie TE Jordan Leggett from Clemson. "We train together in Pensacola."
That's quite a series of coincidences.
Jets fans wouldn't mind the serendipity, after seeing Brandon Shell looking comfortable as a late-season starter last year, of finding another contributing tackle from South Carolina. Leamon was in fact the only signed offensive lineman who started out in the minicamp. Two other O-linemen, tryouts Benjamin Braden and Chris Bordelon, were signed after the camp.
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Leamon has progressed from being a big kid into being a big young man at 6'7" and 325 pounds. He had a strong redshirt senior season for the Bulldogs, starting all 11 games, leading their O-line with 14 knockdowns, and being named to the STATS FCS All-American Team and to his second All-MEAC team.
"I feel good," he said in taking a locker room break from studying his new playbook. "It's just a mental thing right now, learning the plays.
"I'm just going day by day, trying to get better. It's just a good situation coming here."
No surprise. Leamon has found himself among family.
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After Taking a Leap in Year 2, Jets DT Remains on the Right Track | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1982 |
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How the Right Cloud Offering Saved this Food Distributor a Bundle
Faced with an end-of-life server and storage solution, this company avoided a $100k refresh investment by finding a cloud platform that supports its MultiValue database needs.
A successful California-based regional food distributor and restaurant supplier has a supply network spanning 17 states, with distribution centers in Temecula, Stockton, Fresno, Denver, and Dallas. The company has over 300 employees and has been in business since 1977.
“We’re a 24×7 operation, and our IT has to be able to keep up,” says the company’s IT director. “Our mission as a company is to develop solutions that exceed customers’ expectations, and IT plays a pivotal role in our ability to deliver on that mission.”
The distributor’s customers provide a high level of service to their vendors, and they depend on the food distributor to do the same. “Our ability to print labels and ship orders on time relies heavily on the availability of our technology and our data,” he says.
The company’s ERP runs everything from inventory control and warehouse management to finance and purchasing. From the moment a pick release is received from a customer to when the payloads within that release are translated into an order, the ERP system manages the whole process—often running several orders simultaneously. And with the web service tools at its disposal, the company can generate and receive orders in a variety of formats that seamlessly integrate with its customers’ business systems.
A Legacy System Reaches Its End of Life
The distributor’s server, storage and other IT infrastructure was long overdue for an upgrade, and the signs were evident. “The equipment was almost 10 years old and components were failing all the time,” recalls the IT director. “Each morning I wondered whether I was going to come in to work and find our server dead on arrival,” he adds.
The IT director and his coworkers knew they had to do something different because daily server maintenance was consuming most of their hours. “After pricing a new server and storage appliance, I was shocked at the cost. Just to get a single IBM Power Series 7 server with adequate storage was $100,000—not including installation services,” he says.
Initial Cloud Offerings Not A Fit
While some companies can save money by moving their IT infrastructure to the cloud, that option didn’t seem to be a fit for the distributor’s business model. “We met with a number of different cloud providers to design a virtual environment in a colocation center, but each offering was cost-prohibitive, and I didn’t feel any of the providers understood our business needs,” recalls the IT director. His suspicions were further confirmed after he explained that his company’s ERP system utilized a MultiValue database and the cloud provider couldn’t support their environment.
The MultiValue database is a system that incorporates the features of multi-dimensional and NoSQL databases to store information. Like the relational database model, MultiValue databases store data in tables. However, MultiValue databases use a less rigid schema than a relational database, and with MultiValue databases a single field can have a list of values. This means that one table cell (i.e., a field) can have several values unlike relational databases where each cell can have only one value.
“Some of the key benefits of MultiValue databases is that they consume less disk space, memory, and processing time than relational databases,” says the IT director. “Also, MultiValue applications can handle complex data structures, and they make it easier for desktop applications (and their components) to work together, which is exactly why we use it for our ERP system.”
At one point, the IT director was close to signing a contract with a colocation provider. “They would provide the space, HVAC services and wide area network connectivity, but I would have had to pay for and provide my own equipment,” he says. “On top of that, they weren’t forthright in sharing information, including what their redundant systems were like or what my bandwidth charges would be for data. That level of service was just inadequate for our business needs.”
Finally, A MultiValue Cloud Solution Emerges
While attending an IT trade show a few years ago, the company was introduced to cloud services provider NexusTek, which offers innovative software solutions that enable customers to preserve decades of investment in custom applications, including MultiValue databases, while embracing modern features associated with cloud computing.
“Unlike public cloud offerings, which often have limited application support, we can do backup and monitoring at the database level,” says John Bramley, director, MultiValue Practice at NexusTek. “Plus, we can support on-premise applications and infrastructure, or we can move some or all IT resources to an Azure environment. Another differentiator with a MultiValue platform is that it contains both the database and development environment. It’s much more efficient than running SQL and connecting to an external database. And the data in a MultiValue environment can be accessed easily across different interfaces via a RESTful API.”
After learning that NexusTek’s cloud platform was optimized for high-performance business applications, accounting systems and legacy ERP applications, and that it was more economical than buying and managing new equipment on-premise, the IT director was sold.
The Right Cloud Solution = Cost Savings and Better Availability
Today, the distributor’s ERP system and web services run in the NexusTek Cloud. Not only are daily system restarts and repairs a thing of the past, but the new solution offers significantly improved throughput and performance. “I love the pay-per-use model because we only pay for the storage we’re using, our spot in the data center, and a monthly support cost which is far less than the $100K server refresh cost we considered previously,” says the IT director.
In addition to the labor savings and cost savings of the NexusTek solution, improved availability is a significant bonus. “We have customers who can’t tolerate us being offline for more than four minutes,” he says. “When our old infrastructure experienced an outage that caused us to be offline for an extended period of time, it seriously compromised our relationship with our customers and endangered our business.
“With NexusTek, we no longer have to worry about downtime, and we can give our customers the SLAs they need to trust us and grow their business with us.”
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__label__wiki | 0.810742 | 0.810742 | Meet the 2018 Winners of the NFL's 1st and Future Start-Up Competition
Published: Mar 23, 2018 at 06:00 AM
Transformational Ideas
The day before Super Bowl LII, the NFL teamed up with Comcast NBCUniversal and Mayo Clinic to host the third annual 1st and Future start-up competition, designed to spur advancements in athlete safety and performance.
Showcased live at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, nine tech entrepreneur teams pitched a panel of expert judges on cutting-edge products, from energy-absorbing helmet liners to biometric tracking for sleep enhancement to single-surgery cartilage regeneration. Judges—including former NFL players, entrepreneurs and medical experts—drilled contestants about the potential impact of their inventions and future opportunities for growth in football and other sports.
NBC/Gerardo Mora/NBC Sports Group
See a Video of the 2018 1st and Future Competition here.
More than 100 start-ups submitted proposals, and nine finalists were chosen to compete in one of three categories: Advancements in Protective Equipment, Technology to Improve Athletic Performance, and New Therapies to Speed Recovery. The winner in each category received tickets to Super Bowl LII and $50,000 from the NFL, to support their innovations.
The Next Generation of Disruptive Sports Technology
This year's winning pitches shared a commitment to disruptive, accessible technology designed to positively impact athlete safety, training, and recovery.
"Some of the new technologies and products they're talking about really have the potential to change the game, reduce injury risk and improve recovery," said Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, a 1st and Future judge who serves as the Medical Director of Mayo Clinic Square, Sports Medicine Center in Minneapolis.
Winner – Advancements in Protective Equipment
Impressio (Denver, CO): The "Anti-Flubber"
Impressio was founded by University of Colorado Denver professor Chris Yakacki and University of Wyoming professor Carl Frick. Together, they explained the extensive research that went into the development of their proprietary liquid-crystal elastomer (LCE) materials. Yakacki said, "you need a fundamentally new material to make an impact in design and safety."
Yakacki calls the LCE foam the "anti-flubber." He said it offers a new alternative to traditional helmet foams without requiring a redesign of existing helmets. "We want to be disruptive and improve health," he said. "We also know this needs to be competitively priced."
Yakacki said he plans to get the helmet prototype created and tested within the next year, and he wants to expand the technology into implants to biomedical devices. In addition to grants his research received from the National Science Foundation and the US Army Research Office, the 1st and Future prize money and exposure will help Impressio make that next step.
"We're going to take full advantage of this newfound visibility," Yakacki told CNET.
Winner – New Therapies to Speed Recovery
RecoverX (Mountain View, CA): Getting Out of the "Ice Age"
RecoverX CEO Alex Aguiar and CTO Dan Evans emphasized the importance of reaching all athletes with effective new technology during his pitch for Element, a smartphone-controlled cold and heat therapy device.
"We're still stuck in the ice age. We are literally still putting ice on to treat our injuries," Aguiar said. "This is the next generation of player recovery. It's a tool for pro athletes, youth athletes, and weekend warriors."
Aguiar stressed Element can be used on a game sideline, at the gym, or on a plane. And, he said, at a price point of $200-300 it is cheaper than existing devices on the market.
Winner –Technology to Improve Athletic Performance
Curv.ai (Toronto, Ontario): "Democratizing Athlete Development"
The creators of Curv.ai prioritized accessibility in the consumer market as they developed the technology for their athlete development platform.
Curv.ai's Co-Founder and CEO Shea Balish told IEEE Spectrum he wants to supplant dedicated sports wearables with an app and web portal that "turns the camera on any mobile device into a diagnostic tool for human motion."
Curv.ai aims to harness the power of augmented reality by offering this tool. Athletes download an app—a free, basic version or a paid premium application—and dive into an array of available athletic assessments and injury screenings.
Balish emphasized that the platform would not only be a tool for pro athletes, but would also be geared toward the 24 million youth athletes in the U.S. "We want to democratize athlete development," he said during his pitch.
Read More About Last Year's 1st and Future Winners Here
Read more about the 2018 1st and Future panel discussion on the role of innovation in sports here
NFL 2020 1st and Future Winner, Protect3d, using 3D scanning and printing to help improve injury recovery
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NFL "1st and Future" Super Bowl Event Presented By Arrow Electronics Features New Crowdsourced Competition On Punt Play Rules | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1985 |
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__label__cc | 0.641184 | 0.358816 | Design in Nature [Audio]
Speaker(s): Professor Sarah Coakley, Professor John Cottingham, Professor John Worrall | The idea that nature displays an inherent purpose, and more generally the hand of a wise designer, may have suffered a blow from Darwinian science, but it seems not to have been a death-blow. Indeed, from both academic and popular wings of theist opinion there is still considerable interest in arguments from design. The classic arguments contended that the natural world is so complex and suited to our surviv
#16 Learn to Recognize Intervals by Sight and Sound of Pitch
Minor 2nd- Jaws Major 2nd- Happy Birthday Minor 3rd- O Holy Night Major 3rd- Oh When the Saints Perfect 4th- Wedding March Tri-tone- Maria (from West Side Story) or The Jetsons Theme Song Perfect 5th- Star Wars Minor 6th- Love Story or Close every Door to Me (from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) Major 6th- My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean Minor 7th- Star Trek Major 7th- Psycho Theme Perfect Octave- Some where over the Rainbow In this lesson, I explain how to find intervals by ear and
John Higgins on William Blake
On Thursday 22 October the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts (GIPCA) Great Texts Big Questions lecturer is John Higgins a highly respected Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Cape Town (UCT) who will discuss a lyric by William Blake "Never seek to tell thy love love that never told can be." Higgins will show how readings of a single poem can also serve to exemplify some of the main intellectual and analytic currents of the past forty years including
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E.L. Jones performs Othello
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Lunch Poems: Li-Young Lee
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Smithsonian Source: Transportation
This section is intended to supplement the curricula, textbooks, and materials you currently use for lessons that demonstrate the importance of travel and transportation in American life. The teacher-developed resources will enhance the classroom experience for both you and your students. You might start by viewing the short video, in which curators at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum discuss the achievements and legacy of Amelia Earhart.
Wisskomm Vodcast, 49. Woche 2007
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NASA KSNN How do you measure time?
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"They Teamed Up With The Police And The Klan:" Jack O'Dell On Red Baiting in the National Maritime U
When the CIO initiated Operation Dixie in 1946 to challenge racial discrimination and organize workers in the largely unorganized South, Jack O'Dell signed up as a volunteer organizer. He was met with a steep resistance to racial integration and a groundswell of Cold War anti-communism that crippled and then killed the CIO's will to radically alter the working conditions of the South. Nationwide, the CIO expelled unions it claimed were influenced by communists – amounting to nearly a million w
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"You Couldn't Escape the Anti- Communism:" Jack O'Dell Recalls Red-Baiting in the Civil Rights Movem
001 - 005 Corderius anglice-latine
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Scroll down and click on the astronomical object of your choice and start exploring the Universe...
Oobleck
Developed for first grade. Students will make a substance and use scientific observations, as well as their senses to classify Oobleck and its ingredients as solid, liquid, or gas. Students will notice that Oobleck bounces and is very tangible, but also very gooey and slimy all at the same time. Students will be amazed how Oobleck can fit so many different categories. Students will love playing with Oobleck after taking pride in making it! Biology In Elementary Schools is a Saint Michael's Coll
Time-lapse photos or video show progressions from the start of an event to the end of the event. These time-lapse photos illustrate the growth of a single Venus fly trap. Biological processes require time.
Author(s): Paul Lenz
Defrag: Windows To Go License, Setting Windows 8 Modern DPI, VC++ redists, Undocking laptops and mor
Microsoft tech troubleshooter extraordinaire Gov Maharaj and I help walk you through troubleshooting solutions to your tech support problems. If you have a problem you want to send us, you can use the Problem Step Recorder in Windows 7 (see this for details on how) and send us the zip file to DefragShow@microsoft.com. We will also be checking comments fo
Author(s): Greg Duncan, Larry Larsen
As you expect from the course title, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Management 310 examines the entrepreneurial process. We will focus on business start-up but will also address "intrapreneurship" as well as the expectations and behavior of large established firms as they deal with entrepreneurs. We will address the process of creativity and innovation and its impact on the success of business start-up. A presentation of the organization and operation of small enterprises in services, retailin
Entrepreneurship and Leadership
Entrepreneurship is part of the American dream. According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, the best hope for stabilizing and diversifying Appalachia's economy lies in the creation and expansion of businesses that provide jobs, build local wealth, and contribute broadly to economic and community development. The need to expand and support entrepreneurial activity as a means for revitalizing Appalachian communities led to the creation of Berea College's Entrepreneurship for the Public Good
Entrepreneurship as New Venture Creation
Managers tend to be mainly concerned with the accumulation of resource. In contrast, entrepreneurs are concerned with the relentless pursuit of opportunities. Learning to identify and act on new opportunities is the primary objective of this course. This of particular importance in the period prior to 2001 when rapid start-up of new ventures whose business model revolved around capturing more of an industry value chain through the use of internet and similar information technologies. Learning to | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1997 |
__label__cc | 0.704507 | 0.295493 | Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Walter Link: Buddhist Leadership in Business & Social Movements
Buddhist Leadership in Business, Social Movements and Public Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Explore the integration of inner and outer aspects of Buddhist View and Practice with hands-on leadership in the world of business, civil society and public service. With Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne(hailed as Gandhi of Sri Lanka) and Walter Link who have worked on this challenge for a combined 80+ years in organizations around the wor
Money talks: How have markets been reacting to Merkel’s tentative victory?
Adam Roberts, our European business correspondent, analyses how German companies have reacted to the return of the far-right in German politics. Also, will London ban the ride-sharing company Uber and we get excited about some boring-sounding new rules for finance, MiFiD II. Simon Long hosts.
Bobbins N140034
STOTT PARK BOBBIN MILL, Cumbria. Bobbins awaiting waxing. Cotton reels.
How and why we do mathematical proofs
This is a module framework. It can be viewed online or downloaded as a zip file. As taught in Autumn Semester 2009/10 The aim of this short unit is to motivate students to understand why we might want to do proofs (why proofs are important and how they can help us) and to help students with some of the relatively routine aspects of doing proofs. In particular, the student will learn the following: * proofs can help you to really see why a result is true; * problems that are easy to state
Author(s): Feinstein Joel F. Dr
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Amvid of Malaysian plane crash in Ukraine
Amateur video shows smoke from a Malaysian passenger plane that crashed in eastern Ukraine, killing 295 people onboard including 23 U.S. citizens. Deborah Gembara reports. Subscribe: http://smarturl.it/reuterssubscribe More Breaking News: http://smarturl.it/BreakingNews Reuters tells the world's stories like no one else. As the largest international multimedia news provider, Reuters provides coverage around the globe and across topics including business, financial, national, and international
Virtual Maths - 2D Shapes, triangle
Interactive simulation demonstrating calculation of area of a triangle
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/
Enjoy your Spoonfuls?
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04 - Langage et représentation spatiale chez des locuteurs avec et sans agrammatisme : analyse ...
Journée d’étude : "Cerveau et Langage", présentée par Jacques FRANCOIS (Université de Caen)
et Jean-Luc NESPOULOUS (Toulouse 2 & I.U.F.)
Date : le jeudi 11 décembre 2014, de 9 h à 18 heures,
Journée scientifique du CRISCO (E.A. 4255)
Campus 1 - Bâtiment B - Amphi HUET
Université de Caen Basse-Normandie
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21F.315 Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Contemporary French Society (MIT)
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Author(s): Levet, Sabine
RMIT Journalism Symposium - Fact or Fiction - Does anybody care
In this symposium, working journalists and editors debate the changing nature of journalism and the challenges for media operators and teachers at a time of disruption – not just of the business models but also of the Western media culture that developed and dominated in the 20th century. Objective, independent journalism remains the goal – but is it still possible in a time of such change? Panel members include: Helen Trinca - Managing Editor, The Australian Misha Ketchell - Managing Edito
MAS.961 Ambient Intelligence (MIT)
This course will provide an overview of a new vision for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in which people are surrounded by intelligent and intuitive interfaces embedded in the everyday objects around them. It will focus on understanding enabling technologies and studying applications and experiments, and, to a lesser extent, it will address the socio-cultural impact. Students will read and discuss the most relevant articles in related areas: smart environments, smart networked objects, augmente
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Evaluation of 'Business Enterprise' Module
This report outlines a process of evaluation for a business enterprise module. This exploratory research investigates the impact of 'contextual' based evaluation of enterprise education curricula | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line1999 |
__label__wiki | 0.977993 | 0.977993 | Duckworth: Block Supreme Court Pick Who Thinks 'My Daughters Shouldn't Even Exist' Drawing from her own experience, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., says she fears Judge Amy Coney Barrett would oppose reproductive health techniques, including in vitro fertilization.
Duckworth: Block Supreme Court Pick Who Thinks 'My Daughters Shouldn't Even Exist'
October 6, 20204:02 PM ET
Sarah McCammon
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, meets with legislators last week on Capitol Hill. Greg Nash/Pool via AP hide caption
Greg Nash/Pool via AP
Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, meets with legislators last week on Capitol Hill.
A Democratic U.S. senator who has spoken openly about motherhood and giving birth at age 50 is asking her Republican colleagues to reconsider their support for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in light of the judge's ties to an organization that has publicly opposed some types of fertility treatments.
In a letter to her colleagues, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois describes the role of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, in helping her conceive her two daughters, now 5 and 2. In 2018, Duckworth famously brought her newborn daughter, Maile, on the Senate floor after lobbying for a rules change.
Tammy Duckworth Brings Her Newborn To Senate Floor After Rule Change
In the letter, Duckworth describes Barrett as someone who "appears to believe that my daughters shouldn't even exist" and says, "I write to each of you today, and especially to my Republican colleagues who cooed and cuddled Maile when she first visited the Capitol, in hopes that you will fully consider the very real impact your vote on this unprecedented nomination could have on those Americans hoping to start families of their own."
The letter comes in response to reports that first appeared last week in The Guardian that Barrett and her husband, Jesse, had signed an ad in 2006 in the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune from an organization known then as St. Joseph County Right to Life.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, is asking Republicans to reconsider support for Barrett after this 2006 newspaper ad from an anti-abortion-rights group surfaced with Barrett's name attached. South Bend (Ind.) Tribune hide caption
South Bend (Ind.) Tribune
Barrett's name on this 2006 newspaper ad opposing Roe v. Wade has drawn criticism from abortion-rights advocates who fear that if confirmed to the high court she'd vote to overturn precedent guaranteeing abortion rights. South Bend (Ind.) Tribune hide caption
That ad called for putting "an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade" – the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It urged readers to "defend the right to life from fertilization to natural death."
The group, now part of an organization called Right to Life Michiana, is based in South Bend, where Barrett has worked as a law professor at Notre Dame University. In an interview with The Guardian, Executive Director Jackie Appleman said her organization supports criminal penalties for doctors who perform abortion, and for doctors who discard embryos as part of IVF treatments.
"Whether embryos are implanted in the woman and then selectively reduced or it's done in a petri dish and then discarded, you're still ending a new human life at that point and we do oppose that," Appleman told The Guardian.
She added that "at this point we are not supportive of criminalizing the women."
A Look At Amy Coney Barrett's Record On Abortion Rights
Reached by phone by NPR, Appleman declined to comment but pointed to a National Review article in which officials from Right to Life Michiana say that Barrett and other signers of the letter may not have been aware of the full content of the ad before it was published. The appearance of Barrett's name in the ad has drawn criticism from abortion-rights advocates who warn that, if confirmed, she'd likely vote to overturn Supreme Court precedent guaranteeing abortion rights.
But Duckworth's warnings to her colleagues go further. In an interview with NPR, Duckworth said she hopes Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will bring up the implications of Barrett's views for fertility treatments and other types of reproductive health care, including contraception, during her upcoming confirmation hearings.
Duckworth said she wants her Republican colleagues to understand fully the implications of their vote.
"I think many people don't realize that these positions where life begins at the fertilization of an egg would actually rule out IVF," she said.
Barrett's defenders have pointed to comments she made during her 2017 confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her position as a federal appeals court judge in which she said that the law, not her personal views, would dictate how she rules in cases.
Supreme Court confirmation
anti-abortion rights movement
Tammy Duckworth | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2001 |
__label__wiki | 0.937921 | 0.937921 | Cello In A Box: In This Case, Smaller Is Better What to do when you want to take your cello with you, but you haven't got the space? Ernest Nussbaum has the answer: Prakticello. His streamlined practice instruments fold up into a surprisingly small, portable box.
Cello In A Box: In This Case, Smaller Is Better
Cello In A Box: In This Case, Smaller Is Better 4:35
July 8, 20102:00 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
Andrea Hsu
Hear The Prakticello
Ernest Nussbaum has been building practice cellos since the early 1980s. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption
Andrea Hsu/NPR
Ernest Nussbaum has been building practice cellos since the early 1980s.
Janet Frank of the National Symphony Orchestra and Sheri Greening of the Lake Charles Symphony demonstrate the Prakticello.
Frank: Bach Cello Suite No. 1, Prelude (excerpt)
Greening: Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet' (excerpt)
Three decades ago, Ernest Nussbaum had an idea: What if you had a cello that you could take apart, pack into a small box and take on vacation?
That was the beginning of the "Prakticello," an instrument Nussbaum, now 82, still makes in his Bethesda, Md., garage.
An amateur cellist and a civil engineer by training, Nussbaum began in the early 1980s with his own regular cello; he placed it on brown packing paper and traced out the areas that actually touch the body.
From there, he designed two wooden boards that rest against the chest and knees, and then a long, rectangular frame to serve as the instrument's body. He found he could source the neck, fingerboard, tailpiece, bridge and strings from suppliers and adapt them as necessary.
Assembled, the Prakticello looks like something Picasso would have painted in his Cubist period. All of the pieces fit inside the body, which measures just 30 inches long. It's tiny when compared to a regular cello, and small enough to put in the overhead compartment of most planes.
Nussbaum says he's not the first to make such a thing, but that he may be the one who has stuck with it the longest. Currently, Yamaha offers an electric practice cello.
Nussbaum's Prakticello sounds quieter and thinner than a regular cello. There's no sound post, and no real body for the sound to resonate through, but it's quite audible.
"People are usually pleased at the tone quality," Nussbaum says, "because they expect it to sound horrible, and they find it doesn't sound horrible, so that's good."
While it's not something she would play in public, National Symphony Orchestra cellist Janet Frank says it's great for practicing.
"You can learn a piece of music. You can practice scales. You can practice arpeggios. You can do everything you need to do when you're practicing the cello," Frank says, adding that it's been especially useful on international trips, when she is often without access to her regular cello for one or two days at a time.
Since the early 1980s, Nussbaum has sold about 450 Prakticellos to amateurs and professionals. Other buyers include Joel Krosnick of the Juilliard String Quartet and Yo-Yo Ma.
Ernest Nussbaum in his garage workshop in Bethesda, Md. Andrea Hsu/NPR hide caption
Two years ago, Sheri Greening of Louisiana's Lake Charles Symphony discovered Nussbaum's website after doing an Internet search for "travel cello." This spring, she took her Prakticello on a snorkeling trip to Honduras.
"I took this thing down to this little hut on stilts, and I practiced every afternoon. I probably played about three hours a day," says Greening, who had a wedding to prepare for.
Nussbaum says he pours about 40 hours of labor into each instrument. He makes three at a time. Nowadays, they sell for $1,275; the materials alone cost nearly half that.
"It's an up-and-down business," Nussbaum says. "For two months, I'll hear from nobody and go around moaning and groaning that the business has come to an end. Then I'll get three orders within a week or 10 days."
Nussbaum says it's plenty to keep him busy, but not so busy that he can't pursue his main hobby: playing chamber music on his regular cello with friends.
Prakticello Website | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2002 |
__label__wiki | 0.953673 | 0.953673 | Home Cricket World Cup 2019 11 World Cups, 406 matches, 5 champion nations, 165 hundreds and much more: The...
SportsCricketWorld Cup 2019
Updated: 8 June, 2019
11 World Cups, 406 matches, 5 champion nations, 165 hundreds and much more: The World Cups in numbers
With World Cup about to start so let's talk about the numbers associated with it.
Ritesh
“Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.” This might be true in some aspects but not in all. With World Cup about to start, let’s talk about the numbers associated with it.
11 World Cups, 406 matches, 5 champion nations, 165 hundreds and numerous other records, so why not look into the numbers game?
Australia – The Greatest Cricket Team in World Cup
Talking about the champions, the greatest of all, Australia won 5 World Cups in 5 different continents (1987 Asia, 1999 Europe, 2003 Africa, 2007 North America, 2015 Australasia ), the only team to do so. Australia also the first team to win 3 consecutive titles (1999, 2003 & 2007). The first time champions West Indies (1975 & 1979) won it twice so as India (1983 & 2011). Pakistan (1992) and Sri Lanka (1996) are the only other teams to win it.
List of ODI World Cups
Year Matches Winner
1975 15 West Indies
1983 27 India
1987 27 Australia
1992 39 Pakistan
1996 38 Sri Lanka
Sachin Tendulkar – 6 World Cups and making most of them
Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar dominates the batting records in World Cup. He has scored more runs (2278), most hundreds (6), most fifties (15), most boundaries (268), most runs in a single edition (673 in 2003) and most Man of the Match awards (9). Sangakkara has the most centuries in a single edition (4 in 2015). Kevin O’Brien of Ireland holds the record for the fastest World Cup hundred (off 50 balls against England, 2011). The highest score in an innings is scored by Martin Guptill (237* against West Indies, 2015).
Top 10 batsman with most runs in World Cup
Player Country Mat Inns NO HS Runs 100s 50s Avg S/R
Tendulkar, S R India 45 44 4 152 2278 6 15 56.95 88.98
Ponting, R T Australia 46 42 4 140* 1743 5 6 45.87 79.95
Sangakkara, K C Sri Lanka 37 35 8 124 1532 5 7 56.74 86.55
Lara, B C West Indies 34 33 4 116 1225 2 7 42.24 86.27
de Villiers, A B South Africa 23 22 3 162* 1207 4 6 63.53 117.30
Jayasuriya, S T Sri Lanka 38 37 3 120 1165 3 6 34.26 90.66
Kallis, J H South Africa 36 32 7 128* 1148 1 9 45.92 74.40
Dilshan, T M Sri Lanka 27 25 4 161* 1112 4 4 52.95 92.98
Jayawardene, D P M D Sri Lanka 40 34 3 115* 1100 4 5 35.48 85.94
Gilchrist, A C Australia 31 31 1 149 1085 1 8 36.17 98.01
Glenn McGrath – 7 for 15 against Namibia, 2003
Just like Tendulkar, Australian Legend Glenn McGrath outscores everyone in the bowling department. He has taken most wickets (71), most 5 wickets haul (2) along with Afridi, most wickets in a single edition (26 in 2007) and best bowling performance (7 for 15 against Namibia, 2003).
Top 10 bowlers with most wickets in World Cup
Player Country Matches Overs Mdns Runs Wkts Avg Best 5w
McGrath, G D Australia 39 325.5 42 1292 71 18.20 7/15 2
Muralitharan, M Sri Lanka 40 343.3 15 1335 68 19.63 4/19 0
Wasim Akram Pakistan 38 324.3 17 1311 55 23.84 5/28 1
Vaas, W P U J C Sri Lanka 31 261.4 39 1040 49 21.22 6/25 1
Khan, Z India 23 198.5 12 890 44 20.23 4/42 0
Srinath, J India 34 283.2 21 1224 44 27.82 4/30 0
Malinga, S L Sri Lanka 22 170.4 7 908 43 21.12 6/38 1
Donald, A A South Africa 25 218.5 14 913 38 24.03 4/17 0
Oram, J D P New Zealand 23 182.2 21 768 36 21.33 4/39 0
A miscalculation by Shaun Pollock cost South Africa a place in Super Sixes in 2003 World Cup by 1 run
There are only 4 tied matches played in World Cup history. The first and probably the most famous tied match of ODI history was played between Australia and South Africa in World Cup semi-final, 1999 at Edgbaston. The tie eventually helped Australia to reach the finals of the 1999 World Cup and from there Australia’s domination in World Cups started. The second tied game also involved South Africa (against Sri Lanka in 2003) and it was another set back for them as they couldn’t qualify for the Super Six. A miscalculation in Duckworth-Lewis and their hope of winning the World Cup at home was destroyed. The other two tied matches were played in 2007 and 2011 respectively.
Tied Matches
Match Ground
1999 Australia v. South Africa Edgbaston
2003 South Africa v. Sri Lanka Kingsmead
2007 Ireland v. Zimbabwe Sabina Park
2011 India v. England M Chinnaswamy Stadium
Some miscellaneous stats related to the World Cup are as follows.
Mohinder Amarnath (1983), Arvinda de Silva (1996) and Shane Warne (1999) are the only players to win the man of the match awards in both semi-final and final of a World Cup.
Adam Gilchrist is the only player to score 50+ score in 3 World Cup finals. He scored 54 against Pakistan at Lord’s in 1999, 57 against India at Johannesburg in 2003 and 149 against Sri Lanka at Bridgetown in 2007.
Kapil Dev (24) is the youngest captain to lift the World Cup while Imran Khan (39) is the oldest.
Sangakkara (54) holds the record for most dismissals in World Cups. Gilchrist (45) has most catches while Sangakkara (13) has most stumpings.
Though Tendulkar and Miandad appeared in 6 World Cups, Ponting (46) holds the record of most matches played in World Cups. He also took 28 catches in all World Cups which is the most for any fielder.
Only two matches were won by 1 run and both the time Australia and India were involved. Australia first beat India in 1987 by a run and then again in 1992 they beat India by 1 run.
World Cup in 1992 is the only edition in which no bowler took 5 fer.
Arjuna Ranatunga (969) has scored most runs without scoring a century in World Cups.
2019 Cricket World Cup
cwc2019
india pakistan cricket
Cricket enthusiast, Tendulkar fan and a traveler ! | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2005 |
__label__wiki | 0.612984 | 0.612984 | This website uses technical and assimilated cookies as well as user-profiling third party cookies in a grouped format to simplify online navigation and to protect the use of services. To find out more or to refuse consent to the use of one or any of the cookies, click here. Closing this banner, browsing this page or clicking on anything will be taken as consent to the use of cookies.
Sovereign Order of Malta
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
About the Order of Malta
Upholding human dignity and caring for people in need
The Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the oldest institutions of Western and Christian civilisation.
Members & Structure
Knights of Malta
National Institutions
Constitutional Charter and Code
Spiritual commitment
Our Lady of Philermos
Nuns of the Order
Saints and Blessed
Lieutenant of the Grand Master
Fra' Marco Luzzago
The Lieutenant of the Grand Master is elected for a term of one year. According to the Constitution, as the religious Superior and Sovereign, he must fully dedicate himself to the development of the works of the Order and to set an example of living by Christian principles, to all the members of the Order.
Sovereign Council
Flags & Emblems
Seats of the Order of Malta
Magistral Palace
Magistral Villa
Magistral Archives and Library
Humanitarian & Medical Works
Hospitaller mission
Humanitarian, medical & social assistance
The Order of Malta is permanently present with medical, social and humanitarian projects in most countries in the world.
Aid for refugees
Disaster relief & prevention
Diseases & epidemics
Malteser International
The Global Fund for Forgotten People
Bethlehem’s Hospital
Youth for Lebanon
Diplomatic Activities
Linking diplomacy with aid
The diplomatic relations which the Sovereign Order of Malta enjoys exist to facilitate its humanitarian activities.
Multilateral relations
Speech of Lieutenant of the Grand Master H.E. Fra’ Marco Luzzago to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Sovereign Order of Malta
Latest interventions
Grand Master News
Order of Malta Activity Report 2019
Order of Malta Publications
Mimic Orders
1048 to the present day
Over 900 years of history
The birth of the Order of St. John dates back to around 1048.
The Grand Masters
Ancient Langues of the Order
Names of the Order
1113 Papal Recognition
Orders of St John
Constitution and Code
Lieutenant of Grand Master
Institutional appointments
Clarification Mimic Orders
: Speech of Lieutenant of the Grand Master H.E. Fra’ Marco Luzzago to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Sovereign Order of Malta
: Credentials presented by Colombia, Nicaragua, Estonia, European Union
: Earthquake in Croatia – Order of Malta sends aid and raises funds
: The Lieutenant of the Grand Master writes to Pope Francis on World Peace Day
: The First Baby of Christmas in Bethlehem 2020
: Christmas message of the Lieutenant of Grand Master
: Order of Malta in Germany to the starting blocks for the vaccination campaign against Covid-19
: Credentials presented by Kazakhstan
: Fra’ Marco Luzzago receives Italian Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani
: Silvano Maria Tomasi Created Cardinal
First-Aid at school in Albania
Rome, 23/04/2013
The first year of the project for teaching high-school pupils first-aid techniques ended on a high note. Organized by the Order of Malta’s volunteer corps in Albania, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, the project was implemented in four stages.
During the first stage – from May to November 2012 – 280 pupils from 15 upper secondary schools in Lezha and Scutari participated in a training course. The pupils were taught first-aid rules such as preventing accidents and avoiding errors that could have serious consequences, as in the case of traumatic events, if not suitably treated.
In the second stage – between January and March 2013 – ten pupils were chosen to participate in a specific training pathway with the aim of creating knowledge multipliers in every school. During the third stage this team of multipliers gave first-aid courses to new students in their schools.
Finally, the fourth stage involved a competition between the 15 participating schools in the presence of teachers and pupils and of the Order of Malta’s volunteers in Albania. The students’ answers were judged by a jury of nurses and volunteers specialised in first-aid training.
The winning schools received prizes of teaching aids, including portable computers and projectors to be used for the new training programmes. There was unanimous appreciation for this initiative, to be repeated over the next two years.
Credentials presented by Colombia, Nicaragua, Estonia, European Union
Earthquake in Croatia – Order of Malta sends aid and raises funds
The Lieutenant of the Grand Master writes to Pope Francis on World Peace Day
The First Baby of Christmas in Bethlehem 2020
Saints & Blessed
Grand Chancellor
Grand Hospitaller
Receiver of the Common Treasure
Order Pro Merito Melitensi
Magistral Library
1048 to present day
Magistral Palace, Via Condotti, 68 Rome - Italy
Tel. +39.06.67581.1 | [email protected]
For information on the activities of the Order of Malta in individual countries and how to participate:
Europe | Africa | America | Asia | Oceania
For information on history and bibliography pertaining to the Order of Malta: Magistral Archives and Library [email protected]
For information on the Order of Malta’s stamps & coins: Magistral Post Office | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2006 |
__label__wiki | 0.740486 | 0.740486 | OVID.tv, your new destination for streaming documentaries, art-house and independent films.
Browse Search All films Blog Coming Soon Start Free Trial Sign in
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Dirty Business
Climate Change • 56m
Directed by Peter Bull • Documentary • 2011 • 90 minutes
In the digital age, half of our electricity still comes from coal. DIRTY BUSINESS reveals the true social and environmental costs of coal power and tells the stories of innovators who are pointing the way to a renewable energy future.
Guided by Rolling Stone reporter Jeff Goodell, the film examines what it means to remain dependent on a 19th century technology that is the largest single source of greenhouse gases. Can coal really be made clean? Can renewables be produced on a scale large enough to replace coal? The film seeks answers in a series of stories shot in China, Saskatchewan, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada and New York.
Up Next in Climate Change
Groundswell Rising
Directed by Renard Cohen • Documentary • 2014 • 70 minutes
GROUNDSWELL RISING gives voice to ordinary folks engaged in a David and Goliath struggle against Big Oil and Gas. We meet parents, scientists, doctors, farmers and individuals across the political spectrum decrying the energy extraction ...
H2Omx
Directed by Jose Cohen • Documentary • 2013 • 82 minutes
Built on a basin surrounded by mountains and with little drainage, Mexico City is facing a water crisis driven by geography, population, and history. With a growing population, a depleted aquifer, and 40 percent of the water being brought ...
Keepers of the Future
Directed by Avi Lewis • Documentary • 2018 • 24 minutes
In a fertile floodplain in El Salvador, where the great river meets the sea, a peasant movement puts down roots — growing resilience in the scorched earth of exile and civil war. But soon these farmers and fishing folk discover new challeng...
Who We Are Coming Soon metafilm (blog) Press Gift Subscriptions Help Terms Privacy Cookies Sign in | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2013 |
__label__cc | 0.748941 | 0.251059 | Genome sequence analysis of 91 Salmonella Enteritidis isolates from mice caught on poultry farms in the mid 1990s.
A total of 91 draft genome sequences were used to analyze isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis obtained from feral mice caught on poultry farms in Pennsylvania. One objective was to find mutations disrupting open reading frames (ORFs) and another was to determine if ORF-disruptive mutations were present in isolates obtained from other sources. A total of 83 mice were obtained between 1995-1998. Isolates separated into two genomic clades and 12 subgroups due to 742 mutations. Nineteen ORF-disruptive mutations were found, and in addition, bigA had exceptional heterogeneity requiring additional evaluation. The TRAMS algorithm detected only 6 ORF disruptions. The…
Whole-genome sequencing reveals recent and frequent genetic recombination between clonal lineages of Cryphonectria parasitica in western Europe.
Changes in the mode of reproduction are frequently observed in invasive fungal populations. The ascomycete Cryphonectria parasitica, which causes Chestnut Blight, was introduced to Europe from North America and Asia in the 20th century. Previous genotyping studies based on ten microsatellite markers have identified several clonal lineages which have spread throughout western Europe, suggesting that asexuality was the main reproductive mode of this species during colonization, although occasional sexual reproduction is not excluded. Based on the whole-genome sequences alignment of 46 C. parasitica isolates from France, North America and Asia, genealogy and population structure analyses mostly confirmed these lineages as…
An African Salmonella Typhimurium ST313 sublineage with extensive drug-resistance and signatures of host adaptation.
Bloodstream infections by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium constitute a major health burden in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These invasive non-typhoidal (iNTS) infections are dominated by isolates of the antibiotic resistance-associated sequence type (ST) 313. Here, we report emergence of ST313 sublineage II.1 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sublineage II.1 exhibits extensive drug resistance, involving a combination of multidrug resistance, extended spectrum ß-lactamase production and azithromycin resistance. ST313 lineage II.1 isolates harbour an IncHI2 plasmid we name pSTm-ST313-II.1, with one isolate also exhibiting decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility. Whole genome sequencing reveals that ST313 II.1 isolates have accumulated genetic signatures potentially associated with… | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2015 |
__label__wiki | 0.871397 | 0.871397 | Fuerza Bruta Information
Show Quick Facts
Fuerza Bruta isn't your typical night out Off-Broadway! Get ready for a powerful play with no words, and no seats!
The entire show takes place above the standing crowd, who are free to mingle with the rest of the audience as they watch the story play out.
Stay afterwards to meet the cast, and for the techno dance party at the end! Watch out though, things can get wet if you're front and center.
Daryl Roth Theater
Fuerza Bruta Reviews
*Some images shown above are not actual photos from the show, but category representations. Visit the show's web site for actual photos.
A show like no other! Get ready for a sensory overload!
Check out a similar show! We suggest
Features: Find a babysitter and head out with the grownups tonight to see Fuerza Bruta at the Daryl Roth Theater. Get your Fuerza Bruta tickets today to see one of the most exciting and invigorating Off-Broadway shows in New York City!
Why We Go: Fuerza Bruta is an engaging, 360 degree experience, no stage necessary! This show is quickly becoming one of the best things to do in New York City, as it's not just a play, and not really a club, but a little of both.
Up in the Air: Look up! Fuerza Bruta takes place entirely in the air around and above the crowd as the guests watch from below. You'll be standing the entire time, free to mingle among the crowd, but the show will still keep you fully engaged with loud noises, special effects and darkness off and on.
No Words Necessary: Nobody in this show says a word from beginning to end. The atmosphere in this theatre is more like a nightclub than a night at the theatre, as the performers use music, dance, acrobatics and aerial imagery to set the stage and tell the story. Despite the lack of lines though, the show evokes a wide range of emotions including desperation, triumph and joy.
Running Plot: Even though there's no script, there's still a story to be told, which includes a guy in a suit facing all these obstacles that are being thrown at him, quite literally. Watch him conquer harsh wind, flying objects and gunfire, as he is either chasing something or being chased. The theme is quite open to interpretation.
Inside Knowledge: While there is no nudity in Fuerza Bruta, this is not one of the best Off-Broadway shows in NYC for kids. There are loud noises, gun shots and plenty of fake blood, dark spells and even fog in the theatre. The show is recommended for kids in their teens or older, but there is no set age limit.
Do Get Your Tickets Online: Fuerza Bruta tickets are in high demand many nights of the week, as this is quickly becoming one of the most popular Off-Broadway shows. Get your tickets ahead of time, because you're definitely going to want to be here.
Do Meet the Cast: After the show, the cast comes out to mingle with the audience. Many of them are dripping wet after the performance, and don't mind hugging, dancing or shouting with anyone who will partake.
Don't Expect a Dull Night: This is one of the most powerful Off-Broadway shows playing in New York right now. This is no ordinary night at the theatre, so expect a sensory overload - sight, sound and motion!
Don't Take a Seat: The crowd stands for the entire performance as the show takes place above and around you. Come prepared to stand for an hour.
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__label__wiki | 0.92802 | 0.92802 | Never Say Die: Is "The Goonies" Finally Going to Get a Sequel? /
Never Say Die: Is "The Goonies" Finally Going to Get a Sequel?
On the first episode of Reunited Apart, Josh Gad brought the cast and creators together to reminisce and discuss possible sequels
Keith Baldwin
"Reunited Apart"
On Monday actor Josh Gad released the first episode of his new Internet show, Reunited Apart.
Each episode will feature the cast and creators of a different classic show or movie getting back together over video chat in support of a good cause—in this case the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Unfortunately the show may have already peaked, because the first episode focused on one of the most impressive cast reunions of all time. It brought together nine of the stars, screenwriter Chris Columbus, director Richard Donner, executive producer Steven Spielberg, and even singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper, from the classic 1985 adventure movie, The Goonies.
Among other topics—like Sean Astin's recent role in his daughter's school play and various impressions of Sloth—Gad coaxed the group into discussing the possibility of a sequel. As it turns out, it's a prospect the creators have frequently returned to over the last 35 years, but it has never manifested because of the particular challenge of living up to such a beloved movie.
The Goonies Are Back!! | Reunited Apart with Josh Gad www.youtube.com
As Steven Spielberg put it, "The problem is the bar that all of you raised on this genre. I don't think we've really successfully been able to find an idea that is better than the Goonies that we all made in the 80s." Richard Donner, who was celebrating his 90th birthday, also noted the challenge of recapturing the magic of the original film's cast, asking, "How are you going to find seven miserable kids like this again that are all new and fresh?"
While he was obviously teasing, the reality of wrangling seven high-energy child actors through the making of the original was undoubtedly a stressful experience for Donner. As Steven Spielberg recounted, Donner was desperate to get away by the end and escaped to his vacation home in Hawaii as soon as production wrapped—only to find those same seven kids waiting in his living room, having been flown out by Spielberg as a prank.
Josh Brolin, who played Brand, explained that the cast had strewn their clothes all about Donner's home and were lounging around when he got there—"I think someone ended up in his bed." And Martha Plimpton, who played Stef, recalled that when Donner saw them all there he "dropped to his knees, he turned white as a sheet. I thought we'd given him a coronary."
Maybe that kind of shenanigan is the real reason we haven't seen Spielberg and Donner come back together for a sequel. Whatever the reason, Spielberg joked that fans will just have to keep watching the original another 100 times, but there may be another option soon. Currently Spielberg's production company, Amblin Entertainment, is producing a TV show that aspires to put a new spin on the classic story. Fox recently ordered a pilot for the untitled drama about three kids and a substitute teacher having their own adventures while trying to produce a shot-for-shot remake of The Goonies.
I rival @joshgad as ultimate fan of #TheGoonies. For the last 9 years I’ve been secretly writing PART 2 for fun. It… https://t.co/oo1JhNDPZj
— Adam F. Goldberg (@Adam F. Goldberg)1588013087.0
With any luck the show will be greenlit and fans will have a new way to relive the hunt for One-Eyed Willy's treasure, but there is another option if that doesn't pan out. Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs, responded to the reunion by revealing that he's been secretly writing a Goonies sequel for nearly a decade and called it his "masterpiece." He even had a meeting scheduled with Donner before the lockdown went into effect. Previously Goonies stars Sean Astin and Corey Feldman had pitched a concept for a sequel that was deemed "too expensive," but Goldberg may have better luck.
Of course neither of these prospects are sure things, so for now fans will just have to check out Reunited Apart, donate to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, bask in Josh Gad's tribute to the truffle shuffle, and don't give up hope for a sequel—because Goonies never say die.
The Goonies 2 - News - IMDb ›
Goonies Sequel Pitched by Sean Astin and Corey Feldman "Too ... ›
Goonies 2 Updates: Why A Sequel Never Happened | Screen Rant ›
Why we never got to see The Goonies 2 ›
Sorry, Sean Astin Doesn't Think A Goonies Sequel Will Happen ... ›
The Goonies sequel confirmed by director Richard Donner | Film ... ›
The Goonies cast is still holding out hope for a sequel ›
Corey Feldman Says 'The Goonies' Sequel is Not Happening ›
A 'Goonies' remake is coming to Fox ... sort of - Deseret News ›
Kendrick Lamar's Top 6 Albums Ranked | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2027 |
__label__wiki | 0.703849 | 0.703849 | The 2018 Business Book Awards
Business Book of the Year
Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas | Alfred A. Knopf
Buy our book of the year
Helping businesses do better by their customers and communities—even the world—is unquestionably a good goal and one that many business books have aimed for over the years. A narrative has formed, however, that business is the best force for doing good and making a positive change in the world. Anand Giridharadas dispels this myth in Winners Take All, explaining how the philanthropic endeavors of powerful, private industry interests end up perpetuating the very social ills they are attempting to alleviate.
As Ayanna Pressley stated in her campaign for Congress in Massachusetts last year, “The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.” Right now, they aren’t even in the room when their future is being discussed, let alone at the table where decisions are made. That disconnect needs to be addressed and corrected, and—while many of the best books of 2018 grapple tangentially with that reality—Winners Take All does so directly and unapologetically, taking many of the truisms of our industry to task along the way. Businesses can’t solve all social ills, but with the eye-opening perspective offered by Giridharadas, they are less likely to be the cause of them.
Category Winner
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brene Brown
In Dare to Lead, Brené Brown first issues a nonnegotiable: in a culture that often misidentifies omniscience and imperviousness as essential leadership qualities, brave leaders must instead get comfortable with vulnerability. That may seem like an oxymoron, but Brown defines vulnerability as “the courage to show up when you can’t predict or control the outcome” and then offers her quintessential straight-talk and research-based strategies to guide us through a rigorous yet clarifying self-examination. What fears am I carrying that prevent me from taking risks or sharing ideas? In what ways do I practice Armored Leadership versus Daring Leadership in order to keep from connecting with others? What personal values do I identify as the lodestars by which I steer and communicate my decisions? Dare to Lead will break you open, if you let it, and by doing so, allow you to discover the courageous leader you are meant to be.
Leadership & Strategy | Runners Up
Clarity First: How Smart Leaders and Organizations Achieve Outstanding Performance
Karen Martin
Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most
Riverhead Books, Random House Large Print Publishing
Growth IQ: Get Smarter about the Choices That Will Make or Break Your Business
Tiffani Bova
This Is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership That Matters
Drew Dudley
Hachette Books.
Management & Workplace Culture
That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together by Joanne Lipman | William Morrow
Hopefully, the day will come when “That’s what she said” is known less as sexual innuendo tossed around the workplace and becomes more common as the proper and immediate response of everyone in the room when a man attempts to take credit for a women’s idea in a meeting. The sooner we change that and the many other inequities in the workplace, the better it will be for women and men. Rather than fear and anxiety that our differences will lead to misunderstanding and conflict, we must learn to understand our differences and then use that diversity of perspective to make progress for everyone. The first step is awareness, which Joanne Lipman raises on a whole range of issues—from discrimination and harassment to unconscious biases ingrained in us from an early age—still embedded in the workplace.
Management & Strategy | Runners Up
Dream Teams: Working Together Without Falling Apart
Shane Snow
Dying for a Paycheck: How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance--And What We Can Do about It
Jeffrey Pfeffer
Kuperard (Bravo Ltd).
Amy C. Edmondson
Wiley.
It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work
Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson
HarperBusiness
This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See by Seth Godin | Portfolio
Marketing is how we reach our customers, but it can be used as a tool for change. “If you see a way to make things better,” Seth Godin writes in This Is Marketing, “you now have a marketing problem.” While marketing has sometimes been used to nefarious ends in the past, Godin advocates for aligning the change you want to see with your desires as a marketer. “Marketing is the act of making change happen.” And, when we strive to be “better,” our companies benefit—as does society as a whole. Seeking perfection can leave you inactive, but striving for better always leaves the door open to action and improvement. Every one of us is a marketer in some way, and each person will find value from this aspirational, yet eminently practical, book.
Marketing & Sales | Runners Up
Fusion: How Integrating Brand and Culture Powers the World's Greatest Companies
Denise Lee Yohn
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
The Snowball System: How to Win More Business and Turn Clients Into Raving Fans
Mo Bunnell
Story Driven: You Don't Need to Compete When You Know Who You Are
Bernadette Jiwa
Perceptive Press
Subscribed: Why the Subscription Model Will Be Your Company's Future - And What to Do about It
Tien Tzuo, Gabe Weisert
Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design by Kat Holmes | MIT Press
All through our lives, our abilities ebb and flow, wax and wane, whether we are young, old, disabled, or impaired due to accident or circumstance. Kat Holmes explains that by designing for the majority, or for the nonexistent “normal,” every single person will at some time in their lives be excluded, and by doing so, we limit “who can contribute their talents to society.” Her somber but hopeful question to that problem is: “If design is the source of exclusion, can it also be the remedy?” Mismatch is a critical blueprint for how designers and creators can work against long-held ability biases so often employed when planning and problem-solving and shows how to utilize inclusion design to make things better for everyone.
Creativity & Innovation | Runners Up
Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Time of Change
Leapfrog: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs
Nathalie Molina Nino, Sara Grace
Unsafe Thinking: How to Be Nimble and Bold When You Need It Most
Jonah Sachs
Da Capo Lifelong Books
Personal Development & Human Behavior
So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo | Seal Press
The way we are talking about race in America is changing in small and large ways. For those of you who want to join the conversation but don’t have an idea of where to start, Ijeoma Oluo’s primer on the structures and effects of systemic racism is the perfect entry point for your journey. Oluo expertly combines personal storytelling with historical context and immediately actionable steps to explore the complex topic of race in a straightforward, helpful, and compassionate way. Conversations about race are difficult and uncomfortable for all involved. We will get it wrong, but that’s okay. This book is here as your guide and your reminder to keep trying. As Oluo says, “Do not fear the opportunity to do better.” The road to systemic change is step by step, and it’s time for more of us to start walking. This book is a true gift—to our workplaces, our schools, our neighborhoods, and our country.
Personal Development & Human Behavior | Runners Up
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters
Priya Parker
Riverhead Books, Riverhead Books
Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning
Leslie Odom
Feiwel & Friends.
In Praise of Wasting Time
Simon & Schuster/ Ted
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
Silicon States: The Power and Politics of Big Tech and What It Means for Our Future by Lucie Greene | Counterpoint
Silicon States examines how, in the time span that tech has come to dominate commerce and culture in this country, “there has been a fundamental power shift in society from the middle class to the uber-wealthy.” As they’ve built their wealth, tech companies and the moguls atop them have also largely avoided oversight, regulation, and taxes. And, as society has become more diverse, the tech world has become more exclusively white and male. This has led tech’s vision of the future to become, as Lucie Greene puts it, one “architected almost singularly by privileged white men.” As tech encroaches upon the civil services we all rely upon, with all the implications it has for our privacy, the press, and so much else in public life, Lucie Greene asks us to pause and consider if is this the future we want?
Current Events & Public Affairs | Runners Up
Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley
Emily Chang
Portfolio, Portfolio
Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work
Sarah Kessler
The Pan-Industrial Revolution: How New Manufacturing Titans Will Transform the World
Richard D'Aveni
Silicon City: San Francisco in the Long Shadow of the Valley
Cary McClelland
Narrative & Biography
Temp: How American Work, American Business, and the American Dream Became Temporary by Louis Hyman | Viking
In this deeply researched and timely examination of the transformation of work in America, Louis Hyman demonstrates through a sweeping historical survey that the rise of the “gig” economy was not due simply to the increasing power of Silicon Valley or a random convergence of events. Rather, it was by deliberately privileging the market and its experts and strategically rethinking the corporation as strictly a vehicle to make money that postwar assurances of workers’ security and protection were abandoned for the shareholder values of risk and flexibility. Through example after example, Temp shows us the results of this new catechism in the form of consolidation, cost-cutting, and wealth concentration. Interestingly, Hyman also offers a fresh argument for the ways in which work untethered to a punchclock and a boss could be the basis of a more inclusive, egalitarian, and fulfilling future for all.
Narrative & Biography | Runners Up
American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment
Shane Bauer
Beth Macy
Little Brown and Company, Back Bay Books.
Scribner Book Company., Scribner Book Company.
The Kings of Big Spring: God, Oil, and One Family's Search for the American Dream
Bryan Mealer
Flatiron Books
Big Ideas & New Perspectives
As a former McKinsey analyst, Aspen Institute Fellow, and TED Talk speaker, Anand Giridharadas uses his insider status to draw back the curtain on the “entrepreneurship-as-humanitarianism” approach to changing the world. During this time of unprecedented inequality, he challenges the viewpoint that one can address societal ills while preserving the system that brought them about. If philanthropists really want to address poverty, why do the businesses that made their foundations’ fortunes fight against workers’ rights? If CEOs advocate for stable democracies overseas, why do they avoid the taxes that would strengthen our government at home? If entrepreneurs bill themselves as the ultimate “changemakers” in our society, why do they claim that fundamental change in our public institutions is impossible? It is a clarion call to challenge the current power structures to re-engage in the habit of democracy.
Big Ideas & New Perspectives | Runners Up
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Spiegel & Grau, Spiegel & Grau
Give People Money: How a Universal Basic Income Would End Poverty, Revolutionize Work, and Remake the World
Annie Lowrey
Crown Publishing Group (NY)
The Job: Work and Its Future in a Time of Radical Change
Ellen Ruppel Shell
New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World--And How to Make It Work for You
Jeremy Heimans, Henry Timms
Doubleday Books | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2028 |
__label__wiki | 0.925557 | 0.925557 | Geneva Cornavin Train Station
© Guilhem Vellut
Getting to Geneva
London to Geneva by train
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Station / Airport guide
The Geneva Train Station (Geneve CFF) is located in the city center, called Cornavin. This station was recently reconstructed and this modern station has many conveniences including a direct link to the Geneva International Airport.
Baggage Consignment:
Coin-operated lockers and luggage consignment available
Saturday - Sunday 9:00am to 1:00pm, 2:00pm - 6:30pm
Lost & Found:
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 7:40pm
Weekend Morning, 8:00am to 12:30pm Afternoon 1:00pm to 6:45 pm
Restrooms:
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 6:00am to 12:00am
Places to eat in the station:
Cafe Ritazza
Autogrill Binario Uno
Currency exchange:
Hours: Monday to Saturday 7:00am to 9:40pm Sunday 9:15am to 6:00pm
Bank: Credit Suisse
Hours: 24 hours a day
Transportation and connections
Transportation from the Geneva Cornavin Train Station to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport:
Rail Link: every 10 minutes
To other train stations from the Geneva Cornavin Train Station:
Bus:#10 Frequency: 10 minutes
Cities commonly traveled to from this station:
Trains that use this station:
Lyria
Trains to Geneva
Read our city guide | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2030 |
__label__cc | 0.742542 | 0.257458 | PLAY! Park & Playscape Reviews
At Home Resources
Raising Fort Worth
With schools out and many unemployed, ample local resources have popped up to help those needing meal assistance!
Photo Courtesy of @the.five.girl.schoolhouse
FOOD ASSITANCE Fort Worth ISD in conjunction with the Tarrant Area Food Bank is offering "to go" lunches that can be picked up at 8 FWISD locations due to school closures. For more information read here. FWISD Pick Up Locations include:
Springdale Elementary School at 3207 Hollis St. from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at
Manual Jara Elementary School at 2100 Lincoln Ave from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Meals will be available from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Western Hills Elementary School at 2805 Laredo Drive.
Hubbard Heights Elementary School at 1333 W. Spurgeon St. from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Paul L. Dunbar High School at 5700 Raey Ave. from 10 to 11:30 am.
Eastern Hills High School at 5701 Shelton St. from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Clifford Davis Elementary School at 4300 Campus Drive. from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
De Zavala Elementary School at 1419 College Ave. from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Arlington ISD food assistance program information here. DISD's food assistance program information here. Eagle Mountain ISD food assistance program information here. Grapevine Colleyville ISD food assistance program information here. Keller ISD food assistance program information here. Lake Worth ISD food assistance program information here. Mansfield ISD food assistance program information here. White Settlement ISD food assistance program information here. Other organizations with food assistance programs specific to Corona school closings:
Metrocrest Social Services
Furlough Kitchen - Providing hope for the community, by serving a hot meal daily to anyone who has been furloughed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
If you are aware of resources that should be added to this page please email us at raisingfortworth@gmail.com.
Online Music, Dance & Theater
©2020 by Raising Fort Worth. Proudly created with Wix.com | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2031 |
__label__cc | 0.627451 | 0.372549 | Q: ARE YOU A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION?
A: Yes, we sure are, which means every dollar goes towards our mission of creating and promoting athletic opportunites for women.
Q: CAN BOYS AND MEN PLAY?
A: Of course! We welcome everyone, we exclude no one. Our campuses are open to the entire community, with priority given to female athletes.
Q: WILL YOU CHARGE FEES?
A: To provide sustaining revenue, our campuses will charge a sliding scale of fees based on the use and duration of various activities. For partnering non-profits, we will offer low or no-fee programs that help fulfill our mission to create and promote athletic opportunities for women.
Q: WILL YOU PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION?
A: Yes! In order to facilitate equal access for all members of our community, we will work with schools, partners, and local programs to make sure everyone participating in our programs can get to our campus. Time to get on the bus!
Q: HOW WILL YOU REACH UNDERSERVED YOUTH?
A: We work with carefully selected and well-recognized partners who excel in meeting the needs of underserved populations (youth and adults) who have been historically excluded from sports clubs and programs. We reject the pay-to-play model and believe that access to quality athletic programs belongs to everyone, not just those who can afford it.
Q: WILL YOU HAVE CHILDCARE?
A: Are you kidding? How are hard-working, hard-playing parents supposed to play and train without childcare? Who’s watching the kids while mom takes the winning PK? You bet we have childcare. All campuses will provide fully licensed childcare onsite, with programs and activities to support STEAM-curriculum for our youngest student-athletes. Bring the kids!
Q: WHAT ABOUT ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES?
A: When we talk about supporting female athletes of “all ages and abilities” that includes athletes with disabilities and players in adaptive sports programs. We work with specialized trainers and coaches with the expertise required to serve this very important, but often neglected, sporting community.
Q: DO YOU OFFER PROGRAMS YEAR ROUND?
A: You play sports year round, so we have programs year round.
Q: WILL THE FIELDS BE COVERED?
A: Sometimes... When it’s going to snow, yes. When it’s going to be sunny, no. No one likes to play under a roof if they don’t have to, but most climates require covered fields at some point of the year.
Q: GRASS OR TURF?
A: World-class competition requires a natural grass field, so our showcase competition stadiums will have grass surfaces. Satellite practice fields will have turf surfaces to allow for heavy use by our programs regardless of climate.
Q: I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS. WHO DO I CONTACT?
A: Very exciting! We want to hear it! Just send an email to info@nesfw.org and we’ll get in touch.
//**This is being changed via code in the jQuery backend. Please write in for the Website's Team if you want to change this.**//
© New England Sports for Women | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2033 |
__label__cc | 0.577526 | 0.422474 | Oral Contraceptives and Stroke Risk in Women With Migraine
Veronica Hackethal, MD
Women who have migraines with aura are at increased risk of stroke. Now, a new systematic review suggests that use of combined hormonal contraceptives by these patients raises their stroke risk over and above the already increased risk.
Women who have migraines with aura are at increased risk of stroke. Now, a new systematic review suggests that use of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) by these women raises their stroke risk over and above the already increased risk. The association is less clear with newer formulations that use lower doses of estrogen.[1]
“The association was clear for women using high estrogen dose (≥50 mg ethinyl estradiol) combined hormonal contraceptives. There is insufficient evidence to determine whether stroke risk is also increased with the use of low estrogen dose (<35 mg ethinyl estradiol) combined hormonal contraceptives in this population,” wrote first author Huma Sheikh, MD, of Mt Sinai-Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, and colleagues.
About 3 times as many women suffer from migraines as men. Women with migraine have roughly double the risk of ischemic stroke as women without migraine, and those who have migraine with aura are particularly at risk. Moreover, women are more likely to suffer from migraines during their reproductive years, precisely the time when they may be taking oral contraceptives.
Both WHO and ACOG guidelines warn about using CHCs in women with migraine with aura. The recommendations are based on past studies suggesting that CHCs may further increase the risk of stroke associated with migraine, and that the estrogen component may be responsible. However, most of this evidence comes from older studies in which CHCs contained higher estrogen content. Most currently used CHCs contain low-dose estrogen. That raises the question whether newer formulations are safer in women with migraines, and whether guidelines should be updated.
To investigate the issue, researchers searched 3 different databases for studies in English published from inception through January 2016. The review included 15 studies, of which 11 were case-control studies.
In general, the review showed that most studies were small and lacked good quality evidence. Overall, the risk of ischemic stroke was increased 2 to 17 times in women with migraine who used CHCs. But that was over a broad range of estrogen doses. Newer studies were more likely to show no clear association between CHCs and stroke risk, which may reflect the decreasing dose of estrogen over time, according to authors.
Studies were limited by poor reporting of estrogen type and dose. Just 1 study specifically analyzed stroke risk associated with estrogen dose.[2] That study found increased likelihood of stroke with higher dose estrogen (>50 ug) in women with migraine. But the authors did not report the odds of stroke in women with migraines on CHCs containing higher dose estrogen. Likewise, only 6 studies distinguished between presence or absence of migraine with aura. And, only 1 study assessed risk of stroke based on migraine subtype.[3] That study was the largest, with 1884 women who used CHCs within 90 days of stroke: increased risk in women with aura was increased 6-fold.
The authors stressed that, even though studies suggest increased risk of stroke with CHC use in women with migraine, the absolute risk is still relatively low. Evidence suggests that excess stroke risk from CHCs in women with migraine with aura is about 18 per 100,000 women per year.[3] They also mentioned several benefits of CHCs, including avoidance of unintended pregnancy (pregnancy itself carries increased stroke risk), treatment for endometriosis, menstrual cramps, dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia (and associated anemia), acne, and hirsutism. Some evidence also suggests CHCs may improve menstrual migraine.
“Given all of these factors, it may be reasonable to base the decision regarding use of CHCs in women with migraine with aura on an individualized assessment of risks and benefits rather than continuing a strict prohibition on use. Other risk factors for stroke, such as age over 35, family history, and obesity, should be taken into account,” they concluded, emphasizing that the lowest possible dose of estrogen should be prescribed. Larger, better quality studies are needed to evaluate the effect of estrogen dose on stroke risk in women with migraine more fully.
-Systematic review found combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) increase the risk of stroke over and above the already increased stroke risk carried by women with migraine with aura
-Newer studies were more likely than older ones to show no clear association between CHCs and stroke risk, which may reflect the decreasing dose of estrogen in CHCs over time
-The decision to use CHCs in women with migraine with aura should be individualized, based on a thorough discussion of risks and benefits
-More research is needed to evaluate the effect of estrogen dose on stroke risk
1. Sheikh HU, Pavlovic J, Loder E, et al. Risk of stroke associated with use of estrogen containing contraceptives in women with migraine: a systematic review. Headache. 2018;58:5-21.
2. Chang C, Donaghy M, Poulter N. Migraine and stroke in young women: case-control study. BMJ. 1999;318:13-18.
3. Champaloux SW, Tepper NK, Monsour M, et al. Use of combined hormonal contraceptives among women with migraines and risk of ischemic stroke. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017;216:489.e1-489.e7.
Headache and Migraine | Stroke | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2034 |
__label__wiki | 0.950114 | 0.950114 | Farr, Smith lead New Haven to District Championship
Rockets Celebrate District Championship
By George Pohly
Macomb Daily Sports Editor
BROWN CITY -- At the beginning of the season, they yelled at one another.
On Friday, they yelled together as district basketball champions.
Seniors Robert Farr and Tyler Smith scored 19 and 17 points, respectively, to lead an otherwise young New Haven team to a 66-45 victory over Vassar in the Class C boys district final at Brown City High School.
Trailing 19-15 after one quarter, New Haven switched to a zone defense and outscored the Vulcans 34-15 in the second and third quarters combined to win going away in a setting that had a retro feel.
New Haven, a member of the Macomb Area Conference Gold Division that did not play a Class C school until the state tournament began, started three sophomores with Farr and Smith as the Rockets captured their third district crown since 2006, and their first under former New Haven player Tedaro France, now their coach.
“It was hard at the beginning of the season,” Farr said. “We were yelling at each other all the time. But we came together at the middle of the year.
“Now we’re district champions.”
Farr, Smith and France agreed that a mid-season MAC crossover victory over Class A L’Anse Creuse North, the defending Red Division champion, proved to the Rockets they could mesh their veteran and young talent.
“Everybody realizes what we have to do,” said Smith. “It’s tournament time. The sophomores aren’t sophomores anymore; they’re juniors.
“We don’t think about ages or experience. We’re just a varsity basketball team.”
The Rockets’ eighth district championship since 1990 was achieved at a Brown City gymnasium where New Haven and the Green Devils had numerous battles when both were members of the Southern Thumb Association.
The Brown City gym is a throwback, with a relatively low ceiling and wooden bleachers that sit close to the court.
And on this night, in a match-up of small-town teams, the Rockets’ three-sophomore starting lineup could have reminded long-time New Haven fans of the 1968-69 team that featured 10th-graders Eli Sims, Roy Lee and Scott Belt in its starting unit.
That club, too, was a district champion.
“It feels great to win,” France, a basketball and football standout at New Haven, said after his team won before a crowd that included former Rockets standouts Chris Dilbert and Don Sims. “This is my home town.
“Even though I played football (at Central Michigan), I love hoops. I love doing this.
“I’m really happy for Tyler and Robert. They have been great leaders.”
Vassar, a member of the Greater Thumb Conference West, which includes Reese and Bad Axe, was led into the final by 5-10 sophomore guard Nathan Greaves, the Vulcans’ leading scorer.
The redhead scored 11 points in the first quarter, helping the Vulcans take a 19-15 lead, and it looked like Vassar, a Class B school last season, might be on its way to its first district title since 2003.
However, New Haven switched from a man-to-man defense to a zone starting in the second quarter, and Greaves would score only six points the rest of the way.
“They went to a zone and we never recovered,” said Vassar coach Chuck Fabbro, who, like France, coaches at his alma mater.
“That was the difference,” Fabbro said. “We didn’t adjust well to the zone. We weren’t getting good shots, and we weren’t hitting the shots we did get.”
France thought a Brown City zone in a district semifinal game bothered the Vulcans, who finished with a 12-10 record.
“They played a 1-2-2 and (Vassar) didn’t look good against it,” France said. “I thought the zone took them out of their game.”
With Greaves unable to get the same looks at the basket he enjoyed in the first quarter, and Vassar turning the ball over on occasion, Smith scored nine points and sophomore Roemello Moore added five as New Haven went on a 17-7 run in the second quarter.
On their first possession of the second half, the Rockets fed the ball inside to the 6-5 Farr, whose spin move to the bucket resulted in a field goal that increased New Haven’s lead to 34-26.
Then the Rockets turned their offense over to their ballhandlers, including Smith, Moore, Rayshawn Griffin, Jamael Bell, Vantrell Williams and Tedaro France III, who spread the Vulcans defense and created more scoring chances for Farr and others.
The Rockets finished with six 3-point field goals, including two each by Griffin and the left-handed Smith.
“They’ve got a nice team,” Fabbro said. “They’ve got the two seniors and the other kids follow. They’ve got kids who can shoot the ball, and Farr is tough inside.”
Griffin scored 11 points for New Haven, which led by 18 points midway through the fourth quarter and closed the game on a 7-0 run. Bell added 10.
Greaves finished with 17 points for Vassar. Madison Harper, the Vulcans’ captain, added nine.
New Haven plays Saginaw Nouvel Catholic in a regional semifinal game at Reese on Monday.
Nouvel defeated Beaverton 52-40 in the district final at Merrill.
New Haven 15 17 17 17 -- 66
Vassar 19 7 8 11 -- 45
New Haven (16-7): Tyler Smith 16, Rayshawn Griffin 11, Tedaro France III 3, Jamael Bell 10, Roemello Moore 7, Robert Farr 19. Totals: 26 (6) 8-13 -- 66.
Vassar (12-10): Nathan Greaves 17, Brandon Peter 6, Kyle Avernhamer 3, Gavin Greer 2, Madison Harper 9, Josh Peplinski 8. Totals: 18 (2) 7-13 -- 45. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2037 |
__label__cc | 0.655574 | 0.344426 | NH Town Budget Issues
Created on Tuesday, 13 March 2012 12:40
NEW HAMPSHIRE - Woodsville, Haverhill, and Littleton have problems with their budgets after town meeting day.
Woodsville district budget has up to ten discrepancies. The correct budgeting numbers will be handed out on the 27th at the emergency services building. The village's problems were included in the Haverhill town report.
Lifetime contracted Town Manager, Glenn English oversaw Haverhill's approved budget. The town voters agreed with the proposed budget of over 3.4 million dollars. The town also approved to adopt state regulations for the spreading of sludge. Glenn English explained the sludge as best he could saying, "The present ordinance is a land use ordinance, it's pretty strict. It basically allows the spreading of class a sludge, and prohibits, in most cases, the spreading of class b sludge."
Littleton had there own problems as well. Voters denied the proposed amount of over 7.7 million dollars. With the denial, last years budget of 7.5 million dollars will be implemented, with some room for adjustment. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2040 |
__label__wiki | 0.677504 | 0.677504 | Carlisle teenager dealt drugs at Kendal Calling music festival
By Phil Coleman @incarlisle Chief Reporter
Illegal: Ecstasy tablets (not the ones found on the defendant. (PA)
A TEENAGER introduced to illicit drugs by older friends when he was just 13 has been prosecuted for dealing Ecstasy and Ketamine at the Kendal Calling music festival.
Cole Eric Sanderson, 19, was caught with £950 worth of the two drugs after a police search dog singled him out at the event on July 25, 2019, Carlisle Crown Court was told.
The defendant, of Brisco Meadows, Carlisle, pleaded guilty to four offences.
He admitted possessing Ecstasy with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of the same drug; and he admitted possessing Ketamine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of that same drug.
Alaric Walmsley, prosecuting, outlined how the defendant was caught while at the four-day Kendal Calling festival on the Lowther Estate near Penrith, which is said to attract between 20,000 and 30,0000 people.
When searched he was found to have 56 Ecstasy tablets and 6.79g of Ketamine powder.
Police found he had a further 16 Ecstasy tablets and 42g of MDMA (Ecstasy) powder.
An analysis of the teenager's mobile phone showed he was "actively involved" in offering to supply both types of drug between July 17 and the day of his arrest, the court heard.
"This is a case of a young man supplying the drugs he was addicted to," said Mark Shepherd, defending.
"He's been using them since the age of 13 or 14, having been introduced to them by older males."
The lawyer said Sanderson - 17 and 11 months at the time of the offences - was naive but now felt deep regret.
The teenager had made considerable efforts to beat his drug addiction and was now not using "party drugs" and had also shunned cannabis, said Mr Shepherd.
"This is, he says, a massive lesson learned," added the lawyer. Recorder Neville Biddle imposed 20 months youth custody but suspended the sentence for two years.
The defendant must complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2041 |
__label__wiki | 0.913775 | 0.913775 | Medeama coach Boadu lauds players despite defeat to Aduana Stars
Samuel Boadu
Medeama SC coach Samuel Boadu has lauded his players in their slim defeat to Aduana Stars on matchday 7.
The Mauve and Yellows succumb to their second defeat of the season following a 1-0 to the two-time Ghanaian champions at the Nana Agyemang Badu Park on Sunday.
READ ALSO: Kotoko-Liberty share spoils as Hearts of Oak stun Dreams in Ghana Premier League match week 7
However, coach Samuel Boadu said he was pleased with the performance of his charges despite suffering their second defeat on the road.
“I am very proud of my boys for another fantastic performance,” he said
“We may have lost but still proud of their commitment, determination and never-give-up attitude.
“We came here with a plan. It worked for the most part of the game until that unfortunate foul claim.
“I don’t normally talk about referees but I am baffled by that decision.
“Haven’t said that I am very proud of my boys. They did extremely well. We go back and prepare for our next home match.
Medeama are 5th on the 2019/20 Ghana Premier League standings tied on 13 points with AshantiGold, Asante Kotoko and Bechem United.
READ ALSO: Match officials for Ghana Premier League matchday 8 announced
The Mauve and Yellows host Bechem United at the Akoon Park in Tarkwa in the midweek fixture of Ghana Premier League matchday 8.
Tags: Samuel Boadu
Match officials for Ghana Premier League matchday 8 announced
Akufo-Addo’s Airbus probe a diversionary tactic from vanishing excavators – Asiedu Nketia
Akufo-Addo's Airbus probe a diversionary tactic from vanishing excavators - Asiedu Nketia
We will vote against the NPP if they fail to pay our money - Aggrieved customers of Gold Coast Mgt | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2044 |
__label__wiki | 0.676885 | 0.676885 | Pipistrel obtains first ever type certificate for an electric aeroplane from EASA
June • 2020
The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the world’s first fully electric aeroplane ever to receive type certification. The two-seater, intended primarily for pilot training, is a game-changing aircraft in terms of technological innovations and cost-efficiency. Its EASA certification paves the way for the future of environmentally sustainable, emission-free aviation.
AJDOVŠČINA, SLOVENIA – June 10, 2020: After years of intensive research and several successful award-winning electric aircraft models developed since 2007, Pipistrel has today achieved a breakthrough feat in aviation history, having type certified the battery powered Velis Electro. Working in tight collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, whose engagement was essential to reaching this unprecedented milestone, Pipistrel demonstrated that its new Velis Electro achieves the highest levels of safety.
Conceived as a fundamental part of the ‘Velis Training System’, the Velis Electro was designed to be simple to operate and maintain, without compromising safety. Employing Pipistrel’s type certified electric engine, the Velis Electro delivers power instantly and without hesitation – using a simplified user interface in a cockpit that maintains the same look-and-feel of its conventionally powered siblings. The reduced number of moving parts dramatically decreases maintenance costs and the risk of malfunctions is further minimized thanks to its built-in continuous health-monitoring system.
This enhanced reliability allows the Velis Electro to have more than double the lifespan of powertrain elements in comparison to the previous generation of electric aeroplanes.
The revolutionary powertrain is entirely liquid-cooled, including the batteries, and demonstrated the ability to withstand faults, battery thermal runaway events, and crash loads as part of the certification process.
The overall result of all these breakthrough innovations is a drastic reduction in the operating costs, significantly contributing to the affordability of pilot training.
“The type certification of the Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first step towards the commercial use of electric aircraft, which is needed to make emission-free aviation feasible. It is considerably quieter than other aeroplanes and produces no combustion gases at all,” said Mr Ivo Boscarol, founder and CEO of Pipistrel Aircraft. “It confirms and provides optimism, also to other electric aircraft designers, that the Type Certificate of electric engines and aeroplanes is possible. The engine, which Pipistrel type certified separately, is also available to other aircraft OEMs. For Pipistrel, this achievement injects additional motivation for the future eVTOL and multi‑seat hydrogen-powered projects. Pipistrel is especially thankful to all our customers for their confidence in our products, which allows us to continue developing these innovative aircraft,” he added.
Mr Dominique Roland, Head of the General Aviation Department at EASA, expressed: “For EASA, the type certification of this aircraft marks a significant dual milestone: on 18th of May 2020 we type certified its engine as the first electric engine – now we have followed up with the first type certification of a plane flying that engine. This was a truly ground-breaking project which has yielded many learnings for the future certification of electric engines and aircraft, undoubtedly a growth area in coming years in line with the aims of environmental protection.
“It should also be noted that this innovative product was, despite the many challenging aspects, certified in less than 3 years, showing the excellent work performed by Pipistrel and the EASA teams. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the certification team was composed of EASA staff, but included experts from the Swiss and French authorities, in order to prepare and facilitate the entry into service of the Velis Electro in these two countries.”
Mr Paolo Romagnolli, Head of Engineering at Pipistrel, highlighted the technical excellence: “The Velis Electro project has been one of those engineering challenges we like at Pipistrel. EASA Type Certificate is an uncompromised affirmation of the safety of the design. Having achieved this with a relatively small team is proof that young, talented, and motivated professionals can bring innovation into reality. Completing the work nobody else has ever done before makes us all very proud of being members of this engineering team.”
Pipistrel will deliver the first 31 Velis Electro to customers in 7 different countries already in 2020. Mr Marc B. Corpataux, the launch customer for the Velis Electro, commented: “AlpinAirPlanes GmbH is very proud to be given the great opportunity by Pipistrel to be part of this game-changing journey. With more than 400 flight hours and 25 pilots introduced to the predecessor Alpha Electro, we are convinced of the suitability of electric flight in the daily flight school environment. Initially, we will distribute 12 aircraft on 10 airfields over Switzerland. Each base will be equipped with 150 m2 of photovoltaic panels, producing electricity for 12,000 flight hours per year on the Velis Electro. We are happy to offer the most environmental friendly training possible.”
For any inquiries regarding the acquisition of the Velis Electro or any other Pipistrel product, please contact: sales@pipistrel-aircraft.com.
About Pipistrel
Pipistrel is a world-leading small aircraft designer and manufacturer, specialized in energy-efficient and affordable high-performance aircraft. With more than 30 years of experience, Pipistrel has produced more than 2200 aircraft to-date, gaining significant international reputation by delivering unique, innovative products to passionate customers on all continents. First-to-fly an electric two-seater in 2007 and the winner of the NASA Green Flight Challenge in 2011 with the World’s first electric four-seat aeroplane, Pipistrel has designed nine different experimental and serially produced electric aircraft. It has also developed propulsion systems, including batteries, power controllers and electric motors, for small and general aviation class of aircraft for NASA and Siemens, among others. With involvement in standardisation committees, i.e. ASTM F44.40, F39.05, SAE AE7-D, Pipistrel is helping to enable the future market of hybrid-electric aviation.
Pipistrel is the only company in the world currently selling four different electric aircraft models; the Taurus Electro, Alpha Electro and Alpha electro LC are now being complemented by the EASA type certified Velis Electro.
Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, the company’s R&D division, holds an EASA Design Organisation Approval and has the capability of bringing a new aircraft design concept from a basic idea into a certified design, ready for production. The division is also developing electric and hybrid-electric eVTOL air taxi and unmanned cargo delivery UAVs, as well as a hydrogen fuel-cell powered 19-seat miniliner/microfeeder, aimed at revolutionising the intra-European transport market.
Source reference: https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/news/
Diamond DA20-C1 Relaunched With New Instrument Panel
September • 2020
Private Flyer Show launches Northern show
Diamond Aircraft DA50 RG receives EASA Certification
Book your place at Private Flyer UK. Registering for your Show Pass online takes just 5 minutes and saves you 25% compared to the at-the-gate price.
Find out more about becoming part of the Private Flyer UK show by downloading our exhibitor brochure.
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Whether you are interested in participating in our 2021 event, or attending as a visitor, our friendly team are here to answer your questions. Get in touch by phone, email or reach out on social media.
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andrew@theeliteevents.com | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2046 |
__label__cc | 0.632533 | 0.367467 | HomenewsTerm paper writingEssay on Marat/Sade Assignment
Essay on Marat/Sade Assignment
The main characters of Peter Weiss’ Marat/Sade Jean Paul Marat and Marquis de Sade are the characters, who stand on totally different grounds and the author uncovers their position through the virtual conflict between Marat’s revolutionist views and Sade’s nihilism. Even though Marat ends up his life being executed, such an ending of the play still does not necessarily mean the victory of Sade’s nihilism. In stark contrast, such ending rather proves the righteousness of Marat and his belief in the possibility of revolutionary changes, than the power of nihilism because Marat has evoked the public consciousness and raised the revolution, which swept him away and eventually executed him, whereas Sade’s nihilism just led to the total isolation and indifference of Sade to the external world, whereas he became focused entirely on his internal world.
The play is built upon the juxtaposition between revolution and nihilism. In fact, the struggle between Marat’s revolutionist idea and Sade’s nihilism is the milestone of the entire play. In this respect, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that Marat and Sade are two philosophers, who stand on absolutely different grounds. At the same time, they are both disenchanted in the world and society because they are conscious of their imperfectness and injustice that rules the world and defines the life of many people. In such a situation, Marat and Sade choose two absolutely different approaches to the solution of existing problems in the society. On the one hand, Marat suggests the revolution that can sweep away the current social order and introduce the new, ideal one. On the other hand, Sade suggests abandoning all the efforts to change humans and the world and focus on the internal world entirely, whereas the external world brings nothing but sufferings.
In fact, Marat stands for revolution and changes. He argues that the society cannot live without changes and changes are essential but changes can occur only in the result of the revolution because the ruling elite will never accept the demands of the oppressed part of the population. Therefore, he believes that the revolution is the only way to change the existing society and to make the life of people better. He believes that the revolutionary struggle can bring positive results to people. He argues that the revolution can change the world for better and changes brought by the revolution can change the very philosophy of the society to the extent that the society will live in harmony and balance to avoid any further revolutions, if the revolution is once conducted properly completes the evolution of the human society.
In stark contrast, Sade stands on the ground of nihilism and contempt of all progressive ideas of Marat. He does not believe in the ability of people to change their life for better. He is a nihilist, who is persuaded that any changes any revolutions will lead to nowhere but another turn leading to the dead-end, where live in sufferings and troubles. This is why he suggests refusing from any attempt to carry on the revolutionary struggle and to focus on the internal world of an individual entirely.
In fact, Marat views revolution as salvation from all the current troubles. In contrast, Sade is disenchanted in revolution:
�At first I saw in the revolution a chance
for a tremendous outburst of revenge
an orgy greater than all my dreams
[CORDAY slowly raises the whip and lashes him. SADE cowers]
But then I saw
when I sat in the courtroom myself
[Whiplash. SADE gasps]
not as I had been before the accused
but as a judge
I couldn’t bring myself
to deliver the prisoner to the hangman
It was inhuman it was dull
and curiously technocratic
[Whiplash.]
And now Marat
[Whiplash. SADE breathes heavily.]
now I see where
the revolution is leading (Weiss, 189).
In such a way, Sade argues that the revolution leads to another bloodshed and new sufferings of people. He sees no point in the revolution because it just leads to the change in the position of different people but does not change the society and social relations proper. The injustice persists in the society and revolution cannot be a salvation, according to Sade.
In this regard, Marat is closer to Wiess’ revolutionary views and belief in the possibility of positive changes in the society through the revolutionary struggle. Obviously, Marat expresses the author’s idea that the revolution can bring changes essential for the elimination of fundamental social and economic problems, such as the problem of poverty. In this regard, Marat is more persuading than Sade because he carries on his struggle and he is never giving in until the end. It seems as if the death fails to tame him. Instead, Marat carries on his struggle and his spirit is invisibly present even decades after his death in the revolutionary time.
Weiss, P. Marat/Sade. New York: Penguin Classics, 2009.
Marat/Sade | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2048 |
__label__wiki | 0.829612 | 0.829612 | Phoenix Group
Investment-only platforms: A lifeline for pension trustees?
Jess Williams looks at how schemes can build and manage change via investment-only platforms.
Phoenix launches ESG DC default solution
Phoenix Group will launch an ESG defined contribution (DC) default solution for pension fund clients of its Standard Life Assurance business and their scheme members.
Talk Money Week 2020: Key considerations for avoiding pension scams
Savers who talk about their financial situation are less likely to become victims of a pension scam, research shows.
Phoenix Corporate Investment Services: A transformational period
Professional Pensions spoke to Phoenix Corporate Investment Services senior manager Jess Williams as part of an exclusive series of interviews with some of the finalists and winners of the UK Pensions Awards. This is what she had to say...
Standard Life: Helping people achieve a more secure and sustainable future
Professional Pensions spoke to Standard Life managing director of workplace Gail Izat as part of an exclusive series of interviews with some of the finalists and winners of the UK Pensions Awards. This is what she had to say…
Pension Awareness Week 2020: Savers 'ignoring' schemes' fraud warnings
Warnings from pension companies to savers who are looking to transfer their pension somewhere that does not look right are often ignored, says Phoenix Group.
Calls for greater trustee power as WPC scam inquiry consultation closes
Trustees need to be given the choice to directly refuse pension transfers if the industry is to properly plug the proliferation of scams, the Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has been told.
Phoenix introduces in-scheme drawdown for master trust clients
Members of Phoenix’s defined contribution (DC) master trust will be allowed to access their pension savings via in-scheme drawdown.
Quilter completes £445m sale of assurance business
The sale of Quilter's life assurance business to ReAssure has been confirmed.
Phoenix Group looks to acquire rival ReAssure for £3.2bn
Phoenix Group has laid down a proposal to acquire rival life insurer ReAssure Group in a £3.2bn cash and shares deal.
Bulk annuity market breaks yet another record with £17bn of first half deals
Around £17.5bn of buy-ins and buyouts were transacted in the first half of the year as market records continue to tumble.
Phoenix completes further £1.1bn buy-in with own scheme
Phoenix Life has completed a £1.1bn buy-in with its own defined benefit (DB) plan, the PGL Pension Scheme, it has announced.
PICA launches reinsurance counterparty to back UK bulk annuities
Prudential Insurance Company of America (PICA) has launched a reinsurance counterparty, lending support to insurers that account for more than 90% of the UK pension risk transfer market.
FCA fines Standard Life Assurance £31m for non-advised annuity sales failures
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Standard Life Assurance (SLA) nearly £31m after its practices led to conflicts of interest and SLA employees putting their financial needs above those of the firm's customers.
Five stories you may have missed this week
This week's top stories included The Pensions Regulator criticising Sir Philip Green's latest plans for the Arcadia pension schemes.
M&S completes £1.4bn buy-ins with Phoenix and PIC
The Marks and Spencer Pension Scheme has completed buy-in deals worth £1.4bn with two insurers, mirroring similar transactions last year.
Phoenix delivers £800m of bulk annuities in first year in market
Phoenix Group transacted £800m of bulk annuities in 2018, its first year in the market since completing a deal with its own scheme two years ago.
This week's top stories include the Ombudsman's determination against Royal London, and the ECJ's ruling that PPF compensation must amount to 50% of member benefits.
SLA completes £3bn sale of Standard Life Assurance to Phoenix
Expanding strategic partnership
SLA's O'Dwyer and Fleming appointed as non-exec directors of Phoenix Group
Barry O'Dwyer and Campbell Fleming, both senior figures at Standard Life Aberdeen, are to become non-executive directors of Phoenix Group.
M&S completes buy-ins totalling £1.4bn with Aviva and Phoenix Group
The Marks and Spencer (M&S) Pension Scheme has insured around 15% of its pensioner liabilities through two bulk annuity insurance policies with Aviva and Phoenix Group.
Phoenix to make 'accretive' entry to bulk annuity market
Phoenix has confirmed it will enter the buy-in and buyout market on an "incremental" basis after completing its first buy-in with its own pension scheme in 2016.
Confusion prevails over cold calling ban; govt 'to consult again'
The government's plans to ban pensions cold calling could be subject to further delays amid speculation that yet another consultation is on the cards.
AB selects Mobius Life as fund administrator for TDF range
Mobius Life has been chosen as fund administrator for AB's target-date funds (TDFs) as the fund manager looks to expand opportunities for its clients. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2050 |
__label__wiki | 0.98331 | 0.98331 | Russell T Davies, Peter Mandelson join gay men speaking out for trans rights
Nick Duffy March 14, 2019
Russell T Davies and Peter Mandelson (Frederick M. Brown/Getty)
Queer as Folk creator Russell T Davies, screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and Labour politician Peter Mandelson are among prominent gay men to sign a #GWithTheT letter in support of trans rights.
The letter published on Thursday (March 14) calls out a backlash against transgender rights in the UK, and makes clear that gay men “stand in public solidarity with our trans siblings.”
The #GWithTheT letter follows a similar #LWithTheT initiative in the lesbian community that sprang up after anti-trans protests at 2018’s Pride in London parade.
#GWithTheT condemns ‘cruelty’ against trans people
The letter states: “As gay men we have watched in horror at the cruelty inflicted upon the trans community. We are outraged.
“The most vulnerable people in our society are marginalised, scared and endangered.
“Trans communities, and in particular trans children, are under attack on a daily basis.”
The #GWithTheT letter united the gay community in support of trans rights (Nick Duffy)
The letter adds: “We support trans communities. We support the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004 which seeks to de-medicalise trans people and give them the freedom to be recognised in law with the same ease as trans people in Ireland, Malta and Argentina.
“All trans people want to be able to live without fear or harassment as they go about their daily lives.”
#GWithTheT Signatories come from across gay community
Signatories of the letter, which was organised by GLAAD board member Anthony Watson, include TV doctor Ranj Singh and Guardian columnist Owen Jones.
PinkNews chief executive Benjamin Cohen, Gay Times publisher James Frost and Attitude publisher Darren Styles have all signed the letter, alongside Terrence Higgins Trust CEO Ian Green, Stonewall Scotland director Colin Macfarlane and Albert Kennedy Trust CEO Tim Sigsworth.
It is also signed by actors including Coronation Street‘s Charlie Condou, Will & Grace‘s Leslie Jordan and Star Trek star George Takei.
One of the letter’s signatories, Lord Mandelson, was a key member of the Labour government that passed the Gender Recognition Act.
Though he has spoken about his relationship with his partner in recent years, Mandelson has rarely publicly engaged on LGBT+ issues in the past.
The letter adds: “As gay men, we applaud others’ quest to define themselves and to find their own happiness.
“Every gay man owes, in no small part, the rights and privileges we now enjoy to the courage and sacrifice of our trans siblings who came before. Now we must stand alongside them as they lead the fight for theirs.
“Trans men are men. Trans women are women. Non-binary identities are valid. Trans rights are human rights.”
Anthony Watson explained: “We don’t want trans people to feel demonised or as though they are on the fringes. I hope the letter sends a strong signal to our trans siblings that we stand in solidarity with you.”
More: Gay, GWithTheT, letter, LGBT, Peter Mandelson, russell t davies, Transgender | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2054 |
__label__cc | 0.697645 | 0.302355 | Large, interesting problems are generally constrained by limits on resources, emissions, or other factors, and financial resources are usually among the most important. The LEA multi-criteria approach always includes several forms of financial costs in its set of economic indicators. Internal costs that are born by customers are of first interest, but these are also added to external costs born by society (non-customers) to obtain total costs. The LEA multi-criteria approach focuses mostly upon tradeoff analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis, but the total cost ranking of technologies and scenarios is used as a valuable comparison to MCDA rankings using stakeholder inputs.
Internal costs are those born by the consumer, but for broad policy issues the question can arise of whether the customer is the producer or generator, the end-consumer or society as a whole (i.e., “your price is my cost”). The TA group approach is to focus on the net present value (NPV) production cost, averaged over the unit of the service produced (kWh electricity, or vehicle-km or tonne-km of transport). This technology-based focus does not normally include producer overheads (like the grid) or profits unless needed. It also normally ignores cross-subsidies or penalties, as these are essentially social transfer payments from taxpayers to customers (or vice versa). This focus on average costs is also useful for comparing overall system scenario that may have different rates of demand growth. Other economic indicators are also tracked that may be of more interest to specific stakeholders, including total capital costs (investment risk), fuel costs as a fraction of overall cost (price shock risk), and more subjective measures of the risk due to fuel supply interruption.
The basic economic methodology is to use levelized or life-cycle cost analysis, based on the time value of costs and credits over the whole life of a technology or a system analysis period. This is illustrated in Figure 1 below.
The figure shows fixed costs (capital costs, fixed O&M, and end-of-life costs and credits) that do not depend upon how a technology is operated, as well as variable costs or credits (fuel costs, variable O&M, heat sales, etc.) that do depend on how many kWh or km per year are expected. All costs and credits are brought to their equivalent value at t = 0, amortized over the operating life, and divided by the annual production. The figure does not show the interest rate, but this has an important influence based on capital costs and construction period. Long operating life and high interest rates also reduce the effect of any end-of-life costs or credits.
For assessing a single technology the equivalent hours per year of full operation (or capacity factor) are also very important. The level of operation and whether it is constant over plant or vehicle life can play an important role in the choice between capital or fuel intense technologies. For system level studies, operating patterns depend upon technology interactions, based on variable cost, maintenance requirements, and outage rates.
Figure 1: Levelized cost methodology. Source: Schenler (2016), 5th Internationaler Geothermie Kongress, St. Gallen.
Estimation of the relevant present and forecast future data is based on a broad acquaintance with the relevant technologies, project-specific analysis, contributions (and confirmation) from project partners and stakeholders, and acquired expert judgment. This includes estimating the economies of scale for technologies where the size may vary, as well as the learning curve that is expected due to experience and improvement based on cumulative technology production (e.g. the strong drop in solar panel costs).
For good comparison between technologies, as well as good modeling of system interactions, it is also necessary to have consistency of cross-cutting assumptions such as fuel costs and interest rates. Particularly when working with partners or stakeholders, there is a tendency for data contributors to be more optimistic regarding their own technologies, and a balanced mix of realism and optimism across all technologies is the goal. When the cost results will contribute to a multi-stakeholder debate, then stakeholder acceptance of input data is important to acceptance of analytic results.
The interaction between technology cost results and technological system interactions or operation have already been mentioned above. The difference between average and marginal costs is quite important, because system expansion planning is based on expected average costs (i.e. expected operation), and this drives capital investment (generally constrained). But system operation is based on the variable cost, and the entrance or subsidy of new technologies can disrupt expected future operation. For example, subsidy of renewable energy technologies with very low marginal costs has led to significant systemic problems impacting the Swiss and European power markets. For the transportation sector, shifts in modal choice or driving patterns can lead to similar misinvestment in the vehicle stock and infrastructure.
For such reasons, TA cost analysis always includes sensitivity analysis of the impacts and uncertainty of economic factors contributing to cost results. Figure 2 below shows an example of sensitivity to the various factors contributing to the average generation cost of a Generation III European Power Reactor (EPR). The base values for each factor are shown in the figure’s legend, and these are varied one at a time along the x-axis to produce the so-called spider graph, where the steepness or flatness of each line indicates a factor’s sensitivity or insensitivity. As this figure shows, capital costs, interest rate and operation (load factor) have the largest impacts.
Figure 2: Sensitivity of average cost to component factors for a Generation III EPR. Source: Hirschberg, S. et al (2012). “Review of current and future nuclear technologies.” PSI report prepared for Swiss Federal Office of Energy
This figure shows the sensitivity of cost to cost components and plant operation (including lifetime), but not how the cost depends upon the actual technology design choices. To achieve this, it is desirable to construct a model that links the physical and economic choices and assumptions. One example of this has been done in a recent project analysis of geothermal generation potential in Switzerland. In addition, this model was further extended by the TA group team to include a life cycle analysis model, as shown in Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: Coupled Model for Cost and LCA Results. Source: Updated from Hirschberg S., Wiemer S., and Burgherr P., eds. (2015)..
The physical model is based on the circulation loop flow of geothermal fluid down the injection well, through the fractured heat reservoir and back up the production well to the surface generation plant. The plant design choices and (uncertain) geological conditions that depend on site choice affect the plant’s thermal efficiency, gross generation, pumping power, and net energy production. Component costs are scaled with size by a drilling cost model and economies of scale, and LCA inventories are also automatically scaled. This means physical plant choices can be adjusted to automatically produce consistent results for average cost, and environmental burdens like steel consumed and CO2 produced.
Selected Results
Whether technology or system assessment, basically all TA projects include internal cost assessment. Several representative projects have therefore been chosen here to reflect the range and scale of applications, and particular elements of the internal cost methodology described above.
New Energy Externalities Developments for Sustainability (NEEDS)
This was a large-scale, European-funded assessment of the sustainability characteristics of a wide range of electric generation technologies, with 66 different participating institutions. PSI played an integrating role in collecting and harmonizing results from teams analyzing individual technologies, ensuring consistent assumptions, and also combining internal and external costs to produce total costs. Costs and a wide range of other sustainability criteria were also combined in a MCDA analysis that drew its criteria weights from an online PSI survey process, and technology ranks based on these weights were produced using a new MCDA algorithms co-developed by PSI and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. Figure 4 below shows the average MCDA ranks based on survey input weights, as well the total cost components for the full range of technologies considered.
Figure 4: Total costs and MCDA ranks for NEEDS technologies. Source: Schenler W., Hirschberg W., Burgherr P. Makowski M., Granat J. (2009)
TA-SWISS Geothermal Project
As described above, PSI developed and applied a linked physical-economic-LCA model for geothermal power as part of a multi-stakeholder project performed for Technology Assessment Switzerland, resulting in the book “Energy from the Earth: Geothermal as a Resource for the Future” that covered Swiss resources, technology, Swiss, economics, environment, risk, and public opinion and the Swiss legal framework for future development. Figure 5 below shows cost components for current plant scenarios with 2 and 3 wells (doublets and triplets), as well as results for the previous TA-SWISS project. This figure shows a heat credit that can be considered an optimistic upper bound (7 Rp/kWh of heat is a typical value for the full retail price of district heating), while the total cost including the heat credit is shown by the black diamonds.
Figure 5: Range of geothermal generation costs for plants with 2 and 3 wells, with and without heat credit. Source: Hirschberg S., Wiemer S., and Burgherr P., eds. (2015).
Technology-centered Electric Mobility Assessment (THELMA)
This project for CCEM and Swiss Electric Research investigated the impacts of electric mobility into the Swiss passenger vehicle fleet. Together with ETH, PSI TA developed drivetrain models for energy demand, based on the combination of vehicle class, drivetrain, fuel, and driving cycles. These vehicles were used to compose a “virtual fleet” of models that were used for fleet scenario analysis. Electric vehicles penetrating the fleet were assigned to specific drivers (“agents”), based on fleet driving behavior modeling performed by other ETH partners. Electric sector impacts and generation mix were based on electric sector modeling also performed by ETH partners, and PSI performed the overall coordination and fleet scenario integration. Figure 6 below shows fleet greenhouse gas emissions components for various fleet scenarios composed of different drivetrain penetration mixes, and different electricity and hydrogen supplies.
Figure 6: Greenhouse gas emissions for the 2050 Swiss car fleet with component contributions for different fleet technology penetration scenarios. Source: THELMA project report.
Schenler W., Bachman T., Hirschberg S. (2008). Deliverable D5.2 – RS2b “Final report on economic indicators for sustainability assessment of future electricity supply options.” New Energy Externalities Developments for Sustainability (NEEDS) Project 502687.
Schenler W., Hirschberg W., Burgherr P. Makowski M., Granat J. (2009). Deliverable D10.2 – RS2b “Final report on sustainability assessment of advanced electricity supply options.” New Energy Externalities Developments for Sustainability (NEEDS) Project 502687.
Hirschberg S., Wiemer S., and Burgherr P., eds. (2015). Energy from the Earth: Deep Geothermal as a Resource for the Future? TA-SWISS 62/2015, vdf Hochschulverlag AG, ISBN 978-3-7281-3654-1 (Book).
Hirschberg, S. et al (2016). “Opportunities and challenges for electric mobility: an interdisciplinary assessment of passenger vehicles.” Final report of the THELMA project in co-operation with the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research “Efficient technologies and systems for mobility,” November, 2016.
Dr. Warren Schenler
E-mail: warren.schenler@psi.ch | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2064 |
__label__cc | 0.626122 | 0.373878 | 'It's the PCP': Man wearing only a towel arrested at shopping center
BROOKLYN, Ohio -- Ohio police got a call for a naked man at a shopping plaza, but body camera video shows how the case turned into much more than an arrest for indecent exposure.
Police recently encountered Wilbur Rosado at the Biddulph Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn with a towel around his waist, according to WJW.
When asked why he wasn't wearing clothes, Rosado answers, “I don’t know,” then mumbles something about PCP.
When officers asked him if he’s on PCP, he answers, “Not no more.”
Police then look in his car, and the video shows them finding a gun and cocaine.
As Rosado watches, he turns furious saying, "Stop searching the car, or I'm gonna sue you all,” and "You searched my car. I told you not to!"
He adds, “Put my (stuff) back in the car.”
An officer asks, "You want me to put the gun and drugs back, too?"
Rosado answers, "That's my personal use.”
When the officer asks, ''Your personal use of what?'' Rosado answered, “Cocaine.”
When asked by WJW about the search, Brooklyn's police chief said that officers were simply making a record of valuables before they towed the car.
A grand jury has already approved charges for the gun and drugs, so any fight over the search now will now happen in criminal court.
Rosado continued to protest all the way to the police station, according to WJW.
As of Friday evening, he was still being held in jail. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2068 |
__label__wiki | 0.876118 | 0.876118 | Wreckage of stolen Horizon Air turboprop removed from Ketron Island
By Steve Kiggins
Stolen plane investigation
STEILACOOM, Wash – Crews have removed the wreckage of the stolen Horizon Air turboprop that crashed on Ketron Island late Friday night.
Just getting to the scene was a tough job for first responders Friday night, and firefighters are crediting local island residents for saving them valuable time at the very beginning of this incident.
Investigators are trying to piece together how 3½-year Horizon Air ground service agent Richard Russell stole the empty Bombardier Q400 turboprop on Friday evening and took off on a roughly 75-minute flight, executing steep banks and even a barrel roll while being tailed by fighter jets. He finally crashed, and died, on Ketron Island in Pierce County.
Firefighters say they were able to locate the crash pretty quickly but getting their equipment out there was a challenge. Lucky for first responders they found a neighbor who was retired from the Army special forces who had inside knowledge of the area and the equipment to help.
“We found a citizen who lived over there, he knew of an old access road,” Battalion Chief Tim LaRue from West Pierce Fire & Rescue said Monday.
That man, identified by fire officials as Ronald Scheckler, declined an on-camera interview but he shared with Q13 News new images of the fire caused by the plane crash.
The terrain and overgrowth was too much for crews to get their firefighting equipment to the crash site but Scheckler says he used his backhoe to help firefighters remove obstacles and cut turnouts for emergency vehicles.
“He had a tractor (that was) able to cut a trail for us, which took about 20 minutes, but it took a whole lot of effort out of our hands,” said LaRue. “We wouldn’t have been to do that until the next morning until we get some dozers over there.”
Scheckler also was able to get firefighters access to the island’s water supply – something that, without his help, could have delayed first responders.
“He helped us out immensely," LaRue said.
Over the weekend the National Transportation Safety Board recovered the airplane’s black boxes. The rest of the aircraft was splintered into pieces.
“The wings are off, the fuselage is on a position upside down but it is pretty fragmented,” NTSB’s Debra Eckrote said Saturday.
A pair of flatbed trucks moved the aircraft debris off the island and took it away for further analysis.
Just getting to this point was a challenge for first responders, but made easier by neighbors and others who helped guide them on scene.
“Along with the ferry system, along with those guys running all night shuttling equipment back and for us, it would have been a different ball game,” said LaRue. “We had a lot of people to thank who helped us make this operation go smoothly.” | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2069 |
__label__cc | 0.682329 | 0.317671 | FBI – Never Trust a Stranger
by Alan Rapp on November 27, 2020
Title: FBI – Never Trust a Stranger
FBI returns with a new season and a new agent in Special Agent Tiffany Wallace (Katherine Renee Turner) but apparently without Ebonee Noel. “Never Trust a Stranger” returns Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym) from her undercover assignment to investigate a mass shooting at a liberal media company by a White Power group which involved a source (Andrew Yackel) of OA (Zeeko Zaki). The first-half of the episode deals mainly with Scola (John Boyd) and Wallace getting off on the wrong foot as new partners and Maggie wondering if OA is too close to his missing source to face hard truths about a kid he’s determined to think the best of (even after he takes seven people hostage to avoid being arrested by the FBI).
From the closing scenes, it appears there will be a lingering hangover from Magie’s undercover mission which was completely successfully but not without some fallout (and a new relationship?). The second-half of the episode centers on the search for another member of the group walking around New York with a pipe bomb in his backpack and OA taking a desperate chance to save the kid’s life. The war room certainly misses Noel’s presence but Turner is a solid addition to the cast as the script allows for a couple of more human moments with her partner after introducing her as a hard ass early on. As for OA, he manages to save the kid and the hostages but to do so he put quite a bit of trust in a young man spiraling out of control and was, as Maggie surmised, too close to a situation that could just have easily ended much worse.
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__label__wiki | 0.753939 | 0.753939 | RD.COM True Stories
When a Man Made Fun of His Seatmate’s Weight, This Stranger Stepped In
Andy SimmonsUpdated: Sep. 12, 2019
She glanced down at his phone and saw that he was texting, “Hey Babe, I’m sitting next to a smelly fatty.”
Soon after Savannah Phillips got buckled into her window seat on a United Airlines flight from Oklahoma to Illinois this past May, she glanced over at her seatmate. He was in his 60s, wore bright yellow sunglasses, and was busy texting. The font was unusually large and the screen was bright, making it easy for Phillips to read what he was tapping out: “Hey Babe, I’m sitting next to a smelly fatty.”
“It was like confirmation of the negative things I think about myself on a daily basis,” the 33-year-old mother wrote in a Facebook post after the flight. Soon tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged the cabin wall, trying to make herself as small as possible.
Sitting a row behind them and across the aisle was Chase Irwin, a 35-year-old bar manager from Nashville, Tennessee. He could see the man’s texts, too—and he could see Phillips. “I noticed [her] looking at his phone,” Irwin told wsmv.com. “I was sick to my stomach. I could not have this guy sit next to her this whole flight and her thinking he’s making fun of her,” he told Nashville’s NewsChannel 5.
In an instant, Irwin had unbuckled his seat belt and was hovering over the texter. “Hey, I need to talk to you,” Irwin told him. “We are switching seats—now.” When the texter asked why, Irwin said, “You’re texting about her, and I’m not putting up with that.”
The texter acceded quickly. Irwin took his place next to Phillips and was soon cheering up his new seatmate.
“He encouraged me not to let that guy get to me and that everything was going to be fine,” Phillips wrote. And he was right. She and Irwin spent the rest of the flight chatting like old friends.
With her faith in humanity restored, Phillips wrote on Facebook, “The flight attendant told him that he was her hero. He wasn’t her hero—he was mine.”
Next, read about even more unsung heroes who will restore your faith in humanity.
Mike Mcgregor for Reader's Digest
Solis-Images/ShutterStock
Random Acts of Kindness You Can Do Today
Gregory Bull/AP/Shutterstock
Photos That Show the Power of Kindness
How a Determined Detective Caught a Stalker Who Had Been Humiliating High School Girls in a Small Town | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2073 |
__label__cc | 0.717314 | 0.282686 | Home News Header The Asus UX302L: Can’t Touch This
The Asus UX302L: Can’t Touch This
Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
Expensive ultrabooks are a particularly odd thing to review. They are thin; they are light; they invariably use a very select crop of Intel’s latest processor. They are fast, because often they have SSDs at their heart. They have good screens. And with the hardware ecosystem being what it is, the higher you go, the fewer choices you really have. What you end up with is a whole set of very premium devices that function almost exactly the same, regardless of make or manufacturer.
Where the differences really lie are in the form. Manufacturers have really, really tried to chase their own unique aesthetics, and there’s few better examples of this than the Asus Zenbook UX302L.
The nitty-gritty
Let’s get the specsheet out of the way:
Asus’s impression of the laptop in question
Screen – 13.3in 16:9 IPS touch screen with 1920×1080 resolution
CPU – Intel Core i5 4200U (Haswell)
GPU – Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400
RAM – 8GB
Storage – 500GB HDD + 16GB SSD
Graphics – Nvidia Geforce 730M
Price – Rs 184,000
It’s a Haswell processor. While ASUS has announced the newer Broadwell lineup, high-end Broadwells haven’t yet hit this part of the market. An IPS display means colors and visibility are amazing, a huge step ahead of the usual laptop panels. They’ve made compromises on the hard drive (500 GB mechanical + 16 GB) SSD. Obviously, the money’s gone towards the touch screen and the Nvidia graphics.
From the outside
From the start, as in literally from the packaging itself, you’re given the impression that this is an ultra premium device you’re unpacking. The Zenbook has what appears to be a very, very polished top; open the box and the Zenbook sits there, reflecting your face in shades of blue. It’s so shiny it’s actually pretty hard to get a decent photo indoors without reflecting the lights, your face or the camera. Pick it up, and you realize that the top is actually a blue-hued metal overlaid with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is pretty cool. The metal itself is subtly etched with Asus’s now-signature circle design. Viewed at an angle, it gives this subtle impression of this thing between 13.3” jewelry instead of a daily workhorse.
The effect is slightly marred if you put a really thin laptop next to it – say a Macbook Air or a Samsung Ativ Book 9 (our test laptops), because the curve is deceptive thick; thin enough to be an Ultrabook, thick enough to be outclassed by a couple of millimetres in size comparisons.
Opened up, it gives the impression of being more compact that it looks from the outside. You’re greeted with a black screen and a keyboard set in a bottom of brushed aluminum. Intel and Nvidia stickers site next to the touchpad. In one corner is tiny white text saying the audio tech from Bang and Olufsen. The speaker grille is invisible until you look for it: it’s embedded in the hinge side of the laptop, so you never see the grille while you’re working. Honestly, the build quality is great.
Running it
First things first: turn off the auto brightness. ASUS has seen fit to equip this with a very aggressive brightness sensor, which makes it really, really annoying; it’s got a mind of its own, so even at full brightness you’ll barely be able to see a thing until you disable it.
The UX302L is not a very slim Ultrabook, but it’s got the makings of a good workhorse. The i7u goes about its work without a fuss. It’s also very silent; at most you hear a very slight hum from one side of the laptop, inaudible unless you your ear down there.
The 500GB drive offers more storage than the usual 128GB/256 GB SSD options and still boots up fairly fast after the first time. The music quality itself is alright; Ultrabooks have never been great for music, and the Zenbook, while average for its class, isn’t going to redefine our perceptions on that.
The Nvidia graphics don’t make much sense here. You can play a game of Dota 2 and the occasional Unreal Engine 3 game (eg: Borderlands), but everything’s playable only at the lowest settings at 1080p; don’t even think about installing Far Cry 4. This is clearly not a machine targeted for gamers, both in design or pricepoint. It’s also an HD screen, which Intel Graphics is perfectly capable of handling, so I quite fail to see why there needs to be a 730M onboard.
The keyboard is alright. It doesn’t flex, but look at it at an angle and you see the little lights underneath, peeking out irregularly from around the corners of the keys. This is ironic, since the keys themselves aren’t backlit; you can turn off this rather useless feature by reducing the keyboard brightness.
The touchpad tracking is excellent, better than all the ASUS models we’ve reviewed. The top of the touchpad is very tough to press down; it’s the bottom that’s the more usable end. These aren’t things that are noticeable to the average user, but are very noticeable once you test it against the two models we mentioned up. However, in all our click-tests, we couldn’t find a fault with this system – we tend to press down on the middle and the bottom, and that’s just fine here.
The screen is excellent, once you disable the automatic brightness. Even so, it has one great flaw. It’s so glossy that even at high brightness you can still see your face in it. This is admirable if you’re a closet narcissist, but hardly useful when you want to work. As a plus point, this is one of the very few laptops on which we could actually use the touchscreen comfortably without worrying about tipping the screen over. The hinge is rock-solid.
Battery life was around 5 1/2 hours. That’s very much on the average front, especially for an expensive machine. Doubtless the Broadwell version of this can do more.
This laptop, then, is a balance between good looks, performance and storage.
The Caveat
This Zenbook has one huge flaw, and that’s also the coolest thing about it: the Gorilla Glass 3 surface.
I can only describe this as the finest fingerprint magnet I’ve ever encountered. It smudges like crazy, meaning you are going to have to spend a lot of time every hour just keeping it looking decent. You find yourself itching to Turtle Wax the whole thing. Even the screen, being glossy and a touchscreen, is about as fingerprint-magnet-ish as they get.
Honestly, I’m not very abusive toward devices (unless we’re talking phones), but I draw the line at having to pull out the microfiber every three hours. You can’t use tissues, either: there’s tiny gap between Gorilla glass and hinge-most edge, where small particles can get stuck. Add a Harris brush to the 3M cloth, please.
It IS gorgeous, though. Even with fingerprints.
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Yudhanjaya spends most of his life immersed in literary works or tech news. A brief stint in game creation led him to create indiegraph.org before heading into the local techscape. Usually found blogging at icaruswept.com.
Huawei Nova 3i vs Redmi Note 6 Pro: Which is better?
The Huawei Mate 20 wants to be your daily companion
The Huawei Nova 3i: Smart Photography On A Budget | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2074 |
__label__wiki | 0.687773 | 0.687773 | Commodities News
UPDATE 1-U.S. call to halt Iran oil imports does not bind Turkey -economy minister
(Adds details, background)
ANKARA, June 27 (Reuters) - Turkey does not consider itself bound by the United States’ push to stop Iran exporting oil from November and will work to ensure that its “brother country” is not hurt by the U.S. move, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Wednesday.
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday called on all countries to stop imports of Iranian oil from November and said it would not grant any waivers to sanctions, a hardline position the Trump administration says is meant to cut off funding to Iran.
The U.S. decision does not bind Turkey and it will work to ensure that Iran is not wronged, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Wednesday during a meeting in Ankara about trade with the European Free Trade Association.
“The decisions that the United States makes are not binding on us. We would be bound by any decisions taken by the United Nations,” Zeybekci said during a trade conference in Ankara.
“We will try to pay attention so that Iran, which is a friend and brother country, doesn’t experience injustice or is wronged in these matters.”
An Iranian official told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday that removing Iranian oil from the global market by November would be impossible, adding that Tehran exports 2.5 million barrels of crude and condensate per day.
The U.S. decision comes more than a month after President Donald Trump announced that his administration would back out of a deal agreed between Iran and six world powers in July 2015 aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for the lifting of some sanctions.
Zeybekci also said during the Ankara conference that Turkey was unable to develop its exports to China because of tariff and non-tariff obstacles and would take measures to address this. He did not elaborate. (Reporting Nevzat Devranoglu; Writing by Dominic Evans and Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Daren Butler and Gareth Jones) | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2079 |
__label__wiki | 0.926095 | 0.926095 | Human rights briefing: New corporate benchmark ‘a work in progress’
By Claire Manuel on Jul 26, 2017
The first-ever ranking of companies on human rights raised eyebrows by giving Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton top marks alongside Marks and Spencer. While the methodology has been criticised, it is seen as filling a vital gap for investors
Six years have passed since the UN Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, after years of research and consultations led by UN Special Representative and Harvard professor John Ruggie.
The principles were designed to ensure that companies “do not violate human rights in the course of their transactions and that they provide redress when infringements occur”. They outlined how companies could use the UN’s protect, respect and remedy framework in order to better manage their human rights challenges.
The principles are aligned with the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), which bears the signatures of more than 12,500 companies and organisations from around the world.
A November 2016 report commissioned by the Business and Sustainable Development Commission said: “There is no more pressing or more powerful way for business to accelerate social development than by driving respect for human rights across their value chains. The proposition that all companies not only can contribute at scale to development through these networks of business relationships, but that they have a responsibility to do so, is the quiet revolution that sits at the heart of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”
Last month companies and trade unions agreed to a renewed Bangladesh Accord. The Accord, created in response to the terrible Rana Plaza fire in 2013, is a legally binding agreement to make factories in Bangladesh safe for workers. It was due to expire in May 2018 but will now be extended to 2021.
The Rana Plaza collapse led to the Bangladesh Accord (credit: Rijans/Flickr)
And at the G20 labour and employment ministers meeting in May, ahead of this month’s Hamburg summit, pledges were made to promote sustainable global supply chains by“fostering the implementation of labour, social and environmental standards and human rights in line with internationally recognised frameworks.”
The complex issues of human rights in the workplace – from labour rights to modern slavery and trafficking – continue to present challenges to companies of all sizes. “Third-party labour provision, which is in everybody’s global supply chains, is where a lot of the vulnerability sits,” said John Morrison, chief executive of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, speaking at Ethical Corporation’s Responsible Business Summit in June. During the same session, Oxfam GB CEO Mark Goldring urged buy-in from the top level in order to tackle these issues: “It’s about organisational health, not just formal compliance.”
While frameworks, initiatives and legislation regarding corporate human rights abound, measuring actual performance is a little murkier. Launched in March, the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) is the first-ever public ranking of corporate human rights performance. Led by investors and non-profit groups,the benchmark’s methodology is the result of extensive multi-stakeholder consultation around the world over two years, involving representatives from over 400 companies, governments, civil society organisations, investors, academics and legal experts.
Supported by 85 investors, accounting for $5.3trn in assets under management, the benchmark currently analyses 98 companies from three industries that are high-risk in human rights terms: agriculture, apparel and extractives.
John Morrison chief executive of the Institute for Human Rights and Business (credit: Institute for Human Rights)
Magdalena Kettis,head of thematic engagement at Nordea and a member ofthe CHRB steering committee, said although the pilot covers fewer than 100 companies, “it provides a starting baseline and will over time be developed through subsequent iterations across more industries to encompass 500 companies.”
Mark Wilson, Aviva chief executive officer, said at the launch of the benchmark: “We are in the grip of a classic market failure – a lack of transparency and imperfect information means that the true cost of business behaviour – good or bad – is not actually accounted for,” says Wilson. “This is where benchmarks like the CHRB come in. This is about more than setting standards, it’s about ranking companies, it’s about making this data public and, importantly, free.”
Companies are scored on 100 indicators across six measurement themes and in this pilot, most of the companies did poorly. A clear majority, 63 out of 98 companies, scored less than 30%. “This is something that should concern every investor,” said Lord Bates, minister of state at the Department for International Development, speaking at the CHRB launch event.
Perhaps more surprising than the overall poor results (the average score was only 28.7%) are the companies who scored well. Up at the top, alongside Marks & Spencer Group, which is known for its firm commitment to sustainability, sit mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton; these three companies comprised the very small group of leading performers, scoring between 60% and 69%. Nestlé, Adidas and Unilever scored between 50-59%. At the other end of the spectrum, McDonald’s, Petrobas and Wal-Mart Stores scored in the 10-19% range, while companies like Grupo Mexico, Macy’s and Costco Wholesale only managed a measly 0-9%.
Rio Tinto's Bingham Canyon mine in Utah (credit: photography.net)
Morrison believes that rights-respecting companies are the ones investors want to do business with, that governments want to champion, that consumers want to buy from, and that talented people want to work for. “Ultimately, respecting human rights should be a competitive advantage,” he says. “By making corporate human rights performance transparent and understandable, the CHRB is seeking to achieve this.”
Fiona Reynolds, managing director, UN PRI, agreed. “Investors are hungry for information and disclosure,” she said. “We are seeing a lot more questions around human rights.” PRI has a collaboration platform where investors can share information, and the past year has seen engagement on a range of human rights issues, from LGBT rights in Texas to indigenous peoples’ rights at the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“We expect this will continue to grow,” says Reynolds. Within ESG (environmental, social, governance investing), she said, “ ‘S’ issues have been the poor cousin to the ‘E’ and the ‘G’, but now they are coming to the fore, with more investors engaging on them – and we expect that to go forwards, not backwards.”
Erinch Sahan, from Oxfam GB’s private sector team, described it as an objective tool that “asks uncomfortable questions, and cuts through the PR around sustainability and CSR. A comparison of company approaches allows everyone to hold companies to account on where they're falling behind, and give praise to those that are leading the way.” Critically, he continues, it means that no one can become complacent.
But while companies and NGOs alike have welcomed the benchmark, some said its methodology needs some development.
Marks and Spencer is among three in the CHRB's top ranking (credit: PXL Store/Shutterstock Inc.)
“It’s somewhat disappointing to see an average score of 30%, which most would regard as failure,” said Tom Butler, CEO, International Council on Mining and Metals). He believes competition is a particularly strong incentive for extractives companies, which could explain their better performance. “My members are a competitive bunch and they do pay attention to benchmarks such as this. But it’s important to get the structure right, in order to instil the ambition to do better as opposed to conveying a sense of failure.”
For the benchmark to gain traction, he said, companies need to feel that it is fair. “The challenge for a benchmark like this is that you need to become a reliable proxy, then everyone starts using you.”
While the International Trade Union Confederation also supports the initiative, Sharan Burrow, ITUC general secretary, would like to see the methodology include critical indicators for workers, such as freedom of association and collective bargaining. “It must also cover the supply chains of a company where up to 94% of the workers who generate profit for major multinationals can be effectively a hidden workforce,” she says. “We understand the methodology will be reviewed so these indicators and others can be included.”
If the benchmark becomes more comprehensive, ITUC’s Burrow believes the CHRB will be a game-changer in driving human rights performance in the business sector, as companies see the reputational risk of failing to apply the UN Guiding Principles. “The best outcome would be that the index is upgraded to provide a comprehensive picture with the capacity for companies to seek support to ensure that human rights violations are taken out of competition, as now called for by the G20 labour ministers,” she says.
The benchmark is based on publicly available information only, so the human rights performance score depends not only on how companies behave but also on their disclosure.
One drawback to this approach is that companies that publicise their work in the area of human rights will score more highly than those who may also be addressing it, but not shouting it from the rooftops.
In the apparel category, Next only scored in the 20-29% range, despite a strong commitment to human rights. The firm has 47 people in its global code of practice team, who are responsible for undertaking remediation work on the ground as well as auditing its factories. As signatories to the Bangladesh Accord and the Action, Collaboration, Transformation (ACT) project, human rights is an area the company does not take lightly.
Next says hard work in the garment supply chain is not being recognised (credit: Crshelare/Shutterstock Inc.)
Chris Grayer, Next’s head of supplier ethical compliance, believes the CHRB’s methodology is flawed. “We have worked incredibly hard for three or four years on slavery and it’s critical to understand the supply chain,” he said “The fact that CHRB overlooked the Bangladesh Accord and the ACT project was a significant shortfall in their recognition of valued work that brands are undertaking in improving human rights in the ready-made garment industry.”
“The CHRB only took cognisance of what is reported, with no opportunity or interface to see what companies are actually doing,” continues Grayer. “If we had been given just an hour, we could have shown how all our work fits together, rather than into the CHRB’s pre-ordained format. Consultation would have been a much better approach.”
Kettis of Nordea said the index is a work in progress. “The methodology will continue to develop over time, in part through stakeholder consultations.”
But Oxfam’s Sahan points out that no benchmark will give the full picture on human rights performance in supply chains. “We know so little about how workers, farmers and communities are treated in global supply chains. Transparency and traceability is sorely lacking. The CHRB gives an idea of whether companies are completely ignoring these issues, or are trying to grapple with them. This is useful, and will lead to tangible change, but a complete picture is a long way off.”
This article is part of a series on corporate human rights. See also:
Human rights briefing: Marks & Spencer leads the way
Companies keep human rights agenda alive in US depite Trump
Kellogg serves up best practice on human rights
How Kemet went conflict-free in DRC
Marks & Spencer ruggie principles Oxfam UN Global Compact SDGs ITUC Bangladesh Accord
What companies can do to fix our broken food system
‘Investors don't understand how much climate act...
How consumers are stepping up to the plate on cutting f...
Why multilateralism needs to make a comeback at G20
Three ways companies can become more inclusive in 2021
Susann Tischendorf and Alexandra Harris of the Inclusive Business Action Network advise how businesses can respond to growing consumer demands to embed equality in how they operate
Race to net zero: Reuters Events Sustainable Business' editorial calendar for 2021
We are sharpening up our coverage with a new publication and exclusive research benchmarking the top 250 greenhouse gas emitters
Shaping up for the net-zero race this month in The Ethical Corporation
At the recent Climate Ambition Summit governments made new commitments to cut CO2 emissions by 2030. In our December issue we report on what the private sector is doing to make its climate action both ambitious and credible. And we launch a new publication, the Sustainable Business Review
‘The One Planet Summit for Biodiversity was just a start. We need to plug the finance gap for nature'
COMMENT: Nicky Chambers of Global Canopy reflects on a pivotal week, when leaders and investors pledged a raft of new initiatives to scale up funding for nature-based solutions to climate change, from the Prince of Wales' Terra Carta initiative to the Natural Capital Investor Alliance
Can UK fishing chart a more sustainable route post-Brexit?
COMMENT: The UK fishing industry is feeling the squeeze not only from declining fish stocks but from retailers and consumers who want certified, sustainable fish. Industry players must adapt to more sustainable and traceable options to survive, writes John Willis, director of research at Planet Tracker
Reuters Events Sustainable Business
Exactly one week until we launch Transform USA 2021. We are thrilled to welcome an impressive line-up of CEOs, CSO… https://t.co/NVg9g1cewt
RT @REvents_SustBiz: ‘The One Planet Summit for Biodiversity was just a start. We need to plug the finance gap for nature'… https://t.co/iy5fLUqxcU
3 ways companies can become more inclusive in 2021 https://t.co/tHSJ2pOUn8 #socialinclusion #Socialimpact… https://t.co/XTFvvOhd48
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Rethinking the meaning of investment in the age of climate change | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2080 |
__label__wiki | 0.593769 | 0.593769 | Sports Great Lakes Loons
Loons only manage five hits in 5-3 loss to South Bend Cubs
two of the Loons five hits were for home runs, the first ever as a professional for Gavin Lux and the first of the season for Saige Jenco which would account for all three Great Lakes runs.....
Posted In: Sports, Great Lakes Loons, By: Jason Marcoux
11th June, 2017 0
The Great Lakes Loons (31-30) could only muster 5-hits, dropping the second game of a 4-game series 5-3 to the South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs) at Dow Diamond tonight.
South Bend (37-24) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top half of the second inning when shortstop Isaac Parades drove in third baseman Wladimir Galindo with an RBI single.
The Cubs managed to get to Loons starter Dustin May with another two runs (1 of which was unearned due to an error) in the top of the fifth inning when DH Vimael Machin drove in left fielder Kevonte Mitchell with an RBI single before South Bend first baseman Jhonny Pereda scored later in the inning on an error by Loons third baseman Oneil Cruz to build a 3-0 lead midway through the fifth inning.
May (3-3, 3.90 ERA) was charged with his third loss of the season after giving up 3-runs (only 2 of which were earned) on 5-hits and 3-walks, while striking out 7-batters through 5-innings.
The Loons answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when center fielder Saige Jenco reached on a 1-out single before shortstop Gavin Lux (1) crushed his first ever professional home run, a 2-run blast over the center field wall at Dow Diamond to get to within 1-run (3-2) of the Cubs.
Machin then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Cubs' right fielder Chris Pieters for a 4-2 South Bend lead in the top of the seventh inning.
Loons reliever Gavin Pittore (2.45 ERA) gave up 1-run on 3-hits and 1-walk, while striking out 1-batter through 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Jenco (1) responded by taking South Bend reliever Tyson Miller deep with a solo shot over the left-center field wall at Dow Diamond for his first home run of the season to get the Loons to within 1-run of the Cubs (4-3) in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Machin (4) took Loons reliever Miguel Urena (1.03 ERA) deep with his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field wall at Dow Diamond to build a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning.
Urena (1.03 ERA) would go on to give up just that 1-run on the Machin homer, while striking out 3 South Bend batters through 2 1/3 innings.
Jenco continues to blister the ball in the month of June, going 2 for 3 with a home run tonight to lead the Loons' offense, while running his consecutive hit-streak to 11-straight games. The former Virgina Tech Hokie is hitting .379 with 11-hits in his last 29 at-bats in the month of June.
Loons catcher Keibert Ruiz was 1 for 1 with 2-walks, Lux was 1 for 4 with 2-RBI's, while third baseman Oneil Cruz finished 1 for 4 to round out the Loons' 5-hits tonight.
The Loons will now look to take the next two home games against the Cubs starting with a 2:05 pm game tomorrow afternoon followed by a 7:05 pm game Monday evening at home before capping off the first half of the 2017 Midwest League season with 7-games in 6-days (4-games against Dayton and 3-games against Bowling Green) on the road leading up to the MWL Home Run Derby and All Star Game Jun 19-20 at Dow Diamond.
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__label__wiki | 0.589365 | 0.589365 | U.S. Officials Say Russia Continues To Play Constructive Role In Iran Talks
Senior U.S. officials say that despite a recent military agreement between Moscow and Tehran and Western sanctions over its actions in Ukraine, Russia continues to play a constructive role in the nuclear talks with Iran.
“At least as of this moment, what we have seen in the context of the negotiations with Iran, Russia continues to play a constructive role." Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in testimony at a January 21 Senate hearing.
Blinken said Russia had been pushing Iran in the right direction in order to reach a lasting resolution to curb its nuclear program.
Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen said sanctions on Russia had not "bled over" into the negotiations with Iran.
Blinken also said negotiators hoped to reach an agreement in March on the core elements on a nuclear agreement with Iran.
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Lavrov Says U.S. Wants To Dominate, West Cannot Isolate Russia | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2083 |
__label__wiki | 0.575457 | 0.575457 | Irish mother of two shares how she finally escaped years of horrifying domestic abuse
“At the time, the counsellor said to me: ‘Have your bags packed, because this is going to escalate and you're going to have to leave in the middle of the night’”.
Megan Martin
Laura*, a 48-year-old mother of two was with her husband for 12 years. Before meeting her now ex-husband, Laura says she was strong and independent with a flourishing career in Dublin and a home she purchased on her own.
“If you met this guy he would be so shy he wouldn’t be able to look you in the face. But I’ve learned a lot about how these narcissists get under your skin. I now understand terms like gas lighting, coercive control and love bombing because I’ve experienced it.”
“I always worked for myself and was completely independent, I looked really strong from the outside but it all went against me,” said Laura to RSVP Live.
Laura suffered years of alcohol-induced abuse at the hands of her ex-husband for years, which all came to a crushing head when she was awoken in the middle of the night with what she thought was a gun held to her head.
Late Late viewers in tears at brave domestic abuse survivor Jessica Bowes story
Laura said she tried to end the toxic relationship multiple times, but her ex-husband refused to “accept it”. The pair slept in separate bedrooms and Laura started seeing a counsellor as she looked for help to find her way out from under his control.
“At the time, the counsellor said to me: ‘Have your bags packed, because this is going to escalate, and you're going to have to leave in the middle of the night”.
“But, when you're involved in emotional abuse you don't see the signs. You're totally in the dark, in a brainwashed Stockholm Syndrome state. That's exactly how I would describe it
“But my councillor could see it and I remember saying to my sister ‘this woman is crazy, it will never get that bad’. A week later, he lost the plot”.
Mother of three shares her harrowing experience with domestic abuse
“She asked me to look up ‘emotional abuse’. I looked it up on the computer at work and I nearly fell off my chair. I actually ran up to the bathroom and got sick because I ticked every single box. Education is key to get women to see the circumstance they’re in and get out”.
“It happens so gradually that you literally don’t see it happening. I actually had to re-educate myself on how people are supposed to treat you”.
As it happens, Laura was forced to flee in the middle of the night when her husband’s behavior became more and more erratic. After her ex was forced out of the family home, Laura returned with her children but the emotional abuse was far from over.
What followed was a campaign of gaslighting (another term she was forced to get familiar with) in her local area where she was “made out to be the crazy one”.
“Rural Ireland can be like Saudi Arabia at times. I felt like the whole community just turned against me for putting him out of the house, when in reality I just didn’t want him around the kids when he was drinking. It was just horrible”.
What is coercive control?
Coercive control is a persistent pattern of controlling, coercive and threatening behaviour including all or some forms of domestic abuse (emotional, physical, financial, sexual) designed to trap women in a relationship and make it impossible or dangerous to leave.
Signs of coercive control include:
Being isolated from friends and family
Deprivation of basic needs like food, electricity or heating
Monitoring online activity
Controlling who you see, where you go, what your wear, when you sleep
Stopping you from seeking medical treatment
Putting you down, calling you things like "worthless"
Humiliating or degrading you
Forcing you to take part in criminal activity
Controlling your finances
Threatens to publish private photos or videos of you
“He repeatedly threatened to harm both me and the children. I told the guards about it, nothing happened and the threats just kept getting worse and worse to the point where I was struggling to sleep at night and I was prescribed sleeping tablets”.
In one particularly disturbing incident, Laura said her husband burst into her home in the middle of the night.
“According to my au pair’s statement to the guards, my ex-husband showed up after 12am, started ranting and raving around the house and came into my room to attack me and I slept through the whole thing”.
“He threw water on me as I was lying in bed and I came to as he was shaking me and had what I thought was a gun held to my head, but it wasn’t, it was his finger”.
Irish woman shares how she finally escaped her 14-year-long abusive relationship
Afterward, Laura said she was left entirely disheartened with the family court process and the outcome of her domestic violence case, which resulted in a “standard” 3-year-barring order and a whole lot of residual legal issues.
“My ex-husband threatened to kill me and his criminal case was dropped. My own legal team dropped me, which I subsequently found out is illegal. But I’m not going to drop it, I’m going to pursue this to the end”.
Laura’s ex-husband was arrested after the incident in her home, but despite repeated requests for updates, she was kept out of the loop entirely and never learned the outcome of his charges.
“I thought a gun was pointed to my head. He was shaking and he said ‘I'm going to have someone to finish you off’. I don’t know if he got a suspended sentence or what but for that to be totally dismissed out of court is scandalous”.
Gardai will contact previous domestic abuse victims amid Covid-19 crisis
Laura said she is still living in their family home, which is up for sale, in the same rural Irish town as her ex-husband. She plans to leave as soon as possible and relocate to a safer place where her name isn’t “blackened”.
“Out of stubbornness and fear of the alternative I stayed here, I sold my own house to build the house I’m in now.
“Now, three years after all the craziness I’m strong because I know I’m getting out”.
"I'm still hoping a buyer will come through for my house but in these uncertain times its an added worry that I might be here longer now.
"I just want to move on and live a full life as it becomes very microscopic living in a pressurized environment. My thoughts are with the ladies or men who are living with either physiological or physical abuse. Please do not hesitate to dial 999 if you feel things are getting out of hand, You might not have another chance to do it".
*Laura is not her real name.
If you need help or want advice, the Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline is available for you on 1800 341 900 as well as WomensAid.ie.
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FoodThere's no better time to pop on the apron and channel our inner baker. This apple tart recipe is so good and it's absolutely fool proof - so you don't have to worry about being a pro in the kitchen.
New placenta injection to help alleviate agony of arthritis
HealthNew research has shown that an injection of placenta can reduce pain and other symptoms associated with arthritis for up to one year.
PropertyIreland property: Cheapest and most expensive areas to live plus where you can buy a home for €80,000"Sale prices throughout the country have held up during the pandemic"
Former TOWIE star Mick Norcross found dead at age 57
Celebs'His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner,' Essex police said in a statement today
Ireland property: Cheapest and most expensive areas to live plus where you can buy a home for €80,000
Property"Sale prices throughout the country have held up during the pandemic"
Ireland AM's Laura Woods on handling the pressure of home schooling
Ireland AM"I think perhaps we put ourselves under too much pressure the last time" | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2087 |
__label__wiki | 0.665478 | 0.665478 | Chapters / Toronto / Awards
The Toronto Chapter's annual excellence awards program recognizes chapter Members who have contributed to the advancement of REIC and the real estate industry over the year. The awards program is dedicated to the people and organizations that keep our chapter, organization and industry strong.
Congratulations to our past award recipients!
Nominations to the Awards Committee from REIC and Toronto Chapter Members for worthy recipients for any of the following awards are encouraged.
+ Creative Writing Award, Toronto Chapter
Creative Writing Award
The Toronto Chapter Creative Writing Award is awarded for professional analytical creative writing or detailed reporting, recognizing the best in real estate journalism and research as it pertains to REIC and the real estate industry. All nominees who meet the criteria will be put forward for the National version of this award (the Bentall Literary Award).
+ Education Award, Toronto Chapter
The Toronto Chapter Education Award is awarded for demonstrated leadership, ingenuity and persistence specifically contributing to the professional advancement of the Institute through the development of an educational program. The recipient of this award will be put forward for the National version of this award (Patrick J. Harvey Memorial Award).
2018 Annual Awards Dinner Winners
Cynthia Lai
+ Alice Costantino Memorial Member of the Year Award, Toronto Chapter
Alice Costantino Memorial Member of the Year Award
The REIC Toronto Chapter has re-named this award as the Alice Constantino Memorial Member of the Year Award, recognizing the significant contributions that Alice made to the REIC Toronto Chapter.
The Alice Costantino Memorial Member of the Year Award pays tribute to the REIC Toronto Chapter member in good standing who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the Institute. The nominee’s efforts have directly influenced the growth and recognition of our REIC chapter.
The recipient of this award will be put forward for the National version of this award (the J.A. Weber Award) and the appropriate REIC National sector related award by designation; and may be eligible for the REIC Emeritus, the highest honour that a member of REIC may receive.
Chris Lieb
+ Community Services Award, Toronto Chapter
Community Services Award
The Toronto Chapter Community Services Award honours the Chapter Member or group of members who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the local community through volunteer services and charitable work within the Chapter’s jurisdictional boundaries.
Manjit Saggu
+ Corporate Citizen of the Year Award, Toronto Chapter
Corporate Citizen of the Year Award
The Toronto Chapter Corporate Citizen of the Year Award is presented to the company that has demonstrated its recognition and support of the Institute’s goals and objectives through their support of the continued growth and awareness of the Institute.
Tahir | Qureshi City Pro Realty
+ Association of the Year Award, Toronto Chapter
+ Meritorious Service Award, Toronto Chapter
For distinguished service to the Chapter and REIC.
+ Greening Award, Toronto Chapter | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2097 |
__label__cc | 0.685225 | 0.314775 | Phil Collins Wants You to Play the ‘In the Air Tonight’ Drum Fill at Midnight on New Year’s Eve
Report: ISIS Is Down to Its Last 1,000 Fighters in Iraq and Syria
It’s hard to believe that Christmas is already over, and we now have to start thinking about New Years Eve, but here we are.
Thankfully, rock legend Phil Collins has just suggested one way to make sure that 2018 is rung in on the greatest note imaginable: By playing the iconic “In the Air Tonight” drum fill at the stroke of midnight.
He’s tweeted instructions on exactly what to do:
If you play 'In The Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins on December 31st at 11:56:40 the drum break will play right as the clock strikes midnight. Start off your new year right.
— Phil Collins (@PhilCollinsFeed) December 21, 2017
Check Out Marvel’s New Tribute to Chadwick Boseman in the Opening Credits of ‘Black Panther’
If you need a reminder of just how incredible that would be, do yourself a favor, and watch the video below.
RELEVANT December 27, 2017
Culture Culture, Movies
The Top 10 Most Redemptive Films of 2017 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2101 |
__label__cc | 0.715417 | 0.284583 | Religion of God, of the Christ,
and of the Holy Spirit
JESUS IS ARRIVING! MAGAZINE
PERSIST IN LIFE
RELIGION AS PART OF OUR DAILY ROUTINE
The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19
Friday | May 22, 2020 | 6:50 PM
Brazil has been another focus of Coronavirus. On May 21, 2020, the health Ministry updated the numbers of patients that have overcome Covid-19. 40,6% of diagnosed people are healed in the country.
Cleia Vieira Pequeno
One example is the Christian of the New Commandment of Jesus, Cleia Vieira Pequeno, from São Paulo, Brazil. She’s part of the risk group and needed to stay a few days hospitalized for medical treatment, but it didn’t develop to be severe, so she was discharged from the hospital.
When people leave the hospital, it has been recurrent that they are applauded by the hospital’s health professionals. That is what happened to sister Clea, that is already at home with her family. Watch the video below.
To her heart and to all of those who face this challenging moment, we dedicate to you this thought of the President-Preacher of the Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, José de Paiva Netto: “When feeling disheartened, raise your heart on High to better tune in to the Superior Power. In this way, you will refuel your Soul for the challenges of life. You can rest assured: praying works.”
Select ratingGive The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19 1/5Give The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19 2/5Give The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19 3/5Give The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19 4/5Give The happiness of those who overcome Covid-19 5/5
Readers of JESUS IS ARRIVING! magazine Comment About Its Ecumenical Content
“The Universal Race of the Children of God”
Intriguing and magnificent signs from Heaven
Our bases
Copyright 2021 - Religião de Deus, do Cristo e do Espírito Santo. Todos os direitos reservados. All rights reserved. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2105 |
__label__cc | 0.562774 | 0.437226 | COOKIES AND PERSONAL DATA PAGE
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For more information on how cookies work, please visit the CNIL website at >> http://www.cnil.fr/vos-droits/vos-traces/les-cookies/
You will also find other useful information on managing cookies in your browser at >> http://aboutcookies.org/
If you block cookies in your browser, your device will no longer be tracked when you visit our website. However, please note that by blocking cookies, you will also block features of our site and it may not work properly. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2107 |
__label__wiki | 0.81111 | 0.81111 | Shetland software firm’s role developing maths game welcomed as ‘exciting opportunity’ for new creative jobs
Andrew Hirst November 28, 2020 0
Moray College UHI. Photo UHI
A Shetland software company is involved in the development of a computer game which aims to boost pupils’ maths skills.
Mesomorphic Ltd has teamed up with Moray College UHI to create Algorismus – a role-playing game helping students learn maths outside school.
It is hoped the project will also create jobs in Shetland by commissioning local artists, voiceover actors, film makers and musicians to contribute to the production of the game.
Mesomorphic founder and technical director Barnaby Mercer said it offered an “exciting opportunity” to pull together local talent in digital art, music and software development.
“Shetland is ideally suited to capitalise on the digital market in a post-covid economy and this project is the first of many,” he added.
“Our ambition is to create jobs and opportunities within Shetland that play to the work/life, tech/nature balance afforded by our location.”
Shetland-based artist Matthew Laurenson said Algorismus offered a chance to make a real difference to people suffering from ‘mathemaphobia’.
“A mixture of academic research, programming wizardry, artistic creativity and buckets of imagination will, I believe, lead to something truly special,” he said.
“This island is full of creatives, so we won’t be short of talent to leverage.”
Algorismus will take the form of a role-playing game where the player progresses through a dungeon, fighting monsters and collecting items to help them along the way.
Players will solve maths-based puzzles when they encounter monsters, with success depending on the speed and accuracy of their answers.
The collaboration will will provide opportunities for UHI students studying applied software development, computing and interactive media degrees to develop their skills on a real-life project.
Mesomorphic will also provide work experience placements and a series of guest lectures so students can learn about working in the software industry.
The three-month project has received £7,500 backing from the Scottish Funding Council and the university through the innovation voucher scheme.
Innovation vouchers are awarded to partnerships between business and academia looking to develop new products, processes or services.
Malcolm Clark, programme leader for the university’s computing and interactive media degrees, said: “We are excited to be working with Mesomorphic on this innovative project.
Recent studies have found that Scotland has skills shortages in finance, secondary teaching and software development – areas which are reliant on maths and numeracy skills.
There are also concerns that Covid-19 may have affected pupil attainment.
This project aims to address these issues, while giving our students the valuable experience of working on a real-life project.
“It is an excellent example of the way the university is supporting the recovery of our region following the pandemic as we work with employers, communities and learners to respond to their needs.”
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About Andrew Hirst
I've been a reporter since 2010 at newspapers in Lincolnshire and East Anglia. Before joining The Shetland Times, I was part of Archant's Investigations Unit, reporting for titles across the group. When not at work, I'm usually reading books, listening to records or walking around the countryside.
VIEW OTHER STORIES BY: Andrew Hirst
Shetland MSP claims education secretary has been ‘evasive’ over future of remote learning
Shetland’s MSP has criticised the Scottish education secretary, claiming his approach to the future of remote learning has been “evasive, not decisive”. Beatrice Wishart called…
January 17, 2021 | 10.57am
NAFC Marine Centre hopes to resume face-to-face learning in February
Face-to-face teaching is hoped to resume at a Shetland learning centre next month. The NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway announced today (Wednesday) that it planned…
January 13, 2021 | 12.17pm
College and uni students told to learn from home until end of February
College and university students will be expected to continue with remote learning at least until the end of February. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the…
January 8, 2021 | 12.47pm
MSP calls for Shetland businesses to have access to government support, despite avoiding lockdown
Shetland businesses should have access to the same support available to those forced to close due to lockdown, an MSP has suggested. Highlands and Islands…
January 4, 2021 | 5.05pm
Most Shetland pupils to stay home until February as part of measures to tackle rising Covid-19 numbers
Most Shetland pupils will not return to school until at least February, the First Minister has confirmed. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2112 |
__label__wiki | 0.812688 | 0.812688 | Posted on September 23, 2020 by LUKE GRONNEBERG
Newport Sportsmen League winners announced
Out West Drive Thru team members won first place handicap in the Newport Sportsmen League Tuesday, Sept. 22., Members of the team are, left to right, Dick Barhorst, Joe Barr, Randy Giesseman, Rick Ewing and Tom Linn.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Dan Taviano won the Dale Meyer award in the Newport Sportsmen League on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Meyer’s Drive Thru team members won first place 16YD in the Newport Sportsmen League Tuesday, Sept. 22., Members of the team are, left to right, Jack Spradlin, Brett Marrs, Matt Gilardi, Jeff Marrs and Rick Cron.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/09/web1_DSC_1543.jpgOut West Drive Thru team members won first place handicap in the Newport Sportsmen League Tuesday, Sept. 22., Members of the team are, left to right, Dick Barhorst, Joe Barr, Randy Giesseman, Rick Ewing and Tom Linn. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/09/web1_DSC_1540.jpgDan Taviano won the Dale Meyer award in the Newport Sportsmen League on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/09/web1_SDN092420League.jpgMeyer’s Drive Thru team members won first place 16YD in the Newport Sportsmen League Tuesday, Sept. 22., Members of the team are, left to right, Jack Spradlin, Brett Marrs, Matt Gilardi, Jeff Marrs and Rick Cron. Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Newport Sportsmen League winners announced. Here is a link to that story: http://www.sidneydailynews.com/news/185752/newport-sportsmen-league-winners-announced-2 | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2115 |
__label__wiki | 0.957942 | 0.957942 | Read exclusive stories only found here. Subscribe to SILive.com.
Coronavirus on Staten Island: 1 more death; 18 new cases; hospitalizations down 8
By Frank Donnelly | fdonnelly@siadvance.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – One more Staten Islander is believed to have succumbed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) during the past 24 hours, while there have been 18 new confirmed cases of the disease, city Health Department data shows.
As of 1 p.m. Thursday, the virus is suspected of having claimed the lives of 1,019 borough residents, according to the most recent figures published.
That total had been 1,018 on Wednesday. It was 1,014 on Sunday.
The fatalities include 841 Staten Islanders with confirmed coronavirus cases, the same number as Wednesday afternoon.
In addition, 178 deaths were in the “probable” category, up one from 24 hours earlier.
A death is classified as “probable” if the decedent was a city resident who had no known positive laboratory test for the coronavirus, but the death certificate lists “COVID-19” or an equivalent as a cause of death.
A Health Department source said the figures reflect totals as of when they are reported to the agency and not when the deaths occur.
Also as Thursday afternoon, there have been 13,644 confirmed coronavirus cases in the borough since the pandemic’s outbreak, the data said.
That total had been 13,626 cases at the same time on Wednesday.
*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***
Throughout the five boroughs, there were 205,405 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Thursday afternoon.
The number represented a jump of 394 from Wednesday’s tally of 205,011.
Citywide, the death toll had reached 21,993 on Thursday afternoon, a bump up of 33 from the 21,960 fatalities recorded 24 hours earlier.
The deaths consist of 17,300 individuals who were confirmed coronavirus cases, along with 4,693 others whose deaths were deemed as “probable” COVID-19 cases.
A large majority of the deaths in confirmed coronavirus cases which were investigated by the city thus far have occurred in patients with underlying medical issues, said the Health Department.
Underlying conditions include diabetes, lung disease, cancer, immunodeficiency, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, kidney disease and gastro-intestinal/liver disease, said the Health Department.
On a positive note, a total of 3,252 coronavirus patients have been treated at and released from the borough’s two hospital systems since the pandemic’s outbreak.
Staten Island University Hospital’s (SIUH) two campuses have discharged 2,087 patients as of Thursday, said Jillian O’Hara, a spokeswoman.
Richmond University Medical Center has treated and released 1,165 patients, Alex Lutz, a spokesperson, said.
At the same time, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the borough declined by eight.
On Thursday morning, 67 patients were being cared for on Staten Island.
The total is a fraction compared to two months ago when in-patient numbers peaked.
On April 8, 554 Islanders were hospitalized with the coronavirus.
At SIUH, 44 patients were being treated Thursday morning, an increase of two from 24 hours earlier, said O’Hara. No coronavirus patients are in the Prince’s Bay facility, she said.
Richmond University Medical Center was caring for 23 coronavirus patients as of Thursday morning, down 10 from Wednesday, Lutz said.
With respect to testing, the data show 2,865 of every 100,000 Staten Islanders have received positive results for the coronavirus, according to 2018 Census data projections and the Health Department’s Thursday afternoon tally.
Staten Island’s infection rate is second highest among the five boroughs.
Officials, however, stress the examinations do not necessarily reflect the full spread of the virus.
The Bronx’s infection rate still tops the city.
In that borough, 3,237 residents per 100,000 have tested positive. The Bronx has had 46,358 cases.
Queens has the third highest rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in the city, with 2,752 residents per 100,000 testing positive. There have been 62,710 cases in that borough, the second-most populous.
Brooklyn, the borough with the largest population, has the fourth-lowest rate of infection per 100,000 residents – 2,202.
Brooklyn’s 56,862 cases are the second most among the five boroughs.
Manhattan has the lowest infection rate in the city with 1,579 per 100,000 residents testing positive.
There have been 25,725 positive cases in Manhattan, the data said. | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2116 |
__label__cc | 0.637448 | 0.362552 | First Nation Symbol Figures
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WILFRED SAMPSON
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Bear Wall Plaque
Wilfred Sampson was born in 1957, in Hazelton, British Columbia. Wilfred is from the Gitxsan Nation, which inhabits the northern coast of British Columbia. Wilfred has been designing and carving northwest coast art since 1981. He was initially self taught, looking through books and observing other artist’s works. Motivated by the beauty of the art, as well as the sense of accomplishment, Wilfred completed the beginners and advanced carving and design programs at the Gtanmaax School of Northwest Coast Art and Design in Hazelton in 1984. While at school, Wilfred honed his talents and skills under master carvers, Walter Harris, Earl Muldoe, Ken Mowatt and Vernon Stevens. Wilfred takes great pride in continuing traditions of northwest coast native art, exemplified in his carvings and paintings. All of Wilfred’s works are original designs, many of which invoke a contemporary edge, while incorporating traditional designs. Many of Wilfred’s works can be found in public and private collections around the world.
© 2000-2021 Silvertalks | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2117 |
__label__wiki | 0.739927 | 0.739927 | Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Seeds
For the general public
Documents/reports
Seeds from unique forage collection deposited in the Seed Vault
Written by Sara Landqvist, 6. June 2019
Seeds from the world’s arguably most diverse and unique forage collection were deposited in Svalbard Global Seed Vault today. In a country with about 30 million sheep to its 3 million inhabitants, forages are an important part of the economy. The Margot Forde Forage Germplasm Centre plans to continue to back up its collection at Svalbard- as they consider it an obvious choice for the gene bank material’s second backup.
Åsmund Asdal, Seed Vault Coordinator at NordGen, depositing seeds from Margot Forde Germplasm Center. The seed package from New Zeeland was put into a standard plastic box before being placed in its final position at the shelf.
On the North Island of New Zeeland, the sun is setting outside Kioumars Ghamkhar’s office. He has been the Director of the national gene bank Margot Forde Forage Germplasm Centre since 2015 and works with a small but dedicated team to conserve and put the forage collection of 140 000 accessions into use.
“We try to be a dynamic centre instead of a static seed storage. That’s why we work closely with the plant breeding companies here and provide them with germplasm but also get involved in their research. We have very good examples of our cooperation. For example, when it comes to red clover, we screened a broadly diverse germplasm and found promising traits which later was developed to good cultivars by the seed companies and AgResearch”, he says.
Ghamkhar describes how important forages are for New Zeeland. Each year they contribute seven billion dollars to the country’s economy. They are more important income sources than apples, kiwis and cereals. Only pine trees can compete with forages, when it comes to contributing to the economy.
Important backup
Margot Forde Germplasm Centre has sent between 250 – 1 000 seed samples to Svalbard each year since 2015. They started with important forages for New Zeeland, such as ryegrass. Later, they sent species that could be important for the whole world. For example, legumes that can’t be cultivated in New Zeeland today, but may be important in a future with climate change.
Kioumars Ghamkhar (to the far right) along with Åsmund Asdal, NordGen, and Marie Haga, Crop Trust, inside the Seed Vault in 2016.
“This time, we send a combination of species. The boxes deposited on the shelves of the Seed Vault now contain ryegrass, clover but also wild relatives of species as they could hold important traits needed in the future”, Ghamkhar says.
The Margot Forde Germplasm Centre plans to back up at least 10% of their 140 000 accessions in Svalbard. Today, they have secured about 2% of their collection. For Ghamkhar, working with Svalbard Global Seed Vault was self-evident.
“If you’re wise, you want to have a backup of your seed collection somewhere – because anything can happen, anytime. Here, in New Zeeland, earth quake is a major risk but also a simple fire can threaten gene banks. Just look at what happened in Syria” where war broke out of nowhere.
Ghamkhar lists the advantages of Svalbard Global Seed Vault; it’s in a geologically and geographically stable place, it’s a free service and it’s used as a backup storage place by the entire world.
“And I love it’s Swiss banking system model. We put our germplasm there, and no one else than us can touch it – it’s ours. It belongs to the people of New Zeeland. It would be crazy not to use the great service of the Seed Vault” he says.
Warmer summers already
Another threat to New Zeeland, and the rest of the world, is climate change. In 2080, models indicate that the mean temperature will be up to 4 degrees higher on the east coast of New Zealand’s both islands.
“During the past five years, we have already seen these change patterns. In the east coast, each summer we have seen warmer temperatures than the year before in the past few years. It’s already happening, and we have to be prepared. The gene banks have the mission to do know their material as best as they can these days, but they also have to keep updated on the climate modelling for the countries they are based in and look into what kind of species in their collections will tolerate the climate of the future”
Publicly available seeds
The seeds at Margot Ford Germplasm Centre are publicly available, which also is a condition for being able to deposit seeds in the Seed Vault. This means that an important part of the work done by Kioumars Ghamkhar and his colleagues is to encourage researchers, plant breeders and other stakeholders to order and make use of their seed collection.
“We deliver as much seeds as we can. And if we have too few seeds of one species, we ask the user who asked for these specific seeds to wait for seed increase and we’ll try to multiplicate them. Unfortunately, we are – as all other gene banks –underfunded. But hopefully this will change in 2020 when we will try to link the centre to other projects, enabling us to work even more efficiently.”
As Ghamkhar finishes the sentence, it’s entirely dark outside his office window. It’s time to go home. Tomorrow, the hard work at the Margot Forde Forage Germplasm Centre continues.
deposit@seedvault.no
media@seedvault.no
info@seedvault.no | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2121 |
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Home Argentine Business and Enterprises Renner inaugurates in Córdoba
Renner inaugurates in Córdoba
Brazil's largest fashion retail store, Renner, enters the Argentine market by opening two stores in Cordoba. We tell you where.
By: Bianca Ruggia
Brazil's largest fashion retail store is in Argentina. It opens its first store in the country, located in Patio Olmos Shopping, in the central area of the city of Córdoba. Then in the drive of Paseo del Jockey shopping center, in the south area of the municipality. Then, Renner will disembark in Buenos Aires, with two shops on the street.
Renner's presence in Córdoba generated around 120 jobs in the province. The average investment per store was $4 million. The unit located in Patio Olmos Shopping has two levels. On the 2nd and 3rd floor of the shopping, adding a total 2,5 thousand square meters of total area. On Paseo del Jockey there are also two levels, on the 1st and 2nd floor, with 3.8 thousand m2 of total area. Each store has between 25 thousand and 30 thousand products available.
Renner acts with the concept one stop shop , with women's, men's and children's clothing . In addition to accessories and perfumery, to cater to the needs of the whole family. The mix of products is made up of its own brands, based on the concept of lifestyle . Collections are created by in-store teams . Inspired by the world's leading fashion trends .
Diverse and sustainable fashion
Sustainability is present in Renner's mission and values. Who believes that fashion should be responsible in the different spheres of business . From the construction of its stores to the development of the products. In this sense, all collections include garments made from raw materials and processes that generate less impact on the environment . As recycled yarn , certified cotton and biodegradable polyamide.
Renner debuted abroad in 2017, when he entered Uruguay. From there, he gained experience in investing and, now, reaches South America's second largest economy.
Renner integrates Lojas Renner S.A. , a company incorporated in 1965, is listed on B3, the São Paulo stock exchange. Present throughout the Brazilian territory , Lojas Renner S.A. operates in the country through Renner. It has fashion in different styles . Today, there are almost 600 network stores operating in Brazil and abroad , of which more than 370 are from Renner.
SOURCE: Musa
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__label__cc | 0.680473 | 0.319527 | Lower FEV 1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic subjects: association with smoking, annual decline in FEV 1, total IgE levels, and TSLP genotypes
Author(s): Hironori Masuko 1 , Tohru Sakamoto 1 , Yoshiko Kaneko 1 , Hiroaki Iijima 2 , Takashi Naito 2 , Emiko Noguchi 3 , Tomomitsu Hirota 4 , Mayumi Tamari 4 , Nobuyuki Hizawa 1
Keywords: airflow obstruction, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary function test, thymic stromal lymphopoietin
Few studies have investigated the significance of decreased FEV 1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects. We hypothesized that a lower FEV 1 in these subjects is a potential marker of an increased susceptibility to obstructive lung disease such as asthma and COPD. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 1505 Japanese adults. We divided the population of healthy adults with no respiratory diseases whose FEV 1/FVC ratio was ≥70% (n = 1369) into 2 groups according to their prebronchodilator FEV 1 (% predicted) measurements: <80% (n = 217) and ≥80% (n = 1152). We compared clinical data – including gender, age, smoking habits, total IgE levels, and annual decline of FEV 1 – between these 2 groups. In addition, as our group recently found that TSLP variants are associated with asthma and reduced lung function, we assessed whether TSLP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with baseline lung function in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects (n = 1368). Although about half of the subjects with lower FEV 1 had never smoked, smoking was the main risk factor for the decreased FEV 1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic subjects. However, the subjects with lower FEV 1 had a significantly higher annual decline in FEV 1 independent of smoking status. Airflow obstruction was associated with increased levels of total serum IgE ( P = 0.029) and with 2 functional TSLP SNPs (corrected P = 0.027–0.058 for FEV 1% predicted, corrected P = 0.015–0.033 for FEV 1/FVC). This study highlights the importance of early recognition of a decreased FEV 1 in healthy subjects without evident pulmonary diseases because it predicts a rapid decline in FEV 1 irrespective of smoking status. Our series of studies identified TSLP variants as a potential susceptibility locus to asthma and to lower lung function in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects, which may support the contention that genetic determinants of lung function influence susceptibility to asthma.
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression is increased in asthmatic airways and correlates with expression of Th2-attracting chemokines and disease severity.
Guizhen Zhang, Sun Ying, David Cousins … (2005)
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is said to increase expression of chemokines attracting Th2 T cells. We hypothesized that asthma is characterized by elevated bronchial mucosal expression of TSLP and Th2-attracting, but not Th1-attracting, chemokines as compared with controls, with selective accumulation of cells bearing receptors for these chemokines. We used in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to examine the expression and cellular provenance of TSLP, Th2-attracting (thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC)/CCL22, I-309/CCL1) and Th1-attracting (IFN-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10)/CXCL10, IFN-inducible T cell alpha-chemoattractant (I-TAC)/CXCL11) chemokines and expression of their receptors CCR4, CCR8, and CXCR3 in bronchial biopsies from 20 asthmatics and 15 normal controls. The numbers of cells within the bronchial epithelium and submucosa expressing mRNA for TSLP, TARC/CCL17, MDC/CCL22, and IP-10/CXCL10, but not I-TAC/CXCL11 and I-309/CCL1, were significantly increased in asthmatics as compared with controls (p
Lung function and mortality in the United States: data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey follow up study.
Rafe Petty, S Redd, A Buist … (2003)
A study was undertaken to define the risk of death among a national cohort of US adults both with and without lung disease. Participants in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) followed for up to 22 years were studied. Subjects were classified using a modification of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) into the following mutually exclusive categories using the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV(1)/FVC ratio, and the presence of respiratory symptoms: severe COPD, moderate COPD, mild COPD, respiratory symptoms only, restrictive lung disease, and no lung disease. Proportional hazard models were developed that controlled for age, race, sex, education, smoking status, pack years of smoking, years since quitting smoking, and body mass index. A total of 1301 deaths occurred in the 5542 adults in the cohort. In the adjusted proportional hazards model the presence of severe or moderate COPD was associated with a higher risk of death (hazard ratios (HR) 2.7 and 1.6, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.1 to 3.5 and 1.4 to 2.0), as was restrictive lung disease (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4 to 2.0). The presence of both obstructive and restrictive lung disease is a significant predictor of earlier death in long term follow up.
Cellular and structural bases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
P Maestrelli, C Mapp, L. Fabbri … (2001)
Publication date (Print): 2011
[1 ]Division of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan;
[2 ]Tsukuba Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan;
[3 ]Department of Medical Genetics, Majors of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan;
[4 ]Laboratory for Respiratory Diseases, Center for Genomic Medicine, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Kanagawa, Japan
Correspondence: Tohru Sakamoto, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan, Tel +81 29 853 3144, Fax +81 29 853 3144, Email t-saka@ 123456md.tsukuba.ac.jp
Publisher ID: copd-6-181
Copyright statement: © 2011 Masuko et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd.
This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords: thymic stromal lymphopoietin, pulmonary function test, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, airflow obstruction
Evaluation of Salivary Parameters and Oral Health Status Among Asthmatic and Nonasthmatic Adult Patients Visiting a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Rukshana Fathima, Rekha Shenoy, Praveen Jodalli …
Yupingfeng Granule Improves Th2-Biased Immune State in Microenvironment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma through TSLP-DC-OX40L Pathway
Authors: Fei Yao, Qin Yuan, Xiudao Song …
Deep breath reversal and exponential return of methacholine-induced obstruction in asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects.
Authors: Bartolome R Celli, Kellie Murphy, John R Ingram …
Updates on the COPD gene list
Authors: Yohan Bossé
The prevalence of increased serum IgE and Aspergillus sensitization in patients with COPD and their association with symptoms and lung function
Authors: Jianmin Jin, Xiaofang Liu, Yongchang Sun
Genomic Structure and Variation of Nuclear Factor (Erythroid-Derived 2)-Like 2
Authors: Hye-Youn Cho
J Zhao
Y. Kim | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2126 |
__label__cc | 0.679637 | 0.320363 | A pilot study: mindfulness meditation intervention in COPD
Author(s): Roxane Raffin Chan 1 , Nicholas Giardino 2 , Janet L Larson 3
Keywords: integrative therapies, contemplative therapies, breathing timing parameters, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary rehabilitation
Living well with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires people to manage disease-related symptoms in order to participate in activities of daily living. Mindfulness practice is an intervention that has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic disease and improve accurate symptom assessment, both of which could result in improved disease management and increased wellness for people with COPD. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate an 8-week mindful meditation intervention program tailored for the COPD population and explore the use of breathing timing parameters as a possible physiological measure of meditation uptake. Results demonstrated that those randomized to the mindful meditation intervention group (N=19) had a significant increase in respiratory rate over time as compared to those randomized to the wait-list group (N=22) ( P=0.045). It was also found that the mindful meditation intervention group demonstrated a significant decrease in level of mindfulness over time as compared to the wait-list group ( P=0.023). When examining participants from the mindful meditation intervention who had completed six or more classes, it was found that respiratory rate did not significantly increase in comparison to the wait-list group. Furthermore, those who completed six or more classes (N=12) demonstrated significant improvement in emotional function in comparison to the wait-list group ( P=0.032) even though their level of mindfulness did not improve. This study identifies that there may be a complex relationship between breathing parameters, emotion, and mindfulness in the COPD population. The results describe good feasibility and acceptability for meditation interventions in the COPD population.
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice.
Antoine Lutz, Lawrence Greischar, Richard J. Davidson … (2004)
Practitioners understand "meditation," or mental training, to be a process of familiarization with one's own mental life leading to long-lasting changes in cognition and emotion. Little is known about this process and its impact on the brain. Here we find that long-term Buddhist practitioners self-induce sustained electroencephalographic high-amplitude gamma-band oscillations and phase-synchrony during meditation. These electroencephalogram patterns differ from those of controls, in particular over lateral frontoparietal electrodes. In addition, the ratio of gamma-band activity (25-42 Hz) to slow oscillatory activity (4-13 Hz) is initially higher in the resting baseline before meditation for the practitioners than the controls over medial frontoparietal electrodes. This difference increases sharply during meditation over most of the scalp electrodes and remains higher than the initial baseline in the postmeditation baseline. These data suggest that mental training involves temporal integrative mechanisms and may induce short-term and long-term neural changes.
Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: development and initial validation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3.
Martina E. Daly, Ken Eng, Michael J Zvolensky … (2007)
Accumulating evidence suggests that anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) plays an important role in many clinical conditions, particularly anxiety disorders. Research has increasingly focused on how the basic dimensions of anxiety sensitivity are related to various forms of psychopathology. Such work has been hampered because the original measure--the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)--was not designed to be multidimensional. Subsequently developed multidimensional measures have unstable factor structures or measure only a subset of the most widely replicated factors. Therefore, the authors developed, via factor analysis of responses from U.S. and Canadian nonclinical participants (n=2,361), an 18-item measure, the ASI-3, which assesses the 3 factors best replicated in previous research: Physical, Cognitive, and Social Concerns. Factorial validity of the ASI-3 was supported by confirmatory factor analyses of 6 replication samples, including nonclinical samples from the United States and Canada, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Spain (n=4,494) and a clinical sample from the United States and Canada (n=390). The ASI-3 displayed generally good performance on other indices of reliability and validity, along with evidence of improved psychometric properties over the original ASI. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved
Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
R. Pauwels, S Buist, P Calverley (2001)
[1 ]College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
[2 ]Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
[3 ]School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Correspondence: Roxane Raffin Chan, College of Nursing, Michigan State University, 1355 Bogue Street, Room #C242, East Lansing, MI 48824-1317, USA, Tel +1 734 478 0170, Email rchan@ 123456MSU.edu
Copyright statement: © 2015 Chan et al. This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License
Keywords: pulmonary rehabilitation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, breathing timing parameters, contemplative therapies, integrative therapies
Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres.
Authors: Elissa Epel, Jennifer Daubenmier, Judith Moskowitz …
The Mindfulness App Trial for Weight, Weight-Related Behaviors, and Stress in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lynnette Lyzwinski, Liam Caffery, Matthew Bambling …
Role of Yoga and Meditation as Complimentary Therapeutic Regime for Stress-Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Utilization of Brain Waves Activity as Novel Tool
Authors: Medha Kaushik, Akarshi Jain, Puneet Agarwal …
Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving health, quality of life and social functioning in adults: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Michael Vibe, Arild Bjørndal, Sabina Fattah …
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in COPD: a cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Ingeborg Farver-Vestergaard, Mia S O'Toole, Maja O'Connor …
Treat the lungs, fool the brain and appease the mind: towards holistic care of patients who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases
Authors: Thomas Similowski
SH Lee
T Takahashi
S Taylor | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2127 |
__label__wiki | 0.551836 | 0.551836 | Alpha-1 antitrypsin Pi*Z gene frequency and Pi*ZZ genotype numbers worldwide: an update
Author(s): Ignacio Blanco 1 , Patricia Bueno 2 , Isidro Diego 3 , Sergio Pérez-Holanda 4 , Francisco Casas-Maldonado 5 , Cristina Esquinas 6 , Marc Miravitlles 6 , 7
Publication date (Electronic): 13 February 2017
Keywords: SERPINA1, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, protease inhibitor, genetic epidemiology, inverse distance weighted interpolation, geographic information system
In alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), the Z allele is present in 98% of cases with severe disease, and knowledge of the frequency of this allele is essential from a public health perspective. However, there is a remarkable lack of epidemiological data on AATD worldwide, and many of the data currently used are outdated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to update the knowledge of the frequency of the Z allele to achieve accurate estimates of the prevalence and number of Pi*ZZ genotypes worldwide based on studies performed according to the following criteria: 1) samples representative of the general population, 2) AAT phenotyping characterized by adequate methods, and 3) measurements performed using a coefficient of variation calculated from the sample size and 95% confidence intervals. Studies fulfilling these criteria were used to develop maps with an inverse distance weighted (IDW)-interpolation method, providing numerical and graphical information of Pi*Z distribution worldwide. A total of 224 cohorts from 65 countries were included in the study. With the data provided by these cohorts, a total of 253,404 Pi*ZZ were estimated worldwide: 119,594 in Europe, 91,490 in America and Caribbean, 3,824 in Africa, 32,154 in Asia, 4,126 in Australia, and 2,216 in New Zealand. In addition, the IDW-interpolation maps predicted Pi*Z frequencies throughout the world even in some areas that lack real data. In conclusion, the inclusion of new well-designed studies and the exclusion of the low-quality ones have significantly improved the reliability of results, which may be useful to plan strategies for future research and diagnosis and to rationalize the therapeutic resources available.
Liver disease in alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency detected by screening of 200,000 infants.
T Sveger (1976)
We prosepctively studied 200,000 newborns to determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. One hundred and twenty Pi Z, 48 Pi SZ, two PI Z-and one Pi S-infants were identified and followed to the age of six months. Fourteen of 120 Pi Z infants had prolonged obstructive jaundice, nine with severe clinical and laboratory evidence of liver disease. Five had only laboratory evidence of liver disease. Eight other Pi Z infants had minimal abnormalities in serum bilirubin and hepatic enzyme activity and variable hepatosplenomegaly. All 22 Pi Z infants with hepatic abnormalities, two thirds of whom were made, appeared healthy at six months of age. Ninety-eight Pi Z infants did not have clinical liver disease, but liver-function tests gave abnormal results in 44 of 84 at three months, and in 36 of 60 at six months of age. The number of small-for-gestational-age infants was greater (P less than 0.001) among those with clinical liver disease. None of the 48 Pi SZ infants had clinical liver disease, but 10 of 42 at three months and one of 22 at six months of age had abnormal liver function. The Pi Z and Pi SZ phenotypes are associated with covert or readily apparent hepatic dysfunction in the first three months of life.
Role of alpha-1 antitrypsin in human health and disease.
Francisco Núñez de Cáceres González, I Blanco (2014)
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is an under-recognized hereditary disorder associated with the premature onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver cirrhosis in children and adults, and less frequently, relapsing panniculitis, systemic vasculitis and other inflammatory, autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. Severe AAT deficiency mainly affects Caucasian individuals and has its highest prevalence (1 : 2000-1 : 5000 individuals) in Northern, Western and Central Europe. In the USA and Canada, the prevalence is 1: 5000-10 000. Prevalence is five times lower in Latin American countries and is rare or nonexistent in African and Asian individuals. The key to successful diagnosis is by measuring serum AAT, followed by the determination of the phenotype or genotype if low concentrations are found. Case detection allows implementation of genetic counselling and, in selected cases, the application of augmentation therapy. Over the past decade, it has been demonstrated that AAT is a broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-infective and tissue-repair molecule. These new capacities are promoting an increasing number of clinical studies, new pharmacological formulations, new patent applications and the search for alternative sources of AAT (including transgenic and recombinant AAT) to meet the expected demand for treating a large number of diseases, inside and outside the context of AAT deficiency. © 2014 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Estimated numbers and prevalence of PI*S and PI*Z alleles of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency in European countries.
F Serres, I Blanco, Natalie E Bustillo … (2005)
The current study focuses on developing estimates of the numbers of individuals carrying the two most common deficiency alleles, PI*S and PI*Z, for alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AT-D) in Europe. Criteria for selection of epidemiological studies were: 1) AT phenotyping performed by isoelectrofocusing or antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis; 2) rejection of "screening studies"; 3) statistical precision factor score of > or = 5 for Southwest, Western and Northern Europe, > or = 4 for Central Europe, > or = 3 for Eastern Europe; and 4) samples representative of the general population. A total of 75,390 individuals were selected from 21 European countries (one each from Austria, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, Serbia-Montenegro, Sweden and Switzerland; two each from Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania; three each from Portugal and the UK; four each from Finland, The Netherlands, Norway and Spain; five each from Russia and Germany; six from Poland; eight from Italy; and nine from France). The total AT-D populations of a particular phenotype in the countries selected were: 124,594 ZZ; 560,515 SZ; 16,323,226 MZ; 630,401 SS; and 36,716,819 MS. The largest number of ZZ (5,000-15,000) were in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the UK, Latvia, Sweden and Denmark, followed by Belgium, Portugal, Serbia-Montenegro, Russia, The Netherlands, Norway and Austria (1,000-2,000), with < 1,000 in each of the remaining countries. A remarkable lack in number of reliable epidemiological studies and marked differences among these European countries and regions within a given country was also found.
[1 ]Alpha1-Antitrypsin Deficiency Spanish Registry (REDAAT), Fundación Respira, Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), Barcelona
[2 ]Internal Medicine Department, County Hospital of Jarrio
[3 ]Materials and Energy Department, School of Mining Engineering, Oviedo University
[4 ]Surgical Department, University Central Hospital of Asturias (HUCA), Oviedo, Principality of Asturias
[5 ]Pneumology Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, Granada
[6 ]Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron
[7 ]CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
Correspondence: Marc Miravitlles, Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, P. Vall d’Hebron 119-129, Barcelona 08035, Spain, Tel +34 93 274 6107, Email mmiravitlles@ 123456vhebron.net
Copyright statement: © 2017 Blanco et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited
Keywords: geographic information system, serpina1, inverse distance weighted interpolation, genetic epidemiology, protease inhibitor, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Screening for Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency in Tunisian subjects with obstructive lung disease: a feasibility report
Authors: Sabri Denden, Michele Zorzetto, Féthi El Amri …
Clinical phenotypes of Italian and Spanish patients with α1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Authors: Pietro Pirina, Barbara Piras, Beatriz Lara …
Quantitative disease progression model of α‐1 proteinase inhibitor therapy on computed tomography lung density in patients with α‐1 antitrypsin deficiency
Authors: Michael A. Tortorici, James Rogers, Oliver Vit …
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: outstanding questions and future directions
Authors: María Torres-Durán, José Luis López-Campos, Miriam Barrecheguren …
Heterozygous carriage of the alpha1-antitrypsin Pi*Z variant increases the risk to develop liver cirrhosis
Authors: Pavel Strnad, Stephan Buch, Karim Hamesch …
Alpha-1 antitrypsin Pi*SZ genotype: estimated prevalence and number of SZ subjects worldwide
Authors: Ignacio Blanco, Patricia Bueno, Isidro Diego …
JH Lee
E Fernández | cc/2021-04/en_middle_0049.json.gz/line2128 |
__label__cc | 0.668058 | 0.331942 | The Main Stage
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Powerwasher Services Ltd
By Powerwasher Services Ltd - 29 June 2020
The team at Powerwasher Services LTD.
Powerwasher Services Ltd (PWS) is a family business, with three generations of the family now running it together.
It specialises in the supply, service, hire and repair of a variety of equipment, including:
Powerwashers
Industrial and commercial vacuums
Dust suppression units
Cleaning chemicals, and much more
“We pride ourselves on providing high quality products at very competitive prices along with a second to none back-up service to our Scotland wide customers,” says Liz Carnie, Managing Director at PWS.
“We are now in our 37 th year of delivering award-winning service to our customers and are proud to say that hard work, determination and the supply of quality products has put us miles ahead of competitors and number one for our loyal customers.”
Adapting with the times
The business was started in 1983 by Jack Whitecross. Leaving school and working initially as a dairyman, Jack has a vast understanding of the agricultural market.
As technology adapts and changes over the years, PWS continuously works to ensure the machines supplied are up to the standard of the modern agricultural industry.
“We have a wide range of products to cover any market from the small croft up to the largest milking parlours, chicken or pig units and we can even build bespoke units with pipelines as required,” says Liz.
Experienced and knowledgeable staff work closely with customers, offering site surveys and demonstrations to establish the appropriate machine for your requirements. The team of fully trained engineers cover all of Scotland for service and repair requirements.
They aim to attend all call-outs within 24 – 48 hours and to repair as much as possible whilst on site. A fully operational workshop with a fully stocked parts department enables PWS to carry out more complicated repairs, with free-of-charge loan machines available to ensure you can continue to operate.
PWS has experience in all makes and models, which enables engineers to look after your equipment in an efficient and timely manner – plus, there are no call-out or mileage charges.
Working with PWS
Like always, PWS has further adapted in 2020 – this time, to meet the demands of Coronavirus.
“Over the past few months during the pandemic, our team have been working hard to ensure we are providing the correct and up-to-date information and products to protect yourself, employees and customers from the spread of the Coronavirus,” says Liz.
“We now stock PPE and high standard detergents to help combat the spread of the virus whilst keeping your business operational.”
At the start of lockdown PWS operated on a skeleton staff, but now work is picking up again they’re getting back to normal.
This means PWS is available during working hours for advice, sales, service, hire or repairs.
Get in touch with PWS today on 01674 840412 or visit its website here for more information
on available products and services.
Click here to visit our Facebook page.
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