pred_label
stringclasses 2
values | pred_label_prob
float64 0.5
1
| wiki_prob
float64 0.25
1
| text
stringlengths 57
1.01M
| source
stringlengths 39
45
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
__label__wiki
| 0.844561
| 0.844561
|
You searched for: +Black Dog movie We have highlighted matching words that appear in the page below.
Ludo (film) - Wikipedia
Ludo (film)
2020 Indian anthology black comedy crime film
Netflix release poster
Bhushan Kumar
Divya Khosla Kumar
Krishan Kumar
Tani Basu
Deepshika Bose
Anurag Basu (story and screenplay)
Samrat Chakraborty (dialogue)
Pankaj Tripathi
Fatima Sana Shaikh
Sanya Malhotra
Rohit Suresh Saraf
Pearle Maaney
Rajesh Shukla
Anurag Basu Productions
Ishana Movies
12 November 2020 (2020-11-12)[1]
Ludo is a 2020 Indian anthology dark comedy crime film directed by Anurag Basu. It is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Divya Khosla Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anurag Basu, Tani Basu and Deepshika Bose under the banners of T-Series, Anurag Basu Productions and Ishana Movies.[2] It stars an ensemble cast of Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Pearle Maaney, Pankaj Tripathi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Rohit Suresh Saraf, Saurabh Sharma and Inayat Varma.[3][4] The film was released on 12 November 2020 coinciding with Diwali on Netflix.[1]
3.1 Development
Ludo starts with two people contemplating life and death and they decide to play ludo. The game they play correlates to the lives of Sattu Bhaiya, Akash, Alu and Bittu.
Sattu Bhaiya is a notorious gangster who has to settle old scores with Bittu, who was once his right-hand man. Sattu Bhaiya becomes the dice of Ludo and Bittu forms the red side in Ludo.
Akash and Shruti form the yellow side. They find that someone has recorded a video of them having sex and have uploaded it to the Internet. Then they start the race to find the culprit and take down the video before Shruti's would-be husband finds out.
The blue side is formed by Sheeja Thomas and Rahul Avasthi. Sheeja is a Malayali nurse who speaks only Malayalam and Rahul is a struggling young man from a small town being bullied by his boss. They find the treasure of Sattu Bhaiya and the gang chases them and they try to escape.
The green side is formed by Alu and his sweet heart Pinky. Pinky's husband becomes a suspect in a murder case and she seeks help from Alu to save him.
These four stories become entangled in a series of events, leading to an engaging climax where all four sides are present. In a way, they all reach "Home" and win the game.
Cast[edit]
Abhishek Bachchan as Batukeshwar “Bittu” Tiwari
Aditya Roy Kapur as Akash Chauhan
Rajkummar Rao as Alok “Alu” Kumar Gupta
Pankaj Tripathi as Rahul Satyendra “Sattu” Tripathi
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Pinky Jain
Sanya Malhotra as Shruti Choksi
Rohit Suresh Saraf as Rahul Awasthi
Pearle Maaney as Sheeja Thomas
Inayat Verma as Mini
Paritosh Tripathi as Manohar Jain, Pinky's husband
Asha Negi as Asha
Bhanu Uday as Bhanu
Shalini Vatsa as Lata Kutty
Saurabh Sharma as Bhinder
Geetanjali Mishra as Sambhavi
Ishtiyak Khan as Inspector Sukumar Sinha
Aman Bhagat as Shekhar
Anurag Basu as Narrator Yamraj (Cameo)
Rahul Bagga as Chitragupta (Cameo)
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
The film is produced by Anurag Basu, Taani Basu and Bhushan Kumar and features music by Pritam.[5]
Release[edit]
The film was initially scheduled to release on 24 April 2020.[5] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was released on 12 November 2020 on Netflix.[1][6]
The film critics largely gave the film positive ratings. Anupama Chopra, Editor-in-Chief of Film Companion, wrote, "Whatever faults you might find with an Anurag Basu film, lack of invention isn’t one of them. The director creates worlds filled with whimsy and wonder, set to Pritam’s pulsating soundscape."[7] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express wrote, "Still, in this time of corona, the virus finding an honourable mention in the movie, we could do with some fun and games, even if it slackens in bits," praising Basu for using "perky musical interludes" to narrate the story.[8] India Today reviewed the movie positively, calling it 'naram-garam and delicious' which is "out-of-the-box while staying firmly in the box." [9] A review by the Hindustan Times said, "despite its missteps, keeps it breezy, with its cast helping it to stay the course."[10] The Hindu film critic found that "the structure of Ludo written with careful precision and the construct is cleaner," which makes the film 'largely entertaining'.[11] While, The Wire's Tanul Thakur felt that Ludo 'suffers' because Basu is "more interested in the mechanics of this tapestry, the many ways in which the disparate stories intersect and inform each other, as opposed to the tapestry itself: its overarching meaning, its dramatic power, its psychological portraits." [12] Critic associated with the Deccan Herald received the movie as "a big disappointment".[13] The Quint's review of the film said that "the screenplay steers clear of extravagance, which works in its favor." "While the setting may seem fable-like, the emotions they evoke in us are authentic. It might take some time to get used to, but once we understand the spirit of the film Ludo can prove to be a lot of fun."[14]
Soundtrack[edit]
Soundtrack album by
13 November 2020 (2020-11-13)[15]
Feature film soundtrack
Pritam chronology
(2020) Ludo
(2020) 83
Ludo - Full Album on YouTube
The film's music was composed by Pritam while lyrics were written by Sayeed Quadri, Sandeep Shrivastava, Tamojit Das, Shloke Lal, and Swanand Kirkire.
Singer(s)
"Aabaad Barbaad" Sandeep Shrivastava Arijit Singh 5:09
"Hardum Humdum" Sayeed Quadri Arijit Singh 3:08
"Meri Tum Ho" Sandeep Shrivastava, Shloke Lal Jubin Nautiyal, Ash King 3:47
"Dil Julaha" Swanand Kirkire Darshan Raval 3:38
"Hardum Humdum" (Film Version) Sayeed Quadri Arijit Singh 4:25
"Meri Tum Ho" (Unplugged) Sandeep Shrivastava, Shloke Lal Jubin Nautiyal, Ash King 3:33
"Hardum Humdum" (Female) Sayeed Quadri, Shloke Lal Shilpa Rao 3:08
^ a b c "Abhishek, Aditya Roy Kapur, Rajkummar, Pankaj Tripathi & others lives go beyond one's understanding". DNA. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
^ "T-Series & Anurag Basu's next titled Ludo starring Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapur,Bhanu Uday Goswami to release on April 24, 2020". Bollywood Hungama. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
^ "Ludo first poster: Anurag Basu announces film starring Abhishek Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao". India Today. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
^ "Ludo first look: Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Shaikh walk in with a baby and swag to spare for Netflix release". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^ a b "Ludo". Netflix. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
^ "Netflix releases roster of 17 titles arriving soon: Raat Akeli Hai, Ludo, A Suitable Boy, Class of 83, The Kargil Girl and more". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^ Chopra, Anupama (12 November 2020). "Ludo Movie Review". Film Companion. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
^ Gupta, Shubhra (13 November 2020). "Ludo review: Hijinks in the time of Corona". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
^ Mukherjee, Nairita (13 November 2020). "Ludo Movie Review: Abhishek Bachchan, Pankaj Tripathi Netflix film is naram-garam and delicious". India Today. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
^ "Ludo movie review: Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi roll the dice in an absurd, whimsical world". Hindustan Times. 12 November 2020.
^ S, Srivatsan (12 November 2020). "'Ludo' movie review: Largely entertaining, with an in-form Anurag Basu" – via www.thehindu.com.
^ "More Forced Than Felt, 'Ludo' Misses the Film for the Vignettes". thewire.in.
^ "'Ludo' movie review: A big disappointment". Deccan Herald. 13 November 2020.
^ Ghosh, Stutee (12 November 2020). "Review: Barring the Climax, 'Ludo' is a Unique, Entertaining Film". TheQuint.
^ "Ludo – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". ITunes.
Ludo on IMDb
Ludo at Bollywood Hungama
Kucch To Hai (2003)
Saaya (2003)
Tumsa Nahin Dekha: A Love Story (2004)
Gangster (2006)
Life in a... Metro (2007)
Kites (2010)
Barfi! (2012)
Jagga Jasoos (2017)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ludo_(film)&oldid=1001328503"
Hindi-language films
T-Series (company) films
Indian black comedy films
Films not released in theaters due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Hindi-language Netflix original films
Films set in Jharkhand
Use dmy dates from November 2020
Use Indian English from December 2019
All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English
Template film date with 1 release date
Album infoboxes lacking a cover
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21347
|
__label__cc
| 0.515824
| 0.484176
|
home : classifieds : notices January 19, 2021
Landing Page Browse Ads Search Ads Submit Ads
How to use this form.
Found 21 records
Displaying 1 thru 10
CLAIM DATE: Jan 10-31 on line only Auction (soft close) of Appx 1,000 separate lots; Guns (all fire arms can be seen @ Route 29 Kustoms business hrs.) over 100 NIB Barbie dolls, glassware, Fenton, Depression, silverware, political buttons, collectibles of all kinds, stamps, proof sets, modern furniture, Lazy-boy, Natuzzi, 2 flat screen TV's, antique items, E-Z Go gas golf cart, elect fork life (shop), Zero turn Landpride mower, IH garden tractor, 2 box trailers, heaters, ladders, saws, beer signs, bullet proof vest, *JD collectible combine, corn head, draper head NIB; wheels, gas powered air compressor, gun cases, at least 5 rack wagons for tools & shop equipment and hundreds of other items. Mrs. Mary Joy Dorr Est., Waldeck, Gross, Helton and other owners. For info & pictures; https://micenheimerandmeyer.hibid.com**
Claim Date: Online only auction, 1/9/2021-1/24/2021 soft close beginning at 7:00 pm. John Deere riding lawn tractor, vintage airplane prop, Indian head pennies, railroad items, Edison phonograph, RCA Nipper dog items, much much more. cokerauction.hibid.com to view photos. Lloyd Prior and others owners. Coker Auction Service, David Coker Auctioneer (217)802-6036
Notice of Application for funds authorized by the State of Illinois Public Act 83-1129, which establishes a grant program for local convention and visitors bureaus. � Notice is hereby given to potential applicants of these funds: � 1. That the Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity (hereinafter referred to as DCEO) reports that funding will be available to certified local tourism and convention bureaus as of July 1, 2021. 2. That a local bureau must contact DCEO to obtain criteria for Certification under the Act. 3. That a local bureau must submit by March 31, 2021 a request for certification by the Department as the entity entitled to receive these funds under the Act along with additional information required as outlined in the aforementioned criteria package. � All inquiries and certification requests must be forwarded to: � Greg Mihalich, Program Manager Local Tourism & Convention Bureau Grant Program Illinois Office of Tourism Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity 500 East Monroe Springfield, IL� 62701 217/558-2886 � 1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700134 TO: KEVIN L TYLER, CREDIT COLLECTIONS PARTNERS, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P3. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 10-04-12-102-001-00, Brief Legal Description: MT AUBURN LOT 10 BLK 17 2000R05421 70X175' 100647.000 04-12-A , Certificate Number: 201700134. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700136 TO: WILLIAM R CAMPBELL, PROFESSIONAL ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P4. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 10-04-12-107-001-00, Brief Legal Description: MT AUBURN LOT 7 BLK 6 2002-07533 100575.000 96-06243 70X175 04-12-B 86-15182, Certificate Number: 201700136. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700140 TO: DERICK J WELBURN, TIFFANY J WELBURN, SHELBY COUNTY STATE BANK, CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N A, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P5. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 11-25-14-301-006-00, Brief Legal Description: 100X200 TR IN NE SW SW MHRE 110103.001 2002-04224 25-14-E 75-4434 , Certificate Number: 201700140. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700145 TO: MICHAEL S CLARK, JOSEPHINE E CLARK, SECURED EQUITY FINANCIAL, LLC, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P6. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 11-25-15-308-001-00, Brief Legal Description: JOHN S HAYWARD'S DIVISION LOT 6 BLK 4 1996R04048 50X175' 111571.000 25-15-E , Certificate Number: 201700145. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700168 TO: GARY P WAFFORD, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P7. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 11-25-21-217-012-00, Brief Legal Description: ORIG TOWN S40 LT 3 & N10 LOT 4 BLK 18 110802.000 76-7564 50X160 25-21-C , Certificate Number: 201700168. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700187 TO: TERESA PUCKETT, RICHARD BUDDS JR, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P8. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 11-25-22-309-005-00, Brief Legal Description: COUNTRY CLUB SUB LOT 5 BLK 1 1996R03106 50X134' 111161.000 25-22-F , Certificate Number: 201700187. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
TAKE NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 201700220 TO: DENNIS D MCELROY, SECURITY NATIONAL BANK, Persons in Occupancy or actual possession of said property, unknown owners or parties interested in said land or lots. A Petition for Tax Deed on the property described below has been filed with the Circuit Clerk of Christian County, IL as Case No. 2018TX10P12. The Property is located at: Permanent Index Number: 14-24-23-413-005-00, Brief Legal Description: ROSAMOND LOTS 1 2 & 3 BLK 16 99-04614 140400.000 95-05878 120X160 24-23-H 94-05798 , Certificate Number: 201700220. Said Property was sold on 10/23/2018 for Delinquent Real Estate Taxes and/or Special Assessments for the year 2017. The period of redemption will expire on 5/10/2021. On May 18, 2021 11:00AM the Petitioner will make application to such Court in said County for an Order for Issuance of a Tax Deed. A B Investments, Petitioner 1/19, 1/20, 1/21, 2021
Using the Browse page
When browsing our classifieds, simply scroll down through the ads listed. If there are additional pages of liners, you may click on the Next, Previous, or page number to view more classifieds.
To select classified liners, click on the checkboxes next to the liner ads. You may choose the "View Selected" button to view the selected classified liners or the "Print Selected" button to print them.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21352
|
__label__wiki
| 0.511186
| 0.511186
|
The Best About Comics 2005
Comic Effect
Captain America: Steve Rogers #1: A Review
Review: SparrowHawk #1 Begins Slow, Then Finds Its Flow
Boom! Studios, Reviews
Suicide Squad #2
Lumberjanes: An Interview with Professional Hardcore Lady Type Shannon Watters
Classic Comics Cavalcade: Valiant Masters: H.A.R.D. Corps
Boom for 5/6/15: Little Big Week
This Week in BOOM!
Review: 'Apollo' is Great with Facts, Less Great with Mythologizing
I Love a Woman Who Can Kick My Ass: Batwoman: Not a Soldier, Still a Hero
Welcome again to the newest installment of I Love a Woman Who Can Kick My Ass. Previously, we took a look at Marvel’s X-23 and Dynamite’s Red Sonja. Today it’s DC’s turn and we’re going straight for the big guns. No, not Power. Girl. Also get your minds out of the gutter. Today we’re going to talk about Batwoman.
Let me go ahead and get this first thing off my chest and out of the way. Batwoman, a.k.a. Kate Kane, is not and was not a soldier. She was a cadet, and despite what DC says over and over in their comics they are not the same thing. Kate never graduated from West Point and as such never received her commission to become a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. To be perfectly blunt and honestly kinda mean about it, in the real world she never got past the point of being a college kid playing Army and all the Special Forces training in the world will never be able to change that.
To continue on with an uppercut knockout to her pride, the whole reason Kate never made it is because she quite simply couldn’t be bothered to do one of two rather easy things. All she had to do was either keep herself from engaging in a relationship during her time at West Point, which by the way is what we in the Army call “the right answer” as she was there to learn to be an officer in the US Army not hook up and party. Or failing that, be discreet about her relationship.
Kissing someone in the middle of the day right in front of the Cadet Honor Code monument, which even having not been to West Point myself I can guarantee you would be a high traffic area, does not fit any definition of discreet. You see, the whole system of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” revolved around the fact that no matter what her preferences or personality, no one was allowed to ask her “Are you gay?” as long as she kept from doing something that would provide irrefutable proof that she was so. Like open mouth kissing another woman in the middle of public. So when you really look at it, Kate ignored the rules that she agreed to live under, and in doing so shot herself in the foot. Sorry Batwoman fans I know that my statements are harsh, but it’s the truth.
However, Kate’s examples of bad judgment also lead us into the good parts of her character and the reason why despite all what I just said, if Kate had indeed made it and got her commission I would have been proud to call her “Sister-In-Arms”. When confronted with her indiscretion Kate kept true to the Seven Army Values, specifically the value Integrity. She was presented with the choice to lie in order to keep her career and instead chose to keep her honor by owning her choices and accepting the consequences. I can think of very few things in this world more admirable than this.
To own one’s mistakes is one of, if not the hardest thing for people to do. Nobody likes to stand in front of others and admit “I screwed the pooch. I $@&#-ed this one up.” and that is precisely why it is such an important part of the Army values. Mistakes can be rectified, they can be recovered from, but before that can happen who made them has to admit that they made the mistake in the first place. Only after that has happened, after the mistake has been acknowledged and owned by someone can the recovery process begin.
After being kicked out of West Point and losing her chance to serve in the Army forever (or so it seemed at the time, why hello there repeal of DADT in 2010!) Kate moved back to Gotham and pretty much just lived the socialite life for a while. She didn’t know what to do with herself anymore. She came from a soldier family, and now having been barred from following that tradition she had no direction. That is until one night she walked out of a bar and was attacked by a mugger.
She quickly disarmed and dispatched the man before instincts kicked in and she realized she was being watched from behind. She whirled around to find the Batman standing there and ending up falling in surprise. Without any words, Batman gave her a hand to get back to her feet and then used his grapnel gun to leave. Kate watched him disappear into the night and then saw the bat-signal lit in the sky. From that moment, Kate knew exactly what she was going to do with her life. As she would later tell her father when he confronted her about her vigilante activities, “I finally found a way to serve.”
Hooah, cadet, Hooah.
Following this instance, Kate devoted herself wholeheartedly to following Batman’s example as best she could. It took an incredible amount of drive, dedication, intelligence, and skill for Kate to become the brigade XO (executive officer, basically the second-in-command) for her class year in West Point. She had to prove that she was without a doubt one of the absolute best out of over 1,000 individuals, and that she possessed the soldiering skills and leadership qualities to lead those other 1,000 people. Now those same qualities were put forward in support of the bat-family’s crusade against crime.
The unfortunate part is that so was Kate’s impulsiveness. She began her crime-fighting career by stealing a large amount of non-lethal military equipment and then trolling seedy bars in order to pick up information on illegal activities that she could then later disrupt. Our first time seeing Kate in her role as a vigilante is as she uses copious amounts of tear gas in order to throw a group of gun smugglers into disarray and beat the crap out of them with a baton. Discounting for a moment the bad idea of stealing from the US Army in the first place, the strategy she used is also full of rookie holes that I could list, the worst being that she had absolutely no form of backup. Even Batman had Alfred to act as mission control in the beginning of his crusade.
It’s lucky then that it was her father that caught Kate after that bust-up she brought down on those smugglers. Colonel Jacob Kane was quick to call his daughter out on her recklessness and attempted to shut her operation down. After Kate had managed to say her piece though, he realized that she was not going to turn away from this. After years of preparing herself for service in the Army only to be told that she couldn’t, Kate was never going to back down from this call to arms that she had found. Colonel Kane relented, and instead became the Alfred to Kate’s Batwoman. He made sure Kate got the best training, education, and equipment that money could buy. If Kate was going to do this, he demanded that she do it right. Two years of intensive training later, and Batwoman was born in earnest.
Since then, Batwoman has been an unstoppable force on the war on crime in Gotham. She’s fought everything from two bit gangsters to outright monsters both psychological and physical. Depending on how you look at DC continuity these days, she not only survived getting stabbed in the heart but also immediately pulled the knife back out of her chest and paid her stabber back in kind. She’s rougher around the edges than Batman, not quite as skilled as him but she makes up for it by being even more brutally efficient in taking enemies down. Also unlike Batman who seems to be compelled at times to attempt to save everyone around him to include the villain, Kate has shown fewer compunctions against letting an enemy destroy themselves or taking them out herself if it means saving innocent lives.
The US Army of the DCU lost a wonderful resource when DoD policy forced the separation of Cadet Kate “Candy” Kane. Their loss however, was Gotham’s gain and it led to the emergence of a new legend within a city that desperately needed every bit of help it could get. She is relentless, unstoppable, and uncompromising in her crusade against crime. She is the Batwoman. I can salute that.
Once again to close us out, I bring up the next part of my quest to read about the Lost Batgirls. The story of No Man’s Land has been drawing me in, and in volume 2 we finally get an introduction to Cassandra Cain. The first third of the book is dedicated to doing exactly that. We’re introduced to Cassandra as she works as a courier for Barbara within Gotham. We also quickly learn that she cannot speak. She seems to understand others well enough but her own vocabulary is limited to a few words and gestures. Despite this, she is quickly shown to be a credible threat in hand-to-hand combat and possess a quick thinking mind as she helps Batman stop her father David Cain from assassinating Commissioner Gordon. I feel that the series of events that happens in order to get the Huntress out of the Batgirl costume and Cassandra into it are a little ham-fisted, but seeing as I don’t know much about the character and Barbara Gordon appeared to really dislike her I’m left to assume that there are reasons for this that I’m not privy to. My one real gripe in all of this is that after finally putting the costume on and going out as Batgirl, Cassandra’s first mission as such is to team up with Jean-Paul Valley. Ugh, could somebody please let me know when I can look forward to not seeing this guy anymore?
BatwomanI Love a Woman Who Can Kick My AssMilitaryRiagain27
Black Sails 1.03 “III”
SXSW Film 2014 Day 1: No More Giants: Technical Difficulties, Familiar Faces, Bodily Functions and Disappointing Finishes
Ardo Omer Reads Batman: Superheavy With The Reboot Podcast
Chase Magnett, Joseph Kyle Schmidt
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21355
|
__label__cc
| 0.592649
| 0.407351
|
The top podcast hosting platforms in 2018
by Dave Zohrob · August 21, 2018
[UPDATED August 28, 10p EST—See our new post with updated stats!]
At Chartable, our mission is to empower podcast creators to understand and grow their audience. We maintain a database of every podcast in Apple's directory, along with their episodes, ratings, reviews, and chart positions. As of this writing we're tracking around 510,000 podcasts, almost the entire Apple directory. Apple, being Apple, doesn't provide much information about the podcasts in its directory. But there's a lot of questions we can answer with our data.
Because the directory doesn't actually host the files themselves, we can dig into the RSS feeds behind each podcast to find out which services are hosting each show. I started by just looking at which domains hosted each podcast, but that wasn't quite enough—some feeds are wrapped by Feedburner, a service for RSS statistics, or by Podtrac, an analytics service. And many services are hosted on individual domains like mypodcast.com, so just looking at the domain itself isn't enough. But with enough persistence (and caffeine), I've identified the vast majority of hosting services.
Now we can ask: Which hosting services are powering the most podcasts in the entire directory? There are a few different ways to frame the question. Let's start with the simplest—looking at all 500,000 podcasts in the database:
The graph shows just how decentralized the podcast ecosystem is—Soundcloud, the biggest platform, has under 15% of the entire market, and Anchor ranks #2 with 9.5% of the market. Some of these names, like Libsyn or Blubrry, might be familiar to you if you're involved in podcasting. Others are more unexpected, at least from a US-centric perspective: ivoox powers many Spanish-language podcasts, Ximalaya many podcasts in China, and SSenhosting is big in Korea.
So is Soundcloud the dominant podcast hosting platform? It depends on how you slice the data. It's not clear how meaningful it is to look at the entire podcasts directory, because many podcasts are no longer updating their feeds, and some podcasts are really more like online courses or audiobooks than “traditional” podcasts.
To get more meaningful insights, we can ask some variations of our original question. One place to start would be the Apple Podcasts charts. Which hosting services power podcasts in the Top 400 overall chart in the US?
This looks pretty different: the top service, Libsyn, has about a quarter of the market. And Soundcloud, the top platform across all podcasts, has now dropped to #3, while Anchor has dropped from #2 to #11.
Two new companies, Art19 and Megaphone, power a significant percentage of the top 400 but don't make a dent when looking at all podcasts. Both companies offer features for professional podcasters, like dynamic ad insertion, that differentiate them from services like Soundcloud. We also see that many publishers handle their hosting themselves: NPR powers their own shows, and Barstool Sports and ESPN do as well.
The overall Top 400 represents just one slice of the growing podcast market, though. What about new podcasts? What services are new podcasters using for their shows?
Which hosting services are powering podcasts published in the last 6 months?
Again, we get a VERY different picture than either of our first two graphs—Anchor is powering a third of new podcasts!
To be honest, when I first saw this result, I thought I must've made a mistake. It seemed crazy that a single platform could capture that much of the market share of new shows. However, Anchor's focus on making publishing to Apple easy seems to have paid off—they publish all shows under their own Apple Podcasts Connect account, so new podcasters don't have to go through the application process (and waiting period) to get their shows listed in the directory.
The raw numbers don't tell us much about the quality of the shows, however. The difference between the services powering the top 400 and all new podcasts hints at a difference, though: Anchor powers a plurality of new podcasts but few highly charting shows.
Conventional wisdom in the podcasting community is that it's easy to start a podcast, but most people hit a wall before too long. One way we could further slice the data is to ask how many podcasts from each platform manage to create more than a few episodes.
Slicing it this way, we find that 16% of Anchor's podcasts publish 10 or more episodes. In contrast, 45% of podcasts hosted on Soundcloud publish 10 or more. Both Soundcloud and Anchor offer free plans—Libsyn does not. We could hypothesize that podcasters who are paying money to host their show are more committed to doing more episodes, and we'd be correct: 77% of Libsyn podcasts have 10 or more episodes.
So, to get back to our first question: who powers the most podcasts? As of mid-August 2018, Soundcloud does on a pure volume basis. Given the number of new shows powered by Anchor, though, Soundcloud won't be top of that list much longer. Just looking at the number of podcasts doesn't quite tell the entire story, though: because Anchor makes starting a podcast and publishing to Apple so easy, many Anchor podcasts don't publish more than a few episodes.
Here's the breakdown for podcasts created in the last 6 months with 10 or more episodes:
This might be the most accurate picture of where things currently stand. Anchor still publishes the most podcasts that have hit the 10-episode mark, but the field is much narrower; Soundcloud and Libsyn are a close second and third.
So what have we learned? Zooming out, the podcast hosting services market is very fragmented, and will only get more fragmented over time. There are many new entrants aiming for pieces of the market, like Transistor.fm targeting companies who want a branded podcast, or Messy.fm competing directly with Anchor.
What does the future hold for podcast hosting? Will Anchor continue to grab a greater share of new podcasts? Will Art19 and Megaphone take over more of the Top 400 podcasts? We'll just have to see—stay tuned.
For more posts like this, subscribe to our newsletter using the form below or by visiting https://chartable.com/blog. And if you're a podcaster, be sure to sign up for Chartable's podcast analytics.
Have any questions about podcasts you'd like answered? Just reach out via email at info@chartable.com or on Twitter @ChartableDotCom.
[Aug 28, 10p ET] We've published an updated post with a deeper dive into the stats. Check it out here.
[Aug 24, 2p ET] Just finished separating out a bunch of info for every show, distinguishing between, feed generator, feed redirection (including stats providers like Blubrry & Feedburner), feed hosting, and media hosting (including following redirects like Podtrac). It's more work & more data than I expected, but I hope to finish an updated post this weekend. Thanks to everyone who has reached out, including Andrew from PRX.
[Aug 22, 2p ET] A big thank you to Rob from Libsyn, James from Podnews, and Kiriki from Streamguys for suggesting ways to get more accurately at the data. Kiriki in particular pointed out that Streamguys powers many podcasts but allows them to customize their domain name. The additional DNS lookups mean that things are taking a bit longer than I'd like, but I'll have updated data soon.
[Aug 21, 2:30p ET] Thanks to Daniel J. Lewis, fixed some lingering Podtrac and Feedburner feeds that were still hanging out in the database. This only affected the "All time" and "Top 400" graphs, which have been updated. There was no change in the overall service rankings.
Additionally, Daniel and others pointed out that some podcasts host their feeds and media separately. I'm working on finding out how many do so and whether that might change the rankings. I'll post updated data when it's available.
Liked this post? Get our newsletter with podcast insights.
Announcing SmartPromos: podcast-to-podcast attribution
Chartable, the podcast analytics and...
Incremental Lift: The Next Evolution in Podcast Advertising Attribution
We’re excited to announce the launch of...
The Best Podcasts of 2019, By The Numbers
The Golden Age of Podcasts continues. See the...
Apple Podcasts vs. Spotify — Which is more popular?
Apple has been reported as the #1 podcast app...
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21358
|
__label__wiki
| 0.503882
| 0.503882
|
Nico and Solenn—two storms who took on the Colorado Storm
Solenn Heussaff Likes the Comfort of the Chevrolet Colorado Storm
by Kathy Moran
What kind of ride fits actress Solenn Heussaff?
Solenn Heussaff wears many hats—she’s an actress, an artist, a singer, a mode, a curious traveler… the list goes on. With her active lifestyle and busy schedule, Solenn is on the lookout for a vehicle that will meet all her driving needs in one go.
Enter the Chevrolet Colorado Storm—a seriously capable pickup truck that can power anyone through the day. We must give credit to The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI) the official distributor of Chevrolet cars in the country, for this new top-of-the-line variant of the Colorado that is packed with features inside and out.
Not only did Chevrolet introduce a winner in the Storm, they packed charming celebrity to go along for the ride—Solenn Heussaff. “I love that it’s an easy to use big car,” says Solenn. “I would never be able to park something of that size before (haha). The camera at the back and sensors make my parking extra easy and precise. The color I chose is also badass.
Looks are everything—and the Storm has it all. The pickup has several blacked-out accents, which can be seem on the hood, doors, side mirror caps and door handles. There’s also the striking vehicle body decals, which highlight the Colorado Storm’s go-anywhere image. On top of that, the pickup trick sports a black 18-inch alloy wheels, black anthracite rear bumper and the rear sport bar on the bed itself—truly badass.
Stepping in to the Storm is a delight with its six-way power adjustable driver’s seat making adjustments easy. Of course we can’t overlook the 8-inch touchscreen system that supports the latest MyLink infotainment software. Besides having the usual AM/FM radio, USB, AUX input, and Bluetooth telephone features, the new MyLink also comes with Apply CarPlay with Siri Eyes Free and voice recognition, and Android Auto.
A LIFESTYLE FIT
The Colorado Storm is the perfect fit for the busy and fun loving Solenn’s lifestyle. “I’m usually taping or shooting six days a week,” says Solenn. “I love to get up early and walk to my Muay Thai class before work. If I’m not on set till early morning the next day. I usually do my groceries and prepare a meal for Nico and I. I like simple days.”
But when she’s taping, Solenn needs an able partner that will help her get to where she needs to go. “Heading to work usually takes me two to three hours drive since we shoot in far locations,” shares the actress. “The Storm gives me comfort when I need to stay in the car for a long time, and the option to turn it from 4x2 to 4x4 is useful when taping in farther locations with steep and rocky roads.”
Under the hood of the Storm is a 2.8-liter DURAMAX turbo-diesel engine that delivers maximum power and torque. Being the top-of-the-line model the Colorado Storm is available with a six-speed automatic transmission coupled to a 4WD system.
And when the driving gets tough, the Storm has safety features that any driver looks for: Anti-Lock Brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring, Front and Rear Parking Sensors and a Reverse Camera.
“I really like the easy drive and the side sensors,” adds Solenn—emphasizing that looks are one thing and the little extras make the ride easy.
DRIVE UP A STORM
Solenn shares, “The smooth drive—that it ‘cancels’ noise from outside—the sleek black trim design, and the interiors [make the Storm feel like it’s on a league of its own] and not just a regular truck.
The Chevrolet Colorado Storm is what Solenn needs—it’s a vehicle that not only gets where she wants to go, it’s also fun to drive, easy to maneuver, and looks really cool—what more could she want? The Colorado Storm and Solenn—two tough beauties that meet roads ahead in style.
Nico Bolzico Rides Tough In The Chevrolet Colorado Storm
We see may vehicles run our streets today, but there is nothing quite like the Colorado Storm.
With the number of vehicles that you see on the road, you sometimes yearn to have a ride that will make you standout, yet allow to meet all your needs in one go.
You don’t have to look further as The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the official distributor of Chevrolet cars in the country, has brought in an all-new variant of its popular pickup truck. Called the Chevrolet Colorado Storm, this highly capable truck can take you just about anywhere. Not only did Chevrolet introduce a winner in the Storm, they also picked a funny and rough-riding celebrity to go along for the ride—Nico Bolzico.
“I think Chevrolet and Colorado Storm combine technology, look, power, engine, and also smooth driving.” shares Nico. “I think it is a combination of everything that goes into the truck that makes it so special. It is probably the best truck in the world for me.”
FITS YOUR LIFE
“My day is never the same. On a working day, sometimes I go to the office, sometimes to the farm, sometimes to the province. What I try to do when I start my day is to exercise. Either a 10k run with 200 push ups or 20 sprints uphill 200 push ups and I always try to finish it with having a nice time with my wife is she is available.” shares Nico.
The Colorado Storm is the perfect fit for the frenetic lifestyle of Nico. Because under the hood, the pickup truck is equipped with a 2.8-liter DURAMAX turbo-diesel engine that delivers efficient pulling power. Being the top-of-the-line model, the Colorado Storm is available with a six-speed automatic transmission coupled to a 4WD system.
And no matter how tough the driving gets, the Storm has features any safe driver looks for: Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warding, Forward Collision Alert, Trailer Sway Control, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring, Front and Rear Parking Sensors and a Reverse Camera.
DRIVING UP A STORM
There is no doubt that the Storm is one tough truck. And it looks the part too. The pickup has several blacked-out accents, which can be seen on the hood, doors, side mirror caps and door handles. There’s also the striking vehicle body decals, which highlights the Colorado Storm’s go-anywhere image. It helps that the pickup truck has black 18-inch alloy wheels, black anthracite rear bumper and the rear sport bar on the bed itself—truly badass.
“The looks are so cool. I love it sooo much.” says Nico. Stepping in to the Storm is a delight with its six-way power adjustable driver’s seat making adjustments easy. Of course we can’t overlook the 8-inch touchscreen system that supports the latest MyLink Infotainment software. Besides having the usual AM/FM radio, USB, AUX input, and Bluetooth telephone features, the new MyLink also comes with Apple CarPlay with Siri Eyes Free and voice recognition, and Android Auto.
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’
“You can cross absolutely any place anywhere in the country with the Storm. You are unstoppable,” enthuses Nico. “In managing my business, I use the Storm to go to all of my farms, and sometimes accessing the farms is not easy and the roads are not great. Before, I was afraid to go to my farms because I might get stuck and not reach them, but now with the Colorado Storm I don’t mind where the farm is. Of course I like that I look so cool driving my Colorado.”
The Chevrolet Colorado Storm is what Nico needs—it’s a vehicle that not only gets him where he wants to go, it’s also fun to drive, easy to maneuver, and looks really cool—what more could he want? Chevrolet and Nico are really kicking up a Storm with this pickup.
This story was published in The Philippine Star.
To learn more about Chevrolet products and services, log on to www.chevrolet.com.ph, like the Chevrolet Philippines Facebook page, or follow the Chevrolet Philippines Instagram page.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21360
|
__label__wiki
| 0.828536
| 0.828536
|
Torrey Conference 2018: Kingdom
Exercising influence without authority
Karen Ellis shares the story of a prodigy poetess who both won her emancipation and found her faith.
Photo by Thecla Li / THE CHIMES
Christian Leonard, Editor-in-Chief
Phillis Wheatley was seven years old when she was forced onto the Middle Passage, a slave trade route that would eventually deliver her to the American colonies. Misery and disease were commonplace on the slave ship, as captives were squeezed into tight quarters for months.
Africans had not always been treated so brutally, professor Karen Ellis explained during her Wednesday afternoon Torrey Conference session, “Principles of Perseverance: Learning from the African-American Church Experience.” As indentured servants brought to Europe, they had come on roughly equal footing as other servants. But over a period of less than 60 years, they had lost their rights to property, worship and assembly.
“Marginalization is death by a thousand cultural cuts that happen slowly,” Ellis said to the audience.
But Wheatley’s story did not end on the slave ship. When the girl arrived to the colonies, she was given the name of two other entities: “Phillis,” the name of the slave ship that had brought her to an unfamiliar continent, and “Wheatley,” the surname of her owners.
“DEFECT” INTO VIRTUE
Though many in that society considered Africans as intellectually inferior, Wheatley showed her talent from a young age. She was reading difficult Bible passages by age nine, and mastered both Green and Latin by age 10. When she was 14, she wrote her first poem. She later became the first African-American woman to publish a book.
Though her critics claimed that she could not have possibly written such exquisite poetry, Wheatley knew her skill might be her road to freedom. She also read the Bible often, and saw that, despite what some argued, slavery was utterly inconsistent with its words. Wheatley transformed through her writings, Ellis said, what culture considered a defect—her dark skin—and into a virtue, highlighting passages in the Bible where the Ethiopian is esteemed and given authority. Moses, Wheatley pointed out, married an Ethiopian.
BIBLICAL FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE
By making biblical counterarguments to culture, Wheatley exercised influence without authority, according to Ellis. Those who argued for slavery seemed to only understand the form of the Gospel, while denying its transformative power of love. Though the Mosaic Law included provisions for slavery, Ellis says this was God’s method of regulating sin, but that he never endorsed the practice.
She explained that slavery is the elevation of one human to a God-like status over another. Yet the great story of the Bible is one of freedom from bondage—both physical and spiritual.
Eventually, Wheatley was emancipated. Her writings show a personal decision to support the American Revolution. She, whom some had tried to silence, also wrote letters to George Washington, who showed her respect by responding. She made friends with other Africans, indigenous persons and ethical Europeans, Ellis said, a collaboration which allowed her to push more strongly for both the abolition of slavery and the evangelism to the unreached.
In closing, Ellis said Wheatley came to a strange land, took what it had to offer her theologically, and used the knowledge biblically to hold up the Gospel as a mirror to a culture that had marginalized her. This is influence without authority. The professor also encouraged students to find people in the underground of history like Wheatley, who followed the story of God’s people as closely as they could.
Share their stories, and then do the same.
principles of perseverance
Torrey Conference
Christian Leonard is a junior journalism major whose affinity for chickens is really getting out of hand. He can often be found singing in the office, wrapped around a book, or arguing for the classification of cereal as a soup.
I came to Biola a nervous freshman, not really sure what I wanted to do during my time at university. Years of prayer and waiting seemed fruitless, until an academic counselor recommended I contact the Chimes, since I had shown a...
Mar 10 / Softball
Saint Katherine
Mar 9 / Men's Tennis
Mar 9 / Women's Tennis
Mar 7 / Men's Basketball
Day two of ‘Kingdom’ proves just as full as the first
Salguero advocates for neighbors
Torrey Conference kickoff celebrates ‘Kingdom’
Unspoken tension disrupts our daily life
Humility and a repentance of self-loathing
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21362
|
__label__cc
| 0.546968
| 0.453032
|
Archive for the ‘OKLAHOMA CITY’ Tag
JOHN CHUCKMAN ESSAY: AMERICA’S STRANGE POLITICAL CULTURE OF GRIEF AND DYING 2 comments
AMERICA’S STRANGE POLITICAL CULTURE OF GRIEF AND DYING
Death in America does not come easily. That is, unless you are homeless or live on an Indian reservation or in one of the nation’s vast urban ghettos or are one of tens of millions of working poor with the kind of health insurance that features exceptions instead of coverage. In all these cases, likely few will note your passing. Losers don’t count in America, except at Fourth-of-July speeches by congressmen in tight races.
Anyone living in the United States must acclimatize to massive public displays of grief. Actually, “public displays of grief” is an inadequate term, for, apart from their Hollywood production values, they seem often to have a starkly political character.
But the subject is complex, and some of its ridiculous aspects reflect a society where beauty contests for five-year-olds in mascara and half-time football shows are cultural events. There is also a business aspect, for grief like everything in America serves the greater “entrepreneurial spirit.”
And there is, amidst all the mess and clutter, a sense of loneliness and anger that comes through, the echoes of life in a society of flourishing Social Darwinism. This last aspect will be the subject of a future essay.
Have you ever noticed the way Americans refer to any event involving death as a “tragedy?” This usage reflects the attitude of people who think they’ve banished death in their child-like enjoyment of measureless entitlements. Death must be really special, and so it is always a “tragedy.”
This word usage also reflects the political correctness that muffles all discussion of serious topics in America with a dense, fluffy coating of euphemism. It’s callous to talk honestly about something like death in America. Such talk may even qualify as being unpatriotic.
Now, “tragedy” has a very specific meaning, and it has nothing to do with accidents or unhappiness or even tears. It has to do with heroic attempts at something worthy despite the fates having ruled that one must fail. All sense of this powerful word is lost in contemporary America.
When first built, the Vietnam memorial was a remarkably dignified statement of grief, that seemed, with its low profile, simple design, and dark color, to speak to both the shame and loss of a pointless war. It was a miracle that anything so thoughtful came out of those years of insane violence.
But the dignity couldn’t last long. Clumps of statues – including figures carefully representing every identifiable marketing segment of the voter population, always excepting gays and Arabs – are springing up like toadstools after a period of warm rain. And, of course, there has to be an “information center.” Dignity is gradually giving way to the ambiance of a Niagara Falls gift shop.
Endless photographs of people rubbing names onto paper or touching the surface with tremulous fingers or leaving teddy bears, an entire small library of coffee-table books full of such pictures, have almost turned the wall into an official national how-to display center for grief.
The private acts of individuals grieving are, or should be, just that, private. Overly-photographed, overly-televised, overly-written-about acts are not private, they are public – and not the public of solemn ceremony, but the public of performance or advertising. Americans often no longer seem to understand this distinction, or, as with so many things, they want it both ways.
We also have a fake wall that tours the country on a truck, as well as several hundred local mini-walls and fake walls in cities, towns, and states that feature subsets of the names on the wall in Washington. I am sure there are people who imitate what they’ve seen repeated over and over in magazines, movies, and on television when the fake wall pays a visit at the local Wal-Mart parking lot. Tremulous fingers rub names on a plastic wall inside a truck.
To placate veterans of another hideous, pointless war, “the Korean conflict,” yet another wall was built – this one far less subtle or interesting, perhaps reflecting its being a rushed after-thought. This one unfortunately resembles a huge Russian-gangster tombstone with faces etched on dark granite. It comes with an army of life-size aluminum soldiers, “Joes,” (wasn’t that the name used by the cute little Korean lads always asking the generous Americans for chocolate in all the “B” movies about Korea?) grimly trudging along.
Soon we will have the grandest memorial of all – a gigantic pile of rock slabs and flags and men’s and ladies’ rooms honoring World War II. The artist’s renderings suggest a bowling-tournament trophy built on the scale of Egypt’s Great Pyramid. This eyesore is to be assembled after fleets of Sikorsky helicopters drop the required eighteen million pounds of granite dead center of The Mall in Washington.
Support for this one came right from the grass roots, from the sale of t-shirts and baseball caps at Wal-Mart and smoky beer-socials at veterans’ posts. The resulting memorial has everything you’d expect short of beer-bellied figures in baseball caps and XXX t-shirts labeled “Proudly Made in the U.S.A.,” but, who knows, that may come over time.
Building ugly, expensive memorials is not limited to Washington. Nor is their subject matter limited to war. Walls of names at one time threatened to become as commonplace as fried-chicken outlets. Several airline crashes have their own versions.
Now, other conceptions have come into vogue, perhaps inspired by the massive aluminum “Joes” of the Korean-conflict memorial. For example, we have a memorial with scores of concrete posts down in a Florida swamp in memory of an airline crash.
If we were to build something like this for every victim of every crash (about 50,000 Americans die in automobile crashes alone each year), memorials would soon represent a serious pedestrian hazard, with people tripping over them or banging into them while talking on cell-phones.
But the strangeness of America’s public grief goes far beyond strange memorials. We have people who gather, in Busby Berkley re-creations of 1970 flower-child scenes, to throw flowers into the ocean years after the crash of an airliner or to light candles in bottles along miles of shore – not private, spontaneous acts of grieving, but choreographed displays, carefully documented on film to become spots on the evening news or the covers of magazines. Grieving here becomes an avenue to Andy Warhol’s fifteen minutes of fame.
Being a victim – or part of the subset, survivor – opens new prospects for even the humblest. Victims are interviewed, photographed, appear on day-time talk shows, travel, have books written about them, and often go on lecture circuits. They may even have agents. It’s pretty heady stuff, and it sure beats what most people do for a living.
Indeed, there is an almost irresistible movement in America to raise being a victim to the status of a profession. It is already an occupation.
Soon one or two dozen of America’s countless weird little colleges – places like the Bull Connor Memorial College for Christian Gentlemen, or the New Jersey Turnpike Drive-Through College for the Performing Arts – will offer courses and even degrees in victimhood and survivorship. Why not? You can get a degree in circus in America. Or a degree in recreational leadership. Or a degree in nothing. Four-year B.V.s just seem too good a business opportunity to be missed.
Most people in the world, following the loss of a loved one, seek peace or solace or some other definite and recognizable state of being. But in America, people seek “closure.” The quest to find an acceptable personal meaning for this undefined, self-help-book term is the starting point for many a career as victim or survivor.
Closure may come quickly or never – it is a very flexible concept, allowing for short, meteoric careers or more sustained, long-term ones. Some captives of the American embassy in Iran went on for more than a decade talking and writing about little more than being on the receiving end of what American armed forces are doing to Al-Qaeda prisoners in Cuba.
For about a year or two, every relative of every person affected by the Oklahoma City bombing was interviewed so many times that every ounce of pathetic remembrance was drained from them. I used to wince as soon as I heard the lead-in for another of these on National Public Radio. There was this awful mental image of reporters squeezing the ragged, pulpy scraps of an exhausted lemon to get a last drop of juice.
Of course, there are Oklahoma City victim support groups and associations of every description plus survivors’ reunions and home-coming events. Grief
counselors – another field for combining grief and profit in America -streamed in for weeks, jamming the town’s airport and bus station. And probably upwards of four hundred books were published by and about victims. Victims can spend the rest of their lives just reading about themselves.
Again in Oklahoma City, there is the unavoidable colossal memorial – this time, it consists of a fleet of giant, ugly chairs that look as though no one would ever have wanted to sit on one.
Undoubtedly, the terrorist attack on New York will top all previous grief-events for intensity of as well as endurance. This promises to go on for decades. We already have decals, official logos, baseball caps, t-shirts, shorts, lapel pins, books, videos, electronic games, and framed prints. It is well on its way to spawning a major new industry of survivor-souvenirs and memorabilia. And a stupendous memorial is almost certainly in the works. Perhaps Disney will do a plastic copy to minimize the diversion of tourists to New York.
Now, don’t misunderstand. When the terrorists attacked, America deserved the world’s sympathy and help, and she richly received it. But now, quite apart from its being well past time for a grossly self-indulgent people “to get a life,” the country’s brutal, stupid response – undoubtedly killing more innocent people than died in the attack itself and causing more misery than can be imagined in such a poor land – means she has relinquished further claims to the world’s sympathy.
It’s hard to sympathize with people who insist on the very special, precious, eternal nature of their own loss, while failing even to notice what they do to others. The moral values here closely resemble those of certain survivors or victims in Texas who parade outside the prison during an execution and excitedly talk to newsmen about the closure someone’s death is bringing to their lives.
Closure on this one is going to be right off the scale and probably will take generations. At the heart of the matter, as someone perceptively noted, is that Americans want to be liked and just cannot understand why someone dislikes them so much. They could easily learn why if they only would listen to others, but that will not happen.
Not listening is something of a national characteristic, and there’s almost a sense of pride attached to it. But then, Americans are proud of a lot of loopy things, like the fact that B-2 bombers are such neat-looking, high-tech planes – totally ignoring the fact that each copy costs them about forty top-quality, well-equipped high schools and requires maintenance for every hour’s flying equal to the total annual salaries of several teachers.
Besides, the entire workforce of government and corporate media labor mightily day and night to keep emotions on the boil. CNN stupidly blares from every office and public place much like the tele-screens in 1984 reporting approved details of Oceania’s endless war. Outsiders are certainly not welcome. At all. Unless, of course, they’re sending troops or money.
There is simply no perspective in any of this. Every four or five years, Americans killing Americans generate enough names to fill the Vietnam memorial in Washington. They murder the same number of people who died in the World Trade Center every few months.
Indeed, until a recent, not well-understood decline in American homicides, this figure was enough killings just-over every two years to fill a new wall. Enough killings to equal the carnage of the World Trade Center about every six weeks (just a few years ago, murders ran at 1800 a year for New York city alone). That rate of killing created the equivalent of ten Vietnam walls in the first couple of decades after the war – all filled with names of Americans killed by Americans.
In the same state where tens of millions were spent on the Oklahoma City memorial, there is no memorial to, nor even much memory of, twice as many black Americans slaughtered in Tulsa by insane white mobs and dumped into mass graves during a rampage in the 1920s. Even their property was stolen, just as was the case for Japanese-American internees of concentration camps about twenty years later. Nor is there a memorial in the state of Florida where a similar event occurred.
The colossal brutality of American slavery receives no adequate memorial. The re-creations of slave auctions at colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, actually help soften the image of slavery, but even these silly play-acts by summer students in gingham are quite recent. Slavery at virtually all national historic sites was simply ignored.
Imagine the real auction blocks with slaves stripped naked to display their muscles. Or, in the case of females, to show other assets of interest to isolated plantation owners. Imagine the chained slaves defecating like horses as they are driven to or from the market in gangs. Imagine the stinking holds of ships where they were packed like cord wood, with the substantial numbers who died or got sick in shipment being tossed overboard as they were discovered. America has never come to terms with the immensity of slavery. Where’s the huge and piteous memorial owing here?
Something like two thousand kids a year are killed by child abuse in the United States – that’s another wall full of names since the end of the war in Vietnam – all children. But there is no wall provided.
Of course, the deaths of children and the documented abuse of literally hundreds of thousands more every year, doesn’t stop “pro-life” folks from weeping over fetuses. Never mind all those real kids in pain and difficulty, never mind all the homeless, never mind all the runaways and child prostitutes, and never mind all the families whose lives are no more than emotional vacuums – they’re murdering fetuses!
The bizarre outer limits of grief culture were
reached when dozens of Americans gathered in
Washington to weep over stem cells. Most of the
mourners likely wouldn’t be able to offer a coherent
definition of a stem cell, but that fact
didn’t get in the way of their much photographed and
televised grief. It wouldn’t surprise me if these
people announce a special memorial to stem cells
killed in New York labs by the terrorist attack.
Now, the discovery that a few middle-class children accidentally were killed each year by air bags created waves of publicity and demands for change. And change in the regulations came quickly. But the murder of an American child every few hours (until the recent decline, but the number is still shameful), often at the hands of another child in urban ghettos, generated only a flat-line graph on the monitor of national concern.
Executions in the United States elicit sympathy from some, but the death penalty is popular. Candidate Bush saw no political risk in making sophomoric remarks about people waiting to be executed in Texas. And there’s a well-known picture of him smirking during a remark about the upcoming death of a particular inmate.
America is still the only country to have used a genuine “weapon of mass destruction.” Twice. On civilians. Not much grief is ever expressed over that.
Actually, quite the opposite, as we are reminded at every commemoration of Pearl Harbor that the few thousand Americans killed in an attack on a military base more than justified the mass incineration of women and children, hospitals and schools.
One especially sensitive American reader recently wrote to tell me that the entire Middle East should have been reduced to radioactive glass after the attack on the World Trade Center, and that I should just mind my own business about it. Needless to say, such expressions of grief are touching.
Three to four million Southeast Asian people perished in the insane orgy of killing Americans call the Vietnam War, three hundred thousand went missing, and, over the years since, thousands of farmers have been crippled or killed by the mines and unexploded bombs left behind. Not to mention the unholy effects of an ocean of Agent Orange bubbling and gurgling its way through the water tables of Southeast Asia.
And yet, a quarter-century after that holocaust, there were news stories about whether the Vietnamese were being sufficiently cooperative in finding sets of American remains. Remains that by that time and in that place were surely nothing more than dust, buttons, and dental fillings.
This was just one of many demeaning rituals the American establishment put the Vietnamese through because of their intense rage at losing the war. But this absurd ritual of digging for dust and buttons was possible and took meaning precisely because Washington could exploit strange American attitudes towards death – virtually encouraging the pitiful, hopeless belief by a portion of the public in the survival of missing men – to support a vicious policy.
Every three days, cigarettes kill as many Americans as died in the World Trade Center. Does the Congress take serious action to suppress or better control cigarette smoking? Not really. Other countries have been far more imaginative and aggressive.
America’s courageous legislators leave most of the responsibility to the courts with state lawsuits whose very settlements presume continued heavy smoking and whose proceeds often are not even spent on smoking or health.
Now compare the daily, genuine menace of cigarettes with the threat of terrorism.
Despite the World Trade Center, an American’s chances of dying from terror are just about equal to slipping on a banana in the bathtub during a thunderstorm. Almost nonexistent.
Here was one event involving three thousand people out of a population of two hundred and eighty million, one event spread over a period of many decades of America’s controversy-filled dominance in world affairs. And that one event involved a series of unrepeatable favorable circumstances for the perpetrators, circumstances which actually reflect on the same glorious legislators’ unwillingness to attend to business before by mandating such simple measures as locked cabins and more professional inspection staff.
Yet after that one event, the good old boys in Congress instantly passed police-state legislation, negated many Constitutional protections, launched an undeclared war, ignored the Geneva Conventions, and stand ready to spend countless billions more.
It truly does make a remarkable difference who dies and under what circumstances in America.
Tagged with 1984, ALUMINUM SOLDIERS, AMERICA, AMERICANS KILLING AMERICANS, ATOMIC BOMBS ON JAPAN, BUSH SMIRKING AT DEATH, GIANT UGLY CHAIRS, GRIEF AND DYING, GRIEF COUNSELORS, HOLOCAUST IN VIETNAM, JOHN CHUCKMAN, MEMORIALS TO EVERYTHING, NO MEMORIAL TO SLAVERY, OKLAHOMA CITY, PLASTIC VIETNAM WALL, PROFESSIONAL SURVIVORS, PUBLIC GRIEF, RUSSIAN-GANGSTER TOMBSTONES, STEM CELL GRIEF, SURVIVORS, TINY ODDS OF DEATH BY TERROR, TRAGEDY
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21366
|
__label__cc
| 0.523571
| 0.476429
|
TRAM (Transcriptome Mapper): database-driven creation and analysis of transcriptome maps from multiple sources
Luca Lenzi1,
Federica Facchin1,
Francesco Piva2,
Matteo Giulietti2,
Maria Chiara Pelleri1,
Flavia Frabetti1,
Lorenza Vitale1,
Raffaella Casadei1,
Silvia Canaider1,
Stefania Bortoluzzi3,
Alessandro Coppe3,
Gian Antonio Danieli3,
Giovanni Principato2,
Sergio Ferrari4 &
Pierluigi Strippoli1
Several tools have been developed to perform global gene expression profile data analysis, to search for specific chromosomal regions whose features meet defined criteria as well as to study neighbouring gene expression. However, most of these tools are tailored for a specific use in a particular context (e.g. they are species-specific, or limited to a particular data format) and they typically accept only gene lists as input.
TRAM (Transcriptome Mapper) is a new general tool that allows the simple generation and analysis of quantitative transcriptome maps, starting from any source listing gene expression values for a given gene set (e.g. expression microarrays), implemented as a relational database. It includes a parser able to assign univocal and updated gene symbols to gene identifiers from different data sources. Moreover, TRAM is able to perform intra-sample and inter-sample data normalization, including an original variant of quantile normalization (scaled quantile), useful to normalize data from platforms with highly different numbers of investigated genes. When in 'Map' mode, the software generates a quantitative representation of the transcriptome of a sample (or of a pool of samples) and identifies if segments of defined lengths are over/under-expressed compared to the desired threshold. When in 'Cluster' mode, the software searches for a set of over/under-expressed consecutive genes. Statistical significance for all results is calculated with respect to genes localized on the same chromosome or to all genome genes. Transcriptome maps, showing differential expression between two sample groups, relative to two different biological conditions, may be easily generated. We present the results of a biological model test, based on a meta-analysis comparison between a sample pool of human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells and a sample pool of megakaryocytic cells. Biologically relevant chromosomal segments and gene clusters with differential expression during the differentiation toward megakaryocyte were identified.
TRAM is designed to create, and statistically analyze, quantitative transcriptome maps, based on gene expression data from multiple sources. The release includes FileMaker Pro database management runtime application and it is freely available at http://apollo11.isto.unibo.it/software/, along with preconfigured implementations for mapping of human, mouse and zebrafish transcriptomes.
In the last few years it has became increasingly evident that, among the multiple gene expression regulation mechanisms, eukaryotic genes expression level is also dependent on their location within the genome [1]. For example, a more or less strong tendency for colocalization in the same chromosomal regions has been described for genes expressed at very high levels [2], genes constitutively expressed in most tissues (housekeeping genes) [3], genes encoding proteins assigned to the same functional pathway [4] or genes simultaneously expressed (coexpressed) in a particular tissue or organ [5]. The coexpression of colocalized genes could be determined by the conformation of chromatin domains to which they belong, or by local sharing of regulatory (e.g., enhancer) elements, thus raising questions about the functional significance of clustering of coexpressed genes [1]. Alternatively, clustering of genes could be explained by coinheritance, a selective pressure to maintain a genetic linkage among genes that encode for functionally related products and that will tend to be inherited together or, finally, it could merely reflect the origin of functionally related genes via tandem duplication of genes [6, 7].
Further studies about the relationships between the expression of eukaryotic genes and their relative position in the genome are needed to clarify this biological issue. Such studies will take great advantage of the ever increasing amount of genomic-scale expression data obtained by serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE), gene expression microarrays or high-throughput RNA sequencing that are now made available in public databases. In fact, the transcriptome maps studies mentioned above showed the biological relevance of a global view of gene expression distribution by exploiting the availability of gene expression profile data obtained by the method of SAGE [2, 3, 5]. These studies contributed to challenge the traditional view that genes are randomly distributed along each chromosome in eukaryotic genomes. However, no computational biology tool for the generation and analysis of transcriptome maps was released to perform the algorithms described in these papers, with the exception of the web-based application "Transcriptome Map" [2, 8]. Nevertheless, this only supports a limited number of input data types (derived from a few species, and, for human, only derived from SAGE experiments or from three Affymetrix microchip platforms), normalization methods and visualization options. The application "Caryoscope" [9] is a Java-based program, able to generate a graphical representation of microarray data in a genomic context. However, it is not intended to process input data (that must come from one single source, already containing all localization information for each element), or to perform any test of statistical significance on the resulting plot. The lack of software dedicated to constructing and analyzing transcriptome maps was already pointed out in 2006 [10], emphasizing that up until then, only algorithms or scripts had been presented and these were often tailored to specific uses (e.g., the study of a particular organism or the analysis of data derived from a single type of experimental platform). In addition, the tools that are available typically accept only gene lists as input and are not able to represent and analyze the continuous change, along the chromosome, of expression intensity assigned to overlapping regions of desired size, on the basis of the mean expression value calculated across all genes located in that region. This representation better reflects the biological reality of the quantitative changes of regional gene activity, rather than a simple count of the enrichment in differentially expressed genes, which is however also a desirable additional parameter of analysis.
These considerations underline the need for a general tool able to generate and analyze quantitative transcriptome maps from any source, provided that gene expression values for a certain gene set are available. Such a tool should also be capable of accepting and integrating data from multiple sources and be easily configurable for the investigation of any organism. Here we describe TRAM (Transcriptome Mapper), a user-friendly graphical interface software that may be run locally on personal computers (based on both Macintosh and Windows operating systems) and that meets and exceeds these specifications, by integrating original methods for parsing, normalizing, mapping and statistically analyzing expression data (Figure 1); in addition, it has the ability to easily generate maps showing differential expression between two sample groups, relative to two different biological conditions. The results of a test, using the hematopoietic progenitors CD34+ cells differentiation toward megakaryocytic cells (the large bone marrow cells whose fragments form platelets that are released into the blood) as a biological model, are also presented and discussed. This shows the ability of TRAM to identify chromosomal segments and gene clusters which are biologically relevant for the cell differentiation toward the megakaryocyte phenotype.
General architecture of TRAM software. The user is guided step-by-step through import and analysis of any gene expression profile dataset in text format. The gene identifiers of any type are converted in official gene symbols/gene names, followed by intra-sample as well as inter-sample normalization of gene expression values. The expression is mapped along each chromosome and graphically displayed on the basis of mean value for all genes included in each segment of arbitrary length. Over- and under-expressed regions are determined following statistical analysis.
Expression data import, parsing and normalization
The software is composed of a set of 37 related database tables, with 118 relationships among them. Some tables are designed to convert gene identifiers associated with expression data, e.g. GenBank accession numbers and/or UniGene cluster identifiers, into official gene symbols. Gene identifier conversion tables may be loaded or updated by the user, or are provided pre-loaded for human, mouse and zebrafish organisms. In addition, the user may download genomic data from Entrez Gene (e.g. chromosome number, chromosome lengths and genomic coordinates for known mRNAs) relating to the organism investigated. These data files are then easily imported and processed by the software during the set up process. Three species-specific pre-loaded (pre-setup) versions are also distributed.
In addition, TRAM makes fully original specific data management and analysis tools available, including a parser able to find the best and updated gene/RNA cluster name available to be assigned to a probe identifier. This is based on a converter of any RNA sequence accession number to the relative gene symbol, by searching an embedded parsed full UniGene updatable database table. For the human version, the parser locally resolves all 6,956,798 RNA sequence accession numbers, which are related to both known transcripts and to expression sequence tags (ESTs) included in H. sapiens UniGene build #228, December 2010. This allows a better conversion of those sequence accession numbers listed in a platform that may have been registered in the past few years without the availability of the presently corresponding gene symbols. For example, in the commonly used GPL96 GEO platform (Affymetrix HG-U133A microarray), 597 probe identifiers, with unavailable gene symbols in the Affymetrix platform scheme, were successfully assigned to mapped gene symbols or UniGene clusters.
A sample is defined as a homogeneous series of gene identifiers and their corresponding expression values, i.e. a list of values obtained in a single channel following a microarray hybridization experiment. To allow the comparison of expression data obtained from different samples, the absolute values of a sample may be converted into percentages of the mean (or median, or maximum) of all expression values within that sample. The software is also designed for the comparison between a sample (or a pool of samples) named 'A' and another sample (or a pool of samples) named 'B', each collected into specific tables. In this case, the ratio of 'A' and 'B' (named 'A/B') expression for each locus will be analyzed.
Although TRAM is a map-centred transcriptome analysis tool it can also summarize and allow the analysis of gene expression data of unmapped genes, exploiting its capability of parsing and normalization in order to highlight differential expression of single genes between two biological conditions even in the absence of data about genomic location of the gene.
Scaled quantile normalization
We compared the correlation between sample datasets of the same pool but derived from different platforms, using the intra-sample normalization 'Mean' method (by which each value is expressed as percentage of the mean gene expression value for that sample). Inter-sample scaled quantile normalization always gave analogous or better results compared to standard quantile normalization. For example, the correlation coefficient between two series of locus-matched values obtained by distinct Authors, using different microarray platforms (samples A1 and A3, respectively; see Table 1), was 0.23 in absence of any inter-sample normalization, 0.34 following standard quantile normalization for all values and 0.41 following scaled quantile method. In the case of B10 and B12 samples, the quantile method worsened the correlation coefficient from 0.85 to 0.73, while this remained stable using scaled quantile normalization (0.83).
Table 1 Samples selected for the biological model used to test TRAM software
In addition, we determined the standard deviation (SD, expressed as percentage of the mean) of measurements from different samples for housekeeping loci such as beta actin (ACTB) and a set of ribosomal proteins, using the intra-sample normalization 'Mean' method. In the absence of any inter-sample normalization, the SD for ACTB was 84.95 for pool 'A' (26 data points) and 148.80 for pool 'B' (60 data points). After applying quantile normalization to all available data, the SD became 35.36 and 78.91, and following the use of the scaled quantile method it changed into 51.44 and 54.75, for pool 'A' and 'B' respectively. Therefore, the scaled quantile method allowed both a decrease in the variability among the samples within a sample pool, and an increase in comparability between the 'A' and 'B' sample pools compared to a reference gene expected to be stably expressed in both pools. In the absence of any inter-sample normalization the SD for genes encoding small ribosomal proteins was 85.80 for pool 'A' and 138.75 for pool 'B' (mean of SD for 34 loci with "RPS" prefix, total data points were 402 for pool 'A' and 830 for pool 'B'). Following quantile normalization of all available data the SD changed to 66.01 and 78.25, and after using the scaled quantile method the SD decreased to 56.21 and 49.06, for pool 'A' and 'B' respectively, thus improving homogeneity within each sample pool as well as between the two sample pools.
Generation and analysis of transcriptome maps
Two main types of analysis are available within TRAM: 'Transcriptome map - search for over/under-expressed segments' ('Map') mode and 'Search for clusters of neighbouring over/under-expressed genes' ('Cluster') mode.
In 'Map' mode, the software generates a graphical map of the transcriptome showing a vertical line representing each chromosome. An expression value for a selected area of a chromosome is calculated as the mean for all available expression data relating to the genes included in that segment. The mean expression level of the segment is represented by an horizontal bar next to the corresponding segment of the chromosome, the bar size being proportional to the segment expression level (Figure 2).
Screenshot of the 'Map' graphical display of TRAM software (detail). The length of each horizontal bar is proportional to the mean gene expression within a chromosomal segment of 0.5 Mb. Consecutive bars are shifted by 250 kb. The vertical line represents human chromosome 4, from position 64,750,001 (start of the top segment) to position 76,750,000 (end of the bottom segment). The expression value on the left of each bar is derived from the analysis of the test set used (Table 1). Bars are colour-coded in proportion to their expression values. Segments, whose expression value is greater (or lower) than the chosen percentile threshold, are highlighted in the "Over/Under" field, which is only filled when they also include the user-defined minimum number of over/under-expressed genes that must be present in the segment. Statistical significance p- and q-values are calculated for these regions.
Bars representing expression values included within the highest/lowest (n) user-defined percent of all segment expression values are pinpointed, thus highlighting genomic regions globally over/under-expressed with respect to the desired threshold. To avoid artefacts due to very high or very low expression of single genes in the region, the minimum number of over/under-expressed genes that must be present in the segment can be defined. The threshold for a gene to be considered as over- or under-expressed is the inclusion of the gene expression value within the highest/lowest (n) user-defined percent of all gene expression values.
The user may also set the 'Shift' parameter that causes the window to slide along the chromosome at pre-arranged intervals. In this way the user obtains a set of partially overlapping segments thereby attaining better sensitivity because a rigid division in chromosome segments, always starting from the fixed position 1, may let neighbouring over- or under-expressed genes be assigned to different segments.
The user maintains full control of the numerical data associated with each segment and may easily navigate among the map of the genes and gene expression values data tables. Segments may be explored and searched according to any desired criteria and sorted and processed like ordinary database records. Differential transcriptome maps, based on the ratio between corresponding gene expression values from two 'A' and 'B' samples or sample pools, relative to two different biological conditions, may be easily generated.
The statistical significance of the over/under-expression of each segment fulfilling the criteria to be tagged as over/under-expressed is displayed, and it is calculated as described in the "Statistical analysis" Methods section. The user may choose to refer the statistical calculations to data sets within each chromosome rather than to the whole genome dataset, in order to retrieve domains regionally over- or under-expressed within each DNA molecule. Differences between the genome- and chromosome-centred types of analysis are graphically highlighted when both have been performed.
Search for clusters of neighbouring over/under-expressed genes
In 'Cluster' mode, the software searches for a set of at least two successive genes, arranged according to the position indicated by their known transcription start site, and over/under-expressed in terms of inclusion of the gene expression value within the highest/lowest (n) user-defined percent of gene expression values. In this type of analysis, each horizontal bar represents the expression level of an individual gene (Figure 3). Gene clusters are then built starting from over/under-expressed individual loci, if other contiguous genes fulfil the criteria defined for inclusion in the cluster. This analysis is complementary to that performed in 'Map' mode, which requires an arbitrary segment window.
Screenshot of the 'Cluster' graphical display of TRAM software (detail). Two example clusters, identified by default analysis of the biological model (Table 1) described in the text, are shown. The length of each horizontal bar is proportional to the mean 'A'/'B' ratio gene expression across all samples. Bar red colour indicates gene over-expression according to set criteria. Genes without associated expression values in the samples are shown but are not considered in the cluster construction. 'Gap' parameter was set equal to 1, so a maximum of one not over-expressed gene (hot pink colour bar) may separate two consecutive over-expressed genes. The cluster mean expression value, derived from all genes included in each cluster, is shown. The number of data points from which each value was derived, p-, q-value and length for each over/under-expressed cluster are also calculated (not shown here).
The results of the analysis are displayed in the 'Cluster' layouts, as clusters of genes over/under-expressed. Each gene is actually a record (row) of the database. The user can find and sort genes and gene clusters using any desired criteria. Specific buttons help to retrieve entries from online databases for the desired genes. Clusters of differentially expressed genes between two different biological conditions may be easily generated, based on the ratio between corresponding gene expression values from two defined 'A' and 'B' pools.
Statistical significance of the over/under-expression of each gene cluster fulfilling the criteria to be tagged as over/under-expressed is displayed, and it is calculated as described in the "Statistical analysis" Methods section. In 'Cluster' mode the user may choose if statistical calculations are to be performed separately for each chromosome as it is possible in 'Map' mode. Moreover, the user may choose how many genes can be tolerated in the cluster between each gene pair counted in the cluster, even if they do not fulfil the user-set criteria.
Biological model - Chromosomal segments
We compared several options of the software in the analysis of differential expression of pool 'A' (9 megakaryocyte cells (Mk) samples, including RNA from at least 21 different subjects) versus pool 'B' (19 CD34+ cells samples, including RNA from at least 41 different subjects) (Table 1). A total of 180,365 data points (gene expression values) from the pool 'A' and 294,987 data points from the pool 'B', relative to 17,676 distinct loci, for which an 'A'/'B' ratio value was determinable, were included in the analysis. Results obtained by default analysis (according to the parameters described in the "Methods" section) included 18 significantly over- or under-expressed segments ('Map' mode, Table 2) and 73 clusters ('Cluster' mode, Table 3). The use of inter-sample normalization (scaled quantile method) improved the identification of significantly over/under-expressed genome segments versus absence of any inter-sample normalization (18 vs. 12). In addition, segments enriched in relevant genes known to be over- or under-expressed in megakaryocytes/platelets were not identified in the absence of inter-sample normalization. For example an over-expressed segment on chromosome 17 was found to contain, among others genes, ICAM2 and PECAM1, as well as an under-expressed segment on 6p21.3 containing several HLA (human leukocyte antigen) system class II members. The differential expression of these genes is expected in the differentiation process studied in our model: ICAM2 is a functional integrin ligand present on platelets surface [11] and PECAM1 encodes platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule, while the down-regulated genes HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQA1 are typically expressed in antigen presenting cells.
Table 2 Genomic segments significantly over/under-expressed in Mk cells (pool 'A') vs. CD34+ cells (pool 'B')
Table 3 Clusters of genes significantly over/under-expressed in Mk cells (pool 'A') vs. CD34+ cells (pool 'B')
The higher expression ratio between Mk and CD34+ cells (9.23) was observed in the segment at coordinates 74,500,001-75,000,000 on chromosome 4 (4q13-q21). All 10 genes in this location showed expression values greater than the median, and 6 out of 10 showed values within the higher 2.5th percentile. While it was known that several genes in this region are sequence-related and form a structural cluster of members of the CXC chemokine gene family (CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL3, CXCL2), this finding highlights the simultaneous very high activity of genes such as PF4V1 (platelet factor 4 variant 1), PF4 (platelet factor 4) and PPBP [official name: pro-platelet basic protein (chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 7)], previously known as beta-thromboglobulin [12], following differentiation of CD34+ cells in megakaryocytes. The second segment with highest expression was located on chromosome 6 and contained over-expressed genes such as GP1BA [glycoprotein Ib (platelet), alpha polypeptide], encoding the alpha chain of megakaryocyte- and platelet-specific surface membrane Glycoprotein Ib, and KIF1C (kinesin family member 1C). Over-expression of kinesin 1C, which is recruited in neural cells APP (amyloid precursor protein) transport vesicles, was not to date described in Mk cells. However, it is known that during the complex and poorly understood process by which Mks generate platelets, kinesin motors carry platelet-specific granules and organelles over microtubules into the pro-platelets [13]. The third over-expressed segment spans the cluster of haemoglobins on chromosome 11, highlighting the known common early origin of erythroid and Mk cells [14]. Under-expressed segments included genes encoding surface antigens whose expression is known to be restricted to leukocytes or leukocyte subpopulations (e.g., CD302, LY75/CD205, CD38 and HLA-DR; Table 2), highlighting their down-regulation during differentiation of common CD34+ progenitors to megakaryocyte.
Switching from 'Mean' to 'Median' intra-sample normalization (values expressed as a percentage of the median value for each array) globally decreased sensitivity from 18 significantly over- or under-expressed genome segments to 10. However, one segment was identified only with the 'Median' mode. This segment includes MYOM1 (myomesin 1/skelemin), MYL12A (myosin, light chain 12A, regulatory, non-sarcomeric) and MYL12B (myosin, light chain 12B, regulatory) and it went undetected with the 'Mean' mode. Interestingly, myomesin 1 [15] and myosins [16] pathways have been involved in pro-platelet formation and platelet function. Some differences in the results while using different intra-sample normalization parameters are expected on the basis of the different distribution of the values for each sample. For example the sample mean value is greater than the sample median value if there is a tail of high values. Normalizing by median could uncover additional significantly over-expressed regions that were masked by the mean-based normalization.
Concerning inter-sample normalization, the scaled quantile adjustment appeared to increase sensitivity in the identification of significantly over/under-expressed segments with respect to the standard quantile method (18 vs. 13). In particular, the quantile method was not able to detect any under-expressed segment, such as that containing the HLA class II genes typical of leukocytes that were identified by scaled quantile adjustment.
Lowering or raising the threshold to define a gene and/or a segment as over/under-expressed makes the analysis more stringent or less stringent, respectively. We found that a good starting point is to use lower and upper 2.5th percentile, so that 5% of the data are included as positive results, which in a Gaussian distribution would roughly correspond to the percentage of values exceeding the mean by two standard deviations. The statistical test will compensate for the high number of segments or cluster marked as over/under-expressed obtained relaxing the threshold, by identifying which results are to be considered significant (Q < 0.05).
Biological model - Gene clusters
In the 'Cluster' mode, the identified clusters included genes well known for being upregulated during megakaryocytopoiesis, as well as genes encoding leukocyte proteins expected to be down-regulated in the same context. For example, a cluster is composed by DNTT, encoding deoxynucleotidyl transferase, expressed in a restricted population of pre-B and pre-T lymphocytes, and BLNK, encoding B-cell linker, an adaptor protein that plays a critical role in B cell development (Table 3). In this mode of use, the physical contiguity of at least two over/under-expressed genes is considered as the bond for cluster definition rather than an enrichment of such genes in a genomic region independently of their order. Results are in part similar and in part complementary to those obtained in the 'Map' mode. In particular, the cluster with lowest 'A'/'B' ratio mean value turned out to be the series of genes AZU1 (azurocidin 1), PRTN3 (proteinase 3) and ELANE (elastase, neutrophil expressed), located on chromosome 19 and known to be coordinately expressed in a granulocyte-specific fashion [17], which resulted to be significantly under-expressed only in this mode of analysis. On the other hand, an over-expressed cluster composed only by the two contiguous genes, encoding platelet-specific proteins VWF (Von Willebrand Factor, present in the alpha-granules of platelets) and CD9 (a specific platelet marker), was identified on chromosome 12 (Table 3). This would have been undetected in the 'Map' mode because the minimal number of over/under-expressed genes required to be present in a chromosomal segment was by default set equal to 3. Another over-expressed cluster included GATA1, encoding a major transcription factor for megakaryocytopoiesis.
The modification of parameters used for 'Cluster' mode analysis, such as those above listed for the 'Map' mode, had analogous effects on the results.
Some additional significant results were obtained by setting chromosome-specific thresholds for the analysis, rather than using the whole genome gene set as a reference. For example, the cluster of the two genes HIPK2 (a nuclear kinase that interacts with homeodomain transcription factors, previously associated with megakaryocyte lineage) [18] and TBXAS1 [official name: thromboxane A synthase 1 (platelet), catalyzing the conversion of prostaglandin H2 to thromboxane A2, a potent vasoconstrictor and inducer of platelet aggregation] scored as significantly over-expressed on a local basis when the gene expression of chromosome 7 but not whole genome dataset was considered.
In both 'Map' and 'Cluster' modes, TRAM displays EST clusters, in addition to known genes, mapped in the region of interest. In the case of 'Cluster' mode this occurs independently of the availability of expression values for the loci within the cluster extension (Table 3).
The results for each mode of analysis of the presented test model, using default parameters, are available in the folder 'Biological_Model_Test' of the TRAM distribution, allowing the user to explore the model following variation of analysis parameters.
Individual gene expression values, summarized for each of the two pools 'A' and 'B', can be visualized and sorted in the 'Cluster' results layout. Amongst the first 12 genes with the highest 'A'/'B' ratio (PF4V1, PF4, GP1BA, PPBP, RGS18, CMTM5, SLC44A1, VWF, SH3BP5, HSPC159, ITGA2B and HBG1, ranging from 34.22 to 11.92 expression ratio, in this order, between CD34+ and Mk cells), 7 were placed in one significantly over-expressed segment or gene cluster by the transcriptome mapping analysis.
The CD34 gene was under-expressed in Mk cells compared to CD34+ cells, as expected (mean ratio across all samples was 0.29, within the lowest 2.5th percentile of 'A'/'B' ratios).
Here, we have described an original software named TRAM, designed to create and analyze transcriptome maps for any organism, based on gene expression data in a general form and able to generate a relational, fully-indexed map database, usable on Macintosh and Windows operating systems-based computers. The 'Map' mode allows the identification of chromosomal regions of defined size (with the possibility of using a sliding window) whose expression is defined as the gene expression average of the genes contained in the segment. This segment, also, must contain a specified number of loci transcribed beyond a desired threshold. The wide flexibility of the parameters required for the building of the Map (e.g., the independence of the threshold value chosen to consider each gene as over/under-expressed from the threshold value set to define a genomic segment as over/under-expressed) makes an open exploration of the expression data feasible at different levels; in addition, an estimate of statistical significance for the definition of a segment as over/under-expressed can then be obtained. This type of analysis considers the global expression of all genes in the region, regardless of their exact reciprocal position: in fact, it has been shown, for example for genes belonging to the same functional pathway, that clustering is loose and individual genes may be spread, despite remaining closer to each other than expected by chance [4]. In addition, we added a complementary mode of data visualization and analysis, the 'Cluster' mode, where the window width is defined by a number of clustered genes rather than nucleotide range. This method can consider the gene-by-gene order in the region and can provide results about clusters of over/under-expressed genes that are adjacent or separated by a small user-defined number of not over/under-expressed genes within the cluster. All TRAM data and results tables are widely interconnected by simple navigation buttons, as well as linked to the relevant entries available on line (via automatic opening of the default web browser).
The novelty of the tool is supported by several arguments. Firstly, the uniqueness of TRAM general basic architecture, which dynamically integrates an advanced and flexible relational database with parsing and meta-analysis capability, a map graphic displayer and a two-modes ('Map' and 'Cluster') analyzer searching for significantly over/under-expressed genomic regions, starting from any source of global gene expression profiles data (Figure 1). The TRAM data model is also unique in two other aspects: users are given direct access to expression numerical values, which are always visualized near the horizontal expression bar used to visualize the expression intensity of chromosomal segments or clustered genes localized on the map; moreover, the users do not need to provide genomic coordinates for the investigated genes, whose location is resolved by the pre-setup gene database table. A series of buttons allows an easy, transparent tracking of gene expression measurements from raw input data to normalized values, up to expression intensity display on the map.
In addition, TRAM makes original specific data management and analysis tools available such as: a parser which is able to find the best and updated gene/RNA cluster name suitable to be assigned to a probe identifier (e.g., the parser locally resolves all ~7 millions human RNA sequence accession numbers included in the latest available H. sapiens UniGene version); a novel effective method for the normalization of data derived from platforms with highly different number of probes (scaled quantile) which allows more samples to be included in a biologically homogeneous sample pool and maximizes gene expression information that may be extracted from each sample; the statistical analysis, based on individual chromosome data summary in addition to genome data summary, emphasizing local effects expected on the basis of the behaviour of single chromosomes with respect to chromatin organization and gene expression regulation.
Finally, a powerful feature of TRAM is its ability to compare, within the same analysis, the transcriptome maps derived from two datasets (or two pools of datasets) related to different biological conditions (indicated as 'A' and 'B'), such as two tissues or cell types, two developmental stages, normal vs pathological cells or cells maintained in absence or in presence of a substance. The generation of a transcriptome map of the relative 'A'/'B' ratio expression, allows the easy investigation of regional differential expression without the need to generate the results separately for the two datasets or pool of datasets and to devise additional calculations to compare them.
TRAM was able to generate original results of relevant biological interest in the ab initio modelling of differentiation from CD34+ stem cells to megakaryocyte (Mk) cells in a meta-analysis of a total of 28 publicly available microarray datasets obtained from different sources. Many genes with a fundamental role in Mk/platelet biology, known since early classical studies (see "Results" section), were shown to significantly colocalize in genome segments or in clusters of adjacent genes. Moreover, additional regions significantly over/under-expressed during megakaryocytopoiesis were identified (Table 2 and Table 3). These results are original compared to the data analysis presented in the relative primary works from which expression data were derived [19–24]. This may be ascribed to the lack of data integration in the original studies (analysis was typically applied only to the datasets produced in the context of the work itself) [19–24], to the lack of a search for local enrichment of over/under-expressed genes [20–24], to the use of a different analysis pipeline when a localization study was performed (in particular, use of gene lists as a starting point rather than the actual mean expression value of the genes in a region) [19], or to the different biological model considered (when the study was not intended to investigate differential expression during differentiation of CD34+ cells toward Mk cells) [21, 23, 24].
EST clusters can be mapped to the region of interest in addition to known genes by exploiting an original integration between NCBI UniGene and UCSC Genome Browser data (Table 2 and Table 3). This feature offers useful hints for the functional investigation of uncharacterized transcripts, on the basis of their presence, and in case of their over/under-expression, within genomic regions differentially expressed in a certain biological context.
While feasibility of integration of gene expression profile data, obtained from different experimental platforms or investigators, is highly desirable to build transcriptome maps representing all information available for a certain biological condition, the occurrence of systematic errors associated with each experimental situation requires advanced methods of inter-sample data normalization, such as the widely accepted quantile normalization [25]. However, this method may cause loss of data due to the removal of all genes whose expression values are missing for any dataset in order to obtain a fully filled data matrix, representing each sample as a column and the values for each gene as a row (for an example of this filtering see [26]). Alternatively, some Authors retain all data values in quantile normalization by placing missing values at the end of each sorted column [27]. In such cases, all available data are analyzed but with an artefact due to the misalignment of values included in similar classes of expression level, compared to their sample of origin (Figure 4). The original method of scaled quantile we propose here in order to properly manage data derived from platforms with different number of analyzed genes, has proven to be effective, allowing maximization of information that can be extracted from all pertinent available data.
Scaled quantile normalization: concept. If two data columns with different numbers of values, derived from two A1 and A2 samples, respectively, are individually sorted by magnitude of expression to obtain the mean value for all values with the same rank, i.e. in the same row (quantile normalization), the highest values in the sample A2 will be aggregate to the intermediate values in the sample A1. Proportional scaling of A2 ranks aligns them to A1 values located in analogous ordered positions with respect to each sample whole distribution (scaled quantile inter-sample normalization), allowing low, intermediate and high values to be aggregated with suited corresponding values from the other sample(s).
Interestingly, after selecting for the analysis only samples homogeneous with respect to the used experimental platform, a decrease in sensitivity was observed, thus showing the effectiveness and usefulness of analysis starting from multiple sources. For example, by performing the analysis only on the datasets obtained with commonly used Affymetrix U133A microarray (GPL96 GEO platform) among those listed in Table 1, only 5 vs. 18 significantly over/under-expressed chromosomal segments, and 68 vs. 73 gene clusters were found, compared to the analysis integrating data from the whole available pool of samples.
A variation of analysis parameters allows the exploration of data from different points of view. The final statistical significance test will provide the actual reliability of the corresponding results independently of the parameters selected to define the thresholds for considering segments and genes as over/under-expressed (selection performed at the start of the data analysis by descriptive statistics). For example, lowering the threshold to consider segments and genes as over/under-expressed will retrieve a larger number of differentially expressed regions but this will be taken into account during the calculation of the statistical significance of each result where only a minor fraction of these regions will have a q-value (p-value corrected for FDR) < 0.05. It is noteworthy that, among the first 12 individual genes with the absolute highest 'A'/'B' ratio between CD34+ and Mk cells, 7 were placed in one significantly over-expressed segment or gene cluster by the transcriptome mapping analysis. In addition, valuable information may also be extracted by using the capability of TRAM to numerically describe the normalized and summarized intensity of transcription along each chromosome. In this way a user could readily search, find and sort regions with no positive expression values despite containing known genes ("expression deserts").
Taken together, the described features of TRAM make it difficult to compare in details this tool with all other tools that, to our knowledge, are described in the literature as being capable of transcriptome mapping and analysis. This is because TRAM is actually a suite of different and strictly integrated data parsing and displaying as well as analysis tools. In particular, the existing software reviewed in the "Background" section, accept gene lists as an input (lists are to be obtained through different dedicated tools), so they cannot represent and analyze the gene expression level changing along the chromosome. Neither will they generate differential expression maps comparing two different biological conditions such as the one we have discussed in our biological model showing progression from CD34+ cells to megakaryocytes. The local differential gene expression between two conditions is a function offered by the "R" library MACAT [28], whose Authors used a set of publicly available microarray data [29] related to human T- (n = 43) and B-cell (n = 205) paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemias as biological test example. Only one chromosomal region in chromosome 6 was found to be differentially expressed between T- and B-leukaemia cells. This was a biologically meaningful finding since HLA genes are localized in this region and they are known to be under-expressed in T-cells vs. B-cells [28]. TRAM was able to replicate this result by using default analysis parameters. In addition, TRAM was able to individually list the loci under-expressed in T-cells present in this region (6p21.3, coordinates 32,2500,000-33,000,000, q-value < 0.000002, under-expressed genes: HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, TAP2 - involved in antigen presentation -, HLA-DMB, HLA-DMA). Moreover, TRAM has been able to identify three additional differentially expressed chromosomal regions, each of which contained several genes over-expressed in T-cells, one on chromosome 1 (1q22-q23, q-value = 0.000007, genes: CD1D, CD1A, CD1B, CD1E) and two on chromosome 11 (11q12.2, q-value < 0.0007, genes: CCDC86, GPR44, a chemoattractant receptor homologous molecule expressed on T-helper type 2 cells, and CD5; 11q23, q-value < 0.0007, genes: CD3E, CD3D and CD3G). These regions are of remarkable biological and clinical interest because they contain clusters of genes related to CD1, CD5 and CD3, respectively; these are well known as main and universally used specific surface markers of T-cells. In the "Cluster" mode, TRAM identifies 35 gene clusters significantly over- (n = 16) or under-expressed (n = 19) in leukaemic T-cells compared to B-cells, including several other genes known to be T- or B-cell specific (data not shown). Finally, MACAT is limited to the analysis of Affymetrix microarray, further underlining the need for a tool open to all platforms as well as to cross-platform analysis.
The batch effects are the systematic differences between batches (groups) of samples in microarray experiments due to technical reasons, such as variability in materials, protocols or operators, possibly introducing a bias able to confound true biological differences (recently reviewed by Luo and coll. [30]). The TRAM data model described appears to be intrinsically resistant to the influence of batch effects, for the following reasons: the TRAM locus-centred data model does not attempt to separate subgroups within a sample pool, because it is assumed that the samples come from the same biological condition (e.g. cell type, disease) for which only one aggregate value per locus is obtained and considered; the TRAM algorithm is non-parametric at different levels of normalization and analysis and this is expected to reduce the noise due to different value scales; the biological model discussed above deliberately used data from different platforms, protocols and operators, showing results coherent with the current biological knowledge and even better with respect to the results obtained analyzing data deriving from a single platform. However, if the user suspects that batch effects could confound the results, in particular if two single and distinct batches of samples are loaded as pool 'A' and 'B', respectively, it could be useful to attempt removing batch effects from the raw data using one of the existing tools [30] prior to importing data in TRAM.
While this manuscript was being revised, two novel software were described in addition to those reviewed in the "Background" section, able to analyze local enrichment of over/under-expressed genes. CROC [31] also uses the hypergeometric distribution to find genomic regions or gene clusters enriched in over/under-expressed genes, and supports calculations based on both whole genome data and individual chromosome values. However, like the previously published REEF tool [10], it accepts gene name lists as an input and it is not designed to parse, normalize and map original expression data and to display the corresponding quantitative transcriptome maps. The Integrated Genome Browser [32] can load expression data and visualize them along an x axis representing the chromosome sequence. However, it lacks any function of data integration, normalization and analysis (Figure 1), being essentially a graphical display tool for expression data, like the previously published program ChromoViz [33].
The large agreement of TRAM results, obtained without any a priori specific assumptions, with classical biological knowledge about megakaryocytopoiesis, shows that TRAM can perform integrated analysis of expression data from multiple platforms producing high confidence lists of over/under-expressed chromosomal segments and clustered genes. In conjunction with our previous implementation of a GenBank format full parsing system [34] (currently undergoing complete redesigning within FileMaker Pro 7 architecture) and UniGene Tabulator [35], TRAM may also contribute to the building of a novel, relational, multi-purpose, user-friendly and modular platform for the large-scale integrated analysis of genomic and post-genomic data.
We have here described a unique package able to create and analyze transcriptome maps by integrating gene expression profile data from multiple sources and generating a relational, fully-indexed database-structured map, usable on Macintosh as well as on Windows operating systems-based computers, features that are non commonly available in other applications.
TRAM provides a simple and intuitive system for the display and analysis of gene expression data within a single solution, including built-in multiple gene identifier conversion modules, intra-sample and inter-sample data normalization, map comparison between two biological conditions, graphical display and highly flexible data analysis (by both descriptive and inferential statistics) that has proven to generate results of biological interest.
The current release of TRAM software is freely available at TRAM home page [36]. We also distribute preconfigured implementations ready for analysis of Homo sapiens (human), Mus musculus (mouse) and Danio rerio (zebrafish) gene expression profiles.
TRAM was developed within the FileMaker Pro environment. This is a database management system with a user-friendly graphical interface usable on Macintosh and Windows operating systems-based computers. All data import, expression analysis and results of graphical output functions are obtained combining FileMaker Pro scripts and calculated fields (i.e. fields automatically calculating their result processing value from other fields by a pre-defined formula). No additional plug-in or software are required. A specific advantage of this platform as a transcriptome map generator and analyzer is the relational database environment at its core. As a consequence, each dataset in any table (e.g. gene expression values, gene names, expression value of chromosomal segments or gene clusters) is structured as a series of records that may be easily sought according to the desired criteria and then sorted, exported, and possibly related to other database tables. In this way, the graphical display of the map allows the user to maintain full control over the original expression data values at the basis of the map.
The freely distributed licensed runtime application allows full data import and export in several formats, as well as full record management and analysis script execution. Only for the creation of new fields, further calculation or additional relationship definition an original copy of FileMaker Pro version 10 (or higher) package is required.
TRAM set up
In order to link gene identifiers to the corresponding gene symbols/gene names, it is possible to import in TRAM any text data file containing essential description (e.g., probe identifiers list and matching gene symbols or GenBank sequence accession numbers) for each experimental platform used to assess gene expression level in the examined samples (Figure 1). A typical use is loading a GEO [37] Platform file, in order to parse expression datasets obtained using that platform. Pre set-up human, mouse and zebrafish versions are distributed following loading of the most used GEO Platforms for those organisms. In order to uniform the assignment of gene identifiers to standard gene symbols, in absence of an available official gene symbol or an Entrez Gene [38] name, the UniGene [39] Cluster identifier (UniGene ID) is used as the gene name, if available, while the GenBank accession number is used, if provided, in absence of any match to an Entrez Gene or UniGene entry (Figure 1).
TRAM 1.0 distribution was set up using data available at January 2011, downloading from Entrez Gene the gene localization data and parsing from UniGene tables, allowing the conversion of any RNA or expression sequence tag (EST) GenBank accession number into the corresponding gene symbol [35]. In the case of human UniGene latest available version (build #228), about 7 millions RNA and EST code data were imported in TRAM.
In addition, localization of EST clusters, which are sequences not characterized as official genes but represented in the transcriptome, was derived from UCSC "ESTs" track in the UCSC Genome Browser [40], which is also imported and processed during the TRAM set-up. A relationship between UniGene and UCSC ESTs data allows to determine the minimal available start genomic coordinate and maximum available end genomic coordinate for each set of ESTs belonging to the same UniGene cluster. These coordinates are operatively considered the limits of the locus while constructing the transcriptome map. Clusters containing ESTs mapped on different chromosomes are not further considered in the building of the map, as well as those with ESTs mapping on very distant positions on the same chromosome. To this aim, we set a rather conservative limit of 250,000 bp for TRAM, considering that the Entrez Gene set of 27,018 human genes, that is the largest known, has a mean size of 46,210 bp and a standard deviation of 107,161 bp, therefore our limit is equivalent to considering a size range within mean plus or minus 2 SD (approximately 95% of values in a Gaussian distribution). This correction effectively removes approximately 3,000 transcripts, erroneously mapped to regions of several Mb or tens of Mb. The user retains the possibility to inspect the list of EST clusters with a genomic extension greater than 250 kb present in a given chromosome segment, even if they are not considered in the creation of the transcriptome map.
Each series of data related to a TRAM 'Sample' is defined as a 'distinct biological sample'. For example, a sample should be a single channel in the case of two channels experiment, each channel data being imported as a distinct data file. The expression data file may be any tabulated (tab-delimited) text file containing two columns separated by a 'TAB' character (tabulator key, ASCII9): a gene identifier and a numerical expression value, respectively. Gene symbol, Entrez gene name, custom identifier, GEO Platform probe ID or GenBank accession number are accepted as gene identifiers: the first two by default, the others provided that the software has been appropriately set up.
The expression value is usually the pre-processed intensity value (i.e., the value assigned to the spot as it has been processed by the software of the specific experimental platform used, for example, following background subtraction for a microarray spot). An internal utility interactively assists the user in the preparation of text files in the required format, starting from raw expression data. Batch import of a large number of data files is possible. Each sample or set composed of any number of samples may be imported in one of two pools, 'A' or 'B', relative to two different biological conditions that may be then easily compared.
TRAM is able to perform some useful data normalization methods (Figure 1) to allow comparison of gene expression data obtained by different biological samples and/or by different experimental platforms.
Intra-sample (e.g., intra-array) normalization works within each distinct sample data, while inter-sample (e.g., inter-array) normalization is simultaneously applied to the desired sample set.
The user may select different combinations between these types of normalization.
Intra-sample normalization methods are 'Mean' or 'Median' (each value is expressed as the percentage of the corresponding sample mean or median value, respectively; this is equivalent to the classic "global normalization" in the microarray data analysis [41]) and 'Max' (each value is expressed as the percentage of the corresponding sample maximum value, equivalent to the classic "scale normalization"). These methods rescale values within each data set using a standard internal reference for each sample. Inter-sample normalization method is the commonly used "quantile" algorithm [25]. Implementation of this algorithm in the database structure at the core of TRAM is realized as follows: each intra-sample normalized value is given a rank following sample data sorting in ascendant order, then the mean value for all the values with the same rank across all samples is calculated. This mean value is assigned as the expression value to each gene with the same rank in each sample. An original variant of this method implemented in TRAM is described below. The inter-sample normalization methods rescale values across a whole sample set, allowing inter-sample comparison.
The summary of gene expression values, under the current mode of normalization, may be viewed as an indexed database table summarizing all data points available in the sample pool for each locus. The mean value of the data points available for each locus is considered the expression value for the respective gene and it is used in the subsequent analysis.
The quantile method assumes that each sample has the same number of values. However, datasets obtained from different platforms used to assess the gene expression profile, may have highly different numbers of values. In this case, applying the quantile method to the matrix resulting after aligning and sorting values from each sample (represented as a column) gives raise to artefacts, in that the highest values of a sample are summarized with intermediate values of samples with a greater number of values (Figure 4). To correct for this artefact, we applied the following formula in TRAM: Scaled Rank = Rank * Max Rank/Max Sample Rank, were 'Rank' is the rank (position in the ranking) of the value in the sample data column sorted in ascendant order, 'Max Rank' is the highest rank present in the whole sample dataset, and 'Max Sample Rank' is the highest rank assigned within each considered sample. The result of the calculation is rounded to the nearest integer number. The adjusted rank is then used to calculate the mean value across all genes which had the same rank assigned (Figure 4). In the case that the experimental platforms have the same number of features, the scaled quantile is identical to quantile. Comparability of values is best attained if previous intra-sample normalization has been performed too.
In the 'Map' mode of analysis, TRAM will generate a graphical map of the transcriptome showing a vertical line representing each chromosome (Figure 2). An expression value is associated to each segment of the line, whose size is determined by a window (in bp) set by the user. A differentially coloured horizontal bar is displayed for each chromosomal segment, with a length proportional to the expression value assigned to the relative segment. This value is the mean for all available expression data related to genes included in each segment. The available settings for this analysis are: Window, which defines the length for a segment; Sliding window shift, which defines the overlapping region between a segment and the next one; Percent (segment), which defines the threshold required to consider a segment as over/under-expressed, in terms of inclusion of the segment expression value within the highest/lowest (n) percent of segment expression values; Percent (gene), which defines the threshold expression value to consider a gene as over/under-expressed, in terms of inclusion of the gene expression value within the highest/lowest (n) percent of gene expression values; Number of genes in the window, which defines the minimum number of over/under-expressed genes required to mark the segment with the tag of over/under-expressed, respectively.
The calculation of statistical significance of the over/under-expression of the segment is performed as described in the "Statistical analysis" Methods section below.
In the 'Cluster' mode of analysis, TRAM will search for sets of at least two contiguous/neighbouring genes, all expressed beyond a defined 'n' threshold, i.e. with expression values higher than the (100 - 'n') percentile or lower than the 'n' percentile. In this mode, results are centred on individual differentially expressed loci without any bond about the length of the over/under-expressed region.
The available settings for this analysis are: Percent (gene), which defines the thresholds required to consider a gene as over/under-expressed, in terms of inclusion of the gene expression value within the highest/lowest (n) percent of gene expression values; Gap, which defines the maximum number of non over/under-expressed genes allowed to be localized between two over/under-expressed genes in a cluster (if Gap = 0, only strictly contiguous genes will be considered to be in cluster); Gene Type, which defines if TRAM, while constructing the linear map of genes, will use only genes with an official gene symbol assigned, or will use also genes with at least an Entrez Gene identifier available, or will use any locus with at least a UniGene cluster identifier, even in absence of an official or Entrez Gene symbol.
The statistical significance of the results is calculated as described in the "Statistical analysis" Methods section below.
To assess the statistical significance of the results, TRAM uses the hypergeometric distribution to test the probability 'P' that colocalization of over/under-expressed genes within the same chromosomal segment ('Map' analysis mode) or in the same cluster of contiguous genes ('Cluster' analysis mode) may be due to chance. To this aim, calculations are performed as previously described [10].
The 'P' value needs to be corrected to account for False Discovery Rate (FDR) due to the high number of segments or genes in a genome. The 'Q' field in TRAM displays the p-value corrected for FDR. Q (q-value) for each chromosomal segment or cluster of contiguous genes is defined as Q = (p*N)/i, where 'p' is the p-value of the segment or of the cluster, 'N' is the total number of segments or cluster considered (i.e., all those tagged as over/under-expressed under the criteria defined by the user selected analysis settings) and 'i' is the number of windows with a p-value not higher than 'p' [10]. Results are considered statistically significant for Q < 0.05.
Depending on the type of analysis selected by the user, TRAM may perform statistical significance computation taking into account all genes in the genome or, in order to emphasize local chromosomal effects, taking into account only the genes located in the same chromosome the chromosomal segment or gene cluster belongs to.
The results discussed above, regarding the outcome of the normalization methods implemented in TRAM, were obtained using descriptive statistical analysis functions of the software JMP 5 for Mac OS X (SAS Institute, Cary, NC).
Biological model test
To test the software, we performed a meta-analysis of a dataset obtained by gene expression profiling of human hematopoietic progenitor cells, searching for up- or down-regulated chromosomal segments and gene clusters in human megakaryocyte (Mk) cells, the precursors of platelets, compared to CD34+ hematopoietic undifferentiated stem cells. After searching in the GEO database, we selected 9 human Mk samples and 19 human CD34+ cell samples, using the following criteria: homogeneity of cell type, derivation from different Authors works and representation of microarray platforms with different technology and number of spots (Table 1) [19–24]. The default analysis parameters were: expression values normalized both intra-sample (by percentage of sample mean) and inter-sample (by scaled quantile method); 2.5th percentile upper and lower threshold to define over- or under-expression, for both segments and genes, with respect to whole genome gene set; requirement of at least 3 over/under-expressed genes to define a segment accordingly; window (segment) of 500,000 bp (with shift of 250,000 bp). The wideness of the window and the minimum number of over/under-expressed genes required to lie in the window ('n') should be reciprocally adjusted so that the mean number of all genes included in a segment (shown at the end of the Segment Map) would exceed 'n'. In our human genes data set, setting a window to 500,000 bp led to segments containing a mean of 4.3 genes, while lowering the window to 250,000 bp led to a mean of 2.7 genes (segments with no gene value are ignored in the calculation of mean). In the 'Cluster' mode, all available genes including UniGene clusters of transcripts were selected to construct the map, and the Gap was set equal to 1. The test was run on March 2010, using Entrez Gene and UniGene data available at the time (UniGene build #222).
Michalak P: Coexpression, coregulation, and cofunctionality of neighboring genes in eukaryotic genomes. Genomics. 2008, 91: 243-248. 10.1016/j.ygeno.2007.11.002.
Caron H, van Schaik B, van der Mee M, Baas F, Riggins G, van Sluis P, Hermus MC, van Asperen R, Boon K, Voûte PA, Heisterkamp S, van Kampen A, Versteeg R: The human transcriptome map: clustering of highly expressed genes in chromosomal domains. Science. 2001, 291: 1289-1292. 10.1126/science.1056794.
Lercher MJ, Urrutia AO, Hurst LD: Clustering of housekeeping genes provides a unified model of gene order in the human genome. Nat Genet. 2002, 31: 180-183. 10.1038/ng887.
Lee JM, Sonnhammer EL: Genomic gene clustering analysis of pathways in eukaryotes. Genome Res. 2003, 13: 875-882. 10.1101/gr.737703.
Yamashita T, Honda M, Takatori H, Nishino R, Hoshino N, Kaneko S: Genome-wide transcriptome mapping analysis identifies organ-specific gene expression patterns along human chromosomes. Genomics. 2004, 84: 867-875. 10.1016/j.ygeno.2004.08.008.
Nei M: Genome evolution: let's stick together. Heredity. 2003, 90: 411-412. 10.1038/sj.hdy.6800287.
Yi G, Sze SH, Thon MR: Identifying clusters of functionally related genes in genomes. Bioinformatics. 2007, 23: 1053-1060. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btl673.
Versteeg R, van Schaik BD, van Batenburg MF, Roos M, Monajemi R, Caron H, Bussemaker HJ, van Kampen AH: The human transcriptome map reveals extremes in gene density, intron length, GC content, and repeat pattern for domains of highly and weakly expressed genes. Genome Res. 2003, 13: 1998-2004. 10.1101/gr.1649303.
Awad IA, Rees CA, Hernandez-Boussard T, Ball CA, Sherlock G: Caryoscope: an Open Source Java application for viewing microarray data in a genomic context. BMC Bioinformatics. 2004, 5: 151-10.1186/1471-2105-5-151.
Coppe A, Danieli GA, Bortoluzzi S: REEF: searching REgionally Enriched Features in genomes. BMC Bioinformatics. 2006, 7: 453-460. 10.1186/1471-2105-7-453.
Diacovo TG, de Fougerolles AR, Bainton DF, Springer TA: A functional integrin ligand on the surface of platelets: intercellular adhesion molecule-2. J Clin Invest. 1994, 94: 1243-1251. 10.1172/JCI117442.
Tunnacliffe A, Majumdar S, Yan B, Poncz M: Genes for beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 are closely linked and form part of a cluster of related genes on chromosome 4. Blood. 1992, 79: 2896-2900.
Italiano JE, Patel-Hett S, Hartwig JH: Mechanics of proplatelet elaboration. J Thromb Haemost. 2007, 5: 18-23. 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2007.02487.x.
Vainchenker W, Bouguet J, Guichard J, Breton-Gorius J: Megakaryocyte colony formation from human bone marrow precursors. Blood. 1979, 54: 940-945.
Deshmukh L, Tyukhtenko S, Liu J, Fox JE, Qin J, Vinogradova O: Structural insight into the interaction between platelet integrin alphaIIbbeta3 and cytoskeletal protein skelemin. J Biol Chem. 2007, 282: 32349-32356. 10.1074/jbc.M704666200.
Chen Z, Shivdasani RA: Regulation of platelet biogenesis: insights from the May-Hegglin anomaly and other MYH9-related disorders. J Thromb Haemost. 2009, 7: 272-276. 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2009.03425.x.
Wong ET, Jenne DE, Zimmer M, Porter SD, Gilks CB: Changes in chromatin organization at the neutrophil elastase locus associated with myeloid cell differentiation. Blood. 1999, 94: 3730-3736.
Fuhrken PG, Chen C, Apostolidis PA, Wang M, Miller WM, Papoutsakis ET: Gene Ontology-driven transcriptional analysis of CD34+ cell-initiated megakaryocytic cultures identifies new transcriptional regulators of megakaryopoiesis. Physiol Genomics. 2008, 33: 159-169. 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00127.2007.
Ferrari F, Bortoluzzi S, Coppe A, Basso D, Bicciato S, Zini R, Gemelli C, Danieli GA, Ferrari S: Genomic expression during human myelopoiesis. BMC Genomics. 2007, 8: 264-283. 10.1186/1471-2164-8-264.
Giammona LM, Fuhrken PG, Papoutsakis ET, Miller WM: Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) increases the polyploidisation and proplatelet formation of cultured primary human megakaryocytes. Br J Haematol. 2006, 135: 554-566. 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2006.06341.x.
Tenedini E, Fagioli ME, Vianelli N, Tazzari PL, Ricci F, Tagliafico E, Ricci P, Gugliotta L, Martinelli G, Tura S, Baccarani M, Ferrari S, Catani L: Gene expression profiling of normal and malignant CD34-derived megakaryocytic cells. Blood. 2004, 104: 3126-3135. 10.1182/blood-2003-07-2597.
Fuhrken PG, Chen C, Miller WM, Papoutsakis ET: Comparative, genome-scale transcriptional analysis of CHRF-288-11 and primary human megakaryocytic cell cultures provides novel insights into lineage-specific differentiation. Exp Hematol. 2007, 35: 476-489. 10.1016/j.exphem.2006.10.017.
Guglielmelli P, Zini R, Bogani C, Salati S, Pancrazzi A, Bianchi E, Mannelli F, Ferrari S, Le Bousse-Kerdilès MC, Bosi A, Barosi G, Migliaccio AR, Manfredini R, Vannucchi AM: Molecular profiling of CD34+ cells in idiopathic myelofibrosis identifies a set of disease-associated genes and reveals the clinical significance of Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1). Stem Cells. 2007, 25: 165-173. 10.1634/stemcells.2006-0351.
Neumann F, Teutsch N, Kliszewski S, Bork S, Steidl U, Brors B, Schimkus N, Roes N, Germing U, Hildebrandt B, Royer-Pokora B, Eils R, Gattermann N, Haas R, Kronenwett R: Gene expression profiling of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of patients with Ph-positive CML in major molecular remission during therapy with imatinib. Leukemia. 2005, 19: 458-460. 10.1038/sj.leu.2403615.
Bolstad BM, Irizarry RA, Astrand M, Speed TP: A comparison of normalization methods for high density oligonucleotide array data based on variance and bias. Bioinformatics. 2003, 19: 185-193. 10.1093/bioinformatics/19.2.185.
Sohal D, Yeatts A, Ye K, Pellagatti A, Zhou L, Pahanish P, Mo Y, Bhagat T, Mariadason J, Boultwood J, Melnick A, Greally J, Verma A: Meta-analysis of microarray studies reveals a novel hematopoietic progenitor cell signature and demonstrates feasibility of inter-platform data integration. PLoS One. 2008, 3: e2965-10.1371/journal.pone.0002965.
Mar JC, Kimura Y, Schroder K, Irvine KM, Hayashizaki Y, Suzuki H, Hume D, Quackenbush J: Data-driven normalization strategies for high-throughput quantitative RT-PCR. BMC Bioinformatics. 2009, 10: 110-10.1186/1471-2105-10-110.
Toedling J, Schmeier S, Heinig M, Georgi B, Roepcke S: MACAT--microarray chromosome analysis tool. Bioinformatics. 2005, 21: 2112-2113. 10.1093/bioinformatics/bti183.
Yeoh EJ, Ross ME, Shurtleff SA, Williams WK, Patel D, Mahfouz R, Behm FG, Raimondi SC, Relling MV, Patel A, Cheng C, Campana D, Wilkins D, Zhou X, Li J, Liu H, Pui CH, Evans WE, Naeve C, Wong L, Downing JR: Classification, subtype discovery, and prediction of outcome in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia by gene expression profiling. Cancer Cell. 2002, 1: 133-143. 10.1016/S1535-6108(02)00032-6.
Luo J, Schumacher M, Scherer A, Sanoudou D, Megherbi D, Davison T, Shi T, Tong W, Shi L, Hong H, Zhao C, Elloumi F, Shi W, Thomas R, Lin S, Tillinghast G, Liu G, Zhou Y, Herman D, Li Y, Deng Y, Fang H, Bushel P, Woods M, Zhang J: A comparison of batch effect removal methods for enhancement of prediction performance using MAQC-II microarray gene expression data. Pharmacogenomics J. 2010, 10: 278-291. 10.1038/tpj.2010.57.
Pignatelli M, Serras F, Moya A, Guigó R, Corominas M: CROC: finding chromosomal clusters in eukaryotic genomes. Bioinformatics. 2009, 25: 1552-1553. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btp248.
Nicol JW, Helt GA, Blanchard SG, Raja A, Loraine AE: The Integrated Genome Browser: free software for distribution and exploration of genome-scale datasets. Bioinformatics. 2009, 25: 2730-2731. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btp472.
Kim J, Chung HJ, Park CH, Park WY, Kim JH: ChromoViz: multimodal visualization of gene expression data onto chromosomes using scalable vector graphics. Bioinformatics. 2004, 20: 1191-1192. 10.1093/bioinformatics/bth052.
D'Addabbo P, Lenzi L, Facchin F, Casadei R, Canaider S, Vitale L, Frabetti F, Carinci P, Zannotti M, Strippoli P: GeneRecords: a relational database for GenBank flat file parsing and data manipulation in personal computers. Bioinformatics. 2004, 20: 2883-2885.
Lenzi L, Frabetti F, Facchin F, Casadei R, Vitale L, Canaider S, Carinci P, Zannotti M, Strippoli P: UniGene Tabulator: a full parser for the UniGene format. Bioinformatics. 2006, 22: 2570-2571. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btl425.
TRAM home page. [http://apollo11.isto.unibo.it/software/]
Barrett T, Troup DB, Wilhite SE, Ledoux P, Rudnev D, Evangelista C, Kim IF, Soboleva A, Tomashevsky M, Marshall KA, Phillippy KH, Sherman PM, Muertter RN, Edgar R: NCBI GEO: archive for high-throughput functional genomic data. Nucleic Acids Res. 2009, 37: D885-890. 10.1093/nar/gkn764.
Maglott D, Ostell J, Pruitt KD, Tatusova T: Entrez Gene: gene-centered information at NCBI. Nucleic Acids Res. 2007, 35: D26-31. 10.1093/nar/gkl993.
Sayers EW, Barrett T, Benson DA, Bolton E, Bryant SH, Canese K, Chetvernin V, Church DM, Dicuccio M, Federhen S, Feolo M, Geer LY, Helmberg W, Kapustin Y, Landsman D, Lipman DJ, Lu Z, Madden TL, Madej T, Maglott DR, Marchler-Bauer A, Miller V, Mizrachi I, Ostell J, Panchenko A, Pruitt KD, Schuler GD, Sequeira E, Sherry ST, Shumway M, Sirotkin K, Slotta D, Souvorov A, Starchenko G, Tatusova TA, Wagner L, Wang Y, John Wilbur W, Yaschenko E, Ye J: Database resources of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Nucleic Acids Res. 2010, 38: D5-16. 10.1093/nar/gkp967.
Kuhn RM, Karolchik D, Zweig AS, Wang T, Smith KE, Rosenbloom KR, Rhead B, Raney BJ, Pohl A, Pheasant M, Meyer L, Hsu F, Hinrichs AS, Harte RA, Giardine B, Fujita P, Diekhans M, Dreszer T, Clawson H, Barber GP, Haussler D, Kent WJ: The UCSC Genome Browser Database: update 2009. Nucleic Acids Res. 2009, 37: D755-761. 10.1093/nar/gkn875.
Quackenbush J: Microarray data normalization and transformation. Nat Genet. 2002, 32: 496-501. 10.1038/ng1032.
This work was funded by a grant from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (PRIN2005050779). The biological model test was performed on the Apple Mac Pro "Multiprocessor Server" available at the Center for Research in Molecular Genetics "Fondazione CARISBO", Bologna, and funded by "Fondazione CARISBO". We are grateful to Dr. Francesco Ferrari for his useful discussion about the project; to Dr. Mariangela Casadei (SAS Institute Australia, Sidney, Australia) for her helpful advices about statistical analysis and for manuscript revision; to Dr. Francesco Noferini for his helpful discussion of statistical analysis; to Dr. John Kenny for his expert revision of the manuscript; to Prof. Pier Paolo Gatta for his valuable advices about the manuscript. PS wishes to dedicate this work to his father Giuseppe, who died in December 2009, that lovingly followed and strongly supported his scientific endeavours.
Center for Research in Molecular Genetics "Fondazione CARISBO", Department of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna - Via Belmeloro, 8 - 40126, Bologna, Italy
Luca Lenzi, Federica Facchin, Maria Chiara Pelleri, Flavia Frabetti, Lorenza Vitale, Raffaella Casadei, Silvia Canaider & Pierluigi Strippoli
Institute of Biology and Genetics, Marche Polytechnic University - Via Brecce Bianche, Monte D'Ago, 60131, Ancona, Italy
Francesco Piva, Matteo Giulietti & Giovanni Principato
Department of Biology, University of Padova - Via G. Colombo, 3 - 35131, Padova, Italy
Stefania Bortoluzzi, Alessandro Coppe & Gian Antonio Danieli
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - Via G. Campi, 287 - 41100, Modena, Italy
Sergio Ferrari
Luca Lenzi
Federica Facchin
Francesco Piva
Matteo Giulietti
Maria Chiara Pelleri
Flavia Frabetti
Lorenza Vitale
Raffaella Casadei
Silvia Canaider
Stefania Bortoluzzi
Alessandro Coppe
Gian Antonio Danieli
Giovanni Principato
Pierluigi Strippoli
Correspondence to Pierluigi Strippoli.
SF, PS and LL conceived the software. PS and LL developed and tested the basic version of the software and wrote the software guide. PS conceived, built and analyzed the biological model used to test the software. FP and MG systematically tested the software, debugged the Windows version and revised and expanded the software guide. FFa, MCP, FFr and RC tested and improved the Macintosh version of the software and developed the organism-specific versions. LV tested the software and collaborated to the biological model test. SC tested the software and developed its graphical interface. SB and AC critically revised the software and the manuscript. GAD, GP and SF supervised the work and revised the whole manuscript. All authors drafted, critically discussed and approved the final manuscript as well as the software guide.
Lenzi, L., Facchin, F., Piva, F. et al. TRAM (Transcriptome Mapper): database-driven creation and analysis of transcriptome maps from multiple sources. BMC Genomics 12, 121 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-12-121
Chromosomal Segment
Quantile Normalization
Gene Identifier
Quantile Method
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21370
|
__label__wiki
| 0.746495
| 0.746495
|
Transcriptome analysis of egg viability in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss
Hao Ma1,
Kyle Martin2,
Doug Dixon II2,
Alvaro G. Hernandez3 &
Gregory M. Weber ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9518-61161
Maternal transcripts are accumulated in the oocyte during oogenesis to provide for protein synthesis from oocyte maturation through early embryonic development, when nuclear transcription is silenced. The maternal mRNAs have short poly(A) tails after undergoing post-transcriptional processing necessary for stabilizing them for storage. The transcripts undergo cytoplasmic polyadenylation when they are to be translated. Transcriptome analyses comparing total mRNA and elongated poly(A) mRNA content among eggs of different quality can provide insight into molecular mechanisms affecting egg developmental competence in rainbow trout. The present study used RNA-seq to compare transcriptomes of unfertilized eggs of rainbow trout females yielding different eyeing rates, following rRNA removal and poly(A) retention for construction of the libraries.
The percentage of embryos to reach the 32-cell stage at 24 h post fertilization was significantly correlated to family eyeing rate, indicating that inviable embryos were developmentally compromised before zygotic genome activation. RNA sequencing identified 2 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) from total mRNA sequencing comparing females with low-quality (< 5% eyeing), medium-quality (30–50% eyeing), and high-quality (> 80% eyeing) eggs. In contrast, RNA sequencing from poly(A) captured transcripts identified 945 DETs between low- and high-quality eggs, 1012 between low- and medium-quality eggs, and only 2 between medium- and high-quality eggs. The transcripts of mitochondrial genes were enriched with polyadenylated transcript sequencing and they were significantly reduced in low-quality eggs. Similarly, mitochondrial DNA was reduced in low-quality eggs compared with medium- and high-quality eggs. The functional gene analysis classified the 945 DETs between low- and high-quality eggs into 31 functional modules, many of which were related to ribosomal and mitochondrial functions. Other modules involved transcription, translation, cell division, apoptosis, and immune responses.
Our results indicate that differences in egg quality may be derived from differences in maternal nuclear transcript activation and cytoplasmic polyadenylation before ovulation, as opposed to accumulation and storage of maternal nuclear transcripts during oogenesis. Transcriptome comparisons suggest low-quality eggs suffered from impaired oxidative phosphorylation and translation. The DETs identified in this study provide insight into developmental competence in rainbow trout eggs.
Reliable production of high-quality eggs is essential for meeting production cycle demands for seed stock. Fertility is high in the rainbow trout industry when fish are maintained under optimal conditions. Nevertheless, quality of the eggs or ova can be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors including the genetics, age and diet of brood fish [1,2,3,4,5,6]; pre-spawning exposure to stressors and photo-thermal cycles [7,8,9,10]; and postovulatory aging of the eggs [11,12,13]. Understanding mechanisms by which egg quality becomes compromised in response to suboptimal genetics, management, nutrition, and environmental conditions is critical to optimizing hatchery productivity.
The oocyte becomes transcriptionally inactive following oocyte growth and remains transcriptionally silent or greatly repressed until zygotic genome activation (ZGA) which usually takes place around the time of the mid-blastula transition (MBT) in most vertebrates. Therefore, the oocyte serves as a reservoir of biomolecules including proteins, lipids and RNAs deposited into the egg during oogenesis, for utilization from oocyte maturation through early embryonic development [14, 15]. Levels of certain proteins and lipids have been linked to egg viability in many fish species including rainbow trout [16]. A relationship between the maternal transcriptome and developmental competence has also been supported in a variety of fishes using an assortment of molecular approaches, although few investigations involved next-generation sequencing [17, 18]. In rainbow trout, genes linked to decreased egg quality caused by postovulatory aging were identified using quantitative reverse transcription PCR [19,20,21] and transcripts associated with decreased egg quality in response to the use of photoperiod to shorten the time to spawning or hormone-induced ovulation were identified by microarray analyses [22, 23]. One microarray study compared the transcriptome of un-manipulated female rainbow trout that exhibited either 100% viability through eyeing or less than 64%, but confirmed only one differentially expressed transcript (DET) [24]. Less than 200 DETs were identified among the studies with few overlapping transcripts between them. Although deep sequencing approaches have been used to identify some miRNAs and mitochondrial genome encoded small RNAs related to egg deterioration due to postovulatory aging [25, 26], global mRNA analysis techniques based on deep-sequencing technologies have not been applied to investigate a possible connection between mRNA content in unfertilized eggs and egg quality in fish.
Stored maternal transcripts generally have shortened polyadenylic acid (poly(A)) tails and are masked to inhibit both translation and degradation [27,28,29,30]. In the oocyte, new transcripts intended for sequestration are polyadenylated in the nucleus and then translocated to the cytoplasm where they are subsequently partially deadenylated for storage [30,31,32]. The stored maternal transcripts require cytoplasmic polyadenylation to allow translation. The cytoplasmic polyadenylation or deadenylation of stored transcripts is a critical control mechanism for translation during oocyte maturation and early embryonic development [28, 33, 34]. When comparing eggs of different quality, differences in expressed transcripts based on total mRNA content may indicate differences in accumulation or degradation of the transcripts throughout oogenesis and maturation, whereas differences in mRNAs with longer poly(A) tails may indicate differences and changes in the translational activity of the transcripts [35,36,37,38]. To further understand the relationship between the maternal transcriptome and egg quality, we used RNA-seq to compare mRNA transcriptomes of ovulated eggs from 20 individual females that produced eggs of disparate quality as determined by eyeing rate. We compared transcriptomes sequenced from libraries prepared following rRNA removal or by oligo(dT) capture of polyadenylated RNA. Oligo(dT) capture methodologies are not efficient at capturing transcripts with short poly(A) tails [35, 39, 40], and therefore, mRNA transcriptomes sequenced from libraries prepared by oligo(dT) capture of polyadenylated RNA should be enriched in activated transcripts with elongated poly(A) tails.
Eyeing rate and early embryo viability
Viability was assessed at ~ 250 accumulated thermal units (ATUs) post fertilization, which we refer to as eyeing in the present manuscript. The 250 ATU mark is actually after retinal pigmentation but is often used by industry because mortality is generally very low after retinal pigmentation [41]; it is well after embryos are resistant to mechanical shock [42, 43], and is several days before hatching which allows time for the eggs to be sorted to remove dead and subviable eggs before shipment to production facilities. Eyeing rates for the families in the selective breeding program was typical of rainbow trout aquaculture operations [5], exhibiting a mean eyeing rate of 79.3% (Fig. 1). Only 16 of the 192 families evaluated had less than 50% eyeing and were classified as subfertile. Furthermore, only six families exhibited an eyeing rate of less than 10%, whereas eyeing rates were greater than 30% for all others. Sperm used to fertilize each of the subfertile families also yielded families with eyeing rates over 78%, substantiating the eggs and not the sperm as the cause of the subfertility. Visual inspection of eggs collected before fertilization did not show obvious signs of the eggs being compromised in ways that would allow for their being discarded by hatchery personnel.
Eyeing rates of the 192 surveyed rainbow trout families in the selective breeding program
Embryo cleavage was assessed for the 20 selected families at about 24 h post fertilization (Table 1). On average about 80% of the embryos in the high-quality families reached at least the 32-cell stage at this time. The percentage of embryos reaching the 32-cell stage was similar to the eyeing rates for most families, suggesting that most of the embryos that would not survive had died or had very delayed development by the 32-cell stage. The percentage of embryos reaching the 32-cell stage was significantly correlated to eyeing rate (R = 0.85; P < 0.001). Few embryos failed to reach the 8-cell stage by 24 h post fertilization. Together these data support most of the non-viable embryos were fertilized but failed developmentally before the 32-cell stage, which should be before the major wave of ZGA. Although the timing of the major wave of ZGA has not been characterized in rainbow trout, in general, more cleavage divisions are completed before ZGA in animals that develop more slowly [44]. The ZGA for most fish species investigated, all of which develop more rapidly than rainbow trout, have been shown to begin during the MBT at about cell cycle 10 or ~ 1000 cells [45,46,47,48,49]. An exception is the medaka (Oryzias latipes) in which the ZGA begins at about the 64-cell stage; before the MBT [50]. A previous study on the same rainbow trout broodstock population as in the present study reported most embryo mortality in subfertile families took place by the second cleavage interval [51]; earlier than in our study and well before ZGA. Although the timing of embryonic mortality cannot specify a cause of the mortality, most of the embryonic mortality reported for this population of rainbow trout has taken place while the embryos were dependent upon maternal transcripts and before many of the other forms of stored biomolecules would be either required or exhausted by the embryos, leaving aberrations in levels or activation of maternal transcripts as possible contributors to subfertility.
Table 1 Assessment of early embryo development in 20 selected families. The percentage of embryos reaching each cell stage by ~ 24 h post fertilization, and eyeing rate, are indicated
Mapping of sequencing reads following rRNA removal and poly(a) retention
RNA-seq analysis of the eggs of 20 females generated 31 to 58, and 43 to 68 million reads from the libraries constructed with the Illumina® TruSeq® Stranded Total RNA Library Prep Kit with Ribo-Zero Gold (rRNA removal) and TruSeq® Stranded mRNA Sample Prep Kit (poly(A) retention) respectively (Table 2). Similar percentages of the reads were mapped to rRNA gene sequences using the two approaches, with an average of 5.4% derived from the libraries constructed by rRNA removal and 4.7% derived from the libraries constructed by poly(A) retention kits respectively. Whereas the percentage of reads mapped to the nuclear transcriptome was half as great with poly(A) retention compared with rRNA removal, the percentage of reads mapped to mitochondrial RNA was more than 10-fold greater for poly(A) retention compared with rRNA removal. This reversal in trends is consistent with a higher proportion of the mitochondrial mRNA transcripts being polyadenylated than the proportion of the nuclear mRNA transcripts that are polyadenylated or efficiently captured by the poly(A) retention procedures.
Table 2 Overview of RNA-seq read alignments
Mitochondrial mRNA transcripts are polyadenylated with a tail of approximately 50 nucleotides in vertebrates as part of transcript processing and therefore most would be expected to be captured by the poly(A) retention [52, 53]. Similarly, nuclear mRNA transcripts are also polyadenylated as part of processing. In most cells the majority of cytosolic nuclear transcripts are polyadenylated with a poly(A) tail greater than 80 nucleotides [29, 54]. However, stored maternal nuclear transcripts possess a short poly(A) tail around 15–40 nucleotides that are elongated to over 80 nucleotides through cytoplasmic polyadenylation during activation [27, 29, 36, 40, 55]. In general, oligo(dT) capture approaches are not very efficient at capturing mRNAs with shorter poly(A) tails [35, 39, 40]. As far as we are aware, the capture efficiency of the Illumina® TruSeq® Stranded mRNA Sample Preparation Kit for short poly(A) tails such as those in stored maternal mRNA, has not been characterized. It is therefore likely that data collected following poly(A) retention represent primarily activated mRNAs with longer poly(A) tails and data following rRNA removal represent primarily the more abundant stored maternal transcripts with short poly(A) tails, which is consistent with a lower percentage of the transcript reads aligning to the nuclear transcriptome following poly(A) retention compared with rRNA removal.
Eggs of vertebrates possess large stockpiles of mitochondria that are active in providing energy during maturation and stockpiling ATP for energy to drive early embryonic events including cleavage [56,57,58,59]. Furthermore, there is extensive mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication during maturation that then ceases until after ZGA. High proportions of mitochondrial transcripts as observed in our study have been reported in early cod and halibut embryos [48, 60]. The percentage of reads that were aligned as mitochondrial transcripts was reduced in the low-quality eggs following poly(A) retention as well as rRNA removal. The percentage of reads aligned to mitochondrial RNAs in the low-quality eggs following poly(A) retention was 23.6% compared with 47.2% in the high-quality eggs, and 2.4% compared with 3.9% respectively following rRNA removal (Table 2). A reduction in mitochondria and mtDNA has been identified as a cause of reduced fertility in several mammalian species and serves as a marker of oocyte quality in mammals [56, 57]. Furthermore, augmentation of mitochondrial number or mtDNA in maturing oocytes has been recognized as a method to improve oocyte quality in mammals including humans [56, 57, 61, 62]. We therefore used real-time quantitative PCR to measure abundance of mtDNA in our samples by measuring two mitochondrial genes, mt-atp6 and mt-cyb. Abundance of both genes were reduced 1.6 log2 fold change (log2FC) in the low-quality eggs (Fig. 2) suggesting a reduction in mitochondria or mtDNA may contribute to differences in the percentage of reads aligned to the mitochondrial transcriptome among egg quality groups.
Relative abundance of mitochondrial DNA. Real-time quantitative PCR measurement of mt-atp6 and mt-cyb genes normalized to 18S, in low-, medium-, and high-quality eggs. (mean ± SEM)
Gene expression profiling revealed greater differences in polyadenylated mRNA than total mRNA abundance with fertility
We detected 44,330 and 39,133 transcripts with at least three normalized reads expressed in the libraries constructed by rRNA removal and poly(A) retention kits respectively. About 89% of the transcripts following rRNA removal and 77% of the transcripts following poly(A) retention were shared among the three treatment groups (Fig. 3) and many of those that were not shared had low transcript numbers. No DETs were identified comparing the 10 subfertile and 10 fertile or high-quality females from either the rRNA removal or poly(A) retention libraries by DESeq2 with the criteria of a false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05. We therefore divided the subfertile group into a low- and medium-quality group (Table 1).
Gene transcripts detected in low-, medium-, and high-quality eggs. a Libraries constructed by rRNA removal. b Libraries constructed by poly(A) retention. Genes expressed with average normalized reads greater than 1 were counted
Only two DETs were identified among the three treatment groups; low-, medium-, and high-quality eggs, from our dataset sequenced from the libraries constructed with an rRNA removal kit by DESeq2 with the criteria of log2FC ≥ 1, FDR ≤ 0.05, and a total number of normalized reads in a given comparison being ≥500 (Additional file 1: Table S1). The transcript agfg1 (Arf-GAP domain and FG repeats-containing protein 1) was enriched in low-quality eggs compared with high-quality eggs (1.81 log2FC, FDR = 0.0172) and ahnak (neuroblast differentiation-associated protein ahnak-like) was enriched in low-quality eggs compared with medium-quality eggs (2.01 log2FC, FDR = 0.0026). AGFG1 has been shown to affect the accumulation of a small set of non-polyadenylated cellular mRNAs in mammalian cells [63], and mRNA of Drongo (Drosophila neural GTS1-like), the homolog of AGFG1 in the fruit fly, associates with Me31B (maternal expression of 31B) which is required for the translational repression of maternal mRNAs in the oocyte [64]. AHNAK is considered to be involved in calcium flux regulation and has been proposed to interact with s100 proteins to regulate cellular Ca2+ homeostasis [65]. Notably, an s100 protein, s100a1 (S100 calcium binding protein A1), is among the most reduced polyadenylated transcripts in low-quality eggs. Most important, the lack of DETs following rRNA removal supports the concept that low fertility was not a result of differences in the accumulation or degradation of transcripts throughout oogenesis or maturation.
A total of 1339 transcripts were differentially expressed among the egg quality groups when the libraries were constructed with a poly(A) retention kit, using the same criteria as with rRNA removal (Additional file 1: Table S1). There were only 2 DETs comparing medium- and high-quality eggs, esr2b (estrogen receptor beta 2) and pltp (phospholipid transfer protein), both of which were higher in medium quality eggs compared with both low- and high-quality eggs. There were 945 DETs comparing low- and high-quality eggs, and 1012 comparing low- and medium-quality eggs. There were 619 DETs shared between the low- versus high-quality egg comparison and the low- versus medium-quality comparison, and both DETs from the medium- versus high-quality comparison were also differentially expressed between the low- and medium-quality eggs. The shared DETs between the low- versus high- quality comparison and the low- versus medium-quality comparisons were consistent in direction of change for any given transcript. Taken together, there was little difference in the transcriptomes of medium-quality eggs with between 30 and 50% eyeing rates, and the high-quality eggs with greater than 80% eyeing rates; therefore, we focused our further analyses and discussions on the low- versus high-quality comparison. The 945 DETs included 732 unique gene descriptions, with many of the more differentially expressed transcripts sharing gene descriptions with multiple transcripts or locus tags.
Among those 945 DETs, 724 were decreased and 221 were increased in low-quality eggs (Additional file 1: Table S1). There were many nuclear genes associated with ribosome production and function among the most significantly reduced DETs. Over 100 of the 945 DETs were for 40s or 60s ribosomal proteins. In general, the functions of the transcripts were diverse even among the most differentially expressed transcripts (Fig. 4). The transcripts in Fig. 4 were associated with 62 different GO terms for Biological process and 30 for Molecular function, even with 14 of these transcripts having no associated GO terms. Among the 221 enriched transcripts in the low-quality eggs, the gene transcript with the largest increase, 2.07 log2FC, is tob1 (protein tob1-like) (Additional file 1: Table S1). This transcript, however, was highly variable among the low-quality groups (FDR = 0.0010). Whereas the high-quality eggs ranged from 46 to 280 normalized reads, one of the low-quality groups with no survival at eyeing and another with 1.3%, had over 1300 normalized reads each, whereas the other two had below 80 reads. TOB1 is characterized as an anti-proliferative protein whose activity is mediated through interactions with the Caf1a/Caf1b deadenylases leading to target mRNA deadenylation and decay [66,67,68]. Considerable differences in expression among the groups of low-quality eggs, including a transcript involved with mRNA deadenylation and decay, might suggest disparate causes leading to the reduction in quality or differences in the progression of viability among the low-quality families.
Heat map of 50 differentially expressed transcripts. The top 10 up-regulated and 40 down-regulated genes in low-quality eggs were selected based on false discovery rate (FDR) value. The red bar indicates females with low-quality eggs and the green bar indicates females with high-quality eggs. * Indicates the gene has not been officially named. The gene name abbreviations are listed in Additional file 1: Table S7
Because egg quality is a major issue in the aquaculture industry [69], many microarray and quantitative reverse transcription PCR studies have revealed sets of genes associated with egg quality [17]. In rainbow trout, eggs with reduced egg quality in response to postovulatory aging had lower expression levels of tubb (tubulin b) and npm2 (nucleoplasmin-2) [20], and eggs with reduced quality in response to photoperiod treatment to accelerate the time of spawning had increased expression of pyc (pyruvate carboxylase) [22]. Consistent with those findings, our data show transcript levels of tubb and npm2 are decreased, and pyc is increased, in low-quality eggs. On the other hand, we observed decreased expression of krt8 (keratin 8), krt18 (keratin 18), rpl24 (60s ribosomal protein l24), and apoc1 (apolipoprotein c1) with reduced egg quality, whereas krt8 and krt18 have been reported to increase with reduced egg quality due to postovulatory aging [20], and rpl24 and apoc1 to increase with reduced egg quality in response to hormone implantation or photoperiod manipulation to accelerate the time of spawning [22]. The three studies used poly(A) retention and therefore likely measured changes in activated transcripts. In the present study total transcript abundance based on rRNA removal libraries did not significantly differ between high- and low-quality eggs for any of the seven genes mentioned, with the mean normalized reads differing by less than 10% for rpl24, pyc, npm2, and tubb, and 68, 80 and 146% for krt8, krt18 and apoc1 respectively. Moreover, the directions of the trends were similar with poly(A) retention and rRNA removal for each of these transcripts. The differences in the direction of the expression of specific genes among studies may be due to the treatments behind the reductions in egg quality or criteria for assessing developmental competence. Alternatively, differences may reflect where in the activation and deactivation cycle of the transcripts the eggs were sampled, and not just a measure of how many transcripts are activated overall. Further study of the kinetics of cytoplasmic adenylation and deadenylation in rainbow trout may help with interpretations of transcript levels and their associations with egg quality.
Even with poly(A) retention, only two transcripts were differentially expressed between medium- and high-quality eggs (esr2b and pltp) despite the medium-quality eggs ranging from 31 to 48% eyeing, and also representing only the lower 8% of clutches in terms of eyeing rate. The lack of DETs between medium- and high-quality eggs may suggest transcript variance did not contribute to the reduced egg quality, or transcript disparities were not detected due to the nature of the study or data analyses. Transcript signatures associated with less drastic differences in fertility have been identified in rainbow trout eggs in response to specific treatments [20, 22, 23]. Since the cause or causes of the reduced egg quality in the present study is undefined, there is likely a host of maladies among the egg clutches resulting in reduced fertility that do not share the same molecular pathways, making transcriptome signatures of any one difficult to discern. More robust analyses such as use of artificial neural networks and supervised machine learning which has been able to identify molecular signatures composed of many minor changes in transcript levels in oocytes of striped bass that associated with fertility [70] may be helpful. Regardless, the expressions of many genes have been linked to egg quality in the present study including genes not previously associated with egg quality, providing new insight into how an egg can become compromised.
Mitochondrial RNA expression
The rainbow trout mitochondrial genome encodes 13 polypeptides, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and has a noncoding D-loop region [71]. Transcripts for the 13 mitochondrial protein coding genes and D-loop region were found to be significantly reduced in the low-quality eggs by RNA-seq with poly(A) retention libraries (Table 3). In addition, mt-tn (tRNA-Asn) was also decreased in low-quality eggs but few transcripts were detected for this or all other tRNA genes. There were also abundant reads for the rRNAs; mt-rnr1 (mitochondrion 12S) and mt-rnr2 (mitochondrion 16S), and despite the trends being similar for the rRNAs and mRNAs, the DESeq2 analysis did not detect a significant reduction in mt-rnr1 or mt-rnr2 in low-quality eggs (FDR > 0.1; Table 3). Although there are some reports of mitochondrial rRNAs being polyadenylated [72, 73], mitochondrial rRNAs are generally not polyadenylated or contain no more than 10 nucleotides of the tail in most vertebrate cells [52, 53, 74]. It is worth noting that whereas the rRNAs comprised about half of the mitochondrial RNA reads following rRNA removal (Additional file 1: Table S2), they comprised less than 5% of the mitochondrial RNA reads following poly(A) retention, supporting the idea that few of the rRNA transcripts were polyadenylated or possessed long poly(A) tails. We do not know if the antibodies used for rRNA removal recognize mt-rnr1 or mt-rnr2 to any extent. Mitochondrial rRNA transcripts are polyadenylated as part of the degradation process [72] and therefore the differences in polyadenylated rRNA transcripts among groups may represent differences in transcripts undergoing degradation.
Table 3 DESeq2 statistics for mitochondrial ribosomal RNA and differentially expressed mRNA transcripts
The changes in expression of the 13 mitochondrial protein genes between high-quality and low-quality eggs are very consistent, ranging between − 1.34 and − 2.10 log2FC as calculated by DESeq2 (Table 3). This consistency may be due to coordinated regulation of the transcripts as they are all needed for oxidative phosphorylation [52, 57], or to a reduction in mitochondria in the low-quality eggs. However, DESeq2 uses shrinkage estimators [75] that resulted in reduced log2FC estimates for many DETs compared with calculating log2FC based only on normalized read values. If log2FC for the 13 protein mRNAs are calculated based simply on the normalized reads the average is about − 2.21 log2FC for the low-quality eggs compared with the high-quality eggs (Additional file 1: Table S2). This magnitude of change is greater than the − 1.6 log2FC difference in mitochondrial DNA (Fig. 2), supporting an additional reduction in expression beyond just a reduction in mitochondrial number although the measurements were conducted using different assays. It is also worth noting that using the same calculation approach, mt-rnr1 and mt-rnr2 are also about a 2.3 log2FC, suggesting similar circumstances behind the reduced levels of the rRNAs and the mRNAs in low-quality eggs.
Interestingly DESeq2 analysis of data from rRNA removal libraries revealed no significant differences in mitochondrial gene expression among egg quality groups (FDR > 0.999). Nevertheless, the numerical means for the protein and D-loop mRNAs, and rRNAs, were lower in the low-quality eggs compared to the high-quality eggs. Again, it is worth noting that whereas there was an average − 0.17 log2FC between high- and low-quality eggs for these transcripts with DESeq2 (Additional file 1: Table S1), the log2FC calculated based simply on the normalized reads averaged − 0.78 (Additional file 1: Table S2). This is in line with the differences in the proportion of aligned mitochondrial transcripts among treatments with rRNA removal libraries (Table 2). Differences in percentage of reads aligning with mitochondrial genes among groups are not consistent with a − 1.6 log2FC difference in mitochondrial DNA or mitochondrial numbers between low- and high-quality eggs. Among possible explanations for differences in mtDNA being greater than differences in total transcript reads for mitochondrial genes may lie in differences in the timing of transcription and mtDNA replication. During maturation there is an explosion in mtDNA replication, increasing 1000-fold in some species [59]. It is not known when the transcripts being measured in ovulated eggs are transcribed or processed in relation to this increase in mtDNA replication. Perhaps a lower content of mtDNA in low-quality eggs has not yet been reflected in transcription rates. Alternatively, there could be a compensatory increase in mitochondrial transcription in those oocytes with reduced mtDNA. The greater reduction in polyadenylated mitochondrial transcripts than mtDNA in low-quality eggs may reflect a combination of less mtDNA and transcript processing within mitochondria.
The requirement for oxidative phosphorylation by mitochondria to provide ATP in the early embryo varies among species [56, 76]. In the zebrafish, the maternal ATP pool is insufficient to execute the ubiquitin proteasomal pathway required for protein degradation required to advance beyond the 32-cell stage [76]. Although the 32-cell stage is well before ZGA in this species [45, 47], mitochondrial transcription has been shown to be active prior to mtDNA replication in zebrafish embryos [58]. Mitochondria in zebrafish embryos are active and free fatty acids serve as substrate for oxidative phosphorylation to supply the required ATP [76]. Less is known about how rainbow trout meet energy demands in the early embryo but oxidative metabolism is present even in the unfertilized eggs, and continues through early development [77]. Although the timing of the mortality in zebrafish embryos deficient in the ability to produce ATP is similar to that of the present study, egg ATP levels were found to not correlate with fertility in rainbow trout eggs [10, 77]. The associations among mitochondrial mtDNA abundance, mitochondrial transcript levels, ATP levels, and egg quality in rainbow trout are unresolved. Mitochondria serve many functions in addition to ATP production that are essential to embryo survival such as sequestration and release of intracellular calcium [78, 79]. Furthermore, deficiencies in mitochondrial activity and mtDNA number have been shown to have separate although overlapping impacts on egg quality [56, 80].
Functional classification of differentially expressed genes
Gene ontology (GO) analysis of the 945 DETs from the comparison of polyadenylated transcript enriched libraries for low- versus high-quality eggs revealed one or more associated GO terms for 811 of the transcripts. The five most common GO terms in Biological process are ribosome biogenesis, translation, metabolic process, oxidation-reduction process, and DNA templated regulation of transcription (Fig. 5). Clustering of DETs based on associated GO terms, using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) gene functional classification algorithms under kappa value of 0.3, resulted in 31 functional modules [81, 82] (Table 4). The enrichment scores of the modules ranged from 1.52 to 13.40 with the number of genes in each module ranging from 4 to 164, which included 547 of the DETs in total.
The 10 most represented gene ontology terms in biological process. The analysis included the 945 differentially expressed transcripts comparing low- and high-quality eggs. The number of significantly enriched gene ontology terms is shown in parenthesis, (P < 0.05)
Table 4 Gene cluster analysis of differentially expressed genes
The largest cluster included 164 transcripts involved in ribosome biogenesis of which only 7 were increased in low-quality eggs. As mentioned, over 100 DETs are for 40s and 60s ribosomal proteins. Moreover, the categories of the GO terms in gene clusters 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 31, are also associated with ribosome function. Clusters 2, 12, 14, 17, and 23 are involved in mitochondrial function. Together, many of the clusters are associated with translation and the production of energy by mitochondria to drive early cell division. The other gene clusters are mainly involved in regulation of transcription, cell division, apoptosis, and immune responses. Transcripts increased in low-quality eggs were distributed among 22 clusters.
There were 398 DETs that were not included in the clusters. This includes the 134 DETs without associated GO terms such as n1/n2 protein (histone-binding protein n1 n2-like), senp7 (sentrin-specific protease 7-like) and parp8 (kisutch poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 8-like); and 264 that were orphan genes such as mettl3 (n6-adenosine-methyltransferase 70 kda subunit), bmp10 (bone morphogenetic protein 10-like), and haus3 (haus augmin-like complex subunit 3-like). The listed transcripts are among the top DETs based on FDR values and therefore may also serve as important indicators of egg quality (see Fig. 4).
The present study identifies differences in the transcriptome among ovulated eggs of different quality for which most of the mortality occurred between fertilization and the 32-cell stage, which is before ZGA. The identification of only two DETs by RNA-seq of libraries constructed by rRNA removal kits, compared with 1339 DETs derived from libraries following poly(A) retention kits, supports transcriptome differences with egg quality arose from differences in cytoplasmic polyadenylation or deadenylation of stored maternal transcripts as opposed to being the result of differences in the accumulation of maternal transcripts during oogenesis. Furthermore, few DETs were identified between medium- and high-quality eggs. Nine clusters of DETs which encompassed 375 DETs or about 40% of all DETs identified between high- and low-quality eggs, were associated with ribosome biogenesis and processing. The multitude of ribosome related DETs in low-quality eggs suggests inadequate ribosome production required for maternal mRNA translation, which could lead to a cascade of developmental dysfunction. This reduction in ribosomal gene expression was true of mitochondrial transcripts as well as nuclear transcripts. Moreover, mtDNA abundance was reduced by 1.6 log2FC in low-quality eggs compared with high-quality eggs further supporting the ability of the egg to provide energy following fertilization was compromised. In addition to genes associated with ribosome and mitochondrion biogenesis and function, GO analysis indicates levels of transcripts involved in the regulation of transcription, translation, cell division, apoptosis, and immune responses were altered in the low-quality eggs. Many of these genes have not previously been reported to contribute to egg quality in rainbow trout. The present study provides insights into how dysfunction of the egg transcriptome can affect developmental competence in fish eggs.
Eggs were collected from rainbow trout that were part of the selective breeding program at Troutlodge Inc. Sumner, WA, USA. Eggs from individual two-year-old broodstock rainbow trout were stripped into plastic bags. About 90 unfertilized eggs from each female were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen, and another 50 eggs were collected and placed into modified Davidson’s fixative [83] for examination to eliminate samples with overripe eggs or other abnormalities. The remaining eggs were fertilized with sperm harvested from neomales. The semen derived from each sire was used to fertilize eggs from two to three females. The fertilized eggs were incubated as individual families as part of the Troutlodge Inc. selective breeding program which evaluates eyeing rate at about 250 ATUs calculated as the sum of mean daily water temperature in degrees Celsius, which we refer to as eyeing in the present manuscript. The eggs were incubated at 10 °C for about the first 24 h post fertilization, after which time a sample of about 25–60 embryos were collected from each family and fixed in Stockard’s solution [84] to evaluate early embryonic survival and viability at about the 32-cell stage by enumerating the embryos reaching each stage of cell cleavage (Table 1). The frozen samples were kept in a − 80 °C freezer at Troutlodge Inc. until they were shipped on dry ice to the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (NCCCWA) after which they were again placed at − 80 °C until RNA isolation. The fixed samples were shipped at ambient temperature to NCCCWA for evaluation.
Selection of rainbow trout females for RNA-seq analysis of eggs
Selection of egg samples for RNA-seq analysis was based primarily on eyeing rate. A range of 130–218 individuals from each family were examined for survival and viability at eyeing. Dead and subviable eggs included those that were unfertilized, had precipitated yolk in response to shocking the eggs, or were considered to have poorly developed eyes. We considered an eyeing rate of 50% as the demarcation between fertile and subfertile families. Only 16 of the 192 families generated had eyeing rates that were less than 50% (Fig. 1). In addition, the sperm from the sires used for each of these matings also yielded at least one family with an eyeing rate greater than 78% confirming the sperm used for fertilization was not the cause of the poor eyeing rates. Ten of the subfertile families (0–47.5% eyeing) and 10 fertile or high-quality families with eyeing rates greater than 80% (80.6–97.7% eyeing) that shared sires with the ten subfertile families, were selected for RNA-seq analyses. Since there were no families with eyeing rates between 10 and 30%, we subsequently further divided the subfertile families as low- (0–4.2%) and medium- (30.6–47.5%) quality families or females. Visual examination of the fixed eggs from these 20 females revealed no obvious signs of poor egg quality before fertilization.
Assessment of early embryo development
All embryos collected at about 24 h post fertilization from each of the females selected for RNA-seq analysis were examined to determine viability. The fixed embryos were immersed in 0.5% methylene blue overnight. The cell number of each embryo was counted or confirmed to be greater than 32, using a stereo microscope (Nikon SMZ660). Those embryos with less than 32 cells were considered subviable.
RNA isolation and sequencing
RNAs were isolated from frozen eggs which were homogenized in Tri Reagent (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) with a Qiagen Retsch MM300 TissueLyser Shaker Mixer Grinder Agitator Mill (Retsch Inc., Haan, Germany). Total RNA was isolated following the manufacturer’s protocol with the modification of using Phase Lock Gel (5 PRIME, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA) and Phase Separation Reagent (Molecular Research Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA) to separate the aqueous phase from the organic phase. The isolated RNAs were further purified by lithium chloride precipitation and treated with DNase. The RNA integrity was evaluated by gel electrophoresis (Additional file 2: Figure S1), a NanoDrop ND-1000 (Thermo SCIENTIFIC, Wilmington, DE, USA) with λ260/280 great than 1.98, and a 2100 Bioanalyzer (Santa Clara, CA, USA) with RNA Integrity Number between 7.2 and 9.1 (Additional file 1: Table S3). DNaseI treated RNA was used to construct libraries with the Illumina® TruSeq® Stranded Total RNA Library Prep Kit with Ribo-Zero Gold (rRNA removal) and TruSeq® Stranded mRNA Sample Prep Kit (poly(A) retention). The libraries were sequenced by HiSeq2500 with 100 nt paired-end reads. Raw reads were deposited in NCBI Sequence Read Archive database (SRA accession: SRP108797). We sequenced the libraries for rRNA removal in two batches. The first batch of four samples (99, 119, 108, and 129) had less than 4% of the reads aligned to rRNA whereas the second batch of 16 samples contained 14.4 to 55.7% rRNAs indicating the rRNAs were not effectively removed (Additional file 1: Table S4). Hence, the 16 samples were re-sequenced using a newly purchased kit which resulted in the effective removal of rRNAs to below an average of 6% of the reads. The data from the three rRNA removal sequencing runs were included in subsequent transcriptome analyses.
To classify reads as belonging to the nuclear transcriptome, the mitochondrial transcriptome, or as rRNA, after the adaptor was trimmed by bcl2fastq v2.17.1.14, the reads passing FastQC evaluation (http://www.bioinformatics.babraham.ac.uk/projects/fastqc), were respectively aligned to the nucleotide sequences corresponding to all CDS features annotated on the rainbow trout genome assembly (GCA_900005705.1) [85] with 72 additional genes selected from gene bank (Additional file 1: Table S5), the mitochondrial genome which includes 38 genes and the D-loop region [25, 86] and rRNA genes [87] by using Bowtie2 tool under default settings [88]. To avoid redundancy between the transcripts assigned to the mitochondrial and nuclear transcriptomes, we used the mitochondrial transcripts as queries to blast the rainbow trout [85] transcriptome data mentioned above. The blast results showed that GSONMT00007417001 was aligned with mitochondrial mt-rnr2, mt-tl1, and mt-nd1, and GSONMT00007419001 aligned with mt-nd4l. Therefore, GSONMT00007417001 and GSONMT00007419001 were removed from the nuclear transcriptome reference list. In addition, although mt-rnr1 and mt-rnr2 transcripts were included in the mitochondrial transcriptome, some of the rRNAs in the rRNA reference list have high similarity to these genes and therefore some of the reads aligned under rRNA may have been mt-rnr1 and mt-rnr2. The raw reads aligned to nuclear transcriptome and mitochondrial mRNAs were merged and used as input to DESeq2 to identify DETs among groups at a FDR < 0.05, log2FC greater than 1, and total number of normalized reads within comparisons being greater than 500.
Gene ontology analysis of the identified DETs was conducted using Blast2GO PRO platform (BioBam Bioinformatics S.L., Spain) [89]. An R script written according to the algorithms proposed by the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) gene functional classification was used to cluster the identified DETs into functional gene modules based on the results of the GO analyses [81, 82]. Module enrichment scores were generated by calculating the geometric mean of the P-values which were derived from hypergeometric test of the input gene sets, followed by negative log transformation of the geometric mean [90]. False discovery rate was calculated using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. Spearman correlation coefficient for eyeing rate and early embryo viability was estimated using R (R × 64 3.3.0).
Mitochondrial gene quantification by real-time quantitative PCR
The insoluble materials leftover following homogenization in Tri Reagent during RNA isolation was mixed with 180 μl of 1 × TE buffer and shaken at speed setting 30 for 2 min with a Qiagen TissueLyser and then incubated for 10 min at room temperature. The mixture was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 min, and the supernatant was transferred to a tube containing Phase Lock Gel. The tube was shaken and centrifuged as above. The supernatant was collected, and DNA was isolated using a Quick-DNA™ Universal Kit (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA, USA). The DNA isolate was digested with RNaseA and the DNA was purified using a ZR-Duet™ DNA/RNA MiniPrep kit (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA, USA). The DNA from about 90 eggs was eluted in 20 μl of elution buffer and then diluted by adding 20 μl of water. The relative quantity of the mt-atp6 and mt-cyb genes was measured on an ABI 7900HT sequence detection system (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Each reaction consisted of 1.5 μL of diluted DNA, 3 μl of each primer (5 μM) and 1× SYBR Green PCR Master Mix (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). The thermal cycling profile was 50 °C for 2 min, 95 °C for 10 min and 40 cycles of 95 °C for 30 s, 60 °C for 20 s, and 72 °C for 30 s. A final dissociation step was performed to assess the specificity of the reaction. Relative quantification of the mitochondrial DNA was estimated by the standard curve method with three technical replications, and mean differences of the mitochondrial DNA were reported as relative change using the value for the high-quality eggs as a calibrator. An 18 s rRNA gene was used as the reference control [91]. Primer sequences are shown in Additional file 1: Table S6.
ATUs:
Accumulated thermal units
DET:
Differentially expressed transcript
Log2FC:
Log2 fold change
MBT:
Mid-blastula transition
mtDNA:
NCCCWA:
National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture. Gene name abbreviations are presented in Additional file 1: Table S7
Poly(A):
Polyadenylic acid
ZGA:
Zygotic genome activation
Brooks S, Tyler CR, Sumpter JP. Egg quality in fish: what makes a good egg? Rev Fish Biol Fish. 1997;7(4):387–416.
Vehvilainen H, Kause A, Koskinen H, Paananen T. Genetic architecture of rainbow trout survival from egg to adult. Genet Res. 2010;92(1):1–11.
Su GS, Liljedahl LE, Gall GAE. Genetic and environmental variation of female reproductive traits in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Aquaculture. 1997;154(2):115–24.
Blom JH, Dabrowski K. Reproductive success of female rainbow-trout (Oncorhynchus-Mykiss) in response to graded dietary Ascorbyl monophosphate levels. Biol Reprod. 1995;52(5):1073–80.
Bromage NRaC, P.R.T. (ed.): Egg production in rainbow trout. Croom Helm., London; 1988.
Palace VP, Werner J. Vitamins a and E in the maternal diet influence egg quality and early life stage development in fish: a review. Sci Mar. 2006;70:41–57.
Contreras-Sanchez WM, Schreck CB, Fitzpatrick MS, Pereira CB. Effects of stress on the reproductive performance of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Biol Reprod. 1998;58(2):439–47.
Campbell PM, Pottinger TG, Sumpter JP. Stress reduces the quality of gametes produced by rainbow-trout. Biol Reprod. 1992;47(6):1140–50.
Bonnet E, Fostier A, Bobe J. Characterization of rainbow trout egg quality: a case study using four different breeding protocols, with emphasis on the incidence of embryonic malformations. Theriogenology. 2007;67(4):786–94.
Aegerter S, Jalabert B. Effects of post-ovulatory oocyte ageing and temperature on egg quality and on the occurrence of triploid fry in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquaculture. 2004;231(1–4):59–71.
Lahnsteiner F. Morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters characterizing the over-ripening of rainbow trout eggs. Fish Physiol Biochem. 2000;23(2):107–18.
Springate JRC, Bromage NR, Elliott JAK, Hudson DL. The timing of ovulation and stripping and their effects on the rates of fertilization and survival to eying, hatch and swim-up in the rainbow-trout (Salmo-Gairdneri R). Aquaculture. 1984;43(1–3):313–22.
Craik JCA, Harvey SM. Egg quality in rainbow-trout - the relation between egg viability, selected aspects of egg composition, and time of stripping. Aquaculture. 1984;40(2):115–34.
Tadros W, Lipshitz HD. The maternal-to-zygotic transition: a play in two acts. Development. 2009;136(18):3033–42.
Lyman-Gingerich J, Pelegri F. Maternal factors in fish oogenesis and embryonic development. In: Babin PJ, Cerda J, Labadie K, editors. The fish oocyte: from basic studies to biotechnological applications. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer; 2007. p. 141–74.
Lubzens E, Bobe J, Young G, Sullivan CV. Maternal investment in fish oocytes and eggs: the molecular cargo and its contributions to fertility and early development. Aquaculture. 2017;472(1):37.
Sullivan CV, Chapman RW, Reading BJ, Anderson PE. Transcriptomics of mRNA and egg quality in farmed fish: some recent developments and future directions. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2015;221:23–30.
Klangnurak W, Fukuyo T, Rezanujjaman MD, Seki M, Sugano S, Suzuki Y, Tokumoto T. Candidate gene identification of ovulation-inducing genes by RNA sequencing with an in vivo assay in zebrafish. PLoS One. 2018;13(5):e0196544.
Aegerter S, Jalabert B, Bobe J. mRNA stockpile and egg quality in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish Physiol Biochem. 2003;28(1–4):317–8.
Aegerter S, Jalabert B, Bobe J. Large scale real-time PCR analysis of mRNA abundance in rainbow trout eggs in relationship with egg quality and post-ovulatory ageing. Mol Reprod Dev. 2005;72(3):377–85.
Aegerter S, Jalabert B, Bobe J. Messenger RNA stockpile of cyclin B, insulin-like growth factor I, insulin-like growth factor II, insulin-like growth factor receptor Ib, and p53 in the rainbow trout oocyte in relation with developmental competence. Mol Reprod Dev. 2004;67(2):127–35.
Bonnet E, Fostier A, Bobe J. Microarray-based analysis of fish egg quality after natural or controlled ovulation. BMC Genomics. 2007;8.
Bonnet E, Montfort J, Esquerre D, Hugot K, Fostier A, Bobe J. Effect of photoperiod manipulation on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) egg quality: a genomic study. Aquaculture. 2007;268(1–4):13–22.
Nagler JJ, Cavileer TD, Stoddard JW, Parsons JE. Maternal mRNA differences in unfertilized rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs from batches exhibiting variable embryonic survival. Cybium. 2008;32(2):233.
Ma H, Weber GM, Wei HR, Yao JB. Identification of mitochondrial genome-encoded small RNAs related to egg deterioration caused by postovulatory aging in rainbow trout. Mar Biotechnol. 2016;18(5):584–97.
Ma H, Weber GM, Hostuttler MA, Wei H, Wang L, Yao J. MicroRNA expression profiles from eggs of different qualities associated with post-ovulatory ageing in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). BMC Genomics. 2015;16:201.
Bachvarova RF. A maternal tail of poly(a) - the long and the short of it. Cell. 1992;69(6):895–7.
Pique M, Lopez JM, Foissac S, Guigo R, Mendez R. A combinatorial code for CPE-mediated translational control. Cell. 2008;132(3):434–48.
Villalba A, Coll O, Gebauer F. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation and translational control. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2011;21(4):452–7.
Cui J, Sartain CV, Pleiss JA, Wolfner MF. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation is a major mRNA regulator during oogenesis and egg activation in Drosophila. Dev Biol. 2013;383(1):121–31.
Slater DW, Slater I, Gillespie D. Post-fertilization synthesis of Polyadenylic acid in sea-urchin embryos. Nature. 1972;240(5380):333.
Rosenthal ET, Tansey TR, Ruderman JV. Sequence-specific Adenylations and Deadenylations accompany changes in the translation of maternal messenger-Rna after fertilization of Spisula oocytes. J Mol Biol. 1983;166(3):309–27.
Paris J, Philippe M. Poly(a) metabolism and polysomal recruitment of maternal mRNAs during early Xenopus development. Dev Biol. 1990;140(1):221–4.
Brevini-Gandolfi TAL, Favetta LA, Mauri L, Luciano AM, Cillo F, Gandolfi F. Changes in poly(a) tail length of maternal transcripts during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes and their relation with developmental competence. Mol Reprod Dev. 1999;52(4):427–33.
Blower MD, Jambhekar A, Schwarz DS, Toombs JA. Combining different mRNA capture methods to analyze the transcriptome: analysis of the Xenopus laevis transcriptome. PLoS One. 2013;8(10).
Gohin M, Fournier E, Dufort I, Sirard MA. Discovery, identification and sequence analysis of RNAs selected for very short or long poly a tail in immature bovine oocytes. Mol Hum Reprod. 2014;20(2):127–38.
Subtelny AO, Eichhorn SW, Chen GR, Sive H, Bartel DP. Poly(a)-tail profiling reveals an embryonic switch in translational control. Nature. 2014;508(7494):66.
Reyes JM, Chitwood JL, Ross PJ. RNA-Seq profiling of single bovine oocyte transcript abundance and its modulation by cytoplasmic polyadenylation. Mol Reprod Dev. 2015;82(2):103–14.
Meijer HA, Bushell M, Hill K, Gant TW, Willis AE, Jones P, de Moor CH. A novel method for poly(a) fractionation reveals a large population of mRNAs with a short poly(a) tail in mammalian cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 2007;35(19).
Cabada MO, Darnbrough C, Ford PJ, Turner PC. Differential accumulation of two size classes of poly(a) associated with messenger RNA during oogenesis in Xenopus laevis. Dev Biol. 1977;57(2):427–39.
Nagler JJ, Parsons JE, Cloud JG. Single pair mating indicates maternal effects on embryo survival in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquaculture. 2000;184(1–2):177–83.
Jensen JOT. New mechanical shock sensitivity units in support of criteria for protection of salmonid eggs from blasting or seismic disturbance. Can Tech Rep Fish Aquat Sci. 2003(2452):27.
Jensen JOT, Alderdice DF. Comparison of mechanical shock sensitivity of eggs of five Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus) species and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). Aquaculture. 1989;78:19.
Marlow FL. Maternal Control of Development in Vertebrates. CA: My Mother Made Me Do It! San Rafael; 2010.
Kane DA, Kimmel CB. The zebrafish Midblastula transition. Development. 1993;119(2):447–56.
Zamir E, Kam Z, Yarden A. Transcription-dependent induction of G1 phase during the zebra fish midblastula transition. Mol Cell Biol. 1997;17(2):529–36.
Mathavan S, Lee SGP, Mak A, Miller LD, Murthy KRK, Govindarajan KR, Tong Y, Wu YL, Lam SH, Yang H, et al. Transcriptome analysis of zebrafish embryogenesis using microarrays. PLoS Genet. 2005;1(2):260–76.
Kleppe L, Edvardsen RB, Kuhl H, Malde K, Furmanek T, Drivenes O, Reinhardt R, Taranger GL, Wargelius A. Maternal 3'UTRs: from egg to onset of zygotic transcription in Atlantic cod. BMC Genomics. 2012;13:443.
Hall TE, Smith P, Johnston IA. Stages of embryonic development in the Atlantic cod Gadus morhua. J Morphol. 2004;259(3):255–70.
Kraeussling M, Wagner TU, Schartl M. Highly asynchronous and asymmetric cleavage divisions accompany early transcriptional activity in pre-blastula Medaka embryos. PLoS One. 2011;6(7).
Stoddard JW, Parsons JE, Nagler JJ. Early onset of embryonic mortality in sub-fertile families of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Reprod Fertil Dev. 2005;17(8):785–90.
Fernandez-Silva P, Enriquez JA, Montoya J. Replication and transcription of mammalian mitochondrial DNA. Exp Physiol. 2003;88(1):41–56.
Temperley RJ, Wydro M, Lightowlers RN, Chrzanowska-Lightowlers ZM. Human mitochondrial mRNAs-like members of all families, similar but different. Bba-Bioenergetics. 2010;1797(6–7):1081–5.
Curanovic D, Cohen M, Singh I, Slagle CE, Leslie CS, Jaffrey SR. Global profiling of stimulus-induced polyadenylation in cells using a poly(a) trap. Nat Chem Biol. 2013;9(11):671.
Richter JD. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation in development and beyond. Microbiol Mol Biol R. 1999;63(2):446–+.
Wai T, Ao A, Zhang XY, Cyr D, Dufort D, Shoubridge EA. The role of mitochondrial DNA copy number in mammalian fertility. Biol Reprod. 2010;83(1):52–62.
Chappel S. The role of mitochondria from mature oocyte to viable blastocyst. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2013;2013:183024.
Artuso L, Romano A, Verri T, Domenichini A, Argenton F, Santorelli FM, Petruzzella V. Mitochondrial DNA metabolism in early development of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Bba-Bioenergetics. 2012;1817(7):1002–11.
St John J. The control of mtDNA replication during differentiation and development. Bba-Gen Subjects. 2014;1840(4):1345–54.
Bai J, Solberg C, Fernandes JMO, Johnston IA. Profiling of maternal and developmental-stage specific mRNA transcripts in Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus. Gene. 2007;386:202–10.
Schatten H, Sun QY, Prather R. The impact of mitochondrial function/dysfunction on IVF and new treatment possibilities for infertility. Reprod Biol Endocrin. 2014;12:1–11.
Shoubridge EA, Wai T. Mitochondrial DNA and the mammalian oocyte. Mitochondrion Germline Early Dev. 2007;77:87–111.
Sanchez-Velar N, Udofia EB, Yu Z, Zapp ML. hRIP, a cellular cofactor for rev function, promotes release of HIV RNAs from the perinuclear region. Genes Dev. 2004;18(1):23–34.
Catrina IE, Bayer LV, Yanez G, McLaughlin JM, Malaczek K, Bagaeva E, Marras SAE, Bratu DP. The temporally controlled expression of Drongo, the fruit fly homolog of AGFG1, is achieved in female germline cells via P-bodies and its localization requires functional Rab11. RNA Biol. 2016;13(11):1117–32.
Gentil BJ, Delphin C, Mbele GO, Deloulme JC, Ferro M, Garin J, Baudier J. The giant protein AHNAK is a specific target for the calcium- and zinc-binding S100B protein - potential implications for Ca2+ homeostasis regulation by S100B. J Biol Chem. 2001;276(26):23253–61.
Doidge R, Mittal S, Aslam A, Winkler GS. The anti-proliferative activity of BTG/TOB proteins is mediated via the Caf1a (CNOT7) and Caf1b (CNOT8) Deadenylase subunits of the Ccr4-not complex. PLoS One. 2012;7(12).
Matsuda S, KawamuraTsuzuku J, Ohsugi M, Yoshida M, Emi M, Nakamura Y, Onda M, Yoshida Y, Nishiyama A, Yamamoto T. Tob, a novel protein that interacts with p185(erbB2), is associated with antiproliferative activity. Oncogene. 1996;12(4):705–13.
Mauxion F, Chen CYA, Seraphin B, Shyu AB. BTG/TOB factors impact deadenylases. Trends Biochem Sci. 2009;34(12):640–7.
Migaud H, Bell G, Cabrita E, McAndrew B, Davie A, Bobe J, Herraez MP, Carrillo M. Gamete quality and broodstock management in temperate fish. Rev Aquacult. 2013;5:S194–223.
Chapman RW, Reading BJ, Sullivan CV. Ovary transcriptome profiling via artificial intelligence reveals a transcriptomic fingerprint predicting egg quality in striped bass, Morone saxatilis. PLoS One. 2014;9(5).
Zardoya R, GarridoPertierra A, Bautista JM. The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial DNA genome of the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. J Mol Evol. 1995;41(6):942–51.
Slomovic S, Laufer D, Geiger D, Schuster G. Polyadenylation and degradation of human mitochondrial RNA: the prokaryotic past leaves its mark. Mol Cell Biol. 2005;25(15):6427–35.
Baserga SJ, Linnenbach AJ, Malcolm S, Ghosh P, Malcolm ADB, Takeshita K, Forget BG, Benz EJ. Polyadenylation of a human mitochondrial ribosomal-Rna transcript detected by molecular-cloning. Gene. 1985;35(3):305–12.
Rorbach J, Minczuk M. The post-transcriptional life of mammalian mitochondrial RNA. Biochem J. 2012;444:357–73.
Love MI, Huber W, Anders S. Moderated estimation of fold change and dispersion for RNA-seq data with DESeq2. Genome Biol. 2014;15(12).
Dutta A, Sinha DK. Zebrafish lipid droplets regulate embryonic ATP homeostasis to power early development. Open Biol. 2017;7(7).
Wendling NC, Bencic DC, Nagler JJ, Cloud JG, Ingermann RL. Adenosine triphosphate levels in steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs: an examination of turnover, localization and role. Comp Biochem Phys A. 2004;137(4):739–48.
Cagnone GLM, Tsai TS, Makanji Y, Matthews P, Gould J, Bonkowski MS, Elgass KD, Wong ASA, Wu LE, McKenzie M, et al. Restoration of normal embryogenesis by mitochondrial supplementation in pig oocytes exhibiting mitochondrial DNA deficiency. Sci Rep-Uk. 2016;6.
Dumollard R, Duchen M, Sardet C. Calcium signals and mitochondria at fertilisation. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2006;17(2):314–23.
Ge HS, Tollner TL, Hu Z, Dai MM, Li XH, Guan HQ, Shan D, Zhang XJ, Lv JQ, Huang CJ, et al. The importance of mitochondrial metabolic activity and mitochondrial DNA replication during oocyte maturation in vitro on oocyte quality and subsequent embryo developmental competence. Mol Reprod Dev. 2012;79(6):392–401.
Huang DW, Sherman BT, Tan Q, Collins JR, Alvord WG, Roayaei J, Stephens R, Baseler MW, Lane HC, Lempicki RA. The DAVID gene functional classification tool: a novel biological module-centric algorithm to functionally analyze large gene lists. Genome Biol. 2007;8(9).
Ma H, Gao G, Weber GM. Use of DAVID algorithms for clustering custom annotated gene lists in a non-model organism, rainbow trout. BMC Res Notes. 2018;11(63):1–6.
Hershberger WK, Hostuttler MA. Variation in time to first cleavage in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss embryos: a major factor in induction of tetraploids. J World Aquacult Soc. 2005;36(1):96–102.
Velsen FPJ. Embryonic development in eggs of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka. Can Spec Publ Fish Aquat Sci. 1980;49:1–19.
Berthelot C, Brunet F, Chalopin D, Juanchich A, Bernard M, Noel B, Bento P, Da Silva C, Labadie K, Alberti A, et al. The rainbow trout genome provides novel insights into evolution after whole-genome duplication in vertebrates. Nat Commun. 2014;5.
Kodama S, Yamada H, Annab L, Barrett JC. Elevated expression of mitochondrial cytochrome-B and Nadh dehydrogenase Subunit-4/4l genes in senescent human-cells. Exp Cell Res. 1995;219(1):82–6.
Abernathy J, Overturf K. Comparison of ribosomal RNA removal methods for transcriptome sequencing workflows in teleost fish. Anim Biotechnol. 2016;27(1):60–5.
Langmead B, Salzberg SL. Fast gapped-read alignment with bowtie 2. Nat Methods. 2012;9(4):357–U354.
Conesa A, Gotz S. Blast2GO: a comprehensive suite for functional analysis in plant genomics. Int J Plant Genomics. 2008;2008:619832.
Huang DW, Sherman BT, Lempicki RA. Systematic and integrative analysis of large gene lists using DAVID bioinformatics resources. Nat Protoc. 2009;4(1):44–57.
Zhang HS, Maguire D, Swarts S, Sun WM, Yang SM, Wang W, Liu CM, Zhang M, Zhang D, Zhang L, et al. Replication of murine mitochondrial DNA following irradiation. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2009;645:43–8.
We thank Dr. Guangtu Gao for assistance in providing ribosomal reference sequences and help in data analysis and discussion; and Jill Birkett for assistance with embryo assessments. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the USDA or the ARS of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
This work was supported by USDA-ARS CRIS Project 8082–31000-012. The funding bodies had no role in the design of the experiment, interpretation of the data, or writing of the manuscript.
The sequences used in this study were deposited into NCBI Sequence Read Archive under accession number SPR108797 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra?term=SRP108797).
USDA/ARS National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture, Kearneysville, WV, USA
Hao Ma & Gregory M. Weber
Troutlodge Inc., Sumner, WA, USA
Kyle Martin & Doug Dixon II
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
Alvaro G. Hernandez
Hao Ma
Kyle Martin
Doug Dixon II
Gregory M. Weber
G. W., H. M., K. M., and D. D. designed the study and collected the samples. A. G. H. consulted on design of the approach to the RNA-seq and evaluation of the data; and constructed the libraries and conducted the sequencing. H. M. analyzed the data. H. M. and G. W. drafted the manuscript and all authors contributed to the final version. All authors have read and approved the manuscript.
Correspondence to Gregory M. Weber.
All animal experiments were conducted under a protocol approved by the USDA/ARS National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (protocol #50).
Table S1. Differentially expressed transcripts among low-, medium- and high-quality eggs identified by DESeq2. Table S2. Mean and log2FC of normalized mitochondrial DET reads. Table S3. Quality analyses for RNAs treated with DNase and submitted for RNA sequencing. Table S4. Overview of RNA-seq read alignments from the libraries constructed with defective rRNA removal kit. Table S5. Additional gene transcripts used as reference. Table S6. Primers used in real-time quantitative PCR. Table S7. Gene name abbreviations. (XLSX 506 kb)
Figure S1. Electrophoresis of egg RNAs isolated from different families selected for RNA sequencing. The families labeled in red are from the low-quality group; the families labeled in green are from the medium quality group; the families labeled in black are from the high-quality group. About 400 ng/sample of RNA was loaded to each well. Family 10 was not used for RNA sequencing. (PPTX 122 kb)
Ma, H., Martin, K., Dixon, D. et al. Transcriptome analysis of egg viability in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. BMC Genomics 20, 319 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-019-5690-5
Non-human and non-rodent vertebrate genomics
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21371
|
__label__wiki
| 0.694778
| 0.694778
|
Published Ahead of Print
ASN Meeting Abstracts
Reprint Information
Peer Review Program
About CJASN
CJASN Impact
CJASN Recognitions
ASN Kidney News
American Society of Nephrology
Visit ASN on Facebook
Follow CJASN on Twitter
CJASN RSS
Moving Points in Nephrology
A Framework and Key Research Questions in AKI Diagnosis and Staging in Different Environments
Patrick T. Murray, Prasad Devarajan, Andrew S. Levey, Kai U. Eckardt, Joseph V. Bonventre, Raul Lombardi, Stefan Herget-Rosenthal and Adeera Levin
CJASN May 2008, 3 (3) 864-868; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.04851107
Patrick T. Murray
Prasad Devarajan
Andrew S. Levey
Kai U. Eckardt
Joseph V. Bonventre
Raul Lombardi
Stefan Herget-Rosenthal
Adeera Levin
Figures & Data Supps
Background and objectives: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is common worldwide, and associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. The RIFLE system of staging AKI correlates with survival in AKI in several settings. A similar AKI definition and staging system that also incorporates lesser degrees of serum creatinine elevation was proposed at the inaugural Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) meeting in 2005. At the Second AKIN meeting in Vancouver, Canada in September 2006, our group developed a research agenda that would test the utility of these diagnostic and staging criteria to predict patient outcomes in a variety of clinical settings and patient groups.
Design, setting, participants & measurements: Three-day, international, consensus conference. A multidisciplinary stakeholder committee was divided into work groups. Recommendations for clinical practice and for future research were developed by the committee as an iterative process. This procedure consisted of a literature review phase and focus group interactions with presentations to the entire committee.
Results: We first proposed a conceptual framework of disease that describes a series of AKI stages, antecedents and outcomes, and allows a description of research recommendations based on transition between AKI stages. We further proposed methods for testing of the definition and development of research questions to establish the utility of new biomarkers for the diagnosis and staging of AKI and associated illnesses.
Conclusions: Retrospective studies should be conducted to initiate the process of validating the AKIN definition of AKI, followed by comprehensive prospective studies that incorporate sampling for emerging AKI biomarkers.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common worldwide and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and resource use (1,2). Efforts to provide effective prophylaxis or therapy for AKI have been hampered by the lack of a standard definition of this syndrome. In 2002, the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI) consensus group proposed a graded classification system (the “RIFLE” criteria [risk, injury, failure, loss, ESRD]) to “stage” the severity of acute kidney dysfunction incorporating levels of oliguria in addition to fractional serum creatinine elevation (1). Emerging evidence suggests that severity of acute renal dysfunction measured by this system correlates with survival in general populations of hospitalized or critically ill patients (3,4) and other settings; however, this system does not include lesser elevations of serum creatinine (<50% above baseline), and there is emerging evidence that lesser changes in serum creatinine are common and have important prognostic value in many of the same settings (5,6). Specifically, for example, in cardiac surgery patients, postoperative serum creatinine increments of 20–25% are associated with mortality increases from 0–1% to 12–14%, and even increments of 0.1–0.3 mg/dl are associated with significant increased mortality (5).
The Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) was formed in 2004 with the overall objective of optimizing outcomes in AKI by leveraging the resources and perspectives of organizations that are interested in AKI around the globe. The AKIN definition of AKI was proposed after the group's inaugural consensus meeting in Amsterdam in 2005 (2). Compared with the RIFLE classification, the new definition includes lesser degrees of serum creatinine elevation (≥0.3 mg/dl or ≥50% above baseline within a 48-h period) to diagnose AKI, identical grades of oliguria, and a similar severity staging system. There are robust data supporting the use of small increments of serum creatinine or renal replacement therapy (RRT) to define clinical AKI, in hospitalized patients or those undergoing procedures. The modified definition of AKI has not been tested in prospective studies, in different populations, or in different settings. For example, validation studies will be required to determine whether AKI classified by the AKIN definition in patients with preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with similar risks as AKI in patients without preexisting CKD (2). Accordingly, the AKIN group met in Vancouver in September 2006 to develop a research agenda that would test the utility of these diagnostic and staging criteria to predict patient outcomes in a variety of clinical settings and patient groups.
Methods are described in the accompanying article by Kellum et al. (7) and included the creation of a multidisciplinary stakeholder group, a literature review phase and focused group interactions with presentations to entire committee, and subsequent selection and refinement of questions and methods (8).
Literature Review and Synthesis
A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the following databases: Medline (1966 through August 2006), EMBASE (1980 through 2006, week 36), CINAHL (1982 through August 2006), and PubMed. Articles in any language were considered. The purpose of the review was to identify key unanswered questions. A secure Internet Web site was setup with FTP capability; group members were able to upload and download full-text articles, and through a number of iterative steps, a series of clinical questions were developed.
Agreement on Definition and Framework
AKI is defined on the basis of a reduction in kidney function as determined using serum creatinine or the presence of persistent oliguria. It is recognized that there are limitations to this definition, because it relies on a change in a serum marker that is known to occur late in the course of injury (serum creatinine) and a measurement of urine output (which is not as uniformly recorded in all patients). Nonetheless, the definition does reflect the current state of knowledge about the condition. Limitations of the definition are recognized, but in the absence of validated and clinically obtainable biomarkers, this definition will need to be studied in more detail.
Of greater importance is the development of a conceptual framework of the condition of interest (AKI) that describes a series of stages, antecedents, and outcomes. The conceptual framework allows a description of research recommendations on the basis of transition between AKI stages (Figure 1). The utility of a definition is that it informs clinical practice, clinical and translational research, and clinical care. This conceptual framework allows the testing of the definition and development of research questions.
Conceptual model of acute kidney injury (AKI).
In Figure 1, ellipses on the horizontal axis depict stages in the development (left to right) ± recovery (right to left) of AKI. AKI (in magenta) is defined as reduction in GFR, including kidney failure. Specific diagnostic criteria have been defined for AKI (in magenta) on the basis of the change in serum creatinine concentration within 48 h or reduction in urine output. The stage of severity of AKI has also been classified on the basis of changes in serum creatinine. Kidney failure is a stage of AKI highlighted here because of its clinical importance. Kidney failure is defined as a GFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m2 body surface area or requirement for RRT, although it is recognized that RRT may be required earlier in the evolution of AKI. Kidney damage (in pink) is an intermediate stage preceding AKI in some but not all patients. This stage is emphasized because of the importance of ongoing research to identify earlier manifestations of AKI, including traditional markers of kidney damage (e.g., urine chemistries, microscopy) (9), and emerging markers (10–14).
Antecedents (in yellow) of AKI include increased risk in certain patient groups, in some cases representing a continuum of normal, for example, those with older age. Patients with failure of organs other than the kidneys would represent another high-risk group for AKI.
Outcomes (in purple) of AKI include fatal or nonfatal complications in organ systems other than kidney or death from kidney failure. Nonkidney outcome factors affect the development, severity, and resolution of complications in other organ systems (including multisystem organ failure). It has long been recognized that AKI is associated with increased mortality; there is increasing evidence that AKI also leads to distant organ injury (e.g., lung, heart, gut), and vice versa. Death specifically limits the utility of using solely kidney disease end points to study the effects of AKI, because nonsurviving patients are censored from further study.
Horizontal arrows between stages represent risk factors for development or recovery of AKI. Development and progression of AKI are indicated by left-to-right arrows. Patients are at increased risk as a result of exposure to a variety of known and unknown initiation factors that are capable of directly initiating kidney damage or decreasing GFR or susceptibility factors that affect the outcome after exposure to an initiation factor. Progression factors affect the risk for progression from damage to AKI and development of higher stages of AKI, including kidney failure. Conversely, recovery of AKI is signified by reverse arrows, right to left. The nomenclature for recovery factors is still undefined. Recovery of AKI may be complete, partial, or absent. Kidney failure for >3 mo is chronic kidney failure and in the United States satisfies conditions for the designation of ESRD. GFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or kidney damage for >3 mo is defined as CKD. AKI that leads to CKD (including ESRD) is an increasingly recognized phenomenon, particularly in patients with preexisting CKD (15).
The proposed model also encompasses the concept of prerenal azotemia: GFR decrease without kidney damage (left-to-right curved arrow), with reversibility (right-to-left curved arrow). These pathways could also be used to define AKI caused by acute urinary tract obstruction with prompt relief. These concepts will be reevaluated as AKI biomarkers are developed and validated.
Key Studies to Improve the Understanding of AKI
To improve the understanding of AKI, it will be important to develop a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies as well as interventional trials to characterize fully the different stages and transition points of the conceptual model of AKI described in Figure 1.
Key Questions for Consideration
The working group broadly addressed two questions, determined current knowledge in these areas, developed a research agenda for unanswered questions, and sought to develop some limited clinical practice recommendations. The first question focused on the necessity to validate the proposed AKIN consensus diagnostic criteria and staging. We then asked whether and how one could include emerging biomarkers of AKI in the AKI criteria.
At this time, using existing literature, both questions are not answerable. Thus, the groups focused on posing more fundamental questions to guide research design. Within the conceptual framework, we developed several research questions that are critical to understanding the utility of emerging structural biomarkers of kidney damage for the early diagnosis of subclinical AKI and potentially for prognostic stratification of patients with AKI (clinical or subclinical):
Does kidney damage without AKI lead to bad clinical outcomes?
Does AKI without evidence of kidney damage lead to bad outcomes?
Does the degree of kidney damage predict progression/bad outcomes?
Question 1: How should the AKIN consensus diagnostic criteria and staging be validated?
Question 1a: Do the development and severity of AKI predict renal and nonrenal clinical outcomes, in a variety of clinical settings? Does oliguria add to creatinine elevation to predict clinical outcomes (renal and nonrenal)?
Developing the Answer.
A proven AKI definition and staging system will standardize the description and comparison of patient populations and cohorts in clinical and epidemiologic studies, and the development and staged severity of AKI may function as an outcome in therapeutic trials. The utility of the AKI definition and staging should be tested in developing and developed countries, as well as in both community-acquired and hospital-acquired AKI.
Initial studies should be retrospective, using large existing databases of groups at high risk for AKI. Community-acquired AKI databases may include populations with acute malaria or post-monsoon AKI or elderly patients from retirement homes with such community-acquired acute illnesses as pneumonia or urinary tract infections. Important patient populations for studies of hospital-acquired AKI include cardiac surgery, radiocontrast imaging, acutely decompensated heart failure, hepatorenal syndrome, renal transplantation, sepsis, and the broader population of hospitalized patients.
Of note, the use of databases that contain serial serum creatinine concentrations to evaluate the AKIN definition in radiocontrast-induced AKI should be limited to patients who did not receive N-acetylcysteine because of the nonrenal impact of this compound on serum creatinine levels. Although many such databases have already been used to study the impact of small changes in serum creatinine on outcomes in a variety of clinical settings, these sources will be of limited value in the retrospective testing of the utility of the AKIN definition and staging system. Most important, many programs do not have sufficient data to study graded levels of oliguria and their impact on outcomes, and this question will therefore require prospective study.
The ability to capture data that define a variety of important clinical outcomes (Figure 2) will be similarly difficult to obtain from retrospective database studies. It is important to expand the range of clinical outcomes examined in studies to validate the AKIN definition, because the current list of outcomes accepted to support new drug approval for the prevention or therapy of AKI is extraordinarily limited: Survival and dialysis-free survival (16).
AKI outcomes. BSA, body surface area; CKD, chronic kidney disease; eGFR, estimated GFR; ICU, intensive care unit; RRT, renal replacement therapy.
Emerging data regarding the role of AKI in accelerating the development of ESRD in patients with CKD (9) and the lack of acceptance of small increments of serum creatinine or oliguria as criteria for new drug approval underscore the need to expand the array of clinical outcomes included in AKI studies to include longer term outcomes, in particular the incidence of sustained GFR loss with new-onset or accelerated CKD. Thus, we propose that all studies to assess the utility of the AKI definition include broad ranges of renal end points (requirement and duration of RRT, RRT-free days, recovery of renal function, development and progression of CKD, and development of ESRD), nonrenal end points (nonrenal organ failure; length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit; hospital, 30-d, and long-term mortality; quality of life and discharge status as described by necessity of rehabilitation and short- and long-term care; and economic analysis), and composite end points (e.g., RRT-free survival; Figure 2) (16). For these purposes, the use of retrospective methods may overestimate the severity and impact of AKI as a result of selection and ascertainment biases, particularly at later time points (when data collection will favor patients with greater morbidity and closer follow-up).
Combined with the limited availability of timed urine output data, it is apparent from careful consideration of the requirements to test fully the utility of the AKIN definition that prospective studies will be required in a variety of clinical settings. Optimally, prospective use of the AKIN definition along with routine capture of a full array of short-, medium-, and long-term clinical outcomes (renal and nonrenal) in future AKI studies will not only validate the definition but also uncover other useful surrogate outcome measures.
Question 1b: What is the relationship of other GFR markers (e.g., cystatin C, eGFR) to changes in serum creatinine and kidney and nonkidney outcomes in a variety of clinical settings?
There is growing acceptance of another GFR marker (serum cystatin C) and estimated GFR (eGFR; calculated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease [MDRD] equation) as potential alternatives or adjuncts to serum creatinine for the diagnosis and staging of CKD (9). Increasingly, clinical laboratories report eGFR simultaneously with the corresponding serum creatinine value. Moreover, the rate and magnitude of change of eGFR provide similar information as changes in serum creatinine about the level of GFR and, in addition, may simplify clinical interpretation of acute versus chronic kidney disease. This derived variable should also be tested for utility as predictor of AKI stage and outcome. Existing retrospective data may already be used to determine cutoff values of these markers for the definition and staging of AKI. This information may then be used in one or several prospective multicenter studies involving diverse patient cohorts (e.g., pediatric, elderly) and risk groups. Because serum creatinine has numerous limitations as a diagnostic marker of GFR, current and emerging alternative GFR markers routinely should be tested within the staged AKIN definition framework. These multicenter studies should measure and test all available GFR markers in parallel, and additional samples should be stored in a repository for the measurement of future markers. Studies of other GFR markers may eventually improve the sensitivity and specificity of AKI diagnosis and staging and could even lead to changes in the classification system. This again may aid in future therapeutic studies to determine the optimal time points for interventions.
Question 2: Should emerging biomarkers of AKI be included in the AKI criteria?
Question 2a: What are the markers of kidney damage that predict the development and severity of AKI, as defined by low GFR with or without oliguria?
Emerging technologies such as functional genomics and proteomics have identified novel promising biomarkers for the early detection of AKI. Markers of tubular damage such as kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), IL-18, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) have been detected in the urine (and serum in the case of NGAL) several hours to days preceding the rise in serum creatinine in select clinical situations, including cardiac surgery, intensive care, and kidney transplantation (10–14). The pattern of biomarker expression may allow for timing as well as etiologic identification of the initial insult. For example, NGAL is markedly induced within 2 to 6 h after initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass in patients destined for AKI but declines after 12 h, when IL-18 and KIM-1 are easily detectable (13). Moreover, NGAL and KIM-1 are induced in nephrotoxic AKI, whereas IL-18 is not.
Several key questions remained unanswered, however. First, the published AKI biomarker studies have enrolled only small numbers of patients, and the findings will need to be confirmed in large multicenter studies involving a variety of clinical situations (the clinical situations proposed here should mirror what we are proposing in question 1). Second, in analogy with cardiac markers, the utility of biomarker expression patterns in determining the timing and characterization of the initiating insult will need to be determined. Third, detailed biomarker characteristics such as sensitivities, specificities, and area under the curve will need to be determined. Fourth, the ability of early biomarkers to predict severity of the ensuing AKI will need to be ascertained. Fifth, the role of biomarkers for the prediction of other renal and nonrenal outcomes of AKI will need to be established. Sixth, the utility of biomarkers to guide response to therapies will need to be gauged. Seventh, standardized and validated commercial tests to translate current and future biomarkers from their current status in select laboratory benches to widespread availability at the bedside will need to be developed.
Question 2b: Do markers of kidney damage predict other (nonrenal) clinical outcomes in the absence of AKI?
Recent findings suggest that even small increases in serum creatinine are predictive of nonrenal outcomes; however, it is widely known that serum creatinine remains an insensitive and delayed marker of AKI. A key unanswered question is whether sensitive early biomarkers of “subclinical” kidney damage can predict nonrenal complications in the absence of changes in serum creatinine. A corollary question is whether these biomarkers can guide therapy to prevent nonrenal complications. To answer this question, prospective studies to evaluate the utility of putative AKI biomarkers should routinely collect complete information to assess the full array of nonrenal outcomes.
AKI is defined on the basis of a reduction in kidney function, in the presence or absence of oliguria. The utility of a definition is that it informs clinical practice, clinical research, and clinical care. The proposed conceptual framework of disease describes a series of stages or conditions and allows a description of research recommendations on the basis of transition between AKI stages. It is imperative that methods for testing of the definition and developing research questions that establish the utility of new biomarkers for the diagnosis and staging of AKI and associated illnesses be developed. Retrospective studies should be conducted to initiate the validation process, followed by comprehensive prospective studies that incorporate sampling for emerging AKI biomarkers.
P.T.M.: none; P.D.: licensing agreements with Abbott Diagnostics and Biosite, Inc. for developing NGAL as a biomarker of acute renal failure; A.S.L.: none; K.U.E.: none; J.V.B. has patents on KIM-1 (a kidney injury biomarker); R.L.: none; S.H.-R. has received honoraria from Dade-Behring, Marburg, Germany, for lectures regarding cystatin C in kidney disease; A.L.: none.
Published online ahead of print. Publication date available at www.cjasn.org.
Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Nephrology
Kellum JA, Levin N, Bouman C, Lameire N: Developing a consensus classification system for acute renal failure. Curr Opin Crit Care8 :509– 514,2002
Mehta RL, Kellum JA, Shah S, Molitoris BA, Ronco C, Warnock DG, Levin A, the Acute Kidney Injury Network: AKIN: Acute Kidney Injury Network: Report of an initiative to improve outcomes in acute kidney injury. Crit Care11 :R31 ,2007
Chertow GM, Burdick E, Honour M, Bonventre JV, Bates DW: Acute kidney injury, mortality, length of stay, and costs in hospitalized patients. J Am Soc Nephrol16 :3365– 3370,2005
Hoste EA, Clermont G, Kersten A, Venkataraman R, Angus DC, De Bacquer D, Kellum JA: RIFLE criteria for acute kidney injury are associated with hospital mortality in critically ill patients: A cohort analysis. Crit Care10 :R73 ,2006
Lassnigg AL, Schmidlin D, Mouhieddine M, Bachmann LM, Druml W, Bauer P, Hiesmayr M: Minimal changes of serum creatinine predict prognosis in patients after cardiothoracic surgery: A prospective cohort study. J Am Soc Nephrol15 :1597– 1605,2004
Levy MM, Macias WL, Vincent JL, Russell JA, Silva E, Trzaskoma B, Williams MD: Early changes in organ function predict eventual survival in severe sepsis. Crit Care Med33 :2194– 2201,2005
Kellum JA, Mehta RL, Levin A, Molitoris BA, Warnock DG, Shah SV, Joannidis M, Ronco C, for the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN): Development of a clinical research agenda for acute kidney injury using an international, interdisciplinary, three-step modified Delphi process. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol3 :887– 894,2008
Kellum JA: The Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative methodology. Adv Ren Replace Ther9 :245– 247,2002
Murray PT, Le Gall JR, Dos Reis Miranda D, Pinsky MR, Tetta C: Physiologic endpoints (efficacy) for acute renal failure studies. Curr Opin Crit Care8 :519– 525,2002
Han WK, Bailly V, Abichandani R, Thadani R, Bonventre JV: Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1): A novel biomarker for human renal proximal tubule injury. Kidney Int62 :237– 244,2002
Mishra J, Dent C, Tarabishi R, Mitsnefes MM, Ma Q, Kelly C, Ruff SM, Zahedia K, Shao M, Bean J, Mori K, Barasch J, Devarajan P: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a biomarker for acute renal injury after cardiac surgery. Lancet365 :1231– 1238,2005
Parikh CR, Abraham E, Ancukiewicz M, Edelstein CL: Urine IL-18 is an early diagnostic marker for acute kidney injury and predicts mortality in the intensive care unit. J Am Soc Nephrol16 :3046– 3052,2005
Parikh CR, Mishra J, Thiessen-Philbrook H, Dursun B, Ma Q, Kelly C, Dent C, Devarajan P, Edelstein CL: Urinary IL-18 is an early predictive biomarker of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery. Kidney Int70 :199– 203,2006
Parikh CR, Jani A, Mishra J, Ma Q, Kelly C, Barasch J, Edelstein CL, Devarajan P: Urine NGAL and IL-18 are predictive biomarkers for delayed graft function following kidney transplantation. Am J Transplant6 :1639– 1645,2006
Xue JL, Daniels F, Star RA, Kimmel PL, Eggers PW, Molitoris BA, Himmelfarb J, Collins AJ: Incidence and mortality of acute renal failure in Medicare beneficiaries, 1992–2001. J Am Soc Nephrol17 :1135– 1142,2006
Palevsky PM, Metnitz PG, Piccinni P, Vinsonneau C: Selection of endpoints for clinical trials of acute renal failure in critically ill patients. Curr Opin Crit Care8 :515– 518,2002
Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Thank you for your help in sharing the high-quality science in CJASN.
You are going to email the following A Framework and Key Research Questions in AKI Diagnosis and Staging in Different Environments
Message Subject (Your Name) has sent you a message from American Society of Nephrology
Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Society of Nephrology web site.
Patrick T. Murray, Prasad Devarajan, Andrew S. Levey, Kai U. Eckardt, Joseph V. Bonventre, Raul Lombardi, Stefan Herget-Rosenthal, Adeera Levin
CJASN May 2008, 3 (3) 864-868; DOI: 10.2215/CJN.04851107
Recommended Clinical Trial End Points for Dialysis Catheters
Clinical Trial End Points for Hemodialysis Vascular Access
Definitions and End Points for Interventional Studies for Arteriovenous Dialysis Access
Show more Moving Points in Nephrology
Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin and Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Plasma NGAL for the Diagnosis of AKI in Patients Admitted from the Emergency Department Setting
Association of Elevated Urinary Concentration of Renin-Angiotensin System Components and Severe AKI
Design of Clinical Trials in Acute Kidney Injury: Report from an NIDDK Workshop on Trial Methodology
An Assessment of the Acute Kidney Injury Network Creatinine-Based Criteria in Patients Submitted to Mechanical Ventilation
Setting the Agenda
Trainee of the Year
ASN Journal Policies
Reuse/Reprint Policy
ASN Journals
CJASN Email Alerts
CJASN Key Impact Information
CJASN Podcasts
CJASN RSS Feeds
ASN Podcasts
ASN Publications
Become an ASN Member
Password/Email Address Changes
© 2021 American Society of Nephrology
Print ISSN - 1555-9041 Online ISSN - 1555-905X
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21375
|
__label__wiki
| 0.743045
| 0.743045
|
Betstars Sportsbook
Bet £20 & Get £20
In Free Bets
Great variety of special bets
Fast & free of charge payouts
Great odds at major leagues
18+. Full T&C’s Apply
18+. The minimum stake to qualify is £20. This offer only applies to bets placed on selections with accumulated odds of 2.0 (evens) or greater. Neteller/Skrill (Moneybookers) excluded. T&C's apply. Please gamble responsibly. Begambleaware.org
Super Bowl a Tossup at Legal Sports Books - GV Wire
20th January, 17:51
LAS VEGAS -- Even the bookies are having a problem figuring out a favorite in the Super Bowl.
Odds opened at pick 'em Sunday at many Las Vegas sports books, though the Kansas City Chiefs quickly moved to 1-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. Early bettors favored the Chiefs in a game that will almost surely set new legal betting records.
The combination of an attractive matchup, close odds and the spread of legalized sports betting means hundreds of millions of dollars will exchange hands over the next two weeks.
Bettors at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook got an early start after they were offered the pick 'em odds at halftime of the NFC championship game. Oddsmaker Jay Kornegay said about 80 percent of the early money was on the Chiefs and the line moved to Chiefs minus-1.
The over/under total started at 51 1/2 and was at 53 after a bettor put $110,000 on the over.
Odds and point spreads can fluctuate up until the kickoff Feb. 2 in Miami, largely because of heavy bets on one side or the other.
Norma Hunt, left, and her son Clark Hunt, center, owners of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, second right, celebrate after the NFL AFC Championship football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Kansas City, MO. The Chiefs won 35-24 to advance to Super Bowl 54. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Books Will Begin Releasing Hundreds of Different Prop Bets During the Week
At the new Circa sports books, the game was pick 'em with a 52 total to open. Sports book director Matthew Metcalf tweeted that bettors could bet up to $100,000 a side on Sunday with limits of $500,000 a side beginning Tuesday morning.
Most books limit bets early to see if the point spread moves while being tested by so-called sharps.
Legal betting in Nevada's 200 sports books was down last year at $145.9 million after setting a record the year before with $158.6 million in bets. A big percentage of Super Bowl betting is in so-called prop bets, which have become increasingly popular as they multiplied in recent years.
Books will begin releasing hundreds of different prop bets during the week, from who will win the opening coin flip to how many penalties each team will have.
Kornegay said he expects a new record to be set in Nevada on the game, largely driven by a good economy. Bets are now legal in 13 other states, too, though not in the home states of either team or in Florida.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21377
|
__label__wiki
| 0.571985
| 0.571985
|
Tesla will halt Model S and X production for 18 days
Tesla is understood to have shut down its PR department and no longer responds to requests for comment.
A demand shortfall wouldn’t be a complete surprise. Production of more affordable EVs outstripped the luxury vehicles a long time ago. Tesla delivered just 15,200 Model S and X units in the third quarter of 2020 out of a total 139,300 cars. There’s also the question of pent-up interest for the souped-up “Plaid” Model S — if you can afford to splurge on an upscale EV, you might be tempted to wait for the most powerful version.
The full-fledged production shutdown is still significant, though, and reinforces just how much Tesla’s strategy has changed in a few years. Even in the early days of the Model 3, the S and X were still considered important parts of the lineup — now, they’re niche cars. Tesla is now aiming more at the mainstream (if still above typical prices), and that’s unlikely to change when the company hopes to produce a $25,000 car in the next few years.
Read More: Tesla will halt Model S and X production for 18 days
Porsha Williams’ Fans Are Completely In Love With Her Line Of Sheets – See Her Video
Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim Special Edition: Weekly Mod Showcase 12/12 Features Modular Clothing And True Thane Mods
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21378
|
__label__cc
| 0.705509
| 0.294491
|
GREEN BUILDING TOUR - Wedne...
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TOUR - Th...
GREEN BUILDING TOUR - Frida...
GREEN MOBILITY TOUR - Tuesd...
ECO DISTRICT TOUR - Wednesd...
COP 21 Business Tours in partnership with La Galerie
Take part in the COP21 Business Tours from December 2 to 9!
This program offers you VIP access to the most innovative sites addressing the resource and climate challenges in the Paris Region!
Make the most of your stay in Paris to visit -for free- the most innovative French sites in green building, energy efficiency, sustainable heating, green mobility and eco-districts:
Challenger, the positive-energy head office of Bouygues Construction, French leader in the building industry.
Linky Lab, the first European center dedicated to testing smart electricity meters. ERDF manages this laboratory.
Green Office® Rueil, an example of positive-energy office building located in the Paris Region and developed by Bouygues Immobilier.
Blue Solutions operational Center, operated by the Bolloré Group. Blue Solutions provides the Autolib' first self-service electric car sharing system in the world as well as other electric solutions such as buses, trams and boats
The Clichy-Batignolles Eco district, a new eco-neighborhood located in the heart of Paris which displays a variety of innovative and efficient eco-friendly solutions
Each tour is independent and includes:
- the visit
- transfers by bus to the sites
All organizational and logistics costs are taken care of by Paris Region Entreprises.
Registration is required due to limited capacities and will be submitted to validation.
This program is organized by Paris Region Entreprises and Reed Expositions.
Paris Region Entreprises helps foreign companies expand their business and set up their offices in the Paris Region through a full range of services, completely free of charge.
From the 2nd to the 9th of December 2015
Wednesday - December 02
Thursday - December 03
Friday - December 04
Tuesday - December 08
Green Building : Challenger, positive-energy head office of Bouygues Construction
Energy efficiency tour: the smart metering R&D lab developed by ERDF
Green Building : Green Office®Rueil, an example of positive-energy office Building
Green mobility: the Blue Solutions operational centre
Ecodistrict tour: the Clichy-Batignolles new eco-district in the heart of Paris
GREEN BUILDING TOUR - Wednesday 2 December from 12.15pm to 4.00pm
Visit of Challenger, Bouygues Construction positive-energy head office !
More than 20 years after it was originally constructed, Bouygues Construction has decided to undertake a complete refurbishment of its head office, Challenger, located in Guyancourt, to the west of Paris.
Bouygues Construction’s intention was to limit energy consumption on the site to make it a flagship example of sustainable renovation. Furthermore, the Group wanted to improve the comfort of its employees (rethinking of the work spaces, redesign of car parks and optimization of acoustic and thermal insulation). New interior features in Challenger offer the highest possible comfort, performance and safety.
Challenger brings together new-generation equipment designed to achieve optimal management of energy and a reduction of their consumption. Taking account of the environment in all its dimensions, Challenger uses the site’s natural resources – sun, water and land – to produce the green energy it requires to operate.
The majority of glazed facades were replaced by a ventilated double-skin facade to improve the thermal performance of the outer shell. This facade improves the insulation of the building thanks to the circulation of natural air between the interior double glazing and the exterior single glazing. Considered very much a natural resource, the ground surrounding the buildings has geothermal devices installed in it. To make the best possible use of solar energy, more than 25,500 m2 of photovoltaic panels are distributed over the terraces, the solar farm and the roofs of the Cockpit and the technical building.
Challenger is also equipped with an installation for recycling and reusing wastewater and stormwater by a phyto-purification system.
Today, Challenger is more than a pleasant and efficient working space for some 3,200 employees. It is also a showcase displaying Bouygues construction’s know-how and expertise, and is one of the first positive-energy commercial buildings.
Challenger has become the first building in the world to achieve triple certification: LEED®, HQE®, BREEAM®. It also features a control room (the Cockpit) running the Hypervision® system. This room measures the consumption, production and recovery of energy.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TOUR - Thursday 3 December from 12:45pm to 4:30pm
Visit of Linky lab, the smart meter laboratory developed by ERDF !
ERDF manages the public electricity distribution network for 95% of continental France. Every day, its 35,000 employees oversee the operation, maintenance and development of a nearly 1.3 million km network.
Today's electric meters are mostly electromechanical meters: they measure consumption and require a technician if a change in power or an outage occurs. Linky is a communicating meter, able to receive orders and transmit information remotely. Installed in end-consumer’s properties and linked to a supervision center, it is in constant interaction with the network. This is what makes it "intelligent".
In 2010, over 250,000 Linky meters were installed by ERDF
Linky lab
In order to secure a 20 year lifetime for the Linky smart meters, ERDF has conceived its very own laboratory. Linkylab is the first smart meter laboratory in Europe. Fifteen different types of products, thousands of meters are tested and stored in this facility.
The purpose of this lab is to ensure the meters can evolve as quickly as our current environment, to meet clients’ future expectations, at the heart of digital transition.
By 2021, the Linky smart meter will gradually replace the electricity meters for 35 million clients in France.
Technical and economic impact studies, electricity consumption reports, fuel poverty analysis, optimization of renewable energy connections, smart grid demonstrators and support for highspeed broadband are features in the range of solutions promoted by ERDF and form part of its low-carbon development strategy.
GREEN BUILDING TOUR - Friday 4 December from 9.30am to 1.00pm
Visit of Green Office® Rueil, an example of positive energy office building developed by Bouygues Immobilier !
Located in the heart of a mixed development zone in Rueil-Malmaison, west of Paris, and designed by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Green Office® Rueil is a positive-energy building: in the course of a year, the building produces more decarbonised energy than it uses for its operation.
Divided into two separate buildings, this Green Office® is a combination of energy performance and user well-being. Green Office® Rueil boasts a bioclimatic design. Giving priority to natural light and ventilation, it reduces the amount of energy consumed by occupants.
Features include: an innovative active plate system which transforms the building's concrete floors into a heating or cooling storage system ; heating, air-conditioning and ventilation using geothermal heat from the water table ; a central energy control system that offers automatic management of lighting, heating, blinds and air-conditioning, continuous information about the building's energy consumption and production, and 4,000 m2 of photovoltaic panels producing renewable energy.
All these cutting-edge technologies mean that the minimum energy consumption of Green Office® Rueil is 35-40% less than the requirement under 2012 Thermal Regulations. In addition, even this low consumption is offset by a photovoltaic power plant
A symbol of Bouygues Immobilier's innovative approach to sustainable development, Green Office® Rueil has both BREEAM® International certification, the most widely used environmental evaluation system for buildings in the world and HQE® High Environmental Quality certification.
GREEN MOBILITY TOUR - Tuesday 8 December from 9.45am to 1.00pm
Visit of Bolloré Group Blue Solutions Operational Center !
We are living in an era where issues of sustainable development and electricity storage have become major challenges. In this context, the Bolloré Group has developed solutions for production, storage and smart consumption of electricity.
The Group has perfected batteries and electrical storage solutions based on a unique technology: the LMP battery (Lithium Metal Polymer).
This Business Tour offers you a unique opportunity to visit the operational center developed by the Bolloré Group: Blue Solutions, which brings together electricity storage activities and mobility solutions.
One of the most famous achievement of Blue Solutions is Autolib’, the first 100% electric car-sharing system. This system has been implemented in Paris since December 2011, offering its inhabitants a new means of transportation both economical and practical, revolutionizing their transportation behavior.
Following the success of Autolib’, the Group continues to develop new 100% electric car sharing services in France and around the world, alongside other mobility solutions such as trams, buses and even boats.
Today, Blue Solutions comprises more than 300 scientists, engineers and technicians who manufacture these high technology batteries.
ECO DISTRICT TOUR - Wednesday 9 December from 9.30am to 12.30pm
Visit of Clichy-Batignolles new Eco district !
The new Eco district Clichy-Batignolles has developed within a northwest Parisian territory. Clichy-Batignolles is an experimental site of Paris environmental policies, notably through the implementation of the Climate Plan and of the Biodiversity Plan.
In the district, buildings energy needs are widely covered by renewable energies thanks to geothermal wells created by Eau de Paris. Eau de Paris has realized an innovative work combining both household heating and water supply in case of water shortage. Today, 83% of Clichy-Batignolles needs of heat are covered by this well.
In ten years, it will represent a saving of 35,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
In order to reduce even more the carbon footprint, incompressible consumptions (such as elevators, public lighting) are compensated by the development of photovoltaic electricity with 40, 000 sq.m of panels producing 4,500 MWh per year.
Regarding water management, the project aims to reduce by 50% rainwater discharges with a recovery system.
The Eco district is also using innovative technologies for environmental waste management. Inhabitants benefit from the first Parisian installation of pneumatic collection of waste. The use of such a system of collection by underground inhalation enables to dramatically reduce noise and pollution.
This new technology integrates with a global prevention, recycling and waste recovery plan. It allows to reduce by 42% greenhouse gas emissions, by 98% carbon monoxide, by 86% nitrogen oxide and by 90% particle emissions.
attendee - Sold out EUR 0
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21382
|
__label__wiki
| 0.872895
| 0.872895
|
Film Review: Widows is a Smarter, Sharper Kind of Heist Movie
Steve McQueen takes a hard turn into genre territory, and does so with ease
by Sarah Kurchak
on November 12, 2018, 5:00pm
The following review is part of our coverage of the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.
When reduced to a logline, Widows sounds almost gimmicky: Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen, famous for tackling weighty topics like hunger strikes and slavery with serious, ponderous pictures, takes on the comparatively bubbly heist genre.
This isn’t to say that McQueen diving into an explosion-ridden romp would be a bad thing, or a debasement of his considerable skills. If he actually was attempting a pure action film, it would probably make for a fun night at the movies. Widows, however, is not that film. It’s a little deeper and meatier, laced with moral quandaries and weighted with higher stakes than most robbing rapscallions face in heist schemes. It also happens to be a complete blast.
Transplanting the ‘80s British miniseries of the same name to the big screen and modern-day Chicago, Widows is the story of four wildly different women who are united when three of their husbands die in a botched robbery — and are forced to take over where their late spouses left off.
Widows opens with a scene of domestic bliss, as Veronica (Viola Davis) and her husband Rawlins (Liam Neeson) share some sweet, moony-eyed kisses in the bed of their well-appointed Chicago condo. Mid nip, we’re tossed into a screeching car crash and shootout as Rawlins and his crew race through the streets, careening toward their ugly ends. The four women left behind by this disaster are thrown into chaos just as suddenly, left with unexpected debts and uncertain futures. With no clear or feasible alternatives, Veronica recruits her fellow widows and convinces them to help her carry out the plans for one last job that Rawlins left behind. And as if becoming self-taught master criminals overnight wasn’t enough of a challenge, a local legacy political candidate (Colin Farrell) and his main rival both have other plans for the money — and for anyone who comes after it.
The formidable cast absolutely shines thanks to the significant riches they’ve been given to work with. Davis is the clear star of the show here, evoking casual confidence whether she’s armed with a gun or Veronica’s tiny pet dog, barely betraying the gutting emotional turmoil bubbling below her cool surface. It’s an absolute crime that she hasn’t been given more opportunities like this in the past. But her supporting cast does an admirable job of keeping up with her.
Michelle Rodriguez, who has spent the bulk of her career kicking ass, is completely believable as a somewhat beleaguered mother who’s reluctant to get involved. Elizabeth Debicki is in far more familiar territory as a tragically beautiful woman trapped in a seedy prison only partially of her own making, but she’s so good at playing that type that it’s really no hardship to see her latest variation on the theme. Cynthia Erivo continues to prove her star power as a gig economy babysitter and hairdresser who joins the group when they need a fourth hand. And Farrell chews some Farrell-esque scenery as a slimy, entitled trust fund kid creeping toward institutional power.
It’s all deliciously fun and deliriously devious, but Widows isn’t just an exercise in sheer escapism. Sure, the dialogue is smart and razor-sharp (thanks to a fantastically clever script by McQueen and Gone Girl novelist Gillian Flynn), the action is cleverly paced, and the payoffs ridiculously satisfying. Between the political machinations that creep closer to our heroines and the often tragic backstories that start to creep into their motives and their mission, though, Widows is fraught with a level of serious tension that rarely grounds even the great robbery capers. It is both a McQueen drama and a McQueen experiment, and the balance between the two is almost flawless.
Each individual element is great in its own right. As an ensemble action/comedy, it’s playful and wry. As drama that wades deep into the complex morality of crime and politics and the ways in which they intersect, it’s casually incisive and compelling (in that clever way that British TV series and, occasionally, the American remakes of them, do so well). It’s even fairly effective as a collection of miniature character studies. All put together, though, it becomes something even more remarkable, a true cinematic gem that can make you gasp and cheer in the moment — and still pondering it long after you’ve left the theater.
If you were compelled to try to explain Widows in one line, it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say that McQueen is attempting a heist film. But you might be able to get away with saying that he’s elevated the genre.
TIFF 2018 Coverage
Gary Clark Jr. announces 2019 tour dates
Video: Threatin play to near-empty venue on infamous Europe tour
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21383
|
__label__wiki
| 0.974169
| 0.974169
|
Internal email shows WHO Geneva staff has 65 virus cases. world News
Nov 16, 2020 national geographic world atlas app, national juco world series, national world days 2019, national world holidays, national world liquidators
By Maria Cheng and JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press
Geneva (AP) – The World Health Organization has registered 65 cases of coronovirus among employees at its headquarters, including five people who worked on campus and were in contact with each other, an internal email obtained by The Associated Press .
The United Nations health agency said it is investigating how and where the five people became infected – and has not determined whether the transmission occurred at its offices. The WHO confirmed the figures in an email Monday for the first time when it publicly gave such a count.
The head of the agency, Drs. Michael Ryan told reporters on Monday that the AP on an internal email told “according to my information, the investigation of the cluster is the first evidence of a possible broadcast on the WHO’s site.”
The email stated that half of the infections recorded so far were among those who were working from home. But there were 32 employees working on the premises in the headquarters building, where more than 2,000 people usually work, and the agency says it has strict sanitation, screening and other preventive measures.
In the email, which was sent to employees on Friday, Raul Thomas, who leads the operations of the business at WHO, noted that five people – four on the same team and those who had contact with them – had posted COVID-19’s Tested positive for This may indicate that basic infection control and social removal processes have broken down.
“We have some cases which are related to the campus. We have some cases from the past week that have been linked together, ”Maria Van Kerkhov, WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, confirmed Monday.
In related cases, she said: “There are possible ways they were infected outside the premises. So we are still conducting an epidemic investigation with that.”
Two weeks ago, Van Kerkhov said that there was no broadcast at that point at headquarters, but said that the agency was monitoring it. The WHO, which is coordinating the global response to the epidemic, previously stated that staff were infected but never provided a number or description.
“According to standard protocol, these colleagues are receiving the necessary medical attention and recovering at home,” the email said on Friday. “These last five cases bring the total number of affected members of the Geneva-based workforce to 65 since the onset of the epidemic.”
According to the email, 49 of the total cases occurred in the last eight weeks, “thus much more according to the situation being reported in Geneva and surrounding areas.” He said that “a high number of cases among those who have become obsolete for telecom”. The timing of the other 16 cases was not clear.
The revelation occurs in Europe, the host country Switzerland, and especially in the city of Geneva amidst a spurt of cases.
The email did not specify who was infected, but a WHO employee with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke on the anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press said The five related cases include the leadership of the Director General of WHO, a team that is also an infection control specialist.
Thomas’ email was sent after concerns were raised by other WHO officials that those in contact with the group were still working in the Geneva building and potentially exposing others to COVID-19, The employee said.
The senior manager reportedly held several in-person meetings at the WHO in early November before testing positive last week. The person contacted by the AP referred all comments to the WHO media office.
“We are not yet established whether the transmission has occurred on campus, but are looking into the matter,” WHO spokesman Farah Dakhlalla said in an email to the AP.
The WHO has faced repeated criticism of dealing with the epidemic. US President Donald Trump accused the UN agency of “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial outbreak. In June, the AP found that the WHO publicly praised China for its speed and transparency, even as WHO officials in private meetings were disappointed that the country was sitting on releasing critical outbreak information.
Advanced measures to “reduce our risk profile” were considered in emails received by AP.
“Ultimately, members of the workforce are reminded that physical meetings, including gatherings in common areas or cafeterias, are strongly discouraged and should only take place where necessary.”
Elsewhere in Geneva, restaurants are among the many public spaces that have been closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Last month, Thomas told WHO employees that the agency was limiting access to its Geneva headquarters, which included key staff including senior directors, their assistants and management officers. “All members of the workforce are reminded to always have proper hygiene, respect the standards of physical disturbances (at least one meter) and wear masks when possible,” he wrote.
In normal times, an estimated 2,400 people regularly work at the WHO’s seven-story headquarters that overlook Geneva. As the epidemic has spread in the area, employees have been encouraged to work from home when possible. Non-employee visitors are required to wear masks, and access to the building is barred.
And ahead of the WHO’s week-long meeting of its member states last week – which was mostly virtual – employees were told in an internal email to take extra precautions, including wearing masks in public places.
From a sprawling meeting room at the headquarters on Monday, WHO Director General Tedros Adnom Ghebayeus and other officials were attending a session of the agency’s latest executive board meeting, largely organized by video conference. He was returning home from a two-week self-quarantine after coming in contact with a person who tested positive. Because Tedros himself did not show any symptoms, he was not tested for COVID-19, but meticulously stayed at home.
Cheng reported from London.
Follow AP Epidemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Modern’s coronavirus vaccine is 94% effective, preliminary data show | health News
Iowa Governor Orders Limited Masks Mandate, New Ban | Iowa News
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21386
|
__label__wiki
| 0.726858
| 0.726858
|
Rezi van Lankveld at The Approach
Artist: Rezi van Lankveld
Venue: The Approach, London
Date: October 12 – November 10, 2013
Click here to view slideshow
Full gallery of images, press release and link available after the jump.
Images courtesy of The Approach, London.
The Approach is pleased to present the latest exhibition of new paintings by the Dutch artist Rezi van Lankveld. Following a thorough re-evaluation of her creative process and a continuous search for intuitive painting, the artist has liberated these works from all remnants of concrete figuration. The importance of the medium remains unchanged, but the figures presented here are even further removed from the idea of implicit unity and synchrony; metamorphosed into varied shapes and patches of colour.
The paintings appear to be in constant motion, with undulating swirls reminiscent of human shapes and nature. Until now the general colour palette employed by the artist has been predominantly monochromatic, however the new paintings freely pair bold, contrasting colours, permitting them to attain a less curated form. The surface of the painting is now purposefully interrupted and mixed into near-collage. Each integrated layer of paint adds a textural dimension, accounting for the works’ strong bond with their materiality.
Consequently, the act of painting becomes similar to a dance, building the story of a movement, which refrains from any sort of recounting and aims to appeal to its viewers in a visceral manner. Through the medium’s immediacy and spontaneity the artist alludes to the individual nature of our lives, irreproducible and unpredictable until the end.
Link: Rezi van Lankveld at The Approach
Tags: Europe, London, Rezi van Lankveld, The Approach, United Kingdom
Share: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest
x<>i
Contemporary Art Venues Sponsored Listings
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21388
|
__label__cc
| 0.634051
| 0.365949
|
Fundamenta Informaticae - Volume 76, issue 3
Fundamenta Informaticae is an international journal publishing original research results in all areas of theoretical computer science. Papers are encouraged contributing:
- solutions by mathematical methods of problems emerging in computer science
- solutions of mathematical problems inspired by computer science.
Topics of interest include (but are not restricted to): theory of computing, complexity theory, algorithms and data structures, computational aspects of combinatorics and graph theory, programming language theory, theoretical aspects of programming languages, computer-aided verification, computer science logic, database theory, logic programming, automated deduction, formal languages and automata theory, concurrency and distributed computing, cryptography and security, theoretical issues in artificial intelligence, machine learning, pattern recognition, algorithmic game theory, bioinformatics and computational biology, quantum computing, probabilistic methods, & algebraic and categorical methods.
Modelling Multiple Robots in Space: An Adaptive Eco-Grammar System
Authors: Sebestyén, Peter | Sosík, Petr
Abstract: We present a multi-robot model suitable for study of interactions and emergence of rational behavior. We focus on a grammatical approach, and to demonstrate its advantages, we design a model of an adaptive multi-robot community in terms of eco-grammar systems. We show that this grammatical model, based on the blackbord architecture, can naturally involve reinforcement collective learning. We test two learning algorithms in a common environment with almost reactive co-operating robots. Experimental results show that using …the grammatical model, the robot community can be successfully trained to find a close-to-optimal solution to a given NP-complete task of a truss construction. Show more
Keywords: Robotics, formal grammar, eco-grammar system
Citation: Fundamenta Informaticae, vol. 76, no. 3, pp. 367-381, 2007
On Metalinear CD Grammar Systems
Authors: Sunckel, Bettina
Abstract: Metalinear CD grammar systems are defined to be context-free CD grammar systems where each component consists of metalinear productions. The maximal number of nonterminals in a starting production is the width of a CD grammar system. It will be shown that the width of metalinear CD grammar systems induces an infinite hierarchy of language classes. In addition, it is established that metalinear CD grammar systems of a certain width generate language classes that do not contain …all context-free languages but contain some context-sensitive languages. The resulting language classes are closed under union, intersection with regular languages, homomorphism and inverse homomorphism. They are not closed under concatenation, Kleene closure, intersection and complement. Show more
Keywords: Cooperating distributed grammar systems, metalinear grammars
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21389
|
__label__cc
| 0.573063
| 0.426937
|
SAVING THE DAY WITH AFAC19 AND ISUZU AUSTRALIA LIMITED
This year’s Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council’s (AFAC) annual event, AFAC19, will call the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre home from 27 to 30 August 2019.
Emergency service professionals will attend AFAC19’s exhibition and conferences to commence the dialogue on the new wave of change the industry is set for. The exhibition is set to showcase a broad range of innovative products, and Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) is set to display a range of products from Isuzu Trucks and Isuzu Power Solutions.
In its 30th consecutive year of market leadership, Isuzu Trucks continues to forge ahead, providing trucking solutions for the Australian market. At AFAC19 Isuzu Trucks will be showcasing the NPS 75-155 4×4, which is available in automated manual transmission (AMT), an ideal transport solution for the emergency services.
NPS 75-155 4×4 Crew with automated manual transmission
IAL National Sales Manager, Les Spaltman, expressed his excitement in returning to AFAC in Melbourne with Isuzu’s range.
“It’s always a great event to attend, and with AFAC19 being held in Melbourne, we have a greater ability to really showcase Isuzu’s comprehensive offering to the fire and emergency service sectors,” Mr Spaltman said.
Alongside the trucks at the IAL stand, Isuzu Power Solutions will also be presenting a range of off-highway power solutions; the 4JG1 will be on the podium, and the 3CA1 will be featured fitted onto the back of the CFA truck—an Isuzu NPS 75-155 truck.
As the first factory-built, two-pedal, 4×4 light-duty truck, the NPS 75-155 comes with AMT that has been specifically calibrated for Australian off-road conditions, making it a ready-made, tailored transport solution for emergency services, including fire authorities and brigades.
Mr Spaltman said, “AFAC19 will see the NPS 4×4 on display; the NPS with AMT presents greater transmission options and driver-access versatility, which is especially important for our volunteer emergency services.
“On display is also the NPS fitted for the CFA, which has been carefully developed to fit the specific needs of our firefighters in their battle against bush fires.”
NPS 4×4: serving the CFA in harsh Australian conditions
Integrating technology from both Isuzu Trucks and Isuzu Power Solutions, the NPS 75-155 is custom-fitted with the 3CA1 engine for the CFA, providing the right synergy to provide the emergency and fire services a tool that can match the extreme conditions they operate in.
IAL Head of Power Solutions, Matt Sakhaie, explains how the engines are being used throughout the industry.
“We’ve worked in conjunction with GAAM and various country fire authorities to produce pumps that will be fitted on the back of a fire truck, and these you can find on the Isuzu stand.
“Isuzu Power Solutions provides reliable and fit-for-purpose power solutions for a diverse range industries, such as road transport, agriculture and emergency services.
“Having the responsibility to provide reliable and high-quality power solutions to an industry like the emergency services is something we relish in at IAL,” Mr Sakhaie said.
Visit IAL at exhibit stand number 386.
Taming The West: Isuzu Trucks And Sea Heavy Diesel Team Up
Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) is proud to announce the coming together of Australia’s truck market leader and Esperance-... Read more »
Subscribe to Isuzu Engines
Get the latest industry news, insights and updates from Isuzu Engines.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21390
|
__label__wiki
| 0.781936
| 0.781936
|
Corr Blimey
Reviews, News & Events across Scotland
The Secret Theatre – Scottish Ballet
Artistic Direction by Christopher Hampson and Lez Brotherston
Choreography by Christopher Hampson and Peter Darrell
Written by Sam Brown
A creaky door, a ghost-light, and an ambition to see the sorcery which occurs beyond the crimson curtains. We’ve had peeks, perhaps even tours, but those of us outside of the secrecy and trickery of stage-magic will finally be able to truly fathom the enormity of spectacle which occurs beyond the safety curtain. The Secret Theatre, Scottish Ballet’s first featurette saves a special seat for the most dedicated and loyal of fans, with their free to view film which unravels the prestige of ballet in its most accessible, warming and intimate form yet.
Coaxing their successful run of The Snow Queen out of the frost, Scottish Ballet abridges their tale, infusing an original story, with a tribute and snippet of what was meant to be. Key scenes, from the travelling circus, to the dancing Snowflakes, are recreated in the enclosed space of the rehearsal studios – but erupts with enough enthusiasm and creativity to propel the audience into the realms of imagination and spectacle. The Nutcracker, due for a triumphant outing which never was, gains the ability to satiate audiences before luring them for more.
Enamoured with the sense of adventure a dark theatre poses, a young boy seeks to satisfy his curiosity. Slipping into a new realm of mysticism, velvet chairs and bespoke architecture, Leo Tetteh carries the wide-eyed enthusiasm of wonder as equally as he taps into the funloving contemporary nature of the free-flowing movement. Spending much of the story alongside Lexi, the Summer Princess from The Snow Queen played by Alice Kawalek, the pair form a charming bond as the young boy stumbles into the treasures and references of Scottish Ballet’s past, present and future. From their anniversary performance of Street Car to a quick Sailor’s Hornpipe and into The Nutcracker, the troupe dust off the esteemed costumes and designs in a fitting tribute to the company.
Then, of course, the movement. There is little to consider from the choreography of Christopher Hampson and Peter Darrell which we haven’t mentioned before, the aggressive stances of en-pointe throughout The Snow Queen, meticulously merged with the Eastern movements of folk-dance pair the finesse of French movement with a heavier, though no less beautiful, arrangement. And in the humblest of statements excels where the physically staged production of The Snow Queen fumbled. Whether this be the meticulously pointed movements of Constance Devernay’s return of the Snow Queen or the loose frivolity of Bruno Micchiardi’s Ringmaster – everything feels tighter, closer and refined to a precision.
The inclusion of The Nutcracker suites, a touching moment and additional reason to watch demonstrates a purity in the artform from Jerome Anthony Barnes. Tying the ribbon as it were on the production, it brings a sense of closure with the unfolding interest piqued in the young boy as the allure of theatre and dance calls. Barnes and the effervescent footwork of our Sugar Plum Fairy, Sophie Martin, serves to accentuate the production as she stands toe-to-toe with her peers.
Take a moment to pry your eyes away from the majesty of this nation’s principal dance troupe, as audiences must be encouraged to appreciate the tenacity, skill and understanding Scottish Ballet has for the art of cinema. The Secret Theatre proudly proclaims an adoration and admiration for the theatre, dance and live performance, but Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple’s screen direction elevates the production to a feature presentation which sits triumphantly among the Hollywood classics.
It all comes to fruition with the fall of The Snow Queen, as the manipulation of camera angles picks up the pace and incorporates the movement of the screen with that of the principal leads. The force in Devernay’s footwork is carried by the camera, hastily encircling the audience to bolster her talent and the shift in tone. This all plays directly into the calculatingly marvellous hands of designer Lez Brotherston, where the paper moons of the travelling caravans, sharp dynamic angles of the transitions emerge from the unlikeliest of props or scenic changes.
And as any familiar with Scottish Ballet know, they have perhaps the finest side-arm any production house could carry, the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. Weaving the melodies and sharp climbs of Tchaikovsky and Koraskov into the movement, the orchestra commands the space of the audience, whisking their comfortable living room into the illustriousness of a live theatre.
Ballet speaks to audiences, but it is a profoundly distant art-form. And no, this isn’t a criticism in the sentiment of dance, perhaps one of the arts most principal communicator, utilising the primal capability to move, but Ballet’s high-culture visage and intense skill-set push the audience into their seats, not onto the stage. It cannot rely on the quick-cut tropes of comedy or drama to forge an instant connection with the audience. Often, the viewers are no more than onlookers to the renowned splendour of movement, outside watchers so desperate to be involved. The Secret Theatre achieves something Ballet has struggled with for so long – it draws the audience directly into the movement.
And in watching the dancer’s expression, a distinction of merit and ability is expanded. The intimacy in which dancers play with the camera, smile and nod to the audience at home, rather than merely carrying out their rehearsed routine as if no camera were present, demonstrates the lengths in which Scottish Ballet push themselves, and remind the world why they should be proud of their local dance companies and theatrical venues. And why they are worth preserving for future danseurs, prima donnas and leading ladies forevermore.
Photo Credit: Andy Ross & Mihaela Bodlovic
The Secret Theatre will make a premiere to the public on December 21st at 6pm. Available to watch until midnight on December 24th, the show is free but tickets must be booked in advance via Scottish Ballet’s website,
Share to support:
Posted in: Dance, Review, Theatre | Tagged: Alice Kawalek, Andy Ross, Ballet, Christmas, Christopher Hampson, Constance Devernay, Dance, December, Digital, Free Theatre, Jerome Anthony Barnes, Leo Tetteh, Lez Brotherston, Peter Darrell, Sam Brown, Scottish Ballet, Sophie Martin, The Secret Theatre, Theatre
The Lyceum Christmas Tales – Royal Lyceum Theatre
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special – Soho Theatre
Follow Corr Blimey on WordPress.com
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21395
|
__label__cc
| 0.734188
| 0.265812
|
Commemorating AHEPA Sunday
Posted by Cosmos Philly on May 13, 2020 Comment
AHEPA Condemns Rioters’ Violence at U.S. Capitol
AHEPA Chapter 69 Delivers Meals at the St. Thomas Senior Center
AHEPA Commends the United States’ Decision to Impose Sanctions on Turkey
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has proclaimed May 17 as “AHEPA Sunday” in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. AHEPA Sunday is an annual recognition of a long and cherished relationship between AHEPA and the Greek Orthodox Church in America.
The encyclical issued by Archbishop Elpidophoros states, in part: “This year, … all of us can take a moment to remember the work of AHEPA, which for nearly one hundred years has been foundational to the Greek-American experience of the United States and beyond. Whether it was the defense of the Greek Orthodox Faith in times of anti-immigrant prejudice, establishing medical and housing facilities both here and in Greece, or advocacy for the freedom of Greece and especially for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, AHEPA has always been among the extraordinary pillars of the Omogeneia.
“We are honored by, and appreciate deeply, the kind words of Archbishop Elpidophoros, who eloquently commemorated our mission and recognized the community service work our members provide across the United States and around the world, especially in helping to meet the current coronavirus pandemic,” Supreme President George G. Horiates said. “The AHEPA family values the close ties and shared history it has with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. We are also grateful for the blessings His Eminence has bestowed upon the AHEPA family and our members.”
Archbishop Elpidophoros AHEPA Sunday Encyclical:
Protocol No. 56/2020
Encyclical of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for AHEPA Sunday
To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Risen Christ,
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
On behalf of the entire family of the Holy Archdiocese of America, I extend the warmest greetings and congratulations to all the esteemed and beloved members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association on the occasion of the annual observance of AHEPA Sunday.
This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we may have to be distant from our usual festive celebrations that commemorate the positive mission of AHEPA, but all of us can take a moment to remember the work of AHEPA, which for nearly one hundred years has been foundational to the Greek-American experience of the United States and beyond. Whether it was the defense of the Greek Orthodox Faith in times of anti-immigrant prejudice, establishing medical and housing facilities both here and in Greece, or advocacy for the freedom of Greece and especially for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, AHEPA has always been among the extraordinary pillars of the Omogeneia.
Now, AHEPA is helping to meet the crisis with their faithful chapters across America, and we are thankful for their ceaseless contributions. Together, we will get through this crisis, but we must work even more closely now to preserve our Church and our communities, and to advance the goals of AHEPA in this hour of need. May God always bless the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, its chapters and families, and keep them safe and healthy for many more years to come.
With paternal love in our Risen Lord,
† ELPIDOPHOROS
Archbishop of America
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21396
|
__label__cc
| 0.538757
| 0.461243
|
Home People Operations Team
Ben Harris
Communications, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer – Delta 8.7
harris@unu.edu
Ben Harris is Communications, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer for Delta 8.7 – The Alliance 8.7 Knowledge Platform project at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research.
Prior to joining the Centre for Policy Research, Mr Harris worked as a Managing Editor for a virtually-based language course provider and contributed to different projects as a freelance translator and proofreader in Spanish and English. He spent several years in South America, working in Ecuador and Argentina and has travelled extensively.
Mr Harris has his Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Portuguese from the University of Georgia.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21402
|
__label__wiki
| 0.923175
| 0.923175
|
NewsCoronavirus
Health Canada authorizes COVID-19 antibody treatment for emergency use
Catalin Rusnac / Shutterstock
Health Canada authorized Eli Lilly and Company’s antibody therapy for emergency use to help treat COVID-19 infections.
On Friday, Health Canada made the decision to permit the use of a single antibody treatment called bamlanivimab, which has been approved for adults and children age 12 and older with mild to moderate infections.
“This authorization in Canada furthers our goal of making bamlanivimab available to patients who need it around the world and is evidence of the strong collaboration between industry and governments to get COVID-19 medicines to people as quickly as possible,” said David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chairman and CEO, in a statement.
“We are proud that this treatment, which was developed in partnership with the Canadian biotech company AbCellera, will soon be available to help people in Canada combat this pandemic.”
Dr. Henry “confident” COVID-19 vaccine will be widely available in BC “this time next year”
Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is nearly 95% effective
So far the American pharmaceutical company has conducted a Phase 1 study of the antibody treatment in hospitalized patients. A Phase 2 study is currently ongoing with people who have recently been diagnosed in an ambulatory setting. A Phase 3 study will be done for the prevention of COVID-19 in residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
“As a Canadian company, we are proud to contribute to the global fight against COVID-19 and hope our efforts will help people in Canada and around the world in the face of this medical emergency,” said AbCellera CEO Carl Hansen in the release.
“We applaud Lilly for bringing bamlanivimab to patients at record speed and its commitment to ensure treatment access for patients with high unmet needs, no matter where they live.”
Health Canada granted authorization for Lilly’s antibody therapy under Section 3 of the federal government’s Interim Order Respecting the Importation, Sale and Advertising of Drugs for Use in Relation to COVID-19.
According to Eli Lilly, there are no Canadian patients or physicians currently using the antibody treatment.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21407
|
__label__wiki
| 0.770974
| 0.770974
|
FoodFood News
Vacant Queen West food market gets new lease on life
Kayla Gladysz
Dec 16 2019, 9:22 am
Queen Live Food Market / Google Maps
One of downtown’s most well-known empty spaces has been given a new lease on life, as its ownership will soon be returned to the City of Toronto.
Located across from the well-known Much Digital Studios at Queen and John Streets, the space with the Queen Live Fresh Food Market signage is looking at change.
“After decades of neglect, historic St. Patrick’s Market in the heart of downtown on Queen St will be returned to the City of Toronto,” reads a tweet by Toronto City Councillor Joe Cressy.
A response from Councillor Adam Vaughan states that the lawsuit to reclaim ownership of the space began in 2008 — nearly 12 years ago.
“Now we can use the site to make sure affaordable [sic] nutritious food is made available in the community,” Vaughan’s tweet says.
Tequila Bookworm closing after more than 25 years on Queen West
Tickets are already on sale for next month’s Winterlicious in Toronto
A new low-waste grocery store has opened in Toronto
The food court made headlines in 2017 when footage of mice dining on baklava prompted DineSafe to shut down vendors on the premises.
The evidence of pests led for Meli Baklava and Chocolate Bar, Gushi Japanese Street Food, My Sandwich, Panino Cowboy, and The Jerk Joint to shutter, after receiving red cards citing the infraction “operator fail to prevent a rodent infestation,” and, in some cases, various other infractions of ranging in severity were also noted.
Then, in February 2018, it was announced by the property managers that the heritage property would finally undergo a serious transformation. At the time, the development was accepting vendor applications online, but that website is no longer active.
While it can’t be said for certain what the space will be used for now, Vaughan’s aforementioned tweet about affordable, nutritious food might offer a solid hint.
There were legal measures in 1999, 2007, and 2008. The 2008 process was settled in 2014, during the 2010-14 council term. The move to terminate the lease was initiated this past October.
— Joe Cressy (@joe_cressy) December 14, 2019
“There were legal measures in 1999, 2007, and 2008. The 2008 process was settled in 2014, during the 2010-14 council term. The move to terminate the lease was initiated this past October,” Cressy wrote, before declaring in his next tweet, “it’s been a long time coming.”
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21408
|
__label__wiki
| 0.597844
| 0.597844
|
Appeals Court Rules Trump CAN Withhold Funding from Sanctuary Cities
Man Accused of Hate Crime After Refusing to Have Sex with Transgender Who Has Penis
Commie Crenshaw Calls on Trump to Tell Americans He ‘Misled Them’
During Wednesday’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw commented on the chaos in the Capitol, stating that “so many people said this would be the last stand, the last fight, the last effort to win back the republic. It’s our 1776. When you use that kind of language, you should not be surprised that people tend to believe it.”
He also called on President Donald Trump and any other Republicans who objected to the Electoral College to tell Americans “that they misled them.”
Crenshaw said, “This is not what you do and call yourself a patriot. There’s nothing to be proud of here. This is not okay. It should be condemned to the fullest extent.”
This all coming from a man who believes in Red Flag laws. The election was stolen from us, and people like Crenshaw pretending like nothing is wrong is part of the problem. Trump did not mislead us. Every single person involved in the election fraud did.
He continued, “So many hyped up this day as this day of reckoning, as this big win that would happen. So many told — so many people said this would be the last stand, the last fight, the last effort to win back the republic. It’s our 1776. When you use that kind of language, you should not be surprised that people tend to believe it.”
Crenshaw added, “This is exactly what we could expect every single time if we decide that this process is constitutional, this objection process, and we decide that Congress can simply overturn electors.”
He concluded, “I wanted everybody who was objecting, I want the president, I wanted everybody out in front of those protesters as they were storming the Capitol to be there and say, stop. That’s the only acceptable outcome. But you’ve got to man up and go down there and say, enough is enough. This isn’t okay. I want them to say that they were — that they misled them. Because I think that’s really what happened here. And that message has to be far more forceful than it’s been.”
Trending Political News
Chris Wallace: ‘Kind of Sad’ Republicans Refuse to Accept Biden Win
Fox News host Chris Wallace is once again dancing on my last nerve. This time, he is declaring that Republicans who do not accept the 2020 presidential election results are “sad.”
Don Jr. Denounces Capitol Chaos: ‘This Is Wrong and Not Who We Are’
Donald Trump Jr. has denounced the violent clashes at Capitol Hill during the March to Save America. Whether or not the protestors were actually Trump supporters, or Antifa posing as Trump supporters is unknown.
Trump Jr. said, “This is wrong and not who we are. Be peaceful and use your 1st Amendment rights, but don’t start acting like the other side. We have a country to save and this doesn’t help anyone.”
Pence: ‘This Attack on Our Capitol Will Not Be Tolerated’
Vice President Mike Pence took to Twitter to denounce the violence and chaos in the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, and demanded that it “stop now” and the protestors “immediately leave the [Capitol] building.” He also warned that the attack “will not be tolerated.”
“The violence and destruction taking place at the US Capitol Must Stop and it Must Stop Now,” Pence said. “Anyone involved must respect Law Enforcement officers and immediately leave the building.”
Watch: New Footage Shows Police Letting Protestors in Capitol, No Breach!
If you have looked at Facebook or Twitter, or even turned on the news at all today, then you have likely seen that the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. was “breached” by protestors at the MAGA Million March.
However, as new footage surfaces, it would appear that there was not a breach at all. In the video below, the police open the gates and let protestors in! What is going on? Nothing is adding up.
McConnell: Warns of ‘Death Spiral’ if Election Results Overturned
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Americans that if Congress were to certify President Donald Trump as the 2020 presidential election winner, then there would be a “death spiral” to follow.
“If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral,” he said. “We’d never see our country accept an election again.”
Kid Rock Donates $100k To Barstool Sports Fund For Small Businesses
Singer Kid Rock has put his money where his mouth is by donating $100,000 to the Barstool Fund that will help small businesses struggling to survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ushered in a wave of lockdowns across the country,.
In a Twitter post on Monday, the “Cowboy” singer announced his donation, praising the fund for its American spirit.
Boycott Backfire: Goya Flies Off the Shelves After Leftists Attempted a Boycott Due to Owner Being Trump Supporter
Watch: Girls Harassed as 'Disgusting, Racist' for Cleaning BLM Graffiti Off Gov't Building
Steve Scalise on Mailing Ballots to Non-Citizens: 'Definition of Voter Fraud'
Ted Cruz Knocks Oprah Off High Horse, Slams White Privilege Comments as 'Utter, Racist BS'
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21410
|
__label__wiki
| 0.929957
| 0.929957
|
Ramapo Daily Voice serves Airmont, Chestnut Ridge, Hillburn, Hillcrest, Kaser, Monsey, Montebello, Mount Ivy, New Hempstead, New Square, Pomona, Sloatsburg, Spring Valley, Suffern, Tallman, Viola & Wesley Hills
COVID-19: CDC Expected To Shorten Quarantine Period For Virus
The CDC is recommending that the quarantine period for those exposed to COVID-19 be shortened. Photo Credit: Maryland GovPics - Timonium Testing Facility, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90539499
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be altering its guidance on how long someone exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine to avoid the spread of the virus.
Currently, federal health officials are recommending that anyone who comes into contact with someone infected with COVID-19 quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
However, despite a new spike in COVID-19 cases across the country, officials are in the process of reducing that period to between seven and 10 days, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The logic behind the switch, according to the CDC, comes in an effort to ensure that Americans adhere to the recommended quarantine period rather than attempting to bypass it entirely.
"We do think that the work that we've done, and some of the studies we have and the modeling data that we have, shows that we can with testing shorten quarantines,” Dr. Henry Walke, the CDC's incident manager for COVID-19 response, said to the WSJ.
“If a test comes back negative," he added, “then their probability of going on and developing an infection after that is pretty low.”
According to officials, approximately 50 percent of people who contract COVID-19 develop symptoms within a week, while less than 10 percent develop symptoms between 10 and 14 days.
“If we could get people to quarantine—and really quarantine, like you can’t go to the grocery store when you quarantine—then I think there’s an argument for shorter times,” Justin Lessler, an epidemiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health previously said.
With the holiday season nearly upon America, officials have cautioned that there is likely to be a new spike in COVID-19 cases as friends and families get lax in socially distancing and wearing face coverings.
According to the CDC, there were approximately 179,000 new COVID-19 cases reported nationwide on Monday, Nov. 24 as the virus continues to rapidly spread across the country.
Ramapo Daily Voice!
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21411
|
__label__cc
| 0.656606
| 0.343394
|
Home Products 6/1 Pitch Your Impact Startup to Investor Panel of VCs and Angels (On Zoom)
6/1 Pitch Your Impact Startup to Investor Panel of VCs and Angels (On Zoom)
***ATTENTION: DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, WE ARE MOVING TO A 100% WEBINAR FORMAT ON ZOOM. EVENT LINK WILL BE PROVIDED IN YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
REGISTER LINK:
-TO AVOID EVENTBRITE FEES + GET REWARDS POINTS, REGISTER ON THIS PAGE.
-EVENTBRITE: https://bit.ly/2yoJPYf
-PRICE GOES UP FRIDAY 5/29 11:59 PM PDT/ 12:59 AM MDT/ 1:59 AM CDT/ 2:59 AM EDT/ 7:59 AM BDT
Are you a tech startup looking to pitch your company in front of an audience and panel of expert VC and Angel judges? This is your chance. Meet, field questions, and get immediate feedback from investors. Our judges will come from a variety of industries but with a special interest or tie to enterprise tech.
This event will have a special focus on Enterprise tech startups, with 3-5 slots reserved for Enterprise startups.
We have several (5-7) spots available for innovative tech startups. Apply today for a chance to present your venture on stage! Applications are open until May 17 (Sunday 11:59 PM PDT) - click here to apply!
Application Link: https://bit.ly/2AQqNLf
Not part of a startup?
Get tickets and join us! Pitch Your Startup Event is a great networking and learning opportunity.
Want to Judge?
Fill out our form today for a chance to preside as a judge in one of our monthly exclusive pitch events.
Application Link: https://bit.ly/383cfD5
Join Our Meetup Groups:
Join the SF Startups and Investors Meetup Group
Join the SF Blockchain + Distributed Ledger Tech Meetup Group
Join the SF Food Tech Meetup Group
Join the SF AR + CV Meetup Group
Join the SF Computer Vision & Deep Learning Meetup Group
Join the SF Machine Learning Meetup Group
Volunteer / Request to Demo at our Events
2:00pm PDT - 2:05pm PDT: Opening Remarks
2:05pm PDT - 3:05pm PDT: Pitch Your Startup to VCs & Angels
Judges:
Sergio Marrero - Managing Partner, Rebel One
Sergio Marrero is a serial entrepreneur, founder, investor, and coach who graduated from the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He previously worked at PepsiCo, Teach For America, and the Deloitte Consulting Strategy Operations group. While in graduate school he conducted his thesis on venture studios and accelerating impact innovation at the intersection of business and government. He set up operations for two funds each raising $100M, produces an investor and CEO LiveStream Series called RBL1 Live, and is Managing Director of Rebel One - an impact investing fund and training organization accelerating rebels innovating for a better world.
Helene Thibieroz, PhD - Green Technology Growth and Impact Mentor, HAX; Business Strategist and Biomimicry Advisor, Biomimicry Institute; Founder, CEO, We Grow Green Tech
Helene Thibieroz is a technologist and business entrepreneur who thrives on solving complex puzzles unifying technology, business and environment. With a PhD in Electrical Engineering, her 20+ year work experience combines advanced research for deep sub-micron processes, engineering for leading high-tech companies, and marketing, sales and business development for large technology corporations.
Because she loves technology and strongly believe it can be successfully applied to create practical solutions to our environmental problems, she created the management consulting firm We Grow Green Tech. She is currently focusing on accelerating growth of green technology early-stage companies, a mentor/advisor at several world leading accelerators and universities and working with Samsung XTCto globally scale green technology innovation aligned with United Nations sustainable goals.
Carine de Meyere - Chief Commercial Officer, Women In Tech; Founder, Impact Investor, Chief Knowledge Broker, Connecting the Dots through People; Investor, Senior Strategy Advisor, Future Planet Capital
Neil St. Clair - Founder, President, NES Impact
Neil St. Clair is the President & Founder of NES Impact, a management consultancy. We work with select single family offices and founder-led businesses to help them develop with social impact goals in mind.
I have served as President & COO of the Child Safety Pledge (CSP), a non-profit foundation combating child sexual abuse through storytelling and impact investing (via Group 2050). Both entities are backed by the daughter of Sanford C. Bernstein, the deceased billionaire founder of AllianceBernstein. I continue my efforts for child sexual abuse prevention through the CSP-co-founded Child Safety Coalition.
Previously, Neil was President of Karma Impact, a media platform for the next generation of private impact investors. He hosted several shows for the network, and concurrently led Karma's parent company, Timeless Media. Both entities were backed by the resources of the multi-billion-dollar Hinduja single family office.
Neil was the first-ever Chief Growth Officer for Vestorly, a venture-backed, AI marketing platform, and also served as the first-ever Director of Marketing for $11bn+ AUM investment advisor, Shepherd Kaplan. In his early career, Neil was an on-camera television journalist for NY1 and a contributing columnist for Forbes.
A successful founder, Neil pioneered Silicon Alley's digital video news coverage as CEO of award-winning media outlet, AlleyWire. He also co-founded insurtech company Thrice, a machine learning data platform for commercial P&C. He also started the invitation-only Corsair Society and P2P hotel room reseller, UnBuyThat. Neil is now an advisor/investor in several startups in media and fintech.
Neil is an accomplished public speaker, presenting at UPenn's Wharton School, MIT's Sloan School, and Bloomberg News, to name a few.
Venue: Zoom (Event Link Will Be Provided In Your Confirmation Email)
Type Audience - Early Bird Audience - Ticket At The Door Accredited Investors I cannot attend but add me to your mailing list Pitching Entrepreneur
Type: Event
Vendor: Epic Events
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21413
|
__label__wiki
| 0.700255
| 0.700255
|
CrownHeights.info – Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News
Communal Matters
Mazal Tov!
Report Breaking News inquire about Advertising, call:
news@crownheights.info
Chabad News
Crown Heights News
Farbrengens
Kinus Hashluchim
Letter and Spirit
Merkos Shlichus
Mivtzoim
Monsey News
Rockland County News
Shlichus
Simcha Galleries
Something Jewish
Upstate News
Weekly Voice
« Terrorist Eliminated During Ax Attack South of Jerusalem
Former Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct Inspector Grandstaff to be Promoted to Chief »
Posted to Chabad News, Photo Galleries on January 5, 2021
Obituary: Mrs. Miriam Rosenblum, 78, Beloved Educator and Tireless Head of Charitable Fund
Rabbi Ephraim and Mrs. Miriam Rosenblum
by Rochel Horowitz – chabad.org
Mrs. Miriam Rosenblum, a beloved educator in Pittsburgh for more than five decades and the founder of Keren Racheim, a local organization committed to helping those in need, passed away last month at the age of 78. Her passing came only two months after the loss of her husband, Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum.
Miriam Wolosow was born 1942 in Russia to Reb Nochum and Sara Relka Wolosow, members of the Samarkand Chassidic underground community that helped sustain Judaism during decades of Communist oppression. She spent the formative years of her life post-World War II in a displaced persons camp in Paris. She later moved with her family to Ireland before immigrating to the United States.
In 1961, she married Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum, and together they moved to Pennsylvania, where Rabbi Rosenblum served as the principal of the elementary school of the Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh for decades. Mrs. Rosenblum was a much-loved kindergarten and first-grade teacher for 55 years.
In her role as the wife of a prominent rabbi and educator in a large and thriving Jewish community, she supported her husband in his work while raising a large family, working as a committed teacher and running important communal projects. The one she was most devoted to was “Keren Racheim,” short for Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, which Mrs. Rosenblum founded and named for the wife of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory shortly after her passing in 1988. She ran a “one-woman show,” raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for people in need, providing families with food for the holidays, financial means for weddings and bar mitzvahs, and oftentimes, even going so far as to helping people find jobs.
“My mother gave with all her heart and all her soul,” says Mrs. Rosenblum’s daughter, Chanie Baron, an educator and a shlucha. “We grew up with people coming to our door, taking people in, helping people out, mentoring, guiding. She was unstoppable.”
She describes how her mother single-handedly raised all of the funds for Keren Racheim. “No one believed that an organization like that could be run by one person; it was the kind of organization that could have been run by at least 10 people. She made sure that families had all their needs met for the holidays—new clothes and shoes for the children, chicken and fish, freshly cooked meals. Whatever people needed, she gave without asking questions. She was a shlucha through and through.”
Not a Single Person Was Turned Away
Her son, Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, principal of Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, said that during the shiva for his mother, “there were many people that were crying as they recalled how my mother came through for them when they were in a desperate financial situation. Everything was done in such a discreet, sensitive manner. No one, sometimes including my own father, knew that they were receiving financial help, and not a single person was turned away. When she didn’t have the monetary means to give someone assistance from the organization, she would give of her own personal money. Many of the people that she helped ended up becoming donors of the organization, supporting Keren Racheim with whatever financial means they could.”
Rivky Raices, Rosenblum’s daughter, an educator and shlucha in Skokie, Ill., describes how her mother instilled in her and her siblings “a real pride of being a ‘Lubavitcher.’” She says that her mother brought up her and her siblings with very strong values of right and wrong. “We knew if it was right, it’s right, and if it’s wrong, it’s wrong. We always had an open home—no one was ever turned away—and we knew ‘the best went to the guest.’ We never resented it.”
Raices describes how her mother became the “the home away from home” for baalei teshuvah—young women and men who had recently returned to their Jewish heritage, helping them become socially and culturally integrated into the Lubavitch community. “She gave them encouragement, she understood them, and she was completely non-judgmental.”
As a rebbetzin, people flocked to Mrs. Rosenblum’s home to seek her advice and to hear her wisdom. “To every individual with whom she came in contact, she sent a clear message: ‘You matter, you are important, and I will do everything in my power to help you,’ says Blumi Rosenfeld, a former student of Rosenblum and later a fellow teacher and wife of Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld, director of Chabad of Western Pennsylvania.
Blumi Rosenfeld was among the first students that Rosenblum taught at Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh. As a child of only 5 years old, she recalls what a remarkable impression Mrs. Rosenblum made on her. She has vivid memories of Mrs. Rosenblum teaching her students the alef beis, among many other lessons, with love and sincerity.
Later in life, Rosenfeld had the opportunity to teach alongside her beloved teacher, and she had the opportunity to observe Mrs. Rosenblum’s relationship with her students firsthand from the point of view of a colleague. She describes the manner in which she believed in every student: “To her, the claim that ‘we are not equipped to deal with your child because of his/her behavioral issues’ was completely nonsensical. She never gave up on any child.”
A Teacher Who Believed in Every Child
“She reached the children that no one else seemed to be able to reach,” said Rosenfeld. “To many people in the community, she was called by her first name. Yet until her very last day, to me she was simply ‘Morah Rosenblum.’ I had a tremendous amount of respect and reverence for everything she’d taught me.”
Yehudis Okonov, a grandchild of Rosenblum who serves as a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, N.Y., recalls: “Although I was never my grandmother’s student like some of my cousins, I know that she customized her lessons for each child individually. She really wanted every child to be able to learn and really believed in each child.”
Every single day of the year, rain or shine, Mrs. Rosenblum could be found at her booth on Murray Avenue, one of the main streets of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill. There, outside of the kosher supermarket, she would set up shop to offer people “good cards” and Shabbat candles. “Lots of non-Jews on Murray Avenue knew my mother by face,” says Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, “and I’m sure if you’d ask them about my mother, they’d proudly and happily pull out their ‘good cards’ from their wallet and show you.”
Okonov recalls that her grandmother loved bringing her young grandchildren with her on her mivtzoyim excursions whenever she could: “She was a very ‘alive’ kind of person. She always had something to say, always had something to share.”
Mrs. Rosenblum was passionate about spreading the message of the imminent redemption and oftentimes could be heard sharing a story, an anecdote or a teaching from one of the Chabad Rebbes about Moshiach. Rosenfeld describes how Mrs. Rosenblum would make the long walk to a weekly women’s Shabbat gathering, where she would share a “Moshiach Thought,” as she called them.
“There were women who were much younger than her who had a hard time climbing the hill and walking in the heat each week to the Shabbat gathering,” recalls Rosenfeld. “Morah Rosenblum made sure to be there each and every week, no matter what.”
“They don’t make ’em like that nowadays,” says her son, Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum. “My father, of blessed memory, who was a tremendous person, was known to say: ‘Everything I do is ordinary, and to be expected, my wife is extraordinary.’ She really was extraordinary.”
In 2011, after years of tireless dedication to the Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh and to the Pittsburgh community, Rabbi and Mrs. Rosenblum were honored at the Yeshiva’s 67th annual dinner as “dedicated teachers, outstanding role models, caring friends and cherished members of the Pittsburgh community.”
Predeceased by her husband, Mrs. Rosenblum is survived by their children: Fraidy Gurevitch (Brooklyn, N.Y.); Rivky Raices (Skokie, Ill.); Yossi Rosenblum (Pittsburgh); Chanie Baron (Columbia, Md.); Rabbi Yehoshua Dovid Rosenblum (Caracas, Venezuela); Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum (South Hills, Pa.); and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her siblings: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Wolosow, Rabbi Mendel Wolosow, Rabbi Hershel Wolosow and Tzippy Simpson.
This article has been reprinted with permission from chabad.org
Mrs. Miriam Rosenenblum, a beloved educator in Pittsburgh for more than five decades.
Doing ‘mivtzoim’ on the streets of Pittsburgh with her grandchildren.
At a family wedding.
BDE: Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum, 85, OBM
Obituary: Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum, 85, Beloved…
BDE: Mrs. Chana Etka Feldman, OBM
Comments To The Editor
Tuesday, January 19 - Thursday, January 21
6 Shevat - 8 Shevat
Lchaim - Levi Yitzchak Mishulovin (Los Angeles, Ca) to Brocha Chaya Jacks (Toronto, Canada)
1349 President Street
The Cost of Dying in Crown Heights, All The Things You Were Too Afraid to Ask
Watch: Crown Heights Q&A Session Regarding The COVID Vaccine
11 Things I've Learned From The Hasidic Jews
Five Reckless Teenagers Cause Three Car Crash on Kingston Ave
Reb Asher Zeilingold, The Chicken The Rebbe Wouldn't Eat, and a Double Tip From The Rebbetzin
Op-Ed: Unprecedented Censoring and the Beginning of a New Beginning
Replacement Car Keys in the New York City Area
© 2005 - 2018 All Rights Reserved | Powered by YossiIT.com | Contact: (718) 285-8000 | Top | Jobs!
Disclaimer: This website site is not an official Chabad-Lubavitch website.
Please visit Chabad.org or Lubavitch.com for information on the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21425
|
__label__wiki
| 0.692199
| 0.692199
|
Road To Somewhere Else
the view from the dark side: politics, media, cities & culture
Hamburg, Masked & Confused
My Review of Neil Young’s latest album, ‘Colorado’.
Why I’ve joined the Church of the Latter-Day Dude
How the West set out to destroy Syria
Who is next for the Zionists putsch?
Archives Select Month September 2020 October 2019 September 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 February 2014 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 January 2010 December 2009
Daniel Margrain
SPeye Joe (Welfarewrites)
Mira BaR-Hillel
Bryan Hemming
Modern Monetary Theory: Real Economics
Climate Change & Basic Income
Always Under-Occupied
The ramblings of a former DWP Civil Servant ...
Rocoja's Blog
azizonomics
Disability Services & Legal Center
Tory Britain!
Politics and Insights
Kendrickmusicfreak
Unknowing
Searching for my truth...
L u k e n . o r g
The Electronic Intifada - Ilan Pappe
Norman G. Finkelstein
JohnPilger.com - the films and journalism of John Pilger
Jonathan Cook: the View from Nazareth
John Molyneux
All That Is Solid ...
openDemocracy RSS
Matt Carr's Infernal Machine
Political Violence at a Glance
Disillusionment setting in?
Written by Daniel Margrain
By Daniel Margrain
Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott CREDIT: AFP
After Jeremy Corbyn’s election victory by one of the biggest majorities in Labour party history, the feeling of optimism among the grass roots membership was palpable. Here was a leader who was said to have genuinely held socialist principles who was about to smash the iron-clad neoliberal consensus that had come to dominate the PLP machine. However, as great as his victory was, for me personally, the optimism was offset by the knowledge that from the outset the corporate media and political class had it in for him. Many of us suspected, therefore, that some of the biggest struggles were yet to come.
These suspicions were confirmed after it emerged that not only were some of Corbyn’s most critical enemies to be found within his own party, but that the media en mass began acting, not as a dispassionate observer but as the delegitimizing arm of the British state. That Corbyn not only defeated the campaign by the plotters to undermine him, but that he also managed to shrug off the media hate-fest that accompanied it with consummate ease, is a testament to the strength of his character.
But it’s more than that. It’s also a testament to his supposed deeply-held and longstanding political convictions and, arguably most importantly of all, his unswerving democratic commitment to the mass membership who elected him into power, not just once, but twice. Unlike the period preceding the 1997 General Election when the media depicted Blair being swept-up in an apparent rising tide of jingoistic sentiment, Corbyn’s success was marked by their overriding intention to demonize him.
Given that both Blair and Corbyn were elected on an almost identical Left mandate, how can this apparent dichotomy be rationally explained other than the notion the former, as opposed to the latter, was willing to serve elite interests? The rise of Blair was accompanied by flattering noises from the Murdoch press that underlined a palpable sense of intellectual curiosity totally absent from their coverage of Corbyn. This was because unlike the former, such curiosity wasn’t deemed a requirement. Demonization requires neither intellectualism nor curiosity, merely blind bigotry and hate which is precisely what the media-political establishment thrive on.
The most effective way to deal with this kind of bigotry and hate, is to challenge head-on the injustices, misinformation and false propaganda that give rise to them. To a large extent, whatever Corbyn does or says, the media will be unduly critical and biased against him. And so on their terms, he will never be seen to have done the right thing despite that his unequivocal stated commitment to social justice issues, Trident, the re-nationalization of the railways and the NHS are all highly commendable and universally popular.
Talking the talk
So what’s the problem? As effective as he has been in saying the right things at the right time, it’s nevertheless been the case that Corbyn’s leadership has largely been marked by his inability to act on is pronouncements. In terms of the NHS, for example, he appears to be reluctant to publicly denounce the dubious record of NHS England’s Simon Stevens, or to address the highly controversial statements made by his shadow health minister, Heidi Alexander regarding her alleged lack of commitment to its underlying principles. In view of the contentions made by activist Dr Bob Gill, it’s difficult to conclude anything other than the notion Corbyn is not as committed to the ethos of a universally free at the point of delivery HHS as perhaps he has led many people to believe.
In opposition and on the back benches, Corbyn’s stated long-term commitment and principled opposition to social injustice has been exemplary. However, even his most ardent of supporters will surely concede that as Labour leader he has often fallen short in fulfilling some of those principles. Another illustration of this has been his lack of public support for comrades like Ken Livingston and Jackie Walker who have had a series of unjustified and defamatory McCarthyite antisemitic attacks levelled at them.
Corbyn’s opposition to the illegalities of the Israeli Zionist state is long-standing and well known, and yet his failure as leader to break the links between the Labour party and the Labour Friends of Israel is unforgivable. It underscores a weakness in his leadership that cannot simply be brushed aside. Equally, as serious an issue, has been Corbyn’s virtual silence over the corrupt practices of NECs Iain McNicol as well as an apparent inability to tackle the systemic failings of the organisation he leads. More broadly, and arguably most worrying of all, has been Corbyn’s reluctance to set in motion a process by which the MPs who attempted to depose him could be deselected.
It should be recalled that it was McNicol who not only tried to fix the vote to the detriment of Corbyn, but had gone out of his way to prevent him even standing. For a Labour leader not to have supported the Left in the party has meant that the Right, although a minority, has managed to keep control of the Conference and the NEC.
Latest error of judgement
Corbyn’s latest error of judgement – and arguably his biggest – relates to his disastrous Brexit strategy. His entire approach to the issue seems to me to be not only his agreeing to the triggering of Article 50, but his acceptance that Brexit is inevitable when there is no inevitability about it. Corbyn has admitted that his support for EU membership was only 70 to 75% despite the fact that a similar proportion of his constituents voted to remain.
Corbyn’s half-hearted approach has almost certainly played into the hands of the Right. Rather than sending out an ambivalent message, it would arguably have been far more effective had Corbyn demonstrated an unequivocal commitment to defending the right of elected Labour MPs to vote in a way that accurately reflects the interests of their constituents. Instead, we were left with a situation in which a democratically elected Labour leader, albeit inadvertently, ended up being pulled to the Right.
Corbyn’s problematic situation is compounded by evidence which shows that withdrawal from the Single Market will likely result in a decline in working class living standards. Moreover, as Tony Greenstein puts it:
“If May chooses to make Britain a tax haven then this will mean that with far less tax revenue not only will there not be enough resources to fund an expansion of the welfare state but a Labour government would be a rerun of previous austerity governments. Access to the Single Market, both for manufacturing and the financial services is crucial. London faces the prospect of losing its role as the world’s leading financial sector to New York, Frankfurt and Paris. Companies which are located in Britain because of tariff free access to Europe will simply move. The fact that a narrow majority of people were fooled into voting against their own interests, for good reasons, by nationalist bile is not a reason to accept the decision. Parties exist to change peoples’ minds not to pander to their prejudices.”
It is the job of the Labour opposition to oppose not to compete for the racist vote which is what Corbyn’s apparent avatism implies. It’s one thing to yearn for a nostalgic concept of nationalist-based socialism, but another to do so when, firstly, there is clearly no current demonstrable appetite for socialism among the body politic of British society, and secondly, when the implications of the isolationist neoliberal alternative approach is shown to impact negatively on the poorest and most vulnerable.
Island of socialism
What Corbyn effectively envisages is a concept in which the UK exists extraneously from the rest of Europe. This ‘island of socialism’ mentality is the very antithesis of an internationalist concept of a kind he appears to have abandoned. The idea that internationalism can exist without international institutions is farcical. Furthermore, as Craig Murray argues, “to write off those institutions because they are currently controlled by right wing governments is short-sighted to the point of being stupid.”
The reason why the EU as an institution adopts right wing policies, is because it is currently dominated by right-wing governments. That fact is not a justifiable reason to want to abandon the project altogether, but to continue arguing for the reinstatement of the kind of federalist and internationalist concept of the EU envisaged by Jacques Delors in which the appropriation and destruction of national sovereignty is to be encouraged rather than belittled.
More wiser heads than Corbyn’s on the left, such as Diane Abbot, are able to see how out of touch Corbyn’s retrograde form of feudal socialism is. His ambivalence on the Brexit issue clearly put the likes of Abbot in a difficult political position. The dilemma she, and other Labour MPs faced, was whether to vote with their conscience and in the interests of their constituents who voted to remain, or go against their principles by voting for the Article 50 Bill on the basis of maintaining a sense of loyalty to both their leader and to the Shadow Cabinet?
Abbot’s statement below published on twitter, indicates that her preferred option was to go for the latter approach:
Jeremy Corbyn comes across as a sincere and honourable man whose motivations are not self-enrichment but to make society a better place for everybody. Morally and intellectually, he is head and shoulders above his political opponents and would make a far better prime minister than the hapless autocrat, Theresa May.
However, he is not perfect (who is?). His overly accommodating approach towards his enemies, the lack of support he has shown to his longstanding friends and his attempt to effectively coerce Labour MPs into taking the pro-Brexit line, are all major strategic miscalculations that have the potential to back-fire on him.
Nevertheless, despite these flaws, I am of the opinion that if Corbyn and his team can motivate enough young people to come out and vote, Labour can beat the Tories at the next General Election. Very few people are likely to detest the Tories more than me. I have direct experience of the negative consequences resulting from their welfare retrenchment policies.
I want to make the Labour party the most effective opposition to the Tories as possible. It’s for this reason I feel it’s my duty to provide constructive criticisms as, and when, required. I am not motivated by an intention to undermine Corbyn, but to help ensure the party he leads replaces the Tories at the next election.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this or another posting, please consider making a donation, no matter how small. I don’t make any money from my work, and I’m not funded. You can help continue my research and write independently.… Thanks!
February 14, 2017 April 26, 2017 · Posted in politics · Tagged Corbyn committed to social injustice, Corbyn fails to break the links between Labour party and LFI, Corbyn'a ambivalence towards triggering Article 50, Corbyn's appeasement of racism, Corbyn's conflict with Diane Abbot over Brexit, Corbyn's error of judgement over Brexit, Corbyn's feudal socialism, Corbyn's pro-Brexit line, danielmargrain.com, Is Corbyn becoming a liability for Labour?, Media's demonization of Corbyn, Withdrawal from single market set to lower living standards of the poorest ·
12 thoughts on “Disillusionment setting in?”
Mark Catlin says:
Reblogged this on Declaration Of Opinion .
hellsbells (@hsutcliffe68) says:
Everything up to the points on Corbyn’s EU stance I agree with you (as I usually do). I can’t however, bring myself to believe that any attempt to frustrate the Brexit process would be a wise move. Corbyn has stood with Tony Benn on this issue for most of his political life. The idea that we should be trapped in an anti democratic, collapsing capitalist system for the sake of protecting free trading rights doesn’t work for those who are struggling to feed themselves. Corbyn gets that. His mistake was to change his stance in the first place. I understand why he did. Giving a free reign to the most right wing Tory government since Thatcher is not the best move, I agree. But had he stuck to his conviction up to and beyond the referendum i.e. allowing Labour MPs a free vote, whilst campaigning for the leave side, he would have been much more aligned with the Labour heartlands and wider voters than most of the establishment. As it is now he is having to be a lot more strategic and I think his 3 line whip stance was absolutely right. The Lib Dems and the SNP can afford to be seen snubbing the Brexit vote, they haven’t much to lose. The Labour Party have an uphill battle to win and they absolutely must start listening to the British electorate. Corbyn’s mistake here is to waste the opportunity of firing those who make the most trouble for him. That would have been a bold move and I doubt there’ll be a better opportunity. This of course, ties in with your earlier points about him not being tough enough which I entirely agree with.
An independent Britain with a socialist government and booming industry could work well – a naive view some would say but change is needed and for a great number of us, things can’t get any worse.
I enjoy your articles and look forward to the next.
The Labour party is supposed to represent the working class who are tired of having to compete with the cheap labour Blair imported from Eastern Europe so the bosses could make more profit…If Labour lose the next election it will be because of people like you who dont know the difference between international capitalism and international socialism…
Daniel Margrain says:
I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but the evidence that immigration suppresses wages is at best, slim.
Pingback: Disillusionment Setting In | Declaration Of Opinion
Simon Lock says:
The answer is “no”
Laurent Kelly says:
Another superbly written article Daniel. As you perfectly demonstrated yourself, because of the intense media spotlight that scrutinises his every move, Corbyn often finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to making decisions. If he tries to play the fence and appease all sides then he is too soft, if he stands up for himself all of a sudden he is manipulative and bullying. When you are put in this position, I think it puts an immense amount of pressure on the decision making process because the only true support he seems to have from the British printed press is in the pages of the Morning Star.
Robert. Gillespie says:
The. Europeans. Page. Is. A good. Example. Of. Corbyn’s. Bashing. Using. Brexit Clear. Blair. Tactic. Don’t Join. Them. If. You. Are. True. To. Our. Cause. J.C. Is. Sound. ! No. Better. ! Lay. Off. ! Tory’s. To. Fight. !
louisproyect says:
So funny how Assadist tools cut and paste each other’s articles. I would bother to refute this steaming pile of dung if I hadn’t already a dozen times when it had been written on Global Research, Consortium News and all the other outlets of the Assad fascist death cult.
Ok, so that’ll be a “No”…Thank you, kindly.
Adam Clifford (@AdamCli) says:
Corbyn has said plenty about the NHS.He has said he does policy not personality.You seem to want another political’leader’ who does the personality thing.Too much of that,imo.
The NEC has the power and the planting of two people from Scotland and Wales on the executive moved power to the ‘aniti’Corbyn faction.The executive has the power.That’s the design.No doubt it has to change,root and branch.
His stance on the Friends of Israel will be very informed.Ime,he tends to be very informed.I have trust that his approach is useful.I think you will agree that he has had more than enough trouble from the msm/bbc/plp/NEC.John McDonnell has said it has been hugely consuming.Survival here is remarkable,and you find fault.
Your concept that you plank on Corbyn about feudal socialism is so negative and misinformed that it seems straight from the msm/bbc stable of negativity.Different models of business ownership are being looked at.A national investment bank.A national education service with life-long education.State intervention is a freedom that can be exploited out of the EU.
As you probably know,re brexit, according to Angela Eagle,Corbyn was up and down the country like a young man speaking on behalf of ‘Remain’,getting 63% of the labour vote to remain.Sturgeon&SNP got 64%.
If he has a more nuanced approach to Brexit,is that not more realistic and born out by the reality?Slogans really dont do it.
As a democrat in a democracy,how is it possible to ignore a democratically established,non-party political referendum?Up to now,majorities are respected.Like it or not.The consensus in parliament and the HoL was that this majority could not be ignored or disrespected.
Here’s a view on Labour’s position:https://medium.com/brexit-britain/for-your-information-labours-position-on-triggering-article-50-fa5337267834
Whether a referendum should take place,why it was called,the [abysmal]quality of debate,are major concerns.
Not identifying as a socialist,I see Corbyn’s politics as common sense and human,and a serious effort to democratise power and wealth.
This article has been contemptuous and is similar in negativity to stuff in the msm/bbc.I am confused about your proclamation of support.
You have a serious comprehension problem if you think I was being contemptuous.
Leave a Reply to Laurent Kelly Cancel reply
« The Government’s Deliberate Destruction of Our NHS
Disabled people: marginalised, dehumanised & declared fit to work »
Joe Halewood writes about tenant and welfare wrongs
short stories, comment, articles, humour and photography
Subject to change.
"The economy doesn't work like most people think it works!"
How this radical idea can make growth optional
My World Through a Lens
The purpose of Think Left is to present a view of politics from a left-wing perspective.
Social Media for Small Business in Surrey & SW London
theatre, film & tv past and present 2001-2008 & 2013...
Economics, Technology, Futurism
Since 2010 the Tories have killed over 250,000 claimants & starved and made homeless millions more! The poor, sick & disabled need your help for this to end. Not voting Tory is a start!
Public interest issues, policy, equality, human rights, social science, analysis
Blogging about music from early 80s indie to Britpop and beyond
Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit. - Virgil
A journey to full awareness.
FATHER + SAILOR + TECHNOLOGIST + MUSICIAN
Notes From the Margins...
A books, movies, and more blog from the staff at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Main.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21431
|
__label__cc
| 0.504078
| 0.495922
|
December 2017: Developer QnA, Part 2
Eugene Pugach (World of Warplanes Evangelist) December 14, 2017
Here is the second part of the QnA session we had with Session Report website recently.
Q: Any ETA on the return of plane anniversaries? And what will happen with the planes that had their anniversary after the 11th of october?
No ETA at the moment, but it will definitely happen. All players that miss their aircraft's anniversaries will be compensated in some form when we bring the feature back.
Q: Will multirole fighters and other planes carrying bomb loads ever get their bomb sights back? (Left Shift until 1.9)
Generally, the more keys you need to play, the more confusing the game gets, especially for new players. Our goal is to avoid adding special features (and keys) that have no significant effect on gameplay. At the moment, we prefer to make bombing and strafing more comfortable for these classes with the default camera mode.
Q: There are still a lot of pre-2.0 maps missing, will we see those maps again?
Yes, major updates planned for 2018 will also include new schemes based on the iconic locations from WoWP 1.x. A couple of them will actually be released very soon.
Q: In contrast to tanks, Romania actually built quite a few planes. Is there any possibility of introducing Romanian planes in the game at some point?
No details yet, but it is possible.
Q: Will the UI and controls be made more consistent with other WG titles such as WoT and WoWS? Playing all 3 games, you have to learn 3 different sets of interfaces, and 3 different control schemes. The default zoom key in WoT and WoWS is shift, but in WoWP it’s F. Additionally, the way modules, consumables, upgrades, research, etc. works across all three games is different and there’s no need for it. The map works differently (though this is new to 2.0), chat works differently, there’s no way to view team lineups at the side, and loads of other inconsistencies. Can the WG devs for each title just get together and come up with a similar UI across all 3 games?
In general, we try to adhere to a common style where possible. But, for many reasons ranging from general design to technical limitations, it is not always possible. WoT, WoWS and WoWP are quite different games, the same design cannot fit in all of them organically because of the differences in gameplay tempo, amount of crucial and redundant information you need to see on screen in battle, etc.
Q: Can you add an option for the alt-interface to be permanently enabled in battles?
It is actually possible already, you just need to change the control setting. Go to Settings - Controls, click the “Alternative interface mode” option setting and switch it from Hold the key to Press the key. Then the HUD will switch from normal to alt mode with one keypress and stay in this mode until you press it again.
Q: UI scaling – any resolution above 1080p has really small UI elements. When playing at 4K or 8K, you can’t read anything or see any of the GUI, you’re practically forced to play at lower resolutions. Is there any plan to fix this?
At the moment, we support up to 2560x1440 in our UI. Naturally, once the number of players using 4K+ resolutions grows, we will adapt the HUD to support it.
Q: Can you please let us see previews of planes we do not own in the hangar? Currently, we can only see a tiny thumbnail in the tech tree, it would be nice to see the full plane in 3D without having to research and buy it.
There’s no technical limitation, we can implement this in the client. Alas, the whole team is busy working on more important features at the moment.
Q: Any plans to advertise the game some more? Furthermore, will we see any other game modes besides Conquest?
Naturally we will continue to spread the news about World of Warplanes 2.0 to new players using all available instruments. If you really like the update and would be happy to see the game evolve even further, we’d be very grateful if you took part in this process, telling your friends about it.
Yes, of course we will introduce other game modes to the game. We promised it right from the start and we will deliver.
Q: Some shooting range would be nice to have in the hangar. To test different ammo types against various plane parts. For example, we have a fixed plane (choose a plane from all available in tech tree), also we have a fixed weapon (choose a machinegun, autocannon, etc. that is available for all planes). Point it where you want (tail, wings, engines, etc.), shoot, and see what damage and criticals you cause.
That’s an interesting idea. We’re making improvements to the panels that show aircraft characteristics and features in the Hangar, you’ll see some of them in the upcoming patch.
Q: Will we ever get an experimental fighter line for the U.S.? With planes like the XP-67, XP-56, and XP-54?
We already have some experimental aircraft in the game, the XP-58 for instance. If the XP-67, XP-56 or XP-54 make their appearance at some point, they will be Premium machines though, not researchable ones.
Q: Will the Kostikov 302 be sold in the EU in the near future?
Not in December, but it will reappear in the Premium shop as a limited time offer quite regularly.
Q: Is there a plan to overhaul daily missions so they are more rewarding, less incompatible with general gameplay, and enhance the fun from the game instead of killing it?
Daily missions and their rewards will be reworked to make them easier to complete and more rewarding. No ETA on that yet, sorry.
Q: How did the release of 2.0 influence the total number of active players?
In several regions where the game is available, our daily player count grew so significantly that it became several times greater than we’ve seen over the last three years. That’s impressive considering that some players thought the changes we’ve made were too drastic for them to continue playing. This indicates that we are on the right track and we will continue developing new exciting features. We are sure you will like them.
Q: The new gamemode seems a bit boring in the long run, the focus is definitely on the planes now, and it’s fun, but I don’t think it will keep newcomers like myself here for too long or give them the motivation to actively play for a longer time.
Will there be optimizations, new mechanics and more gamemodes coming?
Maybe just reworked maps for more tactical play or opportunities to make dogfights more interesting by using terrain when the distances between caps are bigger?
We’ve dropped some hints about future updates here and there over the last couple of months. In short — there will be many more features and new content in 2018. Stay tuned.
Q: Are there any plans to bring WoWP to consoles?
To be honest, at the moment we’d rather focus our efforts on evolving and improving the game on the current platform to fully show its potential. Right now, spreading our resources between PC and a possible console port will probably hurt both platforms. Once we’re fully satisfied with the PC version, the time for considering consoles will come.
Q: Are there any plans to bring WoWP to the SEA server?
We already have a considerable number of players from SEA who play on other realms. I can’t say anything certain for the moment, but yes, we are considering providing SEA players with their own servers in 2018.
Q: Are there any plans to fix the ramming mechanic? Since when can two WWII airplanes collide and the “heavier” one is not totaled, I’m fairly certain both planes would be fubar. I‘m also fairly certain that no sane pilot would ram other planes as a strategy for taking down an opponent.
Intentional ramming wasn't such a rare occurence in WWII.
World of Warplanes is a game, furthermore it is an arcade game, not a simulator game. Realism is not the main goal, we aim for a healthy balance between the game being “realistic” and believable, and it being fun and approachable for a casual player.
Ramming mechanics in their current form are like that intentionally. Lethal collisions are more realistic, but, in most cases, collisions in game happen when both players don’t see each other at all (someone flies into you from the side) or occasionally make a piloting mistake. In those situations, lethal rammings would be way too unforgiving in our game, and the current design works well.
Lethal rammings are also imbalanced and unfair: imagine your own reaction if you pilot a GA, heavy or other huge durable aircraft with a large HP pool and get sent to the Hangar by a barely flying fighter with a tiny bit of HP left.
Q: I’m just wondering how bombs and rockets affect a plane’s maneuverability and airspeed compared to the previous version. Do they affect a plane’s stats by just having them loaded or only when they are off cool down?
If you install bombs and rockets, they produce a constant negative effect on your aircraft’s flight parameters throughout the battle. It doesn’t matter whether the load is full, on cooldown, partially used, etc., the effect stays the same.
Q: Will an option be added to remove ALL movies/cinematics before, during, and after the battle?
There are two cornerstones that we base the whole design on. First: the game must be easy to learn and play for everyone, especially newcomers. Second: as many features as possible should be executed naturally and seamlessly, without pressing any keys, changing settings, etc. Sometimes these ideas contradict one another: despite WoWP not being a simulator, there are still some quite complex mechanics and designs that need explaining to newcomers. Hence the hints on loading screens, pre-battle cinematics, etc. Moreover, soon we will add new hints and short tutorial videos. Of course, they won’t appear every time you play, and you will be able to close or disable them.
Upcoming patches will also make “skip cinematic” hotkeys more intuitive.
Q: Stats. WoWP doesn’t want external websites with stats, but I’m missing some aspects in the current stats that WoWP gives. Mostly the evolution of my performance. Currently, they only give global stats. But why not period stats like 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, … At the moment, it doesn’t matter with only a couple 100 games. But what about when I reach 10.000 games? My stats will be set in stone. It will be hard to improve my numbers by then. But if you give short increments, you can see your improvement over time = motivation. Any reworks for the stats pages?
There are plans and ideas to rework and improve the player profile pages on the Portal. It will include tracking personal performance, as well as other improvements based on the extensive feedback we received from players.
We plan to start implementing these changes after updating the Portal main page, which is already in development. At the moment, we estimate that new profile/statistics pages might be ready in the second half of 2018.
Q: In-game currency. It seems that taking/defending bases is the objective of the game. But it is still mindlessly shooting down planes that is most rewarding. Often you see the biggest profits in the losing team. Is this intended?
We are looking closely at the statistics and yes, there are some economical issues where player actions that do not directly contribute to winning through capturing territories (like roaming between them and attacking enemy aircraft) can be much more rewarding. We have plans to tune the game mode itself somewhat, adapting class-specific tasks so that they are more easily completed and more rewarding. The economy system will also be rebalanced soon.
The main issue in terms of gameplay though is not that players can get a lot of credits for shooting down planes away from territories that don‘t affect Conquest. It does affect it: aircraft that can’t reach a territory can’t capture it or disrupt the actions of another team. Moreover it depletes respawns for enemy players and effectively removes them from the battle. This can be considered an efficient way to fight and win too. So we’re not looking to remove rewards for such actions altogether, we would prefer to make them more meaningful in terms of the game mode.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21440
|
__label__cc
| 0.664425
| 0.335575
|
Home News & Updates Welcome 2 Karachi Trailer | Official Theatrical Trailer
Welcome 2 Karachi Trailer | Official Theatrical Trailer
Ritesh S. Bisht
Welcome 2 Karachi trailer is out and guess what it is indeed quite funny. The movie is an out-and-out comedy which is directed by Ashish R. Mohan (director of Khiladi 786). It is produced by Vasu Bhagnani and will be distributed by Pooja Films Entertainment.
The film stars Arshad Warsi and Jacky Bhagnani as main leads. The role of Jacky was previously offered to Irffan but due to some reasons he opts out. Ayub Khoso, Adnan Shah, Imran Hasnee and Lauren Gottlieb will appear in supporting roles. Pakistani actress Kubra Khan is set to make her Bollywood debut with this film.
Welcome 2 Karachi Poster
The plot of the film revolves around two characters played by Arshad and Jacky who plan to go America but somehow find themselves landed in Karachi, Pakistan with no passports and documents with themselves. The situation becomes funnier and messier when they are webbed by a Taliban group. From here the joy ride begins which form the crux of the film.
The music of the film is composed by Rochak Kohli, Jeet Ganguly, Amjad Nadeem and RDB.
Welcome 2 Karachi will be the first Bollywood movie to be promoted in Pakistan.
Going by the trailer, the movie seems to have a flavor of its own. Thought, this isn’t looking the best of Arshad Warsi, it certainly has laughing punches to tickle your funny bones.
Well, we have to wait till 21 May 2015 to see how the story unfolds.
Jacky Bhagnani
Welcome 2 Karachi
Previous article‘Welcome 2 Karachi’ First Look Poster Out
Next articleMeet The Star Cast of Dil Dhadakne Do
http://blogtobollywood.com
Software Engineer by profession, Ritesh is a techno geek and loves to write interesting stuff on Bollywood.
Asur Web Series Download Or Watch For Free On Voot Select
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21443
|
__label__wiki
| 0.957875
| 0.957875
|
Corona Virus Stat
From CDC
Corona Videos
Latest coronavirus news for January 3, 2021: Live updates
by DN | Jan 3, 2021 | Coronavirus News | 0 comments
32 aldermen ‘deeply concerned’ with CPS’ reopening plans as some teachers refuse to return
An empty hallway inside Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior Academy of Social Justice in Englewood.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
The Chicago Teachers Union said Sunday that many of its members expected back to school Monday are telling principals they will teach only remotely, as a majority of Chicago aldermen said in a letter to the mayor they are “deeply concerned” with the reopening plans.
The moves mark an escalation of the months-long campaign by CTU for a safe reopening and further complicates plans of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and schools chief Janice Jackson to start bringing back some teachers and students on Monday.
Also Sunday, a majority of Chicago’s City Council wrote a letter to Lightfoot and Jackson to say they are “deeply concerned” with Chicago Public Schools’ scheduled reopening this month, expressing doubt in the racial equity and health and safety aspects of the city’s plan.
The 32 aldermen laid out nine steps the city should take as it looks to send students and staff back to classrooms, and urged the mayor and school district to collaborate with the teachers union over its concerns.
At least 5,800 employees are scheduled to return to their schools Monday for the first time since the pandemic began, with another 861 granted medical leaves and about 300 requests still pending, according to CPS. The educators work in preschool and special education cluster programs, whose students are set to return Jan. 11. Thousands more are set to return Jan. 25 ahead of a Feb. 1 reopening for K-8 schools.
Read the full story from Nader Issa here.
3:35 p.m. 81 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Illinois
The coronavirus has killed an additional 81 people in Illinois and infected another 4,469, state health officials announced Sunday.
That brings the state’s pandemic death toll to 16,755.
Of Sunday’s fatalities, 62 were reported in the Chicago area and included a Cook County man in his 30s.
The new cases were detected among the latest batch of 45,465 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the last day, which is the smallest batch processed in a 24-hour span since Oct. 5. Over the last two weeks, the state has averaged nearly 75,000 tests each day.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate — a figure experts use to gauge how rapidly the virus is spreading — remains at 8.3%, snapping a six-day streak of the state seeing that figure rise. That number has increased 1 1⁄2 percentage points over the last week since it checked in at 6.8% last Sunday, which was the lowest it had been since Oct. 29. Still, that number remains well below a late fall high of 13% during the height of the state’s record-breaking coronavirus resurgence.
Read the full story from Madeline Kenney here.
2 p.m. Frustrations of a CPS special ed parent: ‘Why are other kids reading and not my son?’
Nancy Curran points out teachers on the screen as her son Oliver Curran identifies them during a remote learning session in December.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Oliver Curran loves to talk. To him, watching news about politics or chatting with his mom is more fun than playing with toy trucks.
As much as he loves talking, Oliver, 12, can’t read, his mother, Nancy Curran, said. Curran brought her concern to Oliver’s special education team at Coonley Elementary School in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, but instructors told her Oliver just needed more time, she said.
That was more than a year ago, Curran said.
Now, with Oliver attending school virtually due to the pandemic, Curran has noticed other students are already reading in her son’s seventh-grade class of fellow special education students.
“Why are other kids reading and not my son?” said Curran, of Streeterville. “I’m very concerned about that, and I’m not really being taken seriously.”
Remote learning has opened a window for parents to peer into their students’ classrooms, which was difficult to do before the coronavirus pandemic. At Chicago Public Schools, some parents of children with disabilities say they are disheartened by services they believe fail to meet students’ needs and are upset by the low expectations some educators have for their children.
Read the full story from Clare Proctor here.
11:36 a.m. U.S. ramps up COVID-19 vaccinations after slow start, Fauci says
The U.S. ramped up COVID-19 vaccinations in the past few days after a slower-than-expected start, bringing to 4 million the number of Americans who have received shots, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday.
The government’s top infectious-disease expert also said on ABC’s “This Week” that President-elect Joe Biden’s pledge to administer 100 million shots of the vaccine within his first 100 days in office is achievable.
And he rejected President Donald Trump’s false claim on Twitter that coronavirus deaths and cases in the U.S. have been greatly exaggerated.
“All you need to do … is go into the trenches, go into the hospitals, go into the intensive care units and see what is happening. Those are real numbers, real people and real deaths,” Fauci said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The U.S. death toll has climbed past 350,000, the most of any country, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, while more than 20 million people nationwide have been infected. States have reported record numbers of cases over the past few days, and funeral homes in Southern California are being inundated with bodies.
10:21 a.m. UK warns of more lockdown measures as new coronavirus variant spurs outbreak
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday that more onerous lockdown restrictions in England are likely as the country reels from a new coronavirus variant that has pushed infection rates to their highest recorded levels.
Johnson, though, insisted he has “no doubt” that schools are safe and urged parents to send their children back into the classroom in areas of England where they can. Unions representing teachers have called for schools to turn to remote learning for at least a couple of weeks more due to the new variant, which scientists have said is up to 70% more contagious.
The U.K. is in the midst of an acute outbreak, recording more than 50,000 new coronavirus infections a day over the past six days. On Sunday, it notched up another 54,990 cases, down slightly from the previous day’s a daily record of 57,725. The country also recorded another 454 virus-related deaths to take the total to 75,024. According to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the U.K. is alternating with Italy as the worst-hit European nation.
“We are entirely reconciled to do what it takes to get the virus under control, that may involve tougher measures in the weeks ahead,” Johnson said in an interview with the BBC. “Obviously there are a range of tougher measures that we would have to consider.”
10 a.m. Coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations down, but positivity rate up to start new year
Public health officials on Saturday announced 29 more Illinois deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 while the virus has spread to an additional 4,762 people.
That’s the lowest coronavirus death count reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health in a single day since Nov. 13, and a far cry from the statewide average of 111 deaths per day over the last two weeks.
Twelve Chicago-area residents were among the latest victims, including a Cook County man in his 50s.
The new caseload was also well below the state’s average of 5,785 per day over the last two weeks, but that’s mostly because laboratories have been processing far fewer tests over the holidays.
The cases were detected among 61,987 tests submitted New Year’s Day — compared to the recent daily average of about 77,000 — which raised the statewide average positivity rate over the last week to 8.3%.
Read the full story from Mitchell Armentrout here.
10 a.m. Young or old, COVID-19 took them too soon in 2020
We wish Samuel Linares could have been with us longer. Chef Linares owned La Casa de Samuel, a highly praised restaurant in Little Village, having worked his way up and honed his skills in some of the finest restaurants in Mexico.
We wish Leroy Hearon were still here, too. Lt. Hearon was a Chicago firefighter who loved to tango. He traveled the world just to dance.
And we sure wish Flossie Lee Bournes were still with us. Ms. Bournes was a nurse who cared for victims of AIDS in the early days of that health crisis, back when AIDS frightened people so much that families sometimes abandoned those who had the disease.
Why did Ms. Bournes take the risk?
“The Lord knew where I was supposed to be,” she would often say. “Here — taking care of his children.”
Mr. Linares, Lt. Hearon and Ms. Bournes are among the more than 8,000 people in Cook County who died in 2020 of COVID-19, and among the more than 16,000 people in Illinois who died of the disease. They were older, for the most part, but engaged in life, and there is every reason to believe they might still be with us had it not been for the coronavirus.
They left us too soon because we, as a society, did too little to contain COVID-19.
Read the full editorial from the CST Editoral Board here.
Cloud kitchens have satisfied your pandemic munchies needs. Now, a cloud grocery is in Miami
Mapping Ohio coronavirus vaccines, trends and updates on cases, deaths, hospitalizations
SpaceX delayed the first Starlink satellite launch of 2021 because of bad weather and safety inspections. It will now blast 60 internet satellites into orbit on Wednesday instead.
US passes 400,000 deaths; Rebekah Jones arrested
© DearNation.com | Privacy Policy | TOS | Contact
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21446
|
__label__wiki
| 0.888872
| 0.888872
|
Home › News › Despite Minimal Uptake in the Crohn's Disease Drug Market, Stelara's Premium Price Will Result in Sales of Nearly $337 Million in 2018
Despite Minimal Uptake in the Crohn's Disease Drug Market, Stelara's Premium Price Will Result in Sales of Nearly $337 Million in 2018
Publish date: 22 Feb, 2010
Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, in the Crohn's disease drug market, the premium price of Centocor Ortho Biotech/Janssen-Cilag's Stelara and Abbott's briakinumab will drive robust sales for both of these interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 inhibitors in 2018 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The Pharmacor 2010 findings from the topic entitled Crohn's Disease reveals that Stelara will earn sales of nearly $337 million in 2018, following its launch for the indication in 2014 in the U.S. and Europe. Briakinumab, which is also expected to be priced at a significant premium over other marketed biologics for Crohn's disease, will earn just over $130 million in 2018. Briakinumab will launch for the indication in 2015 in the U.S. and in Europe. Although Stelara and briakinumab will achieve robust sales, neither agent is expected to garner substantial patient share.
"Following the approval of Stelara for psoriasis last year, ongoing clinical trials have revealed that Crohn's disease patients will likely require a dose of Stelara which is twice as large as the dose used in psoriasis treatment--a dosing scenario such as this will translate into a premium price, which will heavily constrain the use of Stelara and other IL-12/IL-23 inhibitors among Crohn's disease patients," said Decision Resources Analyst Kathryn Benton. "However, despite minimal uptake following their launches, the high price of Stelara and briakinumab will contribute to healthy sales for both agents."
The Pharmacor 2010 findings also reveal that, following a recent clinical development setback for UCB/Otsuka's Cimzia, Decision Resources has revised its previously forecasted European and Japanese launch dates for Cimzia. In December 2009, UCB announced that Cimzia failed to achieve the primary measure of clinical efficacy--induction of remission--in a Phase III clinical trial for Crohn's disease. Cimzia, which is now expected to launch for the indication in Europe in 2014 and in Japan in 2016, is forecast to earn $211 million in 2018 in acute and maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease.
About Pharmacor 2010
The newly redesigned Pharmacor advisory service offers clients in the biopharmaceutical industry the most up-to-date information available on commercially significant disease topics.
About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.
About Decision Resources, Inc.
Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.
All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective holders. For more information, contact: Decision Resources, Inc. Christopher Comfort 781-296-2597 ccomfort@dresources.com
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:
SOURCE: Decision Resources
CONTACT: Christopher Comfort of Decision Resources, Inc.,
+1-781-296-2597, ccomfort@dresources.com
Web Site: http://www.decisionresources.com/
Approval in Japan of New Formulation of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's Edaravone Will Further Bolster its Position as the Top-Selling Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21447
|
__label__wiki
| 0.53465
| 0.53465
|
In Chicago, 10,000 Cabbages Blend Danish Perspectives on Sustainability and Art with Local Flavor
Photo / Brian Kinyon
At the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, Danish artists Gamborg and Magnussen unveil their ambitious social commentary
As architects from across the world showcase their creations at the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial, Danish landscape architects Karen Gamborg Knudsen and Kasper Magnussen have unveiled their Cabbage Patch — a living exhibit composed of 10,000 cabbages and a tribute to one of society’s most enduring and sustainable crops. Installed at Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, the Cabbage Patch is both an exploration in green urban design and a culinary experiment as it seeks to introduce the hardy winter vegetable to new consumers by engaging visitors in activities in and around the patch.
On display until January 2020, the Cabbage Patch will feature cooking demonstrations and the creation of a cultural cookbook, paying particularly close attention to the cultural relevance of Chicago’s West Side and topics of accessibility to affordable, healthy and nutritious food sources and greenspaces.
Resilient, adaptable and nutritious, the cabbage combines elements of social commentary and sustainable planning. Photo / Brian Kinyon
Ahead of the Cabbage Patch opening in late September, Denmark In New York caught up with Mary Eysenbach, Director of Conservatories at the Chicago Park District, and Jennifer Van Valkenburg, President and CEO of the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, to talk about how the installation is catalyzing conversations on culture, social equity and climate change.
Denmark In New York: The Cabbage Patch is the first Danish contribution to the Chicago Architecture Biennial and is a powerful addition to the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial line-up. Tell us how this “living exhibit” came to land in the middle of Garfield Park and how it will be unveiled to the public.
Mary Eysenbach and Jennifer Van Valkenburg: We were approached by the Danish Architecture Center about hosting an exhibit, given Jens Jensen’s role in designing and leading the Garfield Park Conservatory. We initially expected a static exhibit proposal, but when the Cabbage Patch was described as a living exhibit, we were excited. We are a place that grows plants, so it made sense!
This year’s Biennial touches upon the spatial, historical, and socio-economic conditions of Chicago, including questions of land, memory, rights, and civic participation. How does the Cabbage Patch tap into these conversations and what can a cabbage patch communicate about issues ranging from social inclusivity to sustainability?
ME & JVV: Land use is a choice made by people. Decisions regarding land use are affected by the historical, political, and economic forces affecting the property. A park is a choice about land use. Agricultural fields are a choice about land use. Housing is a choice about land use. And because they are choices, people can make different decisions about how the land is used at any given time, based upon the above mentioned factors. In Chicago, what was once a lakefront airport is now a lakefront park and concert venue because a choice was made to change it. The Cabbage Patch represents urban farming and using the land for all people to sustain nourishment. What was a space that sustained people one way is now a field that sustains people a different way. Because we made a choice to change it.
For Danish artists Karen Gamborg Knudsen and Kasper Magnussen, the Cabbage Patch is an exploration into society and culture.
The Cabbage Patch is located in Garfield Park Conservatory which was designed by a Dane over 100 years ago. But beyond this Danish connection, tell us a little bit how Garfield Park is a relevant venue for an engagement with the scope and scale of the Cabbage Patch.
ME & JVV:The Conservatory is relevant because of Jens Jensen, but in a broader way than just ancestry. Jens Jensen was an innovator regarding people’s connection to the land and nature. He helped create the Forest Preserve statute, to preserve green spaces and ecosystems around Illinois. He saw opportunities join land uses. For instance, Jens Jensen proposed converting highway right of ways into linear plantings of native prairie. Everything he did spoke to choices about land use.
The Garfield Park Conservatory as cabbage patch. Photo / Brian Kinyon
The transformation of Garfield Park into a cabbage field is part of the engagement’s mission to “connect communities through shared visions.” How do you envision engaging visitors and in what way do you expect the project to contribute to the surrounding community of Garfield Park and Chicago in general?
ME & JVV: The sharing of food is a tradition across all cultures throughout history. Programming for the cabbage patch will include cooking demonstrations to entice those who may not be familiar with cabbage to try different ways of cooking with it. People will share not only the food, but the traditions and stories that accompany it. The Garfield Park Community Gardens and surrounding gardening networks will harvest cabbage for their participants. In addition, a neighbourhood restaurant that does job training will feature cabbage on their menu. We expect the exhibit to encourage visitors to think about where their food comes from, who has access to food and why, and what choices we and our leaders make about land uses and the impact those choices have on the lives of Chicagoans.
The Cabbage Patch is also a culinary activation aimed at inspiring healthy and sustainable eating. That said, cabbage also does get a bad rap. How do you think Chicagoans will respond to the gastronomic element of the exhibit?
ME & JVV: Chicagoans have diverse ethnic backgrounds, many of which include cultures that embrace cabbage. In fact, the Chicago Cultural Alliance, in conjunction with the exhibit, is compiling a cookbook of recipes that revolve around cabbage.
Be Proud of Your Bad Art
Rachel Ram | Watershield Poetic in The Startup
The Paradox of Native Art at the MET
Havi Nguyen
Questions still linger about colonial-era artefacts
Rashmee Roshan Lall
Three Time Tested Ways to Arrange Art in Galleries
D Emptyspace in D Emptyspace
Real Art Is Dangerous Again, Thank Goodness
Joe Garza in The Reckless Muse
Sarah Sze: Poet Of Clutter
Riot Material
What we are to do on this earth is embellish it for its greater beauty…
Adrienne Grimes
Ultravioletto Unveils “Neural Mirror” During Festival of Two Worlds
Surface Magazine in Surface Magazine
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21449
|
__label__wiki
| 0.712809
| 0.712809
|
You are at:Home»Announcements»Czapek extends its luxury sports watch line with the new Antarctique Passage de Drake
Czapek extends its luxury sports watch line with the new Antarctique Passage de Drake
By Peter Chong December 8, 2020 No Comments
Following the success of its Antarctique Terre Adélie collection in May, Czapek & Cie is still refusing to let Covid-19 dampen its spirits with the introduction of a brand-new collection featuring a distinctive dial motif and the exquisite final version of its new movement.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
Czapek & Cie Antarctique Passage de Drake
The Czapek Passage de Drake, Roaring Forties model in the grey dial.
Key highlights – commentary
The retail price remains at CHF 18’400 – USD 20’000.
The Czapek Antarctique joins the ranks of the luxury sports genre when it was introduced in May this year. See our full hands-on detail report here
Review of the Czapek Antarctique Terre Adélie.
All subscriptions for the 99 pieces of the Terre Adélie, which opened on May 26th were spoken for by June 12th. This new release, in four additional and different dial versions is an extension to the collection. This latest addition is notable for the following:
New dial motif, with a very interesting visual aesthetic.
Improvements to the rotor, which is now larger and made in platinum. The ball bearings on which the rotor runs on is also upgraded. The result is an increase in winding efficiency.
Improvements to the movement plate. Czapek claims the new German Silver plates are nicer looking. Also, one of the bridges is now finished in a mirror polish.
These improvements to the movement, no 2 and 3 in this list, will be fitted in the Terre Adélie models which are not yet delivered, and retrofitted to those which have when they are returned to the factory.
The new, mirror finished bridge, with its 4 sharp internal points. Czapek claims that this change increases the component cost by 10X!
The Drake Passage
The Drake Passage, or Passage de Drake in French, is the body of water between South America’s Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It a deep waterway, 1000 km wide that connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean.
The Drake’s Passage. Image from a paper written by Y. Lagabrielle, Y. Goddéris, Y. Donnadieu, J. Malavieille, M. Suárez.
It is also known as the Mar de Hoces [“Hoces Sea”] in Spainish, as its discovery was attributed to Spanish navigator Francisco de Hoces in 1525. In 1578, the English explorer Sir Francis Drake, lost a ship to formidable southward winds whilst sailing the west coast of South America. This confirmed to him the existence of a convergence of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Drake was a legendary figure in British expansion and it is from him that the passage’s English name derives. The Spaniards, however, consider him a pirate (in their defence, Drake did have a penchant for capturing their treasure-filled ships) so most Spanish-language literature nowadays still refers to the Drake Passage by its original name.
The Drake Passage is considered one of the most treacherous voyages for ships to make. Currents at its latitude meet no resistance from any landmass, and waves top 40 feet, hence its reputation as “the most powerful convergence of seas”.
The new Antarctique Passage de Drake collection takes the sport-chic case design of the Antarctique Terre Adélie line and pairs it with an atypical trapezoid dial motif whose three-dimensional stamped surface creates a play of shadows across the dial.
Passage de Drake, Black Ink dial. Shown here with the rubber strap.
“This unique dial design is called the ‘Stairway to Eternity’ and was actually our initial concept dial for the Antarctique, as we were looking for a signature dial design that would be very different from anything else, but it was such a lengthy process to perfect that we launched with another dial, based on a forgotten workmanship technique, the combed ‘lamé’ dials,” shares Czapek & Cie. CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel. “We finally discovered the perfect motif when our designer accidentally enlarged the trapezoids by 50% without realizing it, and it looked amazing. That’s the beauty of mistakes!” All Czapek designs are officially registered, demonstrating the company’s directional approach/identity/skill.
The SXH5 – From Prototype to Perfection
Since the unveiling of its base movement in May, Czapek & Cie has been continually making improvements to its automatic calibre SXH5 to enhance its precision, performance, and aesthetic. These upgrades will apply to both the 99 pieces of the Antarctique Terre Adélie collection and the Antarctique Passage de Drake timepieces.
The improved movement.
Creating a movement that was designed to be a “power-horse”, but also feature a sophisticated and ambitious architecture, was a real challenge. Everything was studied in great detail to take the best from both the past and the present. An example of this can be seen in the incredible finishing on the bridges that merges haute horlogerie angling techniques with state-ot-the-art laser engravings.
The first upgrade has been to the micro-rotor that was previously in recycled 18-karat gold. It quickly became apparent that even though the watch’s timekeeping was functioning perfectly, its winding power was limited, so the watch’s designer and case maker decided to try a slightly larger rotor in platinum – still 100% recycled – which brought 25% more power to the movement. The second upgrade came with a complete change of ball bearings under the micro-rotor. Both upgrades raised the train efficiency to 90% to fully wind the single barrel and deliver the impressive 60 hours of power reserve.
In the Ice White dial.
Other challenges only became apparent when the movement was tested in the first stage of the manufacturing process, such as the main plates that turned out to be not entirely flat. A third partner was quickly found to rectify this and delivered an even nicer German silver main plate. The aesthetics of the movement were also reworked, with one of the small bridges on the movement now featuring mirror-polishing on the top and six meticulously polished angles, which multiplied the price of this component by 10, but the result was worth it! “Creating a base movement from scratch was more challenging than bringing the brand to life,” says de Roquemaurel with a smile. “We knew we had to suffer a bit to achieve the level of quality and finishing we were dreaming of so that the overall result would be truly unique.”
The Antarctique Passage de Drake collection comes in a 40.5mm stainless steel case that is fitted to an ergonomic brushed integrated bracelet, whose brushed links are connected with highly polished links in the form of a “C” for Czapek. The bracelet features a quick-change system so each owner can quickly and easily switch to a rubber strap that is decorated with the same trapezoid pattern found on the dial.
The Czapek & Cie Passage de Drake will be launched on December 8th 2020 with four different dial colours: Ice White, Deep Blue, Black Ink and a limited edition “Roaring Forties” grey. Forty pieces that will available via a 40-day-long online subscription.
The blue dial, a hue Czapek calls Deep Blue.
The collection will be available for sale at Czapek & Cie official retailers, at Czapek’s Geneva boutique – 18 rue de la Corraterie – and online at czapek.com. Deliveries are scheduled to start in March 2021. With a production limited to only one watch per day, Czapek will offer its online customers the possibility to choose and book the production date of their watch. In addition, they will be able to select from several aesthetic options, from the colour of the centre seconds hand to a personalised engraving on the case back.
antarctique czapek luxury sports watch
Previous ArticleA. Lange & Söhne presents new Saxonia to round-up 2020
Next Article Introducing the MB&F LM FlyingT in lapis lazuli: final release for 2020
Peter Chong
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21450
|
__label__wiki
| 0.876265
| 0.876265
|
Metallica and Bob Rock
January 8, 2018 destroyerofharmonyBob Rock, Metallica 7 Comments
I ended up re-watching the Metallica documentary around the making of the “Black” album.
The album is what it is because of Bob Rock. He drove it, he knew from the start exactly what every song needed, he pushed Metallica to the limit and I can understand why Metallica invested so much trust in the direction of the band with him.
Hell, the Producer role should be expanded to state, dealing with egos and arguments.
The demo of “Sad But True” (I had a drummer who always thought it was called “Sad Patrol”) was heaps quicker. Bob heard a “Kashmir” feel and asked James to slow it down and make it crunchy.
Rock kept on telling James to re-write lyrics to songs. He told him to use fewer words in the choruses and to use stronger words. He questioned James on what the song is about. He asked him how the verse lyrics referenced the song message. James didn’t like this line of questioning. If James couldn’t explain it simply, it means he hasn’t nailed the lyric.
Rock told Lars to take drum lessons and he told James to take singing lessons. In my view, Metallica needed that kick up the butt and the amount of physical product the “Black” album has moved is a pretty good indication of that butt kick.
Personally, I would have loved to have seen a doco on the making of the “Load” album just to see the influence Bob Rock had on that album and how those studio sessions went.
Rock’s mentor was another Canadian called Bruce Fairbairn. Most of the records Bob engineered, Bruce was the producer. Fairbairn produced “Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet” and “New Jersey”. Total sales of over 30 million for both albums and Bob Rock engineered both of these albums.
Without Bob Rock, Metallica wouldn’t be as big as they are today and without Metallica, metal music would not have become as mainstream as it is today.
However, having said that, Metallica’s demise music wise (my opinion) during the following years is also attributable to Bob Rock and the reasoning comes from this;
The songs designed for the “Black” album were originally designed following the process of good old fashioned Metallica songs.
The style of the “Black” album songs weren’t too far apart from the old Metallica songs that appeared on “Justice”, “Master” and “Lightning”, heavy with thrash elements.
The song writing process was that James and Lars would take all the riff ideas they accumulated in between albums and go away and listen to all of the ideas. They would make notes as to what riffs where good and take the good ideas and start to turn them into songs. The returned to this songwriting process with the “Hardwired” album.
So when Bob Rock came in after the songs were written and added his influence, changing the songs tempo and asking for better lyrics and melodies, he created what I call the “gap” between the earlier albums and the “Black” album. But because the songwriting process was the same as the earlier albums, the songs still are Metallica.
However following the “Black” album, when Metallica designed the songs for “Load/Reload”, they didn’t follow the original good old Metallica song writing process. Rather they wrote songs from the place I call the “gap” which is now influenced by commercial expectations.
So when Bob Rock gets involved this time around, he amends the sound and feel of the songs even further, creating a greater divide from their original sound then the “Black” album. In other words, the “gap” got bigger.
Coming into “Load”, Metallica has never written 30 demos for an album. They always wrote enough songs for the album. For the “Black” album, they had 12 songs, nothing more. For “Justice”, all the songs they wrote for that album are on the album, no leftovers, same for “Master” and “Ride The Lightning”. So when a band writes 30 songs for an album they are writing for a hit.
I also think there were other motivators behind the influence of the sound of “Load” and “Reload” as well, and that had more to do with the longevity of the band, I remember seeing an interview with Lars years ago which gave this impression on me, basically following the “Black” album, Metallica became one of those all-time great bands like the Rolling Stones and potentially they can be riding the waves of this success in their 60’s. BUT, when they are 60 years old, how are they going to tour playing thrash all the time? The songs the Stones produced are not that hard to pull off when your 60+, but how is Lars going to cope drumming “Battery” every night on tour when he is 60+? How is Hetfield going to growl every night when he is 60+?
It’s very rare I play any songs from “Load” or “Reload”, and I’d say that would be the same for the majority of Metallica fans, whether they are hardcore or new, the album sonically might sound awesome but the songs would be ranked at the bottom of their entire inventory, other than 5 or 6 songs.
I think James summed it up with the following comments about the whole Load and Reload era…
“Lars and Kirk drove on those records. The whole ‘We need to reinvent ourselves’ topic was getting discussed. Image is not an evil thing for me, but if the image is not you, then it doesn’t make much sense. I think they were really after a U2 kind of vibe, Bono doing his alter ego. I couldn’t get into it. The whole, ‘Okay, now in this photoshoot we’re going to be ’70s glam rockers.’ Like, what? I would say half — at least half — the pictures that were to be in the booklet, I yanked out. The whole cover thing, it went against what I was feeling. Lars and Kirk were very into abstract art, pretending they were gay. I think they knew it bugged me. It was a statement around all that. I love art, but not for the sake of shocking others. I think the cover of Load was just a piss-take around all that. I just went along with the make-up and all of this crazy, stupid shit that they felt they needed to do.” James Hetfield
Is Hetfield passing the buck with his comments?
He recorded the songs, wrote the riffs, he did the vocals and so on. Whether he lost interest or passed the controlling influence to Lars, regardless he was on board with the direction, it’s his band, regardless of who’s pulling the strings in the background. Without James, there is no Metallica, all the rest can be replaced in my mind.
I also watched “Get Him To The Greek”, Lar’s gets told off by Russel Brand. “Go sue Napster and your fans”, and that is the stigma that will forever stick with Metallica. They got so out of touch with reality that they sued their own fans for sharing their music. Nicko McBrain sums up piracy in Flight 666 “We sold out in Costa Rica but haven’t sold an album in this country…“
→ Public Domain 2018
← Critical Mass
7 thoughts on “Metallica and Bob Rock”
Speaking of Fairbairn. The Making of Pump is a real good doc as well. You say how tight Tyler is wound up when Bruce and Perry kick him out of the studio…
Wish more bands did these…
Love how Rock busts Hammetts balls on some of the solos….
Yeah I really enjoyed those bits.. Hammet spent the whole weekend working out the solo for Unforgiven, plays it and Rock tells him it’s crap… After a week of yes and no the solo that eventually made it to tape was ready for recording and it’s brilliant.
Need to check out the Pump doco.
Pump doc is on youtube. I owned it years ago on VHS…
The opening scene is classic as you see Tyler sitting a this keyboard in there jam space and you only hear Perry Pissing and a a toilet flushing…
When perry enters into the picture and begins to speak Tyler drowns him out with his keyboard…
mikeslayen says:
This will be an age old questions some day…Metallica did become a Supergroup with the Black Album! As good as it is I have always felt the change from thrash to hard rock metal vibe as a departure and cant listen to virtually anything after Black Album outside a few songs. Recent tunes a little better. I lost total respect for them after seeing Some Kind of Monster. They came off as crybaby ego maniacs and the music especially with Hammet seemed to be a burden. As a struggling musician seeing a huge money making machine gripe and bitch about having to come up with solos and write songs is totally F’d up! The only album I each for is Master of Puppets. If any of the first four plus garage daycare played at parties etc. those are great to listen too as well.
Totally agree with the whole doco.. while it was cool to watch, the unfortunate thing is James is a great songwriter and he went missing on St Anger and what we got was the mess. How many songs from that album would they play live these days? Or even from the Load series of albums?
Shalem says:
I think load and reload have some of their best and worst. Bleeding me, outlaw torn, fixxxer are really incredible songs I think are highly underrated. If you’re not into hard rock it’s understandable, but if you view it as a side project by metallica it’s pretty good. I think a lot of other stuff from that period gets in the way of people enjoying it. The change of the musicl scene, their new haircuts and fashion stuff, the 5 year wait for an album and the vast genre change between those albums. Combine all of that and it’s no surprise many people didn’t like it. But 20 years on I think if you view the songs more objectively there really isn’t anything wrong with them. They aren’t all masterpieces, and some are a bit bland, but there isn’t a song on there I’d think is bad, they are just very different.
Anyway, the sound of TBA, load and reload were fantastic. but I just don’t get why bob rock would be okay with something sounding like st anger? It doesn’t make much sense. Personally I liked st anger a lot, but it goes against a lot of what bob rock did on previous albums. The album didn’t have a clear sound, the songs were unnecessarily long, certain vocal lines were weird, and you can hear that they copy pasted drum parts. it sort of feels very unfinished. If he was such a perfectionist on the black album why would he release something like st anger?
I agree that the songs you mentioned are incredible. I would also add Prince Charming to that. Thanks for reading and commenting
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21452
|
__label__cc
| 0.607434
| 0.392566
|
Abkhazia halts issuing of ‘visas’ during FIFA World Cup
GALI, DFWatch–Sokhumi has suspended the issuing of ‘visas’ which is needed by many Georgians to visit family and do business here in the southern Gali region of the breakaway republic. Locals in this predominantly ethnic Georgian region believe it may be connected to the FIFA World Cup currently underway in Russia.
Locals say the issuance of visas will probably resume when the football cup ends in mid-July.
“We were looking forward to the summer, to have the grandchildren visiting us. We were waiting for the summer holidays in the schools and universities and were planning to apply for ‘visas’ in June. You know that this document has its time-frames and every day costs money. Unfortunately, we couldn’t even apply, that’s how unexpectedly it was suspended. We suspect that they won’t resume the issuance until the end of the football championship. That means that summer the holidays will almost totally be lost and we won’t see our little ones this season,” a 55-year-old Gali resident told DFWatch.
Visas issued by the breakaway authorities of Abkhazia are valid for 10 or 30 days. A 10-day visa collected in Sukhumi costs 700 Russian rubles (USD 11), in Gali the same document costs 1,800 rubles (USD 28). A 30-day visa picked up in Sokhumi costs 1,400 Russian rubles (USD 22) and in Gali it costs 2,800 rubles (USD 44). The document can be extended by paying a certain sum. A visa holder can travel throughout the territory of Abkhazia but if the holder leaves the territory before its expiration date, he or she can’t return unless obtaining a new one.
By DFWatch staff| 2018-06-18T11:41:25+04:00 June 16th, 2018|Categories: News|Tags: Gali, Georgians in Abkhazia, schools in Abkhazia|0 Comments
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21454
|
__label__wiki
| 0.919621
| 0.919621
|
Diaz Reus International Law Practice
Providing high value legal services in the U.S., Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East
U.S. & International Practice
Honors and Recognitions
International Litigation and Arbitration
White Collar Crime, Government Sanctions (OFAC, Magnitsky, CAATSA, GLOMAG), investigations and defense
International Fraud and Asset Recovery
Regulatory and Corporate Investigations, Governance and Compliance
Corporate, Business Transactions and International Trade
DRRT
Energy, Oil and Gas, Petrochemicals, and Infrastructure
Athlete Representation and Entertainment Law
Cuba Practice
Immigration for Business and Individuals
Bankruptcy and Asset Recovery
Attorneys & Counselors
Drone Law Blog
From Hiding, Head of Central Asia’s Only Democracy Says He’s Quitting
MOSCOW — After more than a week in hiding following a disputed election, the president of Kyrgyzstan — Central Asia’s only democracy — on Thursday announced his plans to resign, saying he did not want to go down in history as a leader “who shed blood and shot at his own citizens.”
In a statement issued from an undisclosed location, the president, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, said he had “taken a decision to resign,” though he did not specify whether he had already quit.
Just a few hours earlier, Mr. Jeebenkov had assured a delegation of former senior officials and political veterans that he had no plans to step down and would stand firm against a power grab widely believed to be backed by criminal elements.
Feliks Kulov, a former prime minister who met with the president on Thursday morning, voiced concern over Mr. Jeenbekov’s abrupt change of heart, speculating in a post on Facebook that the leader had been “presented with a choice: voluntary resignation or a real war.”
The day’s dizzying events, which left a freed prisoner in charge of the government as prime minister, seemed to signal the end of what began as a protest by mainstream opposition forces over a rigged election and degenerated last week into a reign of chaos fueled by thugs and criminals.
Mr. Jeenbekov vanished from view after protesters, enraged by Oct. 4 parliamentary elections that were marred by widespread vote-buying, stormed the president’s office and other government buildings in the capital, Bishkek. He was rumored to have taken refuge in a Russian military air base in the town of Kant, about 12 miles from Bishkek, but his exact whereabouts remained unclear.
His departure is the third time in 15 years that violent protests have toppled a president of Kyrgyzstan, the only country in the region with a vibrant civil society, a relatively free press and regular competitive elections for Parliament and the presidency.
The Kremlin, which in 2010 helped engineer the toppling of a Kyrgyz president who had resisted Russian pressure to shut down a since closed United States air base in his country, responded coolly to the announcement on Thursday. Mr. Jeenbekov has had good relations with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Russia is watching the events in Bishkek “very closely,” Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, told journalists in Moscow, and wants “the situation there to calm down as soon as possible.”
PreviousPrevious post:Marta Colomar-Garcia, fortaleza y experiencia en el campo legalNextNext post:A Seamless Flow Of Miami Wilds Water Park Near The Zoo Headed To County Deal
Year 2020 in review: Panama
The Department of State Redesignated Cuba on the SST List
The petroleum industry in Nigeria
Argentina court keeps country’s enforcement efforts on track
What Has the Digital Silk Road Brought to Latin America?
Border measures and the fight against counterfeiting in the Republic of Guatemala: some notes of reflection on its importance and actions that can be taken immediately.
Tel: +1 (877) 247-9277 /
Email: info@diazreus.com
Panama, Republic Of Panama
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Santo Domingo, DR
Guatemala, Guatemala
Bagdhad, Iraq
© 2019 Diaz Reus, LLP
trabzon bayan escort escort yalova bayan bayan escort edirne manisa escort bayan görükle bayan escort
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21455
|
__label__cc
| 0.608581
| 0.391419
|
Wheel of Time Books
Wheel of Time Discussion
True Masters of the Blade
By Perfexionist,
February 4, 2012 in Wheel of Time Books
Thrasymachus - Member
Thrasymachus
Im sorry how is having abunch of people with sticks pointed in the air going to be "Pretty good defense against arrows".
Also same could be said with a sword give any moron with 2 hands a sword and they can kill another man. Honestly give a untrained man a spear and another a sword and I wouldnt bet on one side definately beating the other same goes for trained people too.
Well, see, when you've got a bunch of guys all bunched together, and they all stick their spears or halberds or pointy sticks mostly vertically in the air, the arrows have to travel through this forest of sticks before they can hit the guys holding them. Many, if not most arrows will lose kinetic energy hitting or glancing off the shafts of the sticks, losing the momentum necessary to penetrate armor or shields. Holding pikes upright like that was standard practice for pikemen facing archers.
Give an untrained guy a sword and a different untrained guy a spear, and the guy with the spear will win almost every time, just from the fact that the spear gives you longer reach and it's more difficult to overextend yourself while using it, and almost impossible to seriously hurt yourself trying to wield it, as opposed to the sword. Give a guy who's a trained swordsman a sword, and a guy who's got an equal level of training/experience with the spear a spear, and the guy with the spear will simply destroy the guy with the sword. It'll be even more in favor of the spear than the untrained fighters scenario, because the trained spear-fighter will be able to maximize his advantages.
And a spear is just a staff with a point on it. In close-quarters combat, they're used almost exactly the same; same parrying and defensive moves and same offensive moves with some extra potential effectiveness to some attacks. If a guy with a staff can beat a guy with a sword, then that guy with a spear can beat the guy with the sword faster and more effectively.
Suttree 42 posts
Vardar 36 posts
Maleshub 18 posts
Thrasymachus 12 posts
Suttree - Member
Suttree
And Master Albar, I can agree that it is indeterminable, but suttree says otherwise, that Galad must still be better. I consider that more unlikely than gawyn being better now, based on what we get to see, and what we lean about their attitudes.
The short of it is, a lot of people dislike Gawyn, that obviously factors into people not wanting him to be good at anything. Anyone looking at it clearly would come to the conclusion that Gaywn MIGHT be equal or better by ToM. No one would conclude Galad is still better without blinders on.
It is pretty amazing how much your stance on this has evolved. So now the text doesn't clearly show Gawyn to be better? You have consistently changed your take on the situation as each one has been shot down. Remember back when you were still trying to argue the BS quote made it ambiguous as to who was actually better?
The lucky comment is what makes it ambiguous. Since that obviously means he's referring to Gawyn's showing in specific fights. All of which were pre-bonding.
Only for those looking really hard for a way around his very straight forward and unambiguous answer that ranked Gawyn behind the other three.
As for you appeal to "anyone" or "no one" again all people need to do is look at the posts in any of the threads. So all those people supporting the Galad side have "blinders" on? Ermm ok, thanks for telling us how we read the story. Clearly it is just Gawyn hate, especially since you know what side of the Egwene argument I always fall on. Funny that you would accuse people of bias on certain characters when you have many posts of this nature...
Goooo team Egwene and Gawyn!
floating around DM. Your support wouldn't happen to be colored by fanboi glasses would it?
In terms of their attitudes stop "assuming" that since Galad spent a small period of time conflicted about the situation he was in, it means he stopped training entirely. He lives a very disciplined life and someone with his mindset will continue to train hard. You can do away with your "assumption" off of a few lines from Gawyn during that time Galad was conflicted, turning it into some blanket statement on how they handle their perspective training for the rest of the story. Once again the only facts we know are Galad is the better swordsman and learns things far more quickly. There is nothing anywhere to indicate that Gawyn even catches, much less surpasses Galad. It is all screen time and nothing more. Since we are unable to determine how either would have fared in their perspective situations, we have to default to what the authors and characters in text tell us. Your very admission that it is indeterminable shoots down the argument you have been making for months that the text clearly shows Gawyn to be better.
Edited February 20, 2012 by Suttree
Bob T Dwarf - Member
Bob T Dwarf
You guys are writing faster than I can read. So, I just skipped the last two pages in order to catch-up.
I notice that everybody has automatically removed Rand from consideration.
Granted losing a hand when you're used to a two-handed sword-fighting style kinda puts a crimp in things, but he did say he'd have to learn to adapt to the loss. Then conveniently, somebody found and presented to him, Artur Hawkwing's Justice. Basically a cavalry saber, or one-handed sword.
We haven't seen Rand practicing with it. We have no idea how well he has adapted to the loss of his hand. But, we DO need to remember that Rand is the Arthur archetype, and the only man who could ever beat Arthur with a sword was Lancelot.
Just a little more gasoline for the fire.
Beniare2 - Member
Beniare2
An untrained man with a sword is more likely to cut himself than cut his opponent. Between 2 untrained men..the man with the stick has a better chance of winning due to reach and the fact that he will not cut himself if he hits himself with his stick.
Perhaps you are confusing untrained with retarded.
2 untrained people 1 with spear and 1 with sword saying the spear wielder must win is hilarious. Ill take the opposite stance the wielder would win.
The spear wielder doesnt have to skill to kill his opponent at optimal spear range and is stuck having to defend against a non retarded person hacking away at him with a sword. Now the other guy must use the spear as a poorly balanced staff without the training to make full use of the spear at close range, he will probably start loseing fingers or have his spear hack apart by the sword user.
As for the other guy lifting abunch of spears to stop a rain of arrows? right im more then happy to agree to disagree.
A spear formation now that would work when talking about spear vs sword
Edit: How the hell do you do you hit yourself with your own sword! Or is it like Gaul its been awhile since i shot myself with my own bow.
hang on they have shields but they stick their spears in the air?
Edited February 21, 2012 by Benaire2
ramsuszg - Member
ramsuszg
I know the quarterstaff discussion is a few pages back now, but I do want to say that I think Mat has surpassed pretty much everyone in the series in terms of combat prowess by this point.
He has grown considerably in skill since he defeated Galad and Gawyn (and he was still far from healthy at the time, mind you). He has fully integrated the combat experience of his past lives, he seems to understand to a degree how to eke the most out of his luck "power", and he is now apparently a master at using his ashandarei (which is apparently a very rare weapon in current Randland).
I think Lan would still pose a formidable challenge for him (mostly due to the aforementioned mental factor), but he certainly is no longer subordinate to Tam or the other Two Rivers men in quarterstaff use and he has, with the possible exception of Rand and some of the Forsaken, the most direct experience with combat of anyone in the entire series.
Kahsm - Member
Kahsm
No, I still believe it does, but yes I have agreed in a few posts now that I could understand a position where the distinction is indistinguishable and someone refuses to make a choice. At least that person accepts that things have changed since the start of the series.
So I haven't changed my position, I've just recognized another legitimate one. Not yours, since yours isn't, but other people have a legit position. You can continue to demonize me for being reasonable and conciliatory, that's up to you.
But that's about author quotes, which is a totally different argument than what we've been discussing recently, which is what the text of the books suggest. And as I said, given the text in the books only, I believe it's Gawyn, but I can understand someone not wanting to take a position because it's indeterminable. Picking Galad based on the start of the series is still foolish.
As for you appeal to "anyone" or "no one" again all people need to do is look at the posts in any of the threads. So all those people supporting the Galad side have "blinders" on? Ermm ok, thanks for telling us how we read the story...
Well, obviously there are people like yourself who get it wrong, so I suppose I meant "...no one who reads it properly and can think logically...".
Clearly it is just Gawyn hate, especially since you know what side of the Egwene argument I always fall on. Funny that you would accuse people of bias on certain characters when you have many posts of this nature...
Yes, I like Egwene quite a bit. A better quote as evidence of that can probably be found in the 'hottest character' thread. However, I tend to like Egwene since I actually read her scenes properly, those who severely dislike her tend to spin her scenes in the most ridiculous ways. Hopefully this doesn't hijack the thread...
I'm indifferent to Gawyn at best and slightly annoyed by his persistent Rand hate, but I picked them as a channeler/non-channeler team in the Cage Match because Egwene is awesome and precisely because Gawyn is a better swordsman! if anything, it's my stance in this thread that biased that quote. As for Galad, I don't particularly like or dislike him any more or less than Gawyn. If anything, I prefer Galad's cool deontologicalism, which is far more interesting than a whiny, needy man-boy. But either way, I feel the book text still suggests Gawyn is better, but I accept and understand the position that it's indeterminable because of the arguments that there's no definitive proof, and much if it is based on screen time. But your wild assumption that because it's indeterminable therefore Galad must still be better is mind-boggling.
You still take what was true (though likely exaggerated) in book 3 and apply it, unreservedly, 10 books later. <sarcasm>I guess it's not like Rand grows much over that time right? or Egwene, Nynaeve... I mean everyone is pretty much static across the whole series, why would Gawyn and Galad make any progress if no one else has? </sarcasm>
You make a pretty good point about us both assuming things from early on are still true later, but there's a pretty clear reason why mine is different from yours. My point about Galad and Gawyn is about their motivations and mindset, which is much less likely to change than your points which are about an observation of their differences at that specific time. When your witness said Galad was better, they were talking about at that moment. When we clearly see that Galad stops bothering to show up to the yard, that says something about the guy. At almost the same time we see that Gawyn is not ONLY motivated to train, but is driven specifically by how much better Gawyn perceives Galad is and how much faster he perceives Galad learns. So it's easy to believe he works that much harder to compensate, no such motivations are apparent from Galad... just the opposite. So no, my logic doesn't defeat my own argument.
Edited February 22, 2012 by Kael Pyralis
gloweye - Member
gloweye
Master of Memory
people....in the three month i came here, i've seen at least three threads discussing the sword issue.... always there are two groups:
1. The people who take word of god and go for the order Lan>Rand>Galad>Gawein
2. people who think word of god outdated or whatever and differ on opinion in the skill order.
Shall we all just agree to disagree and move on?
Well, at the moment we're actually discussing whether the text backs up that ranking or not.
Here is the thing, no one is "not picking a side" because the text is indeterminable. Since we have statements from characters saying Galad is better, since he fares better in objective results, since he is more naturally talented and learns far more quickly and lastly since the authors say he is better, it is on the Gaywn side to prove the text shows something different. Up to this point no one has been able to do that. When people say they are unable to determine who is better based purely on fight descriptions in the later books they are agreeing that Galad as all other evidence tells us, is better.
I allow for personnel growth in both fighters, what I have not even remotely seen is any proof that Gawyn has caught, let alone surpassed Galad. It would be nice if someone actually provided all this "evidence" for once.
AltonJakeStorey - Member
AltonJakeStorey
Yes the two are comparable, because it's basically validation of the author's stance...If by this time we had not seen Rand do anything worthy of being considered the Dragon, then there would be debate as to whether he was...If Galad has only had one duel, which he barely won, but his brother has remained practically untouched in almost all his fights (Before y'all pounce I too am aware that he was almost killed fighting the bloodknives)...You gotta think that the one the author is representing as the better swordsman just ain't...And if he is, then someone fell short of providing adequate proof that he is.
Again I ask, give us proof of where Gawyn is shown to the better fighter. Galad beat Valda and single handedly destroyed the mob in Somara coming out unscathed. On top of that we have all of the characters who says he is better, we are told he learns faster and is more skilled and we have him faring better in two objective results. Now for Gawyn we have no idea how he defeated Hammar and Coulin and he came close to being killed against the Bloodknives a fight in which Brandon said he was "luckier than he thinks". You keep saying the authors show Gawyn to be better. Well prove it.
I just made microwave popcorn.
It's the best. Disregard what anyone else tells you, or any other conflicting personal accounts of authority to the contrary. It's here now and in my face, and like so fresh on my taste buds that it's so obviously the most-best.
*tongue in cheek
Never try to teach a pig to sing. You'll only waste your time and it annoys the pig. Translation: Nothing I say would convince you anyway, so why bother? Perhaps I have I haven't provided convincing evidence to you, but it isn't as though you've made your case other than "Well everyone says so, so there!"
Here, try this for size...Let's say that Galad and Gawyn are tennis players (tennis, you like this, right?)...Wellll, ifff weeee werrrre to judggge bassed onnnn matchessss wonnnn, thennnn Gawynnnn hassss haaaaad moorrrre winnnnsss.
And to quote a person of little known fame:
Any contest of skill, whether it be tennis or swords will be won the majority of the time by the more skilled person(in that particular discipline) when you take things out over best of 5.
Had more wins? He's also had more matches. That's like saying "weve seen warrior X fight and win 3 times, we have seen warrior Y fight and win 11 times. Y has more wins, so he must be better then X". The reason he has more wins is because he's fought more fights. And that's against opponents we can't compare to each other. Galad took on one blademaster and has fought off a riot and trolloks. Gawyn has fought FAR MORE then that, as far as we have seen. This doesn't make him the better fighter, just the one with more screen time. BS says your wrong, the characters in the book say you are wrong, this means you are wrong.
Also, Galad was hurt against Valda and this is supposed to mean something? We don't know how Valda would compare to other Blademasters, he might have given Lan a run for his money (not saying he would win, just give a good fight). Your comparisons are meaningless because they cannot be compared. This isn't Dragonball Z, we haven't been given some "power" number. We know they are both good. We know that Galad was said to have had better natural talent. We know that the author has said Galad is better. That adds up quite well. Galad is better, though I would bet that it's not by a large degree.
Edited March 1, 2012 by Altonahk
freec - Member
freec
The simple answer to who is best is neither. It takes years of practice to become a master of anything. The G-brothers could no doubt have reached a proficient level with the sword but having them become blademasters in a year is just creative writing from Jordans side. He wants his charachters to win and so they are made blademasters. Unless they actually end up on opposing sides which is unlikely it doesn't matter who is best. In case they do end up fighting it will be the guy who need to win storywise who is best.
Rands skill can be explained with him remembering swordfighting just as he remembers channeling but it's still a stretch having him beat a blademaster as early as he did. Mat had years of practice with the staff and his dad was the two river champion so he had a good instructor. Add to this his new memories and i can accept his skill in battle.
Finally, about spears and arrows. The phalanx formations of ancient macedon as well as medieval pike and halbierd formations offered a decent protection against hails of arrow. The sheer number of spears made a large portion of the arrows hit or touch the weapons before they could strike the men. Archers fired in volleys that dropped down on the enemies at about 45 degrees angle, only at short range did they start to aim for individuals and shoot more horisontal.
Darthe - Member
Darthe
Forever Unclean
Galad Vs. Gawyn or Galad Vs. Rand (in stedding, pre-hand loss) for cage match 2?
Vardar - Member
Gotta say, this was a great read. Thanks for Sultree for pointing me in the right direction. Just wanted to toss in, doesn't Gawyn think about killing Hammar in one of the books. I'm pretty sure it's implied he did it solo, because it "Had to be done with honor" or some crap.
I too feel that a lot of the Gawyn thinks Galad could be simple little brother syndrome. He's living in a shadow.
While I'll admit the Word of God wins the debate, I too agree that makes no sense. I guess That's all I can add. We'll never know huh. Sucks too.
nolirion - Member
nolirion
You forget That Rand is a Ta'veren , he was a better swordsman in many way that gawyn and Galad but even if by some miracle the get the better of him , the pattern will not allow him to be beaten by them .
Maleshub - Member
Maleshub
A few thoughts after reading 90% of the thread ....
Personally, I think that the Sleete + Warder vs. Gawyn scene only served as a warm-up to justify Gawyn's fight against the Bloodknives. We get a hint that Gawyn can handle multiple opponent; And so we're not shocked that he handles three assassins using ter'angreal to enhance their skills.
Secondly and from a purely "sword skill" PoV; Gawyn defeated the three bloodknives and was mortally wounded. It is closer to a tie than to a victory (e.g. Lan vs. Toram). He would have died if not for the miracle that Egwene woke up in time and screamed loud enough for Aes Sedai to come and heal him.
Also, the bloodknives fight took place nearly a month after the Seanchan raid on the WT. And that is near the max time that a bloodknife lives after activating the ter'angreal. And since the ter'angreal drains life out of the bloodknife, they were much weaker than at the start of the Seanchan raid. The one Bryne killed was more difficult and deadlier than the weakened three. And it took Bryne's skill and warder-enhanced senses to react to that one.
Finally, comparing Gawyn's leadership skills with Galad's is misleading. It is like comparing a Lieutenant with a General. Both have leadership skills! But leading 20,000 troops is on a different scale from leading 500.
Edited July 20, 2012 by Theodril
I'd argue with that last part. At a certain point it's all about managing your Sub-Officers well. Gawyn reached that point, as did Galad, so I think they could be compared in that aspect.
Interesting point about the bloodknives time period. Never thought about that.
But remember Gawyn was only mortally wounded because he had to protect Eggy. If he didn't, the battle would have been different. The Bloodknives had a huge advantage with that aspect.
Le Québecois - Member
Le Québecois
The point here is not to determine who is the best swordsman but to determine who is Jearom reborn. It is stated that Jearom is the best there ever was and he wasn't mention in TGH so he must be reborn. Now , considering what happen in TDR Gawyn and Galad being beaten by Mat A simple farmer at this time just like the story of Jearom which we hear of just as the fight finishes tends to prove that one of them is Jearom. If you analyse this fight you will see that gawyn gets utterly defeated by a blow to the head and that galad resist a bit longer but still gets beaten. I think it's gawyn because he doesn't get beaten after that while galad his down and on the point of dying when perrin rescues him.there are also other evidence throught the series thjat indicates that gawyn adulates galad and thus doesn't want to be better than him while galad do everything rightfully.both of them could be him but my guess is for Gawyn.
GYLD - Member
GYLD
It is stated that Jearom is the best there ever was and he wasn't mention in TGH so he must be reborn.
Quite a few assumptions in this statement. No where has it ever been stated that Jearom is a Hero of the Horn. Now, even if he were a Hero, there were more than a hundred Heroes that participated in the Battle of Falme, and the vast majority were not named.
Gawyn was near to death in Dumai Wells where Rand saved his arse from Gedwyn (or whoever the Ashaman who tried to blow him up); and where he was forced to run away from the Shaido. After that, he spent his time running away from enemies. His harrying campaign against Bryne's army was "hit and run" without battles.
Galad fought a battle! His army fell in an ambush; but fought bravely and long enough to allow Perrin to rescue them; and then counter attack and finish off the Shadowspawn army. That they needed rescue is nothing shameful since the odds were in favor of the the Shadowspawn army.
1- I'd argue with that last part. At a certain point it's all about managing your Sub-Officers well. Gawyn reached that point, as did Galad, so I think they could be compared in that aspect.
2- Interesting point about the bloodknives time period. Never thought about that.
3- But remember Gawyn was only mortally wounded because he had to protect Eggy. If he didn't, the battle would have been different. The Bloodknives had a huge advantage with that aspect.
1- A Lieutenant has under officers (on the level of sergeants); whereas a General's under officers are usually Colonels, Lt. Colonels, and Majors; the lowest of which is not the direct commander of a Lieutenant. So, comparing Gawyn's leadership experience with Galad remains a far-fetched comparison. If what you say is true then there is no difference between a Lieutenant and a General. Are you implying that?
But in the end, Gawyn abandoned leadership and responsibility, including his oaths to Elayne that he swore to uphold from childhood, and chose the path of bodyguard/warder to Egwene.
2- The Bloodknives probably planned to kill Egwene and a few dozen AS to go out "in style." They knew that their time is about to expire; and were under extreme pressure to fulfill their task.
3- In a real battle, a fighter doesn't complain and sometimes doesn't choose the terrain. Gawyn fought the battle in the place it was to be fought; and the result was closer to a draw than to a victory. And blaming Egwene for that is out of context. She was the prize the Seanchan wanted to snare; and thus the battle was in her chambers. But even so, fighting at close quarters is to Gawyn's advantage since the lack of space hinders the assassins more than it hinders Gawyn.
Durinax - Member
Durinax
how did you come up with that one?
1) gawyn is using a 2 handed sword, the bloodknives where using daggers in a lack of space bloodknives have advantage
2) close range there may not be room for the forms he has been trained
Um, pretty sure the Bloodknives were using swords when they were going after Eggy. They decapitated a guard with a single swipe, iirc, and it's a loong dagger that can do that. And the Bloodknives were so enhanced, the lack of space didn't appear to be hindering them at all. Gawyn recognized the three of them using what looked like group attack forms, and started swinging where he thought they should be if he was right instead of at what he could see. He got lucky and took out two of them more or less by surprise through getting lucky. Prior to that, he was barely able to protect himself, employing desperate forms that didn't allow much chance for a counter-attack. With the last one, he knew he wouldn't be able to beat him by anticipating the forms, by the time he recognized them, it'd be too late. And he couldn't use his eyes because the Bloodknives ter'angreal messed with their images. So he made it all dark and took another lucky shot in the dark, and lo and behold, he got lucky. Kinda, he also got a sword in the gut, but he did kill his opponent and live to fight another day.
Gawyn is good, else he wouldn't have survived at all, no question. But in the battle of the Bloodknives, he got lucky, and that's why he won.
They were fighting in a monarch's bedchamber, not Egwene's solitary confinement cell. And Gawyn used that setting to protect his back. He had his back covered so they couldn't come at him from all directions. That minor advantage, added to the immense luck in Thrasymachus' post, allowed him to only suffer a mortal wound, and not get killed right away.
Gawyn was lucky; and so was Egwene . The bloodknives were at the end of their line. They were probably all going to die after the night's business. They were under extreme pressure and probably extremely drained. With them being the elite of the elite assassins in WoT, they could have easily distracted Gawyn with one or even two; and had the third one walk around the bed and kill Egwene. But the pattern wouldn't allow it
We don't know that being at "the end of their line" weakens the Bloodknives, and it's not necessary to assume that they were. If they were, it just means Gawyn was even more lucky in that he didn't have to face them when they were at their peak. But as it stands, he was lucky enough, so there's no real need to pile on the poor guy. Gawyn is good. There's probably not really a hair's worth of difference between him and Galad worth quibbling over. Who knows if Galad had faced the Bloodknives, if he'd have survived without taking a mortal wound, or if he'd have been killed in the first exchange? When dealing with trained assassins vs a trained defender, luck matters much more than skill. Gawyn was as lucky facing these three as Lan was in New Spring when he took on 7 guys and sustained only minor injuries. Multiple sparring matches are the only objective way to determine relative skills, single combat when life and death are on the line is far too dominated by chance and luck to be good determinants.
ToM: Gawyn talking to Kaisea (captured Sul'dam) about Bloodknives:
"They are poisoned by their service. Once they are given a charge, they often will not last more than a few weeks. At most, they survive a month."
"If Kaisea may suggest, great Lord? Count yourself fortunate to have survived fighting a Bloodknife. You must not have been his or her true target. It would be prudent to hide yourself until a month has passed."
The month expiry is verified; but I cannot claim the same certainty that they are weakened as their time approaches. That is only deduction. Still, the Bloodknives were under pressure to fulfill the "will of the Empress" and kill "dozens." And their prize was Egwene. Gawyn's defense in the bedchamber saved the lives of dozens of Aes Sedai as well as Egwene's.
I am not trying to pile it on Gawyn, because I think that this fight is his moment of redemption. But it is always nice to take all factors into consideration when assessing a scene.
MountaineerWV - Member
MountaineerWV
Ugh, Gawyn is so arrogant.
I find it very weird that it seems that almost all of the Great Captains are also blademasters. I would've thought that excellence with a sword and tactical genius would not necessarily be correlated. Leadership may be to an extent, but leading by example only gets you so far.
If you look at modern day elite units, ones that use meritocracy to promote soldiers, the leaders tend to be not only the most tactically sound, but also damn near Olympic athletes. The one in charge doesn't have the be the 'best', but a weakling (in mind, soul, or body) will never be respected by those he leads.
Support Dragonmount Get exclusive content on our Patreon. Don't miss out.
DRM FREE EBOOKS Store | Info
TV Show Concept Art Revealed
New concept art from the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time television show was released today.
Adam's Wheel of Television: Winds of Change
By Werthead
Rajiv's Threads In the Pattern: A Different Dance
By MahaRaj
Book Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
By Eqwina
Book Review: The Child of Chaos
Amazon reveals Thom Merrilin's guitar
By Jason Denzel
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21466
|
__label__cc
| 0.689582
| 0.310418
|
Military and civilian missions and operations
EEAS homepage > Military and civilian missions and operations > EU actors celebrate International Human Rights Day in the Central African Republic
EU actors celebrate International Human Rights Day in the Central African Republic
On December 10, 2020, the EU extended family in the Central African Republic including the civilian EU Advisory Mission, the military EU Training Mission and the diplomatic EU delegation organized a reception for local counterparts and international partners to celebrate International Human Rights Day, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The recent adoption of the third EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024) gave further reason for this celebration. The aforementioned Action Plan provides a new political roadmap aiming to position the EU as a geostrategic and credible global defender of core values and interests – with observance of human rights among the key interests of the European Union.
The head of the civilian EU Advisory Mission Paulo Soares underlined in his speech the importance of human rights for the mandates of the three respective EU entities present in the Central African Republic and their willingness to help their local counterparts, mainly the Internal Security Forces, the Central African Armed Forces and Judiciary to integrate, protect, respect and implement human rights.
The planning and execution of the event showed once again an excellent transversal cooperation between the Delegation and the EU missions present in the country.
#humanrightsday #eu4humanrights #csdp
EUAM RCA
The Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC)
The eleven civilian CSDP Missions work to increase human security. Around 2,000 men and women are currently deployed in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The CPCC is the headquarter of these Missions. Read about their joint efforts to strengthen security, rule of law and human rights.
Press and information team of EUAM RCA
We need humanitarian access to Tigray as urgent first step towards peace in Ethiopia
One Planet Summit for Biodiversity: Leaders take action to protect nature and health
Strengthening EU security and defenceThe EU in a changing and challenging world
EUAM RCA European Union Advisory Mission in the Central African Republic Civilian OperationAt the request of the Central African Government request, the EU established on 9 December 2019 a civilian advisory mission to assist and support the authorities on a strategic level in the reform of the Central African civilian security sector. The core of the Mission’s mandate is to provide
Member States strengthen civilian CSDP: Centre of Excellence opens in Berlin“All crises in our neighbourhood have one thing in common: lasting solutions cannot be found through military means alone. Europe must become stronger in the sphere of civilian crisis management, as the centrepiece of the (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy,” declared Heiko Maas, German Foreign
Civilian CSDP: good insurance coverage for challenging conditionsStaff of civilian CSDP Missions work in challenging, at times dangerous circumstances. Traumatic injuries caused by road traffic accidents or terror attacks, infectious diseases, significant stress caused by increased threat levels…these are examples of the health challenges that the approximately 2
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21475
|
__label__cc
| 0.673913
| 0.326087
|
COVID-19: NPFL stars lamenting over uncertain future « Emperornaij
« Ikpeba tasks Rohr on Saka | Why I named my grandson, Goodnews –Obesere »
COVID-19: NPFL stars lamenting over uncertain future
Published by Akorede on July 9th, 2020.
Top Nigerian Professional Football League gamers have expressed uncertainty over their destiny in the NPFL because of the rising instances of COVID-19 in the country,
The NPFL is currently suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak, with clubs still waiting for an legit statement on the destiny of the cutting-edge season from the League Management Company, after contributors of the Club Owners Association voted in opposition to the restart of the league season.
The Nigeria Football Federation General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, had declared that wide consultation was still ongoing as to the format and pattern of foreclosing the 2019/2020 NPFL season.
Sunshine Stars’ defender, Jamiu Alimi, said he became irked by the lack of conversation between the league organisers and the golf equipment.
“The uncertainty is incredible, I don’t think everybody knows what’s happening,” – Alimi
“We don’t recognize if the decision of the club chairmen has been authorised or not. I don’t have a clue. I definitely don’t realize.
“And we can’t do something on the minute, we haven’t started back, we haven’t even been given a begin date or instructed whilst we will go back to training.”
Enyimba’s Ifeanyi Anaemena admitted that the league suspension had made life difficult.
“To be honest, it has been a very tough time for me and all of the footballers. We have been seeking to cope and live in shape at the same time as we await a good statement from the government. Sincerely, no one is aware of while the season or football will restart.
“The good part of all that is that my club has been paying our salaries monthly, so financially, we are fine.”
El-Kanemi Warriors’ forward, Kabiru Balogun, added, “We want a few guidance, we want to understand what’s going on. There’s a lot uncertainty and actually no conversation and it’s hurting.”
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21478
|
__label__cc
| 0.636821
| 0.363179
|
Opinion Tax and legislation
Richard Kandler: Taxation of death benefits and changes from April 2015
By Robert Crawford 6th January 2015 5:23 pm 2nd November 2015 3:06 pm
In last year’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that, from 6 April 2015, beneficiaries of individuals who die under the age of 75 with a joint life or guaranteed term annuity will be able to receive any future payments from those policies tax-free.
In broad terms, this can be regarded as an extension of tax relaxations recently announced in relation to lump-sum death benefits. Those changes do not affect either the inheritance tax or lifetime allowance (LTA) positions, but they do ease the burden of the current 55% ’special tax charge’.
For payments made before 6 April 2015, the current law continues to apply as follows. If the member dies before reaching age 75, the question of whether there is a special tax charge depends on whether the lump sum is tested against the member’s LTA.
If the benefit is tested against the member’s LTA, then it does not attract a special tax charge. If the benefit is not tested against the member’s LTA, then the special tax charge applies. The charge applies to lump sums on death after reaching age 75. Where the charge applies in any of these circumstances, it is calculated as 55% of the lump-sum death benefit.
But when the reforms come into force, for payments made on or after 6 April 2015, the position will be as follows. There will be no special tax charge on death before age 75, but the charge will apply to lump sums on death after reaching age 75.
For the 2015/16 tax year, the special tax charge will be reduced to 45% from its current rate of 55% of the lump-sum death benefit, and for subsequent tax years, no single uniform rate of special tax charge will apply, but instead the benefit will be taxed as income at the recipient’s marginal rate.
These changes do not apply to those specific types of lump sum, which are typically characterised as trivial (because of the level of benefits involved), or which are termed ’charity lump sums’. The special tax charge does not apply to those benefits.
No one could describe this as straightforward, but the changes do make matters a little simpler for post-5 April 2015 payments, and in some cases will reduce the tax burden.
Richard Kandler is a senior pensions lawyer at Linklaters
New Year’s resolutions for benefits professionals
9th January 2015 6:30 am 3rd November 2015 4:52 pm
Employers offer flexible working to support ageing workforce
1st January 2015 12:00 am 5th April 2017 2:08 pm
Employee Benefits Insight
Debbie Lovewell-Tuck: Wider skillsets needed by benefits professionals
5th January 2015 12:20 pm 2nd November 2015 3:06 pm
Southern Water creates benefits generalists to support the business
5th January 2015 4:26 pm 3rd November 2015 4:52 pm
Tesco closes DB pension and introduces new flex package
9th January 2015 12:00 pm 3rd November 2015 4:52 pm
Latest ArticlesComments (1)
Richxkvxs 22nd January 2015 at 10:43 am
Tampa Bay Lightning Galaxy S5 Cases Argyle
And he does carry himself like a guy that’s been around a while.
Tampa Bay Lightning Galaxy S4 Cases Plaid
He’d still hit .293, with 27 home runs, 44 steals and an OPS+ of 154, borderline MVP stats.
Tampa Bay Lightning Galaxy Note 3 Cases Polka Dots
331 26 101).
http://castinfo.co.kr/images/Colorado-Avalanche-iPhone-4-Cases-Away-Jersey-6809.html
Start your life.
http://castinfo.co.kr/images/Chicago-Blackhawks-iPhone-6-Plus-Cases-Primary-Logo-8657.html
A smile stole across her face.
http://castinfo.co.kr/images/Chicago-Blackhawks-iPhone-6-Cases-Jersey-Stripe-9048.html
More than seven years after that one pitch at bat that earned him a rare place in baseball history as the only player to be hit by the only pitch he ever saw in the major leagues, Greenberg was signed to a one day contract by the Marlins last week.
http://castinfo.co.kr/images/Chicago-Blackhawks-iPhone-5S-Cases-Traditional-Camo-3168.html
The Cardinals, in their own way, were lucky to win the game.
Reply Link
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21479
|
__label__wiki
| 0.587641
| 0.587641
|
Get the monthly El Mensajero eNews!
About El Mensajero
Borinquen Dance Theatre perform outside of Frontier Field Aug. 16. (EMC photo by Jeff Witherow)
Annual festival, parade celebrate Puerto Rican culture
EMC photos by Jeff Witherow and John Haeger | 09-18-2019
Section: Uncategorized
Related Content (1)
50th-Annual Puerto Rican Festival
Hundreds of people gathered in Rochester last month to celebrate Puerto Rican culture.
The 50th-annual Rochester Puerto Rican Festival took place Aug. 16-18 at Frontier Field’s VIP lot. The festivities kicked off Aug. 16 with an opening ceremony, live music and cultural dance from the Borinquen Dance Theatre. The festival featured a variety of events, such as a boxing match and daily musical entertainment. The celebration also featured such traditional Puerto Rican food as pinchos, or large skewers of meat and vegetables; yellow rice topped with a variety of meats; and fried empanadas with meat and cheese.
On Aug. 17, a rainstorm did not stop the 50th-annual Puerto Rican Parade as parade goers and participants filled the streets to kick off the second day of the festival. The parade began at the Liberty Pole in downtown Rochester and made its way to Frontier Field. The Antonetti family won first place for their float submission, and Domingo Martinez Jr. received the Father Laurence Tracy Excellence in Leadership Award.
Copyright © 2020 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited.
Diocese of Rochester
Unless otherwise noted, all material copyright © 2020 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. May not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21481
|
__label__cc
| 0.672616
| 0.327384
|
Linguistics/Language Acquisition
< Linguistics
Theoretical Linguistics
01. Phonetics • 02. Phonology • 03. Morphology • 04. Syntax • 05. Semantics • 06. Pragmatics • 07. Discourse Analysis
Language as Signs
08. Semiotics • 09. Sign Language • 10. Orthography
Language and the Human Mind
11. Psycholinguistics • 12. Neurolinguistics • 13. Language Acquisition • 14. Evolutionary Linguistics
The Diversity of Language
15. Typology • 16. Historical Linguistics • 17. Dialectology and Creoles • 18. Sociolinguistics • 18. Anthropological Linguistics
Glossary • IPA Chart • Further reading • Bibliography • License
Language Acquisition is the study of how children learn languages.
1 Phonology
2 Lexicon
2.1 Numbers
Phonology[edit]
Children generally develop phonemes that are cross-linguistically more common, before they develop rarer ones. For example, children tend to be slow to acquire the English "th" sounds, pronouncing them as "d" and "t" and the "a" sound in American English apple is likewise difficult. It may take as long as seven years for children to learn all of a language's phonemes.
Likewise, phonotactics may be difficult. The "str" cluster in "street" is rare cross-linguistically, and difficult for children to pronounce, and they will tend to pronounce it "sreet" at first.
Lexicon[edit]
Children learning languages fall into two types. They either learn social words first, like "hi" and "more" or nouns, like "mama," "dada," and "doggy."
Children are also limited in their lexicon, and will extend words they know to cover similar cases. For example, the word "doggy" may be used to describe cats, cows, and tables--anything with four legs.
Numbers[edit]
Children learn, 1, 2, and 3 in that order, and then suddenly learn to count.
Morphology[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Linguistics/Language_Acquisition&oldid=3174840"
Book:Linguistics
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21484
|
__label__wiki
| 0.853091
| 0.853091
|
Christian Bach
For the Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council, see Christian Friis Bach.
This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Adela Christian Bach Bottino
(1959-05-09)May 9, 1959
February 26, 2019(2019-02-26) (aged 59)[1]
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Actress, producer
Humberto Zurita
(m. 1986; her death 2019)
Sebastián Zurita
Emiliano Zurita
Adela Christian Bach Bottino[a] (May 9, 1959 – February 26, 2019), known as Christian Bach, was an Argentine Mexican[2] actress and producer of telenovelas produced by companies such as Televisa, TV Azteca and Telemundo.
Among her most famous works in telenovelas with Televisa included Los ricos también lloran (1979), Soledad (1980), Bodas de odio (1983),[3] De pura sangre (1985) and Encadenados (1988). With TV Azteca her most relevant works included Agua y aceite (2002), which she also produced along with her husband Humberto Zurita, and Vidas robadas (2010). With Telemundo her works included La Patrona (2013) and La Impostora (2014).[4]
2 Filmography
2.1 Films
2.2 Television
3 TV shows
Biography[edit]
Bach was born in Buenos Aires to Roberto Bach Meizegeier and Adela Bottino Adamowa (better known as Adela Adamowa).[3][5] After graduating with a degree in law Christian Bach moved to Mexico to become an actress.[4] She started working in plays and in films, where her voice was often dubbed to conceal her Argentine accent. She obtained a small role in the worldwide hit telenovela Los ricos también lloran in 1979 and four years later a starring role in the successful Bodas de odio.
In 1986 she co-starred with Zurita in De pura sangre and in the same year they got married.[6] Ten years later and after a string of successful productions with Televisa the Zurita-Bach couple decided to form their own production company, ZUBA Producciones, and to move to nascent network TV Azteca. Two years later they produced two telenovelas for the station, La chacala and Azul Tequila, a successful production that launched the career of Bárbara Mori and Mauricio Ochmann. In the 1980s she recorded an album as a solo singer, but the album lacked success and interest from the public.
In 1984 and 1989, Bach won the Best Actress award at the TVyNovelas.[4] She also won the Best Actress TuMundo from Telemundo in 2013.[4]
Bach died on February 26, 2019 due to respiratory failure.[7] Her death was announced March 1 due to the actress' desire to keep personal matters private.[8]
Filmography[edit]
Films[edit]
1977 Brigada en acción
1980 La venganza del lobo negro
1981 Duelo a muerte
1985 Secuestro sangriento
1985 Gavilán o paloma Anel
1989 Los placeres ocultos
1992 Soy libre
1993 Yo, tú, el, y el otro
1994 El hombre de Blanco Erika
2008 Trancoso, retazos de vidas Rafaella Short film
2010 El secreto Claudine
2013 Deseo Señora
Television[edit]
1978 La mujer frente al amor 3 episodes
1978 Te sigo queriendo Ana
1979 Verónica María Teresa 3 episodes
1979 Propiedad horizontal Vicky 19 episodes
1979 Los ricos también lloran Joanna Smith
1980-1981 Soledad Chelo Sánchez Fuentes 284 episodes
1980 Colorina (Mexican TV series) Peggy 3 episodes
1982 El amor nunca muere Cecilia 194 episodes
1983 Bodas de odio Magdalena 151 episodes
1985 De pura sangre Florencia 55 episodes
1988-1989 Encadenados Catalina 179 episodes
1991 Atrapada Camila Montero 95 episodes
1993 Videoteatros: Véngan corriendo que les tengo un muerto
1995 Bajo un mismo rostro Irene Saldívar Teodorakis 100 episodes
1996 La antorcha encendida María Ignacia "Güera" Rodríguez 138 episodes
1997 La chacala Gilda Almada / Liliana Almada / Delia de Almada / La chacala 180 episodes
2002 Agua y aceite Julieta 68 episodes
2010 Vidas robadas María Julia Echeverría de Fernández Vidal / Maria Emilia Echeverria Ruiz 141 episodes
2013 La Patrona Antonia Guerra "La Patrona" 127 episodes
2014 La impostora Raquel Altamira 120 episodes
TV shows[edit]
Videoteatros: Véngan corriendo que les tengo un muerto (1993; producer)
Foreign-born artists in Mexico
List of Argentines
^ This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Bach and the second or maternal family name is Bottino.
^ "Muere la actriz Christian Bach a los 59 años". quien.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^ "Famous naturalized Mexicans". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
^ a b "Argentine Actress, Christian Bach Dies At The Age of 59". Celebspodium. 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
^ a b c d Local, Telemundo. "Argentine Actress Christian Bach Has Died at 59". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
^ González, Renata. "El tierno y nostálgico álbum de la familia Zurita-Bach". Quién.
^ González, Moisés. "El amor incondicional entre Humberto Zurita y Christian Bach: "No me concibo separado de ella"". peopleenespanol.com (in Spanish). People en Español. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^ González, Moisés. "Muere la actriz Christian Bach a sus 59 años". peopleenespanol.com (in Spanish). People en Español. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
^ Fugueroa, Rafael (2019-03-01). "Muere la actriz Christian Bach tras sufrir un paro respiratorio". La Prensa Latina. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
Christian Bach profile at Alma-Latina.net
Christian Bach on IMDb
Profile at Zurita-Bach.com
Christian Bach at Cinenacional.com (in Spanish) (archive)
TVyNovelas Award for Best Actress
Silvia Pinal (1983)
Christian Bach (1984)
Susana Alexander (1985)
Angélica Aragón (1986)
Diana Bracho (1987)
Verónica Castro (1988)
María Sorté (1990)
Edith González (1994)
Rebecca Jones (1995)
Lucero (1996)
Daniela Castro (1997)
Helena Rojo (1999)
Leticia Calderón (2000)
Adela Noriega (2002)
Yadhira Carrillo (2003)
Bárbara Mori (2005)
Angélica Vale (2007)
Angélica Rivera (2008)
Blanca Guerra (2009)
Itatí Cantoral (2010)
Angelique Boyer (2011)
Sandra Echeverría (2012)
Victoria Ruffo (2013)
Erika Buenfil (2014)
Adriana Louvier (2015)
Maite Perroni (2016)
This article about an actor from Argentina is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
This article about a Mexican actor is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christian_Bach&oldid=1000183317"
Actresses from Buenos Aires
Argentine film actresses
Argentine telenovela actresses
Argentine emigrants to Mexico
Mexican film actresses
Mexican telenovela actresses
Naturalized citizens of Mexico
Actresses of German descent
Deaths from respiratory failure
Argentine actor stubs
Mexican actor stubs
CS1 Spanish-language sources (es)
Marriage template deprecations
Articles with Spanish-language sources (es)
Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21485
|
__label__cc
| 0.696978
| 0.303022
|
The place for your career is LMCU.
We’re proud of our past, thrilled with our present, and couldn’t be more excited about our future.
You'll love working here
Over the course of 85 years, Lake Michigan Credit Union has become Michigan’s largest credit union and the largest mortgage provider. With over 40 branch locations and three corporate offices, LMCU consistently makes the 101 of the Best and Brightest Places to Work list, both locally and nationally.
See Career Opportunities
Our values drive core culture
You’ll enjoy a rewarding, professional environment where you’ll be encouraged to innovate and excel. We're committed to your empowerment as an employee, providing ongoing training, support, and opportunities to achieve your career goals.
What Our Culture Stands For
Tangible, Predictable, Comprehensive Benefits
Working at Lake Michigan Credit Union is a partnership. You bring experience, skills, talents, and drive, and we provide a supportive environment where you can succeed and thrive. We’ll provide a technologically up-to-date work space with all the tools, training and backing you need to do your job.
The Benefits of Working at LMCU
Wanted: The Best Loan Officers
If you’re a mortgage loan professional, you probably already know that LMCU is a key mortgage provider in Michigan and expanding in Florida. What you might not know is that LMCU is looking for sharp, experienced mortgage pros to help us maintain that position, and then some. Could that be you?
Mortgage Careers
Opportunities Everywhere
Corporate offices in Grand Rapids help serve nearly 50 branches spread out across Michigan and Southwest Florida. Our branches can be found in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Holland, Grand Haven and Traverse City. LMCU has a presence in the Saginaw area, Detroit’s northern suburbs and southwestern Florida.
Learn More About Our Locations
Join the LMCU Team
Get your career started
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21487
|
__label__cc
| 0.707087
| 0.292913
|
Creatures » … » Animals » … » Moss Animals » …
Creatures » Cellular Organisms » Eukaryotes » Opisthokonts » Animals » Bilateria » Protostomes » Spiralians » Moss Animals » Gymnolaemates » Cheilostomatida » Mamilloporoidea «
Cleidochasmatidae
Cleidochasmatidae is a family of moss animals. Dead Cleidochasmatidae form shallow marine sediments. They have sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction. Reproduction is oviparous. They are sessile animals.
URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C25513
Definition: combine to create (something), eg: a structure
URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_03000034
Definition: Marine sediment that accumulates within shallow regions of the oceanic basin close to continents, such as the continental shelf, or continental slope
URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0019953
Definition: Capable of creating a new organism by combining the genetic material of two gametes, which may come from two parent organisms or from a single organism, in the case of self-fertilizing hermaphrodites.
Definition: Capable of the biological process in which new individuals are produced by either a single cell or a group of cells, in the absence of any sexual process.
URI: http://www.marinespecies.org/traits/Oviparous
Definition: Egg laying; producing eggs that are laid and hatch externally (Lincoln et al., 1998).
Attribution: Lincoln, R., Boxshall, G. & Clark, P., 1998. A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University of Press. http://www.marinespecies.org/traits/wiki/Traits:Oviparous
URI: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1759860
Definition: organisms that do not possess a means of self-locomotion and are normally immobile
EOL has data for 32 attributes, including:
diet includes
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Diet
Definition: Information about the items eaten by this organism.
URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q842627
ecomorphological guild
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/EcomorphologicalGuild
Definition: organisms that share certain morphological traits due to adaptation to similar environments and ecological roles
substrate-attached
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Attached
Definition: This organism is normally physically attached to the substrate upon which it lives
URI: http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/habitat
Definition: A category or description of the habitat in which the Event occurred.
Comment: Example: "oak savanna", "pre-cordilleran steppe"
marine benthic
Definition: The marine benthic biome (benthic meaning 'bottom') encompasses the seafloor and includes such areas as shores, littoral or intertidal areas, marine coral reefs, and the deep seabed.
mineralized skeleton contains
URI: https://eol.org/schema/terms/mineralizedSkeletonContains
Definition: Component found in mineralized skeletal tissue, (a specialized form of biogenic tissue in which the extracellular matrix is mineralized, and which functions in mechanical and structural support.)
URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/CHEBI_3311
Definition: A carbonate salt that has formula CO3Ca
URI: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q33596
Definition: ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process
sessile
number of public records in BOLD
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/NumberPublicRecordsInBOLD
Definition: number of records in this clade in the Barcode Of Life Database (BOLD)
Definition: The production of new individuals that contain some portion of genetic material inherited from one or more parent organisms
trophic guild
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/TrophicGuild
Definition: A group of species that exploit the same food resources, and/or use the same feeding or foraging methods. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_(ecology)
suspension feeder
URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/suspensionFeeder
Definition: An organism which feeds on organisms and/or particles suspended in the water column.
water depth
URI: http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/verbatimDepth
Definition: The depth of seawater at a location where this organism has been observed or collected.
Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of Cleidochasmatidae. View this species on GBIF
Cleidochasmatidae Habitats
The environments in which many Cleidochasmatidae species are known to live. Select an environment to see its Cleidochasmatidae species checklist.
Cleidochasmatidae includes 7 children:
Anchicleidochasma
Calyptooecia
Characodoma
Cleidochasmidra
Fedorella
Gemelliporina
Yrbozoon
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21488
|
__label__wiki
| 0.72099
| 0.72099
|
US Authorities Seek Access to Facebook Encrypted Messaging
Posted on October 04, 2019 By News Team
U.S. Attorney General William Barr wants Facebook to give law enforcement a way to read encrypted messages sent by users, re-igniting tensions between tech companies and law enforcement.
NEW YORK — U.S. Attorney General William Barr and other U.S., U.K. and Australian officials are pressing Facebook to give authorities a way to read encrypted messages sent by ordinary users, re-igniting tensions between tech companies and law enforcement.
Facebook’s WhatsApp already uses so-called end-to-end encryption, which locks up messages so that even Facebook can’t read their contents. Facebook plans to extend that protection to Messenger and Instagram Direct.
But the officials will ask Facebook to hold off in an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg . A copy of the letter, dated Friday, was obtained by The Associated Press.
“Companies should not deliberately design their systems to preclude any form of access to content, even for preventing or investigating the most serious crimes,” the officials wrote. The letter repeatedly emphasizes the dangers of child sexual exploitation to justify their stance.
Law enforcement has long sought a way to read encrypted messages that’s analogous to wiretaps for phone calls. Security experts, however, say giving police such access makes messaging insecure for everyone. Redesigning encryption to create “backdoors” for police also creates vulnerabilities that criminals or foreign spies can exploit, they say.
“Every couple of years, the FBI rears its ugly head and tells us they need to have access to end-to-end encrypted messaging,” said Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights advocacy group. “You cannot make a backdoor that only good guys can go through.”
Facebook said Thursday that people have the right to have private conversations online and that companies are already able to respond to government agencies when they receive valid legal requests. “We strongly oppose government attempts to build backdoors because they would undermine the privacy and security of people everywhere,” Facebook spokesman Joe Osborne said in a statement.
The letter marks yet another salvo in the Justice Department’s continuing effort to persuade technology companies to weaken or bypass encryption upon requests from law enforcement.
Former FBI Director James Comey championed the need for law enforcement to find a workaround for encrypted devices and communications. He led a highly publicized push to gain access to an iPhone belonging to one perpetrator of a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people in 2015.
Apple resisted such efforts and went to court to block an FBI demand for Apple to disable security measures that complicated efforts to guess the phone’s passcode. While the FBI cast its request as a limited emergency measure, CEO Tim Cook argued that the technique could easily be used again, making iPhone users more vulnerable to spies and thieves. The FBI relented after it found another way of getting into the San Bernardino phone.
Barr will make the request to Facebook in a letter with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel and Australia Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. BuzzFeed News reported on the letter earlier.
The Justice Department calls the growing use of end-to-end encrypted communications the “going dark” problem, referencing the way encryption shields information that law enforcement could previously access easily.
Barr gave lengthy comments on what he described as a dangerous increase in device encryption at a cybersecurity conference this summer in New York. During his comments, Barr specifically detailed the use of WhatsApp group chat by a drug cartel to coordinate the murders of Mexico-based police officials.
In announcing plans in March to expand encryption, Zuckerberg acknowledged that the privacy protection it affords extends to “the privacy of people doing bad things.” He said Facebook was working on better ways to detect patterns of bad behavior, without seeing contents of messages.
US-Europe Dispute Threatens Main Artery of World Trade
US Finalizes Sale of 150 Anti-Tank Missiles to Ukraine
Sign Up Below For Today's Top News, Alerts and The Next Big Stock
Suez gets $13.66 billion approach from Ardian
Stock-market investors should brace for a weaker dollar, says Goldman Sachs
Investors betting defensive stock market plays will win as they sold tech, financials
Next Windows 10 update nearing completion as it gets its official name
Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Equity Insider is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc.
While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
Equity Insider offers news and information from global equity markets. We focus on emerging markets, along with hot topics and timely business news.
Take a look at this undervalued Gold mining company
Equity Insider
support@equity-insider.com
www.equity-insider.com
© 2018 Equity-Insider.com All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21489
|
__label__wiki
| 0.646355
| 0.646355
|
The Equity Release Victims Association
“Do not lie down but stand up and fight them!"
About ERVA
Search these: MembersGroupsPosts
Tag archives for Danske Bank
Founder Member and President of ERVA celebrates Court victory over DANSKE BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
30th September 2017 by admin under Legal Action
Euan Armstrong, member founder and current President of ERVA, has managed to persuade a Court in Coin to dismiss loan foreclosure proceedings brought by Danske Bank International S.A. in 2010.
The victim of vicious luxembourg-based Danske Bank has fought relentlessly during 7 years to stop the lender from taking his home, after having been cheated by the bank’s staff -at one time based in Fuengirola- who sold him an Equity Release loan named as “Capital Assurance”.
In spite of being unsuccessful in 2 criminal actions, one directed to the bank’s representatives for aggravated fraud and a further one against a Coin-based Judge for negligence, the Superior Court of Justice in Granada -when dismissing the latter complaint against the Judge- deemed that Mr. Armstrong was nevertheless right in denouncing irregularities in the proceedings and observed that a fresh review of the case was necessary.
Finally, a newly-appointed Judge in Coin decided that Danske Bank’s position was untenable and threw the case out.
This ruling can be appealed (est. time 1.5 years to resolve) but it is unlikely it will be upheld.
Meanwhile, Euan is bringing new proceedings against Danske Bank International S.A. to nullify the Equity Release product and invalidate the mortgage loan.
tagged in Danske Bank, Danske Bank Luxembourg, Equity Release Spain, Euan Armstrong
15 Comments →
Summary of Court Questioning of Danske Bank Staff
27th February 2014 by admin under Legal Action
ERVA has received a summary of the interrogation of the Danske Bank staff members from an undisclosed source.
Morten Runo Waaben said that he was just the investor and came into the bank in 2006, at a later stage.
Acting lawyers were not too keen on his side of the story because he was merely the investment manager, and was not involved in the signing up of the claimant. However, his version of how the investment was conducted grossly differs from the truth; he stated that it was Euan Armstrong who instructed how the spread of the investments should be allocated and that in fact, against his own advice, Euan wanted a higher risk approach.
Morten also said that he was aware that Euan was an ‘avid’ investor, with substantial experience.
Henrik Hjerrild Hansen went on to deny any involvement in the sale stating that although he had signing the product at the Notary Public, it was all done via Luxembourg. When lawyers confronted him on his knowledge of what he was really signing at the Notary Office, he said he was aware it was a mortgage loan but little else.
In respect of his involvement with the Danske Office in Spain, he said that his role was merely that of general information to the public about the bank and its services, without providing advice. This is hardly consistent with the their own publicity:
When lawyers asked him about Spanish tax matters, he said he had little clue about this as that was not his role or remit, and again referred the matter to Luxembourg. Lawyers strongly confronted this statement appealing to his own LinkedIn profile, which he has now removed, where he seems ‘the’ expert in Private Banking with Danske, after 40 years of service for this entity.
Finally, the lawyer for the bank, Ole Stenersen, was quite a funny chap although could not help stop lying. In his words, he was no tax expert and could not answer anything about the Capital Assurance Product. He denied knowledge of this set up and referred it to ‘someone else’ within bank. Surprisingly, when his counsel starting asking questions about this same matter, he suddenly had the answers in respect to whether a mortgage loan for tax purposes refers not to the mortgage itself, but to the loan and how it gets invested.
He also gave inconsistent answers about the KPMG letter citing just one paragraph of it whilst, barefacedly, denied the other (one where KPMG states that they never authorized the tax benefits of the product).
ERVA is now hoping that other victims of these thieves will wish to join the case; in connection to this.
It is our determination to impede Danske Bank get away with this and we are truly hoping that this matter will go to trial.
We will not finish this post without mentioning a new participant soon to be exposed, Mr. Soren Glente.
tagged in Danske Bank, Danske Capital Assurance
3 Comments →
Danske Bank Managed to Sell Equity Release Throughout Spain
19th September 2013 by admin under Selling Antics
We can today say that Danske Bank Luxembourg, operating from their offices in Centro Comercial Idea, Carretera Fuengirola Mijas, was definitely successful in spreading the story that taking out a mortgage on your home to avoid Spanish taxes was the best thing since sliced bread.
A great deal of the business carried out by Danske Bank in Spain was Equity Release though straight loans to purchase property were also signed.
However, judging by how many equity release contracts we have knowledge of, in so many different places in Spain, we can say Danske’s scaremongers managed to make their lie, no matter how outrageous, a truthful story by repeating it often enough.
tagged in Danske Bank
Allan Graydon, Danske Bank, KPMG and PriceWaterHouseCoopers
20th November 2012 by admin under Legal Action
Allan Graydon, the Chartered Accountant that was not, established fruitful relationships with reputable entitiesto sell Equity Release schemes.
Danske Bank did share offices with Graydon, and they have admitted to this, so no troubles here. Allan Graydon was also partners with Norman Steele who, according to the South African financial regulators, had an arrest warrant out for illegaly conducting financial investments on behalf of customers.
PriceWaterHouseCoopers name was prominently displayed as a collaborating partner, but there are no further news from them.
KPMG’s name is also mentioned but then vehemently deny any involvement in the scheme. Their name is however mentioned on the Danske Bank promotional literature.
tagged in Allan Graydon, Danske Bank, Equity Release, KPMG, PriceWaterHouseCoopers
One Comment →
Court in Fuengirola Agrees to Carry Out All Investigation Measures in Danske Bank Criminal Case
26th June 2012 by admin under Legal Action
In spite of dismissing the case shortly after it had been submitted, Fuengirola Court of First Instance has now agreed to implement a number of fact-finding requests on behalf of Euan Armstrong, as petitioned by his lawyers, after the initial dismissal was appealed successfully at the Malaga Appeal Court.
According to the decision of the Appeal Court, the dismissal of the criminal case against Danske Bank was found to be contrary to law because it was redacted in a laconic format incompatible with the Constitutional Tribunal doctrine and did not deal with the matters raised.
The Court of First Instance has now agreed to the following requests petitioned by EUAN ARMSTRONG’s Counsel:
Summons ordering the following individuals to appear in Court to give a judicial statement: Mr. Peter Staarup, Mr. John Lundskov Larsen, Mr. Morten Runo Waaben, Mr. Henrik Hjerrild Hansen.
Summons ordering the legal representative of DANSKE BANK INTERNATIONAL S.A. to appear in Court to give a judicial statement, on account of its potential responsibility for payment of damages.
Summons ordering LCV, agent involved in the sale of Equity Release, to appear in Court to give a judicial statement, on account of its potential responsibility for payment of damages.
Order to DANSKE BANK SPAIN and DANSKE BANK INTERNATIONAL to disclose the following:
Type of relationship, employment or other, between DANSKE BANK and LCV.
If LCV was authorized by DANSKE BANK as a financial advisor, or commercial agent, and if so the type or nature of products sold on behalf of DANSKE BANK.
Remunerations during the period of relationship, whether in the form of commissions or benefits in kind, that may have been given by DANSKE BANK to LCV, through the network of offices in Spain.
Number of DANSKE BANK CAPITAL ASSURANCE policies or contracts signed in Spain, with reference to the age and profession of the clients of this product.
Destination given to the funds given to the DANSKE BANK by EUAN ARMSTRONG, in respect of the product called “Inverse Mortgage”.
Request to the Spanish Insurance Regulator (Direccion General de Seguros y Fondos de Pensiones), with a view to confirm whether a product known as DANSKE BANK CAPITAL ASSURANCE, consisting in an insurance policy sold as a financial product for the elimination or mitigation of Spanish Inheritance Tax, as well as Spanish Wealth Tax, has obtained administrative authorization to be sold to the public or, in any event, whether it is compliant with applicable legislation, specifically advising on its characteristics and if it is currently sold in Spain.
Witness Summons ordering the following to appear in Court to offer testimony:
C.D. (Daughter of Mr. Armstrong)
K.A. (Daughter of Mr. Armstrong)
tagged in Danske Bank, Euan Armstrong
Danske Bank Luxembourg Agreed to Settle With an 85-year Old British Couple Not Before Extracting an Apology
18th March 2012 by admin under Stories of Victims
Klaus “Monster” Pedersen, the same high-flying executive who thought to be above-board to sell his Spanish tax-evading equity release products to old-age pensioners, preferably through Costa-del-Sol financial cowboys, promising them it was a miracle-product (only to later make the advice disappear from the company website), found that further humiliating his victims by extracting an apology was correct, not before taking €300,000 from them.
Humiliator-in-Chief Pedersen had to agree on a settlement after his company was approached by Sharon Bowles, MEP for the victims, but took great offence that the matter had “transpired” because in opaque Luxembourg, where he is based, washing dirty-linen in public was seen as a sacrilege, particularly with tax-evasion being high on the agenda.
Will he be asking for an apology from the largest Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, for stating that they actively promoted tax fraud through Costa-cowboys?
Equitity-Release-Fiasco-Danske-Bank-Letter-From-MEP
Equity-Release-Fiaco-Danske-Bank-Letter-from-Klaus-Monsted-Pedersen
Expat equity release victims take on banks
18th September 2011 by admin under In The Media
The directors of action group Equity Release Victims Association stand to lose their homes Photo: Larry Lilac / Alamy
Tempted by the offer of a salary for life and an inheritance tax reduction, organisers of Equity Release Victims Association, Ian Sherdley, 69, and Euan Armstrong, 73, used their Spanish holiday homes as collateral to buy into the equity release schemes.
The schemes were sold by independent financial advisors working the expat communities along the Costa del Sol on behalf of Denmark’s biggest bank Danske Bank and Nordea Bank SA.
They were told that if they took out full mortgages against the value of their Andalucian homes, which were fully paid for, and then gave the money to the bank to invest, their inheritance tax liability would be reduced and they’d receive a small lump sum, as well as a monthly return on the bank’s investment which would cover the cost of the remortgage and provide a small salary.
Mr Sherdley, from Lancashire, and Mr Armstrong, from Scotland, followed the advice only to be later told by their Nordic Banks that the investments had gone badly, the remortgaged money had been lost and their homes suddenly belonged to the banks.
It is thought that there could be hundred of expats in similar positions across Spain and France.
A Spanish court has so far suspended Danske Banks’ foreclosure and repossession order, while a decision as to how the cases will proceed is expected in the near future.
According to Mr Armstrong’s lawyer, Antonio Flores from Lawbird Legal Services, the schemes were mis-sold, bearing in mind it is illegal to knowingly indebt yourself in order to reduce your inheritance tax liability.
He said: “We want to find out exactly how many of the schemes were sold, to who, and on what basis.
“As far as I can gather, retired expats were targeted because they had paid off their mortgages, so could use them as collateral and would be tempted by talk of reduced inheritance tax liability.”
Mr Armstrong added: “We encourage everyone who, like us has been sold one of these schemes to get in touch.
“Do not lie down and take this. These banks are making billions every year with your money.”
A spokesman for Nordea bank said: “We can’t comment, but we can say is that Nordea runs its business in compliance with local laws.”
A spokesman for Danske Bank said: “According to the law we cannot comment on individual customer cases nor questions related to individual customer cases. We have no comment.”
If you have a story to tell about equity release, please contact sean.o’hare@telegraph.co.uk.
Originally published on http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/expatproperty/8759583/Expat-equity-release-victims-take-on-banks.html.
tagged in Danske Bank, Equity Release Victims Association, Euan Armstrong, Ian Sherdley, Nordea Bank SA.
Expats in Spain battle the banks
UNITED: Euan Armstrong and Ian Sherdley have joined forces against the banks
Euan Armstrong, who the Olive Press reported is taking Danske Bank to court after it convinced him to use his two million euro Malaga home as collateral, has now teamed up with fellow expat Ian Sherdley, 69, to form the Equity Release Victims Association.
“We are forming an association to prevent these banks from robbing expats of their property by offering a pile of cash as part of an investment plan,” explained Armstrong, 73, who lives in Marbella.
“Equity release is not safe and a loan against the property with the idea of hiding the money in an offshore account or removing the money from the value of the property is certainly illegal in Spain.”
Sherdley, 69, from Lancashire, who is involved in similar scheme with Nordea Bank SA, added: “These banks are just trying to fill their coffers. So now we are working on getting a legal voice to pursue them through the criminal courts.”
The pair are being backed in their venture by lawyer Antonio Flores from the Marbella based firm Lawbird.
“The purpose of the association is to support people through their predicament,” Flores explained.
“Equity release is actually killing people, through such degrees of stress. Their livelihoods are being reduced and in some cases their lifespan.
“We have decided to do something.”
Now Armstrong and Sherdley are calling on other victims – believed to run into the hundreds – to stand up and fight these huge financial institutions.
“We ask everybody to join us who has or is suffering a similar rape and pillage from a Scandinavian Bank,” said Armstrong.
“Do not lie down but stand up and fight them.
“These banks are making billions of euros every year and stealing your money.”
When questioned both banks said they were unable to comment on individual cases.
tagged in Danske Bank, Euan Armstrong, Ian Sherdley, Nordea Bank SA.
BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court of Spain confirms the illegality of 12 equity release mortgages
International Property Finance (Spain) Ltd. loses right to file an answer to a claimant’s civil suit
Nykredit and Landsbanki rejected again in bid to remove cases from Spanish Courts.
Landsbanki and Jyske Bank are refused to have their cases heard in Luxembourg and Denmark
CAIXABANK SENTENCED TO REFUND MORE THAN €400,000 TO A RETIRED COUPLE
Baron David de Rothschild Capital Assurance Credit Select Series Credit Select Series 4 CreditSelect Series 4 Danske Bank Danske Bank International S.A. Danske Bank Luxembourg Danske Capital Assurance Equity Release Equity Release Landsbanki Equity Release Spain Equity Release Victims Association Euan Armstrong Finansbanken Hamiltons Financial Services Henry Woods International Property Finance (Spain) Limited Jesper Hertz Jyske Bank Jyske Bank Gibraltar Landsbanki Landsbanki Equity Release Landsbanki Luxembourg Lex Life and Pensions Maria Tremurici-Falter N.M. Rothschild & Sons Nordea Bank Nordea Bank Luxembourg Nordea Bank S.A. Nordea Bank SA. Nordea Capital Managed Plan Nordea Equity Release Nykredit Nykredit Marbella Offshore Money Managers Rothschild Rothschild Equity Release SLM Holdings Funding Nº1 Sparekassen Lolland Stephen Dewsnip Steve Dewsnip Surrenda Link Mortgage Holding Sydbank THE PREMIER GROUP (ISLE OF MAN) LIMITED
Rothschild Victims
Nordea Bank Victims
Jyske Bank Victims
Barclays Bank Victims
BigMach
active 1 week, 1 day ago
woggygolf
valjon
Luxembourg Equity Release Support Group
Telegraph Spanish Planning Scandal
©2021 Asociación de Afectados por la Hipoteca Inversa Extranjera (AAHIE) | CIF G72198278 | Registro Nacional de Asociaciones: Grupo: 1 / Sección: 1/ Número Nacional: 599.303
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21490
|
__label__cc
| 0.61588
| 0.38412
|
boutiquehotel.me
Patio Sao Vicente Guest Houses
Private Cottages in Historic Lisbon
Lisbon »
9.6 de media en 193 reseñas. 9 habitaciones.
Las casas de campo del Patio São Vicente se encuentran en una esquina de la muralla del siglo XIII de Lisboa, en el barrio de Alfama, que rodea un patio. Hay conexión WiFi gratuita.
Todos los alojamientos disponen de cocina con horno, tostadora, cafetera, nevera y hervidor de agua. Algunos alojamientos también tienen lavavajillas.
El establecimiento se encuentra a 5 minutos a pie de la iglesia de São Vicente de Fora, del Panteón Nacional y de Feira da Ladra. El castillo de San Jorge se encuentra a 10 minutos a pie y Chiado, a 1,5 km. El aeropuerto Humberto Delgado de Lisboa queda a 6 km.
¿Qué tiene de especial este hotel?
The 13th century original wall of Lisbon the “Muralha Fernandina” is integrated into the back wall of each of the living rooms. Using Portuguese artisans and designers, the interiors are cosy, comfortable and carefully crafted with custom carpentry.
¿Por qué merece la pena visitar este lugar?
The patio is perfectly situated for discovering the city by foot, located in one of the most visited areas of Lisbon. Positioned in front of the majestic tenth century Mosteiro do Sao Vicente de Fora, next to the Pantheon, Alfama and the infamous “Feira da Ladra” the twice weekly fair of the thieves makes São Vicente one of the most vibrant and busy meeting places in Lisbon. A 5 minute walk to Graca will also bring you to the two miradouros where you can have the best view of whole of Lisbon.
¿Cómo es el típico huésped de este hotel?
Our typical guest appreciates good design, history and relaxing with a glass of wine on the patio after a day of wandering the city.
Encuentra una habitación en Patio São Vicente »
Una guía para encontrar alojamientos fantásticos cerca de Patio Sao Vicente Guest Houses
Mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora
The original Monastery of São Vicente de Fora was founded around 1147 by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, for the Augustinian Order. The Monastery, built in Romanesque style outside the city walls, was one of the most important monastic foundations in mediaeval Portugal. It is dedicated to Saint Vincent of Saragossa, patron saint of Lisbon, whose relics were brought from the Algarve to Lisbon in the 12th century. The Church or Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, is a 17th-century church and monastery in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It is one of the most important monasteries and mannerist buildings in the country. The monastery also contains the royal pantheon of the last dynasty of Portuguese monarchs.
Lg. de São Vicente
Gato Pardo
R. de São Vicente, 10
R. da Voz do Operário 60
Botequim
Largo da Graça
Santa Clara dos Cogumelos
Campo Santa Clara
Copenhagen Coffee Lab
Escolas Gerais, 34
O Pitéu da Graça
Largo da Graca, 95-96
Graça do Vinho
Calçada da Graça, Nº 10 A/B
Igreja de Santa Engrácia (Panteão Nacional)
The current building of the Church of Santa Engrácia substituted previous churches dedicated to a martyr of the city of Braga, Saint Engrácia. The first church dedicated to the Saint was sponsored by Infanta Maria of Portugal, Duchess of Viseu, daughter of King Manuel I, around 1568. In 1681, construction of the current church began after previous structures collapsed. The design was the work of João Antunes, royal architect and one of the most important baroque architects of Portugal. Construction proceeded from 1682 through 1712, when the architect died. King John V lost interest in the project, concentrating his resources in the gigantic Convent of Mafra. The church was not completed until the 20th century, so that Obras de Santa Engrácia (literally Saint Engrácia's works) has become a Portuguese synonym for an endless construction project. A dome was added, and the church was reinaugurated in 1966.
Campo de Santa Clara
Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
alfama cellar
Rua Dos Remédios 132
Taberna Sal Grosso
Calçada do Forte, 22
Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
Perched upon a hillside in the Graca neighbourhood, Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, (Our Lady of the Hill), looks out over Lisbon and is the city's highest lookout point or miradouro. With such a position it means it offers uninterrupted 250 degree panoramic views across Lisbon from the stunning old quarters and castle to the downtown district of the city and beyond; it's a perfect opportunity to get some amazing photographs of the landscape and city as well as the Tagus River estuary and the Castle of Saint George
R. Senhora do Monte
Rishīkesh
Crestow House
Cape Heritage Hotel
Velvet Hotel
Hotel Villa Anna
The Adria Hotel
THE DUDE Berlin-Mitte
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21491
|
__label__cc
| 0.727819
| 0.272181
|
Call Today! 310-641-3335 / Hablamos Español
Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers
Lyft Accidents
Vehicle Rollover Accident
Taxi Cab Accident Lawyer
Home Car Accident Injuries
At Ellis Law, our Los Angeles car accident lawyers have more than 20 years of experience securing the compensation that innocent victims deserve. We take all cases of car accident injuries very seriously, whether you suffered from whiplash or are facing a lifetime of paralysis.
Those who have experienced car accident injuries in Los Angeles know that they can affect your life in ways that you might not have imagined. Consider how an injury (even a relatively mild one) can result in lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and psychological trauma that won’t go away over night. In some cases, it can mean damage to your marriage or relationship due to the psychological stress. Permanent disability is another consequence of more catastrophic injuries.
Compensation for an auto injury can’t change the past: it won’t give you back the time you have lost due to hospitalization or diminish the emotional trauma of the crash. But it can help with the medical expenses and other bills you may be struggling to pay. It can provide assistance if you need funds for rehabilitation or specialized medical care. And it may help bring a sense of justice when another driver is found liable for careless or reckless behavior.
Injuries sustained in car accidents
During a collision, a driver or occupant can be injured as the body continues to accelerate after striking another vehicle or object, sometimes even being ejected from the vehicle.
Car accident injuries can include the following:
crushed larynx or trachea
spinal cord injuries and paralysis
broken or fractured bones
herniated or ruptured discs
chest injuries (broken ribs; rupture of the diaphragm)
damage to internal organs of the abdomen
leg, knee, or foot injuries
In some cases, the injuries are fatal; damage to the brain is the most frequent cause of death. In other cases, the accident leaves permanent damage. Victims can be paralyzed or lose function in parts of their body, or they can have limbs severed. Burns and serious cuts can leave scars that never fully heal, and psychological scars can persist as well. Some studies suggest that as many as 25% of accident victims require treatment for the psychological distress that persists in the aftermath of an accident. Even a relatively minor case of whiplash (an injury of the neck or back in which the head is propelled forward and then jerked quickly backward) can result in ongoing pain and loss of mobility.
Those injured in an accident may require lengthy hospitalizations and long-term therapy or rehabilitation of various kinds. Serious car accident injuries frequently necessitate special medical care for the duration of one’s life. For instance, a lifetime of care and treatment for some permanent spinal cord injuries can easily reach into the millions. The severity of some injuries will be obvious from the beginning, while in other cases (as in aortic injuries) the seriousness of the injury will only be apparent later.
Auto accidents and liability issues
If you were injured in a car accident through someone else’s mistake or poor judgment, that party may be responsible for paying compensation. Since the plaintiff has the burden of proving the defendant’s liability, getting legal representation from a skilled car accident attorney from Ellis Law is highly recommended.
In some cases, a party is deemed liable because of negligence, or irresponsible action; perhaps, he or she did not follow the rules of the road (for instance, ran through a red light or exceeded the speed limit). In more extreme cases, a jury may find a party not only negligent but reckless, knowingly endangering the life of another. Someone who drives while intoxicated or engages in a dangerous game of “chicken” with another driver is a reckless driver who may face criminal in addition to civil charges.
Insurance may cover at least some of the costs for property damage and bodily injury; however, in more serious cases, damages may exceed these costs by quite a bit. In states like California, which do not have “no-fault” insurance, the costs will come solely from the party determined to be liable.
If you have suffered car accident injuries in Los Angeles, it is crucial that you retain an attorney who is able to document and argue your case, navigating all the complexities of California law to win your suit. The legal team at Ellis Law has the knowledge, experience and financial resources to hold negligent drivers responsible for the pain and suffering they have caused.
Compensation for auto injuries in Los Angeles
If you are injured in a car accident in LA, you should take all the necessary steps to get the compensation to which you are entitled. Monetary damages are available for medical and rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and earning potential. But it is also available for less financially measurable matters.
Auto accident injuries may affect not only you, but also your relationship to others in your life: you may be compensated for loss of marital consortium, for instance, or pain and suffering that may not only plague you, but also poison the lives of those whom you love. The amount of compensation recovered in a car accident lawsuit will vary based on the severity of injuries and the nature of the defendant’s liability.
Compensation for an auto injury is not a luxury, but a right of all those who have been victimized by the careless or reckless behavior of another. Ellis Law personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping auto accident victims in Los Angeles balance the scales of justice. For a free consultation with a member of our team, call 310-641-3335 (or locally at 310-641-3335).
FREE LAWSUIT REVIEW
Were You Injured in an Auto Accident?
You may be eligible for financial compensation.
Call 310 641 3335 24 hours
Sidebar Form - All with referring page
Tell Us More About Your Case
Over $350 Million Recovered for Our Clients
310-641-3335 AVAILABLE 24/7 / Hablamos Español
El Segundo 2230 E Maple Ave, El Segundo California, CA 90245
Personal Injury Lawyer – Car Accident Lawyer – Slip and Fall – Pedestrian Accident – Motorcycle Accident – Wrongful Death
Read more about car accidents at Wikipedia
/ Site by Razorrank
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21494
|
__label__wiki
| 0.629135
| 0.629135
|
Home > UOFU_SC2 > 4551
Utah Supreme Court Briefs (1965 –)
State of Utah v. Claude A. Bundy : Brief of Appellant
Docket Number
Brief of Respondent
Appeal From Conviction of Rape, For Violation Of Utah Code Ann. S 76-5-402 (1978), And Sodomy, For Violation Of Utah Code S 76-5-403 ( 1978), In The Third Judicial District Court In And For Salt Lake County, State of Utah, The Honorable Dean E. Conner, Judge, Presiding
Original Brief submitted to the Utah Supreme Court; funding for digitization provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Utah State Library, and sponsored by the S.J. Quinney Law Library; machine-generated OCR, may contain errors.David L. Wilkinson; Attorney for Respondent
Public record document (some rights may be reserved).
Brief of Respondent, Utah v. Bundy, No. 19013 (1984).
https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/uofu_sc2/4551
Hunter Law Library
BYU Law School
S.J. Quinney College of Law Library
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21499
|
__label__wiki
| 0.597762
| 0.597762
|
“My Cousin Vinny” Meets Zoom
Once again I have to say “I don’t understand this story at all.“
If you recall “My Cousin Vinny,” as almost all lawyers do (and fondly), Joe Pesci’s fish-out-of-water defense lawyer annoyed imposing Southern judge Fred Gwynn by first appearing in court wearing a leather jacket, and then showing up in the suit above because it was the only one he could acquire at short notice.
At least he tried.
While Ethics Alarms has taken the unalterable position that when children are forced to attend school via Zoom, what may appear in their homes are not, in fact, “in school,” a lawyer who appears before a judge via Zoom is still, in fact, “in court” and before a judge. Why? Because the judge says so, that’s why. And as Vinnie soon learned, when a judge says “Jump!” the only responsible response is “How high, Your Honor?”
Perhaps a Delaware lawyer named Weisbrot has never seen the movie. He complained to Delaware Vice Chancellor Joseph R. Slights III i ex parte “that [the court] would not consider an application from him because he “was not wearing a tie.” The Vice Chancellor responded, “That is true, as the record reflects.” BUT…
What the record also reflects is that Mr. Weisbrot appeared in court for trial (via Zoom) on Tuesday in either a printed tee-shirt or pajamas (it was difficult to discern).
In other words, “It’s true you weren’t wearing a tie, but a greater problem is THAT YOU WERE WEARING FREAKING PAJAMAS!”
Mr. Wiesbrot responded by channeling his inner (and outer) Vinnie by, in his next appearance via Zoom before the same judge, in something less than the kind of attire he had to know the judge expected:
Mr. Weisbrot ignored that direction; he appeared in a sport coat and open-collared shirt; I refused to hear his “application” and then directed that he go off camera. He then refused the Court’s direction.
As I said at the beginning, I don’t understand this at all. Judges have nearly total power to dictate that a lawyer (or a party) appear and comport themselves according to that judge’s whims. If a judge ordered me to talk like Donald Duck, I would do it. What’s the big deal about wearing a tie? Why would it ever be competent and responsible to fight a judge about that? In the end, it’s the client who is likely to be harmed, and that is a breach of a lawyer’s ethical duty.
It gets worse, believe it or not. Weisbrot claims that a “medical condition” prevents him from wearing a tie. Right. Would it prevent him from wearing a tie with his collar unbuttoned? Since my mind is on Danny Kaye today, as I am preparing the 2020 version of the Ethics Guide to “White Christmas,” i recall that New York actor and good friend Brian Childers went on stage as Danny while suffering a painful shingles attack. Danny Kaye always wore a sports jacket and black tie, and Brian did too, though the fabric touching his neck was excruciating. That’s because he was and is a professional.
The judge was both dubious and unimpressed with Mr. Weisbrot’s excuse:
Finally, Mr. Weisbrot reports for the first time in his ex parte email that a medical condition prevents him from wearing a tie. He states that “he had hoped to explain this but was not given a chance.” That is inaccurate. If the condition existed as of the pretrial conference (held a week before trial), Mr. Weisbrot could have raised it then. He did not. If it existed at the start of trial, he could have raised it then, particularly when the Court inquired of counsel whether there were any “housekeeping matters” to address. He did not. Most importantly, he could have raised his medical condition at the start of yesterday’s trial session in response to the Court’s admonition to counsel the night before to be properly attired for Court. Or he could have raised it in response to the numerous instances during the course of yesterday’s trial session where the Court inquired of counsel whether there were “housekeeping matters” to address. Again, silence. Instead, as noted, Mr. Weisbrot chose to activate his camera (and thereby appear in the trial) at the end of the trial day, interrupting a witness’ examination so he could make “an application.” He was dressed in a sport coat and open collared shirt. I reminded him of my admonition and advised him he could not participate in the trial. I then directed that he go off camera. He refused. All the while he said nothing of a medical condition.
The lawyer was granted a medical exemption from the court’s rules pending the submission under seal of proof of his condition.
I can’t wait to learn what he comes up with.
Pointer and Facts: Above the Law
Ethics Alarms Award Nominee, Ethics Dunces, Popular Culture, Professions, Science & Technology, The Internet, Workplace
"My Cousin Vinnie", Delaware, judges, legal ethics, Zoom
← Ethics Quote Of The Week: Cornell Law Professor William Jacobson
First Snowfall Ethics Accumulation, 12/16/2020 [Corrected] →
16 thoughts on ““My Cousin Vinny” Meets Zoom”
A.M. Golden
Walter Koenig of “Star Trek” fame once showed up at a convention I attended while he had Bell’s Palsy.
He didn’t want to disappoint his fans.
That lawyer has no excuse.
That’s a great example. Bell’s Palsy is both disfiguring and painful. Good for Chekhov!
In Vinnie’s immortal words, “You were serious about that?”
Sounds like there is more to the Weisbrot Story. I suspect that the good Mr. Weisbrot has annoyed this judge on many, many occasions.
Cynical John
I am a male attorney; I have always worn a suit or at least a coat and tie when I’m making an appearance in court. I do note however that there is not a similar requirement for women attorneys. I’ve never seen a woman attorney appear in court in a sundress, but I’ve seen some that come awfully close. I think that if women are not required to wear a tie, neither should I be. However, I have other hills to die on.
This is to bring into the question whether a biological male who identifies as a female could show up in Zoom court with attire consisting of an attractive dress. Ed Wood would probably like to make a movie of this scenario if he was still around.
“While Ethics Alarms has taken the unalterable position that when children are forced to attend school via Zoom, what may appear in their homes are not, in fact, “in school,””
Even a massive playboy centerfold poster hanging up in the background?
A Nazi flag?
Mom and Dad’s sex harness?
I agree that *objects* should not get a child *actually disciplined*, like the fools in the BB gun case. I wonder if *objects* can result in a censure that requires those objects not appear in view…and *that’s* the trouble a child gets into, not the object itself.
Those items raise ethical issues for the parents, but the issue is that they are in the home, not that they are in school. Conduct during class is conduct during class, so just as Jeffrey Toobin…you know—on a Zoom meeting was workplace misconduct, he still did not–you know–IN the workplace.
The school can set guidelines for what a parent should have visible to others students.
Then does that mean that the real problem with the boys suspended for BB guns is not that the school freaked out over the gun, but that the school didn’t have a policy in place dictating what could and could not be visible in the virtual classroom?
I’d think they could have guidelines forbidding BB guns to be visible. But having the police out to your house is still not an appropriate response.
Yes, the specific actions taken were grossly out of proportion to the “problem”. But it seems the real problem is the unstated standard, not necessarily that the standard was “anti-gun”.
AND that the phobic educators and police freaked out over the gun.
I have no quibble with the ethical analysis that the reaction was grossly disproportionate to the behavior.
I was just curious is the response to the behavior was because the school had standards or because the standard was dumb.
The other day, while my High Schooler was in quarantine I brought her lunch. But at least she attends online…. and has excellent grades. According to this, many do not and that’s a issue that I’d place my bet, it won’t be solved ethically. I’m guessing they’ll all pass no matter what. Then what will we adults do to vet them?
https://apnews.com/article/distance-learning-coronavirus-pandemic-oregon-7fde612c3dbfd2e21fab9673ca49ad89
Depends on whether the student is in the middle of a test when a parent brings the answers hidden underneath the lettuce.
crella
There was just a thread in the AITA (Am I the Asshole) subreddit about a company worker having a complaint lodged against him with his boss because the edge his Christmas tree was visible onscreen. It soon disintegrated into a ‘Christmas used to be Saturnalia, so Christmas is pagan’ ‘No, it isn’t’ type discussion, but the final verdict was Not The AH.
AITA For not using a zoom background on meetings because I have a Christmas tree? from AmItheAsshole
There is precedent.
Courts have relied on witness testimony via CCTV, and videotaped depositions.
These were considered appearances before the court, and all decorum was required to be adhered to.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21503
|
__label__cc
| 0.54572
| 0.45428
|
European banks slash $280bn from main US businesses
Home Financial news European banks slash $280bn from main US businesses
Via Financial Times
Europe’s four biggest investment banks cut $280bn of assets from their main US holding companies in the past three years as they withdrew from Wall Street and moved business away from the glare of regulators.
The dramatic reshaping of the US operations of Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, UBS and Barclays shows how the banks are tackling their chronic profitability challenges in the country.
Since 2016, large foreign banks have been forced to move most of their US operations into intermediate holding companies (IHCs) that are independently capitalised and stress-tested against their ability to withstand future crises.
The four European banks have reduced assets in their IHCs by more than 34 per cent in the three years since they first began publishing accounts. At the same time, the amount of capital in the IHCs has increased by almost 12 per cent on average. The combination of higher equity capital and fewer assets further depresses banks’ returns.
Some of the reduction is from the banks shrinking their presence in the US, but much of it is the result of shifting assets into other entities. Assets held in US branches, which rely on their parents’ capital and are subjected to lighter US regulation, increased over the same period.
The trend is particularly stark at Deutsche, which cut assets in the IHC from $203bn to $116.7bn but still had to increase equity in its IHC from $10.9bn in September 2016 to $13.5bn. Assets at Deutsche’s main US branch increased by $45bn, to $175bn, over the same period.
READ ALSO ‘He’s kind of an ink blot’: how the far-right fell in line behind Donald Trump
Before the IHC regime, Deutsche was heavily criticised for using complex US structures to run its Wall Street business without any capital cushion.
The bank declined to comment on the changes but a person familiar with the situation said the movement in assets partly reflected “capital optimisation”.
Dennis Kelleher, head of lobby group Better Markets, said: “The issues . . . are very concerning and classic regulatory arbitrage that will once again place US taxpayers and Fed facilities at much greater risk.”
He added that the US regulations “put US taxpayers at risk of bailing out foreign banks”.
The Federal Reserve, which has to approve the movement of most assets from IHC to branches, declined to comment. Its rules specify that some trading activities must be done in the IHC, but gives banks discretion over others, including primary dealing in government bonds.
Assets at Credit Suisse’s IHC are down 47 per cent, or $105bn, since 2016. Credit Suisse has so far been able to reduce equity at its US IHC by just $2.5bn, but a person familiar with the situation said the bank was “working to reduce equity going forward” and hoped to do so primarily by paying dividends to its Swiss parent.
At Barclays, IHC assets have fallen by $61bn in the last three years. The UK bank is more committed to the US than some foreign rivals, partly thanks to its acquisition of the Lehman Brothers business after the 2008 crisis.
Joe McGrath, head of Barclays global banking business, said there was a “very coherent strategy” for growth.
“We have a higher percentage of our business in the US than some of our US competitors do. So the US is critically important to us. It’s almost as if it’s dual-headquartered,” he added.
READ ALSO Moscow Tops Mumbai As World's Most-Congested City
UBS, which had already made big cuts to its US trading businesses before the new structures were introduced, reported the smallest reduction in its IHC balance sheet between 2016 and 2019, shedding just $25bn.
Previous PostThousands of new-born calves illegally killed each year in Germany: reportNext PostLVMH Said to Sweeten Takeover Bid of Tiffany
Five Charts on France’s Policy Priorities to Navigate the COVID-19 Crisis 2021-01-19
Boeing 737 Max To Be Cleared For European Flight This Summer After EU Approval 2021-01-19
Shell pulls out of joint venture to build UK sustainable jet fuels plant 2021-01-19
Is This The Most Exciting ESG Play Of 2021? 2021-01-19
Janet Yellen vows to take hard line against currency manipulation 2021-01-19
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21506
|
__label__wiki
| 0.649811
| 0.649811
|
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Channel: Showtime
9.1/10(43019 votes)
Aimee Garcia as Jamie Batista
Billy Brown as Det. Mike Anderson
Charlotte Rampling as Dr. Evelyn Vogel
Christian Camargo as Brian Moser
Christina Robinson as Astor Bennett
Colin Hanks as Travis Marshall
C.S. Lee as Vince Masuka
David Zayas as Angel Batista
Desmond Harrington as Joey Quinn
Edward James Olmos as Professor James Gellar
Dexter is a crime drama series based around the main character, a serial killer named Dexter Morgan. Dexter only kills other killers and criminals and works in blood splatter analysis at crime scenes.
Dexter season 1
At the age of three years, Dexter Morgan witnessed the massacre of his mother. After that he was adopted by a prominent Miami cop Harry Morgan, who recognized Dexter’s sociopathic tendencies and taught him to direct the growing thirst for killing in useful direction – to kill only those who deserve it: criminals who escaped justice because of loopholes in the laws or lack of evidence. Now Dexter works in the Miami Police Department. He is an expert on blood spatter analysis. In accordance with the Harry’ instructions Dexter cleverly mimics human emotions, so as not to stand out among the others.
Dexter continues to meet with a girl, Rita Bennett, to maintain “normal†appearance. The police find the burial place of maniacs who were killed by Dexter. Dexter’s colleague, who always treat him badly – Sergeant James Doakes – starts shadowing him. A girl named Lila appears In Dexter’s personal life. She is a consultant company Narcotics Anonymous.
In the third season of Dexter there is a real friend – Attorney Miguel Prado, who soon finds out about the murders, and decides to use Dexter for his own purposes. Dexter marries Rita, who is expecting his child.
Dexter becomes a father. He cradles her son Harrison, telling him about his secret, that he kills people. Dexter is trying to independently investigate the case of the Trinity Killer. However, Dexter is getting more and more information, realizes that he and the “Trinity†have a lot in common. Meanwhile, Debra and Anton begin to live together.
A terrible crime was committed. Dexter finds the body of his wife Rita in the bathroom. The police begin to gather evidence at the crime scene. After the Rita’ death, Dexter finds a girl named Lumen, which is a surviving victim of the rapist-killer. Together they are hunting for a gang of killers.
Dexter Morgan is a smart, prudent and, the main thing about him, a cold-blooded killer who works at the examination department of the Miami police making the blood analysis. The will of killing is running through his veins as he is a predator by nature. But his has a special codex which does not allow him to kill the innocent. At first, Dexter has to prove his wife's guilt of committing some crime and only after that he will be able to kill her. And so, this is how Dexter lives in his little world until someone who wants to play with him appears. Someone, who can kill people as masterly as him, without leaving any footprints behind. Dexter Morgan gets into the game. Meet the sequel of the American's chief maniac Dexter Morgan's story in season 6!
I am Dexter. Dexter Morgan. I work as forensic scientist in Miami police . I do not understand love, I care about sex, and I have no feelings. And I'm a serial killer...
America’s favorite serial killer saved his skin at the end of Season 7, but it seems to be at the cost of Deb’s emotional well-being. Season eight begins six months after LaGuerta’s murder – and Dexter is still managing life as a dad, brother, and serial killer. As Deb struggles to deal with the consequences of her actions, a mysterious woman comes to work with Miami Metro, offering first-hand information on Dexter’s past.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21507
|
__label__cc
| 0.590588
| 0.409412
|
You Are Here Home Health News The first Cell Atlas for the human Thymus
The first Cell Atlas for the human Thymus
FitManitoba - February 28, 2020 at 18:24
For the first time, scientists from the VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent University, The Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK), and Newcastle University (UK) have composed a complete map of the cells in the developing human thymus. This novel approach with single cell resolution allowed them to identify more than 50 different cell states in the human thymus which dynamically change in abundance during life.
A collaboration to map the vital thymus
The thymus is a vital organ for the establishment of the immune system. Its main function is to support the maturation of T cells, which are essential white blood cells and part of the adaptive immune system that protects us from infections and tumor cells. Up to now, it was not precisely clear how these T cells develop from early immune precursor cells in the thymus over the course of a human life.
Researchers from the labs of Tom Taghon (Ghent University) and Yvan Saeys (VIB Center for Inflammation Research) played a crucial role in the story of mapping all the cells in the thymus. This single-cell transcriptomic atlas comprises more than 250,000 cells.
Yvan Saeys explains: “A few years ago, we kicked off the first project on single-cell technologies at Ghent University. This collaboration has proven very fruitful, and through the team of Tom Taghon, which has a longstanding expertise in T cell development, we got involved in the human Thymus Cell Atlas project of the Chan Zuckerberg initiative. The current publication is the first result of that collaboration.”
The value of single cell research
Niels Vandamme, who coordinates the single-cell platform at Saeys’ lab, adds: “The thymus atlas project provided essential data to set up our single-cell infrastructure, the Singularity platform, which allows researchers to perform single-cell analysis from wet lab experiments up to analysis and visualization within one workflow.”
“The thymus atlas project will provide a great resource for the community,” says Tom Taghon, a co-senior author on the study. “We now have a very detailed understanding of how T cells are generated in healthy tissue and this helps us understand how immunity develops. Since we now know which genes need to be activated to generate T cells, we can exploit this information to engineer T cells with, for instance, a desired specificity to target tumor cells.”
An atlas to discover new therapies
The thymus cell atlas project establishes a firm foundation for new clinical applications and therapies. It also helps scientists better understand diseases that affect T cell development, such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and T cell leukemia. In addition, the knowledge of all thymus cell types will help researchers to possibly generate an artificial thymus for regenerative medicine.
Materials provided by VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
FitManitoba
New research finds connection: Inflammation, metabolism and scleroderma scarring
Quebec coroner to investigate how homeless man died outside, steps from closed shelter
Canada won’t receive any Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines next week, Fortin says
COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections, study finds
Prenatal BPA exposure may contribute to the male bias of autism spectrum disorder
© 2020 fitmanitoba.com | Powered by Legendary Group
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21509
|
__label__cc
| 0.571122
| 0.428878
|
X-Girl Is Back and (Of Course) Tavi Gevinson Is Involved
The fashion world continues to indulge our '90s nostalgia. First, MTV brought back House of Style, and now the subject of one of our favorite HOS episodes--X-Girl--is back, too! Obviously Tavi Gevinson is involved.
Dhani Mau
The fashion world continues to indulge our '90s nostalgia. First, MTV brought back House of Style, and now the subject of one of our favorite HOS episodes--X-Girl--is back, too!
Well, technically it never completely left. Founded by Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon and stylist Daisy von Furth in 1993, X-Girl was sold to a Japanese company in 1998 and experienced some cult success in Japan.
Before that, its ringer tees and a-line mini dresses were all the rage amongst Manhattan's downtown scenesters like Chloe Sevigny, skater girls and musicians' girlfriends (for a fascinating and in-depth history of the brand, read this).
The brand makes its U.S. return exclusively on VFiles, with a little help from the queen of '90s nostalgia, Tavi Gevinson (even though she's too young to be nostalgic about the decade). You can find her debuting the line in the current issue of V.
Sounds like a perfect relaunch except for one thing: The clothes are about double X-Girl's original "$60 or less" price point. Clearly this line is more for '90s nostalgics with steady incomes than skater girls. We still kind of want it, though. Currently, only backpacks, tees, and accessories like keychains and, oddly, chip clips, are available. But, we hear VFiles and X-Girl will be launching a much larger collection for spring, so stay tuned.
See exclusive unused images from Tavi's X-Girl V shoot, shot by Marco Roso and styled by Avena Gallagher below, and head over to VFiles or their Brick & Mortar Shop at 12 Mercer in NYC to shop the line.
NewsX-GirlLabelsTavi Gevinson
Would You Rather...? Tavi Gevinson's L'Officiel Covers
Tavi Gevinson now has two L'Officiel covers under her belt. Last month, her cover for the Paris edition of the magazine's 90th anniversary issue was r
Is Tavi Gevinson Renouncing Fashion?
In Tavi Gevinson's latest blog post she reflects on her last fashion week experience, the fashion fatigue she experienced (she couldn't muster to strike up a conversation with Anna Wintour when she found herself seated next to the Vogue editrix at the Band of Outsiders show), and how New York fashion week felt "very high schooly" (this from the 14-year-old who is barely in high school). She concludes her meandering, honest and rather poignant reflection by announcing that "my blog is turning away from fashion a little, naturally." She continues, "How depressing would it be if I was that obsessed with only fashion for three years? That's how old my blog will be in a few days. Strange." In between recounting sitting next to Anna Wintour (she describes the experience as unavoidably intimidating "even if you feel, as I did, like one of the only people in the room who isn’t after her job") and her final pronouncement that her blog would shift away from its' fashion focus, there's a bit more about how she got to that place (beyond fashion's "highschooliness" which is totally accurate about the industry):
By Leah Chernikoff
Tavi Gevinson On Singing, Acting, 'Toning Down the Kook' and College
Tavi Gevinson recently starred in Wren's fall 2012 short film, "Beware of Young Girls." In it, she displayed several of her many talents, including singing, and inspired her directors (and I) to gush about about how great and smart and inspiring she and her website, Rookie, are. Indeed, Gevinson is someone to "beware of" in the sense that she's got a bright future ahead of her. So, when Wren offered us the chance to shoot her a few questions, we asked her about just that. Click through for Tavi's thoughts on shooting the Wren film, her toned down personal style, pursuing singing/modeling/acting and college, which she does plan to attend.
Tavi Gevinson Becomes an Editor: Her Thoughts on Being a Boss, Lady Sites and Fashion Week
Once "The 13-Year-Old Fashion Blogger," Tavi Gevinson is now officially The 15-Year-Old Editor. Her site for teenage girls, Rookie, is up and running as of yesterday and we're impressed. Although it's been a while, I'm pretty sure that if I were a teenager I would think Rookie was the coolest thing ever. The content and design are cute but not cloying, honest but not too earnest. The site is straight-forward and clever without feeling negative or sarcastic. Lady Gaga called Tavi "the future of journalism" before even seeing Rookie. There's already talk of it fitting in amongst other "lady sites" like Jezebel, The Hairpin, Hello Giggles and Jane Pratt's XOJane. Of course, none of those sites have super cute back-to-school fashion editorials like this one (seriously--it's good). It does have a feminist angle--not in an in-your-face way, but it's there and is kind of what Tavi is all about these days. As Tavi's novelty within the fashion world starts to wear off (right?), she's successfully becoming a real person who looks like she'll have a long and important career. She ditched her glasses, is not as excited about fashion as she once was and seems more interested in books than fashion magazines. Like any editor of a highly-anticipated new publication, Tavi's been giving interviews to promote the site and give her thoughts on things like being a boss, the Jane Pratt situation, fashion week, and more. Here are the best bits, via The Cut and MTV Style.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21511
|
__label__wiki
| 0.858166
| 0.858166
|
FEM Books
Features of the Month
FEMMUSIC Soundcloud Channel
Download of the Month
Festival / Conference of the Month
Song of the Month
Unfinished Mail
UMS Preview – Jackie Mendoza interview
Underground Music Showcase
Jackie Mendoza
https://www.undergroundmusicshowcase.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jackiemendozaaa/
Jackie Mendoza is a newcomer with a world of experience. She has lived in California, New York and Mexico and her songs are both is Spanish and English. Her music is hard to classify in a good way. It is indie pop, Latin pop, EDM influenced, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Mendoza played with Mint Field and Gingerslys in the past. She is now out with her debut EP LuvHz which features songs like “De Legos”, “Seahorse” and “mucho Mas”
We look forward to seeing Medoza at the Underground Music Showcase.
FEMMUSIC: What was the biggest challenge making LuvHz?
JM: The biggest challenge I faced when making LuvHz was receiving negative feedback from labels and being turned down. I was told to change my sound and to go in a different musical direction. There were times when I believed this is what I had to do in order to release my EP and it stunted my writing process and made me feel really insecure about my music. I decided to stay true to myself and to my music and I kept writing and producing. I was lucky to be connected with Rusty Santos and he helped me co-produce the EP. A lot of new ideas flowed in the studio and I didn’t have to compromise my sound; he helped make it better.
FEMMUSIC: Tell me about Rusty Santos. How did you meet? What did he bring to the project?
JM: I met Rusty through my manager, Walter. We were looking for people to help co-produce the EP and we reached out to Rusty and he liked what I was doing and knew we could make something cool together. At first we were working at a distance (he was in LA and I was in New York) and would send stems back and forth which made the progress a little slow. I decided to go to LA and we finished the EP and other songs in 4 days. He’s been working with a lot of Latinx artists, mostly reggaeton, and he brought a lot of that to the project. He brought a nice urban edge to the songs and he encouraged me to express and execute the weird ideas I had in my head.
FEMMUSIC: Tell me about Luminelle Records. What made you decide to sign with them? How have they been to work with?
JM: Luminelle is a great label to work with. Their enthusiasm for my music is what made me want to work with them. Most labels were expecting straight-forward pop or dance music and Luminelle embraced the experimentality and mash-up of genres in the EP. Their roster of artists was also a big sell for me. They’ve put out music that I love and still listen to every day. It’s exciting to work with a label that cares about an artist’s growth and expression.
FEMMUSIC: How did your work in Mint Field & Gingerlys prepare you to be a solo artist?
JM: I was in Gingerlys for about 4 years and it was extremely formative and it taught me a lot about writing music, working with other musicians, and performing live. We played so many shows I lost count! We released our debut album with Topshelf Records and Babe City Records and I learned about working with labels, release campaigns, and touring. Playing those few festivals with Mint Field was really exciting; I had never played music festivals before that. I loved going to Tijuana to practice and learn the songs and playing with my friends.
FEMMUSIC: Can you describe your songwriting technique?
JM: My songwriting technique varies and is always different. If I suddenly have a melody pop into my head, I’ll start from there and work from there. I’ll use my song “Seahorse” as an example. The vocal melody and lyrics for the first verse were the first thing I thought of. At the time, I was taking a few guitar lessons here and there so I decided to give my new skills a shot. I made the beat for the song, recorded guitar and bass, synths, and recorded vocals as soon as I finished writing lyrics. It would take a few days to think about the song and come back to it with new ideas and a fresh ear. Overall, it took about 2 weeks to complete the song.
FEMMUSIC: What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?
JM: I think if I have to choose ONE song, it would be “Space is Only Noise If You Can See” by Nicolas Jaar. When I first heard it I thought it was the greatest song. It was creepy, weird, but made me want to dance at the same time. It’s also dream-like and abstract; which I love.
FEMMUSIC: What challenges, if any, have you faced as a woman in the music industry? And how did you overcome them?
JM: I think sometimes women have to speak louder to be heard…both literally and metaphorically. If you’re a woman in music, you’re automatically known as “a woman in music” and people expect you to look and sound a certain way. I think if I released this EP as a man, I would have gotten more praise for the unpredictability instead of being criticized for the “lack of ear-worms” and pop structures. I overcome these challenges by supporting other women in music and staying true to the music I like to make regardless of my gender.
FEMMUSIC: Whom would you most like to collaborate with, or tour with? Why?
JM: I would love to tour with Nicolas Jaar because I would get to see him perform several nights in a row and I know I wouldn’t get sick of it. If I could collaborate with anyone right now, it would be Juana Molina because she is so experimental and her music and her musical style is so unique and loopy.
FEMMUSIC: What one thing would you like to change about the music industry?
JM: I would make the industry more inclusive. Groups of people who are underrepresented need to be given equal opportunities
Angelica Garcia – It Don’t Hinder Me
Aterciopelados with Pink Hawks
Artist of the Month (121)
City Spotlight (5)
Download of the Month (65)
FEM Books (8)
FEM Demo (22)
Festival / Conference of the Month (97)
Film of the Month (82)
Live Photos (587)
Live Show Reviews (73)
Short Stack (35)
Song of the Month (90)
Soundcloud Playlist (29)
Unfinished Mail (107)
Upcoming New releases (53)
Video of the Month (88)
Website of the Month (118)
Mike Watt + the Black Gang Share Bikini Kill Cover for Kill Rock Stars’ 30th Anniversary
Foo Fighters Share Poignant Video for ‘Waiting on a War’
Run the Jewels Drop ‘ooh la la’ Remix With Santa Fe Klan and Mexican Institute of Sound
SPIN First Look: UPSAHL Brings Her Bad Bitch Vibes to the Stage
Listen to AFI’s Two New Singles, ‘Twisted Tongues’ and ‘Escape From Los Angeles’
Descendents Bid President Trump Farewell on ‘That’s the Breaks’
Sia Releases ‘Hey Boy’ Remix Featuring Burna Boy, Shares Tracklist for New LP
Built to Spill Side Project Boise Cover Band Unearth Version of David Bowie’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’
Foo Fighters Release ‘Waiting on a War’
NOFX Share ‘Linewleum’ Video Featuring M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold
Music Connection
Expert Advice: How to Work with Women in Music
Celestion Launches Neo V Type Speaker
Submit to Unsigned Only Music Competition
NAMM ‘BELIEVE IN MUSIC’ WEEK Kicks Off Jan. 18-22
Attend Folk Alliance International Virtual Networking Events
Lil Eazzyy Signs to Atlantic Records
ASCAP and BMI Issue Joint Response to DOJ
Tech 21 Geddy Lee Lockdown Zoom
Expert Advice: Goodbye 2020 - How the Music Industry Can Rebound in 2021
TASCAM Launches TM-82 Dynamic Mic
Music News Underground
The connection between heavy music and gambling
Alt Soul artist Aruba Red releases new online series about wellness and empowerment in music
Soulwax Remix Fontaines D.C. 'A Hero's Death'
More artists reaping the rewards of streaming, BPI data shows
Willie Nelson pays homage to friend & fellow icon Frank Sinatra
Leroy 'The Heptones' Sibbles releases latest single 'Pretty Brown Eyed Girl'
DJ & presenter Jodie Weston releases deep house track ‘Give A Little Love’
John Mayall:The First Generation' a stupendous 35 CD record set to be released
Tragically Magic releases 'From The Ashes' today
Avenue Beat celebrate female beauty, body and soul with new single 'Woman'
Back Issues Select Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 January 2012 January 2011 July 2010 April 2010 October 2009 July 2009 May 2008 November 2003 July 2003 February 2003 January 2003 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 January 2002 December 2001 November 2001 October 2001 September 2001 August 2001 July 2001 June 2001 May 2001 March 2001 February 2001 January 2001 December 2000 November 2000 October 2000 September 2000 August 2000 July 2000 June 2000 May 2000 April 2000 March 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 November 1999 October 1999 September 1999 August 1999 July 1999
© FEMMUSIC.com 2021
FEMMUSIC.com
Powered by Possibility
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21515
|
__label__wiki
| 0.789208
| 0.789208
|
How to watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Online on Official Channel
Each team will have a maximum of 35 players and will be coached by two college coaches from different regions. The event isn’t meant to be a recruiting event, but there have been instances in the past of players performing well at the Tiki Bowl and receiving an offer soon after. The cost of the event covers airfare, hotel, sight-seeing, game jerseys and other amenities.
1 When and Where is Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021?
2 Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream All Over The World
3 Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 on Without cable
4 Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 on Device
5 Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream on Social Network
6 Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream using VPN services
When and Where is Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021?
The Tiki Bowl experience includes two days of practice, sightseeing in Hawaii and the game itself which is entering its 13th year. This upcoming event runs from December 30 – January 4, 2021.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream All Over The World
Bowl Game is a very famous event not only in the USA but also in Various Countries. There is a lot of fans in The World who love to enjoy Bowl Game. So it is possible to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream from any corner of the world. For this, you need to know some channels and information. Only for the fans, we are sharing this. Let’s know about that.
You can watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live on Sky from the UK. Sky UK Limited is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services, fixed-line and mobile telephone services to consumers and businesses in the United Kingdom. For the basic service, here’s what you pay: Installation: £0, £30 or £60 – Free if you get a Sky+HD box! You only pay the installation once.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 match will broadcast on ITV. ITV is a British free-to-air television channel. Previously a network of separate uniquely identifiable regional television channels, ITV currently operates in England, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. From 2001 until 2013, the primary ITV channel was called ITV1.
BT Sport is a group of pay television Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 channels provided by BT Consumer; a division of BT Group in the United Kingdom and Ireland that was launched on 1 August 2013. The channels are based at the former International Broadcast Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.
Movistar TV is a subscription television service operated by Telefónica. Currently, the service is available in Chile, Perú, Colombia, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Argentina. In Spain, this service merged with the satellite platform Canal+, resulting in a new platform called Movistar+. You can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream From Latin America.
When it comes to Bowl Game in Japan, several TV companies are covering the sport on a free-to-air basis. These include the likes of Fuji TV and TBS. There is also however a major paid TV channel that covers Bowl Game in Japan, with regular live shows as well as numerous archive shows. That is NTV G+, which we refer to as just G+ for simplicity purposes. Fran From Asia can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream By using G+.
Fans from Australia can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream on Foxtel. NXE Australia Pty Limited is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995.
Fans From New Zealand can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream on TVNZ. Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a state-owned television network that is broadcast throughout New Zealand and parts of the Pacific region. Although the network identifies as a national, part-public broadcaster, it is fully commercially funded.
Show Club will telecast Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream. Show Club is a 1999 American film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. It is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. Norton plays the unnamed narrator, who is discontented with his white-collar job. He forms a Show club with soap salesman Tyler Durden.
Teleport was the first Romanian Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 channel launched on 1 December 2003, by Silviu Prigoana, the man behind Taraf TV and Ethno TV. In March 2008, Realitatea-Caţavencu Group bought the station and brought a new team to manage the channel, team led by Vlad Enăchescu, a former manager at TVR1. You can enjoy your favorite Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live on Teleport.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 on Without cable
Behind This Modern World, There Is Another World That Is Called Internet World. If You Want To Watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Online Without A Cable, You Have To Find The Online Accessible Channels. Watching Without A Cable Is A Prevalent Choice For Those With High Mobility, Or Simply Those Who Don’t Want To Use Cable. It will be The Best Streaming Services For You. There are many without cable site, for your knowledge we are sharing some of those.
It will be one of The Best options to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 live streaming. For international users, It Can Be the Better choice for you. DirecTV Now Is The Channel Under The Umbrella Of AT & T. Any Package You Can Free Travel For A Week. Direct TV is one of America’s most popular satellite channels.
DirecTV Now starts at $40 per month with its Live a Little package, which includes more than 60 live channels. DIRECTV NOW lets you stream your favorite channels and On Demand titles for a low monthly price. There’s no bulky hardware or annual contracts required, but you will need hours on end to watch the news, Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021, movies, and more on DIRECTV NOW. You can also stream on your computer and mobile devices.
FuboTV Is One Of The Better Option To The Streaming Channel. Fubo TV Is Available For All NCAAF Lovers For All Times. For Watching Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021, You Can Use Fubo TV You Are Anywhere It Doesn’t Metter. To Gating Access To Fubo Tv, You Can Use iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, Laptop, as well as PC.
You can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream On Sling TV. It is an American streaming television service operated by Sling TV LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dish Network. Unveiled on January 5, 2015, at the Consumer Electronics Show, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor aims to complement subscription video-on-demand services for cord-cutters, offering a selection of major cable channels and OTT-originated services that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media players, and apps.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 on Device
In This Modern Era in 2020, Smartphone Is The Most Using Thing To Watch Anything, To Get Information About Anything, And So On. For The Users Of Smart Phone We Are Ready To Give You The Information, So That, You Can Always Enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Show. You Can Install Official Broadcasting Software. Or You Can Get Access By Using Smartphone To Following Our Instruction. Always Follow Our Site And Enjoy The Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream On Device. Let’s know about some apps to enjoy the Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021.
Roku is an app, which will provide you Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live streaming. After setting up Roku, access the Roku channel store for adding new channels. By entering the focus channel in the search bar, you will find an app, now install it. You have to subscribe to the channel from your devices to get access to Roku. You can access Roku by using the information on Channel. Then you will enjoy the live Event Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021.
Kodi is a free and open-source media player software application developed by the XBMC Foundation, a non-profit technology consortium. Kodi is available for multiple operating systems and hardware platforms, with a software 10-foot user interface for use with televisions and remote controls. Here you can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live.
If you can’t watch the Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live from anywhere, you can use other online streaming channels like Apple tv or iPad. Apple tv provides the streaming service per month. Apple tv gives other facilities. Apple tv provides a full HD video. It is also one of the low-cost online streaming channels. There is no free travel on this Apple Tv. This is not a big deal for you to spend per month on your entertainment. Hurry up, don’t be late to subscribe to the Apple TV.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream on Social Network
We live in a modern era. In recent times, Social Network is the most popular option for Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Streaming. Most people want to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 on Facebook Live Streaming, Reddit is also a better option to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live. Twitter is a great option to get Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 event news online. You can also enjoy the event by using Instagram and YouTube. The web-based social network will voluntarily boost The Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 content. Chances are, you will catch up with the entire event through all of the popular social media sites. Let’s know the details about social media.
Facebook is the most popular social media. Although it is very popular, people come to Facebook to get information about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021. Facebook has also added live broadcasts recently. In recent times, Facebook has started streaming high voltage events. So, people can cut off Red from wasting time to find Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 live streaming site. Since Facebook is live streaming Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021, you shouldn’t find anything without Facebook. Facebook streaming is one of the best ways to watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live online. Facebook Live is an effective way to watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live. People all over the world are willing to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live. Some people will come to Facebook to live to show Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021.
Reddit is also a social media service. Using Reddit will give you access to the Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 event. Because Reddit is going to stream Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live. Reddit is an easy way to watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Online. We know the social site is trying to stream a famous event. So Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 in one of them. We have seen that Reddit streaming is a very popular way in this day and age. If your luck is your favorite, you can watch your favorite Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream on Reddit.
Twitter is one of the most famous social services such as Reddit or Facebook. But Twitter won’t live stream Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021. But by using twitter you can get any updates or information about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Show. Twitter will update any time of news about the event. Thus, Twitter can be the best site to get Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 live news.
Instagram comes into the picture, it won’t belong. But in this short amount of time, Instagram is becoming one of the best streaming services like other social media. By using Instagram you can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 live. Because Instagram has already aired a lot of events recently. Which are very popular all over the world. But one thing you have to remember: you will get the Live for a short time. But in this short amount of time, you will get the correct information about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021. Don’t panic to enjoy your favorite Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream. You get it on Instagram.
By using Tumblr You can Watch Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream. Tumblr is an American microblogging and social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and currently owned by Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog. Users can follow other users’ blogs. Bloggers can also make their blogs private.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream using VPN services
There are millions of viewers outside the AU and NZ who are not allowed to watch the Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 event on the official channel. If you want to solve this problem, you can use a VPN. By using a VPN you can unblock any websites that have been blocked by your government or the authority of those sites. Initially, you need to buy a subscription for a legal VPN service. After purchasing a VPN service, you will be able to access the event’s broadcast channels. You will get a new coverage area IP address. Then connect your VPN to the IP addresses as we will mention below. Check it out and enjoy it.
VPN is one of the most essential elements to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Streaming. Sometimes, you can’t get access to any Show. Then you need to use VPN. ExpressVPN is a very popular VPN. It is also one of the most uses VPN. In this case, if you want to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream, you can use ExpressVPN.
Nord VPN operates including 5000 servers in 62 countries around the world. It is one of the best VPN services. You can also subscribe to a three-year plan or monthly subscription. You have to spend $ 2.99 monthly. After you sign up for the VPN, you will need to connect to any network in the US. After that, you have to search for apps or channels to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream.
VPN is one of the most essential elements to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Streaming. Sometimes, you can’t get access to any Show. Then you need to use VPN. NordVPN is a very popular VPN. It is also one of the most uses VPN. In this case, if you want to enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream, you can use NordVPN. NordVPN offers four pricing tiers: $11.95 per month, $83.88 annually, $119.76 every two years, or $125.64 every three years.
By using this VPN you can enjoy Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream. CyberGhost works including 1400 servers from 60 countries around the world. Here you can get a 3-year plan. You have to cast $ 2.75 / month. When you sign up with this VPN you can find the streaming site. Now enjoy your favorite Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream.
IPVanish offers more than 1,200 servers from 60 countries. You can use IPVanish VPN simultaneously for different gadgets such as Macintosh, iOS, or Android gadgets. For a premium account, you have to burn $ 6.49 every month. As indicated by certain sites, those servers with the letter ‘a’ are the fastest. You can link this VPN to a Canadian server to access the Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Stream application with ease.
Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 will be the biggest event of this year. In The Event, famous stars will be a great experience for you, your friends, and your family. I hope you get all information about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live Streaming from our site. Because our site is all about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021. We have tried to give you the information about Hawaii Tiki Bowl 2021 Live online streaming, social media streaming, using the app for streaming, and so on. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask us through our contact option. If you need more information, please visit this site.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21519
|
__label__wiki
| 0.915767
| 0.915767
|
Taking science outdoors
Youth Science Institute seeks funding for class scholarships to provide free, hands-on, nature-based science programs to low-income students
By Sharon Noguchi
Simulating the forces behind earthquakes, 21 fourth graders flattened balls of clay onto cardboard, then simultaneously gripped the clay and yanked apart the boards, representing the Earth’s diverging tectonic plates.
It was a challenging manipulation for small hands, with predictable results.
“Oh no, Iceland fell into the water,” exclaimed August Gordon Hart, 9.
The exercise was part of a recent morning of hands-on lessons at the Youth Science Institute at Alum Rock Park. Teacher Donna Hamane’s students from Alviso’s George Mayne Elementary also created a S’mores-like representation of the Earth’s core and mantle, involving candy, marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker crumbs. They hiked past the park’s sulfurous hot springs and were thrilled by a cameo appearance by a nonchalant family of deer.
Gary Reyes/ Bay Area News Group
Fourth-grade students from George Mayne Elementary School in Alviso participate in the institute's "Moving, Exploding Earth" program that explores the Earth's composition.
It’s the kind of experiences that transfix students, inspire teachers and feed everyone’s curiosity.
“We got to actually see the stuff in real life and not just in pictures,” said Kaya Whitesell, 9, about her class’s trip.
“I’ve never seen a deer before,” said classmate Jeffrey Lee, 9, who loved being outdoors. “Looking at plants and animals was really cool.”
Heading into its 65th year, Youth Science Institute hosts field trips and summer camps for kids from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and runs nature centers at Alum Rock and Vasona parks. The institute also takes its menagerie of reptiles, insects and mammals to visit schools.
“We found through studies within Santa Clara County that teachers don’t spend a lot of time with science in classroom,” said YSI Executive Director Erika Buck. The institute has 30 full- and part-time staffers, and over a year’s time about 200 youth and adult volunteers.
YSI provides a limited number of its field trips for free, to schools like George Mayne with high numbers of children from poor families — roughly one-third of the public schools in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
To help teach Earth science, instructor Elizabeth Geurts tosses a globe to students at the Youth Science Institute at Alum Rock Park in San Jose.
At Ben Painter Elementary in San Jose, fifth-grade teacher Cynthia Mykkanen makes sure to apply early for the YSI field trip grants. Painter, where 89 percent of children live in poverty, has no PTA.
“We don’t have the funds, and definitely our students’ families don’t have funds to go on field trips,” Mykkanen said. Her students attended a YSI program on Ohlone living. Kids made tule ropes, ground acorns, washed their hands with soaproot and sampled Ohlone cuisine.
“It really brings home our social studies content, how geography and environment shaped Native American lives,” Mykkanen said.
Beyond the science projects, excursions broaden kids’ world. For most of Mykkanen’s students, the YSI field trip is their first visit to Alum Rock Park, just four miles from their school in the Alum Rock Union School District.
With steep, sedimentary canyon walls and soaring 2,000-foot peaks, the park introduces children to a world of abundant squirrel burrows, historic hot springs and winding Penitencia Creek nestled between the Alum Rock and Berryessa neighborhoods.
Instructor Sarah Lofgren leads students on a geology hike.
August Gordon-Hart inspects a block of salt.
In another YSI program, teacher Lisa Dries’s kindergartners tasted sarsaparilla, smelled bay leaf, touched redwood bark, listened to birds call and smelled the sulfur springs.
It’s the ideal trip for her class. “Kindergartners are really tactile,” she said.
YSI’s 10 school programs cover topics like the physics of sound and motion, pond life and insects, spiders and arthropods. The programs at three parks range in cost from $200 to $550. The institute’s nature centers at Alum Rock and Vasona are open most days, allowing the public to cuddle chinchillas Simon and Theo — ultra-plush, real-life versions of Pikachu — and Ike and Mike, gopher snake and mountain kingsnake buddies.
The Alum Rock Nature Center also features mounted animals, including a golden eagle and mountain lion, and scores of specimens in its century-old Holmes Bird Collection.
“Animals are people magnets,” said Dorothy “DJ” Johnson, the longtime YSI Alum Rock curator who often fields critter questions. “They want to know what’s in their area and what goes bump in the night.”
As Hamane’s class hiked toward Alum Rock springs pouring from 100-year-old stone grottoes, YSI instructor Sarah Lofgren cautioned, “Look, listen, smell and touch — but do not taste.” And, she said, stay away from the beautiful orange and gold poison oak.
“It was fun being outside,” said Jessica Guerrero, 9, who concedes that she normally doesn’t like hiking. “I like sitting on my couch reading,” she said — but “I think the field trip was actually fun.”
Lofgren uses Jessica Guerrero, left, to demonstrate earth’s inner core.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21526
|
__label__wiki
| 0.531884
| 0.531884
|
Ocular Manifestations of Myotonic Dystrophy
Revision as of 23:08, January 2, 2015 by Erin.Seefeldt (Talk | contribs)
Erin Seefeldt, MD, Aditya Mehta, MD
Aditya Mehta, MD, Alpa S. Patel, M.D., Cat Nguyen Burkat, MD FACS, David Plemel, MD, Erin Seefeldt, MD and Michael T Yen, MD
by Erin Seefeldt, MD on January 2, 2015.
Myotonic Dystrophy is a multi-system disease, which can initially present with symptoms of ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, extraocular myotonia, and decreased visual acuity. On slit lamp examination of the lens an iridescent, “christmas tree” pattern, cataract is detectable in 100% of patients with myotonic dystrophy by the age of 45. Further genetic testing can be done to confirm the disease.
Myotonic Dystrophy is a tri-nucleotide repeat, autosomal dominant disease characterized by an inability to relax (myotonia) and muscle wasting (muscular dystrophy). Two main types of myotonic dystrophy exist, Myotonic Dystrophy 1 and Myotonic Dystrophy 2, also known as Proximal Myotonic Myopathy. Myotonic Dystrophy 1 has a greater severity of symptoms, as compared to Mytonic Dystrophy 2, and is the most common adult form of muscular dystrophy affecting nearly 1 in 8,000 people worldwide .
Due to its wide range of symptoms, diagnosis of this disease is sometimes difficult and may be prolonged. However, ocular manifestations of the disease may be one of the first presenting symptoms and thus cause a patient to seek care. Symptoms may include ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, epiphora, extraocular myotonia, decreased visual acuity, and or difficulty coping with glare from bright lights.
Inherited, Autosomal Dominant
In myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1) the CTG repeats on Chromosome 19 affect the 3’ untranslated region of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene (DMPK), causing a decreased expression of the protein. Decreased DMPK expression in extraocular muscles, ciliary body, and cellular layers of the retina can account for the symptoms seen in myotonic Dystrophy. Interestingly, very little to no DMPK expression is seen in lens epithelium. The tri-nucleotide repeat expansion decreases the expression of the downstream six5 gene, which has been hypothesized to be the cause of the distinct cataract in mytonic dystrophy.
The cataract first begins with iridescently colored fine opacities on the outer layer of the lens (cortical and subcapsular). As the cataract matures, these fine opacities increase and cortical spoking develop making it difficult to distinguish it from a cortical cataract . An increased level of Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase in these patients may be responsible for low levels of lenticular glutathione and thus leading to the cataract formation .
Electromyography demonstrating typical myotonic discharges.
Family history. Sustained muscle contraction (myotonia) exacerbated by excitement, extreme temperatures and fatigue.
VA - May be reduced. Lids - blepharoptosis. Brow ptosis. Extraocular movements – ophthalmoplegia. Extraocular mytonia is manifested as slowed and disconjugate saccades. More specifically, the abnormalities consist of a reduction in saccade peak velocity and increased saccade duration primarily if the eye is fixed on an object for a longer period of time (long interstimulus interval) , thus highlighting the phenomenon of myotonia. The finding of ophthalmoplegia consists of limited adduction, labeled as “pseudo-internuclear ophthalmoplegia .” Multiple cases of bilateral adduction restriction have been reported, as well as those with divergent strabismus and convergence paralysis . The abducting eye did not present with nystagmus.
Pupils – miosis, slowly responsive to light. IOP – low pressure. Dilated exam – Cataract, pigmentary retinopathy.
On slit lamp examination, an ophthalmologist or optometrist may see a formation of a cataract with fine dust like opacities on the outer layers of the lens that are highly colored and iridescent, producing a “Christmas Tree” appearance. Other signs may include low intraocular pressure, due to ciliary body detachment , maculopathy and peripheral pigmentary retinopathy .Cataracts affect all patients with any form of myotonic dystrophy by age 45 and begins to form early in the teenage years; therefore, the presence of such a distinct cataract is an important clue to the diagnosis of the disease.
Early onset presentation of a bilateral iridescent cataract, especially at age less than 45 and without pre-existing diabetes, in a patient with a positive family history of myotonic dystrophy should undergo genetic testing to confirm the presence of the disease.
General appearance - muscle wasting and frontal balding. ‘Hatchet Face’ appearance due to temporalis and masseter muscle wasting. Hand shake – difficulty with release.
Low visual acuity due to a combination of a cataract and retinal degeneration. Visually significant ptosis.
Genetic Testing (Blood). EKG. EMG.
DM1 (CTG repeat) and DM2 (CCTG) blood tests are available. The decision to be tested can be facilitated by a genetic counselor.
Chronic Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) Other causes of myogenic ptosis
Due to pulmonary, cardiac, endocrine, and central nervous system involvement, these patient should be referred to specialty care.
EKG for cardiac arrhythmia. An increase in the PR interval and a widened QRS may be the first asymptomatic signs in these patients, which eventually progress to Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), Ventricular Fibrillation, and asystole.
The cataract can be removed to help restore vision, but care must be taken in selecting an anesthetic agent in order to reduce the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications . Some patients with Myotonic Dystrophy may have delayed recovery after an operation with use of certain anesthetic agents. However, traditionally cataract surgery utilizes local anesthesia, which causes no such problems of delayed recovery.
The cataract can be removed to help restore vision, however, cases of recurrent post capsular opacification have been reported, requiring multiple Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies.
Significant ptosis may cause visual impairment however, caution must be taken in performing ptosis surgery if levator function is significantly reduced and/or severe frontalis and orbicularis muscle weakness is present, as this can limit the effectiveness of frontalis sling and increase the risk for exposure keratopathy. Brow ptosis is common due to frontalis weakness. Brow ptosis repair.
Post-operative ocular complications include recurrent post capsular opacification (PCO) and anterior capsulorhexis contracture, perhaps due to a greater than average fibroblastic, proliferative metaplasia of residual lens epithelial cells into myofibraoblasts. Other complications include posterior vitreous membrane. Case reports of patients undergoing multiple YAG laser capsulotomies to treat recurrent PCO have been reported.
In addition to the myotonia and muscular dystrophy, Myotonic Dystrophy 1 is a debilitating multi-system disease having affects on the eye, pulmonary, cardiac, endocrine, and central nervous system. Respiratory failure is the leading cause of death in theses patients, responsible for 30% of mortalities. Cardiac conduction abnormalities are the second leading cause of death at approximately 20% of mortalities. A distinctive cataract presents in 100% of patients with either Myotonic Dystrophy, which can aid in the diagnosis of this complex disease.
Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation
1. Myopathies without EOM Weakness: Facioscapulohumeral + Myotonic Dystrophy. Washington University at St. Louis. 2014 June. Web. http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/musdist/pe-eom.html. 2. Pelargonio G, Dello Russo A, Sanna T, De Martino G, Bellocci F. Myotonic Dystrophy and the Heart. Heart. 2002 Dec; 88(6): 665–670. 3. Cohen, A, Weinberg D. Evaluation and Management of Blepharoptosis. New York: Springer; 2011. 79 p. 4. Sorge A, Devoelaere T, Sotodeh M, et. all. Exposure keratopathy following silicone frontalis suspension in adult neuro- and myogenic ptosis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2012; 90: 188-192. 5. Versino M, Rossi B, Beltrami G, et. all. Ocular Motor Mytonic Phenomenon in Mytonic Dystrophy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002; 72:236-240. 6. Azuara-Blanco A, Katz LJ, Arkfeld DF, Walsh TJ. Myotonic dystrophy mimicking bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia. Neuro-ophthalmology 1997; 17:11-14. 7. Burian HM, Burns CA. Ocular changes in myotonic dystrophy. Am J Ophthalmol 1967; 63: 22-34. 8. Verhagen WIM, Ter Bruggen JP, Huygen PLM. Oculomotor, auditory, and vestibular responses in myotonic dystrophy. Arch Neruol 1992; 49:954-960. 9. Rosa N, Lanza M, Borrelli M, et. all. Low Intraocular Pressure Resulting from Ciliary Body Detachment in Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy. Ophthalmology. 2011 Feb;118(2):260-4. 10. Sarks J, Liu H, Killingsworth M, et. all. Retinal Changes in Myotonic Dystrophy: A Clinicomorphological Study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology, 13: 19–36. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9071.1985.tb00395.x 11. Rhodes J. Cataract in Myotonic Dystrophy. International Myotonic Dystrophy Organization, Inc. Web. http://myotonicdystrophy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Cataract-Brochure-Myotonic-Dystrophy.pdf 12. Vassilopoulos D, Alevizos B, Spengos M. Cataract and gamma-glutamyl cycle in myotonic dystrophy. Ophthalmologica. 174 (3); 167-9.
Retrieved from "https://eyewiki.org/w/index.php?title=Ocular_Manifestations_of_Myotonic_Dystrophy&oldid=17152"
Cataract/Anterior Segment
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21527
|
__label__cc
| 0.539137
| 0.460863
|
Review: Gotham 1.15 – “The Scarecrow”
If the title is any indication, this week on Gotham the focus is on the beginnings of future villain, “The Scarecrow” aka Jonathan Crane. We were barely introduced to him last week, but after this episode, we will know how and why he becomes what he becomes. Gotham certainly is NOT slowing down with their introduction and fleshing out of the many Batman world villains. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It’s still hard to decide. Anyways, let’s get to the action this week.
***** SPOILERS BELOW *****
It was a dark and stormy night in Gotham (which seems to be a norm) and a random old man is mercilessly slaughtered by some creepers, who steal his adrenal “fear” gland. Oh, it must be Dr. Gerald Crane (Julian Sands) and his poor son, Jonathan (Charlie Tahan). Dr. Crane is trying to develop a sort of “fear-serum” to help him defeat his fear, all the while using his son as a test subject, too. Father of the Year award, anyone? He injects himself, as well, continually seeing a woman crying for help while burning. Awesome.
Unluckily for him, first class GCPD cops, Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock are on the case. They easily discover Crane was a teacher, go to his school, where the old principal tells them about Crane’s wife’s death and how Crane wrote a paper on “fear being the downfall of humanity” and trying to develop a cure for it.
Jim also finds time to have his third date with the ever so charming Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin). Barbara who, anyone? Their chemistry is much better than Jim and Barbara’s ever was. Oh, by the way, it is now snowing in Gotham? And the next day it is just cloudy. What is with the weather in this city?! Anyways, Leslie tells Jim about her new job…at GCPD. He seems confused and weirded out, even though he was the one who suggested it to her last week! Captain Essen introduces Dr. Thompkins to the boys, but it is all a bit weird, since last week Jim and Thompkins full on MADE-OUT in front of everyone. Harvey urges Jim that an office romance is not a good idea. Side note: Harvey is right for once in his life.
Let’s take a moment to check in on all of the side plotlines. Firstly, Fish finds herself in some sort of underground basement dungeon thingy. There are a bunch of thugs and dangerous looking men around. No word on the man who attacked her or whose boat she was on. All Fish knows now is that she is locked in some prison. But don’t count on Fish to lose her bite. She threatens two steroided-out men, finds the head honcho – a man named Mace (Babs Olusanmokun) who carries the only weapon – manipulates him, kills him with said only weapon, and takes the reigns as the woman in charge. She also immediately finds herself a loyal servant and begins giving orders. Fish can’t change her spots. She is thrown for a loop when a woman with no eyes gets thrown in the prison. What is that about?
As for Bruce, he is going on a solo hike as part of some Wayne tradition. He picks up rocks, falls down a hill, and then climbs back up on his hands and knees to find Alfred sitting by the fire waiting, not helping him. I guess this is a lesson for Bruce in his own strength and perseverance or something. Alfred is a great father figure for Bruce, equal parts caring and tough. I thought these scenes were a bit boring and out of place. Let Bruce do his growing up off-screen please.
And now thirdly, following the aftermath of escaping Maroni’s clutches, Oswald Cobblepot pleads with Falcone to do something about about it. Falcone basically waves him off, instead telling him to get Fish’s old club in order. Falcone, who we last saw choke Liza to death, is not messing around anymore. He meets with Maroni, making sure Maroni promises not to kill Penguin (because Falcone finds him clever and knows he will never be top dog). In return, Falcone delivers Maroni a judge that Maroni hates. This odd friendship between the two top dogs further proves Falcone is calling the shots, always. Maroni then pays a visit to Penguin, telling him the second Falcone is out of the picture, so is Penguin. Things are pretty uncomfortable when you are so often around people who continue to try to kill you – and that’s basically everyone in Gotham.
Oswald, who has deftly named the new club, “Oswalds,” shouts out orders to the workers like the diva he is. The place is changing from red to purple and the symbol is now the iconic purple umbrella that so suits Penguin. He wants to personally invite Jim Gordon to the club’s reopening, so he takes a trip down to GCPD. What happens is probably the best thing I’ve seen on Gotham yet: a showdown between Oswald and the equally fun, Ed Ngyma. The music, the steeled looks, the banter! It was all perfect and we need to have more scenes between Oswald and Ed. Two future villains squaring off was just the breath of fresh air and fun the episode needed.
Jim rejects Oswald’s invitation, which is good, because he has more important things to do, like make out with Dr. Thompkins. He gets weird and awkward, telling her to keep it profesh at work (even though, once again, they made out hard core in front of the entire station!). Thompkins is such a cool cat that she lets his weirdness roll off her back. And anyways, Harvey and Jim discover that Crane’s wife died in a house fire and they found the address of the old house. GEE, that was super easy! Why didn’t they do that earlier? And really writers, it’s gonna be that easy?!
Crane believes he has overcome his fear finally, perfecting the serum. He tells his son he loves him after Jonathan attempts to run away. Soon enough, Jim and Harvey arrive and all the plans are ruined. Crane injects his son with a too-high dose causing Jonathan to seize in perpetual pain as they hide in some hay underneath a, wait for it, SCARECROW. The scarecrow invades Jonathan’s nightmares. His screams bring out Jim and Harvey who easily shoot down the now fearless Crane senior. Easy peezy!
Back at GCPD, Jim and Thompkins talk about the case. They try and keep it professional, Thompkins going as far as saying she likes at GCPD. Girl, just wait on that one. Jim tells her they can’t kiss on the job and is all serious and weird again. Maybe Jim is the issue? Luckily for him, Dr. Leslie Thompkins is the coolest.
Later, Jim goes to the hospital to check on Jonathan, but we all know what he is going to find. A young man forever tormented by the thing he fears most, the Scarecrow. He’s going to live, but oh, will he suffer…
Overall, I enjoyed this episode more than last week (except I could have done without the Bruce scenes). The characters continue to change and develop. It’s interesting that we are keeping Fish on screen, not sure where they are going to go with that. If this episode was an indication of anything that worked, it was the Oswald and Ed scene. That was golden. We need more of that. Barbara who? Keep it that way please, curse the canon. Jim and Thompkins, despite his now stern ways, are leagues above Jim and Barbara. And next week, could we get the Joker and the Graysons? Oh my, Gotham SLOW. IT. DOWN. How many villains do we need in one season? Geez. I’d like to see more development on Jim and Harvey and Ed and Oswald, heck, even on Fish. Calm it down.
What do you guys think? Do you want more villains or something else? Let me know in the comments below.
Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on Fox.
Categories: Reviews / No Responses / by Ben Fleck
Post Author: Ben Fleck
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21529
|
__label__cc
| 0.533286
| 0.466714
|
Grimm 4.19 – “Iron Hans”
The saga continues with Juliette and her Hexenbiest problems. This week the royals try to take advantage of this drama to get Juliette on their side and help in finding Adalind’s baby. Will she turn against Nick?
The search for a cure to Juliette’s Hexenbiest problem seems to be going nowhere for Monroe and Rosalee. They say this has never happened before and their only option may be to talk to Adalind, who might know something about what’s going on. Nick isn’t crazy about the idea of seeing Adalind again, though; but he may consider it knowing it might be the only way to help Juliette.
Out in the woods, our Wesen story of the week involves what seems to be a Boy Scout type Wesen camp. The camp is aimed at having young Wesen woge for the first time and guiding them through the event. Renard is still having his weird hallucinations, which, frankly, I’m getting a little tired of. I can’t really tell where the show is going with this Renard situation. Near where the Wesen camp is going on, we see a young hitchhiker get attacked by, presumably, some type of Wesen. Also, I like how the show is basically now just rolling with nearly every crime being Wesen-related.
Rosalee stops by the jail to see Juliette and apologize for her part in Juliette’s current problems. Juliette responds in her new snarky fashion and forgives her and says this all happened for a reason. Juliette says she’s on top of the world now and points out that Nick wouldn’t give up being a Grimm for her, so why should she stop being a Hexenbiest now. Rosalee reminds her that she must still love Nick and Juliette cuts the conversation off and goes back to her cell.
Renard is piecing together the facts about the wallet he found in his jacket last week, and the part he played in it. He is checking the crime reports and looking into assaults that happened that day. It’s unclear if he remembers that he assaulted the man; he’s telling his officers to ask for subject description incase he saw something. Nick gets Monroe involved on his newest case to try to track the Wesen in the current murder case. They arrive at Iron Hans ranch, which Monroe says is like a coming of age camp.
The owners of the camp take Nick and crew to their campsite and say they had nothing to do with the murdered hitchhiker. Kenneth goes and talks to Juliette, digging for information on Nick. He throws Adalind under the bus and tells Juliette about the baby situation to try to get her on his side. Knowing she could be in trouble soon, Adalind goes to the precinct to talk to Nick about the baby. She tells him and needless to say he is not happy. Adalind says there is a way to suppress the Hexenbiest in Juliette and if Nick helps protect her from Juliette, then she will help him get Juliette under control.
Adalind has Nick touch her stomach as the baby is kicking and he agrees to take her to Rosalee so she can help work on the potion to help Juliette. As they are leaving the precinct, Juliette walks in. Uh oh. Nick won’t let Juliette get to Adalind, so Juliette takes this as him choosing Adalind over her. She leaves, and Nick and Adalind head for the spice shop.
Meanwhile, Kenneth is at the hotel with Juliette, who is upset with Nick over the Adalind situation. He suggests she find a way to get in touch with Nick’s mother and lead her to believe that Nick is in mortal danger, so she will come back to Portland. Monroe is at the Wesen camp speaking to the young men. It turns out that the killer is Maggie, the daughter of the ranch owner, who thinks that it’s weak to kill animals and not go for the real kill. Nick and crew find her and stab her before she can kill her next victim. In another crazy Juliette moment, she sets Nick’s trailer, and all of his Grimm material, on fire.
Grimm airs on Fridays at 9/8c on NBC. Watch full episodes on NBC.com and On Demand (check with your local cable provider).
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21530
|
__label__cc
| 0.631749
| 0.368251
|
Previous 1 13 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 template Next
On Thursday, the Portage Terriers defeated the Winnipeg Blues 5-1. Jason Kasdorf saved 24 of 25 shots. He was named #3 star. http://mjhl.esportsdesk.com/leagues/...&gameID=900889
On Thursday, the St. Thomas Academy Cadets defeated the North St. Paul Polars 7-1. Zach Schroeder had a powerplay goal and an assist. http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/game/show...ubseason=27330
playoffs 0- 0- 0- 0- 0 TBD #843
9 Zach Schroeder RC St Thomas Academy (Classic Sub) 09/07/92 5'09" 165 Prior Lake MN 24-23-29- 52- 6 02/19/11 #932
27 Drew Melanson LW Delbarton School (Gordon Conf) 01/10/95 5'11" 145 Paramus NJ 21- 4-13- 17- ? TBD #919
FlagDUDE08
On Thursday, the Cornwall Colts defeated the Brockville Braves 3-1. Jacob Laliberté had no points or penalties. http://pointstreak.com/prostats/boxs...gameid=1318878
Laliberté's line is now 56-56-66-122-20.
Perhaps you put the Baer curse on him with your post about getting 9 points in 8 games being easy? He does not get shut down that easily.
Originally posted by DrDemento View Post
That crossed my mind.
On Friday, the Cornwall Colts lost to the Brockville Braves 6-2. Jacob Laliberté had an assist and a double minor for crosschecking. http://pointstreak.com/prostats/boxs...gameid=1318879
On Friday, the Dubuque Fighting Saints defeated the Des Moines Buccaneers 1-0 (3-1) in a shootout. Luke Curadi did not dress. http://ushl.stats.pointstreak.com/bo...gameid=1341605
On Friday, the Youngstown Phantoms defeated the Chicago Steel 6-0. Chris Bradley had no points or penalties. http://ushl.stats.pointstreak.com/bo...gameid=1341612
On Friday, the Omaha Lancers lost to the Green Bay Gamblers 3-0. Mark Miller had no points or penalties. http://ushl.stats.pointstreak.com/bo...gameid=1341609
On Friday, the Vernon Vipers defeated the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-2. Mike Zalewski did not dress. http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/hockey_bo...0238&link=bchl
Zalewski's line is now 46-12-17-29-34.
turk181
Had a chance to meet Jake Woods at today's Alb. Aca. game. He suffered a broken right wrist in a game earlier this week, I believe it was the outdoor game they played at UCONN. He's in a cast now but said he was going to get fitted with a different one that might allow him to play in the playoffs...tough kid. Said he's really looking forward to his days at RPI. Very nice young man.
Brandon Pirri: Turk would give it to Jagr. That's awesome! Jagr's untouchable. And he would give it to Jagr.
Originally posted by turk181 View Post
That sounds like when I went to a Washington Jr. Nationals game about two years ago to watch Matt and Jarred Tinordi only to find out that both had been suspended because of a fight in an earlier game. Thanks for the report.
The line of Pietila-Bardreau and Ryan Haggerty was a big part of Team USA’s offensive output. Haggerty posted four points (1g-3a) in the Czech Republic and now has 20 (7-13) for the season. Haggerty is committed to play for RPI next year and should fit right in with the ECAC brand of hockey. After not being listed by Central Scouting, he’s fighting for a shot at getting drafted at all and his production at the Five Nations should help some.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21531
|
__label__wiki
| 0.802697
| 0.802697
|
The day Russian tanks entered Kosovo (video eng subs)
RussiaSerbiaUncategorized
Video documentary: how Russian tanks were welcomed in Kosovo (eng subs)
@Avos for Cont
Exactly 16 years ago, Russian marines made a daring march to Kosovo
200 Russian marines took Pristina airport before the arrival of the British division of KFOR, which terrified the NATO military.
On the night of June 11 to 12, 1999 the forward unit of the airborne troops of the Russian peacekeeping contingent has moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kosovo to take the airport “Slatina” near Pristina. They had to overcome 600 miles and take the airport under control before the so-called “peacekeepers” from English KFOR (eng. “Kosovo force”) arrived.
As generals now remember, in those days, the threat of a clash between our marines and NATO soldiers was critical.
For example, when the marines already took the airfield, a British tank column under the command of general Michael Jackson (!) moved towards them.
Approaching our checkpoint, the English officer was gesturing, giving orders to the tanks to enter the territory of the airfield. He, along with armored vehicles was immediately taken under the cross-hairs of grenade launchers and politely asked in English not to wave his hands. In the end, NATO withdrew.
It was 1999 — Yeltsin, Berezovsky and total failure on all fronts. Apparently, the posture does not change even with weakened empires, and this is particularly evident now, 16 years later. Then, our country failed to save the Serbs, but this desperate forced march encrypted a promise that someday we’ll be back.
P. S. By the way, it turns out that the notorious WWIII could have started because of Michael Jackson, which in fact is not surprising.
AnalysisHistoryKosovoNATOVideoWarYugoslavia
Ukraine is a disposable torpedo against Russia
Ukraine’s debt has reached 100% of GDP
Pan-Turkism And Its Impact in Modern Geopolitics
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21533
|
__label__wiki
| 0.89768
| 0.89768
|
Cambodian Cargo Ship with Ukrainian Captain Escorted from Crimean Waters
CrimeaNewsRussia
Russian border guards escorted the cargo ship “St. George” under the flag of Cambodia with a Ukrainian captain, which was anchored off the West coast of Crimea, violating the state border of Russia, said Tuesday the press service of Border Department of the FSB in Crimea.
Border patrol ship “Don” captured the cargo ship “St. George” (port of registration – Phnom Penh, on route Rostov-on-Don – Varna) in the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. “The ship has deviated from the recommended course and anchored near the village Chernomorskoe [meaning “Black Sea”] without permission of the port authorities,” – said the press release.
The captain, a 45 year-old citizen of Ukraine was issued a violation under article “Violation of the state border of the Russian Federation”. The hearing is scheduled for January 25. The ship owner faces a fine.
The incident occurred on January 3rd. “The same evening, the ship was escorted from the territorial waters of the Russian Federation”, – said the press service.
__ATA.cmd.push(function() { __ATA.initDynamicSlot({ id: 'atatags-1476137431-60076987e0874', location: 120, formFactor: '001', label: { text: 'Advertisements', }, creative: { reportAd: { text: 'Report this ad', }, privacySettings: { text: 'Privacy settings', } } }); });
Meanwhile in Sochi: Putin’s hockey practice (video)
Cause of Igor Sergun’s Death Revealed
For MLK’s 92nd Anniversary: Great Speeches to Strengthen the Soul in Times of…
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21534
|
__label__cc
| 0.509139
| 0.490861
|
Crimea’s Poklonskaya moves on to State Duma career
CrimeaRussiaUncategorized
By Jafe Arnold Last updated Feb 19, 2018
September 27, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
PolitRussia – translated by J. Arnoldski –
On Monday, Crimean Prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya wrote a statement on being released from her position.
“Today I wrote a statement in order to be relieved of my duties as Prosecutor of the Republic of Crimea in connection with my election to State Duma,” RIA Novosti quotes Poklonskaya’s statement.
According to her, her statement has already been sent to the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation. “Insofar as I’ve already been elected a State Duma deputy, my powers are suspended and I am exempt from the duties of Prosecutor of the Republic of Crimea and an moving onto my elected office. My experience as a prosecutor will be kept, but I will work and fulfill my duties as a deputy, as this is an elected post,” Poklonskaya explained.
At a congress of the United Russia party on June 27th, Russian Prime Minister and party chairman Dmitry Medvedev proposed to include Poklonskaya in the list of candidates for the State Duma. The Crimean prosecutor, in turn, reported that she would be ready to go to work in the lower house of parliament if elected.
The next day, in an interview with Moslente, Poklonskaya stated that, if elected, her priority in State Duma work would be people and their problems, including those of the residents of Crimea.
Later, Russian President Vladimir Putin specified that, if Poklonskaya were elected a deputy, her priorities would include the construction of roads, control over the flow of public funds, and the restoration of cultural monuments.
MedvedevNatalia PoklonskayaPutinState DumaUnited Russia
Jafe Arnold 1398 posts 0 comments
Jafe Arnold is founding Editor-in-Chief of Eurasianist Internet Archive.
INTERCEPTED CALLS – PROOF OF US & ISIS COORDINATION: Syrian MP Goes Public
Opinion Poll: Europeans don’t trust American occupation forces
The British Hand Behind America’s Color Revolution: Soros and Lord Malloch…
Why China is NOT your Enemy (and what really controls Canada and the US Deep State)
The Nuremberg Tribunal: 75 Years Later and Still the Basis for Humanity’s Survival
The Coming Battle For The New World
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21535
|
__label__wiki
| 0.690498
| 0.690498
|
Iran’s Security Systems Detect 29 Million Cyber Attacks Since May
MENAAnglo 5Crime
By Drago Bosnic Last updated Sep 1, 2019
TEHRAN – The 4 systems of cyber-security launched by the Iranian Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in May, have so far detected more than 29 million cyberattacks against the country, including over 19 million attacks conducted from 24 countries.
In May 2019, Iranian ICT Ministry unveiled a cybersecurity project codenamed Digital Fortress (Dejfa in Persian) to shield the country from increasing cyber threats targeting Iran’s infrastructure and online businesses.
A report published on Sunday detailed the performance of 4 systems working under Dejfa since the cybersecurity project was launched in May:
Dejfa Teleware System has identified 19 million cyberattacks against Iran from 24 countries. 10 million attacks were launched from inside Iran.
Kavoshgar System has analyzed 3,000 suspicious files and evaluated 140 applications. The system issued warning on 322 cases, and contacted vulnerable sections on 2,550 other cases.
Dana System with a nationwide coverage of the country’s IP addresses has identified 20,000 vulnerable facilities inside the country.
Detection and Countering System has identified 39 million cyberattacks, suspicious or illegal activities. The system has also identified 18,000 malwares.
According to Deputy ICT Minister Hamid Fattahi, Dejfa has improved monitoring and detection of cyber-threats by 200 percent. Late in June, ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said in a tweet that US cyber-attacks against Iranian missile control systems had failed to cause any disruptions.
“The media ask whether the alleged cyber-attacks against Iran did take place,” Azari Jahromi said in a tweet on June 24.
“They try hard, but they have yet to carry out a successful attack,” he added.
The attacks came shortly after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) shot down a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk drone that had entered Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf region to gather intelligence, using Khordad 3 indigenous surface-to-air missile system.
“We have been facing cyber-terrorism for a long time…Last year we neutralized 33 million attacks with the (national) firewall,” Jahromi noted.
cyberwarIranUSA
Drago Bosnic 1415 posts 0 comments
Turkey intends to launch offensive against Kurds in northern Syria
MAJOR: Ankara Promises Moscow to Dissolve Tahrir Al-Sham
WATCH: California Secession in The Color Revolution – ‘THE PLAN’…
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21536
|
__label__wiki
| 0.780808
| 0.780808
|
Russia criticizes US interference in Latin American affairs
EurasiaHeadline NewsLatin America
By Paul Antonopoulos Last updated Nov 1, 2019
MOSCOW – The United States intervenes directly in Latin American affairs, said Russian official Maria Zakharova on Friday.
“We are witnessing a direct interference by both the US internal affairs and the international agenda of the region,” the official told a news conference.
As a concrete case, she spoke about the situation in Venezuela. The diplomat recalled a recent statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who on October 17 wrote on his Twitter that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro supposedly uses food as a political weapon, without providing evidence or citing his own country’s sanctions against Venezuela that affects the food and agricultural industries of the country. He also published a video in which the Venezuelan president is said to supposedly force the population to choose between food and freedom.
US has ‘appropriated’ Venezuelan funds, says official
For Zakharova, “it is ironic that this is said by a senior US official, I suppose I have not forgotten who decreed to expropriate millions [dollars] from Venezuela, which the Maduro government could have intended to meet social needs, like medicine and food.”
According to her, now “appropriate funds are used in opposition corruption schemes.”
Venezuela is experiencing a political, economic and social crisis that worsened in January, when Maduro began a new term, incorrectly deemed illegitimate by the opposition, and the United States decided to support Juan Guaidó’s self-proclamation as president.
Since then, the US has been intensifying sanctions against the Maduro government and has adopted commercial and financial punitive measures.
‘Avoid speculating on results’ in Bolivia
The Russian Foreign Ministry official also spoke about the situation in Bolivia, but without mentioning Washington specifically. According to her, the international community should refrain from speculating on the results of the recent elections in the country .
“We hope that external actors will avoid speculating […] about the results, as well as expressing things or taking actions that could result in escalating protests or altering public order,” Zakharova said.
President Evo Morales was reelected in the October 20 elections by obtaining 47.08% of the vote, compared with 36.5% of the opposing candidate, former President Carlos Mesa, a difference of 10.57% points, or just 0.57% more than the current agent needed to win in the first round.
In recent days, Bolivia has faced a wave of protests that left several people dead and injured. Mesa called on the opposition to speak out against the alleged irregularities of the election.
On Thursday, the Organization of American States (OAS) began an audit of the Bolivian electoral process.
LATAMRussiaVenezuela
The Rubles Return: Why Is The Russian Currency Making Investors Interested Again?
Why Are Bulgarian Atlanticist’s Opposing the Russian S-400 in Serbia?
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21537
|
__label__wiki
| 0.967945
| 0.967945
|
Maxwell Stern’s Songs That Inspired “Impossible Sum”
The former emo is stepping out on his own with intimate indie songs inspired by Wild Pink, Big Thief, and more.
Maxwell Stern is known for a lot of things, including his work in angsty bands like Signals Midwest or Timeshares, but right now he’s just Maxwell Stern. On his own, he’s powerful in this position of vulnerability, free to create whatever comes to him. He’s left emo and pop punk behind for more a mature and refined mode of expression that permeates his new album Impossible Sum, out now.
“When I’m in the mode of writing for a band, everything gets filtered through a particular lens or genre, or I present certain ideas that I know will play well with specific band members,” Stern shared in a press statement. “So I really tried hard to throw that kind of thinking out for the sake of making something different.” The result is an intimate collage of different sounds with Stern’s earnest vocals at the forefront, singing of personal revelations and endurances. He wasn’t completely alone; he worked with a bunch of talented friends, including Adam Beck (Sincere Engineer, Into It. Over It.), Matt Arbogast (The Gunshy), his Timeshares bandmate Jon Hernandez, Laura Stevenson, and Kyle Pulley.
Stern put together a playlist of songs that inspired Impossible Sum, including everything from Land of Talk to Pinback. “This is a selection of what I was listening to when we were making Impossible Sum,” he tells us. “I tried to pick songs that really commit to a groove, a singular idea or a lyrical throughline. There are a few songs from producer Kyle Pulley and drummer Adam Beck mixed in there too!”
Listen to it below.
Maxwell SternPlaylist
Palberta’s Playlist of “Fire Vocal Takes”
Buck Meek Shares a Playlist of His Friends’ Music That Inspired “Two Saviors”
Hear Your Old Droog’s Playlist of Influences for “Dump YOD: Krutoy Edition”
Lee Paradise’s Sounds Behind “The Fink”
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21538
|
__label__wiki
| 0.838412
| 0.838412
|
Tag Archives: kelvin hayden
Training camp signings
Longtime Bear Olin Kreutz is now a Saint. Image via Wikipedia
In this post, we analyze veteran signings during training camp, from the beginning of the league year on August 4 to the first cut down date on August 30. (For analysis of earlier signings, check out this mega pre-camp signings post.)
49ers (add WR Braylon Edwards, SS Donte Whitner and QB Josh McCown; keep FS Dashon Goldson) – We discussed the Edwards and Whitner signings in this post. Goldson is a talented free safety who looked for a big deal on the market but couldn’t find it. He re-signed for one year. McCown comes on board as a backup quarterback, at least until Colin Kaepernick is ready.
Raiders (add TE Kevin Boss, safeties Matt Giordano and Josh Bullocks, and CB Lito Sheppard) – After losing Zach Miller to the Seahawks, the Raiders gave Boss a four-year, $16 million deal with $8 million in guarantees. Boss isn’t the dynamic receiver that Miller is, but he’s pretty good and will fill a need. He at least allows the Raiders to continue doing the things they want in their offense. After losing S Hiram Eugene, the Raiders added Bullocks and Giordano. Bullocks has great speed but hasn’t played consistently; Giordano is more of a system player. Likely only one will make the team. (UPDATE: Bullocks was quickly cut.) Sheppard was once a solid starter, but he has fallen off to the point that he is just barely a passable backup.
Jets (add WR Derrick Mason) – Mason, who was cut by the Ravens, got a one-year deal to come to the Jets as the third receiver behind Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Mason is still a productive guy, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him find a bigger and bigger role as the season progresses. He’s a nice addition given his experience and dependability.
Saints (add C Olin Kreutz, CB Trumaine McBride, RB Patrick Cobbs and PK John Kasay) – After losing starting center Jonathan Goodwin to the 49ers, the Saints brought in veteran Kreutz as a short-time replacement while they develop young players. The long-time Bear, who’s known as a locker-room leader, got a one-year deal worth $2 million. McBride is a vet who will fight to add depth at corner. Cobbs is a versatile back who does great work on special teams and is also a good receiver. Still, he’ll be fighting to win a roster spot. With PK Garrett Hartley hurting, the Saints brought in veteran Kasay from Carolina. Kasay still has pretty good field-goal pop for a 40-something.
Patriots (add DEs Shaun Ellis, Andre Carter and Mark Anderson, DT Gerard Warren, LB Niko Koutouvides, S James Ihedigbo, and LS James Dearth) – We covered the Patriots’ defensive line pieces in this post. Koutovides will fight for a roster spot to provide depth at linebacker, and Ihedigbo will do the same at safety. Dearth takes over at long snapper.
Chargers (keep WR Malcom Floyd and LBs Stephen Cooper and Kevin Bentley) – Floyd got a good look in Baltimore, but he ultimately decided to return to San Diego on a two-year deal. He’s a great complement to Vincent Jackson because he’s also big and fast. Cooper is a solid run-down inside linebacker who had a chance to start until he landed on injured reserve. Bentley came on board after that to add depth.
Steelers (keep OLB Lamarr Woodley, add WR Jerricho Cotchery and S Macho Harris) – Woodley, the Steelers’ franchise player, benefited from the Steelers’ cap situation and got a six-year, $61.5 million deal. Woodley doesn’t get the pub that James Harrison does, but he’s a terrific pass rusher who steps up even more in the playoffs. Cotchery, an ex-Jet, adds depth and experience for a young receiving corps. Harris, an ex-Eagle, has yet to make a big impact in the NFL.
Jaguars (keep TE Marcedes Lewis, add LBs Matt Roth and Gerris Wilkerson) – Lewis, the Jaguars’ franchise player, got a Zach Miller-sized deal (five years, $34 million, $17 million guaranteed) to return. Lewis had a terrific year last season and is the Jaguars’ best receiving threat. Roth got a one-year, $3 million deal to come to town as a strong player against the run and a pass-rush threat. He’s been better in a 3-4 than a 4-3 like the Jaguars use, but at this point in the offseason he’s a nice addition. The Jaguars will find a way to use him. Wilkerson is a versatile linebacker who may be able to back up at all three positions, and that could help him make the team. (UPDATE: Wilkerson was cut.)
Ravens (add RB Ricky Williams and OT Bryant McKinnie) – After losing Willis McGahee and LeRon McClain, the Ravens added Williams with a two-year, $4 million deal to back up Ray Rice. Williams and Vonta Leach fit better with Rice, because they will have more set roles that they can fill effectively. The result is a net gain for the Ravens’ running game. McKinnie fell out of favor in Minnesota, where his lax work habits and max gut impacted his play on the field. But the Ravens needed help at tackle, and McKinnie was the best option on the market. If McKinnie is right, he could start at left tackle and let Michael Oher move to right tackle, where he has played more effectively. McKinnie could also be a factor at right tackle as the Ravens try to develop rookie Jah Reid. The signing is a bit of a risk, but it’ll be interesting to see if the Ravens can get something out of McKinnie that the Vikes couldn’t in recent years.
Eagles (add WR Steve Smith) – The Eagles continued their offseason spending spree by adding Smith, an ex-Giant, on a one-year, $2 million deal. Smith isn’ t healthy at the moment, but if he recovers he becomes a fine inside option for the Eagles’ talented receiving corps. Plus, he was Eli Manning’s safety blanket, so signing him hurts the Giants. That’s a win/win for Philly.
Redskins (keep ILB Rocky McIntosh; add OT Sean Locklear, P Sav Rocca, and LB Keyaron Fox) – McIntosh is a solid starter at inside linebacker and a nice pairing with London Fletcher. Fox is more of a special-teams guy, but he provides depth as well. Locklear is a backup at tackle who has talent, although he hasn’t always shown it. Rocca takes over as the team’s punter.
Falcons (keep RB Jason Snelling, add TE Reggie Kelly, S James Sanders, and CB Kelvin Hayden) – Snelling returns on a one-year deal as Michael Turner’s backup. Snelling is a bruising runner who also has some receiving skills. He didn’t find a starting job elsewhere, but he’s good enough to do so if Turner gets hurt. Kelly, a former Falcon, returns to serve as a block-first tight end behind Tony Gonzalez. Sanders, who started for the Patriots last year, is a solid but unspectacular player who provides some depth and assurance. Hayden, an ex-Colt, has played well when healthy but hasn’t been healthy lately. It will be interesting to see if Hayden or Sanders finds playing time.
Lions (add RBs Jerome Harrison and Mike Bell and S Michael Johnson) – After losing rookie Mikel Leshoure to injury, the Lions brought in Harrison and Bell – who were traded for each other last season. They will likely fight for one spot to become the hardnosed complement to Jahvid Best. (UPDATE: It will be Harrison; Bell was cut.) Johnson, a former starter with the Giants, adds depth at a major trouble spot for the Lions. Don’t be surprised if he emerges as a starter.
Vikings (add DE Stylez White) – After losing Ray Edwards in free agency, the Vikings waited until after the second preseason game and then added White, an ex-Buccaneer who’s at least an average pass rusher. It’s a nice find this late in free agency, because White has enough punch to keep defenses from completely skewing their protections to guard against Jared Allen.
Bengals (add TE Bo Scaife) – Scaife, the long-time Titan, got a little more than the minimum to be the veteran backup for Jermaine Gresham in Cincinnati.
Seahawks (keep DE Raheem Brock, add S Atari Bigby and LB David Vobora) – Brock was one of the underrated players on the free-agent market, so it’s a coup for the Seahawks to keep him. He’s not huge, but he provides a good pass-rush threat. Bigby was once a starting strong safety in Green Bay, but injuries limited him to four games last season, and he was replaced. He will help to fill the gap left by the departed Jordan Babineaux. Vobora, an ex-Ram, is effective but limited athleticially. Still, with Lofa Tatupu gone, he adds depth and should be good enough to serve as a backup.
Giants (keep DT Rocky Bernard, S Deon Grant, and DE Dave Tollefson; add PK Rhys Lloyd, DT Jimmy Kennedy, DE Jimmy Wilkerson and CB Brian Williams) – The Giants cut Bernard in a salary cap move, but brought him back after the market didn’t offer a big deal. Bernard has talent, but 2010 was disappointing. They also re-signed Tollefson, a decent backup end. Grant played a lot in New York’s three-safety alignment last year, and is still good enough to contribute in pass defense. Lloyd is a touchback machine who is unproven on placements. Still, he should take pressure off of Lawrence Tynes. Kennedy, a former first-round pick, had a down year last year after rebounding in 2009 in Minnesota. He adds depth after Marvin Austin’s injury. Wilkerson adds depth at end. After injuries to Terrell Thomas and two other corners, the Giants brought in Williams for depth purposes. Williams really struggled with Atlanta last year and should be viewed as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option only.
Titans (add S Jordan Babineaux, CB Frank Walker, OT Adam Terry, and WR Kevin Curtis) – Walker will help to replace injured CB Ryan Mouton. Babineaux, an ex-Seahawk, provides depth behind Chris Hope. Terry hopes to hook on as a backup swing tackle. Curtis continues his comeback from cancer in Tennessee, which has young receivers but not a ton of experience at the position.
Cardinals (add DE Nick Eason, P Dave Zastudill, QB Brodie Croyle and CB Fred Bennett) – Eason is a solid backup 3-4 defensive end, and as an ex-Steeler he’s someone Ken Whisenhunt knows. He will add depth for the Cards. Zastudill will challenge Ben Graham for the punting job. Croyle, an ex-Chief, comes in as the veteran quarterback and sets the Cardinals’ hierarchy. Croyle will back up Kevin Kolb, with John Skelton as the developmental third quarterback. With Greg Toler hurt, the Cards picked up Bennett, whom the Bengals had cut. Bennett showed potential once upon a time, but it’s been years since then.
Buccaneers (keep DE Tim Crowder, add CB Ashton Youboty) – The Buccaneers kept Crowder, a free agent, on a two-year deal. He’s a solid but unspectacular option. Youboty has not been an effective NFL player, but he has talent and is worth a look, especially with Aqib Talib’s availablility in question for the season. (UPDATE: Youboty was cut.)
Chiefs (add OT Jared Gaither, TE Anthony Becht, and S Sabby Piscitelli) – We discussed Gaither’s addition in this post. Piscitelli is a hard hitter, but he struggles in coverage. Becht is a veteran who is still an effective blocker. Still, he could contribute as a special-teams guy in K.C.
Rams (keep WR Mark Clayton, OL Adam Goldberg and LB Ben Leber) – Clayton, who got off to a great start last year before injury struck, isn’t completely healthy but is now in the fold. He will get time to recoup from a Rams team that wants him to be a starter for them. Goldberg is a versatile lineman who can play anywhere across the line. He provides a security blanket for the Rams. Leber adds depth at linebacker. He’s still good enough to jump in as a starter if necessary.
Panthers (add WR Legedu Naanee and DT Kentwan Balmer) – We discussed Naanee in this Panthers training-camp update. The Panthers claimed Balmer, who had been cut by the Seahawks, to address a gaping defensive tackle need that’s growing by the day. He’s worth a look-see, but the former first-round pick has yet to pan out and won’t be a huge factor.
Bills (add WRs Buster Davis and Ruvell Martin and ILB Kirk Morrison) – Davis, a former first-round pick, was a disappointment in San Diego. Now he goes to Buffalo, where he will have to beat out a group of talented young receivers. Martin came on to add depth during a time of major injuries at the position. Morrison replaces the injured Reggie Torbor and should be an upgrade. He’s a solid player against the run, and he teams with Nick Barnett to give the Bills a solid duo at inside backer.
Dolphins (add RB Larry Johnson, OT Ray Willis, LB Marvin Mitchell and S Gerald Alexander) – Johnson, a former elite back, tries to resuscitate his career in Miami. Even if he makes the team, he’ll have trouble finding playing time. Willis, an ex-Seahawk, provides depth at offensive tackle. That’s important if the Dolphins plan to rely on Marc Colombo as a starter. Mitchell is a backup linebacker who can play any spot and also a key special teams player. Alexander, a four-year vet, will try to add depth at safety.
Colts (add DE Tyler Brayton) – Brayton doesn’t generate a lot of pass rush, but he was decent against the run the last couple of years in Carolina. He will add size to the Colts’ DE corps.
Cowboys (add PKs Shayne Graham and Dave Rayner) – Graham signs on to compete with David Buehler for the Cowboys’ kicking job. When Rayner was released in Detroit, the Cowboys quickly brought him into the mix too.
Browns (add OT Oniel Cousins) – The Browns claimed Cousins, cut by the division rival Ravens, to add depth at right tackle. He’s worth a look, especially for a team with OL needs.
Texans (add WR Bryant Johnson) – Johnson, a former first-round pick, hasn’t panned out at any stops, but he has enough athletic ability to be an acceptable No. 4 receiver. If he has to play much, though, the Texans are in trouble.
Tagged as adam goldberg, adam terry, andre carter, anthony becht, arizona cardinals, ashton youboty, atari bigby, atlanta falcons, baltimore ravens, ben leber, bo scaife, braylon edwards, brodie croyle, bryant johnson, bryant mckinnie, buffalo bills, buster davis, carolina panthers, cleveland browns, craig davis, dallas cowboys, dashon goldson, dave rayner, dave tollefson, dave zastudill, david vobora, deon grant, derrick mason, detroit lions, donte whitner, Football Relativity, frank walker, fred bennett, gerald alexander, gerard warren, gerris wilkerson, houston texans, indianapolis colts, jacksonville jaguars, james dearth, james ihedigbo, james sanders, jared gaither, jason snelling, jerome harrison, jerricho cotchery, jimmy kennedy, jimmy wilkerson, john kasay, jordan babineaux, josh bullocks, josh mccown, kansas city chiefs, kelvin hayden, kentwan balmer, kevin bentley, kevin boss, kevin curtis, keyaron fox, kirk morrison, lamarr woodley, larry johnson, legedu naanee, lito sheppard, macho harris, malcom floyd, marcedes lewis, mark anderson, mark clayton, marvin mitchell, matt giordano, matt roth, miami dolphins, michael johnson, mike bell, minnesota vikings, new england patriots, new orleans saints, new york giants, new York jets, NFL, NFL Free Agency, NFL free agents, nick eason, niko koutouvides, oakland raiders, olin kreutz, oniel cousins, patrick cobbs, philadelphia eagles, pittsburgh steelers, raheem brock, ray willis, reggie kelly, rhys lloyd, ricky williams, rocky bernard, rocky mcintosh, ruvell martin, sabby piscitelli, san diego chargers, San Francisco 49ers, sav rocca, sean locklear, seattle seahawks, shaun ellis, shayne graham, st. louis rams, stephen cooper, steve smith, stylez white, tampa bay buccaneers, tennessee titans, tim crowder, trumaine mcbride, tyler brayton, washington redskins
September 27, 2010 · 1:12 am
Colts/Broncos thoughts
Each week, we focus on one game and share our thoughts on it, both from an on-field perspective and a fantasy football perspective. This week, we turn our attention to the Mile High city, where the Colts put together a solid 27-13 victory over the Broncos.
Peyton Manning plays against the Broncos. Getty Images via espn.com.
On-field perspective
*The Broncos moved the ball up and down the field, at least through the air, but failed to get in the end zone in five red-zone trips. No matter how good Kyle Orton’s numbers look, he won’t be a quality quarterback until he finds consistency and success in that area.
*Orton did make some big plays down field, notably to Brandon Lloyd, who had a monster 169-yard game. In Lloyd, Gaffney, and rookie Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos have an unsung group of receivers that’s playing well. The group’s chance to become special lies in Thomas, who is fast as lightning and tough. He made great hustle plays both as a blocker for Lloyd and as a tackler on a Jacob Lacey interception return.
*Lacey and Kelvin Hayden (forced fumble) caused turnovers in the Colts secondary, but that group also allowed some big plays through blown contracts and missed tackles. That group could be a liability if the Colts struggle to generate pressure as they did in this game.
*In case you haven’t noticed, Peyton Manning is good. He wasn’t his sharpest in this one yet still threw for 300-plus yards and three TDs.
*Austin Collie really stepped up for the Colts when they needed him. Pierre Garcon and Anthony Gonzalez were out, and Champ Bailey did a good job on Reggie Wayne, but the Broncos (and especially Perrish Cox, who was filling in for Andre Goodman) had no answer for Collie, who went off for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Cox also fumbled a punt return that the Colts recovered and turned into a field goal, so it was not a good night for him.
*Manning is good, but neither running game in this contest was. For the Colts, Joseph Addai and Donald Brown showed little burst or escapability. For Denver, Laurence Maroney was pedestrian in his Broncos debut (12 carries, 24 yards), while Correll Buckhalter is dependable but nothing more. Denver really missed the injured Knowshon Moreno.
Fantasy football perspective
*Before the season, we believed that Austin Collie would be more valuable than Pierre Garcon to fantasy owners. Garcon didn’t play in this game, but Collie scored for the third straight week and finished with career highs in catches (12) and yards (171). Collie doesn’t get a ton of respect from fantasy owners, but even when Garcon plays Collie is a top-30 wideout who can be a No. 3 receiver in 10-team leagues.
*Of all the backs on the rosters of these two teams, Moreno is the only one I could imagine starting with most confidence, and he’s injured. Maroney’s change of scenery doesn’t change his shortcomings, and Addai’s attractiveness for fantasy owners is based completely on situation, not ability.
*Both Lloyd (169 yards) and Gaffney (12 catches, 140 yards) went over the century mark for the Broncos, but Lloyd’s inconsistency makes us leery of putting him in a lineup. With byes coming up Gaffney becomes a depth play, but Thomas is still the Bronco with the most fantasy upside.
*Orton, meanwhile, is on a hot streak numbers-wise right now, to the point that he’s fighting to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback. You can start him with confidence.
Tagged as andre goodman, anthony gonzalez, austin collie, brandon lloyd, champ bailey, correll buckhalter, demaryius thomas, denver broncos, donald brown, Football Relativity, indianapolis colts, jabar gaffney, jacob lacey, joseph addai, kelvin hayden, knowshon moreno, kyle orton, laurence maroney, perrish cox, peyton manning, pierre garcon, reggie wayne
September 8, 2010 · 4:11 pm
FR: 2010 NFL Preview
The reason FootballRelativity.com exists is to do away with the antiquated and inadequate power rankings and replace them with a tool that’s more useful in comparing teams. So each week during the season, we’ll compare where all 32 teams are relative to each other using the Football Relativity 10-point scale. We start now with our season preview, assessing where each team is in comparison to the others. If you disagree, let us know by leaving a comment or on Twitter.
10 – Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are coming off a Super Bowl berth in Jim Caldwell’s first season, but we remain skeptical about whether Caldwell can maintain Tony Dungy’s level of excellence over the long term. For now, though, the Colts seem to be even stronger than they were last year. On offense, Peyton Manning remains the standard-bearer for NFL quarterbacks. He has elite targets in WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark, but Manning’s ability to bring others up to his level showed in how well he utilized young WRs Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie last year. At running back, Joseph Addai had another good year, and Donald Brown figures to improve in his second year. The questions on offense are with the offensive line, which struggled in the Super Bowl. The Colts sought to get bigger on the line, but the line still isn’t full of big-time talents. C Jeff Saturday remains the heartbeat of that group. On defense, the Colts have big-time pass-rushers in DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, and rookie Jerry Hughes could join them to create even more havoc. MLB Gary Brackett is a fireplug who makes plays to stabilize the middle of the defense, and the Colts have some good young corners in Jerraud Powers, Jacob Lacey, and Kelvin Hayden. SS Bob Sanders returns after missing all but two games last year, and if he can stay healthy he and Antoine Bethea will be an elite safety combo. The Colts remain the league’s standard, and Manning always squeezes two or three more wins out of the team than expected. That’s a recipe for another Super Bowl run.
10 (con’t) – New Orleans Saints – The Saints celebrate their Super Bowl win by returning with a team that continues to be strong and scary. QB Drew Brees leads a prolific offense that’s efficient and explosive with a depth of targets unmatched in the NFL. Brees will spread the ball around to WRs Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson; RBs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas; and TE Jeremy Shockey, plus others that get a star turn on occasion. But the guys who don’t get the star treatment they should are on the offensive line. ORG Jahri Evans may be the league’s best guard, and OLT Jermon Bushrod was so good as a fill-in last year that the Saints traded Pro Bowler Jammal Brown. That front five does a great job giving Brees time to thrive. On defense, the Saints give up some yards but make their share of big plays as well. MLB Jonathan Vilma is the heartbeat of the team, and he does a good job in coverage, and he’ll have to be more of a leader with Scott Fujita gone and Jonathan Casillas hurt at linebacker. Up front, the Saints have penetrating tackles in Sedrick Ellis and Anthony Hargrove and solid if unspectacular ends in Will Smith and Alex Brown, who replaces Charles Grant. The Saints lost FS Darren Sharper for the first six weeks, but ’09 first-rounder Malcolm Jenkins should be a quality fill-in alongside Pro Bowler Roman Harper. CB Jabari Greer played quite well last year, and he leads a deep group that includes Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter and first-round pick Patrick Robinson. The Saints have a lot of pieces and great coaches in Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and they’ll stay aggressive as they seek to defend their title. They won’t give up the crown easily.
9 – Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens are a chic Super Bowl pick, and with good reason. But there is one glaring issue – the secondary – that could hold them back. The Ravens lost CBs Domonique Foxworth and Walt Harris in the offseason, and Fabian Washington and Lardarius Webb are coming off ACL injuries. Training-camp trade acquisition Josh Wilson should help at that position, but the Ravens need Washington and Webb to play well too. Plus, Ed Reed is out for the first six weeks of the year, putting a lot of pressure on Dawan Landry and Tom Zbikowski at safety. Thankfully for Ravens fans, the front seven should provide enough pressure to keep the Ravens from having to cover for long periods of time. OLB Terrell Suggs is the pressure key, and fellow OLB Jarret Johnson is an emerging player. ILB Ray Lewis remains a playmaker and emotional keystone for the entire team, not just the defense. And up front, DE Haloti Ngata and NT Kelly Gregg are both plus players at their positions. If the secondary can hold up, the Ravens will remain one of the league’s most intimidating defenses. On offense, the Ravens can run effectively with Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and LeRon McClain. That’s thanks in large part to a strong offensive line that includes emerging youngsters in OTs Michael Oher and Jared Gaither and OLG Ben Grubbs. So the Ravens put most of their effort in the offseason into the passing game, acquiring WRs Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to complement Derrick Mason in what is now an experienced group. Those players should allow Joe Flacco to emerge into a top-flight passer. Baltimore has a lot going for it, and Super Bowl aspirations make sense. But they’re going to have to cover opposing receivers to get there.
9 (con’t) – Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys get a lot of attention with their flashy offense, but it’s their defense that paces the team. OLB DeMarcus Ware is a frighteningly effective pass rusher, and fellow OLB Anthony Spencer finally emerged this year as a big-time threat on the other side. Those two, with ILBs Keith Brooking and Bradie James, make up a terrific linebacker corps. That corps is more effective because of a defensive line that features a preeminent nose tackle in Jay Ratliff and solid DEs in Igor Olshansky and Marcus Spears. In the secondary, CBs Terrance Newman and Mike Jenkins aren’t shutdown corners, but they’re solid. On offense, the Cowboys have a high-powered offense featuring both QB Tony Romo and the passing game and a three-headed running game featuring Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice. Romo has a bevy of targets including supersolid TE Jason Witten, ’09 breakout star WR Miles Austin, and rookie WR Dez Bryant. The offensive line has a fine center in Andre Gurode, but it needs ORT Marc Columbo to hold up and young OLT Doug Free to step up to keep the offense moving. The Cowboys have the pieces in place to contend for a home game in the Super Bowl, but they must prove they can win key games at the end of the season and in the postseason to do so. Dallas made a step forward in that department last year, but they must go further to contend with top NFC teams like the Saints, Packers, and Vikings.
9 (con’t) – Green Bay Packers – No team has looked better offensively in the preseason than the Packers, as QB Aaron Rodgers has built on his terrific ’09 performance to show he has developed into an elite quarterback. He has a terrific group of receivers to throw to in Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, and dynamic TE JerMichael Finley. The running game is solid with Ryan Grant. Offensive line was a problem last year, but once OTs Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton returned, things got a lot better. Both Tauscher and Clifton return this year, and if one declines because of injury or age, first-rounder Bryan Bulaga can step in. The Packers weren’t just great on offense last year; their defense became scary in Dom Capers’ new 3-4. OLB Clay Matthews had a terrific rookie season and developed into a pass-rushing threat, and Brad Jones was a revelation at the other outside spot. Green Bay is also solid at inside ‘backer with A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett. Up front, the Packers lost Johnny Jolly for the season, which means second-year man B.J. Raji needs to step up at nose tackle so that Ryan Pickett can move outside. Pickett and Cullen Jenkins give the Pack a burly front three. The question marks for Green Bay are in the secondary, where starters CB Al Harris and S Atari Bigby are both out for at least six weeks. FS Nick Collins is a solid player, but veteran CB Charles Woodson is the best player Green Bay has in the back four. He had one of his best seasons last year and must repeat that performance if Green Bay is to hold up defensively. Green Bay will be fun to watch, but a repeat performance for the defense, not the offense, is what will determine how far the Pack can go in 2010.
8 – Minnesota Vikings – For most of last season, everything went swimmingly for the Vikings. Brett Favre came in and had perhaps his best NFL season at age 40, and Sidney Rice emerged into a franchise-level receiver. Adrian Peterson continued to thrive, and the defense was dominant. But toward the end of the season, some chinks started showing up in the armor. Minnesota’s offensive line fell apart as OLT Bryant McKinnie fatigued and ORT Phil Loadholt hit the rookie wall. Peterson’s fumbling problems persisted. The secondary struggled in the absence of S Cedric Griffin and the injury-limited status of CB Antonie Winfield. The Vikings fought through those problems into the NFC title game, and if not for several mistakes, they would have beaten the Saints and gone to the Super Bowl. But a year later, their issues – especially the age-related ones – are more pronounced. Favre is battling an ankle injury, and he’s never had as efficient a season as he did last year. Can he possible repeat a 33-touchdown, seven-interception performance? Rice is out for at least half the season with a hip injury. Percy Harvin, a dynamic playmaker, has migraine issues that can pop up at any time. McKinnie is a year older, as is stalwart OLG Steve Hutchinson. Peterson still drops the ball, and the Vikes don’t have Chester Taylor as an insurance policy any longer. The pieces are in place for a dynamic offense, but the questions persist. On defense, the Vikings need older players DT Pat Williams and Winfield to hold up. They do have in-their-prime guys in DEs Jared Allen and Ray Edwards and DT Kevin Williams who will be big difference makers, and MLB E.J. Henderson is making a remarkable recovery from a broken leg last season. But the secondary is probably the weakest area on an otherwise talented roster. Minnesota could contend again, but things could also go south on them. The fact that the rest of their division is ascending is another concern. The Vikes remain a playoff team, but that’s now speculation instead of a shoo-in.
8 (con’t) – New England Patriots – The Patriots are loaded on offense and young on defense, which makes them a dangerous team. And if everything comes together, they could be dominant. Tom Brady returned to form last season following his ’08 injury, and now the Pats hope that WR Wes Welker can do the same. Welker is the short-range threat, while Randy Moss remains a devastating outside threat. Now the Pats add two rookie tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, to give Brady even more options. The running game isn’t special, but with Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, and role players extraordinaire Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris, the Pats should be fine. There are questions up front, where Pro Bowl OLG Logan Mankins continues to hold out, but the fact that ORT Sebastian Vollmer emerged as a plus player last year helps. Defensively, the Patriots need youngsters to emerge as Vollmer did last year. Up front, losing Ty Warren was a blow, especially after last year’s Richard Seymour trade, but NT Vince Wilfork is still a preeminent run-stuffer. At linebacker, OLB Tully Banta-Cain, one of the few veterans, comes off a double-digit sack season. ILB Jerod Mayo needs to be more of a playmaker this year. In the secondary, the Pats have a lot of former high draft picks in Brandon Meriweather, Devin McCourty, Darius Butler, and Pat Chung, but aside from Meriweather none has really made an impact yet. The Pats are talented on defense, but that talent must turn into production for New England to return to its former status as a Super Bowl contender.
8 (con’t) – Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles didn’t just make changes in the offseason; they went for a intense youth movement that may cost them a win or two this year. But the overall talent level of the roster is terrific, and if they get solid play from first-time starting QB Kevin Kolb and other youngsters, they’re going to be a threat. Kolb has just two career starts, and it’s only fair to expect some inconsistency from him as he replaces Donovan McNabb. But much like how the Packers replaced Brett Favre with Aaron Rodgers a year too early, the Eagles decided to make the switch sooner rather than later. Kolb has a deep and talented corps of receivers led by diminutive but speedy DeSean Jackson. Jackson’s a true difference maker who can take over a game on his own. He’s joined by Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant at wideout and Brent Celek at tight end to give Kolb above-average targets all the way across the field. At running back, youngster LeSean McCoy takes over for Brian Westbrook, and if McCoy can produce a solid running threat, Kolb’s job will be easier. Burly Mike Bell and fullback Leonard Weaver will also contribute in the running game. The Eagles changed some pieces on the offensive line, but if OLT Jason Peters plays up to his potential and C Nick Cole proves he’s healthy, they should be in good shape up there. On defense, the Eagles get MLB Stewart Bradley back from a knee injury, which should help against the run. They also brought in small but speedy OLB Ernie Sims and DEs Daryl Tapp and Brandon Graham (their first-round pick) to add some punch to the defense. Those players, plus holdovers Trent Cole and DTs Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, give the Eagles a top-flight front seven. In the secondary, the Eagles rely on CB Asante Samuel to play at a high level, and they hope rookie FS Nate Allen provides a deep threat. Maybe it will take another year for the Eagles to get all their young guys playing up to potential, but if it clicks this year, the Eagles could end up rebuilding on the fly at an efficiency level rarely seen in the NFL.
8 (con’t) – San Diego Chargers – The Chargers’ offseason has been contentious, marked by the holdouts of WR Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill and the departure of franchise-changing RB LaDainian Tomlinson. But the Chargers still have loads of talent, which should be enough to put them over the top of a ragamuffin AFC West division. QB Philip Rivers is a top-10 quarterback who loves to lead and is a great triggerman, and even without Jackson he should be able to spread the ball around to wideouts Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee. Of course, TE Antonio Gates remains not just a reliable receiver but a play-making one, which is why the Chargers willingly gave him a contract extension. At running back, rookie Ryan Mathews takes over for Tomlinson as the bellcow, with Darren Sproles fitting in as the pint-sized dynamo whose speed is a nightmare to defend. Without McNeill, the Chargers have questions up front on offense, but C Nick Hardwick is a quality pivot who can keep that line together. Defensively, the Chargers have lost a little of their fear factor with OLB Shawne Merriman declining, but Merriman, Shaun Phillips, and second-year man Larry English are a solid group of outside linebackers who can still create havoc. Up front, the Chargers finally bid farewell to NT Jamal Williams, who played well for many years but fought injuries in recent seasons. The secondary is a question mark, as the Bolts need former first-rounder Antoine Cason to develop similar consistency to Quentin Jammer at cornerback. While the Chargers may not have their best team in recent vintage, they still should have enough talent to get through the AFC West with a division title. But the lack of elite talent makes them less of a playoff threat than they have been in past years.
7 – Atlanta Falcons – Under head coach Mike Smith, the Falcons have put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, although last year’s winning season didn’t land them in the playoffs. It seems as though QB Matt Ryan’s minor midseason injury might have been the difference between making or missing the playoffs. Ryan is a solid player who steps up in key situations and has the team behind him, and he’s the guy the Falcons are building around. He has elite targets in WR Roddy White and TE Tony Gonzalez, who is still as good as ever. RB Michael Turner also missed some time last year, but when healthy he’s a top-flight runner. Jason Snelling emerged as a good backup to Turner last year. The Falcons also have a solid offensive line with nasty run blockers on the right side in Tyson Clabo and Harvey Dahl and a decent blind-side pass protector in Sam Baker. The Falcons have tried to upgrade their defense by adding big-money CB Dunta Robinson and first-round OLB Sean Witherspoon, and they have emerging young players in DE Kroy Biermann, S Thomas DeCoud, DT Jordan Babineaux, and MLB Curtis Lofton. This defense could be quite good, especially if DE John Abraham returns to his 2008 form as a pass-rusher and ’09 first-rounder Peria Jerry finally gets on the field at defensive tackle. The Falcons have a lot of good players, and if the defense comes together as it could they might challenge the Saints in the NFC South.
7 (con’t) – Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals broke into the playoffs last year thanks to a terrific defense and a solid running game. The question is whether Marvin Lewis and company can repeat playoff performances for the first time in franchise history. The defense is still a talented group, and it gets LBs Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers and DE Antwan Odom back from in-season injuries. Odom was setting the world on fire as a pass-rusher when he got hurt, and Maualuga and Rivers are the aggressive playmakers outside. Their pop is enabled by solid play from guys like MLB Dhani Jones and DTs Domata Peko and Tank Johnson. The Bengals also have two terrific corners in Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall, both of whom can cover effectively. That’s a stout defense if it can stay healthier than it did last year. On offense, the Bengals rode RB Cedric Benson’s renaissance season. Benson isn’t a breakaway runner, but he’s physical and dependable, which fits the Bengals’ new style. His offensive line isn’t full of big names, but guys like OLT Andrew Whitworth and ORG Bobbie Williams do their jobs well. Cincinnati focused its offseason on upgrading the passing game, and despite the Antonio Bryant misfire they did so. WR Chad Ochocinco returns after his best season in a few years, and Terrell Owens has something to prove. Both receivers are aging, but youngsters Andre Caldwell and Jordan Shipley are solid too. Plus, the Bengals drafted a receiving threat in the first round by picking TE Jermaine Gresham. QB Carson Palmer wasn’t at his best last year, and the question is whether that best is still in him or if he’s past his prime. The Bengals rarely seem to put all the pieces together, but the pieces are there for another playoff run or maybe even more. The question is whether you believe a usually dysfunctional franchise can actually function on all cylinders.
7 (con’t) – Houston Texans – The Texans finally crossed the .500 barrier last year, but their 9-7 record wasn’t enough to get them into the playoffs. Now Houston must try to build on its success and finally get over the hump. One of the reasons the team finished with a winning record last year was QB Matt Schaub, who not only played at a high level but also stayed healthy for all 16 games for the first time in his Texans career. Schaub’s a talented passer who can produce as much as the elite quarterbacks in the league. He has a top-flight group of targets led by WR Andre Johnson, one of the league’s two best receivers. Johnson has had health problems in the past as well, but he stayed healthy in 2009. TE Owen Daniels was setting the world on fire until he tore his ACL at midseason last year, and his return this year may be slow at first. WRs Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter give the Texans a deep group of receivers. At running back, the Texans have trouble picking a back, but it looks like Arian Foster is ready to emerge over Steve Slaton. Two signings in early September added depth, as Houston grabbed backup RB Derrick Ward and backup QB Matt Leinart. The Texans’ offensive line isn’t great, but it’s not terrible either. On defense, the Texans hit a home run with ’09 first-rounder Brian Cushing, who landed in the Pro Bowl. But the outside linebacker is suspended for the first four games of the year, which is a big blow for Houston. Now the Texans must find playmakers elsewhere. DE Mario Williams is a talented pass-rusher who will make his share, but ’09 free-agent signee Antonio Smith and former first-round DT Amobi Okoye need to step up. At linebacker, MLB DeMeco Ryans is a great tackler but not a huge impact player. And in the secondary, the Texans lost CB Dunta Robinson and need rookie Kareem Jackson to be ready from Day One. Houston has talent, but defense is a big question, especially in Cushing’s absence. But expectations of a playoff berth weigh heavily on head coach Gary Kubiak, who needs a big season to return in 2011.
7 (con’t) – Miami Dolphins – Two years ago, the Dolphins were a surprise team that went from one win to the AFC East title. Last year, the Dolphins slipped back a bit, finishing 7-9 and falling behind the Patriots and Jets in the division. But this year, the Dolphins will be in the AFC East mix a bit, and picking them to win the division could end up being prescient. The Dolphins get Ronnie Brown back to join Ricky Williams in a running game that’s among the league’s best. Both backs are talented, and they get to run behind a terrific offensive line led by elite OLT Jake Long and terrific ORT Vernon Carey. The line is physical and mean, fitting the Bill Parcells/Tony Sparano philosophy perfectly. And now the Dolphins have a big-time passing threat after they traded for Brandon Marshall in the offseason. Marshall’s presence will allow other receivers like Davone Bess (who had a terrific 2009 season) and second-year man Brian Hartline to fit into roles they’re better suited for, giving the Dolphins depth. That’s important for second-time starter Chad Henne, who struggled at times last year but came on at the end of the year. Henne has good potential, and if he can limit interceptions he adds a dimension that the Dolphins have not yet had in Sparano’s tenure. On defense, the Dolphins lost famous OLBs Jason Taylor and Joey Porter, but rookie Koa Misi and ex-CFL import Cameron Wake have a ton of talent and younger legs at the position. Rookie DE Jared Odrick joins young NT Randy Starks to upgrade the defensive line in the 3-4, and Karlos Dansby becomes the man at middle linebacker who will help to stuff the run and in pass coverage. If Dansby plays at his Arizona level, he’ll be a big-time upgrade. The secondary has given the Dolphins trouble recently, but second-year CBs Sean Smith and Vontae Davis have talent and now some experience. The Dolphins have a solid roster full of Parcells guys, and Sparano has proven to be an effective implementer of the Parcells philosophy. The fruits will show this year as the Dolphins leap back over the Jets and back into the postseason.
7 (con’t) – New York Giants – The Giants fell apart last year after a promising start, and their often vaunted defense ended up being a liability instead of a strength. Injuries to MLB Antonio Pierce and S Kenny Phillips were partly to blame, but other defenders played far below their normal level. Pierce is now retired, but the Giants brought in ex-Titan Keith Bulluck to fill that spot. Bulluck is coming back from knee surgery, but if he’s healthy he’s a rangy player who is an asset in pass coverage. At safety, Phillips is back and joined by Antrel Rolle, the ex-Cardinal who has incredible size and speed. Rolle will help stabilize the back of the Giants’ D. Now the question is whether Big Blue’s vaunted front four can rebound. That means DE Osi Umenyiora must rebound after a poor season last year, as must DT Chris Canty, a free-agent signee last year. Umenyiora joins fellow DEs Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka in what should be a powerful pass-rushing group. On offense, the Giants became a passing team last year, in part because of the emergence of WR Steve Smith. Smith is a dependable mid-range target who could join with second-year man Hakeem Nicks, a deep threat, to give the Giants a top-flight group of receivers for QB Eli Manning. The Giants’ run game is in flux, as Brandon Jacobs fell apart last year and must prove he’s not done, while Ahmad Bradshaw moved into the No. 1 role. Up front, the Giants’ offensive line that has played together for so long looks like it might need some freshening up, perhaps from young OT William Beatty. The Giants have talent, but their lines must perform well for that talent to result in wins. The good news for Giants fans is that such performance has happened before and could happen again.
7 (con’t) – New York Jets – The Jets have big dreams last year, but those dreams are more influenced by their three-game playoff run than their 16-game regular season, in which they were just barely above average. The Jets have upgraded their talent, especially on offense, where WR Santonio Holmes should be a No. 1 receiver for QB Mark Sanchez after his four-game suspension. Holmes should overtake Braylon Edwards outside, and TE Dustin Keller inside can stretch the field up the middle. The Jets also expect RB LaDainian Tomlinson to help Sanchez, although our belief is that Tomlinson is done and that rookie Joe McKnight is more likely to make an impact. Thomas Jones is gone, so the Jets will rely on Shonn Greene to carry the load in the running game. Greene showed he has the talent to do so in the playoffs last year; now he must show he can last a full 16-game season. The skill-position players are blessed to have a talented offensive line in front of them led by C Nick Mangold and OLT D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Gang Green must fill in for veteran OLG Alan Faneca, probably with rookie Vladimir Ducasse. On defense, the Jets will be dangerous once again with head coach Rex Ryan’s attacking scheme. OLB Calvin Pace will miss a few early games with injury, but Jason Taylor will help fill in at that spot. But the Jets’ pass-rush also uses ILBs Bart Scott and David Harris, who are both terrific, versatile players. Harris was the unsung hero of the defense last year. Up front, NT Kris Jenkins returns, which means the Jets will hold up even better against the run. DE Shaun Ellis helps against the run and the pass. The Jets also have an elite cornerback in Darrelle Revis, who held out throughout the preseason but wil be on the field for Week One. He’s a game-changing cover guy who will allow the Jets to help imported cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson (their first-round pick) when necessary. SS Jim Leonhard is a smart player who knows what Ryan wants to do and does it well. The Jets have tons of talent, and Ryan imbues them with tons of swagger, but thoughts of Super Bowl contention seem premature, especially because of Sanchez’ rookie struggles last year. Sanchez needs to make not just one leap but two for the Jets to be elite this year, and that’s hard to project. Instead, another fight for a playoff berth seems likely.
7 (con’t) – San Francisco 49ers – Things are looking up in San Francisco, where the talent level is back up and so are expectations. Unlike the Bill Walsh era, this group of 49ers is built on defense and physical play, in the mold of head coach Mike Singletary. San Francisco’s 3-4 is physical and solid, led by ILB Patrick Willis, who is one of the league’s best players of any position. But Willis isn’t alone in the front seven. NT Aubrayo Franklin helps keep blockers off of Willis, and DEs Isaac Sopaoga and Justin Smith do a good job against the run. The Niners’ pass rush isn’t devastating, although OLB Manny Lawson has his moments. In the secondary, underrated FS DaShon Goldson is a playmaker. The cornerback position has some questions. On offense, the Niners sought to upgrade their physical nature with first-round picks ORT Anthony Davis and OLG Mike Iupati. Iupati especially looks ready to break out as a rookie. Frank Gore remains a play-making running back, and TE Vernon Davis emerged as an elite player last year. If WR Michael Crabtree can emerge, the Niners will have their best set of skill-position players in years. The question is whether QB Alex Smith, who played OK last year, remains a league-average quarterback or improves to be more than that. Even if Smith is just average, the Niners have enough talent to contend with and probably pass the Cardinals in their division. It’s time for San Francisco to break through for a playoff berth, and the roster is primed for that next step.
6 – Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals are coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, but their hopes for a third straight January appointment are dimming because of a severe talent drain. QB Kurt Warner retired, while S Antrel Rolle, WR Anquan Boldin, and LB Karlos Dansby left for other teams. The tale of the Cardinals’ season will be told by how they replace these players. It’s not going well at quarterback, where former first-rounder Matt Leinart has lost the starting job to Derek Anderson, an inconsistent passer who will make some big plays and some terrible ones as well. The ratio of dynamic to dumb plays will determine Anderson’s effectiveness, and he’s only gotten that ratio right in one year in his career. Anderson will have a fine stable of receivers, even with Boldin gone. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the two or three best receivers in the league, and Steve Breaston is ready to emerge as a starter. Early Doucet will step up to give Arizona a dangerous three-wide set once again. The run game is in good hands with Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower, and head coach Ken Whisenhunt may use Warner’s retirement as the impetus to move toward a more run-heavy attack. New OLG Alan Faneca, who played with Whisenhunt in Pittsburgh, has the veteran wiles to help with that if he can last another full season. The Cardinals’ offensive line isn’t great, but it’s good enough to block for the run and to keep quarterbacks largely upright. On defense, the Cardinals have an elite defensive end in Darnell Dockett and an emerging one in Calais Campbell. Those guys give Arizona more up-front pass rush than most 3-4 teams. At linebacker, the Cards will miss Dansby’s athleticism, but they hope free-agent addition Joey Porter and rookie Daryl Washington help to create pressure. FS Adrian Wilson is a ballhawk in the back end, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has emerged as a quality corner. The Cards still have some top-level talent in Dockett, Wilson, and Fitzgerald, but the question is whether the QB questions will scuttle the season. Arizona won’t need much from Anderson to contend in the punchless NFC West, but if Anderson starts turning the ball over, things could turn ugly and reverse the foundation Whisenhunt has built.
6 (con’t) – Carolina Panthers – The Panthers’ offseason has been a story of departures. Long-time leaders like Julius Peppers, Jake Delhomme, Muhsin Muhammad, Damione Lewis, and Brad Hoover are gone, leaving a roster littered with young players. But head coach John Fox is still in town, as is an offense that runs the ball better than any other O in the league. RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are both blue-chip backs, and their presence allows the Panthers to run 30-40 times a game without wearing out a back. The offensive line, led by OTs Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah and C Ryan Kalil, is designed to block for the run, and it does that well. While the run game isn’t a question mark, the passing game is. Matt Moore, who is 6-2 in two late-season stints as a starter, takes over for Delhomme, and if Moore plays even at an average level, the Panthers become dangerous. But assuming the average from Moore is dangerous, especially after his preseason performance. Moore will have one top target in Steve Smith, who is still one of the most explosive receivers in the league, but the rest of the targets are either unproven or disappointing. On defense, the Panthers will miss Peppers, but young defensive ends Charles Johnson and Everette Brown (along with veteran Tyler Brayton) have looked good in the offseason. Sixth-round pick Greg Hardy has been impressive as well. At linebacker, the Panthers are without Thomas Davis for at least the first six weeks of the season, which is why Jon Beason moves from middle ‘backer to the outside. That allows Dan Connor to play in the middle, which could be a boon. CB Chris Gamble is a top-level player who doesn’t get a ton of pub, and S Charles Godfrey is emerging. Despite all the departures, the Panthers still have their share of elite players, which makes them dangerous. The question is how Moore will perform and whether he will have enough good people to throw to. If both answers are yes, the Panthers could make a playoff run once again.
6 (con’t) – Pittsburgh Steelers – In Pittsburgh, the big story all offseason has been Big Ben, and Roethlisberger’s season-opening suspension will impact the Steelers’ chances. Fill-in QBs Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon are lacking – Leftwich in release speed and Dixon in experience – and that will cost the Steelers at least one September win. Leftwich injured his knee in the preseason finale, so it looks as though Dixon will get the call to open the season, and that’s probably better for the Steelers. But once Roethlisberger returns, the Steelers’ passing game should be dangerous with stalwarts WR Hines Ward and TE Heath Miller and ’09 rookie surprise Mike Wallace stepping in for Santonio Holmes. The Steelers also have a talented back in Rashard Mendenhall. The big question on offense, at least once Roethlisberger is back on the field, is how the offensive line will perform. The loss of ORT Willie Colon for the season really stings, and even with the addition of first-rounder Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers could struggle up front. On defense, the story isn’t an absence but two returns – S Troy Polamalu and DE Aaron Smith. Polamalu is what makes the Steelers’ defense special, and when he was out last year the team was vulnerable. Smith is a solid five-technique player up front who stabilizes the run defense. OLBs James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley return to lead a zone-blitz pass rush that will cause quarterbacks trouble, but if the pass rush lags the Steelers’ cornerbacks are vulnerable. If Roethlisberger were going to be around the whole season, we would probably promote the Steelers a level or two and predict the playoffs. But his absence, coupled with big offensive line problems, means that the Steelers will miss out on double-digit wins for the second year in a row.
6 (con’t) – Tennessee Titans – In Jeff Fisher we trust. Fisher has been the Titans coach longer than they’ve been the Titans (he dates back to the Houston Oiler days), and he always seems to squeeze the most out of the talent on his team. Fisher always has a strong, tough team, and this year is no different. RB Chris Johnson is the star on offense after his 2,000-yard season, and he has the advantage of running behind a solid offensive line led by terrific tackles David Stewart and Michael Roos. Vince Young has once again seized the quarterback job, and the Titans have a good sense of how to use his talent and mask his deficiencies. When Young does throw the ball, TE Bo Scaife and WR Kenny Britt are solid targets. Defensively, the Titans lost another famous defender in Keith Bulluck this offseason, but they will still be tough. Tony Brown and Jason Jones have emerged as play-making defensive tackles, and DL coach Jim Washburn always seems to develop prospects into players. The defense lacks eye-popping players, although MLB Stephen Tulloch is solid. And in the secondary, Michael Griffin is an underrated safety, and Cortland Finnegan brings a physical aspect to corner. The Titans don’t have a lot of flashy players other than Johnson, and that limits their upside, but as always they’ll be a tough opponent each week, and they’ll be in the playoff race until the season ends.
5 – Oakland Raiders – The Silver and Black proclaims a commitment to excellence, but confusion has overtaken excellence in past years. It seems like the Raiders have righted the ship a bit now, but you have to wonder whether the franchise’s generational sins will bubble up and halt the positive movement. The reasons for optimism start on defense, where the Raiders have built up an impressive group of talent. Most fans know DE Richard Seymour, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, and rookie MLB Rolando McClain, but the Raiders have some more promising players in DE Matt Shaughnessy and OLB Kamerion Wimbley, who has had an awesome preseason after coming over from Cleveland. The Raiders look like they can get to the passer, and if McClain helps to clean up the run defense, this group will be stout. On offense, new QB Jason Campbell at least provides stability, something that JaMarcus Russell never did. Campbell has talented backs in Michael Bush and Darren McFadden and emerging young receivers in TE Zach Miller and WR Louis Murphy. If rookie bust Darrius Heyward-Bey emerges, the Raiders suddenly get scary on offense. The line is a problem, as Oakland lacks top-level blockers, and that could end up scuttling a Campbell-led offensive resurgence. There’s a lot to like in Oakland, but the history makes us skeptical. Still, in a weak AFC West, it’s in the realm of possibility for the Raiders to jump into the playoffs.
5 (con’t) – Washington Redskins – It’s a new day in D.C., as Mike Shanahan comes in and seeks to keep Daniel Snyder from meddling. Thus far, Shanahan appears to have been successful. Shanahan’s big move was bringing in QB Donovan McNabb, who should provide stability at a position that has been a trouble spot for the Redskins. As importantly, the Redskins added rookie OT Trent Williams and ex-Pro Bowl OT Jammal Brown to protect McNabb. Those additions were good, but the Redskins’ gaggle of grizzled graybeards at other positions may not be. RBs Larry Johnson and Willie Parker and WR Joey Galloway join Clinton Portis and Santana Moss in a march of the aged experienced at the skill positions. At least the Redskins have two good tight ends in Chris Cooley and Fred Davis. Those offensive questions at least have a positive answer as a possibility. On defense, the outlook is more dour. Obviously, the Albert Haynesworth controversy has blanketed the offseason, but Haynesworth is still the best playmaker the Skins’ D has. Maybe second-year OLB Brian Orakpo can build off a Pro Bowl rookie season so that Washington isn’t as reliant on Haynesworth, but until he does Albert’s still the BMOC. OLB Andre Carter and ILB London Fletcher are productive but aging, and CBs Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall aren’t coming off their best years. S LaRon Landry, another high draft pick, hasn’t really delivered on his promise either. Shanahan has an odd roster full of some talent but even more aging players, and the way NFL players decline makes this approach questionable. Maybe he catches lightning in the bottle, but our hunch is that the Redskins will be more competitive than last year but not good enough to fight into the playoffs.
4 – Chicago Bears – The Bears finished 7-9 last year, but that was a little bit of a mirage because they played most of the league’s cupcakes and won two meaningless games to end the season. Still, the record led to changes for Lovie Smith’s team, most notably the addition of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. The Bears hope that Martz’s wide-open offense will unleash QB Jay Cutler’s potential, but it’s just as likely that it leaves Cutler battered and leads to even more interceptions than the 26 Cutler gave away last year. Cutler has a young and promising receiving core led by Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu, but TE Greg Olsen could get lost in Martz’s offense. More importantly, the offensive line that struggled last year could really collapse under the pressure Martz’s system will put on it. OLT Chris Williams is finally at his natural position, which should help, but the right side of the line is a massive question mark. RB Matt Forte tries to rebound from a sophomore slump, but if he doesn’t, Chester Taylor is ready to turn a timeshare into his job. Defensively, the Bears added Julius Peppers, who should provide more pass rush than the departed Alex Brown. If Peppers can free up DT Tommie Harris, who has lost his Pro Bowl form, or another lineman like Mark Anderson, the Bears could get teeth on defense again. LB Brian Urlacher returns, and he and Lance Briggs will make their share of plays. But safety is a big question mark unless rookie Major Wright emerges, which means that the Bears have coverage problems despite solid CBs Peanut Tillman and Zack Bowman. The Bears have talent, but cornerback and offensive line questions make a jump toward the playoffs improbable. And with Lovie Smith’s lame-duck status, if things start going bad, the bottom could fall out.
4 (con’t) – Denver Broncos – We’ve been very clear over the past year and a half that we don’t agree with Josh McDaniels’ clear-cutting approach to changing the Broncos’ roster to fit his style, and the end of last season shows why. Denver started the season 6-0, but a lack of talent, especially on defense, showed itself as the Broncos collapsed down the stretch. Now Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler have left town, turning one of Denver’s 2009 strengths into a 2010 question mark. QB Kyle Orton is fine – a league-average quarterback – but his targets are subpar. Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Lloyd, and Eddie Royal aren’t a dynamic group of receivers, and Denver’s one breakaway threat, RB Knowshon Moreno, is fighting injuries in training camp. At least the offensive line features premium players in OLT Ryan Clady and ORG Chris Kuper. The defense also struggles with the lack of playmakers. Free-agent signings NT Jamal Williams and DE Justin Bannan will fortify the defensive line, but OLB Elvis Dumervil’s injury is a killer. Unless former first-rounders Jarvis Moss and Robert Ayers show a lot more performance than they have thus far, Denver will struggle to generate a pass rush. The secondary has talent, but CBs Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman and safeties Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill are all old in NFL terms, which leads to questions about their ability to maintain top-level performance through the second half of the season. Denver’s roster is too much of a mish-mash for us to predict that the Broncos will gallop to the playoffs, even in the weak AFC West.
4 (con’t) – Detroit Lions – The Matt Millen era is long gone in Detroit, and the new regime under Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew has revitalized the roster to the point that the Lions should move forward this year. The Lions have added not only premium talents like QB Matthew Stafford, S Louis Delmas, TE Brandon Pettigrew, and rookies DT Ndamukong Suh and RB Jahvid Best; they’ve also added helpful role players like OG Rob Sims, WR Nate Burleson, and TE Tony Scheffler. Detroit still needs help in the middle of its roster, but things are getting better. Stafford will love adding Burleson and Scheffler to Calvin Johnson, one of the few good draft picks from Millen’s reign, and Best adds electricity at running back that the Lions haven’t had in years. The offensive line is still a question mark, though, unless veteran OLT Jeff Backus can hold up. On defense, Suh and veteran additions Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams transform the front four for the better, but the back seven lacks punch beside Delmas. One more good draft will put the Lions in great shape, but for now Lions fans can expect more wins from a franchise that’s really headed in the right direction.
4 (con’t) – Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jags bounced back and forth between this level and the level above, and we were tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt based on their young offensive line and receivers. But those positives couldn’t outweigh the massive questions the Jags have on defense. Maybe rookie DT Tyson Alualu becomes an interior force, and maybe veteran DE Aaron Kampman comes over and not only provides a pass rush himself but also inspires first-round bust Derrick Harvey to do the same. Maybe addition Kirk Morrison becomes a playmaker at linebacker. Maybe Reggie Nelson reemerges at safety, and maybe Rashean Mathis reestablishes himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback. But that’s too many maybes for our taste. On offense, the Jaguars hit with rookie OTs Eben Britten and Eugene Monroe last year, and that helps Maurice Jones-Drew and the running game. And the young corps of receivers led by Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas showed flashes of promise last year. But QB David Garrard hasn’t taken the step into being an above-average quarterback, and that limits Jacksonville’s hopes as well. In a division with the superb Colts, potent Texans, and physical Titans, Jacksonville just doesn’t have enough special qualities to compete. And that’s not good news for hot-seat head coach Jack Del Rio.
3 – Cleveland Browns – It was out with the old, in with the new for the Browns this offseason, although new head honcho Mike Holmgren didn’t through Eric Mangini out with the bathwater. So now Mangini heads up a team that showed some fight in December last year. They did that without a lot of premium talent – except for OLT Joe Thomas and maybe C Alex Mack. Those two, plus OLG Eric Steinbach, make the line a plus for the Browns, which may explain the success of RB Jerome Harrison late last season. Harrison will have to fight off youngsters James Davis and Montario Hardesty for carries this year. Two more second-year players, Mohammed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie, must produce at receiver for the Browns, who have a new quarterback in ex-Panther Jake Delhomme. No one’s better in the locker room than Delhomme, but he must avoid interceptions to help the Browns’ offense turn around. The offensive X-factor is Josh Cribbs, a stud kick returner who needs to get the ball 10 times a game on offense. He’s the best playmaker the Browns have, and it’s not close. On defense, the Browns get ILB D’Qwell Jackson back this season, and OLBs Matt Roth and Marcus Benard were nice finds last year. None of them is a stud pass rusher, but with them and massive NT Shaun Rogers, the Browns have a solid front seven. The secondary adds Sheldon Brown and first-rounder Joe Haden at cornerback, which should help. If the Browns had a few more playmakers and an easier division, we might be a bit more bullish, but this roster is more solid than it was last year, and that means a run at .500 is possible if Delhomme keeps it together.
3 (con’t) – Seattle Seahawks – Pete Carroll has lit up the Pacific Northwest with his optimism, and he has done a number on the Seahawks’ roster as well. It remains to be seen if Carroll can thrive as a program-builder at the NFL level, because so few guys have done that well, but the early signs are positive. Rookies WR Golden Tate, OLT Russell Okung, and S Earl Thomas add a ton of talent to a team that really needed it, but the ‘Hawks roster had fallen so far that 2010 will still be a struggle. QB Matt Hasselbeck needs to stay healthy to provide stability for an offense with a few playmakers, but Charlie Whitehurst is lurking as a starter in 2011 or perhaps before. The quarterback will have quality targets in TE John Carlson and RB Justin Forsett, and maybe WR Mike Williams is rejuvenated. But the line, even with the addition of Okung and solid young ORG Max Unger, is nothing special unless trade acquisition Stacy Andrews returns to his best. There are questions on offense, but there are problems on defense. Thomas and fellow rookie CB Walter Thurmond provide a talent infusion in the secondary, and MLB Lofa Tatupu returns. But the front four looks like one of the worst in the league, and that’s going to cause problems against the passing game. Carroll appears to have the Seahawks flying in the right direction, but the talent problem was far too deep to be fixed in one offseason.
3 (con’t) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The pirate ship ran aground last year, as rookie head coach Raheem Morris fired both coordinators he had hired before the end of the season, and the talent level bottomed out. The Bucs did show some fight in late-season wins over the Saints and Dolphins, and that is a sign of hope. More importantly, the team has added some players who help – especially on defense. Rookie DTs Gerald McCoy and Bryan Price have the potential to put teeth back in the Tampa 2 defense, and if they do then the playmakers around them – LB Barrett Ruud, CB Ronde Barber, and S Tanard Jackson – will be set free to succeed. The front four was the defense’s weak point last year, so McCoy was the perfect first-round pick. On offense, the Bucs have a longer way to go, but second-year QB Josh Freeman showed more polish than expected last year, which is a great first step. He has a premium target in TE Kellen Winslow, and rookie WRs Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn could develop with Freeman. Williams has looked great in training camp. The run game relies on the resurgent Cadillac Williams, and the offensive line features a solid left tackle in Donald Penn. The Bucs should be feisty throughout the 2010 season, and if youngsters like Freeman, Mike Williams, and McCoy develop, the Bucs could be terrors on the high seas again before long.
2 – Kansas City Chiefs – Some pundits are touting the Chiefs as a surprise team in 2010. We don’t see it. Head coach Todd Haley is an Xs-and-Os guru, but his personality seems to bring more inconsistency and uncertainty to the franchise than organization. And his management style can’t address the roster deficiencies the Chiefs have. QB Matt Cassel is just OK, and he plays behind an offensive line that doesn’t compare to the Chiefs’ great lines of the 1990s. Left tackle Branden Albert, a former first-round pick, like Cassel is fine but unspectacular compared to others at his position. The Chiefs have a dynamic running back in Jamaal Charles, and addition Thomas Jones is dependable, but the combo isn’t good enough to carry a whole offense a la DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in Carolina. At receiver, the Chiefs have big targets in Chris Chambers, who was revitalized after arriving in K.C. at midseason last year, and Dwayne Bowe, but Bowe’s consistency and mindset leaves the Chiefs hanging too often. On defense, former top-5 overall picks Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson haven’t set the world on fire at defensive end, and the only pass-rush threat the Chiefs have is Tamba Hali. Rookie safety Eric Berry may develop into a playmaker, and CB Brandon Carr is developing into a quality player, but unless Berry is the second coming of Troy Polamalu he can’t turn a defense around himself. The bottom line on the Chiefs is not that they have bad players, but that they don’t have exceptional players. And too many OK players means the arrow still isn’t pointed up at Arrowhead.
2 (con’t) – St. Louis Rams – Last year, the Rams were as bereft of talent as any team in the league. But we can sell at least a little bit of hope in the Gateway city heading into this year. Sam Bradford, of course, is the paragon of most of this hope, and the preseason has hinted that he can deliver on his franchise-quarterback promise. Bradford has a fine running back in Steven Jackson, and the offensive line in front of him should start to show the effects of adding young OTs Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith in the draft as well as C Jason Brown and OG Jacob Bell in free agency. But Donnie Avery’s injury exacerbated the Rams’ lack of depth at receiver. It’s a big hole for the offense, even if Laurent Robinson, Danny Amendola, and rookie Mardy Gilyard do have some promise. The Rams hope September acquisition Mark Clayton can add some veteran dependability at the position. On defense, the Rams have some nice pieces in MLB James Laurinaitis, CB Ron Bartell and S O.J. Atogwe, but they lack impact players on the front line, and without a pass rush, an NFL defense can’t excel. So receiver and defensive line need to be the next items on the rebuilding hit list. But at least Rams fans can take hope in the fact that with head coach Steve Spagnuolo, things are finally moving in the right direction.
1 – Buffalo Bills – First, the good news for Bills fans: Rookie RB C.J. Spiller looks like a phenomenon, and he joins Fred Jackson in a talented backfield. Plus, FS Jarius Byrd made the Pro Bowl as a rookie after compiling nine interceptions. Both players appear to be better than average at their positions. But if you look across the rest of the Bills’ roster, it’s hard to find any standouts. The offensive line is a mess, even with high draft picks spent on Eric Wood and Andy Levitre. The quarterback situation is convoluted, and no matter whether Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, or Brian Brohm starts, none of them will be better than a league-average quarterback. The offense has Lee Evans but no other passing game threats. And the defense lacks playmakers. Second-year man Aaron Maybin needs to emerge as a pass-rushing threat in the team’s new 3-4, and the Bills need free-agent signee DE Dwan Edwards to stabilize the line up front. Chan Gailey’s a create play-caller with head-coaching experience, and the Bills tend to play hard, but there’s just not enough talent in upstate New York to expect more than four or five wins – especially in a tough AFC East. With no upside, we have no choice but to put the Bills at the bottom of our comparison.
Tagged as a.j. hawk, aaron hernandez, aaron kampman, aaron maybin, aaron rodgers, aaron smith, adrian peterson, adrian wilson, ahmad bradshaw, al harris, alan faneca, albert haynesworth, alex brown, alex gibbs, alex mack, alex smith, amobi okoye, andre caldwell, andre carter, andre goodman, andre gurode, andre johnson, andrew whitworth, andy levitre, anquan boldin, anthony davis, anthony hargrove, anthony spencer, antoine bethea, antoine cason, antoine winfield, antonio bryant, antonio cromartie, antonio gates, antonio pierce, antonio smith, antrel rolle, antwan odom, arian foster, arizona cardinals, arrelious benn, asante samuel, atari bigby, atlanta falcons, aubrayo franklin, austin collie, b.j. raji, baltimore ravens, barrett ruud, bart scott, beanie wells, ben grubbs, ben roethlisberger, bill parcells, bill walsh, bo scaife, bob sanders, bobbie williams, brad hoover, brad jones, bradie james, branden albert, brandon carr, brandon graham, brandon jacobs, brandon lloyd, brandon marshall, brandon meriweather, brandon pettigrew, braylon edwards, brent celek, brett favre, brian brohm, brian cushing, brian dawkins, brian hartline, brian orakpo, brian robiskie, brian urlacher, brian westbrook, brodrick bunkley, bryan bulaga, bryan price, bryant mckinnie, buffalo bills, byron leftwich, c.j. spiller, cadillac williams, calais campbell, calvin johnson, calvin pace, cameron wake, carlos rogers, carnell williams, carolina panthers, carson palmer, cedric benson, cedric griffin, chad clifton, chad henne, chad ochocinco, champ bailey, chan gailey, charles godfrey, charles grant, charles johnson, charles tillman, charles woodson, charlie whitehurst, chester taylor, chicago bears, chris canty, chris chambers, chris cooley, chris gamble, chris johnson, chris kuper, chris wells, chris williams, cincinnati bengals, clay matthews, cleveland browns, clinton portis, corey williams, cortland finnegan, cullen jenkins, curtis lofton, d'brickashaw ferguson, d'qwell jackson, dallas clark, dallas cowboys, damione lewis, dan conner, daniel snyder, danny amendola, darius butler, darnell dockett, darrelle revis, darren mcfadden, darren sharper, darren sproles, darrius heyward-bey, daryl tapp, daryl washington, dashon goldson, david garrard, david harris, david stewart, davone bess, dawan landry, deangelo hall, deangelo williams, demarcus ware, demeco ryans, dennis dixon, denver broncos, derek anderson, derrick harvey, derrick mason, derrick ward, desean jackson, detroit lions, devery henderson, devin aromashodu, devin mccourty, dez bryant, dhani jones, dom capers, domata peko, dominique rodgers-cromartie, domonique foxworth, donald brown, donald driver, donald penn, donnie avery, donovan mcnabb, doug free, dre bly, drew brees, dunta robinson, dustin keller, dwan edwards, dwayne bowe, dwight freeney, e.j. henderson, earl thomas, early doucet, eben britten, ed reed, eddie royal, eli manning, elvis dumervil, eric berry, eric mangini, eric steinbach, eric wood, ernie sims, eugene monroe, everette brown, fabian washington, felix jones, Football Relativity, frank gore, fred davis, fred jackson, fred taylor, gary brackett, gary kubiak, gerald mccoy, glenn dorsey, golden tate, green bay packers, greg hardy, greg jennings, greg olsen, gregg williams, hakeem nicks, haloti ngata, harvey dahl, heath miller, hines ward, houston texans, igor olshansky, indianapolis colts, issac sopaoga, jabar gaffney, jabari greer, jack del rio, jacksonville jaguars, jacob bell, jacob lacey, jacoby jones, jahri evans, jahvid best, jake delhomme, jake long, jamaal charles, jamal williams, jamarcus russell, james davis, james harrison, james jones, james laurinaitis, jammal brown, jared allen, jared gaither, jared odrick, jarius byrd, jarret johnson, jarvis moss, jason avant, jason brown, jason campbell, jason jones, jason peters, jason smith, jason snelling, jason taylor, jason witten, jay cutler, jay ratliff, jeff backus, jeff fisher, jeff otah, jeff saturday, jeremy maclin, jeremy shockey, jermaine gresham, jermichael finley, jermon bushrod, jerod mayo, jerome harrison, jerraud powers, jerry hughes, jim caldwell, jim leonhard, jim schwartz, joe flacco, joe haden, joe mcknight, joe thomas, joey galloway, joey porter, john abraham, john carlson, john fox, johnathan joseph, johnny jolly, johnny knox, jon beason, jon jansen, jonathan casillas, jonathan stewart, jonathan vilma, jordan babineaux, jordan gross, jordan shipley, joseph addai, josh cribbs, josh freeman, josh mcdaniels, josh wilson, julius peppers, justin bannan, justin forsett, justin smith, justin tuck, kamerion wimbley, kansas city chiefs, kareem jackson, karlos dansby, keith brooking, keith bulluck, keith rivers, kellen winslow, kelly gregg, kelvin hayden, ken whisenhunt, kenny britt, kenny phillips, kevin faulk, kevin kolb, kevin walter, kevin williams, kirk morrison, knowshon moreno, koa misi, kris jenkins, kroy biermann, kurt warner, kyle orton, kyle vanden bosch, kyle wilson, ladainian tomlinson, lamarr woodley, lance briggs, lardarius webb, laron landry, larry english, larry fitzgerald, larry johnson, laurence maroney, laurent robinson, lee evans, legedu naanee, leon hall, leonard weaver, leron mcclain, lesean mccoy, lofa tatupu, logan mankins, london fletcher, louis delmas, louis murphy, lovie smith, major wright, malcolm jenkins, malcom floyd, manny lawson, marc colombo, marcus benard, marcus mcneill, marcus spears, mardy gilyard, mario williams, marion barber, mark anderson, mark clayton, mark sanchez, mark tauscher, marques colston, martin mayhew, mathias kiwanuka, matt cassel, matt forte, matt hasselbeck, matt leinart, matt millen, matt moore, matt roth, matt ryan, matt schaub, matt shaughnessy, matthew stafford, maurice jones-drew, maurkice pouncey, max unger, miami dolphins, michael bush, michael crabtree, michael griffin, michael oher, michael roos, michael turner, mike bell, mike holmgren, mike iupati, mike jenkins, mike martz, mike patterson, mike shanahan, mike sims-walker, mike singletary, mike smith, mike thomas, mike wallace, mike williams, miles austin, minnesota vikings, mohammed massaquoi, montario hardesty, muhsin muhammad, nate allen, nate burleson, ndamukong suh, new england patriots, new orleans saints, new york giants, new York jets, nick barnett, nick cole, nick collins, nick hardwick, nick mangold, nnamdi asomugha, o.j. atogwe, oakland raiders, osi umenyiora, owen daniels, pat chung, pat williams, patrick robinson, patrick willis, peanut tillman, percy harvin, peria jerry, pete carroll, peyton manning, phil loadholt, philadelphia eagles, philip rivers, pierre garcon, pierre thomas, pittsburgh steelers, quentin jammer, raheem morris, randy moss, randy starks, rashard mendenhall, rashean mathis, ray edwards, ray lewis, ray rice, reggie bush, reggie nelson, reggie wayne, renaldo hill, Rex ryan, rey maualuga, richard seymour, ricky williams, rob gronkowski, rob sims, robert ayers, robert mathis, robert meachem, roddy white, rodger saffold, rolando mcclain, roman harper, ron bartell, ronde barber, ronnie brown, russell okung, ryan clady, ryan fitzpatrick, ryan grant, ryan kalil, ryan mathews, ryan pickett, sam baker, sam bradford, sammy morris, san diego chargers, San Francisco 49ers, santana moss, santonio holmes, scott fujita, sean payton, sean smith, sean witherspoon, seattle seahawks, sebastian vollmer, sedrick ellis, shaun ellis, shaun phillips, shaun rogers, shawne merriman, sheldon brown, shonn greene, sidney rice, st. louis rams, stephen tulloch, steve breaston, steve hutchinson, steve slaton, steve smith, steve spagnuolo, steven jackson, stewart bradley, t.j. houshmandzadeh, tamba hali, tampa bay buccaneers, tanard jackson, tank johnson, tashard choice, tennessee titans, terrance newman, terrell owens, terrell suggs, thomas davis, thomas decoud, thomas jones, tim hightower, todd haley, tom brady, tom zbikowski, tony brown, tony dungy, tony gonzalez, tony romo, tony scheffler, tony sparano, tracy porter, trent cole, trent edwards, trent williams, troy polamalu, tully banta-cain, ty warren, tyler brayton, tyson alualu, tyson clabo, tyson jackson, vernon carey, vernon davis, vince wilfork, vince young, vincent jackson, vladimir ducasse, vontae davis, walt harris, walter thurmond, washington redskins, wes welker, will smith, william beatty, willie colon, willie parker, willis mcgahee, zach miller, zack bowman
Colts/Ravens thoughts
In honor of a vacation week spent partly in Baltimore, we share a few thoughts on the Week 11 game between the Colts and Ravens, both from an on-field perspective and a fantasy football perspective. Indianapolis stayed undefeated by scratching out a 17-15 victory in Baltimore. This was the sixth win by four points or less this season for the 10-0 Colts, and their fourth in a row by that kind of margin. Meanwhile, the 5-5 Ravens lost by less than a touchdown for the fourth time this season.
*Two pregame thoughts. First, Sports Illustrated’s Ross Tucker had a nice historical tweet just before kickoff. He said: Scoreboard here in Baltimore says “Ravens 0 INDY 0”. They still don’t recognize the “Colts” after all these years. Funny.
*Meanwhile, while I was in Baltimore this week, the hand-wringing was all about PK Matt Stover’s return to Baltimore as a Colt after so many years with the Ravens. The fact that Stover returned the same week the Ravens had to cut his replacement Steven Hauschka because of inconsistency only magnified how dependable Stover had been. No wonder the Ravens’ faithful went crazy when replacement Billy Cundiff narrowly made a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter. Cundiff hit 5-of-6 field goal attempts in the game, but the one he missed proved incredibly costly.
*Dallas Clark’s touchdown catch early in the first quarter was an incredible display of concentration and hand strength. Catching the ball by palming it in your right hand with no other support on the ball, and tapping your toes in the end zone in the process, was something that not many other receivers could do. What a play.
*Kelley Washington has been a nice find for the Ravens this year. He’s terrific on special teams, and he’s emerged as a solid No. 3 receiver as well.
*Young Colts DBs Tim Jennings, Melvin Bullitt, and Jacob Lacey all made nice plays on the ball in the first quarter. That’s a good sign for a team trying to overcome injuries to Bob Sanders, Marlin Jackson, and Kelvin Hayden.
*DE Haloti Ngata makes a huge difference for the Ravens’ defense. He busted up a fourth-down play at the end of the first quarter causing a penalty and a punt, and he makes that kind of impact regularly. He may well be the best player on that defense, and I’d argue that the Ravens need Ngata more than Terrell Suggs, who missed this game with an injury.
*The Ravens’ offense is much more intimidating when Ray Rice is in the game than when Willis McGahee is. Rice provides the opportunity for special plays, and McGahee simply can’t. It’s not that McGahee is a bad back, because he’s OK. Rice, meanwhile, is a big-play threat as a runner and a receiver. LeRon McClain, meanwhile, looks slow and tentative – nothing like the power back he was last year.
*The Colts have really restocked their playmaking ability with rookies Austin Collie and Donald Brown, along with first-year player Pierre Garcon and second-year tight end Tom Santi, who stepped up in this game. That shot of youth is vital with Marvin Harrison gone and Joseph Addai getting more banged up by the day.
*The Ravens did a good job of making plays on the ball vs. Peyton Manning after the first drive, and safeties Ed Reed and Dawan Landry both got interceptions. Reed and Landry make for a strong pair up the middle in the secondary.
*Joe Flacco isn’t the machine that Peyton Manning is, but he showed on the two-minute drill at the end of the first half that he’s a big-time quarterback. Flacco is allowing the Ravens to develop offensively as a new kind of team, and the downfield throw out of his own end zone in the third quarter was a beauty. But you could see the difference in Flacco’s inconsistency on third down, which forced the Ravens to settle for four first-half field goals. And the pick Flacco threw in the fourth quarter was more egregious than either of the interceptions Manning threw in this game.
*The Colts’ front 7 isn’t big, and the only way they could generate a ton of pressure was to send a huge blitz against Flacco. That’s something that some team is going to exploit before the end of the season. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis weren’t able to generate a ton of pressure on their own against young and huge Ravens OTs Michael Oher and Jared Gaither. For the Colts, Gary Brackett not only had a pick – he had the most impact on that front seven throughout the game. He’s such a solid player for Indy.
*Ravens head coach John Harbaugh did a great job of managing his replay challenges until late in the fourth quarter. He went 2-for-2 on challenges – both of which were ultra-close and therefore worth challenging regarding the outcome – and more importantly avoided a challenge that would have failed in the second quarter. That decision to pick up the red flag saved the Ravens a timeout and probably three points in the first half and 22 yards on a successful challenge in the second half. But when Harbaugh called timeout and then challenged a spot late in the fourth quarter, he cost his team its final timeout and about 40 seconds toward a last-gasp comeback.
*Reggie Wayne is one of the top five receivers in the league. He’s so good catching the ball that you’re surprised when he doesn’t come up with it. His dominance allows youngsters like Garcon and Collie to make plays in spaces much bigger than usual.
*Dallas Clark isn’t just the best fantasy tight end available; he’s one of the top 15 receivers of any kind in the league. No other tight end comes close to matching his production, because no tight end is as vital a part of his offense as Clark is for Indy.
*Pierre Garcon, who had a 100-yard game, has gone back ahead of Austin Collie as the Colts’ No. 2 wide receiver, mainly because he’s more prone to bust a big play. Garcon is much like Mike Wallace of Pittsburgh in that he’s going to get 2-3 shots at a huge play each week, and if he makes one of those plays, he can help your fantasy team. Garcon isn’t as valuable as some teams’ No. 2 wideouts because of the Dallas Clark factor, but he is a top-35 receiver who can spot start as long as Anthony Gonzalez’s injury continues to linger.
*Colts TE Tom Santi hadn’t had a catch all season, but he had six in this game for the Colts, including a 31-yarder. Santi must have been playing a bigger role in this game because of a matchup the Colts saw that made a two-TE set advantageous. But fantasy owners shouldn’t rely too much on Santi going forward. The Colts don’t use two-TE sets regularly enough to make Santi ownable in any league, despite his 80-yard effort in this game. The fact that Santi fumbled once in the end zone and dropped another possible touchdown won’t add to the young tight end’s chances going forward.
*Joseph Addai scored a rushing touchdown in this game, and he has at least 60 yards per scrimmage in every game but one this season. So while he feels like an unreliable fantasy back, his numbers have been good enough to put him inside the top 20 at the position. He’s a fantasy starter, but he’s not a dominant force.
*Ray Rice is just a yardage machine. He’s so good as a runner and receiver that he’s going to pile up 120-150 yards in just about any game. And if he breaks a big play or scores a touchdown, he puts up elite fantasy numbers. He’s become a dependable top-10 fantasy back.
*Derrick Mason is old for a wide receiver, but he continues to produce solid fantasy numbers as the Ravens’ unquestioned No. 1 wideout. He had more than 100 yards in this game, passing the century mark for just the second time this season. But he has had at least 78 yards in five of 10 games, which makes him a solid top-25 wideout. He’s not cemented as a starter, but he’s a nice option to have around.
Filed under Fantasy Football, Football Relativity, NFL games
Tagged as anthony gonzalez, austin collie, baltimore ravens, billy cundiff, bob sanders, dallas clark, dawan landry, donald brown, dwight freeney, ed reed, Fantasy Football, Football Relativity, gary brackett, haloti ngata, indianapolis colts, jacob lacey, jared gaither, joe flacco, john harbaugh, joseph addai, kelley washington, kelvin hayden, leron mcclain, marlin jackson, marvin harrison, matt stover, melvin bullitt, michael oher, NFL games, peyton manning, pierre garcon, raheem brock, ray rice, reggie wayne, steven hauschka, terrell suggs, tim jennings, tom santi, willis mcgahee
They shoot horses, don’t they?
It’s been a bad week to be a Colts defender, as Indy has had to put two key players on injured reserve this week. We thought we’d take a moment to break down the significance of the season-ending injuries of all-star S Bobb Sanders, starting OLB Tyjuan Hagler and CB Marlin Jackson along with the significant injury suffered by CB Kelvin Hayden.
Sanders is the biggest X-factor for the Colts defense. He is their Troy Polamalu, making plays against the run, rushing the passer, and in coverage. As with Pittsburgh, Indy’s defense loses a dimension when Sanders isn’t in there. This is a huge loss that takes away any scary element of the Colts’ D and makes them far more vulnerable.
Hagler, the Colts’ starting strong-side linebacker, suffered a ruptured biceps that will cost him the rest of the season. This will test the Colts’ depth at a position that wasn’t necessarily deep to begin with. Hagler isn’t a great player, but he has been dependable, ranking seventh on the team in tackles. He’s broken up three passes but has no sacks, interceptions, or forced fumbles. The Colts haven’t gotten many impact plays from regular starting LBs Clint Session and Gary Brackett either. Philip Wheeler, who does actually have a sack this season, will get the first chance to replace Hagler.
Jackson had lost his starting cornerback job to Jerraud Powers, but he still figured in as a nickel back. But he tore an ACL in practice this week and will now miss the rest of the season. That’s a blow, especially since CB Kelvin Hayden suffered a knee injury last week vs. the 49ers that will park him for a month. Hayden is the Colts’ best cover corner, so he’s a big loss. Combine that with Jackson’s absence, and it’s a huge blow, especially considering that the Colts are using a more aggressive scheme that puts more pressure on its corners to perform.
The injuries to Sanders, Hayden, and Jackson undoubtedly will make the Colts more susceptible to the pass, at least in the short term – and the pass defense wasn’t stellar in the first place. (And if you were inclined to pick the Texans to upset the Colts this week, you should feel a little better about that pick, because it’s easy to see Andre Johnson and company running amok in this decimated secondary.)
Indy promoted LB Cody Glenn from the practice squad to take Hagler’s roster spot and signed DE Josh Thomas, who played for the team over the past five years, to fill Jackson’s place on the 53-man roster.
Tagged as andre johnson, bob sanders, clint session, cody glenn, Football Relativity, gary brackett, houston texans, indianapolis colts, jerraud powers, josh thomas, kelvin hayden, marlin jackson, NFL Free Agency, NFL Injuries, philip wheeler, tyjuan hagler
FR: Key re-signings
We began our NFL free agency preview with a massive post comparing the 14 franchise players to each other. We did a couple other takes on the market before the shopping began in earnest on Feb. 27. Later this week, we’ll talk about some of the releases that have happened and put them through the relativity ringer.
First, in this post, we’re going to talk about some of the key re-signings that happened before the new league year began on Feb. 27. Future re-signings will be noted in the free-agent moves posts to come. But for now, here are the key moves relative to each other. Again, 10 is a vital move, and 1 is a move that we barely notice.
(Note: Franchise players who resigned, including Brandon Jacobs, are omitted here because they were covered in this post.)
10- CB Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders – Simply put, Asomugha is the best cornerback in the league, and the Raiders had to keep him. They’re paying a premium to do so – 2 years at a little more than $28 million, plus a third-year option at $16 million more. But that price is cheaper (at least marginally) than franchising Asomugha for the next three years, and it allows the Raiders to build their defense around him. Personally, I’d love to see Asomugha on a great team, but Oakland couldn’t afford to let him go – no matter the cost.
9 – C Jeff Saturday, Colts – It looked as thought Saturday was out of Indy, but a last-minute bump in the salary cap gave the Colts room to keep him. It was stunning last season the difference in the Colts’ offense when Saturday was in the lineup and when he was absent. That was the first prolonged injury of Saturday’s career. He’s dependable, he’s a line leader, and he can keep the line calls up with Peyton Manning’s extensive audibiling. The Colts needed to keep him, and the last second Hail Mary that kept him a Colt will end up being the team’s key move of the offseason.
8 – OT Jordan Gross, Panthers – The Panthers made the playoffs last year by establishing an identity as a run-first team, and Gross (along with ORT Jeff Otah) are the key offensive linemen in that strategy. It’s hard to find a run-first tackle who’s also nimble enough to protect the QB’s blind side, but Gross has both skill sets. The fact that the Panthers got this 6-year, $60 million deal done in time to franchise Julius Peppers is also a plus. Carolina paid full market value (and maybe then some) for Gross, but he’s a cornerstone at a key position, so it’s worth it.
7 – S Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins – No team was as aggressive about resigning its own players before they hit the open market than the Dolphins. (You’ll see entries on Channing Crowder and Vernon Carey below.) Bell is probably the best of the litter. He got a 4-year, $20 million deal, which is strong for a safety – especially after the Dolphins signed Raiders castoff Gibril Wilson. Bell and Wilson should give Miami veteran leadership, versatility, and vigor in the back end of the defense.
6 – CB Kelvin Hayden, Colts – The Colts identified Hayden as their No. 1 priority entering free agendy, and they would have used a franchise tag on him had he not agreed to a 5-year, $43 million contract just before the deadline. Hayden has been a productive player for the Colts thus far, but the big question is whether he can maintain his level of performance as the Colts begin to inch (if not sprint) away from the Tampa 2 defensive system that former coach Tony Dungy used. If the defense changes drastically, Hayden will have to prove that he has better 1-on-1 cover skills than he has shown thus far. Can he do it? It’s impossible to tell at this point. But the fact that the Colts were willing to pay Hayden, a defensive player, means that they think he can. For now, we’ll give Bill Polian and the front office the benefit of the doubt thus far, and we’ll hope (for their sake) that Hayden’s big contract doesn’t look in 2 years like ex-Colt Jason David’s big deal with New Orleans now looks.
6 (con’t) – LB Channing Crowder, Dolphins – Crowder re-signed with Miami on the cusp of free agency. While he’s not an impact guy, he’s an effective tackler who cleans up his area well. The Dolphins didn’t use their franchise tag, but they ended up keeping the guys they most wanted to keep in Crowder and Vernon Carey.
5- OT Vernon Carey, Dolphins – The Dolphins didn’t use their franchise tag on Carey, but the day after the franchise-tag deadline passed, they inked Carey to a 6-year, $42 million deal. That seems like big money, especially since Carey projects as either a right tackle or a guard for Miami. (Remember that Jake Long is now ensconced as the Dolphins’ left tackle of the present, future, and beyond.) Because some teams might think that Carey could play left tackle, his price tag was going to be artificially inflated -whether in Miami or elsewhere. So good for Carey for cashing in, and Miami keeps some continuity on the offensive line. The fact that head coach Tony Sparano (a former OL coach) wanted Carey to stay is endorsement enough to wait and see whether this deal ends up being worth it.
5 (con’t) – CB DeAngelo Hall, Redskins – For the second straight offseason, Hall got a huge contract. In ’08, he got $24 million in guaranteed money from Oakland, but the Raiders cut him after eight games because he was such a bad fit for their system. Hall landed in Washington and ended up being a huge upgrade over aging and injured corners Shawn Springs and Fred Smoot. Hall has worlds of talent, and in the right system he is a good fit, but he’s not a No. 1 corner – no matter what his new 6-year, $54 million contract tries to tell you. But it’s not a bad gig to lock down a total of $46.5 million in guaranteed money in less than 12 months.
4 – P Shane Lechler, Raiders – The Raiders paid Shane Lechler an eye-popping 4-year deal worth $16 million. The previous high-water mark for punters when it comes to salary was $2.35 million, so Lechler – who is the top punter in the league, to be fair – got nearly double the going rate. That’s a huge contract, but let’s think through it. First of all, we can assume that Lechler wasn’t going to re-sign in Oakland for market value because of the Raiders’ paperthin playoff chances. In other words, the Raiders had to pay a premium. And Lechler, a 4-time Pro Bowl choice, averages a league-record 46.8 yards per punt for his career, and his net average of 41.2 yards last year is a sterling figure. If any punter deserves to be the highest paid in the league, it’s Lechler. And if any team needs a punter, given its offensive struggles, it’s Oakland. So this deal, while it’s overkill financially, will make an impact.
4 (con’t) – CB Joselio Hanson, Philadelphia – The Eagles are as proactive as any team in re-signing young players who haven’t played much but might in the future. Sometimes these moves work; sometimes they don’t. But Hanson, who has played quite a bit for a fourth cornerback, projects as a third corner type, and having him locked up could make it easier for the Eagles to trade unhappy Lito Sheppard. For that reason alone, this move is worth noting.
4 (con’t) FB Tony Richardson, Jets – Richardson has long been one of the best lead fullbacks in the league, and his appearance in New York last year helped Thomas Jones bounce back from a bad ’07 season to have a very productive rushing campaign in ’08. So it’s worth it for the Jets to keep Richardson on a modest 1-year deal.
3- QB Luke McCown, Buccaneers – It’s hard to believe, but the new Buccaneers regime gave McCown a 2-year, $7.5 million deal under the belief that he can compete for the starting quarterback job there. McCown would have to beat out Brian Griese and Josh Johnson to win the job, but the fact that he’s actually getting this opportunity is a little mind-boggling. McCown, a former Browns draft pick, showed a little promise in his appearances at the end of the ’07 season, but I still don’t see an answer here. As I’ve written before (check the comments on this post), McCown’s upside is probably somewhere around what J.T. O’Sullivan showed last year for the 49ers. In other words, McCown may start, but he’s not going to be a good starter.
3 (con’t) – DT Ryan Sims, Buccaneers – Another Buc re-signing is rotation defensive tackle Sims. The former No. 6 overall pick hasn’t lived up to that billing, but he’s proven to be at least a decent role player in Tampa. At 4 years, $8 million, if Sims can be the Bucs’ No. 3 DT, it’s worth it.
3 (con’t) – PK Rob Bironas, Titans – Bironas is a good kicker, but the difference between so-so kickers and the top level at this point in the NFL just isn’t that big. That said, Bironas is clutch, he can hit the 50-yard field goal, and for a defensive-first playoff team like Tennessee, that’s important. Tennessee franchised Bironas last offseason and probably would have again if they hadn’t agreed on the 4-year deal (which is worth $12M or $16M, depending on who you read). It’s a solid signing, even if it is a little pricy.
3 (con’t) – TE Justin Peelle, LB Coy Wire, DT Jason Jefferson, Falcons – We’ll do these signings as a trifecta, because they’re key to the Falcons depth. Wire could end up starting next year if Michael Boley leaves via free agency. Peelle is a solid blocking tight end who fits the Falcons’ offensive scheme well. Jefferson is a solid contributor as a rotation defensive tackle.
2 – OG Stephen Peterman and PK Jason Hanson, Lions – The Lions have two signings on this level. Peterman is a two-year starter at guard, and his modest contract (5 years, $15 million) will be worth it if he can be a decent starter. If he ends up being above average, this deal could end up being a steal. Hanson is 39 years old, and yet the Lions gave him a 4-year contract. That basically will ensure that Hanson, who has been in Detroit since 1992, will play his whole career as a Lion. Hanson won PFW’s Golden Toe award as best kicker last year after making 8 50-yard field goals and missing just once overall. This is a decent football move that means more in Detroit because Hanson has been there forever. (Speaking as someone who watches how Panthers fans love John Kasay, who has three fewer years of tenure in town, I have to imagine that Hanson is a fan fave.)
2 (con’t) – OG Kynan Forney, Chargers – The Chargers didn’t play Forney at all last season, his first in San Diego. But with starter Mike Goff facing free agency, San Diego locked up Forney for 2 years, $4.8 million as a fallback. Forney can be at least an average NFL guard (he started 89 games in 7 seasons in Atlanta), so having this option at a reasonable price is decent foresight for San Diego. He’s not the best-case scenario, but he’s not a worst-case scenario either.
2 (con’t) – FB Corey McIntyre and OT Kirk Chambers, Bills – The Bills picked McIntyre up off the street midseason last year, and he became a solid blocking fullback for him. That’s an asset for a run-first team like Buffalo, and so it’s worth keeping him on a two-year deal. Chambers is a swing lineman who can fill in at several spots along the line.
1- QB David Carr, Giants – Carr bombed out as a backup QB in Carolina two years ago, but with the Giants last year he played well in basically one extended appearance. If the Giants are comfortable with him behind Eli Manning, he’s worth the one-year, $2.1 million deal.
Tagged as atlanta falcons, buffalo bills, carolina panthers, channing crowder, corey mcintyre, coy wire, david carr, deangelo hall, detroit lions, Football Relativity, indianapolis colts, jason hanson, jason jefferson, jeff saturday, jordan gross, joselio hanson, justin peelle, kelvin hayden, kirk chambers, kynan forney, luke mccown, miami dolphins, new york giants, new York jets, NFL Free Agency, nnamdi asomugha, oakland raiders, philadelphia eagles, rob bironas, ryan sims, san diego chargers, shane lechler, stephen peterman, tampa bay buccaneers, tennessee titans, tony richardson, vernon carey, washington redskins, yeremiah bell
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21543
|
__label__wiki
| 0.596772
| 0.596772
|
FAA says has no timetable for Boeing 737 MAX's return to service
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it does not have a specific timetable on when Boeing Co’s troubled 737 MAX jet would return to service after two fatal crashes (uk.reuters.com) Plus d'info...
Matt West il y a un an 4
Looks like their KC-46 is having a similar problems. They don't know how long it will take for them to correct technical deficiencies:
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/06/13/kc-46-refueling-system-flaws-will-take-years-to-fix-and-cost-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-gao-says/
Kobe Hunte il y a un an 6
Boeing is in some pretty deep water. They need to resolve their problems, and fast.
Well, both AAL and SWA have already made provisions to their planning for NOT having the MAX in service this summer. That’s pretty bad. Not to mention the MILLIONS in compensation and deferred orders. This is now a major deal for Boeing, no doubt about that.
Brad Littlejohn il y a un an 2
Well, seeing how Airbus is taking the orders to the bank right now at the Paris Airshow, Boeing is in some serious trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if Boeing doesn't get any orders for any of the MAX series, and that's despite the fact that the MAX10 doesn't have the same problem that the B38M and B39M have.
Boeing is in a world of hurt now, and will be for quite some time.
Yes, wouldn’t be surprised at all.
In fact, I just saw a news headline that it has not taken any new orders (not sure if that’s any Boeing aircraft because I didn’t read the full article) for the SECOND STRAIGHT MONTH. that cannot be good in anyone’s book......
belzybob il y a un an 0
I bet they wish it was just water.....
john kilcher il y a un an 9
The Max 8 shouldn't have been awarded an airworthiness certificate. Enlarging the engines and changing the c.o.g was strike #1. Installing MCAS without proper training and/or being tight lipped of their existence was strike #2. The allowance of the FAA to authorize Boeing to self inspect this abortion was strike #3.
hornet135 il y a un an 1
The cg didn’t change, did it?
Edward Bardes il y a un an 5
The engines on the 737 MAX had to be installed further forward than on the 737NG to be able to fit under the wings, which needed to be angled slightly upward to accommodate the engines. That's what makes the plane prone to stalling, the difference in angle of the wings.
hornet135 il y a un an -7
There’s no engine angling issue or issue with being prone to stalling. Not sure where you got your information, but it’s misinformed.
Actually, there is. And it's been documented many times. But yes, the engines were so big that they had to move them on the wings, which caused a lot of the problems contributing to the AoA issues that caused MCAS to be needed, and the subsequent issues from that.
https://flightaware.com/squawks/link/1/recently/popular/72846/How_the_Boeing_737_Max_Disaster_Looks_to_a_Software_Developer
https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/how-the-boeing-737-max-disaster-looks-to-a-software-developer
Jim Myers il y a un an 5
You win the "Ignoramus of the internet" award today! Congratulations!
Nuance is clearly lost on everyone in this thread.
The original poster said that changing the cg was strike #1 with mounting the new engines. There is no indication the cg changed. The leap engines are about 800lbs heavier each and situated farther forward than the engines on the NG, but the tail cone was also extended a small amount, presumably to counteract this increased engine weight forward of but very near to the cg.
The issue is that the increased thrust of the new engines increased the pitch up moment at high thrust settings. Although the engine has a larger diameter, being mounted higher helps mitigate this effect and gives it a thrust line very close to that of the NG engines. The real problem is that with the engine nacelles being larger and further forward of the cg, they create far more lift at low airspeeds/high alpha than on the NG. This combined with the pitch up from the increased thrust means that in those high alpha/low airspeeds/high thrust situations the MAX handles differently than the NG.
The reason why MCAS was needed was to make the stick forces in these situations similar enough between the NG and MAX so that they could be deemed to handle the 'same' and thus operate on a single type certificate. MCAS is not truly for stall prevention even though many reports call it a "stall prevention system" or similar, but merely to keep the elevator stick forces within parameters defined by regulations and similar enough to that of the NG. This doesn't mean the MAX is any more prone to stall than anything else; it just means that in certain situations it handles differently enough to warrant a new system to get a single type certificate with the NG.
The MCAS implementation was flawed, but it's important to understand the underlying causes that necessitated MCAS.
The MAX 8/9 CG is nowhere near that of the NG. The thrust increase between a CFM56-7B27 and Leap 1-B is negligible, and the Leaps are almost 1k pounds heavier. The underlying cause is, as you said, the engine size moved forward and bigger nacells...thus moving the engines forward shifted CG. The MCAS is, in a sense, an anti stall device.
bentwing60 il y a un an 1
While I will readily agree that the Leap vs. Cfm-56 thrust differential is not that great, I would contend that by your own admission the CG moved forward with the leap engine, Not aft! the MCAS system is specifically designed to drive the nose down in a stall event, the same result as moving the CG forward. If the CG shift was the sole culprit of MCAS, it would have provided nose up trim! Check. H135 is spot on.
I never mentioned aft, and I was referring to H135's "There is no indication the cg changed." I also never mentioned CG was the reason for MCAS...bigger engines moved forward, and up, caused CG to change and bigger nacells, with shifted engines, provided unwanted lift to give a more nose up attitude! That more unwanted nose up attitude leading to a greater chance of a stall was 1 of the reasons MCAS was installed. Hence, I will say again the MCAS is, in a sense, an anti stall device.
Also if you read up on his first comment, he talked about engine angling. Edward did not mention engine angling, he mentioned the wing angle. T
hat was also "tweaked"
Just because the engines were moved forward and weigh more doesn’t mean that cg moved forward. That would be the case if nothing else changed, but landing gear were strengthened, nose gear extended, tail cone lengthened, etc.
There's a lot of design details we just don't know.
The nose gear was extended but the landing gear were not lengthened and the tail cone received no major increase. The reason the engines were moved forward and and up is because the landing gear did not allow sufficient enough clearance between them and the ground. If they had lengthened the landing gear, they would not fit into their designated flight retraction area, and Boeing obviously did not want to spend time developing a rotational gear strut.
If you take an aircraft, redistribute its weight and flight characteristics such as moving engine forward and up, you change CG. It would be similar to taking cargo and not properly distributing it in the hold...place more of it forward and the aircraft's CG changes.
Go back and read what I said, landing gear were strengthened, nose gear extended.
The point is that more could change the CG than just the engines, a fact that you seem to be blind to.
Yellow is NG, purple is the MAX.
https://leehamnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/737NG-vs-MAX-planform.png
djames225 il y a un an -1
I am not blind to anything but I am done with this conversation..I misread what you stated, but you seem to completely misread mine and bounce all over.
"The cg didn’t change, did it?" Yes it did
"There’s no engine angling issue" No on said anything about engines but they did say wings.
"Just because the engines were moved forward and weigh more doesn’t mean that cg moved forward." I never stipulated the CG moved forward, bentwings did yet you inferred I stated it. CG changed.
And that planform is old as the tailcone is not that big and the engines are farther forward than that
Dolf Brouwers il y a un an 2
I would like to see the reports of the test pilots at Boeing , they must have encountered this problem during the program and what did they do to circumvent. (solve it ) ?
According to a few reports, 1 from a former test pilot, "Boeing never flight-tested a scenario in which the AOA sensor malfunctioned."
not a good test program then
I am definitely a Boeing fan, but if they can't get the Max back into service quick and the 777 properly sorted out, I fear there might be a problem.
Now they have the issue with the leading edge slat tracks on the MAX and NG
And also new issues on the 787-9! What’s going on at Boeing?.....
Nothing that hasn't happened before.
I gotta say, flawed design issues of this magnitude is nothing that has ever happened at Boeing.
The worse that they have had to date outside of the supply issues for the B787 was the jackscrew issue with the B727 (though the MD80 and F27s also had the same issue; the B717 wasn't made at the time), and the B737 rudder issue (USA427) which caused Boeing to redesign the rudder and retrofit all B733s affected by the problem at Boeing's expense.
Outside of that, nothing relative to using Software to fix a hardware design flaw has ever happened before, especially of this magnitude.
The DC-10 had a bumpy start with the cargo door design problems, and the FAA grounded the plane after AA191 crashed. Airbus also had a rough start with its A320 program, and the aircraft garnered a lot of scrutiny following the crash of AF296 with its software that could override pilot inputs.
I wasn't just talking about Boeing.
Yes...the FAA grounded the plane after the first crash, but the design problem was not intentional and it was a hardware "fix".
After the investigation into AF296, the probable cause was "very low flyover height, lower than surrounding obstacles; speed very slow and reducing to reach maximum possible angle of attack; engines speed at flight idle; and late application of go-around power." Some questioned the computers role, but it did not want nose up attitude at such a slow speed and low altitude. And if I remember correctly, Airbus did not have to do a software update to the A320 family.
So no, using software to correct a hardware design flaw, and in itself, the software being flawed, has never happened before.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21544
|
__label__cc
| 0.506284
| 0.493716
|
Clarity announces iPhone killer for seniors
The ClarityLife C900 succeeds in so many places that the iPhone fails that it’s not even funny. First of all, it’s unlocked and, at $269.95, it’s not that much more expensive than an iPhone with a two-year contract. Once you get to a certain age, locking into contracts is silly. As my ninety-one-year-old grandmother says when asked about remarrying, “What’s the point?” The same can be said for cell phone contracts.
Second, the ClarityLife C900 has a ringer that’s “twice as loud as an ordinary cell phone,” which oughta scare the bejesus out of anybody under the age of 60 while providing optimal ring volume for our beloved seniors. Oh, and lest you think that the phone simply rings when a call’s coming in, the blaze-orange LCD also flashes like mad and the phone vibrates as though the old folks’ home sat atop the San Andreas fault.
Third, the phone has only four ginormous buttons and none of that fancy, convoluted, voodoo multi-touch stuff. Just some good, old fashioned button mashing.
And not to be outdone by Apple, there is, of course, “one more thing.”
On the back of the phone is a red, heart-shaped emergency button. Press it, and the C900 “calls and sends text messages to five pre-programmed numbers,” cycling through each contact until someone picks up. Boom. Mind blown? I know.
Now all Clarity needs to do is add a flashlight feature to the phone and – whoa, whoa, whoa, I spoke too soon. It’s got a built-in flashlight. I’ll be damned. Mind blown again.
ClarityLife C900 Amplified Mobile Phone [ClarityProducts.com]
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21560
|
__label__wiki
| 0.599505
| 0.599505
|
SEC Watch: Social Media Dashboard HootSuite Raises $3 Million
Leena Rao @LeenaRao / 9 years
Social media dashboard company HootSuite has raised $3 million in new funding according to a new SEC filing. HootSuite has previously raised $1.2 million from Blumberg Capital, Hearst Ventures and Geoff Entress.
HootSuite offers brands and businesses a comprehensive social media dashboard that allows teams to collaboratively schedule and monitor updates to Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, WordPress and other social networks via web, desktop or mobile platforms. Via the applications, HootSuite users can also track campaign results, analytics and other data.
In two years, HootSuite has grown to over 1.5 million users worldwide, is cash-flow positive, and recently bought an add-on for the Firefox 4 browser called TwitterBar, which enables users to post to a variety of social networks straight from the web address bar.
HootSuite was also the first application in which Twitter began testing its own in-stream ad product.
We’ve contacted the company for confirmation and will update when we hear back.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21562
|
__label__cc
| 0.726375
| 0.273625
|
ZipList’s Grocery List & Recipe Search App Gets Overhauled
Sarah Perez @sarahintampa / 9 years
Foodies rejoice! ZipList, makers of online and mobile shopping lists and a recipe search service, is out now with a completely revamped iPhone application. The updated app syncs with ZipList.com and its 40 parter sites, including MarthaStewart.com, Women’s Day, $5 Dinners and more, to keep your mobile shopping list up-to-date with your latest recipe finds from across the Web.
With the new app, the user interface has been redesigned for easier in-store use. You can now easily navigate the app with one hand, and find recipes that have are uniquely targeted towards your own personal likes and interests while shopping.
Although there are other shopping lists apps out there, for foodies and home chefs, the standout feature for ZipList’s app is the recipe search and recommendations feature. Thanks to ZipList’s use of natural language processing, the app is smart enough to know the difference between an ingredient you need to buy for your recipe (e.g., a cut of meat or produce item) versus a staple ingredient you probably have on hand back home (e.g., salt).
The idea to update the app came from extensive customer feedback and research, says Nick Dellis, VP of Business Development and Marketing at ZipList. The company found that people would see an item on sale in the store – for example, chicken breasts – and would want to be able to quickly find a recipe they could use for that night’s dinner. This functionality is now integrated into the mobile app so customers can stand in the middle of the grocery aisle and search for a recipe they like.
What’s different about ZipList is that the service learns from you the more you use it. It begins to understand what sorts of recipes you like and who your favorite chefs are, based on your behavior, the ingredients you purchase, the prep and cook time of the meals you choose and more. If you never add recipes with meat to your shopping list, for example, ZipList learns that you’re probably a vegetarian, and will stop suggesting recipes for meat dishes.
The new app also has an improved store locator functionality that includes access to 150,000 stores across the U.S. (and others, via crowd-sourcing). After adding a store, you can now re-order the aisles, which is a bit time-consuming, but worth doing if you’re a regular ZipList user.
ZipList includes standard shopping list features like sharing, barcode scanning, checklists and more. The updated app is now available in iTunes as a free download.
To date, ZipList has raised $4.5 million in funding from Softbank and Martha Stewart Omnimedia.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21563
|
__label__wiki
| 0.962729
| 0.962729
|
Mobincube, An App Builder That’s Spawned 18K Apps, Raises $946K For U.S., Int’l Push
Spanish startup Mobincube has closed a €700,000/$946,000 seed round for its drag and drop, web-based app builder which lets non-developers build their own mobile apps using a series of templates. The round was led by early stage VC firm Inveready. Others investors include the VC arm of Spanish commercial bank, bankinter — which has previously invested in PayPal, one of the third party services Mobincube integrates into its offering — and angel crowdfunding platform The Crowd Angel.
The startup said it plans to use the funding to “accelerate” its efforts in the U.S., with plans to open an office in Silicon Valley this year, and also to step up its competitiveness worldwide. The app builder space is a relatively crowded one, but with mobile users’ insatiable appetite for apps there’s plenty of room for multiple players to try their hand at making it really easy for non-techies to get technical. Rival app builders include TapCanvas, Yapp and ShoutEm, to name three.
The Valencia-based startup mainly targets its tools at non-developers. Users choose from a variety of template elements to create an app — from basic stuff like navigation bars and forms, to comms elements like calls and SMS, to content like Google Maps. Drop-down menus then allow the creator to specify additional functionality for each app element.
App builder elements Mobincube lists on its website as coming soon are social network integration; embedded audio and video; and augmented reality.
Despite a marketing focus on folk who can’t code, the startup also claims its tools can help developers increase their work rate by speeding up the time it takes them to build apps (albeit, the relatively quality of the apps you can churn out using a ‘cookie-cutter template’ method are unlikely to match the polish of an innovative app lovingly crafted in native code by a skilled developer).
Another flagship feature of Mobincube’s software is the ability for builders to publish their app across multiple platforms, with the software automatically generating the code for the desired platform so it can be submitted to multiple app stores. Supported platforms are iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone. Mobincube can also be used to create HTML5 Web Apps.
The startup has been around for several years and said today it has 115,000 users who have published more than 18,000 apps. It pegged its monthly growth rate at 30%, and added that it is generating more than one million new downloads per month. Its business model is a mix of advertising (taking a 30% cut of revenue from in-app ads) for users of its free offering, and a choice of two paid-for publishing offerings for “premium” customers.
In terms of its international spread, Mobincube said the majority (65%) of the apps published using its tools are developed in English, with around a third (30%) of its customers based in its home market of Spain.
Commenting on the funding round in a statement, Ignacio Fonts, Managing Partner of Inveready said: “Mobincube fits perfectly our strategy of investing in companies with growth plans based on fast internationalization.”
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21564
|
__label__cc
| 0.509087
| 0.490913
|
Tradewinds 2
Developer: Sandlot Games
In Tradewinds 2, you are the pirate captain of a ship as you set sail and try and make your fortune anyway that you see fit. Any game that lets me play as a pirate is always going to grab my attention. This is a game that is clearly aiming to be as accessible as possible and that is both a good and a bad thing. This is the kind of game that is rather fun, amusing, and charming, but I am not sure it is the kind of game you will go back to again and again.
Trade And Plunder
The goal of the game is to rule the Caribbean and make as much money as you can all the while staking your claim as the ruler of the high seas. You have four playable characters that you can select these are, Russel Van Gregor, Christine McGowan, Ignacio Verdugo, and Adia Azul. Each character has their own backstory and personality, but Tradewinds 2 does feel like it should be more story-driven. You can unlock more characters, but chances are by the time you do this, you will have had your fill of the game.
FLASH!!!!
The presentation is barebones, but I like it. Many people complain that the game has a kind of flash look to it and I can see why some might say that. The art style they have gone for is rather simplistic, but I do like it. Sure, it lakes the “finer” details you get in some other pirate games, but I like how colorful everything is and the game in general while basic is easy on the eyes.
Making That Pirate Money
The gameplay style is probably best described as a point and click style game. You need to make trades with other people or just plunder them and take what you want. You can buy and sell items and take part in combat on the open sea too. The combat is very basic and you have very little control over what is actually happening, but it is still rather exciting when you and another ship are firing cannonballs at each other. There are many ports in the game you can go to and certain characters can only go to certain ports which is rather interesting. The game is very easy and it lacks depth, but I feel that is what makes it as charming as it is. It is a game that could not be any easier to pick up and play.
I know that Tradewinds 2 may not be the most exciting portrayal of pirate life out there, but it is still a game that kept me amused for a while. It strips back much of which you would find in a strategy/trading style of game and as a result, the game is very easy to get into. The problem with this is that while you will have fun for the first few hours, there is not much more to keep you here plundering into the wee hours while you drink rum and tell tales of the high seas!
The game does have a charm to it
It is very easy to get into
Playing as a pirate is always cool
It can be exciting when you get into a cannonball fight with another ship
The game is not too hard
The visuals are very basic
The game lacks any real depth so you may lose interest fast
Processor: PC compatible, P-II 400Mhz 64MB 7.1
Tradewinds 2 Screenshots
Zoo Empire
Worms Armageddon
Commandos 2: Men of Courage
Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2
Battle For Troy
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21568
|
__label__cc
| 0.510524
| 0.489476
|
Taking control of IPv6
To reap the benefits, agencies face the huge job of managing address spaces<@VM>IPv6: FAQ<@VM>SIDEBAR | IP addresses: A wasted resource?
By William Jackson
IT managers poll (.pdf)
IPv6 pros, cons (.pdf)
IPv6 ready (.pdf)
Just how big is IPv6?
Demonstration Plan to Support Agency IPv6 Compliance
As the June deadline for having a backbone for the next-generation Internet protocol approaches, Government Computer News and its affiliate publications, Federal Computer Week and Washington Technology assess where agencies are in meeting the goal.
Click here for 360-degree news coverage of IPv6.
Know your IPv6?
For the lowdown on what IPv6 is and what it can do for you, check out our IPv6 FAQ at GCN.com/953.
Maxine Lunn, research director at 1105 Government Information Group, conducted surveys on agencies' and vendors' IPv6 awareness and readiness. Watch her discuss the results here.
THE ARRIVAL of IPv6 will eventually give agencies better security, more flexible networking and a number of available IP addresses so large it can make your head hurt just trying to grasp how many there will be. But how well agencies take advantage of IPv6 will depend in large part on how well administrators manage their newfound wealth of IP address spaces, experts say.
By the end of June, the Office of Management and Budget expects agencies to have their network backbones ready to carry IPv6 traffic in addition to IPv4 traffic.
Nobody is yet requiring that agencies use IPv6, but agencies have begun acquiring address space in the new protocols and are making plans for taking advantage of the improved security and networking capabilities.
Management will be critical.
'It is going to be a long cycle for people to swap out the IPv4 technology' now standard in their networks, said Richard Hyatt, chief technology officer at BlueCat Networks.
'It is going to be the management of the address space that determines how quickly it happens.'
Management can be a challenge because IPv6 addresses are larger than IPv4 addresses and there are exponentially more of them.
As IPv4 addresses start running short, the abundance of new addresses will be a good thing. But administrators will have to resist the temptation to use the new addresses the same way they have used the current generation, said Chip Popoviciu, IPv6 address management expert at Cisco Systems.
'We need to be mindful that this is a large resource, and we need to manage it properly,' Popoviciu said.
How large a resource are we talking about? 'With IPv6, one subnet is as large as the entire Internet is today,' said Sean Siler, Microsoft's IPv6 program manager. And each agency will have tens of thousands of subnets.
'It's a huge shift in paradigm.'
The large number of addresses is because IPv6 addresses are 128 bits long. The last 64 bits are used to assign the address to a particular device or function rather than a network, but the networking portion still is large enough to provide an almost inexhaustible supply of numbers.
Address groups are described in terms of a slash-number, written as '/number.' The smaller the slash-number, the larger the group of addresses.
'The general size of an address allocation is a /48,' said Richard Jimmerson, chief information officer at the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). That size allocation includes 65,536 /64 subnets. A /32 address allocation would contain 4 billion subnets.
ARIN is one of five Regional Internet Registries charged with allocating IP addresses.
ARIN serves the United States, Canada, Mexico, much of the Caribbean and the North Atlantic islands. There are separate registries for Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, and the region covering Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. The registries have been issuing IPv6 addresses since 1999. The Euro-Asian registry has been the most active, having allocated 980 address blocks as of January, followed by the Asia-Pacific registry with 515. ARIN has assigned 386 blocks in North America.
Each regional registry sets its own policies for distributing addresses. The Euro-Asian registry has a hierarchical scheme in which address blocks are assigned to local registries, which in turn distribute them to large network users. ARIN has a flatter scheme, intended to make it simpler for users to get addresses directly from the regional registry.
'They decided to make acquisition easier,' Jimmerson said. 'With IPv6, the biggest concern was getting the address space into the hands of the people using it.'
In May, ARIN's board of trustees issued a resolution on IP numbering availability, stating that IPv4 address space was nearing its end and advising 'the Internet community that migration to IPv6 number resources is necessary for any applications which require ongoing availability from ARIN of contiguous IP number resources.'
U.S. government policy calls for agencies to get their address space directly from ARIN, and Jimmerson said 30 agencies have acquired address space so far, typically a /48 allocation.
'There has been a good amount of activity' by government agencies, he said. In addition to getting their addresses, they have been attending the numerous informational meetings and conferences held in the Washington area on the IPv6 transition.
After they acquire the addresses, the next question they face is how to divvy them up.
'With IPv4, you had to be careful about allocating addresses in a network,' he said. 'With IPv6, you have less to worry about.'
There is less worry about running out of addresses.
But there still is a lot to consider. If addressing schemes are not built with an eye to the geography and architecture of a network and how it will use IPv6, administrators might waste network resources with unnecessarily complex routing tables requiring additional routers and slowing throughput.
Most IPv4 addressing schemes were built ad hoc as the Internet and other IP networks grew, with little thought given to an overall architecture.
Available address space was smaller and more easily managed, but this make-it-up-as-you-go process means that administrators are wrestling with inelegant network designs.
'We have an opportunity to build a clean addressing scheme that will let us simplify how we manage networks,' Popoviciu said. Administrators should resist the urge to simply plug IPv6 allocations into IPv4 addressing schemes, and this will require educating administrators.
'Education is the long pole in this tent,' said Dave West, Cisco's global lead for IPv6.
'It is absolutely critical. They are slowly but surely coming to the realization that they need to step back and think about this.'
Managing IPv6 addresses is not rocket science, said Steve Grobman, director of business client architecture at Intel.
'The management differences are real,' he said, 'but I don't think they are that different from the other transitions IT has gone through,' such as the introduction of TCP/IP and wireless communications into networks. Like a true hardware man, Grobman said, 'The good news is that most of the challenges are going to be on the software side.'
Most operating systems and networking hardware already have a basic ability to handle IPv6. OMB's position on the transition has been that agencies could achieve this capability through routine upgrades of technology, without a major capital expense. To begin using IPv6 addresses, agencies will need Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Version 6 servers and Domain Name System servers capable of handling IPv6 records.
The DHCP provides configuration settings to network devices so they can be located on the network. If the autoconfiguration capability of IPv6 is used, no DHCP server will be needed.
But if you choose to manage your own addresses, there are DHCPv6 servers available to allow this. There is a debate over the merits of stateful ' or managed ' addressing using DHCP, and stateless addressing using autoconfiguration.
'Many administrators don't want hosts managing themselves,' Siler said. 'But there is a time and a place for both' stateful and stateless addressing.
One of the advantages and problems with autoconfiguration is that it opens up the network to outside visibility, enabling flexible, dynamic configurations and peer-to-peer networking. There may be a temptation to use this to ease management burdens, 'but the problem is that a lot of people are going to expose a lot more information than they intended,' Hyatt said.
For this reason, Siler said he believes that stateless addressing will not be used widely in managed enterprises as IPv6 is implemented.
The more managed allocation of addresses using DHCP will be a better fit with existing security models.
But IP addresses are too easily spoofed to be good security identifiers. As large numbers of new devices are added to networks and as security policies and tools are adapted to IPv6, DHCP will become less necessary.
'As time goes by, I believe that stateless addressing will start to be introduced into the enterprise,' Siler said. 'It will come very slowly, but it will come.'
Room to hide
The question of Network Address Translation still remains to be answered. NAT has been used to extend the more limited IPv4 address space by enabling the use of private addresses inside a network. But it also has the effect of putting another wall between your internal network and prying eyes on the outside. NAT may not be necessary on an IPv6 network. 'But if you remove it, you are beginning to expose what your network looks like,' Hyatt said. 'It might not be that great when you come to think of it.'
However, the sheer size of the IPv6 address space might help mitigate the problem of visibility by providing room to hide. With IPv4, a typical subnet has about 254 hosts, Siler said.
'That's the number most people work with,' and that size defines the number of servers, firewalls, routers and other devices on the subnet and where they are deployed. For convenience sake, most administrators probably will stick to that model, he said. But they will be distributing those hosts through a vastly larger subnet.
Assigned addresses can be clustered closely together for easier management, or they can be distributed widely through a 4-billion-address subnet, effectively hiding them from outside scans. This can be a security asset, but it also can make devices harder for administrators to find.
Managed devices can be located on a network, but unmanaged and mobile devices can easily be lost in this space, putting a premium on a good addressing scheme and good record-keeping.
Tracking addresses and their users will generate a lot of data to be managed, Hyatt said. 'It's going to create a real problem, keeping and using those amounts of data.'
'An important consideration is top-down addressing,' Siler said. 'It is going to be important for one person to get a large address block and to suballocate it to other organizations within the department' to facilitate this record-keeping. This also can enable simpler routing tables, which will allow more efficient routing, improved security and easier network monitoring. A fragmented routing table slows throughput.
And finally, IPv6 will have to be managed alongside IPv4 as long as both protocols continue to be used on the same networks.
'It's more overhead until we can get rid of IPv4, and that's not going to be in the near future,' Siler said.
The opportunities for new applications, efficiencies and flexibility offered by IPv6 will make it worth our while to address these issues, Popoviciu said. 'After all, we did this for the addressing,' he said. 'Why not make sure we do it right, now that we have the addresses in hand?'
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21569
|
__label__cc
| 0.600047
| 0.399953
|
Tag Archives: Board Games
Kickstarter Report 5/5/15
By Michael Buh on May 5, 2015
We have a lot of interesting entries on Kickstarter this week. See anything you like? Did I miss a treasure? Let me know in the comments! Apocrypha Ends May 13th Estimated Delivery: April 2016 Publisher: Lone Shark Games What is it?: A premade adventure roleplaying game Rewards of Note: $66 for the base game …
Geekly Essentials: Red Dragon Inn
By Chris Low on April 23, 2015
Geekly Essential means that something is so good that it deserves to be discussed long after it was released. It may be 10 years old, but it is still worth your time. Dungeons and dragons, a timeless game of heroes and adventure but the real fun begins when the adventure ends. Red Dragon Inn …
Kickstarter Report 4/21
By Michael Buh on April 21, 2015
This week hosts a lot of seemingly brilliant games on Kickstarter. Seriously, I’m really excited, especially about a couple on this list. Boss Monster II Ends April 27th Estimated Delivery: June Publisher: Brotherwise Games What is it?: A continuation of the original Boss Monster Card Game Rewards of Note: $25 for a copy Level of …
Size Matters: Games For Two
By Mike McGinnis on April 15, 2015
There are an infinite amount of great games available these days. We’ve reviewed several of them right here on GeeklyInc. in the past few weeks. But not every game works with every group. If just you and your sweetheart are playing, Shadows Over Camelot isn’t a great fit. If you’re hanging out with your intramural kickball team …
Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game
Legendary was published in 2012, and since then it has seen a number of expansions, as well as villain and alien encounter offshoots. Each one differs a little from the others, but they generally focus around the same central mechanics. For superhero comic fans, the Marvel editions are right up your alley, but I’ve heard …
By Phillip Canada on April 14, 2015
When I set out to review Arctic Scavengers, I was hesitant. It has been a bone chilling winter where I live and we are just now starting to see the ice and snow melt. The last thing I want to think about is digging through snow in order to find tools or food. However, my …
Lewis and Clark The Expedition
By Tara Tea on April 13, 2015
Editor’s Note: Questions have been raised on various board gaming sites about the choice to use red/maroon meeples to represent Native Americans, as well as the choice to refer to American Indians as Indians throughout the rule book and game. GeeklyInc understands that this is a complex issue that deserves an intelligent and thoughtful …
By Michael Buh on April 6, 2015
There’s a couple of gems this week on Kickstarter (at least that’s my opinion.) I even backed a couple myself, but I’ll let you guess which ones. Soulfall Ends April 9th Estimated Delivery: May Publisher: Small Box Games What is it?: A board game with a focus on art and production Rewards of Note: …
By Kelsey Low on March 31, 2015
Brotherwise Games has created one of the most entertaining card games of all time, Boss Monster, a retro-inspired dungeon building game. Boss Monster is packed with nostalgic references to 8-bit video games, dungeon crawling RPGs, and geeky pop culture. What isn’t there to love about this game? Your entire goal as the final boss is …
Cube Quest: Clash for the Crown
By Nika Howard on March 30, 2015
At some point we have all felt the frustration of losing a game and wanting to just knock all the pieces off the board. Not all of us? Okay, well I have at least, so when I got to play Cube Quest: Clash for the Crown at PAX East this year, I knew it was …
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21570
|
__label__cc
| 0.741534
| 0.258466
|
Fake Freedom Moves Closer to Open Slavery
March 21, 2016 Geopolitics101 3 Comments
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is not just meant to isolate China from global trade but to weaken what’s left of the protective trade barriers that nations are struggling to sustain.
It’s not only that republics have long been reduced covertly to corporation, they are also waging an open war on the minimum safety, health and environmental regulations which are still keeping the planet from complete devastation, and the population, from annihilating each other through economic starvation.
TTIP: Fake freedom moves closer to open slavery
Sam Gerrans @SamGerrans
The new trade negotiations – TTIP – sound dull. It combines the US and EU markets to make the process of fleecing the sheep simpler and cheaper for the wolves. Standard procedure, you may say – and you would be right.
But what is interesting is that any pretense at democracy has been dropped from the propaganda song sheet.
The Telegraph summarized TTIP thus: “The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is a series of trade negotiations being carried out mostly in secret between the EU and US.
As a bi-lateral trade agreement, TTIP is about reducing the regulatory barriers to trade for big business, things like food safety law, environmental legislation, banking regulations and the sovereign powers of individual nations.
It is, as John Hilary, Executive Director of campaign group War on Want, said: “An assault on European and US societies by transnational corporations.”
TTIP means US govt and big business will have more power over EU laws https://t.co/dKNDWQsXn2 #nottip
— Nick Dearden (@nickdearden75) March 17, 2016
The advantage of TTIP branding from a population-management point of view is that it sounds so boring; a bit like a truncated version of Tippex as envisaged by someone with dyslexia – how evil can it be?
The answer is: more evil than drinking noxious white fluid designed to correct typing errors.
Under TTIP, public services, education and health services will be open for tender. EU food and cosmetics standards will be brought in line with the much lower standards in operation in the US. What banking protections exist after the last collapse will likely be removed. The walls in data privacy will become porous between the two blocs. And since the US is party to NAFTA, it will mean that EU workers will be in competition with Mexico.
Nothing will be allowed to stand in the way of making a buck. As the Telegraph puts it: One of the main aims of TTIP is the introduction of Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS), which allow companies to sue governments if those governments’ policies cause a loss of profits. In effect it means unelected transnational corporations can dictate the policies of democratically elected governments.
Brexit better for Britain than toxic TTIP, says Joseph Stiglitz — RT UK https://t.co/UDiUOCnTxt
— Dave King (@kingkeyworth) March 4, 2016
Put nicely, then, TTIP is a drive to the lowest common denominator between the laws which currently exist in the EU and the US combined with the creation of an unaccountable executive branch committed only to the interests of corporations.
This means the workers in both areas will be on an accelerated race to the bottom, able only to compete on the basis of slave wages.
Put more generally, it is the creation of a mega-bloc designed to subsume the EU by stealth and place it in the thrall of the powers which control the US.
Of course, those tasked with selling TTIP to the people it is going to fleece claim nothing but upside. They cite the usual carrots: more jobs, higher wages, lower prices.
But then they would say that, wouldn’t they?
The reality is that TTIP is being pushed through in the EU by US authorities and we have no choice in the matter.
End of democracy
This is where a modern commentator is supposed to be outraged: corporations and government cabals are in collusion – how could they!
But I don’t see it that way. This isn’t a freak occurrence.
Socrates placed democracy one step away from tyranny. What’s happening now isn’t democracy warping into something fiendish and weird. This is democracy’s natural pathway; where it was always going.
Just because democracy was sold to us as something gushy and cuddly, and which flattered us into thinking our opinion counts for something doesn’t change its fundamental nature.
The founding fathers of America knew all about democracy. And despite the fact we are now told they were in favor of it, that is a lie. Rather, they instituted a republic.
John Adams, for example, said of democracy, “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
Well, this is what suicide looks like.
No choice
For those who cling to the idea of democracy, the shift in presentation under TTIP will be worrying.
I don’t get teary-eyed about democracy because I have never believed in it. The fact that a few rich, powerful people do what they want and make a lot of poor, weak people put up with the result by means of inducements, distractions and other strategies makes far more sense to me than narratives about inclusion and choice.
#TPP tips: What is the Trans-Pacific Partnership and why you should care http://t.co/VfMZzIh8ZN pic.twitter.com/veTcOJLw9O
— RT (@RT_com) October 5, 2015
When the EU was being phased in back in the 1970s, there was still a pretense of choice. Of course, those with real power left nothing to chance. They put in placemen like Ted Heath in the UK – a man who was likely a pederast if not worse and, thus, completely blackmailed and owned.
As formerly sovereign countries were inveigled into the trap by degrees, their populations were soaked in propaganda before the plebiscite was staged. If they voted wrong at any point, they were told to vote again. And they kept voting until they got it right.
We never had a choice before. We don’t have one now. But it’s refreshing that our rulers now openly demonstrate that they understand that they have successfully potty-trained the population into being too stupid and lazy to care.
What is interesting to me about TTIP is that they have dispensed with the pretense of caring what we think.
And I don’t blame them.
If TTIP is about doing away with irritating and expensive encumbrances – about streamlining business processes and extracting even more from even less – you may as well begin as you mean to continue: just ignore the plebs and dispense with any pretense that you care what they think. It’s more efficient.
So for those of us who understand that democracy only exists to legitimize what has already been decided upon by the ruling elite, TTIP is a breath of fresh air.
Distracted by iPhones and the Kardashians, ill-disciplined, ignorant, solipsistic and drowning in sea of fleeting preferences and peccadillos, our mental faculties have been worn into a rut of conformity by a diet of fake food, vulgar entertainment, and a degraded monotony – laughingly called music – which is designed to create and keep slaves.
So it doesn’t matter what you think. Get angry or not, TTIP is going through.
No matter how bad you think it has got over the last twenty years – enjoy what you’ve got, because what’s coming is going to be a lot worse.
Once TTIP has gone through, there will be more. A series of new agreements will magically appear, the purpose of which will be to stitch each of the world’s main trading blocs together into a single slave factory – one in which neither you nor the really fab opinion you just found that you have count for anything. You can share your heart out until your face is as blue as a Facebook thumbs-up, it won’t make any difference.
Clearly, what the people who own the top think tanks are bringing in is a world government, a smart world in which everything is standardized, regulated, controlled and recorded, with all the inefficiencies expunged, and all the waste flushed away. By waste I mean a middle-class capable of rational thought and action.
They are on course for just such a future, and whatever fuzzy happiness you have planned for you and your family doesn’t feature anywhere in it.
The elite doesn’t care what we think. Why should it? Almost everything most people are capable of thinking was given to them by a media owned by the elite; people’s opinions are just input-echo.
What matters is what people do. And the fact is that this generation won’t stand up until there is nothing left in the fridge.
Sure, we may not ‘like’ it in the Facebook sense of the word. But are you going to come out from behind your avatar and pretend name and do anything about it?
Our rulers don’t think so.
A solution, if it exists, begins at the level of personal responsibility and morality. Every time we go along to get along, bend over, say yes, comply, buy rubbish we don’t need, digest degraded entertainment and participate in the vapid floral dance which has replaced real human interaction, we are bringing in the very system TTIP represents; every time we download pre-packaged opinions, hand in supine essays, take fake jobs we hate and don’t believe in, waste ourselves with pornography, or allow ourselves to be kettled into thought prisons by fear of criticism by ignorant people we feed the monster.
By looking to government – any government – for solutions, the best-case scenario is just another form of slavery; all of which suits our masters just fine.
The only way out of slavery I know of is to make the choice to be free. Clearly, no-one can do that but you.
And if you get serious about it, don’t expect to be liked by that many people.
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/336362-fake-freedom-moves-ttip/
This is inevitable under a capitalist system where every incorporator knows no bounds to his own greed, while the regulators can only come up with legislated limitations they can’t enforce.
Why can’t we have a system that avoid the birth of corporate greed in the first place?
Why can’t we have a system where cooperation is the only motivation and not profit and self-aggrandizement?
Is it really impossible to motivate people to contribute to our collective progress with mere honor and recognition as compensation instead of gaining plutocratic material wealth to solicit fear in lieu of respect?
What if there’s a system that sends every living soul to a world where every basic need is fully satisfied and creativity is bounded only by one’s power of imagination and not by the artificial scarcity of material resource?
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnershipttip
Previous PostJust Being Putin Being JustNext PostWill This Makes Donald Trump A NeoCon War Hawk?
3 thoughts on “Fake Freedom Moves Closer to Open Slavery”
Jerry Atkinson says:
I really like this website. It shoots strait from the hip. Solid facts. Wow, pure doom and gloom. Unfortunately its all correct. Neo-Nazi, Satan worshiping bankers printing worthless paper money not backed by precious metals or commodities of any kind. A bunch of pedophiles as so called spiritual leaders. Crooks pushing Pharmaceutical drugs instead of healthy food and holistic medicine. Off shoring our nations jobs with secretive back room deals that only benefit the elite mod of corporate owners. I will offer some ways out for us slaves. How about filling out the UCC-! form. Read about the HJR -192 and the relationship it has with the Gold confiscation in 1933. Starve the Nazi banking cabal where it hurts them by finishing off the IMF and BIS banks, the Vatican and the British Crown. I know we can do it if we all spread the truth in a way that makes sense to the slaves. You have to understand that our beloved USA was a republic. It was stolen by the Banking mafia and made in to a corporation. Look it up in Dunn and Black street. We haven’t had a President since Abraham Lincoln. The masses need facts. I know I am no journalist, i’m just trying to help. Best wishes to all of you. Please help each other learn what needs to be done.
Anthony P. Healy says:
If I’m hearing you correctly Sam, your upset with the people of the United States because they wont actively participate in their democracy, which you point out hasn’t actually existed as a democracy since President (elected) Abraham Lincoln. A man who turned his office of Presidency of The United States of America into the unelected position of Dictator of the USA.
The USA has been a military dictatorship ever since the (1860s). Abraham Lincoln was himself its first Dictator.
Therefore it logically follows, does it not, that everything the USA has done since its civil war… from the expansionary exploit of the Alamo to
South East Asia has been part of the plans for global domination by a
Dictatorial Elite. THIS IS NO NEW THING.
My surprise, Sam, is that the emphasis and tone of your well written piece, is one of derision, derision of US citizens who are no longer citizens of the USA: you refer to them as sheep. And you are not?
You seem to be WTF, scared of the ISDS corporate union between the EU and The US., because it will bring about a working class slavery without the benefit of a middle class buffer, a modifier of sorts that ensures at least some of the have nots, the middle class will continue to do well, prosper financially. You use Mexico as the new base level as your arguments example. You are rightly concerned, but your concern comes to light near on 150 years too late. And your concern isn’t for the peoples the USA., (now the US.) has plundered for profit, but for the people of the US alone.
Wake Up Sam… If you want to be a socialist, a republican, and anarchist in 2016, you need to include the world in your perspective.
Is it possible to form a global league of Republics. Communists, Socialists, Capitalists have all tried to make their modal work on a global scale, and as yet non of them have succeeded.
Anthony P Healy.
jtremaine says:
Leave a Reply to Jerry Atkinson Cancel reply
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21574
|
__label__wiki
| 0.518275
| 0.518275
|
Eco Toothbrushes
Breath Freshening
Low Abrasiveness
New to our oral care products?
Our ingredients ›
Eco-packaging ›
Articles ›
Stockists ›
Mineral Toothpaste Mouthwash Tablets Toothpaste Tablets Oil Pulling Mouthwash Eco Toothbrushes Dental Floss Chewing Gum Toothsoap Dental Supplements Refills
Breath Freshening Low Abrasiveness Stain Removal Suitable For Kids Tooth Whitening Travel Friendly
Forgot your password? Find our more ›
Checkout now Go to cart ›
How to deal with eco-anxiety in the face of environmental crisis
By Benjamin Langford-Biss
As we all become more aware of the environmental crisis we’re facing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. ‘Eco-anxiety’ is a new term that describes this feeling of panic many of us have for the environment. Eco-anxiety is described as chronic worrying about climate change, which can even prevent us from doing the one thing that’s needed – taking action.
“If you read all of the scientific reports then you’ll know that the announcement that we are in a climate and environmental emergency is very real,” Dan Reynolds of @trashcandanofficial, and founder of Pure Clean Earth tells Georganics. This real danger is what makes our fears around climate change completely justified. Ruth Allen (@whitepeak_ruth), an outdoor therapist and founder of White Peak Wellbeing explains that eco-anxiety “is natural to feel when we care about something, and important if we are going to be motivated to make changes”. It’s important to realise you are not alone in feeling this way, and talking about it can help.
“Why am I not running around screaming at the top of my voice, pulling my hair out, and feeling extremely anxious about this news? Well, I am worried and I have experienced ‘eco-anxiety’, but I realised very early on that if I am going to create change and more importantly, inspire and encourage others to do the same, then a worried, anxious-looking, screaming man who hasn’t slept in weeks, probably won’t help people maintain focus and will probably make people feel even worse”, says Dan. Taking a moment to prioritise what’s important is key. Kay Ska (@kay_ska), a self-love and mindset coach and mental health blogger says that “I think we often forget to actually take better care of ourselves first before trying to “fix” everything and everyone else around us, and with doing that we often experience a lot of anxiety and burnout.”
So how exactly do we go about easing ourselves when we feel an overwhelming fear that our home is in crisis?
We asked these mental health and positivity experts for their advice and considered what can be done when you’re feeling anxious.
“I try and carry the worry and anxiety about what is happening to our planet alongside an attitude of fundamental hopefulness. When we feel overwhelmed in the face of any sort of anxiety, the task for us is always to bring ourselves back to the present and focus on what we can do in the here and now. We can breathe, we can feel gratitude for what is in front of us and we can slow down long enough to make better, more intention and informed choices”, Ruth tells us. We understand that it’s difficult to feel in the present when you feel like your home is under threat, and slowing down is key to this. “A big thing for me when I feel overwhelmed by the news or statistics around the climate crisis we’re facing - I try to switch off from it for a while until I feel more grounded again. For me social media breaks are a huuuge part of me taking care of myself and my mental health and as a result, I’m able to be more present and make more conscious choices in my day to day life“, says Kay.
“As we focus on making changes in our own lives, we need to develop new habits, which take time to learn, practice, and improve. But how can we build new habits when our mind is so unstable? We cannot”, says Dan. “This is why I put strong emphasis into encouraging people to follow these steps:
Identify one thing in your life that you want to change.
Set an achievable time frame to change this.
Create a reward that you receive when you achieve your goal.
Repeat steps 1 - 3.
The reason that I believe this is the best way to tackle the environmental crisis while not feeling overwhelmed, is because each habitual change that you make in your life, literally creates ripples of change in the world”.
You may find it helps to involve your friends or family in these steps for extra support. Focusing on individual areas one at a time, like setting up a local beach clean or creating a zero-waste kitchen or bathroom. “Fundamentally, I believe that every act of care and compassion to the planet however small, counts in the long-term. It builds to real, collective movement. You don't have to do everything, you just need to show up and do your best.” Ruth tells us. “And of course remember, that nature teaches us about impermanents, cycles and seasons. Your overwhelm will pass if you let it, and you can step into a period of action and positivity.”
Ultimately, our actions are what will save our planet.
“By setting achievable goals and rewarding yourself for reaching your goals, you will feel great, excited to do more, comfortable and motivated, knowing that your consistent and persistent changes are being a positive service to the planet and your own state of mind”, explains Dan, who reminds us of his current favourite quote by Anne-Marie Bonneau (@ZeroWasteChef): “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly”.
Whether you’re currently feeling motivated or fearful of our planets future, it is these simple things that can make a big difference. Ruth reminds us that “you can also go outside right now and see that beautiful nature is still living and breathing, it's never too late. Life finds a way”.
Follow Dr Ruth Allen on Instagram @whitepeak_ruth or on her website
Follow Dan Reynolds on Instagram @trashcandanofficial or on YouTube
Follow Kay Ska on Instagram @kay_ska or on her website
Join our eco-movement
Eco-packaging
Zero To Landfill
Clean planet project
© Georganics
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21575
|
__label__wiki
| 0.656429
| 0.656429
|
Three must-see documentaries about life underground
Have you ever wondered what is happening under our feet while we live? The following documentaries presented by Guidedoc disrupt all the hypotheses that we might come up with - even the most surreal ones - about the mysteries that lie underground. Let's see.
In case you didn't now, GuideDoc is a global curated documentary streaming platform. Watch the world's best award-winning docs from around the world. We have new movies every day.
Normally we see the rooms that lie below the surface as protected spaces, away from the sight of others, normally designed to hide dark secrets. In “In The Basement”, directed by the Austrian filmmaker Ulrich Seidle, a genius of the grotesque, perfectly illustrates this conception of the subsoil as a universe where everything - we mean absolutely everything - is possible. A shooting club that works in a huge tunnel, a clandestine group of Nazi musicians or the room where a sadomasochistic couple overflows their pleasures, these small enclaves breathe under the earth and Seidle is skilled enough to sneak through the cracks to find them. Accustomed as we are to navigate the cinema of this “enfant terrible” of Austrian cinema, we could never differentiate which of these situations or characters belong to objective reality or which ones have been completely constructed by Seidle. The aesthetics of the staging of the film makes this reading even more ambiguous. Seidle frames the characters in fixed shots in which they remain motionless surrounded by baroque sets, thus constructing a visual narrative based on a series of live photographs, an inventory of how funny and yet how horrifying the private life underground can be.
But what happens when the surreal transcends towards the sidereal? Director Nicolas Steiner resorts to the juxtaposition between the bowels of civilization and the epidermis of the deserts to make an unforgettable poem about social marginalization. In “Above and Below”, Steiner tells three stories that run in parallel and only one of them occurs below the earth's surface. While Rick, Cindy and Lalo make of the sewers of Las Vegas their barricade against outside socialization, April, an ex-combatant in Iraq, finds in the red desert of Utah the escape she longs for by exploring its territory dressed in an astronaut costume. The triptych is completed by David, who strives to communicate with God with the objects that he has hand in hand, isolated in a refuge of the Californian desert. Despite these contrasting geographies, it is the loneliness and state of survival of our characters that makes this film an essay about the lack of horizon, where only self-confidence and imagination can illuminate a world that would otherwise be as dark as the most uninhabitable underground cave.
In our third and last film of this list we will go as deep as we can. But don't worry, your eyes will get used to the darkness. In “From the Depths” a documentary by Italian director Valentina Pedicini, we accompany a group of miners who have decided to take control of the last coal mine in Italy before it is closed by the authorities. Among these men there is only one woman, whose point of view serves us to understand what it is like to live in the depths of the earth, specifically half a kilometer from the surface. The closeness of the absorbing sounds that emanate from this cavern and a precious cinematography make us witness images that are difficult to describe on a sensory and emotional level. Halfway between the document of denunciation, a topographic thriller and an essay on darkness, “From The Depths” is undoubtedly an extraordinary film that only time will unveil its true value, just as the underground lava slowly emerges with its golden glow from the center of the Earth.
You can watch more great documentaries on Guidedoc
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21578
|
__label__wiki
| 0.513354
| 0.513354
|
HK 4070 - Clinical Biomechanics
Resources to Help with Exam Preparation
Springer Link Journals and Ebooks
Provides access to scientific articles, protocols and reference works.
Provides citations for biomedical and life science literature from MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and the NCBI Bookshelf.
Dates of Coverage: 1946 - present
SPORTDiscus with Full Text
Access full-text sports and sports medicine journals.
Contains data, books, journals, proceedings or patents on multidisciplinary scientific research. Includes Cited Reference Searching to find articles cited in a previously published work.
Ergonomics Abstracts
Contains citations and abstracts to articles from books, journals, reports, and conference proceedings on ergonomics and the related fields of psychology, physiology, biomechanics, human computer interactions, human engineering, medicine, occupational health, sport, and transport.
Date of Coverage: Last 25 Years
Sports Medicine and Exercise Science in Video
Videos featuring experts in the areas of fitness and health assessment, disease management, injury treatment, nutrition, medical fitness, sport science, work-site wellness, exercise adherence, and much more.
Dates of Coverage: 2009 - 2014
URL: https://guides.lib.uoguelph.ca/HK4070
Subjects: HK - Human Kinetics
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21580
|
__label__cc
| 0.741863
| 0.258137
|
← Escape From Banff
Transit to Leavenworth WA →
Syphon Falls Hike, Osprey Family and Other Waterfowl
Man; what a difference 250 miles and a day make…today was beautiful. We woke up to bright sunny skies so after Mass we headed off on a short hike of about 2 miles to Syphon Falls right near where we are parked. We parked, changed into hiking gear and headed up the slope…this was about a mile out and back hike with about 300 feet of elevation gain on the way out…which made it a fairly strenuous hike despite the short length. The trail was a bit damp from yesterday’s rain but not too bad…at least in hiking shoes. About halfway up we passed a family group coming down and one 20 or so year old young lady was in a dress that looked like she came from church and dress sandals (at least they were flats instead of heels). She was clearly overdress and undershoed for this particular hike…and we wondered what was she thinking; as the last quarter mile or so turned out to be pretty rocky and the steepest portion of the trail, hiking across it in a dress must have been quite an interesting sight.
Anyway; we spotted a butterfly and some wildflowers on the way up.
On arrival at the falls we got a few photos while Connie rested. The falls are a double cascade maybe 50 or 60 feet high.
By this time Connie had caught her breath so we headed back down to the car; and snapped another picture of the same butterfly type right next to where BAT was parked.
And then we headed off to lunch. We found a restaurant right on the lake and ate out on the veranda under an umbrella…BLT for Connie and a Chicken Breast Sandwich with everything for Neil along with a couple pints of Sleeman’s Honey Brown Lager…which turned out to be so tasty we had another pint each before taking a short walk along the boardwalk right outside the restaurant to see what sort of waterfowl we might happen across.
There was a duck we could not identify, our most far north sighting of a Great Blue Heron and a Mallard duck sitting on a log.
As well as a family of Osprey’s. Their nest was just about 30 yards or so away from where we were eating and we got some pictures from the restaurant but when we got out on the boardwalk we walked up to within about 10 yards or so for these shots (except for Dad getting the fish which was about 50 yards further down the boardwalk. first up was the female sitting on the nest…I don’t know if I told you this before but Osprey’s are really bad at nest building and their nests only have about a 30 percent probability of lasting through the nesting season. This is why you almost always see their nests built on top of a platform on a pole; those platforms are specifically put up for the Osprey’s to use for nesting; other birds won’t use them.
then the male bringing home a fish for lunch.
Once the fish was verified dead by the male he brought it over to the nest…wonder if he got a tip as the deliveryman.
And finally we spotted a pair of chicks peeking their beaks over the top of the next as the female was feeding them. They look to be only a few weeks old, maybe a month at the outside.
With that we headed home after fueling up BAT for tomorrow’s transit; we’ve decided to stop at Omak, WA at a city owned RV park. It’s about 40 miles further along than our original destination of Oroville but has pull throughs instead of just back in sites and for an overnight stop a pull through allows us to skip unhitching which makes our morning preps a whole lot simpler…and also shortens our drive on Tuesday into Leavenworth. After dinner Neil wandered over and talked to Andy Zust about the full-time lifestyle; he and his wife Lisa are originally from Switzerland and are considering full-timing when they retire. Neil also verified that our planned route tomorrow down BC-97 is fine for RV traffic as the truck GPS wants to take us further to the west and add about 100 miles which we really didn’t want to do. Andy confirmed that BC-97 is the main RV and truck route down to the states so we’re good to go.
Dinner was pork and potato hash…it turned out to be decent but not outstanding. We’ll be back in the US tomorrow and will regain cell phone reception which Connie is happy about…almost as happy as she was yesterday when we discovered the internet here at View Point was really good.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21581
|
__label__wiki
| 0.798817
| 0.798817
|
Columns Odd Side The Odd Side – August 27, 2013
Odd Side
The Odd Side – August 27, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013 at 10:08 pm | כ' אלול תשע"ג
Fire Lends Ore. Town’s Water Smoky Taste and Smell
THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) – Residents of an Oregon town on the Columbia River gorge have complained about a smoky taste and smell in their water.
Turns out, it wasn’t their imaginations: Public health authorities say a nearby wildfire burning in a drainage basin contributed the sooty aroma to the town’s drinking water.
The Dalles Chronicle reports the fire dropped burning debris into the stream.
Aside from the aesthetic issues, authorities say the water poses no health risks.
The city is considering mixing in well water from city reservoirs to dilute the water affected by the fire. They are also evaluating options at the local water treatment plant.
A Big Cat Has Detroit Residents on Alert
DETROIT (AP) – Stray dogs are a common sight in Detroit. What about a big cat?
The Detroit Free Press reports that many residents on the city’s northeast side have seen what appears to be an exotic cat, perhaps as tall as 4 feet, roaming the streets. The Michigan Humane Society says it will try to find the cat.
Antwaun Asberry, a 6-foot-5 Detroiter, says the cat’s tail is longer than his arm. The cat has large black spots and stripes, according to a photo.
Fourteen-year-old Paul Hatley says the cat stared back at him when he saw it a few days ago. He says the encounter scared him.
Neighborhood association leader Vondell Boyer wonders what will happen when the cat runs out of rabbits and other small animals to eat.
Doctor: Ohio Man Revives 45 Mins After Heart Stops
WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio (AP) – A man whose heart stopped beating for 45 minutes credits his faith for being alive and says stunned doctors who declared him dead aren’t sure what happened.
The body of diesel mechanic Tony Yahle was being prepared by nurses to be seen by his family Aug. 5 when he began to show signs of life, doctors said. He fully awakened at the hospital five days later.
Yahle, a 37-year-old West Carrollton resident, has been a topic of conversation since, said cardiologist Dr. Raja Nazir.
“In the last 20 years, I’ve never seen anybody who we have pronounced dead … and then for him to come back, I’ve never seen it,” Nazir told the Dayton Daily News. “Actually, I’ve never heard of it.”
Yahle says it’s a miracle and that doctors couldn’t find any defects in his heart. Their last guess was that it was all the result of a possible viral infection, he said.
Yahle’s teenage son said he spoke to his father shortly before he revived, the newspaper reported Tuesday.
“I pointed at him and said, ‘Dad, you’re not going to die today,’“ said 18-year-old Lawrence Yahle. “I stood there for a few more seconds. I was about to walk back to comfort the family, and that’s when he started showing signs of a heartbeat.”
The teen said he “went from hopeless to hope in an instant.”
Ohio State Set for 3rd Corpse Flower Bloom of 2013
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A large rainforest plant known as a corpse flower because of its terrible smell is expected to bloom soon at an Ohio State University greenhouse that already experienced two of the rare blooms this year.
The 5.5-foot titan arum hadn’t opened by Friday morning, but the school said it was on the verge. The plants unfurl to reveal a bold, reddish-purple color and release the smell of rotting-flesh.
Sometimes they take years to bloom, if they do at all. The blooms are brief, sometimes a day or less.
Each of the four corpse flowers that have bloomed at Ohio State since 2011 got a nickname connected to the school. This time, the greenhouse is inviting fans to vote for one of four options: Scarlet, Sloopy, Carmen or Orton.
Hacked Colo. Road Sign Shows Support for Snowden
TELLURIDE, Colo. (AP) – A portable, electronic road sign that was supposed to alert drivers to delays on a southwest Colorado road got changed to say something completely different.
For roughly a day, it read, “SNOWDEN IS A HERO,” referring perhaps to Edward Snowden, who leaked classified documents to reporters. The Telluride Daily Planet received a photo of the sign from a reader.
Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Nancy Shanks says a time stamp on the photo indicates the message was up for at least 23 hours. A colleague turned off the sign Wednesday.
Shanks says someone probably left part of the sign unlocked, allowing for the message to get changed.
Snowden has won temporary asylum in Russia. The Obama administration wants him to face trial in the U.S for the leaks.
Midland Duck Pond Getting Water Help From Pool
MIDLAND, Texas (AP) – Some lucky ducks in West Texas will get a chance to splash using recycled water.
Officials in Midland have decided to transfer water from the 500,000-gallon Doug Russell Pool to Wadley Barron Park’s duck pond to help relieve a dry spell. Wells that were drilled to supply the pond haven’t yielded as much water as hoped.
The Midland Reporter-Telegram reported Wednesday that the water from the municipal pool, which has now closed for the season, will be trucked when chlorine levels fade.
Tina Jauz with Midland community services says the water transfer is not likely to offset the pond’s evaporation amid lingering hot, dry conditions. She says refilling it with water from Doug Russell Pool, which is normally drained, is one way to help combat the drought.
This article appeared in print on page 15 of the August 27th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21585
|
__label__cc
| 0.61704
| 0.38296
|
Top Gear [2002-2015]
The Stig: Daily Telegraph claims to have identified The Stig
Thread starter MWF
DubyaStep
Tampa, Florida but now in Casselberry for school
Ford Thundercougarfalconbird
ApexOversteer said:
I dislike NASCAR intensely but...
At the 2001 24 Hours Of Daytona Dale Sr. finished 2nd in GT/4th overall sharing a Corvette C5R with his son Dale Jr., Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins. He was also one of the strongest Cup drivers on the two roadcourses the series' visits each season. He could turn right just fine.
lets not take anything away from NASCAR drivers. regardless of what most people think, any open minded person would know that its not at all easy to drive those cars, circle or not.
Stefano1337
if nascar is bowls, formula one is snooker.
Strebsam doch Bl?dsinn.
MWF
Now needs wood
MWF HQ, Ukadia
MX-5 1.8i Indiana SE, update pending
Stefano1337 said:
Does that make the WRC juggling? Just a thought.
WillDAQ: To use the technical terms: "the Mustang is to aerodynamics what horse shit is to fine dining"
Dr Grip: Brilliant!
EyeMWing Because what fun is a silicone dick if you don't try putting it in somebody's backside at least once.
Jay IKEA now ranks up in my awesome list, quite near bacon and blowjobs.
Cowboy I've never gotten so drunk I wanted to rub one out while shoving a fire extinguisher up my ass.
Remind me never to have him round to dinner!
www.mattonmotors.com/ @MattOnMotors
Reactions: Dr_Grip
WTCC would be shuffleboard!
this is a fun game!
shellygrrl
Mineworksfine said:
INFIDEL!!!! There is only one Stig and to say his name as a plural is blasphemy!!! The fleas of 1000 donkeys shall infest your jockstrap for all eternity should you utter such untruths again!!!
:lol: I'd give you some positive rep for that, but then I just gave you some for one of your previous posts. Still... brilliant!
"Relationships - of all kinds - are like sand held in your hand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is. The minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold onto it, but most will be spilled. A relationship is like that. Held loosely, with respect and freedom for the other person, it is likely to remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively, and the relationship slips away and is lost." - Kaleel Jamison, The Nibble Theory and the Kernel of Power: A Book about Leadership, Self-Empowerment, and Personal Growth
Reactions: MWF
Richmondgal
Still a Hyundai...but this time an i30
I don't wanna find out anyway, I like white Stig as he is, so why can the papers just bugger off alright?
oh, so its cuz he is WHITE! I GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
just kidding, sorry, it had to be said
Cold Fussion
A small island off the coast of New Zealand
1988 Ford Laser Ghia
My feelings exactly. The article carries no more weight than the reports by scientists who present the evidence for global warming/climate change because they have been given research grants to look for evidence of global warming/climate change.
Do you expect scientists to fund their own research? And they know the Earth is warming, they have been doing mean tempreture reports for decades and it has been going up and its some pretty simple maths to show that if you change the tempreture, the climate will change because it has to. So it makes your statement even more retarded then it is preposterous. Science isn't like religion where you say what the idea is and then prove it, Science is comming up with a hypothesis and carring out experiments to see whether your hypothesis is right and therefore, there is no 'null' result in science because if you don't prove that you are right, you have shown it to work in some otherway. People don't work for free, and nor do scientists. They have to be able to live and support their familes and the research they need to do is expensive. If you want to nullify results because scientists are funded then i suggest you go back to your church/mosque/bullshit outlet and pray because understanding the world around seems to be unimportant you.
Mathematics is to physics as masturbation is to sex.
Seasonone
Portland, Oregon USA
RB25 "silvia"
http://forums.finalgear.com/top-gear/stigs-identity-revealed-bu-new-of-the-world-33253/
My statement from that thread works in this too, but even worse now that I see it in the telegraph.
They just have a bunch of blanket statements that "sound about right" with a bunch of names of people who can't confirm anything.
Cold Fussion said:
Do you expect scientists to fund their own research?
I think what Mineworksfine meant was that there is an imbalance. if you have two alternative hypothesis', and you fund one with a hundred pounds, and the other with ten billion, the result is obvious. In science, truth is where the evidence is, and that can be exploited.
On the same token, if you look long and hard enough, you can find plenty of evidence for ben collins being the stig. that doesn't mean it's true in any reasonable sense of the word.
what i stated on the last page, that the telegraph also claims the first stig 'died' in a rocket-powered car (when it was just a jag with nitrous), is one indicator that the telegraph hasn't done the research properly.
fortunately, it's not an important question. that's why we talk so little about it, right?!
pacmariner
Seattle, WA, U.S.
2003 MR2 Spyder
As I recall, its been stated (I believe By Perry McCarthy) that there are multiple Stigs at once. Whether thats still true or not I don't know, but if it is, AND they decide to fire Collins, the other driver(s) should still be able to stay. As much as I like White Stig, I guess I wouldn't mind a spectacular send off for him...
You can only fund research, not the result. I doubt many scientists could be exploited like you say because they believe so strongly in finding the truth and educating people in the truth that being payed off goes against everything they stand for. Plus, when they enter the field of scientific research, they know they aren't going to be well payed and yet they still do it anyway.
I think the builder and gallery owner who "outed" Ben Collins as being The Stig should be shot off the deck of an aircraft carrier. Haven't they got anything better to do with their lives than ruin the fun that millions of other people enjoy... not to mention the damage they could do to Collins' life and work?
Reactions: swraman
you're right, i jumped a bit ahead of myself there. of course, this only holds true if your scientists are biased in the first place. but i have some doubt this bias is impossible to archive, given the enomous amounts of money spent on global warming and the like.
bolly said:
nate_bartlet
he more than likely thought he could make a couple of quid out of it by selling his 'exclusive' story to a paper.
"Do i really look like a guy with a plan? You know what i am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if i caught it. You know? I just do things. The Mob has plans, the Cops have plans. Gordon's got plans. You know they're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things are. It's the schemer's that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you had plans and look where that got you. I just did what i do best. I took your little plan and turned it on itself. Nobody panics when things go 'according to plan.' Even if the plan is horrifying. Nobody panics, because its all part of the plan. Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos. Oh and you know the thing about Chaos? It's Fair." - The Dark Knight
NecroJoe
Stool Chef
San Francisco area, CA, USA
2015 Mazda 3 S GT, 2015 VW e-Golf
Here's my theory,
He either wanted to quit to focus on something else, or is moving.
As The Stig, his fame means nothing for him, because no one knew it was him...maybe once he's made the final decision to resign, maybe the show let him reveal it.
I mean, I have my doubts that he "accidentally" told someone "I am The Stig."
Isn't it convenient that he was revealed between seasons/series? This way they won't have to pretend no one knows for 3-4 episodes that have already been filmed and ready to air.
There is no such thing as a stupid question.* *but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.
be honest, thats "ammo". if i knew who the stig was i wouldnt say it to anyone, but, money or not, it like he won the lottery. i still dont believe its true. i agree what was said before, anybody can run out and buy a white racing suit and helmet and gloves and put it out in the open for someone to see. racecar drivers have an even easier time landing that kinda stuff. do you guys not think its great for his rep? i know he isnt one of these star crazed attention grabbing american actor/athlete's and i dont know how the people in the public eye act there, but, tell me that wouldnt be a great way to get attention on yourself. i mean, before today, i had no idea that guy even existed, now, he is a household name, if not everywhere, atleast in my neighborhood of 200 who all watch the show. so, he has his name in america now. think about it.
AnGuRuSO
Sydney, Astraya
Alright! Now Michael Schumacher can sweep in.
"Some say he is a 7 times world champion"
DrForester
Some say he's an idiot who might lose a great job because he can't keep his mouth shut. All we know is, he's called the Stig.
stevanford1
FN Mustang
Perry McCarthy is still the stig.
THE FLAT EARTH SOCIETY
"Deprogramming the masses since 1547"
"Jean Todt's system will never succeed, not even with Michael Schumacher" - Niki Lauda, 1995
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21589
|
__label__cc
| 0.706625
| 0.293375
|
Search in titles only Search in Discussion only
Weekly Question: If you could give Ash one piece of advice, what would it be?
We have gone with Ash on his journeys through Alyncia countless times. We have had a lot of times where you and Ash were in perfect sync, he and you made decisions together, and everything went your way. But there were other times where you wished he would have acted differently. Whether it was his jumping into battle without thinking, yelling at friends and not listening to others trying to help, no matter what it is, we have all wanted to just tell Ash to really change his tune or think a little more. Out of all that you could have told him, what one piece of advice would you give him if you could? Also post where you would give him this advice if there is a specific time. As with every week, the best answer gets 300 Time Crystals! And without further ado, fire away!
Don't being too naive, think more rationally and put skepticism and critical thinking in your mind (I still feel annoyed when you being stubborn about imposter thingy. Not all people who seems good are good, you know). Don't think too much about other people, you must think about yourself too (I couldn't said anything when you ran to Chronos to stop him from killing people when we both know you can't beat him) . Don't be hard to Chronos, he is still your brother even he said the Luthor side is dead (I believe Luthor is still alive, and you kept angry when we met him). Last, I hope you can be more honest to your friends (Roger, A.C, Riley, and Elise). I think they can be trusted about our forbidden connection, you as the Chronos' brother, and other stuff.
Last edited by South; 01-30-2017, 08:41 PM.
JohnnyValdezi
Honestly, I think we can all relate to at least one thing South said, Ash is too naive, which risks Ash's life as well as the rest of Team 13 in Windsorhowl. Honesty has also been an issue, in Chapter 10, Roger leaves the team, for one reason, because he's unable to trust Ash, because he wants the truth.
Ash is too trusting, immediatly inviting Elise into the team then wanting to ask Conner and his team join too. Another thing South pointed out is Ash's thinking, or as we've all thought while playing, lack there of, Ash makes decisions that could easily end it all, which can be ok at some points, but others can get Ash in serious pain.
So for the one piece of advice I'd give Ash...
Honestly, all the things I've mentioned in this list has come down to how Ash thinks. So my one piece of advice to Ash would be to think his decisions out a little more carefully, as many things Ash has done to mess up would've been ok if Ash had just taken a quick moment to think about it.
Thasia
In a lot of ways Ash is neive but then again he thinks with his heart and not his brain. He needs to think things through rather than react first and suffer the concequences afterwards.
Unfortunately he will have to learn the hard way. I have a feeling his brother was just like him when he was younger and that is why he is the way he is.
I am at the part where Reily has died. So I don't know a lot of the story, this is just what I have learned from Ash so far.
Sashimioishi
Ash needs to slow down. Analyze before going into situations. Not saying Ash's initial ideas can't be towards trusting people but Ash needs to slow down and approach things with more caution. Ash is rash and hard headed but if Ash took a second to evaluate situations Ash would do much better.
I think Ash just needs to slow down , re-evaluate, and needs to listen more to others.
crysania
Do not stop being a kind soul that we love so much, or all your efforts will not be worth it.
Love is my strength
Congratulations to this week's winner South!!! I will be PMing you with details on how to redeem your time crystals. Everyone, excellent theories this week!!! I wish we could only tell Ash our hopes and advice for him, but until then, let's think about some more of Alyncia! I can't wait to see your theories next week!!!
lhjelle11
If I could give Ash one piece of advice, I would tell him to never give up.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21591
|
__label__wiki
| 0.656434
| 0.656434
|
by Hard Of Hearing Music July 7, 20209:06 am
‘Walk With Me’, the new release by Margot.
Margot sign to Full Time Hobby Records and share video for their new single.
NEW MUSIC | MARGOT | WORDS BY ADAM DAVIDSON
The clean guitars and studio-tweaked vocal purity on ‘Walk With Me’ show that Margot draw plenty of inspiration from the gentle indie of Doves and Elbow. But this song isn’t stuck in the mid 00’s. With modern influences and a bass line Kevin Parker would be proud of, Margot have placed themselves very much in the here and now.
‘Walk With Me’ is a pleasantly sparse tune. This is a rare gem from a five piece band; often songs like this get crowded out as too many ideas get thrown into the mix. Not so with Margot, who are keen to favour individual minimalism as they come together in harmony. The choruses aren’t the anthemic head rush some listeners might be expecting. The switch-up from the verses is quite subtle, which befits the song but leaves it with no discernible hook.
With a “Mist camping in my mind” described as “So hard to explain” singer Alex Hannaway reflects on his chaotic mental state. Imploring he is also ready to learn and grow from hearing other people’s point of view, Hannaway offers a relevant and worthy sentiment for 2020. The light melodic lines allow his voice to take centre stage, floating dreamlike and uninhibited as he expresses his desire to cleanse his mind and move forward.
‘Walk With Me’ is a song of detachment, never truly in the realm of lucidity or sleep. Its gentle peaks lift the mood without spoiling the calmer sections, as the song gradually builds to a finish which is a bit early. It could easily have a double chorus or longer outro, but in a way that’s a good thing – ‘Walk With Me’ feels well worth it’s sub-four minute runtime. It’s a sweet song that will make your thoughts drift away.
READ MORE, ONE MORE..
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21593
|
__label__cc
| 0.548299
| 0.451701
|
New research suggests 1.5C climate target will be out of reach without greener COVID-19 recovery plans
Global fossil fuel emissions dropped by about seven per cent in 2020 compared with 2019. But a rebound is likely to occur when lockdowns ease up unless COVID-19 recovery packages focus on 'green recovery.' (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The amount of carbon dioxide that we can still emit while limiting global warming to a given target is called the “remaining carbon budget,” and it has become a powerful tool to inform climate policy goals and track progress towards net-zero emissions targets.
This carbon budget is like a fixed financial budget: there is a cap on total allowable expenses over time, and excess spending in the near term requires deceased spending in the future. Similarly, the remaining carbon budget is a fixed total quantity of future emissions that is small enough to limit global temperature increases before they exceed our climate targets.
Scientists’ estimates of the remaining carbon budget vary widely. Studies often use different approaches or even definitions of what the carbon budget represents. This can involve different treatment of how greenhouse gases other than CO2 contribute to climate change, or the incomplete representation of some processes, such as the role of aerosols in climate change.
The large range of estimates can be used either to write off ambitious climate targets or argue that the transition to a low-carbon economy can proceed gradually over several decades. Neither extreme reflects the actual uncertainty especially well.
We developed a a new way to generate a better estimate of the remaining carbon budget for the 1.5C limit of the Paris Agreement that integrates all major sources of uncertainty. Our results suggest that even if the growing list of countries committing to 2050 net-zero emissions targets reached their goals, we would still deplete the 1.5C remaining carbon budget more than a decade too soon.
This is a stark reminder of how quickly we are running out of time to achieve the most ambitious temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
How much budget is left?
Our best estimate of the 1.5C remaining carbon budget is 440 billion tonnes of CO2 from 2020 onward. If human activities around the globe continue to produce CO2 at current rates, we will deplete the remaining carbon budget in a little more than 10 years.
If we slow our rate of emissions, the remaining budget will last longer. To avoid exceeding the remaining carbon budget, we need to stop emitting CO2 altogether. A budget of 440 billion tonnes from 2020 means that global CO2 emissions need to decrease to net-zero by about 2040.
However, even this would give us only a 50 per cent chance of not exceeding 1.5C. For a 67 per cent chance, total CO2 emissions must not exceed 230 billion tonnes. This is about five years of current emissions, or reaching net-zero emissions by 2030.
Distribution of the remaining carbon budget for 1.5C (left panel) showing the median estimate of 440 Gt CO2 from 2020 onwards, with a 33rd-67th percentile range of 230 to 670 Gt CO2. This range includes all major geophysical uncertainties, but is also sensitive to other uncertainties that relate to human decisions and mitigation actions. In particular, human decisions regarding future emissions of other greenhouse gases and aerosols have the potential to shift the carbon budget distribution by 170 Gt CO2 in either direction (right panel). Matthews, Tokarska et al (2020) Communications Earth and Environment
Global decarbonization within 10 to 20 years is obviously a daunting challenge. But is it an impossible one?
The past year saw global CO2 emissions drop by seven per cent relative to 2019. Continued decrease at this rate would cause global emissions to reach net-zero by about 2035, giving us better than even odds of limiting global warming to 1.5C.
This will not occur without a global effort to change the trajectory of future emissions. The 2020 emissions drop was a side-effect of efforts to control COVID-19. If economic recovery efforts were targeted to try to bring emissions down further this could keep the 1.5C target within reach.
Changing the course of future emissions
At the peak of global lockdowns in April 2020, daily CO2 emissions decreased by almost 20 per cent relative to the same period in 2019. These insights can inform how COVID-19 recovery investments could be used to drive emissions further downward.
The largest relative decreases in emissions came from reductions in road transport, such as commuting by car, and air travel. Although we are all suffering from the loss of in-person interactions, we have also learned a lot about how to convene meetings, presentations and collaborations online. While individual mobility will rebound as lockdowns ease, our crash course in remote working and learning means that we may not need to return to pre-COVID-19 travel levels.
Global carbon dioxide emissions dropped dramatically during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when many borders closed and people stayed at home, largely due to decreased surface transportation and air travel. (Le Quéré et al. Nature Climate Change, 2020/Global Carbon Project), CC BY
Emissions from industry and power generation did not decrease as much, in relative terms. This points to the need for systemic changes in technological infrastructure to unlock the potential for lower-carbon economic activity.
Similar technological advances are also needed to support low-carbon travel in circumstances where online platforms are not up to the task. The combination of sustained individual behavioural change, with a rapid expansion of low-carbon infrastructure, has the potential to have a substantial effect on the trajectory of future CO2 emissions.
Staying within the remaining carbon budget
An increasing number of countries, cities and companies are committing to net-zero emissions targets, where CO2 emissions are decreased to zero or to a level that is matched by the intentional removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. These targets are essential to any effort to stay within the remaining carbon budget.
Countries that have adopted or promised net-zero emissions targets include the European Union, United Kingdom, China, Canada and the United States under the new Biden administration. Currently, most of these targets are set for 2050 (or 2060 in the case of China).
According to our estimate of the remaining carbon budget, these commitments are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5C. They may, however, limit warming to the higher temperature goal of the Paris Agreement: well below 2C.
Coal power plants, such as this new Uniper Datteln 4 in Datteln, Germany, produce aerosols in addition to carbon dioxide, which have a cooling effect on climate. As their emissions decline, the remaining carbon budget decreases. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The climate effects of other greenhouse gases, as well as of aerosols emitted from fossil fuel use, remain one of the largest sources of uncertainty in estimates of the remaining carbon budget. Our effectiveness in mitigating these other emissions could expand or contract the size of the remaining carbon budget.
This year will be key in our efforts to decrease emissions. COVID-19 has opened a window of opportunity to meet ambitious climate targets that might otherwise have been out of reach.
Governments around the world are spending unprecedented amounts to support and reinvigorate national economies. We must actively pursue this opportunity for a green recovery and avoid investing in infrastructure and industries that will lock in future CO2 emissions. Yet the COVID-19 stimulus packages announced so far are “missing the opportunity,” according to the UN Environment Program’s adaptation report released last week.
There are no emergency lockdown measures that will slow the rate of climate warming. Instead we need targeted, substantial and sustained effort and investments to continue to decrease and eventually eliminate global CO2 emissions. This window is open now, and we must not miss the opportunity.
H. Damon Matthews receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Kasia Tokarska receives funding from the EU Horizon 2020 CONSTRAIN project. She is affiliated with ETH Zurich and Climate Change AI.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21599
|
__label__cc
| 0.556226
| 0.443774
|
“Our highest endeavour must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.”
– Rudolph Steiner
Our Earthship Project
Shannoh Khandoh Writes
The Goderich Waldorf Ethos
– by Sally Jenkinson
For many children today, the world is a deeply unstable and frightening place, where nothing can be taken for granted, not even the luxury of having parents; where poverty, pain, and loss are an inevitable part of life. An education which values joy, emphasises goodness and has security, continuity and commitment to the child at its core, may go some way towards re-shaping a child’s damaged sense of trust in the world.z
How can Waldorf education contribute to the restoration of the war-damaged child’s well-being?
In the early years, everything that surrounds the child should breathe an atmosphere of happiness and joy, said Steiner. For children who have lived through trauma, and experienced pain beyond their years, the healing element of joy in their lives is critical to their future well-being.
Waldorf educators feel that children need the peace of a long, slow-paced, active and engaged childhood, with plenty of time to make hosts of new discoveries, which consolidate the process of knowing the self and the world. As Joseph Chilton Pearce, former humanities teacher and author of “The Magical Child” puts it:
“Structuring knowledge of the world takes at least six years because the world is filled with many things.”
Joseph Chilton Pearce
He says that the child must interact with the actual world as a place of rocks, trees, grasses, bugs, sun, moon, wind clouds, rain, and a “million things”. A damaged child may also need time to re-kindle a fragile sense of wonder in the safety of the Waldorf environment.
Sally Jenkinson works with the Alliance for Childhood and is an Early Years Consultant with the UK Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship. She was a Kindergarten teacher for many years.
Copyright © 2006–2019 Goderich Waldorf School. All Rights Reserved.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21603
|
__label__wiki
| 0.588403
| 0.588403
|
Mackenzie Ziegler Biography
By Simson - Jun 04, 2020
Quick Facts Of Mackenzie Ziegler
Mac, Kenzie, Mack Z, Kenz, Mackenz, Kenzie Boo
Mackenzie Frances Ziegler
5 feet 5½ inches
$600,000 (Yearly)
Body Build/Type
Teen Choice Awards for Choice Muser
Kurt Ziegler
Melissa Gisoni
Favorite Actress
Reading, Shopping, and Travelling
Wikipedia,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook
Being a child celebrity, Mackenzie Ziegler is known for appearing in the Dance Moms along with her elder sister Maddie and mother Melissa. Besides the dancer, she was a singer, actress, and model as well. She also got a national title for her solo performance in the Season 2 finale of the show. Currently, She enjoys a huge following on her social media accounts. She is also related to philanthropic activities at such an early age. to know more about her, you can read the below article.
What is Mackenzie Ziegler famous for?
An American dancer, singer, actress, and model.
Source: @celebsuburb
Everything to know about Maddie Ziegler
Where is Mackenzie Ziegler from?
Going back to her early life, Mackenzie was born under the birth sign of Gemini to her parents, Melissa Gisoni and Kurt Ziegler as Mackenzie Frances Ziegler in the year 2004. She raised along with her five siblings named Maddie Ziegler, Michele Gisoni, Tyler Ziegler, Ryan Ziegler, and Mathew Gisoni in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Her nationality is American and his ethnicity is White. Her religious views are Roman Catholic.
Similarly, Her parents had to go through the turmoil of bankruptcy when she was still a baby. Later, her parents were divorced. Later, Her mother got remarried in 2013 with her present husband. Further, she was home-schooled in his childhood.
Source: @expressdigest
What does Mackenzie Ziegler do?
Talking about her acting journey, Mackenzie Ziegler started her career in 2011 through the reality TV show, Dance Moms.
She continued on the show, along with her elder sister Maddie and mother Melissa for the next 6 seasons but in 2016 she left the show for pursuing other projects with her family.
In 2014, she debuted the album Mack which Z ranked #1 on the pop charts of iTunes. She continued releasing her videos and singles in 2015 and 2016 as well.
In 2015, She debut on Nickelodeon's sitcom Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and appeared in a WowWee commercial alongside her sister.
The same year, She appeared in a bunch of Talk shows, like The Today Show and in a WowWee commercial.
In 2015, she started modeling and walking the Polo Ralph Lauren Runway. She also became the face for several promotional campaigns of different brands in 2016.
In 2016, She released a music video, titled “Day & Night” with singer Johnny Orlando. The same year, She collaborated with TurnBoard to release the Kenzie Ziegler TurnBoard, a turning practice tool for dancers.
Also, She released another single, Monsters (AKA Haters) in 2017.
She released a tee-shirt line named Tee4Too in 2016 and in 2017 she was named brand ambassador for the Emily West girls’ fashion line.
In 2017-18, She and Orlando presented their Day & Night Tour throughout North America and the UK.
Also, She and her sister conducted a dance workshop tour of Australia in January 2017. They conducted another dance workshop tour of Australia and New Zealand in mid-2018.
In 2018, She and her sister appeared on The Slow Mo Guys YouTube channel. Also, She appeared on the cover of the April/May 2018 issue of Girls' Life magazine.
Later that year, She released a self-help book titled Kenzie's Rules for Life: How to be Happy, Healthy, and Dance to Your Own Beat which ranked No. 7 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list for juvenile non-fiction.
In fall 2018, She launched her own cosmetics line, "Love, Kenzie." Also, she released her second studio album, Phases in 2018.
In mid-2019, She signed with Arista Records and toured the US as the warm-up act for PrettyMuch.
The same year, She released a line of sweatshirts and tee-shirts with FanJoy. She also gave her voice in an animated film named Ice Princess Lily.
In 2020, She and her sister were guest judges on the Quibi dance competition show Floored.
Her upcoming film project is Let Us In which is in the post-production phase.
What are the achievements of Mackenzie Ziegler?
Througout her career, Mackenzie Ziegler gоt nоmіnаtеd аt thе уеаr 2016 Тееn Сhоісе Аwаrdѕ fоr Сhоісе Мuѕеr аnd аlѕо gоt nоmіnаtеd fоr Fаvоrіtе Dаnсеr 17 & Undеr аt thе уеаr 2017 Іnduѕtrу Dаnсе Аwаrdѕ. She has won the 2018 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Muser.
Source: @zimbio
Mackenzie Ziegler boyfriend
Reflecting on her personal life, Mackenzie previously in a relationship with Isaak Presley. However, the lovebirds kept their relationship out of media till 2019 after her boyfriend confirm their affairs through his Instagram by posting the picture. Later, the couple broke up their relationship in 2020. Presently, she seems to be single and focusing her career quite seriously.
How Much is Mackenzie Ziegler Worth?
Mackenzie Ziegler has earned the sum of a good amount of money and salary from his profession as an actress and singer in the fields of the entertainment industry. As per the online sites, she has reported $3 million net worth as of 2020 and her salary is somewhere around $600 Thousand a year. She also adds up her fortune through her dancing and modeling career.
What is Mackenzie Ziegler height?
Mackenzie Ziegler has a height of 5 feet 5½ inches and she weighs around 50 Kg. Her eyes are hazel and his hair color is brown. She used 30B bra size and her body measurements are 32-24-35 inches with a slim body. Additionally, she used 6 (US) shoe size.
She danced at Abby Lee Dance Company from the ages of 2 to 11.
Her music is often played on Radio Disney where she has been invited to guest interview and sing.
Her favorite TV show is "Keeping Up With the Kardashians".
Her middle name is in honor of grandmother.
Her birth name is Taylor, but it was changed to Mackenzie two days after she was born.
#Mackenzie Ziegler Dance Moms
#Mackenzie Ziegler Sister
Permalink: https://gossipgist.com/mackenzie-ziegler
Jodi Anasta Biography
Jeeya / June 04, 2020
DJ Khaled Biography
Liam / June 04, 2020
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21607
|
__label__wiki
| 0.599484
| 0.599484
|
hfpuls » Jazz » Trudy Richards - Somebody Just Like You / The Night When Love Was Born
Trudy Richards - Somebody Just Like You / The Night When Love Was Born Album
Performer: Trudy Richards
Title: Somebody Just Like You / The Night When Love Was Born
Cat#: F3946
Trudy Richards Canada Capitol Records
1 Somebody Just Like You 2:20
2 The Night When Love Was Born 2:16
F3946 Trudy Richards Somebody Just Like You (7", Single, Promo) Capitol Records F3946 US Unknown
The Night When Love Was Born - Leo Reisman. Лента с персональными рекомендациями и музыкальными новинками, радио, подборки на любой вкус, удобное управление своей коллекцией. Somebody Just Like You from Trudy Richards 7''. And other albums from Trudy Richards are available on sale at Recordsale. Somebody Just Like You. The Night When Love Was Born. More Albums by Trudy Richards. The Breeze, I Can't Love You AnymoreTrudy Richards. Temptation, Travelin' HomeTrudy Richards. The Blacksmith Blues, Any TimeTrudy Richards. The Blacksmith Blues, Castle RockTrudy Richards. Hangin' around, WishboneTrudy Richards. Promises, Promises, Don't Rush MeTrudy Richards. Gertrude Trudy Richards died 2008 was a Manhattan-born 1950s jazz and swing singer. She originally did background singing, and soon became lead vocalist with the Charlie Barnet band, with whom she recorded such classic songs as Gloomy Sunday, Easy Living and Ill Wind. She was signed by Decca Records as a solo artist, recording such songs as Nashville Blues and Blacksmith Blues with Sy Oliver. She also recorded for Derby Records, MGM Records and. I Want a Big Butter and Egg ManWeaker Than Wise, Capitol 3729. The Night When Love Was BornSomebody Just Like You, Capitol 3946. Don't Rush MePromises, Promises, Jubilee 5197. Trudy Richards. Crazy In Love Album. 5 versões. Capitol Records. Somebody Just Like You, The Night When Love Was Born Single. 2 versões. When Somebody Loves You is the ninth studio album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released on November 7, 2000, and produced the singles Where I Come From, , When Somebody Loves You, and It's Alright to Be a Redneck. Critical reception to the album was pretty positive. From The Album. Play album. Goodnight My Love. Ruth Etting. 311 listeners. Do you know the lyrics for this track Add lyrics on Musixmatch. Similar Tracks. It's Swell of You. I'll Be Blue Just Thinking of You. We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye. The Boswell Sisters. California Medley Pt. You've Got To See Mamma Ev'ry Night. Sophie Tucker. I'm Doing What I'm Doing For Love. Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises The Night When Love Was Born Eddie Lang Joe Venuti Jimmy Dorsey Tommy Dorsey Bunny Berigan shines, the night is still Shepherds watch from a hill I close my eyes, see the night When love was born Perfect child gently wai. This is just a preview Preview the embedded widget. Mark Schultz - You're Here Album Lyrics. When Love Was Born. Mark Schultz Lyrics provided by . Somebody Loves You by Betty Who is featured in Transitioning, the seventh episode of Season Six. It is sung by Blaine and Kurt. They performed this song at Rachel Berry's final farewell to her childhood home, after previously Kurt got Blaine as his duet partner when he spun the Wheel of Musical Fortune during the glee club regular meeting seemingly on purpose. During the performance, Jane brings a box of costumes, and everyone wears them except for Sam and Rachel who are in Rachel's room. The keyboardist had just moved back to the US and had an English album of Hendrix before he broke worldwide. We were doing his first songs LIVE before he he was released in the US. What are you looking for from Fandalism New songs by John Lennon
Albums related to Trudy Richards - Somebody Just Like You / The Night When Love Was Born:
The Six Teens Featuring Trudy Williams - Love's A Funny That Way / Danny (This Is The Last Dance)
Gyaxe - Night Of Love
Noel - L-l-l-l, Love You All Night
The Forester Sisters - I Fell In Love Again Last Night
Laurie Marshall - (All Day And All Night) We Will Make Love
Queen - I Was Born To Love You
Trudy Richards - Temptation / Travelin' Home
The Chantels - Every Night (I Pray) / Sure Of Love
Perfect BPM & Blue Feather - Say That You Love Me One More Night
Bryan Adams - One Night Love Affair / It's Only Love
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21613
|
__label__cc
| 0.649773
| 0.350227
|
Home 2020 Elections I Warned You… But You Didn’t Listen – Asiedu Nketia Mocks Prof....
I Warned You… But You Didn’t Listen – Asiedu Nketia Mocks Prof. Mike Ocquaye
I told you so!!! This is what the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is telling Prof Mike Ocquaye.
This follows the election of NDC’s Alban Bagbin as Speaker of the 8th Parliament. He defeated the NPP’s nominee Prof. Mike Ocquaye by 2 votes to secure the position.
Reacting to this at a press conference, Friday, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito said had the former Speaker listened to his warning, he would not have experienced such defeat.
“In fact, I did warn him that he was too old to be a Speaker and I advised him that this was the time for him to dedicate the rest of his life telling ananse stories to his grandchildren.”
Speaking on what ensued before the declaration of Bagbin as Speaker, Asiedu Nketiah added:
“In fact, at some points in time, the NPP were demanding that before Bagbin could be declared the winner we should accept a joint statement indicating that Professor Mike Oquaye withdrew from the contest and there was no election at all.
Can you imagine this? Everybody in the world saw the election happening, saw the ballot papers being stolen and you want us to come and embarrass ourselves or rather to share in your embarrassment with a common statement that the elections didn’t take place, that Mike Ocquaye was never defeated, that he withdrew to allow Bagbin to go”.
Previous articleWe neglected our strongholds and we’re being punished for it – Kennedy Agyapong to NPP
Next articleVladimir Antwi-Danso Urges Akufo-Addo To Consider Having Lean Gov’t
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21615
|
__label__cc
| 0.615104
| 0.384896
|
Gloom ready EP, share "Unrequited"
From out of nowhere comes the next crucial debut of 2014: the self-titled EP by Gloom, a new, heretofore unknown band from Washington DC.
Not to be confused with the Japanese crust punks of the same name, Gloom is that rare metal band that uses its technical prowess to create supremely memorable songs. Precise and concise, gloriously efficient, the tracks that comprise Gloom’s debut wow with their musicality and their simplicity, making their deadly points in an average time of 3 minutes each.
Stream “Unrequited,” off Gloom’s self-titled EP, exclusively on MetalSucks.
The Gloom EP, set for a June 24 release, was produced by Marshall Wieczorek, drummer of Victory Records metallers Wretched. Wieczorek has achieved a sound that is fat and crystalline, a brilliant slab of modern metal. The cover art was created by Steven Mercado (Dillinger Escape Plan).
Catch Gloom, live:
May 3 – Baltimore, MD @ Sidebar w/ The Wayward
By: Timothy Anderl
Tags: Gloom
Timothy Anderl
Epic Death Review
Gaming November 18, 2014
The Shape Of Rock To Come: Bill Calomiris (Gloom)
Uncategorized June 06, 2014
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21616
|
__label__wiki
| 0.882175
| 0.882175
|
Virtual Discoveries
Smoke Signals Salutes
Long-time GRC sports fan reflects on past, looks to future
Cameron Anderson
Seventy years ago a boy was born who would one day grow up to become one of Clark County’s biggest fans and supporters.
Born and raised in the heart of Clark County, Mike Poer has spent his days in a basketball gym since before he could remember.
But one gym holds a special place in his heart and that is Clark County’s very own Letcher Norton Gymnasium.
Poer played for GRC’s varsity basketball team under Coach Tommy Harper from 1964-1968. In those years playing he says his most memorable moment was beating Bourbon County for the Mid-State Conference title during his junior year season.
Through all the years Poer has been in Clark County, he says he has gotten to watch so many great teams and players go through Letcher Norton Gym.
“I got to see the first girls team that played in Clark County as well as the 1981 girls team that made it to the State Tournament and was #2 in state,” said Poer.
Poer also mentioned getting to watch Preston Knowles during his high school career. He said Knowles, who went on to play at the University of Louisville, was one of the most memorable players he has seen play in GRC’s gym.
In addition, Poer enjoys the fact that he has gotten the opportunity to see four of his granddaughters play in the same gym he spent his high school career in.
Letcher Norton Gym has brought so many great memories to the community of Clark County.
Poer says that one of his coolest experiences the gym brought him was the opportunity to play Pete Rose and members of the Cincinnati Reds in an exhibition game with some of Poer’s former teammates.
Poer takes pride in his hometown and gives support to many of the teams at GRC.
“Clark County is my home and always has been,” says Poer. “You want to support all the student-athletes who worked just as hard as you did to play for GRC.”
With everything that Letcher Norton Gymnasium has brought to him and Clark County, Poer says he is very excited to get to experience the new gym and what it will bring to the community.
“It is a showcase for the community, something everyone can be proud of and will want to see,” he says.
Like many others, Poer believes it is past due for Clark County to have its deserved gymnasium.
Although Letcher Norton Gymnasium will always have a special place in Poer’s heart, he is ready to make room for the new.
“When the kids nowadays were still playing in the gym I played in 55 years ago,” he says, “it was obviously time for a change.”
Cameron Anderson, Multimedia staff
Cameron, also known as Swaggy C, is a junior at GRC. Her favorite sound is metal cleats on concrete or thunderstorms and she says the best part of waking...
Hoops, Cards sweep MoCo
Smoke Signals Staff
Bri Byars scored 14 points and her sister, Ciara, added 13 to lead GRC Hoops over MoCo 60-37, and Jerone Morton exploded for 39 points as the...
GAMEDAY at GRC Arena
Good luck to GRC Hoops & WinCity basketball as they take on MoCo tonight at home. Tickets aren't available, but you can tune in on WWKY...
Is there a perfect 5-peat in store for Graham's team?
Sawyer Broeking, Sports Editor
It’s no secret the GRC Hoops has certainly made a name for themselves in the realm of high school girls basketball in Kentucky. Winning...
With the start of the 2021 season, the Cardinals are itching for another chance at Rupp
After a long-anticipated wait, the season of high school boys basketball is upon us. The Cardinals are coming off an incredible season with a...
Lucas retires, leaves behind new legacy for program
Twenty-two wins. Unforgettable memories. A changed program. After five seasons of coaching football at GRC, Coach Dr. Oliver Lucas is hanging...
Giving back to our four-legged friends this holiday season
Hallmark movies: love or hate?
Try these affordable DIY Christmas gifts
Junior leads as part of State Student Council
Shop local and support small business!
Teacher Morgan Price finds outlet through boxing
Real or artificial? The Christmas tree debate
Haleigh Riddell: GRC’s very own interior designer
The Happy Corner – great service, great products
Virtual familY
The student news site of George Rogers Clark High School
George Rogers Clark High School
2745 Boonesboro Road
Winchester, KY 40391
Smoke Signals • © 2021 • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21621
|
__label__wiki
| 0.573223
| 0.573223
|
Extra support urgently needed for disabled people & carers
Jordon Steele-John 14 Jul 2020
The Australian Greens have reiterated their calls for people on the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and Carer Payment to receive extra economic support to help them get through the COVID-19 crisis.
Spokesperson for Families, Ageing and Community Services Senator Rachel Siewert said that in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 crisis we are now seeing, especially Victoria, the Government must urgently top up the DSP and Carer Payments so that disabled people and carers can meet the additional costs they are facing because of the pandemic.
"Disabled people and carers have been doing it extremely tough for the last few months without extra support to assist them with the higher costs they've been facing for groceries, transport and access to essential supports and medical supplies," Senator Siewert said.
"With further lockdowns and economic hardship now inevitable, it is incumbent on this government to acknowledge the thousands of Australians on the DSP and Carer payment who need extra support."
Spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services Senator Jordon Steele-John said people had been desperately holding out for the second $750 economic support payment, which will be paid today and should be reaching people over the course of this week.
"Frankly, this extra payment has been barely enough for people to hold on," Steele-John said.
"Since this crisis began my office has been flooded with calls and emails from people saying they are struggling to make ends meet, and that the first payment was only able to cover things like rent arrears, bills that had been piling up or had simply enabled them to buy fresh fruit and vegetables for the first time in months.
"I know that this second payment will be the same; people will use it to cover the costs of essentials and very quickly it will disappear, putting many thousands of disabled people and carers back in a precarious financial position if they don't receive extra, ongoing support from the government.
"We are once again calling on the Government to provide a top-up payment to Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment recipients so that these payments are equal to the new rate of Jobseeker Payment to make sure that eveyrone has the support they need to get throught his crisis."
SIEWERT - Lucy Cowcher-Guthrie; 0418 401 180
STEELE-JOHN - Tim Oliver; 0448 316 387
Morrison must urgently increase resources to get stranded Australians home
Janet Rice 16 Oct 2020
Budget: Government’s transport infrastructure locks in pollution to worsen the climate crisis
Janet Rice 7 Oct 2020
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21625
|
__label__wiki
| 0.567177
| 0.567177
|
About Hope Malory
She was destined to be a dreamer from birth. She grew up in a small Tennessee town on the Alabama border, Hope Malory was blessed with a name that was certain to represent the romantic she would become. As a child Hope was the strong silent type, academic, and an avid reader. Holidays with a big extended family were fun, loud, and filled with laughter. She, however, found herself lost in a world of her own, always present of body but often away on an adventure in her mind…a true foreshadowing of things to come.
Always the picture of stability, Hope went to college to pursue a degree in Home Economics before moving on to obtain her Master’s Degree in Education and ultimately an Ed.S in Administration and Supervision. Her love for reading had drawn her to volunteer for a literacy program that started her climb to a long and successful career in administration in the State of Tennessee’s Adult Education Division. Never to be underestimated, Hope’s love for reading and her natural gift for writing would become her third career, only after her family and a traditional profession. This time around, however, she would play by her own rules and that included taking a big taste of adventure…
Hopes Latest Release
Christmas is in the air at Mia Loughry’s Yellow Butterfly Café, the heartbeat of Azalea Valley serving up Mia’s legendary matchmaking and renowned home-cooking. For years, local track coach, Buck Chance, has flirted but failed to leave the starting gate in pursuit of Mia. Could love have passed her by?
Temperatures rise when a mouth-watering stranger, Chance Stengle, enters the café and steals her attention from Buck. A singer/songwriter and owner of a construction company, Chance believes Mia is exactly what he’s been looking for. Faced with fresh competition, Buck is not ready to yield the field to the new guy and lose Mia for good.
With two handsome men vying for her attention, Mia is determined to give each a chance to win her heart for life. Her destiny becomes uncertain when a confrontation reaches a boiling point after a fateful trip. Will Buck make it to the finish line or will Chance reconstruct her future?
Torn between two loves, indecision could cost her both Christmas Chances.
Book six in the Azalea Valley Series, “Christmas Chances” available in ebook. Order your copy now.
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21628
|
__label__wiki
| 0.588465
| 0.588465
|
Technical Overview of the Alfresco / Jive Toolkit
ACS - Blog
pmonks2
29 Mar 2011 9:00 AM
Recently I transitioned from my long-standing role leading Alfresco's Professional Services team to being the in-house technologist for the Business Development team, and one of my first tasks in the new role has been to work on an integration between Alfresco and Jive Engage. This work is being done in partnership with SolutionSet (a partner of both Alfresco and Jive), and I wanted to discuss some of the technical design work that has gone into the Toolkit, ahead of its availability (which will be soon after the Jive 5.0 launch - the version of Jive that the Toolkit is targeting).
Functional Overview, aka 'What will it do?'
As announced at Gartner's Portals, Collaboration & Content Summit this week, the integration (known as the 'Jive Toolkit') is a set of pre-built components that allows Jive to store documents in Alfresco while still offering all of the same social features as 'native' Jive documents (commenting, rating, discussions, etc.). While not yet all-encompassing - Jive's 'social' content cannot yet be stored or managed within Alfresco - the Toolkit will provide a foundational level of document-centric integration, allowing implementers to focus on more use-case specific integrations as required (hence the positioning as a 'toolkit', rather than a fully fledged solution).
More specifically, the initial version of the Toolkit will allow users of Alfresco and/or Jive to create 'managed' documents in any of the following 3 ways:
By uploading a document to Alfresco, using the Jive UI.
By 'publishing' an existing document from Alfresco to Jive, using Alfresco's Share UI.
By 'linking' an existing document stored in Alfresco to Jive, using the Jive UI.
In all 3 cases, the result is the same: the document is visible and accessible via the Jive UI in exactly the same way as any 'native' document, but the content of the document is stored and managed in Alfresco only. Jive will maintain some metadata about the document - for example the document's filename and a pointer to the document in Alfresco - but it will not store the binary content of the document. This approach ensures that the document is a first class citizen in both the Alfresco and Jive worlds, while minimising the risk of synchronisation issues between the two systems.
Here are some screenshots that demonstrate uploading a document to Alfresco using the Jive UI:
Step 1 - Navigating to a community in Jive
Step 2 - Managing a document
Step 3 - Select a file to upload
Step 4 - Select the target space in Alfresco
Document details (Alfresco)
Document details (Jive)
Technical Details, aka 'Rubber, meet road'
As mentioned above, there are a variety of ways that the initial 'linkage' of a document between Alfresco and Jive can be achieved, however all 3 creation mechanisms produce the same end state: Alfresco has the document in its entirety (including the filename, content, etc.) while Jive has a 'proxy object' (a structured data-only object that has the filename and a pointer to the document in Alfresco, but does not have the actual binary content).
This means that all downstream events (updates, metadata modifications, deletes) can be handled the same way, irrespective of how the content was linked between the two systems in the first place - a major simplification in the logic for those downstream events.
Integration Mechanism, aka 'CMIS, by any other name would smell as sweet...'
Another nice characteristic of this approach is that the calls from Jive to Alfresco (to create content, update and retrieve it) can be accomplished using the CMIS API. This has several benefits, from reduced development effort in the Toolkit itself (due to the ready availability of client-side CMIS libraries), to the potential for portability to other CMIS compliant repositories in the future.
One important thing to note is that the Alfresco-to-Jive API calls are not standards-based - they make use of Jive's proprietary REST API. Jive does not expose a standards-based API (indeed, no suitable standard exists for social business systems yet), and CMIS doesn't provide any kind of callback mechanism for clients to be notified when repository events of interest occur (i.e. a mechanism equivalent to Alfresco's Component Policies).
Tricky Bits, aka 'The Devil is in the Details'
As with any integration between complex enterprise applications, there is some trickery in some parts of the integration, and it's critical to understand these if you're evaluating the Jive Toolkit.
The first piece of trickery involves deletion of the content, specifically deletion in Alfresco. Because Jive maintains a pointer to the document in Alfresco (specifically, the 'cmis:id'), rather than the content itself, if the document is deleted in Alfresco without Jive being notified, attempts within Jive to retrieve that content will fail. To prevent this, the Toolkit is currently designed to veto deletes in Alfresco if the document has been socialised in Jive. To delete a document, it will first need to be deleted in Jive at which point it can be deleted from Alfresco too. The reason the Toolkit doesn't simply synchronise deletes between Jive and Alfresco is that there are common use cases where the document may be removed from Jive, but needs to be retained in Alfresco - replicating deletes between the two systems would have ruled out these use cases.
Full Text Indexing
The second item of trickery revolves around full text indexing of the document in Jive. To accomplish this, Jive will retain a copy of the content of the document just long enough to index it into Jive's full text index, and once indexing is complete the content of the document will be removed from Jive. As you'd expect, Alfresco will also notify Jive of any updates to the document, so that the content can be re-indexed on the Jive side.
Access Control and Identity
Access control to the documents is also tricky, primarily because the Alfresco and Jive ACL models differ in their level of granularity. Jive's access control is primarily Community-centric (i.e. defined and enforced at the level of the Community), while Alfresco has a fine grained, per-node (file or folder) ACL mechanism. In this first release, the Toolkit will initially create the document in both systems in such a way that the ACLs are in sync, but modification of those ACLs in either system will not be replicated to the other system. The upshot is that direct manipulation of the document's ACLs in Alfresco may cause errors in Jive (i.e. users who can see the document in the Jive UI, but are unable to download it).
Furthermore, in order for Alfresco and Jive to agree on the principal set, the initial version of the Toolkit assumes that both Alfresco and Jive are configured to use the same LDAP repository for user identity and authentication. During the design sessions it was felt that this was likely to be a requirement for an integrated solution anyway and hence wouldn't be an impediment, but we're keen to have that assumption validated as broadly as possible.
So there you have it - a whirlwind tour of the upcoming Jive Toolkit! As a v1.0 there are some more sophisticated use cases that the Toolkit doesn't address yet, including multi-document / library based integration, and capture of Jive's social content (discussions, ratings, wiki pages, etc.) in Alfresco. The intention with the Toolkit is to initially provide Alfresco+Jive Systems Integrators (such as SolutionSet) with a small but solid base on which such extensions could be built, and if/when common requirements are identified for these more sophisticated use cases they can be rolled back into the Toolkit.
We're keen to hear your feedback and look forward to your participation in the project!
blog_commenter
16 Jun 2011 2:40 AM
Nice first step. But wer'e really struggling with control/capture of the social content? Any timeframe/roadmap for the next versions?
MilesD, I'd be keen to hear more about your specific use case for capturing the social content into Alfresco.
The background is that we reviewed several different sets of end user requirements but didn't really identify a common use case (unlike binary documents, where the use case was relatively clear) - one use case was around synchronisation of social content between Alfresco and Jive, another involved periodic snapshot of social content into Alfresco, and a third involved explicit 'declaration' of social content to Alfresco (at which point it would be frozen in Jive).
Because of this variety, we elected to push social content out of scope for v1.0 of the toolkit and wait for further feedback from the customer community to try to identify a common use case around formal management of social content (hence the request to hear more detail about what you require).
We're embarking on the Jive/Alfresco journey (as a Systems Integrator). With one particular client (financial services) there will be information contained in the social content that will influence business decisions and will therefore need to be retained as a record (due to the regulated nature of their business). I do not believe that this client, and industry vertical, are alone in this requirement. As the use of social business platforms such as Jive increases and becomes a more integral part of day-to-day working, valuable business information will be generated within social content (e.g. micro-blogging). As the Jive platform is not designed as a content/records management solution, there needs to be a mechanism to capture social content into solutions such as Alfresco.
The use case around documents is highly valid - a case study of Jive's is BUPA who have a 7,000 user deployment of Jive. Out of all the content types being generated, binary documents have, by far, grown the greatest thereby illustrating that users still think/work around 'documents' so effective management of those types is necessary.
For me the other interesting area, which may be a touch off-topic, concerns use-cases involving Share and Jive which may require the synchronisation of social content. In fact, as and when (if) Share introduces more 'social' features then one may question the validity of a Jive/Alfresco solution and look to use either in isolation. As I am a content management purist, I would want the ability to manage any unstructured content in a CMS platform, therefore social business capabilities implemented directly on a CMS (e.g. Share/Alfresco) would be preferred over a standalone social business platform (assuming functional parity).
20 Jul 2011 8:01 PM
What about the WCM functionality of Alfresco. The WCM functionality could prove to be very valuable in Jive. Has this usecase been accounted for/tested? And will this be supported? I see this as being much more useful than document management integration.
I too am very interested the WCM functionality in Jive.
21 Jul 2011 4:22 AM
SteveH, TonyV - the toolkit does support something like this, albeit using HTML snippet files rather than the original structured data itself. In this model, Alfresco Web Quick Start would be used for the editorial process (forms based content entry, workflow / approval, RenditionService to generate the HTML snippets etc.), and then the resulting files would be automatically socialised to Jive (e.g. as part of the approval workflow). Jive would then be customised to render those HTML snippets inline rather than using the generic document UI (the details page with the various document actions etc.).
Can you go into a bit more detail on how you envisage this working? Is Alfresco delivering structured content to Jive, which transforms it to HTML on demand and presents the resultant HTML to visitors? How is the structured content represented in Jive (as custom content types, for example)?
[...] Enterprise kann hier heruntergeladen werden: Jive Toolkit. Eine Dokumentation ist hier erhältlich: Technical Overview of the Alfresco / Jive Toolkit Tags: Alfresco, CMS, Content Management Systeme, DMS, Jive, Open Source, WCM, Web Content [...]
5 Jun 2014 2:46 AM
Will the Alfresco Jive Connector Toolkit work with Jive Cloud ?
5 Jun 2014 3:52 PM
It requires installation of a Jive Plugin, which I don't believe the SaaS Jive Cloud supports. Their hosted offerings used to support this, but it's been a while since we reviewed those offerings.
Alfresco Content Services Blog
Search Services Upgrade Paths
Alfresco Identity services (Keycloak) password pol...
Alfresco Source Code Walkthrough
Installing Alfresco 6 Community Edition in Ubuntu ...
Search Services 2.0.1 Release
Helm chart updates for Alfresco Content Services
Cryptographic stores in Alfresco
ACS Community repositories consolidation
Why are you choosing Alfresco as an Open Source so...
Introducing the Alfresco Mobile Workspace!
Blockchain-based Notarization with Alfresco and Al...
Announcing the launch of our new Alfresco document...
Collaborating with Alfresco
Exact Term Queries in Search Services 2.0
DevCon 2020 Feedback Wanted
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21632
|
__label__wiki
| 0.534298
| 0.534298
|
Home » News & Speeches » APEC Trade Committee agrees to advance on ad standards
APEC Trade Committee agrees to advance on ad standards
News • Paris, 21/03/2013
Prior to the 3-4 February meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)’s Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) in Indonesia, each of the lead representatives of the 21 member economies were urged by ICC to support work advancing advertising standards in the region.
ICC urged 21 member economies to support work advancing advertising standards.
In a letter, ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier expressed global business support and ICC endorsement of an Australian-led initiative to develop common principles for advertising standards across APEC economies with the aim of reducing technical trade barriers. Referring to a report from the November 2012 Dialogue in Hanoi, where government and industry participants issued recommendations, Mr Carrier highlighted the importance of APEC support and follow-up on capacity building proposals to help economies getting started or wishing to further develop national standards to the ICC Code and the best practice model recommendations for self-regulation.
ICC is pleased to note that the APEC CTI has agreed to further work and assigned the follow up to its Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC), which will consider the recommendations from the dialogue and report back to the CTI.
Having both participated and supported the November 2012 dialogue that the Australian Standards Bureau organized as part of their role on the International Council on Advertising Self-regulation (ICAS), ICC welcomes the cooperation arising locally and globally since. National committees and local partners have shared encouraging reports of industry and some government follow up in several economies, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. The ICC Marketing Commission members will continue to support the Australian efforts and to work with them, ICAS, ICC national committees and partners to encourage implementation of the recommendations.
Find out more about the Committee on Trade and Investment
Find out more about the Australian-led initiative
Visit the ICC Code Centre
Elizabeth THOMAS-RAYNAUD
Senior Policy Manager, Marketing and Advertising
APEC Economies
ICC Marketing Commission
Priming trade finance to safeguard SMEs and power a resilient recovery from Covid-19
ICC presents electronic ATA Carnet at annual World Customs Organization meeting
ICC welcomes G20 commitment on equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21636
|
__label__wiki
| 0.923153
| 0.923153
|
Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Real, Diverse, Unbiased.
Beijing’s Chief Troll Is The Face Of A New Kind Of Chinese Diplomacy
The most interesting diplomat in the world these days may well be Zhao Lijian, the combative, bombastic, frankly Trumpy voice of the People’s Republic of China on Twitter.
Zhao was in fine form this Thanksgiving weekend, offering an eight-part tweetstorm on American racism, tweeting at one point that the US was merely suffering from “replacement anxiety” at China’s unstoppable rise (he deleted that one), then mocking the US president:
Out of respect for President Trump, US & its people, on the occasion of thanksgiving day, I pay special thanks to US for squandering trillions of dollars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria... pic.twitter.com/9WMNoHdSML
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) 29 พฤศจิกายน 2562
China has long claimed that America is a thief crying “stop thief” when it comes to human rights (China releases an annual human rights report on the US). Now that whattaboutist argument is meeting the American political conversation where it lives -on Twitter.
American leaders and opinion-makers have long preferred to devote attention to smaller and easier problems (the Middle East, NATO, really anything!) than the rise of a massive strategic rival with a population of 1.4 billion. Zhao’s 55,000-and-counting tweets make that a little harder -as will what he’s been retweeting this morning: The Chinese Foreign Ministry just joined Twitter, over @mfa_china.
I’ve been following Zhao since he achieved a measure of global fame in July, when he responded to global condemnation of China’s internment of its Muslim citizens with a blunt attack on American racism.
Why is Huawei making America tremble and go insane? Huawei's new phone camera's optical zoom is just insane. pic.twitter.com/tESGjR83U7
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) 20 พฤษภาคม 2562
The tweet provoked heated condemnation from the US political elite, including former national security adviser Susan Rice, and he deleted it -but then followed up with an article noting Washington’s racial segregation. It was a familiar kind of rhetoric, a standard Chinese strategy with echoes from another era: Like China, the Soviet Union regularly criticized -and covertly sought to exacerbate -American racism and racial conflict. And at a moment of profound internal division in the US, it’s an effective one, hitting directly at a raw nerve rather than engaging criticism of China.
It was also a dramatic departure from Chinese diplomatic speech, which is so notoriously regimented that foreign correspondents joke about how easy it would be to play bingo for certain words at Foreign Ministry press briefings. I’d never quite seen anything like it from the representative of the Chinese government. And so when I was in Beijing last month, I DM’d Zhao one morning, and he responded 15 minutes later to suggest we meet that afternoon at a Maan Coffee down the street from the Foreign Ministry. (Our great former Beijing correspondent, Megha Rajagopalan, later told me that she had spent many hours there being dressed down by ministry officials, including for her groundbreaking coverage of the detention of Uighurs in Xinjiang. The ministry declined to renew her visa in 2018.)
It is a particular modern delight to meet in real life the intense and combative people you follow on Twitter, and Zhao didn’t disappoint. In person, wearing a natty sweater and rimless glasses, he reminded me a bit of Ric Grenell, Donald Trump’s Trumpiest diplomat, the combative ambassador to Germany, whose internet aggression isn’t diminished in person; it’s just put in human context, in a way that both allows you to have a real conversation and get the sense that you’re not going to persuade him of much.
While a young colleague grabbed us cappuccinos, Zhao, who is 47, told me how he’d come to realize the power of social media in diplomacy -and that it was time to project a new Chinese “confidence, but not aggressiveness.” Born outside Beijing, he’d signed up for Twitter during a posting to Washington from 2009 to 2013. But he really began to understand its power in 2015, when he was posted to Islamabad as deputy chief of mission and tossed into a political and media culture given at times to the sorts of extreme claims and questionable connections to fact that have come into vogue in Washington.
Zhao was infuriated, in particular, by outlandish claims about the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, the multibillion-dollar version of China’s vast global investment program focused on a longtime close economic and political partner. Local politicians claimed that only Chinese workers were getting jobs -and even that those workers were actually convicts who had been sentenced to death. “Dirty lies” and the “joke of the year,” Zhao tweeted in response to these claims.
I shut up only those spreading lies without verifying, those missing no chance to malign CPEC. I got 22k questions on May 15.#asklijianzhao https://t.co/CarEUXjSem
Social media, he told an Islamabad audience last year, was “a weapon to counter these negative narratives.”
And he became what one local outlet called a “household name” in Pakistan with a popular Q&A under the hashtag #AskLijianZhao. He raised eyebrows in India. He also, as BuzzFeed News has reported, linked to a group that monitored Pakistan’s Uighurs, though he denied knowing of it.
Zhao told me he knew by then that he was an outlier by the standards of any diplomatic service -and certainly the low-profile style of China’s.
“People looked at me like I was a panda -like I was an alien from Mars,” he said.
After the spat last summer, Zhao left Pakistan, and some of his followers -I, at least -understood that he’d been recalled to Beijing for saying the quiet thing loud. In fact, he’d been promoted: He reemerged this fall as the deputy director-general of the Foreign Ministry’s Information Department and played a role in a shift toward public engagement that has brought the Chinese ambassador to the US, among others, to Twitter -though none troll as hard as Zhao.
“This is a time for Chinese diplomats to tell the true picture,” he said -and to engage on Twitter, a platform on which official Chinese voices have until now played a relatively small part in global arguments. That’s a product of the fact that most of Twitter’s global debates are held in English, and of course of the fact that Zhao’s government blocks the service.
“Somebody is slandering you every day -like Pompeo, like Pence,” he grumbled. To turn on Twitter is to see that “they are badmouthing China. They are talking about Hong Kong. They are saying the protesters in Hong Kong are freedom fighters. This is totally wrong!”
(Imagine how different Twitter would be with millions of pro-government mainland Chinese voices arguing the government’s case in English for “law and order” in Hong Kong.)
Zhao rejected my suggestion that there was a contradiction in adopting the tools of an open society to make the case for a closed one. And he said he doesn’t take that ability for granted.
“If the U.S. government is unhappy with my account, maybe one day they will make Twitter close down @zlj517.”
Then he grabbed my phone to show the source of pride he shares with many of his verified brethren, one truly viral tweet:
Raab called on to apologise to Queen’s Counsel trying Hong Kong case
British minister Dominic Raab said David Perry was handing Beijing a PR victory in taking up the case, pointing to concerns over the national security law. But former top prosec...
Hong Kong’s Covid-19 caseload jumps to 107; ethnic minority members warned of risks
By taking off masks to eat and socialise, residents of mostly South Asian descent are helping to spread the disease, health authorities say. But NGO worker asks why one group is...
Stamp duty relief spurs Hong Kong’s biggest industrial property deal since August 2019
Property fund manager Kailong buys industrial building in Cheung Sha Wan for US$124.5 million after government’s recent abolition of double stamp duty made it more affordable.
ByteDance moves on from smartphones to devices for education sector
TikTok owner ByteDance suspends development of smartphones to refocus on smart education hardware products.
80 per cent of recovered Hongkongers still suffer 1 symptom: Covid-19 study
Researchers at Chinese University also say nearly a third suffer from more than three symptoms and warn Hongkongers at risk given prevalence of the microbial imbalance in popula...
Jail for only person convicted of rioting during notorious Hong Kong protest
Chan Cho-ho, 25, sentenced to four years behind bars over violent clashes on August 31, 2019, one of the most chaotic days of that year’s protests.
Gang steals HK$3.5 million from woman after cryptocurrency trade
The woman was paid HK$3.5 million in cash after using her iPhone to complete an online transaction to sell USDT tokens, police source says.
‘We will die’: Hong Kong businesses demand immediate easing of Covid-19 rules
Restaurants, beauty parlours plead with Hong Kong government to allow them to open up their premises, after seemingly endless social-distancing curbs.
‘Is the government playing us?’ Lunar New Year fair U-turn confuses florists
Flower growers say government reversal has come too late but politicians across the political divide welcome the decision.
HK reports 107 Covid cases, 40 infections untraceable
The Centre for Health Protection said as of 12am today, it has recorded 107 additional confirmed coronavirus cases – five imported and 102 local – bringing the tally to 9,665 ca...
Hong Kong Covid-19 panel backs Pfizer vaccine, seeks more Norway deaths details
Unanimous backing from experts will go before health secretary for final decision, paving way for mass inoculation drive from mid-February.
From "Theme Park” to "Resort”: Ocean Park revamp
Ocean Park will soon shift its focus from running a theme park, to become a resort-like destination for members of the public, according to Ocean Park chairman Lau Ming-wai.
China GDP Grows 2.3% In 2020, Bounces Back To Pre-Pandemic Trajectory
The 2.3 percent expansion is the lowest figure since the Chinese economy embarked on major reforms in the 1970s.
HKSAR.org is a non-profit, private and self-funded, commonly-created News and info-sharing platform that enables everybody to share valuable content such as local and global news updates. The news are written by different contributors, all of them volunteers.
©2001-2021 HKsar.org Contact UsAboutPrivacy Policy
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21642
|
__label__cc
| 0.716053
| 0.283947
|
Catholic Elementary School
Transportation (Busing)
School Lead Sampling
Trustee Meeting Highlights
Patron - Holy Name of Mary
The Learning Commons
myClass
Athletic Teams and Schedules
Athlete's and Coach's Prayers
Student Activities List
Child Care & Development
Eye See Eye Learn Program
Letter to Parents/Guardians: Update on transition to remote learning
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that the peace, love and hope of the Christmas season remain with you and your families throughout the new year.
On December 21st we wrote to inform you about the provincial shutdown and the Ministry’s decision to move to remote learning after the Christmas Break. Over the past few months, our instructional staff have been hard at work planning for such a move and we are well positioned to make the transition to remote learning on January 4th. Unless advised otherwise, elementary students can return to in-person learning on January 11th while secondary students will not return until January 25, 2021. For elementary and secondary students enrolled in our Virtual School, the new learning protocols do not affect their learning.
To prepare for the transition to remote learning, schools will be holding virtual staff meetings on the morning of Monday, January 4th. Classroom teachers will connect virtually, using the myClass Learning Management System (LMS), with students/families later in the morning to provide a schedule and outline learning expectations for the week. In the meantime, parents and guardians should make any necessary arrangements to ensure that their children will be properly supervised at home for the first week of January as before and after school care services will not be available as part of the government’s shutdown requirements.
For elementary students, learning will be delivered remotely from January 4-January 8, 2021 by your child’s current teacher using the myClass LMS. The Ministry’s Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) No. 164: Requirements for Remote Learning provides specific standards for instruction of synchronous learning so that parents and students not only know what to expect but supports students to continue to be engaged in their learning. Kindergarten students can expect 180 minutes of synchronous learning each day while students in Grades 1-8 can expect 225 minutes (75%) of the instructional day to be synchronous. Students will return to in-school learning on Monday, January 11th.
For secondary students, remote learning will extend beyond the first week of January until January 22, 2021. 80% of the school day will be delivered synchronously. Synchronous learning is part of the 300-minute instructional day during which teachers must be available to students.
Below is the HWCDSB daily secondary remote learning schedule:
Session 1: 90 minutes of synchronous instruction
Break: 15 minutes
Break: 15 minues
Lunch: 40 minutes
Session 4: 30 minutes of synchronous/asynchronous instructions
Elementary and secondary students with special education needs will also be supported remotely by their classroom/program teacher(s). This includes virtual support from education workers and board professionals as required (e.g. Social Workers, Mental Health Professional Workers, Speech and Language Pathologists, Psychologists and other professionals). Beginning January 4th, school staff will be contacting families of those special education students who cannot be accommodated through remote learning directly to discuss any concerns, answer questions and explore available support options including in-person learning.
HWCDSB Parent Site
The HWCDSB has recently launched a new website specifically for parents. The HWCDSB Parent Website was designed to bring together a number of resources and systems that parents need, all in one place. The new parent site contains explanations of how virtual learning works in both elementary and secondary as well as a new "Tech Help" area for accessing these systems. Parents can also find tips on supporting virtual learning at home and a video series on different technologies. Other features include links common school resources such as School Messenger (absence reporting), the Parent Portal, School Cash Online, Busing and other helpful information.
Child Care and Before/After School Programs
All before and after school programs will be closed from January 4-January 8, 2021. Child care programs in HWCDSB schools are permitted to remain open, however, these programs are prohibited to school-aged children during the shutdown period, January 4-January 8.
Since learning will be delivered remotely during the first week of January, regular transportation services will not be operating between January 4-8. Student transportation services will resume for elementary schools on Monday, January 11, 2021. Staff will be in contact with parents of those students with special education needs whose learning cannot be accommodated remotely regarding transportation services.
Just like physical health, our mental health changes. We go through periods when we do not feel as mentally well. For a variety of mental health resources and supports, we invite you to visit our HWCDSB website. Students are also encouraged to contact Kids Help Phone for 24/7 counselling and information. Students can call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
In his Christmas Day homily, Pope Francis reminded us of our connectedness as a global family. He stated, “May Christmas be an opportunity for all of us to rediscover the family as a cradle of life and faith, a place of acceptance and love, dialogue, forgiveness, fraternal solidarity and shared joy, a source of peace for all humanity.” In these final days of Christmastide, that is our hope and prayer for each of you.
Patrick J. Daly
Chairperson of the Board
David Hansen
Letter-parents-remote learning information-Dec 30 2020
BACK - Home (The Buzz Board)
© 2021Holy Name of Mary Catholic Elementary School | Website Use Disclaimer and Privacy Statement | Login
|
cc/2021-04/en_middle_0086.json.gz/line21643
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.