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Welcome to my stop on the Splendid Sampler 100 blocks tour! Today is a very special day. Not only because I get to share my special block with you, but it is also my anniversary! 23 years ago I married my best friend and he’s supported my quilting habits ever since! Sharing my heart block with you now has extra special meaning and today I’m dedicating this block to Jason – the love of my life!
Scrappy Happy Heart – for Jason – the love of my life who’s also my #1 fan!
I love the “structured improv” look so I chose to paper piece this block, to contain the crazy pieced chaos. I took some step by step pictures while making this block that can help you with your paper piecing efforts.
Click here for Splendid tutorials on paper piecing.
I was very lucky to get to work with the Little Miss Sunshine collection by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique for many of the fabrics. Click here to get the precuts to make a similar block. 🙂
Step 1
Comb through your stash for pretty scraps that work well together.
Thanks to Moda Fabrics for supplying me with such a sweet palette to work from!
Step 2
Cut the pieces according to the cutting chart given in the Splendid Sampler block pattern.
Step 3
Sew the first section of pieces starting with the white background square; press and trim after each piece. It will look somewhat like the hot mess below!
Step 4
Add the corner triangle to the first section. Remember, all this time you are sewing onto paper following the printed lines on the front of the paper.
Step 5
Repeat the piecing, pressing and trimming process for the second section of the block.
This is what the front looks like – I fold each line I am going to sew next and use an add a quarter ruler to trim off the excess smoothly and neatly.
Step 6
Add the last section of heart in the same manner. It will look so good once it’s all trimmed!
Step 7
Add the last two background corner triangles to complete the heart shape and trim to size. Now the best part – gently remove all the paper!
Step 8
Stop and admire your beautiful handiwork. Now is a great time to start thinking about the threads you will use to machine quilt your beautiful blocks. My favorite thread for both piecing and machine quilting is Aurifil – 50 weight cotton.
All of that mess miraculously turns into a beautifully finished block!
Click here to go to the Splendid Sampler Block Page
Here’s my block in other colorways, made by some of the other Splendid Sampler designers. 🙂
Made by Pat Sloan, Julie Karasek, Jane Davidson, Lynette Anderson, Joan Ford, Melissa Corry
New around here?
Thanks for visiting! Be sure to sign up for Friendly Threads, my email newsletter and get a free PDF pattern plus other fun weekly tidbits!
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Geppi Calcara, a Sicilian archivist, was there with her friend and 11-year-old daughter "because we're tired of our children living in a society of non-values", she said. "We find it really difficult to bring up our children with the values they're learning."
Behind her, the Piazza del Popolo in Rome was filling up with tens of thousands of women, and many men who had arrived with their wives or girlfriends.
"There are lots of us," said Calcara. "But we're not visible. The privately-owned TV channels, which belong to [Silvio] Berlusconi, and all but one of the [state-owned] RAI channels, manipulate the news. So people know nothing, or only half, of what is happening."
On Sunday, Italians dismayed by the prime minister and his antics got a chance to show their feelings in a way that even his television network will find difficult to ignore. Thousands of them assembled in piazzas from the foothills of the Alps to the tip of Sicily and in cities from Auckland to Zurich.
"We're more than a million across the world," the actor Angela Finocchiaro told the crowd in the Piazza del Popolo. And though that claim may be disputed, there was plenty of evidence to suggest the numbers ran to several hundreds of thousands.
The posters for the demonstration proclaimed it was being held in support of "a country that respects women". That the need should be felt for such a protest in Europe, 11 years into the 21st century and several decades after Italy spawned one of the continent's most lively feminist movements is, in part at least, evidence of the impact of Berlusconi and his media empire. Last week, the 74-year-old prime minister learned that prosecutors had asked for his indictment on charges of paying an underage sex worker and abusing his official position when she was arrested. He denies any wrongdoing.
His Mediaset network has for years thrived on supplying the public with schedules that are long on glitzy variety programmes and quiz shows that feature so-called veline – young, pretty women in scanty costumes whose most demanding duty in most cases is to hold up a score card.
But RAI too uses veline, and both networks reflect attitudes in society as much as create them. The posters for the demonstration were printed on a pink background without anyone apparently thinking that was patronising.
Unlike Spanish, Italian has not been altered by the change in relations between the sexes, so the words for positions of authority – chief, minister, lawyer and so on – have no have feminine forms.
According to the World Economic Forum's latest global gender gap report, Italy ranked 74th out of 134 countries surveyed — 33 places below Kazakhstan. It scored particularly badly on economic participation and opportunity. Less than half of Italian women have a job and the notion that they should not return to paid work after having a child is still widespread.
Leaked documents from the inquiry into Berlusconi's private life are shot through with indications that aspiring showgirls in Italy are expected to give sexual favours. One claims to have been told by a talent scout who is close to the prime minister that she will have to make "sacrifices" if she wants to get ahead.
Romanian-born Liliana Popa, who married an Italian and teaches French at a Rome school, said she had come to the demonstration to protest at "the spread of a warped idea of relations between men and women. I want a society in which women are judged on merit and not on their degree of availability to men."
Other protesters had a simpler agenda. Carola D'Angelo, a sports events organiser, said: "I'm fed up with this government."
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A sixth-grade teacher in Arkansas faces rape charges after she allegedly had sex and exchanged explicit photographs with a 13-year-old former student.
Police began investigating Mary Faith McCormick, 32, after a 12-year-old girl who borrowed a friend's phone found semi-nude photos of the suspect in a towel and other states of undress accompanied with risque messages. Police say that the phone belonged to the victim.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by KFSM states that McCormick had sex with the boy at least twice and engaged in other inappropriate activities, beginning shortly after school ended in June and continuing into August.
The encounters began after a friend dared the 13-year-old to contact McCormick, the affidavit states. In one instance, the boy and a friend went over to the teacher’s apartment to watch a movie. The friend left, but the 13-year-old stayed and later had sex with the teacher in her bedroom, the affidavit states.
Neighbors told the station they had seen McCormick in the company of young children before, which had raised suspicions. One man said that the allegations were "not shocking," since the teacher had kids visit her house often.
Police said the suspect and victim exchanged electronic images of each other's genitals via the Snap Chat application (Snap Chat enables smart phone users to send "disappearing" images, but those images can be screen-captured and stored).
The teen told police that the alleged encounters were consensual, but under Arkansas law they qualify as rape because the minor cannot legally consent.
McCormick was arrested on rape charges Aug. 13 and bonded out of jail. She is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 22.
The suspect is a teacher at Siloam Springs Intermediate School, and has been put on leave with pay pending the result of the ongoing police investigation.
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Getty Images
There is a Reality Gap in the negotiations over the debt limit. The gap is between what Republicans think will happen if the debt ceiling isn’t raised and what Democrats and the Treasury think will happen. Republicans simply don’t believe that default needs to happen; Treasury and Democrats say it will if the limit isn’t raised.
After meeting with Senate Democrats and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid went after Republicans on the Reality Gap.
“August 2 is the deadline,” said Reid. “We’re already seeing consequences. Credit rating agencies have already warned us they’re thinking about downgrading us from our AAA status. Yesterday Moody’s announced that they’re already examining the possibility that they’ll downgrade it. If we don’t reach an agreement, we’ll have less than 2/3 of the funds we need to pay our obligations.” Later: “There is no wiggle room.”
Geithner spoke next, delivering a short statement and leaving before questions. “We looked at all available options and we have no way to give Congress more time to solve this problem,” he said. “We’re running out of time. The eyes of the country are on us. The eyes of the world are on us. We need to make sure we stand together and send a definitive signal, to avoid default and to also take advantage of this opportunity to make some progress in dealing with our long-term fiscal problems.”
As luck would have it, right after this wrapped up, Senate conservatives were talking about the letter they were sending to the president, chastizing him for saying Social Security checks might not go out if the debt limit is hit. Now: Even getting to this argument is a rhetorical coup for Republicans. Even getting Harry Reid to talk about the government pulling in revenue after Aug. 2 is something. Because their argument remains: We can pay the bills that matter without raising the limit.
“I frankly think the president should apologize,” said Sen. Rand Paul. “The president should apologize for politicizing Social Security. There’s plenty of revenue to pay for sending out all of the Social Security checks. In fact, there’s plenty of revenue to pay all of the soldiers’ salaries.”
This is not the most straightforward argument ever made by a senator. As Benjy Sarlin points out, Republicans are fairly cagey when asked what they’d cut, because “paying soldiers” sounds good, but “selling off parks and stiffing the FBI” doesn’t. So I also asked Sen. Ron Johnson why Republican plans to prioritize spending – even if that was workable – made sense, because rating agencies don’t seem to take the plan very seriously. Johnson pointed right back to Obama.
“A responsible leader wouldn’t be scaring the markets, scaring the American people,” said Johnson. “A responsible leader would have rolled up his sleeves months ago. In terms of this August 2 deadline, do we have something to worry about? Probably, because it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. Because the administration has been scaring the markets, they’ve been roiling the markets for so long, yeah, the markets will probably be a little upset if some things didn’t occur. But I put that squarely on the back of the president for failing to lead by scaring the markets.”
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Turn on -e mode (do you feel lucky - punk?)
In this mode any command your script runs which returns a non-zero exitcode - an error in the world of shell - will cause your script to itself terminate immediately with an error.
You can do that in your shebang line:
#!/bin/sh -e
Or using set:
set -e
Yes, this is what you want. A neat predictable failure is infinitely better than a noisy unreliable failure.
If you REALLY want to ignore an error, be explicit about it:
# I don't care if evil-broken-command fails evil-broken-command || true
Oh and as long as you're messing with shell modes, -e goes well with -x (which I like to think of as shell X-ray).
Like this:
#!/bin/sh -ex
Or like this:
# turn -x on if DEBUG is set to a non-empty string [ -n "$DEBUG" ] && set -x
That way you can actually see what your script was doing right before it failed.
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It’s no secret Mac users are always more or less complaining about various Wi-Fi problems.
But if Apple’s support forums and the Interwebs are an indication, the level of annoyance with the networking stack in Apple’s desktop and mobile operating systems has seemingly skyrocketed following the release of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite in the fall of last year.
Indeed, my MacBook Air running Yosemite drops Wi-Fi connection several times per day and takes about thirty seconds to re-connect to my home Wi-Fi after waking from sleep. Before Yosemite, I would be online literally as soon as I opened the lid.
Having installed El Capitan on my MacBook Air yesterday along with iOS 9 on my iPad Air, I’m happy to report that the vast majority of Wi-Fi problems plaguing users have become a thing of the past, here’s why.
Most, if not all of networking issues plaguing Yosemite and iOS 8 users can be pinpointed to Apple’s irrational decision to replace the trusty old mDNSResponder process that has handled networking on Macs for twelve years with a brand new one called discoveryd, which does the same thing.
Here’s the dreaded discoveryd process as captured in Activity Monitor on Yosemite.
Long story short, the Internet is full of horror stories about bugs in discoveryd.
These issues are nowhere to be found in the old process so after realizing its stupid mistake, Apple has—thankfully—decided to switch back to mDNSResponder beginning with OS X 10.10 beta 4 a few weeks ago.
Even better, a big part of what makes iOS 9 and El Capitan great is the fact that both operating systems use the old mDNSResponder process which—even though not perfect—is very reliable and far, far less annoying than half-baked discoveryd.
If you take a closer look at Activity Monitor on El Capitan Developer Preview, as evidenced on the screenshot below, the old mDNSResponder process, not discoveryd, is now loaded by the operating system.
And if you fire up Xcode developers tools and use the Instruments feature, you’ll notice that that discoveryd has been replaced with mDNSResponder on iOS 9 as well. Good riddance!
That Apple has decided to switch back to using mDNSResponder just a year following didscoveryd’s introduction is an admission of guilt if I ever saw one.
It’s still baffling to me discoveryd passed quality control.
I can only imagine that Apple’s software teams must feel ashamed having shipped such an important system feature that’s riddled with bugs, creating all sorts of issues for its users.
But I’m glad they did the right thing.
Networking-wise, as many have noted thus far, Yosemite is a nightmare to use.
That said, I’m super excited El Capitan shows none of the dreaded Wi-Fi issues I used to experience in Yosemite on a daily basis, such as WiFi disconnecting at random times, a network process using 100 percent of the CPU, non-responsive DNS server or invalid DNS configuration, perpetual renaming of network devices (Apple TV becomes Apple TV (2), Apple TV (3) and so forth), to name but a few.
I’m sure you’ve experienced some of these issues yourself, no?
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Chickens are rounded up outside of an Australian KFC after falling from a semi truck. Screenshot: Jess Carter/Facebook
BACCHUS MARSH, Australia, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A semi truck hauling a load of live chickens in Australia lost its cargo at an appropriate location -- just outside a KFC restaurant.
Jessica Carter posted a video to Facebook showing live chickens being rounded up and returned to their crates about 2 p.m. Tuesday just outside of the KFC in the Melbourne suburb of Bacchus Marsh.
"People were joking about it, saying KFC won't have to pluck their chickens at least now," Carter told The Age.
Carter, a vegan, described the location of the incident as "poignant."
"It truly was just one of those terrible coincidences," she said.
A Victoria Police spokesman confirmed four crates of chickens fell off the truck Tuesday. Bacchus Marsh police responded to assist with the clean-up efforts.
A KFC representative said the chicken truck was not associated with the company.
"These chickens were not destined for KFC and were not linked to our supply chain," the representative told the Melbourne Herald Sun.
"KFC is supplied chicken through the three largest suppliers of chicken in Australia and those suppliers have high standards of bird welfare to ensure their chickens are healthy and comfortable," the representative said. "We require all our chicken suppliers to strictly follow the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals, Domestic Poultry."
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In his first-ever visit to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Zarif thanked the EU for its constructive approach to finding a deal on Iran's nuclear programme, which, he affirmed, was and had always been peaceful. "We managed to define the problem and objective [...] a peaceful nuclear programme", he said.
MEPs welcomed the deal as opening up the possibility of strengthening EU-Iran trade, economic, cultural and environmental ties. However, the human rights situation in Iran, the death penalty, public executions and the prosecution of bloggers and journalists are unacceptable and will serve as a litmus test for future relations, MEPs said.
Mr Zarif acknowledged the need to improve Iran’s human rights record and promised to pursue dialogue on this issue with EU "in a spirit of mutual respect and without preaching".
Asked about ways to end violence in Syria and Yemen, Mr Zarif stressed that the key challenges in the region are "extremism, sectarianism and violence”. He then spelled out a four-point plan to tackle them: ceasefire, national unity government, humanitarian assistance and elections based on new constitution
As regards relations with Saudi Arabia, he stated that Iran was following a policy of self-restraint.
You can watch the recording of the debate via Video on Demande (16-02-2015)
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Tadeusz Różewicz, who has died at the age of 92, was one of the great European "witness" poets whose own lives were directly affected by the seismic events of the 20th century. "My decimated generation is now departed and dying, duped and disillusioned," he said soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He saw the forgetting of history as a disaster, "the falling of tears on the stock exchange" as he wrote in a poem of 1994.
That generation, born just after the first world war, amid the great chaotic redrawing of maps, saw the rise of fascism, the terrors of the second world war (both Różewicz and his brother Janusz – also a poet – served in the Polish Underground, Janusz being killed by the Gestapo in 1944), then watched the Iron Curtain descend across Europe and survived, if they did, Stalinism without being jailed or killed to see the clock tick towards 1989 and what they sometimes considered the false reinterpretation of their own pasts.
Różewicz's own recounting of his life, Mother Departs – a work part memoir, part diary, part recorded conversation, part poetry – presents us with the picture of a childhood that begins with an intensely religious mother who was born Jewish but then became part of the Catholic community. By the time Tadeusz was born the family was living in a small town, but she had spent years in a small backward village and her vivid descriptions of village life, which he recalls in Mother Departs, made a strong impression on the poet in his understanding of human potential.
Różewicz's first poems were religious and he never quite lost sight of the idea of good and evil. He did after all see plenty of the latter. After studying the history of art at university in Krakow he began to publish both poetry and plays and made his reputation in both, developing a collage style in plays like The Card Index.
As a poet he took his stand with those who discarded what most people thought of as "the poetic". He chose simple language and a broad modernist technique to pursue images to the darkest of conclusions.
this is a table I said
this is a table
on the table there is bread a knife
the knife is for cutting the bread
bread feeds people
…
what is a knife for
it's for cutting off the heads of enemies
it's for cutting off the heads of
women children old people…
The texture of the voice was not unlike those we might find in other European poets of his generation, Herbert, Milosz, and Leopold Staff before them, but also Holan, Holub, Popa and Enzensberger who defined the marvellous Penguin Modern European Poets series of the 1970s where his own selection appeared in 1975 and where I first read him within the terms of a morally superior cold war poetry but as someone too inventive and humane to be anybody's textbook example of anything. Poetry for his generation was a recourse against rhetoric, a way of speaking truth between the lines of politics and violence. In other ways Różewicz may remind us of Objectivists such as Zukofsky, Reznikoff, Oppen and Carl Rakosi. We can map him broadly if not fully.
Różewicz's eye was merciless but the poems are full of human sympathy. "Childhood is like that blurred face on a gold coin that rings clear," he wrote in one poem. In another, Pigtail, he considers the shaved hair of the women in a wartime camp:
The hair is not shot through with light
is not parted by the breeze
is not touched by any hand
or rain or lips
This is both tender and remorseless. It is as much an act of disciplined witness as what follows:
In huge chests
clouds of dry hair of those suffocated
and a faded plait
a pigtail with a ribbon
pulled at school
by naughty boys.
Różewicz was a major figure in modernist poetry but his modernism has little to do with theory and formal experiment as such. There is, in his harsh clarity, something beyond, a touch of early Chagall perhaps, as though life were sacred after all. He has been done proud by his chief translator Adam Czerniawski and will be one of the poets through whom we continue to understand what happened in the last century.
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Erik Prince, Blackwater Ready To Be Trump’s Private Oil Army
Above photo: From The Intercept.
Trump’s Knight in America’s New Crusade?
Oakland, CA—The Return of Erik Prince: Trump’s Knight in America’s New Crusade? a new brief from the Oakland Institute, exposes the comeback of the founder of Blackwater, the notorious private security company. An ardent detractor of Obama/Clinton foreign policy during the presidential campaign, Prince is now set with access to unique assets, to be a key player in Trump’s foreign policy.
Using information not seen before, the brief describes Prince’s post Blackwater maneuvers – acquiring logistics capacity in Africa, the Mediterranean Region, and Asia, and networking with high-level individuals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch a private equity fund, Frontier Resource Group (FRG).
“According to our findings, Prince’s connections range from top Emirati businessmen to Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Court,” said Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute. “The first investor in the Frontier Resources Group was a company linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of Abu Dhabi’s ruler itself,” she added.
The UAE is a country where both Trump and Prince have business interests and unsurprisingly was not included among seven predominantly Muslim nations impacted by Trump’s travel ban. The UAE is also a key US ally in the wars that are raging in the Muslim world. It is a member of the US-backed coalition against Houthis rebels in Yemen and is willing to send troops to Syria as part of a US-led coalition against ISIS. In Libya, it is backing the anti-Islamist and Russia-favored General Haftar, reportedly with the support of American pilots employed by Prince.
Prince’s new logistics business, Frontier Services Group (FSG), listed at the Hong Kong stock exchange, owns several aircraft and transportation companies. The firm also provides security consulting services, and is building a training, risk mitigation, intelligence, and medevac base in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous province, which shares the border with Afghanistan.
“The brief reveals the opportunities for Prince to operate once again as a private security contractor – this time for the Trump administration,” added Mittal. “His company, FSG, in addition to experience in securing oil fields in conflict areas, has a staff roster packed with former militaries and mercenaries, including from Blackwater and Executive Outcomes, enabling quick mutation from logistics provider to a war contractor.”
With such assets, Prince is in a prime position to support Trump’s vowed effort to destroy ISIS and get the US hands on its oil reserves. In addition, Prince has connections at the highest level of the Trump administration. His sister Betsy DeVos is Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, and Prince supported the career of Vice President Mike Pence along with other prominent advisors to Trump.
Linking Washington swamp and alt-right factions, Prince connections with Republican heavyweights include Donald Rumsfeld and James Baker III at the Bohemian Grove private gatherings, to Steve Bannon himself who’s alt media Breibart helped establish Prince as a national security expert. “Prince’s past connections helped him become one of the top private contractors for the Bush administration. His current position augurs a fierce comeback – bolstered by Trump’s ethics of mixing personal business and foreign policy agenda,” said Mittal.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE: https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/americas-new-crusade.pdf
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DURANT, Okla. – An Oklahoma day care is under investigation after authorities say the owner and her staff drugged infants to make them sleep.
Jeff Wilson, an investigator with the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, told KTEN that deputies began investigating Sue’s Day Care after former employees admitted to giving small children Benadryl to help them sleep.
“They’ve come and confessed to what was going on in the day care and all stated that they were ordered to give this by the owner,” Wilson said.
The owner, Beverly Sue Stair, could now face child abuse charges.
“My heart sunk,” said Leslee Meade, whose 6-month-old son was identified as one of the victims.
Health experts say Benadryl should not be given to infants unless ordered by a doctor. In some cases, the drug can cause the child to stop breathing.
“What she was doing was messing with everybody’s lives,” Meade said. “Had something happened, it would have changed everybody’s lives forever.”
The day care was closed on Friday as the Department of Human Services opened its own investigation.
See a mistake? Report a typo here.
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[Update: In a Facebook post Monday, End of an Ear noted that it will be relocating, not closing, in response to the property use change. Here is the record store's status update: "We are in the process of buying our own building and we close on the purchase in early July. News will be announced later this summer. We will still be in South Austin. We have been in business on South 1st for 11 years and we look forward to a new chapter in our new space. Stay tuned."
While our original story did not state that any of the current "Slackerville" businesses would be closing, it's understandable that people concluded that might be the case. We are still looking into what will happen to the other businesses in the complex and will update this story as we get more information.]
In what could be considered another casualty of Austin’s rapid growth, a quirky collection of retail shops and residences on South First Street will soon be replaced by a storage unit facility, KXAN-TV reported on its website Saturday. Known to some as "Slackerville," the complex is home to vintage stores Amelia’s Retro Vogue & Relic and New Brohemia, as well as what is probably Austin’s best outsider record store, End of an Ear.
The collection of one-story buildings is also housing or work space for at least a dozen artists and entrepreneurs, the article added.
According to the Amelia’s owner quoted in the story, plans are to start building demolition in December. She told the KXAN reporter that the owner of the property could no longer afford to pay property taxes on the space.
• Tenants: Storage units to replace ‘Slackerville’ space for artists [KXAN-TV]
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A Delaware County student is in a medically induced coma, weeks after a fight at school.
In an exclusive interview with Action News, the 11-year-old's father said it was all because of a bully.
From a schoolyard fight at Darby Township School to a medically induced coma, police are trying to figure out exactly what happened to 6th grader Bailey O'Neill.
"I want to hear his voice, his mother wants to hear his voice," Bailey's father Rob O'Neill said.
Rob says four weeks ago his 11-year-old son was being bullied by a couple of kids when one hit him in the face several times fracturing his nose.
He was also knocked down, causing a concussion.
Bailey's parents had him checked out at the hospital, but something still wasn't right.
"He was sleeping. He was moody. He wasn't himself. He was angry a little bit. He wasn't really eating," O'Neill said.
A few days later, Bailey took a turn for the worse and started having violent seizures.
Doctors at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children were forced to put Bailey into a medically induced coma almost two weeks ago.
"Every day I'm trying to stay strong for him, but when you get into that hospital room and you're looking at him, I would trade places in a heartbeat. It's my buddy, you know," O'Neill said.
Bailey is an honor student, an athlete, and a big brother.
Action News contacted Southeast Delco School District Superintendent Stephen Butz who told us the district asked Darby Township police to investigate.
The statement read:
"We have requested that the local police assist us in the investigation of this incident and are fully cooperating with their investigation of this incident. We are very concerned about the medical condition of this student. And our thoughts and prayers are with him. Due to the age of the students involved and the ongoing police investigation, I am unable to make any additional comments."
The district wouldn't comment about the other student, but Rob O'Neill says he was told the boy was suspended for two days.
Police haven't filed any charges in the ongoing investigation.
O'Neill says that's not enough and he has advice for other parents when it comes to bullying.
"Keep an eye out for it, it's something that's very serious. Sometimes kids are afraid to tell their parents that they're being bullied because of the embarrassment," O'Neill said.
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JACKSON, Tenn. — Police have announced three arrests in a 2015 fire that caused extensive damage to a golf course pro shop building.
Aiden Mitchem, 19, Skylar Reis, 19, and Nicolas Robinson, 27, all have been charged in the Aug. 11, 2015, fire at the pro shop at Jones Creek Golf Course, according to a release from the Jackson Police Department.
The fire caused severe damage to the pro shop located on Paul Coffman Drive.
Investigators determined the cause of the fire was arson and later identified the three suspects.
They will be charged with arson, vandalism over $250,000 and criminal trespassing, according to the release.
They will have bonds set Friday and will be formally arraigned Monday.
Anyone with information about this case or any other crime is urged to call Jackson police at 731-425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 731-424-TIPS (8477) or visit www.jmcrimestoppers.org to place a cyber tip.
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The 24th James Bond movie is rumoured to be based on 2008 novel Devil May Care.
According to The Sun, studio bosses have chosen Sebastian Faulks's Bond novel as the basis for Daniel Craig's next outing.
The book, released to mark the 100th anniversary of creator Ian Fleming's birth, is set in 1967 as a sequel to The Man with the Golden Gun.
Devil May Care follows Bond battling a chemist named Dr Julius Gorner, who aims to control Britain.
Sam Mendes recently confirmed that he will return to direct Bond 24, following the huge success of last year's Skyfall.
The project will be released in the UK on October 23, 2015 and in the US on November 6, 2015. Screenwriter John Logan will also return.
"I am very pleased that by giving me the time I need to honour all my theatre commitments, the producers have made it possible for me to direct Bond 24," Mendes said.
Photo gallery - Skyfall:
Movies: James Bond 'Skyfall' Rolling Gallery
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EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: This week, we wanted to hear what you thought about climate change and whether we should be taking tougher action by reducing our coal exports. Here's Brigid Andersen with the results of this week's poll:
BRIGID ANDERSON, REPORTER: According to Tony Abbott, coal is good for humanity. One thing's for certain: it's good for the economy.
Australia's coal exports this financial year are worth an estimated $56.5 billion. But most of you thought the cost of climate change was more important.
There were more than 8,000 votes in this week's poll. 88 per cent of you on Facebook said Australia should reduce coal exports to address climate change. On Twitter, 89 per cent agreed.
Stephen Collins says Australia needs to "cease the coal industry by 2030 and shift to 100 per cent renewable energy."
Others say, "Our future jobs and growth are in clean energy, not fossil fuels."
The dire predictions about the future of the Great Barrier Reef moved many of you, who welcomed Government funding to combat coral bleaching. But Liz Story says it's only a token gesture if we allow more coal mining, "akin to fighting a house fire while pouring petrol on the house."
Like the pledge to stop the boats, Tony Abbott's "axe the carbon tax" campaign was seen as a deciding factor in the last election. But three years on, our poll results show most of you take a different position.
Let's also take a look at the latest Vote Compass results on the environment.
They show a significant majority of you - 63 per cent - support putting a price on carbon emissions. That's up from 50 per cent at the last election. Seventy-four per cent of you think the Federal Government should do more to tackle climate change.
Let's come back to the coal argument. Brian Salter warned that, if Australia reduces coal exports, the gap "will be taken up by other world producers." Barney O'Sullivan says, if we restrict the supply of Australian coal, buyers will purchase lower-quality coal with far greater impact on the environment.
Rees Thomas says Australia's coal is the world's cleanest and exporting it "reduces the need for other countries to use dirty coal."
Well, Rees and Barney are onto something there. A recent ABC Fact Check found Australia's coal is cleaner than coal in many other parts of the world. What that means is that less Australian coal is needed to generate the same amount of energy - and that leads to lower emissions.
While many thousands of you have told us you want action on climate change, whether reducing coal exports alone will make a difference is up for debate.
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Gov. Bobby Jindal signed Louisiana’s $24.5 billion budget bill for the coming fiscal year this afternoon, including the accompanying tax revenue measures to fund it, including a cap on the film tax credit program that critics say could kill the industry in the state.
As The News Star reports, the group of bills that raised $750 million in new revenue—part of which was technically offset by the controversial SAVE bill—allowed the state to avoid issuing devastating cuts to higher education and health care.
The Associated Press reports the governor did veto state lawmakers’ attempt to curb taxpayer spending on the Republican governor’s campaign travel as he readies a 2016 presidential bid. Jindal stripped language from next year’s budget that would have prohibited the Louisiana State Police from paying for the governor’s security detail to travel with Jindal for “campaign purposes.”
The governor has line-item veto authority over the budget. In his veto message, Jindal says he struck the language because it would limit the state police’s “budgetary discretion.”
Though the film industry had been calling on Jindal to veto a bill that caps film tax incentive spending for the next three years at $180 million annually—or about $77 million less than the state was otherwise expected to spend in the fiscal year that begins July 1—the governor has signed that bill into law.
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Everyone has been feeling the crunch when buying gas. As the price creeps closer and closer to $5.00 per gallon, more and more people are wondering what they are going to do. A new program called MyGallons may be the answer.
The system is basically the same as a guaranteed gas price for life system. Once you purchase the MyGallons Card, you receive a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and all the information. You pay for gas at whatever the price you area has been designated at, then no matter what the price is, you will have a pre-paid card to cover it.
For example, let's say you have been quoted a price of $3.80 pr gallon. 100 gallons would cost you $380 at that time. 2 months down the road, gas now costs $4.10 per gallon. 100 gallons would cost you $410. Overall you will have saved $30. Even though this may not seem like much, you have to remember that gallons never expire. If 100 gallons will last you 12 months, and the price goes up by $1.00, you will have saved $100 in the long run.
For more information and pricing and availability, please visit MyGallons
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Google has confirmed previous reports that it is to comply with European regulators requesting that the Internet giant extend the scope of the so-called “right-to-be-forgotten” legislation beyond that of European search engines.
The right-to-be-forgotten ruling, or “right to delist” as Google perhaps more accurately calls it, was the result of an E.U. directive back in 2014 that was designed to help individuals hide web pages that contained out-of-date, irrelevant, and ultimately “damaging” information about them.
So far, this has meant that people living in the E.U. could submit requests to Google and other search engine operators to have such web pages deindexed from E.U. versions of search engines — such as .de (Germany), .fr (France). or .co.uk (U.K.). But last year, a request made by France demanded that Google and other search engines deindex web pages from all Google Search domains, including Google.com.
Google initially filed a public appeal against France’s request last year. “This is a troubling development that risks serious chilling effects on the Web,” Peter Fleischer, global privacy counsel at Google, said at the time. But the tête-à-tête continued, and the French regulator said that if Google did not comply it would recommend sanctions or fines against the company. It wasn’t clear who would emerge victorious in this standoff, but it looks like the E.U. has had its way.
“We’re changing our approach as a result of specific discussions that we’ve had with EU data protection regulators in recent months,” Fleischer explained in a blog post. “We believe that this additional layer of delisting enables us to provide the enhanced protections that European regulators ask us for, while also upholding the rights of people in other countries to access lawfully published information.”
Google will tap IP addresses and other geolocation “signals” to restrict access to the delisted URL on all Google Search domains, however, delisting will only apply to the country of the person who requested the removal. For instance, if a URL is deindexed based on the request made by someone living in France, all users in France would not be able to see that URL on any Google Search property (including Google.com). However, if someone from France were to travel to another country — even within the E.U. — they would be able to see the web page, but only on a non-E.U. version of Google.
The Internet giant has said it will automatically apply the change retrospectively, covering all deindexing requests it has received over the past two years.
So this can be marked as another minor victory for E.U. regulators in their ongoing battle with U.S. tech companies, though there are many more still to resolve, including the Android anti-competition brouhaha that’s ongoing.
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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The Westchester Knicks avoided a late comeback from the Iowa Energy, the Memphis Grizzles’ affiliate, with a 113-106 win for its fourth straight victory of the season.
Knicks forward Damien Inglis came away with two NBA D-League career highs in the game, finishing with 23 points (previous high: 19) and 14 rebounds (previous high: 10). Forward Jaylen Bond met him in the double-double club off the bench, with 11 points and 10 rebounds of his own, while Keith Wright contributed 12 rebounds in the team’s total of 55. Guard Chasson Randle had 23 points in the win, with four rebounds and two assists, while Milwaukee Bucks assignee Rashad Vaughn had 15 points and two rebounds. Guard Kevin Capers also saw double-digits, finishing with 10 points off the bench.
Iowa forward Wayne Selden Jr. led all scorers in the game with 30 points, adding 10 rebounds for the double-double. Guard Kalin Lucas finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Wade Baldwin IV contributed 15 points. Quinton Chievous and Perry Jones III came off the bench to supply 12 and 14 points respectively.
Neither team produced a solid first quarter; the beacon of light being Westchester’s Chasson Randle, who had 10 of the team’s 22 points in the first twelve minutes. But it was the second quarter that truly hurt Iowa, as the Energy only managed five points through the first six and a half minutes. The Knicks took full advantage, running up as much as a 27-point lead off of 12 points from Rashad Vaughn, and ended the half up 57-36.
The Energy fared slightly better in the third, but it was a monster fourth quarter that really made things interesting as the visitors went into the quarter down by 20. Backed by 15 points from Wayne Selden Jr., Iowa racked up 45 points in the final twelve minutes, shooting 18-for-30 and hitting 6-of-8 from downtown. Overcoming as much as a 22-point deficit in the quarter, the Energy closed the gap to five with 2.3 seconds on the clock. The Knicks held on though, winning the contest 113-106.
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Chris Geiser with a vegan pudding. Photo: Veggie Planet
Vienna will become the ‘vegan capital of Europe' this weekend as it hosts the Veganmania street festival.
A highlight promises to be the appearance on Friday morning of vegan celebrity chef Chris Geiser - who will attempt to cook the world’s largest vegan fried egg in front of an audience at the Museumsplatz.
The meter-sized egg will consist solely of natural, organic, regional and herbal ingredients - and apparently tastes exactly like a chicken’s egg but doesn’t contain cholesterol.
"Eggs and milk are neither necessary for taste or texture. I'll aim to prove this with my vegan fried egg, which is composed exclusively of organic and natural ingredients from Austria," Geiser said. Onlookers will be invited to taste the fried egg - although there will only be enough samples for 2000.
The festival will also feature vegan pizza, cakes, and ice cream as well as live music and acrobatic shows.
"The vegan trend is hard to stop at the moment - and we see that very clearly in our visitor numbers," said festival organizer Felix Hnat.
"More and more people refuse to see animals as food and production units - and at Veganmania we present alternatives. The beauty is that all are welcome, meat eaters too of course. They are especially amazed when they taste the vegan doner kebab or the vegan Sachertorte," he added.
Vegans do not eat animals, or wear products that come from animals, for compassionate reasons.
Vienna has traditionally not been renowned as a destination for vegans or vegetarians - with many cafes in the past assuming that ham doesn’t really count as meat and that vegetarians should therefore be happy to eat it. However, The Local can confirm that things have improved in recent years.
The Veganmania festival will travel onto Graz (5th and 6th July), Innsbruck (2nd August), Klagenfurt (16th August), Bregenz (30th August) and St Pölten (6th September), as well as visiting Germany and Croatia.
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Michael Pfeifer is the Hoffenheim expert for highly respected German football magazine kicker.
We spoke to him to get the inside track on Liverpool’s Champions League play-off opponents ahead of Tuesday night’s first leg at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.
What was the reaction like in Hoffenheim when they were drawn against Liverpool?
They were torn. “This is the most difficult opponent,” admitted striker Andrej Kramaric. However, on the other hand, everyone in the club is happy about this very attractive task and the enormous public attention on this tie.
This is the first time Hoffenheim have qualified for Europe. How big an occasion is Tuesday night for the club?
It’s huge. This duel with Liverpool will undoubtedly be the biggest event in the history of the club.
It’s been a remarkable rise for the club over the past decade. Is it all down to the financial backing of billionaire Dietmar Hopp?
Hopp certainly laid the groundwork with his investment, but the patrons place great value on the fact that the club is financially independent now. Liverpool had a part to play in that by paying them 40million Euros for Firmino.
Hoffenheim were 17th when Julian Nagelsmann took over as manager in February 2016 and he led them to a fourth placed finish in the Bundesliga last term. How would you describe the impact of the 30-year-old and how do you think he will approach the first leg?
Nagelsmann has gained the highest recognition in Germany within a year. He is in all areas absolutely top level: training, tactics, coaching, media work. He will also try to get Liverpool to decide the game and attack them where it hurts.
Niklas Sule and Sebastian Rudy left to join Bayern Munich. How big a loss are they? Who have they signed this summer to fill those gaps and are they as strong as last season?
To replace Sule, Havard Nordtveit was signed from West Ham and he has plenty of experience. They also signed Justin Hoogma, a young Dutch defender with potential from Heracles Almelo. Rudy could not be adequately replaced.
What kind of reception will Firmino get on his return to Hoffenheim? And how about Klopp?
Firmino will certainly be welcomed back. He’s still very popular among the club’s supporters. Klopp, on the other hand, polarises opinion in Germany so there will be different reactions to him in the stadium.
(Image: AMELIE QUERFURTH/AFP/Getty Images)
Hoffenheim were unbeaten at home all last season. How much of that do you think is down to the atmosphere at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena?
The strength of the home support certainly gives the team a lot of confidence. The stadium will be sold out and they will support their team fully. However, don’t expect a cauldron like at Anfield on European nights.
Liverpool conceded from two corners at Watford on Saturday and were poor defensively. I’m guessing that Hoffenheim have been working on their set-pieces...
Hoffenheim’s scouts have certainly recognised this weakness in the Liverpool team. It’s an area of the game where Hoffenheim can be very dangerous. They have some very strong players in the air with the likes of Hübner and Wagner.
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Any team news?
Apart from Adam Szalai (calf injury) and Florian Grillitsch (metatarsal), Hoffenheim have everyone fit.
Finally, what’s your prediction for Tuesday night and who do you expect to progress to the group stage?
A lot will depend on the outcome of the first game. If Hoffenheim succeed in keeping a clean sheet then their chances of going through will grow tremendously.
Away from home, this team are capable of scoring a goal at any time. This is also true for Liverpool who have the advantage of being able to play first away from home.
I’m expecting an open game but with their much greater experience the advantage lies with Liverpool.
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For transducers, depending upon the measurement method used, there should always be a target response to achieve neutrality, at least. A flat line isn't necessary that target. At the listening position, the target response I prefer is similar to the old B&K target ( http://www.bksv.com/doc/17-197.pdf ) see page 4. [I've seen HF'ers and a few people here incorrect refer to this as the Olive-Welti curve. The O-W curve is the target / compensation for their headphone measurement system. Sean Olive did not invent this target curve. The B&K target was formally presented to AES in 1974, and sound engineers were already aware and using similar type curve since the 1950s or earlier.] Flat will sound like shit at the listening position. This B&K target also somewhat works with the V2 measurements for headphones on this site.
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Actress Clara will be making a TV comeback through a new variety show.
On June 28, Clara’s agency stated, “Clara will be participating in a new program called ‘Unni Who Knows Fashion’ (working title) as the main MC and will officially restart her promotions in Korea.”
This new variety show is centered around giving useful beauty and lifestyle tips. TV personality Kim Sae Rom and designer Hwang Jae Geun will be working together with Clara on this show.
An affiliate of Clara stated that she has been preparing for a long time to resume activities in Korea while she was promoting overseas in China, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Clara filed a lawsuit against her agency Polaris in January of 2015 to end her contract, citing sexual harassment from the CEO. Polaris responded by filing a lawsuit against her for blackmail, but she was cleared of all charges. The two sides came to a settlement in September of 2015.
Are you looking forward to Clara’s return to Korean entertainment?
Source (1)
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BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff says that while the German government hasn’t blocked campaign appearances by Turkish politicians, that isn’t a “free pass” for the future.
Several German municipalities canceled rallies that Turkish ministers had planned to address in support of a referendum to give the Turkish president more powers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of “Nazi practices.”
The Dutch government has blocked appearances by Turkish ministers.
Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, told RBB Inforadio Monday: “So far, in the last 60 years of our history, we repeatedly refrained from such entry bans for countries such as, for example, the Soviet Union, China and others with whom we were in the Cold War.”
But he added: “This is not a free pass for the future.”
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In the wake of President Obama's recent public endorsement of net neutrality, Gizmodo has released a report highlighting the campaign contributions received by politicians from the nation's four major telecom companies.
As per the report, both Democrats and Republicans received over $8 million from companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon, AT&T, and their trade group the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) in this year's election alone.
What's particularly concerning is that money doled out by these companies directly reaches politicians like Ted Cruz, who is on the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, which handles internet governance and FCC oversight.
The following table breaks down exactly how much telecoms gave to the election and reelection campaigns of the politicians tasked with overseeing the already industry-friendly FCC:
So, after Obama came out in support of net neutrality, asking the FCC to reclassify broadband as a public utility, Cruz's response comparing net neutrality to Obamacare shouldn't come as a surprise.
It's not that telecom money greased every pocket; the report notes that Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, the one who introduced a bill to strengthen net neutrality rules back in 2011, didn't take any money.
Here is a breakdown of money given to members of House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology:
Aside from direct contributions, there are various other ways in which money exchanges hands. For example, companies can also donate money to a candidate's associated leadership Political Action Committee (PAC), whose money is used for the campaigns of political allies.
In addition, company employees can also contribute to campaigns. For example, Senator Mark Pryor, chairman of the senate subcommittee, received $30,750 from employees of Comcast in the 2013-2014 period.
As the report notes, "If it all seems confusing, yes, that is deliberate. If it all seems like a way to obfuscate exactly how much money is going where, yes, that is deliberate, too."
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Robot Hero
JET JAGUAR
Height: 2 meters
Mass: 270 lbs
Bio:
Goro Ibuki, a brilliant technician, computer scientist and part-time inventor, had made some enemies in his lifetime. Enemies that he cared not to speak about to his nephew, Rokuro, or his best friend, Hiroshi. Nevertheless, he knew it would bode disaster to simply ignore the impending threats that would occassionally reach his ears. So, he dove headfirst into a project that had been swirling about in his head for the last several years, being a little project called "JET JAGUAR."
Goro had always been a mysterious one, largely keeping to himself, his only visitors being his best friend and little nephew. He knew, however, that because he had such social contacts, such people that were dear to him, they would be targets for whatever threat breathed down his neck. Thus, Jet Jaguar was his crowning achievement as a scientist; a human-sized machine, though easily 6 feet tall, was powerful and constructed to be nearly unbeatable by average human means. When asked how he could create something so advanced, Goro would avoid the subject or use some colorful euphamism to gloss over the fact that Jet Jaguar's design was only about half his own, while the other half was something more advanced....more alien...
Rokuro loved the TV series "Zone Fighter," to the point of idol worship. As a result, Goro designed Jet Jaguar in such a way that it would mimic the colorful heroes on television, and hopefully embody the courage and ideology they represented. Rokuro immediately treated Jet Jaguar like a metallic foster father, and "JJ," in kind, treated Rokuro with special consideration, if only because Goro had programmed the robot for such. JJ was Goro's bodyguard, rather than simply a playmate, and it was the advent of the Nebulan invasion that the robot's true purpose would come to bear. Jet Jaguar was, at first, sought out as a weapon to be stolen by mysterious men claiming to be "Seatopians," but Goro regained control, and the machine was able to plow through an entire attack squadron of Nebulan soldiers, becoming instrumental in allowing Godzilla, Anguirus and the JSDF to defeat Gigan, Megalon and the Nebulans.
Specifications:
- Able to lift twice its own mass easily.
- Motion-mapping computer allows for a multiple styles of martial arts, from Kung Fu to Judo to Tai-chi
- Extremely powerful High-Beams from eyes can stun enemies
- Right had can deploy a taser-like attachment
- Left wrist can deploy pepper-spray
- Can be remotely controlled from Goro's home computer, or his voice-activated remote
UP NEXT - Mecha-Godzilla
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RHONJ Alum Diagnosed With Lyme Disease Amid Battle With Breast Cancer
Amber Marchese can’t seem to catch a break!
The former Real Housewives Of New Jersey star, who previously left the show to fight breast cancer for a second time, has now confirmed she also has Lyme disease.
Related: Amber Goes Off On Allegations She Was Abused By Her Husband
The momma made the reveal to ET on Tuesday, sharing:
“I was officially diagnosed last week.”
Oh wow. We can only imagine the stress of having another battle, though she continued to explain:
“I am very fortunate as I caught it so early that no treatment is necessary. But we are going to monitor it.”
What a relief!
As fellow former housewife Yolanda Hadid showed the world with her public battle with the disease, it can take quite the toll on the body and mind!
Amber even explained:
“About two weeks ago, I had flu-like symptoms which included a low grade fever, headache, aches, chills, joint pain and awful neck pain. I posted my condition on social media and a friend suggested I get tested for Lyme disease. She shared with me her struggles with Lyme disease and we shared many of the same symptoms.”
And she continued to say she requested to be tested for it at her oncologist’s office, and it came back positive.
Related: Yolanda Wrote A Memoir About Her Battle With Lyme Disease
The 38-year-old maintains she’s getting by, choosing to keep a positive attitude:
“If I thought about the joint pain, then the pain increased. When I ignored it, got my butt to the gym, it went away. I believe in the power of the mind. You are sick if you want to be sick, you are well if you want to be well. That is just the way I choose to live my life.”
The former reality TV starlet copes with her breast cancer in a similar way:
“I am coping by getting my butt to the gym and pushing myself as hard as I can! I enjoy every day as a blessing and focus on my family and friends.”
Amber also added:
“I feel really blessed that I caught it before it is too late. I know so many people suffering from this disease and it sounds horrific.”
She has since taken to Twitter to defend how she has chosen to fight her battles, writing on Wednesday:
@FerliseNavidad I’m not in doubt that I have breast cancer and lymes. It is my choice how to deal with it. God bless.
— Amber Marchese (@AmberNMarchese) June 22, 2016
Yes!!!!!!! Love it!!!!! U either v a warriors heart or dont. I don’t care if you lift cans, do something #spartan https://t.co/SauCHo3MdM
— Amber Marchese (@AmberNMarchese) June 22, 2016
Plus, she has also come to Yolanda’s defense, adding:
@KhalidBarwani no I believe she suffers from the disease. But no I do not know her.xox
— Amber Marchese (@AmberNMarchese) June 22, 2016
We’re wishing her all the best as she continues to fight her battles!
[Image via WENN.]
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Brussels sprouts are pretty much my favorite vegetable. I used to not like them but then I realized I was just lacking the proper preparation. In the past I’ve fried or baked them but today I’m going to combine them into a casserole. This makes it easy to prepare ahead of time and throw in the oven before a meal.
I didn’t get a really good picture of the finished product but here’s the completed casserole!
In case you didn’t guess, this recipe starts out with brussels sprouts. I used to hand wash all of the brussels sprouts but since then I’ve found a better method. I just fill the entire bag with water, swish it around, and scoop them out as I need them. Its much faster than hand washing each one. Rather than hand cut all of the brussels sprouts, I used my food processor with the slicing attachment. This makes quick work out of all of the brussels sprouts; saving you a ton of time! The food processor makes quick work of the 2 lbs of brussels sprouts and you end up with these thin slices of brussels sprout.
Now start assembling all of the ingredients into a bowl. First the cheese goes in. Then the remaining herbs and spices. Mix them all up!
Now throw all of the ingredients into a large, greased casserole dish. Spread the mixture out and pour the cream over the top. To shred the Parmesan cheese, I used the fine grater attachment on the same food processor. This thing makes quick work of grating hard cheese and creates a really fine finished product.
This is way finer than the average Parmesan in a can from the store and I think it acts much more like a thickener. Now for the topping we start with some almond flour. Then add in the Parmesan and some melted butter. Mix it until it forms clumps. Now spread the mixture over the top of the casserole to form the crust. Here’s the brussels sprout casserole along with a nice steak and some mashed cauliflower!
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It was a tantalizing tabloid story — Occupy Wall Street tied to murder — but was it simply the product of human error?Wednesday morning, major media outlets reported that DNA found on a chain used at an Occupy Wall Street demonstration in March had been tied to a New York City cold-case. The chain had been used to prop open an emergency exit at a subway station. DNA from the chain, reports said, had been matched to a CD player belonging to Sarah Fox, a Juilliard student who was found murdered in Inwood Hill Park in 2004.
“OWS shock in unsolved ’04 Sarah slay,” read a New York Post headline, followed by the subheadline: “DNA match from B’klyn subway protest.” NBC New York went with: “DNA from Sarah Fox Murder Scene Linked to Chain Used in Occupy Wall Street Protest.” Many other outlets ran similar articles.
But by late Wednesday afternoon, anonymous sources were coming forward to undercut the story. A person “briefed on the investigation” told The New York Times that the DNA came from a New York Police Department employee who works with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Another person said the DNA came from a supervisor in the Police Department’s laboratory, which also does DNA testing.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the city’s medical examiner’s office, told the paper that “[w]e’ve excluded all medical examiner’s office personnel,” but added that, “[w]e are still actively investigating the match.”
Meanwhile, a source told The New York Daily News that the NYPD employee in question had processed evidence from both cases, and would “likely” face departmental charges. The Daily News reported that it was unclear if the “worker was assigned to the police crime lab or to the Medical Examiner’s office.”
“The investigation is ongoing,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Wednesday, according to the Daily News. “We’re not going to be able to solve every crime. I wish we were able to.”
The NYPD told TPM Thursday morning that the department had no comment on the latest reports of the DNA match.
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Hillary Clinton warns of 'severe consequences' for Pakistan if a new attack like the Times Square bomb is traced back to the country
An American drone killed at least nine people in Pakistan's tribal belt this morning in the first such strike since a Pakistani-American man was linked to last weekend's failed Times Square bombing.
Two missiles slammed into a house in North Waziristan, the tribal agency where the 30-year-old bombing suspect Faisal Shahzad claims to have met the Taliban leadership and obtained explosives training.
The US has stepped up pressure on Pakistan to attack militant hideouts in the tribal belt in recent days, particularly North Waziristan. Using unusually belligerent language, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, warned of "very severe consequences" if a successful attack was linked to Pakistan.
In an interview due to be broadcast on CBS on Sunday, she said the US "wants more, expects more" from Pakistan.
"We've made it very clear that if, heaven forbid, an attack like this that we can trace back to Pakistan were to have been successful, there would be very severe consequences," she said.
The US military commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, reportedly delivered a similar message to the Pakistani army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, in a meeting last Friday.
Clinton's threat is understood to mean the US could slow millions of dollars in economic and military aid, rather than mount directly military action in the tribal belt, although some American politicians have raised voices in favour of that, too.
In fact, the US is already engaged in its most ferocious campaign on Pakistan soil for decades through the CIA drone strikes, which are currently averaging about two per week.
A senior Pakistani intelligence official said there had been 40 drone attacks so far this year, compared with 49 in the whole of 2009. Other tallies have counted just over 30 strikes in 2010.
The CIA has received permission to strike a much wider range of suspected militants than before, including those whose identities have not been established, the Los Angeles Times reported last week. Previously, the CIA could only attack individuals on a vetted list of Taliban and al-Qaida leaders.
Today's drone strike destroyed a compound in Datta Khel, a notorious militant stronghold close to the Afghan border. One villager told Reuters that drones circled over the destroyed compound for some time after the attack; the identity of those killed is not known.
"The Americans are very anxious and angry," said Dr Riffat Hussain, an Islamabad-based defence analyst. "Hillary is sounding a word of warning to Pakistan, and this latest drone strike may be related to that."
However, the nature of any link between the Taliban and the Times Square attack remains unclear. The crude nature of the bomb, the bungled nature of its execution and the fact that Shahzad so readily admitted his terrorist links suggest the Pakistani-American had little training.
Additional FBI investigators are due to arrive in Pakistan to determine whether Shahzad was a "lone wolf" or had been deployed by a militant network. Several associates who have been picked up for questioning in Pakistan belong to Jaish-e-Muhammad, a militant group.
Separately, a Pakistani army helicopters gunship killed 18 militants and destroyed six militant hideouts during operations in Orakzai, another corner of the tribal belt where Taliban fighters recently beheaded three men, according to a government official in the area. The toll could not be independently verified.
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The remains of a car at the scene of a suicide bombing in Kabul Monday that killed at least two foreign contractors working for the NATO-led International Security Assistance force.
KABUL — Two security contractors killed by a suicide blast in Kabul Monday were Americans, the U.S. Embassy confirmed.
The contractors were leaving one of Afghanistan’s main detention centers in the east of the capital, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden sedan next to their convoy.
An official with the National Directorate of Security said Monday that three contractors were killed in the attack. But the U.S. Embassy and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force later said the number was two.
Insurgent group Hezb-i Islami claimed responsibility for the blast, which happened near Pul-e Charki prison.
The names of the victims have not been released.
There has been a series of attacks recently in the Afghan capital at a time of year when violence generally ebbs in Afghanistan, as many insurgents spend the winter in Pakistani redoubts.
Last month, insurgents attacked a Kabul restaurant popular with foreigners, killing 21 people. About a week later, a suicide bomb attack on an Afghan military bus killed four people and wounded 22 others.
As Afghan security forces have taken over much of the day-to-day fighting, casualties among foreign troops and contractors have dropped, although they are still targeted, especially by bomb attacks.
Analysts say high-profile attacks in the capital are aimed at undermining the population’s confidence in the Afghan government and its security forces as the withdrawal of foreign combat forces gathers pace.
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As the halfway point of Atlanta United’s inaugural season fades in the rear view mirror, here’s the moments that have made the club’s debut year so memorable:
Preseason training
With anticipation among Atlanta United fans ready to bubble over, what a sight it was to see the Five Stripes take the field for the first time.
The first match
The first of many sold-out crowds at Bobby Dodd Stadium. A night fans will never forget.
The first goal
A magical moment that brought a sold-out stadium to its feet. Yamil Asad makes history as the club’s first ever goalscorer
The first win
Some may know it as the snow game, others as the club’s first win. But one thing’s for certain: it was a statement.
The training ground
The training ground was another sign of Atlanta United’s commitment to the city it calls home.
Houston had a problem
A rain delay couldn’t put a damper on Atlanta’s scintillating attack, with Miguel Almirón’s first hat trick for the club highlighting a dominant display over the Dynamo.
First Homegrown debut
Andrew Carleton became the team’s first Homegrown signing well before the season started, but his debut for the senior team was a historic moment for the club.
Cup debut
Another match delayed by weather, but Atlanta showed resilience to fight back to win their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup debut over the Charleston Battery.
Thanks for weathering the storm
We love you, Atlanta! #UniteAndConquer pic.twitter.com/SGypsDiYkL — Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) June 15, 2017
Homegrown signing ceremony
When a dream became a reality. George Bello, Patrick Okonkwo and Lagos Kunga are honored during halftime for signing Homegrown contracts with the club.
First Unified Team
Accesibility to soccer for all Atlantans has been a cornerstone of Atlanta United’s mission from the start, so the announcement of the first Special Olympics Unified Team was a historic day for the club.
The beautiful game breaking down barriers and unifying us all.
Congrats to the new members of the inaugural #ATLUTD Unified Team! pic.twitter.com/E5YnNEDvf2 — Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) June 29, 2017
It's been a memorable first half of the season for Atlanta United. And the best is yet to come...
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Economics
The Department
Welcome to the Department of Economics at Texas A&M University – a highly ranked program with world-class faculty in a variety of fields. Our department is passionate about giving students the education they need to succeed in an ever changing world.
To build a solid base of understanding, students take foundational courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics and mathematics, then refine those skills in statistics and intermediate economic theory classes. In upper-level courses these reasoning abilities are applied to specific situations, with a particular focus on understanding social problems from an economics perspective. The Economics Research Laboratory at Texas A&M, one of the world’s foremost experimental economics research facilities, offers opportunities for students to conduct their own experiments as part of coursework or independent research.
The Department offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree, along with two five-year programs joint with the Bush School of Government & Public Service. In addition to its Ph.D. program, the Department also offers a Masters of Science of Economics with concentrations in Financial Economics or Econometrics.
We invite you to explore our website and learn of the variety of courses, programs and resources available to both current and prospective students.
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The Rams and Miami Dolphins are like those two guys fighting over the same girl. The Dolphins may have some cool traits (maybe they've got that new age hipster vibe?), but the Rams, well, the Rams are like an astronaut. As we all know, an astronaut beats everything, or so I'm told.
Check this tweet that thePHINS.com sent out this morning:
Reports now #Dolphins had TE Jared Cook ready to sign, thought deal was done. Rams, Jeff Fisher swooped in and trumped offer. — ThePHINS.com (@DolphinsNews) March 13, 2013
Talk about a change of pace. In years past, fans of the lowly Rams would get excited only to see players lined up for visits go elsewhere, while the Rams were stuck with franchise cornerstones like Drew Bennett in free agency. Not anymore.
It's a changing of the guard. Speaking of the offensive line...about Jake Long...
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After nearly five years of waiting, spectators have finally been given a taste of the Rocket Racing League. At an airshow in Tulsa, Oklahoma, two of the racers took to the skies with long flames and loud bursts of rocket power. The pilots demonstrated the impressive capabilities of a lightweight composite airplane paired with a liquid-oxygen rocket motor.
Founded by X-Prize guru Peter Diamandis in 2005, the Rocket Racing League was initially planning on holding a series of races back in 2008. After hitting some of the same financial turbulence felt around the world, Diamandis is hoping to get back to a schedule for races some time next year.
A single rocket racer flew in front of the aviation crazed crowd at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 2008 with its short bursts of rocket power allowing the pilot to climb and maneuver unlike a traditional airplane. As one of the test pilots explains in the video after the jump, it’s full throttle or nothing at all, giving pilots a boost of power that would make Michael Knight envious.
In addition to the first flight of two rocket racers together, showing off the impressive power-to-weight ratio when you have a real rocket booster, the event in Tulsa also included demonstration of how the race will look to spectators on the ground. Using a twin-engine Cessna equipped with the same technology that will be used by the racers, pilots flew through an example of a computer-generated course and spectators were able to “see” the course on giant television screens on the ground (or at home).
Though some have called it NASCAR in the sky, the rocket racers will actually race against the clock. The computer-generated course will be shown on a heads-up display allowing the pilot to see the course from the cockpit, a view that is shown in the video as a series of boxes creating a track to follow. The concept is similar to the highway in the sky that has been developed as a navigation aid to normal, non-rocket-flying pilots. It’s a lot like a videogame where a pilot must fly through a course on a screen, but in this case with liquid oxygen rocket that can be heard for miles.
The videogame connection will be taken even a step further according to race organizers. Viewers at home will be able to fly a computer based rocket racer head-to-head with the real-life pilots, allowing spectators to virtually compete in the Rocket Racing League from the comfort of their couch.
The real rocket racers are derived from an airplane developed by kit-plane manufacturer Velocity Aircraft. The four-place airplane features a canard design derived from a plane originally designed and built by legendary aerospace engineer Burt Rutan. In the future, race organizers expect purpose-built rocket racers to be built as the sport develops.
Images / Video: Rocket Racing League
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What on earth!
The powers to be have decided that white potatoes aren’t nutritious enough and WIC recipients (mothers and kids eligible for assistance because they’re living at a certain poverty level) shouldn’t be buying them.
The head of the Washington State Potato Commission disagreed and put himself on an all potato diet, losing 20 pounds in 2 months while doing so, to prove potatoes are indeed good for you and should be included in the WIC program.
Chris Voight’s typical meal plans would include “3 pounds of mashed, 2 pounds of sliced and fried, and 2 pounds of roasted, snack-cubed red and fingerling potatoes” given a special kick with spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano and dill. Sometimes he’d mix in bouillon cubes and gravy for a “special treat.” For Thanksgiving, it was a tur-tato, a turkey shaped potato.
The USDA currently allows women with WIC to use their subsidies on any fruit and vegetable except white potatoes. Sweet and other potatoes are allowed. Ironically, this is the same organization that allows french fries to count as vegetables in school nutrition programs, which are made from…gasp…white potatoes. Imagine they are probably also advocating meat as an excellent source of protein for the little ones.
A final decision on the potato ban will be made by officials next year. Hopefully, they’ll consider Mr. Voight’s experience and allow Mr. Spud a place in the grocery basket.
As a vegetarian or vegan, some of the best meals can be made with white potatoes, which happen to contain about half of your daily needs for Vitamin C, a good source of Potassium and one of the highest protein contents of any vegetable.
Enjoyed organically so you can eat the skins (spuds are on the dirty dozen list of conventional produce with the most pesticides) and bake one, topping it with black beans and/or salsa. They also make a good component to veggie hash containing tofu, seitan or other plant protein.
View more veg potato recipes, cook them and stick it to the tator censoring man!
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Kotaku East East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.
The free-to-play Animal Crossing for mobile was slated for release early this year. Today, however, Nintendo has announced that it’s been delayed to make way for Fire Emblem Heroes.
Nintendo just made this announcement via a financial statement:
For smart devices, we plan to release the game application Fire Emblem Heroes on February 2. We will also follow last December’s release of Super Mario Run for iOS with an Android version in March. To accommodate the releases and operation of these applications, we have revised the release schedule for Animal Crossing, which we had originally planned to release during this period. This title will be released during the next fiscal year.
For Nintendo, the next fiscal year begins on April 1, so pencil in Animal Crossing for mobile some time after that.
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Porn-trolling operation Prenda Law made its money filing copyright claims over illegal downloads of adult movies. Now, at least four judges want to see the money flow in the other direction—to the defense lawyers who have made short work of Prenda claims.
Prenda didn't only file copyright claims. In some cases, it also made hard-to-understand anti-hacking claims in state court, which led to some success for Prenda. In fact, the company was able to press on getting consumers' contact information even after it was sanctioned in federal court due to an Illinois anti-hacking case where a judge signed off on a broad discovery order.
But those state court cases aren't looking like a slam dunk anymore. The most recent expensive setback for Prenda comes out of the Guava LLC v. Merkel case. That's a Minnesota state court case where Prenda was accused of colluding with a "sham" defendant to get discovery.
Last week, Guava, along with the Alpha Law Firm it used to prosecute the case, was ordered to pay $63,367.02 in attorney's fees to five different law firms who defended the case. The order, published by the blog Fight Copyright Trolls, also bars anyone affiliated with Guava or Alpha Law from filing any more lawsuits in Minnesota state court without posting a $10,000 bond and getting approval from the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Alpha Law Firm is the law firm of Paul Hansmeier. He and John Steele are the two lawyers most commonly pointed to as the masterminds behind Prenda Law's many shell companies.
In all, Prenda has been ordered to pay $81,319.72 in sanctions by US District Judge Otis Wright; $9,425 in the Trinh case, which it failed to appeal; and $22,531 in the Navasca case, where US District Judge Edward Chen is also considering a motion for sanctions. Together with the Merkel fine, the grand total of Prenda-related fines—not including any interest that may accrue during an appeal—is $176,642.74.
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Northern Ireland is seeing a quiet revolution in beer tastes and the ever increasing number of breweries and craft beer bars that are opening is great to see. Five years ago it was difficult to get a good selection of beers in bars and off-licences, I for one am happy to say that this is changing and Northern Ireland now has a lot to shout about in beer terms.
There will be great breweries, bars and beers that I may have missed out but this is just a starter to wet your appetite and to get you exploring the great beers from around Northern Ireland.
Brewery’s
Hilden and Whitewater have been on the scene since the 80’s and 90’s producing locally brewed craft beer in a time that arguably there was not a great demand for it.
There are many newer breweries that have recently sprung up who’s beer is available widely to quench the demand from the increasing numbers of craft beer drinkers. All have varying styles and ranges, many producing specials throughout the year.
Many of the breweries offer tours and I would highly recommend a visit if you are in anyway interested in beer and how it is made. Northern Ireland breweries include, Inishmacsaint, Farmageddon, Hercules, Hillstown, Pokertree, Red Hand, Boundary, Mourne Mountains brewery, Northbound and Lacada amongst an ever expanding list of others.
Festivals
The Belfast beer Festival – This is an annually held event located in the grand surroundings of the Ulster Hall. Run by CAMRA there is no shortage of great beer including many local breweries.
ABV – The first festival took place in 2015 and was a great success. Located in the old Titanic Drawing offices and featuring many highly regarded craft breweries and food producers from across Ireland and the UK.
Sippy of Culture – Another newcomer to the scene, located in the guildhall in Derry. Showcasing the best in Irish beers from both North and South, and great local food.
Bars
Three great bars well work a visit if you are in or around Belfast city centre:
Brewbot – Massive selection and regular tap takeovers from well respected breweries.
The Woodworkers – Great selection of both draught craft beers, regularly changing taps.
The Sunflower – All round good beer pub.
Derry has started to get a few great drinking holes if you are in the mood for a craft beverage, two are mentioned below.
The Walled City Brewery (The brewery only has a licence that allows alcohol to be servers with food, so you will need to book a table)
The Grand Central bar – Starting to introduce great craft beer in both draught and bottles.
If you are visiting Portrush the Kiwi’s Brew Bar is a great place to find craft beer.
Off-licences
The Vineyard – Belfast
Gap Wines – Belfast
Chill – Derry
Beers to look out for
There are many great beers that are produced in Northern Ireland, as with everything it is down to personal taste as to wether you will like them or not. four beers that I think are very good and worth a try are:
Northbound – Sticke Alt
Mourne Mountains Brewery – Spiced Pumpkin Porter* (special)
Boundary – Export IPA
Whitewater – Maggie’s Leap
Please remember just because I like them does not mean that they will be suited to your palate, but I can say that they are well made beverages.
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Before we get into Louis’s brief but excellent chat with Letterman last night, let me please take a moment to remind everyone how terrible CBS’s web player is. Killing it with fire might actually improve it. It’s seriously 20th century stuff compared to how Conan, Fallon, and Kimmel operate on the web. I should be more depressed on an everyday basis that this network and its programming dominate the Nielsens.
I’ve included the two brief Louis snippets from the CBS page below. You can watch the full segment here. It’s somehow remarkably worth putting up with three CSI ads and a Survivor North Korea promo to get there. Tremendous things from the visit that you won’t see in the two below clips:
Dave thanking Louis for running right over from his basement workshop.
A gratuitous amount of “asshole” usage for network television.
Louis on the difficulty of telling your kids not to lie: “The truth is lying is AMAZING. It’s like magic.”
The story behind FX’s courtship of his show and how he still can’t believe they let him make it the way he wants to.
FX sees new episodes of Louie the day before they air (see above).
At least you can watch them watch Louis give Dave the finger and tell him to go f*ck himself…
So yeah, they don’t really get into it, but that was fun nonetheless. As far as I’m concerned Louis never asked permission to (sort of) slander Dave on cable, and Dave didn’t really give a sh*t when he found out because he knows Louis is a genius and also Letterman ain’t care. I would kill for full backstory though. Dave Itzkoff’s recent New York Times interview with C.K. may be as close as we ever get.
And here’s a short clip on being famous and politely telling people you won’t take photos with them. And how that backfires C.K.-style.
Again, full segment can be found after much excavation here. And again, CBS’s next day video options can suck a fat one. Kat Denning’s cleavage is the only thing you guys do that makes sense to me.
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Photo Cred: Mark Hogan/Flickr
Lead is a being found in the soil in many urban gardens. Recently surveyed were 71 urban gardens in New York City, and guess what? They all tested positive for high levels of lead and arsenic. So what can you do to protect yourself if you’re gardening in the city? Well, besides having your soil tested, here are some other ideas to help you keep gardening safe in your urban backyard.
“Learn about the land. Some businesses—such as dry cleaners, gas stations, and manufacturing facilities—leave more significant ecological footprints than others. Before you plant, consult historical materials, such as atlases of local businesses, to learn about what was on or adjacent to the property.
Build a better raised bed. If you do perform the soil testing and discover trace amounts of lead or other contaminants in the soil, you might choose to make a raised bed. That’s great, but it’s probably not enough, according to The Johns Hopkins Center for Livable Futures. That’s because crops with deep roots can extend to the dirt underneath. Consider adding a barrier in the form of a fabric cover, with holes big enough to let water through.
Choose plants wisely. Lead in urban soil doesn’t necessarily translate into contaminated fruits and veggies. Certain types of plants are more likely to take up lead than others. “Tomatoes aren’t a problem, while leafy greens and root vegetables you have have consider a bit more,” Cheng says. There’s also evidence to suggest that certain plants, such as sunflowers, are able to help extract harmful metals from soil through a process called phytoremediation.
Grow food in pots. If you don’t have space to build a raised bed, you can grow many varieties of vegetables in containers. Herbs and leafy greens are easy starter plants. Cheng suggests buying freshly bagged soil from the store; potted plants will do best in soil specifically designed for containers.” Source-“CityLab.com”
To read the full article, please visit: “How to Build a Safer Urban Garden at CityLab”
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It is estimated that 1 in 5 Children in the US struggle with hunger. That’s a crazy number, it equates to around 16 million children.
When you think of the people who are going hungry, perhaps relying on food stamps to put a meal on the table, it’s hard to imagine that it would happen to you, but in the current economic climate, more and more people are finding that they need help when it comes to feeding themselves and their families. In places like the US where it is cheaper to buy junk food, sodas, chips and cookies than fresh fruit and vegetables, it’s really easy to see why people opt to get as much food for their buck and that means eating food with very little or no nutritional value.
I took myself off to the shop this morning with 6 euros (the equivalent of $8) to put together a healthy and filling meal for 2 people. Usually it’s not an issue going to the store and getting what you want, but when you have a limited budget, you definitely check every price, think about how many tomatoes to buy, have I got enough to put 2 or 3 cans of beans in, it’s nerve wracking and that’s just for the 2 of us, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be on a daily basis to feed a family with kids.
This is why I love the idea of Food Bloggers Against Hunger, it’s amazing to see the recipes coming through, great meal plans that show that with the right guidance and sharing this information with those who need it, people can start to slowly change their diets, even when on a budget. See more on The Giving Table Facebook page
The first thing I thought of for my recipe was a medley of BEANS, I love using beans in my dishes, they fill you right up and go with pretty much anything, so you can thrown in whatever salad accompaniments you can get your hands on. I spent 5 euros and 20 cents ($6.70) and this was a massive bowl of tastiness that serves 2.
Warm 3 Bean Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Spicy Hummus Dressing (Vegan & Gluten Free)
MyInspiration Feel The Difference Range
Serves 2 – ready in 20 minutes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
10 cherry tomatoes
2 small cucumbers, chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
For the dressing
2 tbsp hummus
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
1/2 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp water
Method
1. Heat the grill and pop the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and place in the oven for 6 minutes or until the skins start to blister
2. In a sauce pan, combine all the beans and on a medium/low heat, just cook slightly until the beans are warmed through, then add in the cucumber and green pepper and stir to combine.
3. In a bowl combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk together, pour over your beans and mix everything together.
4 Serve in a big bowl and top with the roasted cherry tomatoes, drizzle over any left over dressing and serve. You could always have some crusty bread on the side too (optional of course)
*** If it’s cheaper where you are, buy dried beans and make sure you soak them over night and cook them through for an hour.
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Ex-prosecutor running for Congress changes story on reference for felon who sought casino OK
A former federal prosecutor running for Congress has dropped his claim that he had permission from the Justice Department to serve as a personal reference for a convicted felon seeking a casino license.
Republican Tom Marino asserted in an April radio interview that his superiors authorized him to act as a reference on a casino application submitted by businessman Louis DeNaples — at a time when Marino’s office was investigating DeNaples.
Marino’s account was called into doubt when The Associated Press reported Sept. 17 there was no documentation that Marino had permission from the Justice Department to vouch for DeNaples, a wealthy northeastern Pennsylvania businessman who had been convicted in a 1970s scheme to defraud the government of more than $500,000.
Marino now says he never asked for permission because he didn’t need it. He told The Daily Item of Sunbury in a story published Tuesday that he was permitted to provide personal references as long as he didn’t use his job title or attempt to promote staffers.
“I did it all the time,” he said, according to the paper.
Campaign spokesman Jason Fitzgerald on Tuesday confirmed Marino’s comments in the newspaper, but refused to make the candidate available to the AP, saying his “schedule will not permit” an interview.
Justice spokeswoman Jessica Smith, who confirmed last week that Marino never received the permission he claimed to have, declined immediate comment.
Democratic Rep. Chris Carney, whom Marino is trying to unseat in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, said through a spokesman Tuesday that Marino has been caught “spinning a tale of lies.”
“It has become clear he will say anything to get elected,” spokesman Josh Drobnyk said. “How can the public trust Tom Marino when he continues to insult them with so many lies?”
The controversy stems from Marino’s April 28 appearance on WILK-AM radio host Steve Corbett’s show, when he told Corbett that he had informed his Justice Department supervisors about the DeNaples reference.
Corbett has said that after the interview Marino’s campaign manager, Dave Weber, told him that Marino would supply a letter from the Justice Department backing up the claim about the DeNaples reference.
Marino denied Corbett’s account.
“The radio personality made it up. There is no letter,” he told the Sunbury paper.
The paper said Corbett stands by his reporting.
Source: AP News
Mochila insert follows…
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Image caption Tensions have mounted in Tripoli since the beginning of the Syrian uprising
There has been heavy gunfire in the Lebanese city of Tripoli, as supporters and opponents of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad took to the streets.
Rocket-propelled grenades were also fired and a bystander was injured by a stray round, officials said.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati told the army to "take necessary measures to halt" the events in the northern port.
The violence erupted after hundreds of people attended an anti-Assad demonstration after Friday prayers.
Residents said the RPGs were fired from the Sunni Muslim district of Bab al-Tabbana towards the Alawite district of Jabal Muhsin.
People from the two areas clash frequently, but tensions have mounted since the beginning of the uprising in Syria in March.
Mr Assad is an Alawite and members of the minority Shia sect occupy key positions in the Syrian government and security forces.
Syria's majority Sunni community has been at the forefront of the revolt against the president and borne the brunt of the state's crackdown, which human rights groups say has left more than 7,000 people dead.
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As the world wakes up to the fact that Deutsche Bank is not Lehman - it's massively bigger, and massively more systemic, oh and it has depositors - contagion is spreading through global funding and asset markets.
DB share price just hit single-digits...
And the expectations of a major debt haircut soar (CoCos hit record lows)
With Deutsche Bank Sub CDS now at record highs (remember Senior still supressed a little via ECB buying systemically)
And that has crushed the European banking system... (with European bank credit risk soaring, despite the ECB's bond-buying overlay)
EUR FRA/OIS spreads shot up 280bps in the last 2 weeks - from record lows! (the biggest percentage surge in counterparty risk since 2011's crisis began)
2016 and 2017 euribor contract prices underperform rest of the curve as funding pressures weigh on these contracts and broader risk-off sentiment sees deferred yields edge lower.
As demand for USD liquidity explodes to 4-year highs: at a peak of -61bps, this is the highest since July 2012, the middle of the European financial crisis)
USD funding demand also seen in CHF, JPY and GBP, with 3-mo. implied yields moving 5bps, 4bps and 3.5bps lower, amid patchy liquidity, according to a London-based trader.
Which confirms that this week's massive spike in ECB Liquidity facility usage.
Was not enough.
For now the world remains mired in the first of Kubler-Ross five stages of grief - denial! Expectations of a state bailout remain far too high given the massive political problem that would ensue - read, European mutiny - should Germany bailout its banking system while Cypriot, Greek, and Italian banks have been forced to fend for themselves, confirming the widely held impressin that Europe is being run by and for Germany.
h/t @StockBoardAsset
Meanwhile:
DEUTSCHE BANK `MUST' MAKE IT ON ITS OWN: DIJSSELBLOEM
Next comes 'anger'... remember Monday is a bank holiday in Germany.
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In the midst of the ceasefire in Syria markedly reducing fighting and the P5+1 talks with Iran showing real progress, the Obama Administration decided now was a good time to show that it does not need a good excuse to impose sanctions.
Obama announced his new sanctions on Syria and Iran, aimed at information technology development, while visiting the Holocaust Museum and declaring “never again” in what passes for a justification for sanctions these days.
Officially, the administration is insisting that the sanctions are targeted at surveillance technology used to violate human rights in the nations. In practice, the technologies for which he was condemning Iran and Syria and the “hired guns” that sell such technology to governments are essentially the same technologies that the Obama Administration is acquiring at a fevered pace.
The Obama Administration has been looking at broad information “sharing” authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and levels of random surveillance that Syria and Iran can only dream of. Rather the sanctions seem more about proving that he’s being “tough” on Syria and Iran, particularly at a time when the diplomatic situation obviously doesn’t call for it.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
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January 19, 2017 • RetroStuff
Why it makes sense to buy fully assembled furniture on-line.
Whenever I tell people that my online business makes retro industrial furniture, the question I get asked the most is: “Is it delivered unassembled?” What I feel like saying is “no, we’re not a Swedish big-box furniture store!” What I usually end up saying is something along the lines of “some of our pieces have over a hundred fasteners and need to be meticulously squared, levelled and painted, none of which we would expect our customers to do.”
“We’re not a Swedish big-box furniture store.”
We’ve been so well trained by big-box retail to assemble furniture we order on-line that most people expect allan keys, funky fasteners and cartoonish instructions. In terms of cost, shipping furniture fully assembled is not that much more expensive than it is to ship it unassembled. Shipping costs are based on both weight and volume. Whether a coffee table or bookshelf is packaged fully assembled or in parts its weight is the same.
Buying furniture fully assembled is not just about saving you the time and trouble of putting it together yourself - some people even pay a handyman to assemble furniture for them – it’s about an investment in a higher grade of furniture. For one, furniture that is designed for its components to fit into as small a box as possible and as well as to be easy enough that even the most mechanically challenged of us can put it together tends to be very basic stylistically. Fully assembled furniture, on the other hand, is unlimited in the materials, shapes and styles that it can take on. Most importantly though, there is usually a significant quality difference between unassembled and fully assembled furniture. DIY furniture is generally of low durability, is easily damaged and typically lasts a few years whereas fully assembled furniture is designed to last a lifetime.
So, when you’re ordering your next coffee table, bookshelf or end table on-line, remember that while it’s a fact that fully assembled furniture costs more, you get what you pay for.
Jamie Filman is the president of RetroWorks, a maker of vintage style industrial furniture in Toronto, Canada.
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The Audio Stack
Ferris seems pretty pleased with his hi-fi audio stack (right). I would be too if I had (from top to bottom) a Carver M500t power amp, AudioSource EQ-One equalizer and spectrum analyzer, a Carver DTL-100 CD player, and a Carver Receiver 2000.
Carver M500t power amp and AudioSource EQ-One
Here we get a closer look at Bueller's amp and equalizer. The latter is used to dial in the optimal sneezing and coughing midi track sounds he plays on his...
E-MU Emulator II
$8,000 keyboard/sound sampler. Musicians and sound designers in the '80s loved the 8-bit Emulator II. It was used to produce the Shakuhachi flute used in Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" and the Marcato Strings in the Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls." Ferris, of course, loads his with sick kid sounds.
IBM PC XT
"I asked for a car, I got a computer. How's that for being born under a bad sign?" Oh boo-hoo, Ferris. Your IBM PC XT seems pretty good for drawing flipped versions of Modigliani's Reclining Nude and hacking into the school computer system.
Bose 901 speakers
Audiophiles typically don't have very nice things to say about Bose speakers. But the 901s were a rare exception. Critics simply fawned over them. Seen here in the far left corner of the screen, they're the perfect complement to the rest of Ferris's ridiculous audio system.
Gretsch White Falcon
What this iconic guitar (left corner) is doing in Ferris's room is anyone's guess. Perhaps he's a fan of the west coast California fuzz sound. Neil Young helped make the hollow-body White Falcon one of the most desirable guitars on Earth. Hopefully, Ferris is better at playing it than his clarinet.
Cobra AN-8500 Answering Machine
Today, it's mostly known for making police radar detectors, but back in the '80s Cobra also made cordless phones and answering machines. This tape-based beauty comes with "One-Touch" something-or-other and Vox controls.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder
If you're going to pick a car to symbolize a father's neglect, the Ferrari 250 GT is fantastic choice. A bunch of furious car enthusiasts wrote letters to the producers of the film, believing they had trashed a real Ferrari (only 104 were ever produced). The totaled car was actually a modified MG sports car, made to look like the 250 GT.
Sony CFS-950 Sports Boombox
For kids who grew up during the '80s, this 15-watt Sony Sports Boombox should look very familiar. I never understood the "Sports" designation (perhaps it was the splash-resistant casing?), but whatever. Here, we see the yellow version accompanied by a bunch of other product placement right before Cameron succumbs to his angst coma.
Fender "blackface" Bassman and 2x12 cabinet
Presumably, this is what Bueller plugs his Falcon into when he wants to jam. As its name implies, the Bassman is technically a bass amp, but guitars sound great through them too. Here, the whole setup is being used as a bedside table and a place to put a copy of Kerouac's The Town and the City.
Doorbell hack
In what is both an act of prescience and 1337 hacking skills, Ferris rigs the doorbell on his house so that it triggers a tape recorder with a prerecorded "sick" message. Mr. Rooney almost falls for it.
You're still here? It's over. Go home.
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DUST 514, the FPS console counterpart to CCP's sci-fi MMO EVE Online, is due for a big announcement at E3 2011 if this countdown clock is any indication. One fan went poking around through the site shortly after it went live and found some interesting things, since removed.
First would be these seven screenshots (gallery below), all of which appear to be new. Our tipster found a .jpg in a URL left exposed, ran the filename from 01 to 07, and came up with these. Note the PS3 branding at the bottom of the screenshots.
The tipster says he then found the .xml file that will replace the countdown once it reaches zero, and that page directs viewers to the PlayStation Blog after the end of DUST 514's live-streamed announcement.
And the countdown itself ends at 5 p.m. Pacific time on Monday which is, lo and behold, when Sony's E3 presentation kicks off.
Official CCP pages give no indication of its platforms, though two years ago it was marked for an Xbox 360 release. This may be a timed exclusive to the PS3. Or it may be something else. Whatever the case, we'll know in two days.
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Countdown [DUST 514]
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The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-said:
Allaah does not afflict a slave with grief nor sadness, except that if the slave says: –
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي وَنُورَ صَدْرِي وَجِلَاءَ حُزْنِي وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
O Allaah indeed I am Your slave, and the son of Your slave, and the son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your Hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask of You with all Your names, which belong to You, which You have named Yourself with, or which You have taught someone from Your creation or revealed it in Your Book or that which You have taken unto Your self with the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and light of my breast and keep away from me my sadness, and that my grief goes away –
Allaahumma ‘innee ‘abduka, wabnu ‘abdika, wabnu amatika, nasiyatee biyadika, madhin fiyya hukmuka, adlun fiyya qadha’uka, asaluka bikulli ismin huwa laka, sammayta bihi nafsaka, aw anzaltahu fee kitabika, ‘aw allamthu ahadan min khaliqika, aw ista’tharta bihi fee ilmil ghaybi ‘indaka, án taj’alal-qurana rabee’a qalbee, wa noora sadree, wa jala’a huznee, wa thahaba hammee
Then Allaah takes away his grief and sadness and replaces it with happiness.
Silsilat Al-Ahadeeth As-Saheehah: 199
http://abdurrahman.org/knowledge/Abbas-Abu-Yahya/15-Part-3-The-Ahadeeth-of-Tawheed_-_www.AbdurRahman.org.pdf
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May 19, 2011
Ring-tailed lemurs have their first babies when they are approximately two to three years old. They usually give birth to one baby but sometimes they will have twins (just like humans).
Life of a little lemur
When a Ring-tailed lemur is first born they can open their eyes and cling, allowing them to hold tight to their mom. Infants are pretty much the same colour as adults except they are more brownish, they have a large head, small arms and are around 10cm long. Within the first few days the little lemur is able to move around on the mom’s body. By around two weeks the baby will move onto its mother’s back where it will be carried. Lemurs sure do grow up fast, by between three to six weeks they start to climb and eat solid foods. Finally by four to six months the baby will stop nursing.
Lemur family
Ring-tailed lemurs live together in groups that are called troops; these communities have approximately 3 to 27 members and are ruled by the females, who take care of the young. As baby lemurs grow up the females will stay in the troop that they were born into while the males migrate to other groups.
Hop over to Animal Ambassador Cosmos’ profile to find out more about Ring-tailed lemurs
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/ringtailed_lemur/lemur.htm
Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.
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It is, actually, but only one side is fighting. After the Paris jihad attacks, the Islamic State issued a statement claiming responsibility for them, and warning: “Let France and all nations following its path know that they will continue to be at the top of the target list for the Islamic State and that the scent of death will not leave their nostrils as long as they partake in the crusader campaign, as long as they dare to curse our Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him), and as long as they boast about their war against Islam in France and their strikes against Muslims in the land of the Caliphate with their jets, which were of no avail to them in the filthy streets and alleys of Paris. Indeed, this is just the beginning. It is also a warning for any who wish to take heed.”
How can the West win when it doesn’t even acknowledge the nature of the war it’s in? Obviously the entire Islamic world is not fighting against the West, but the Muslims who are fighting us are framing the conflict as one between the West and Islam. Stoltenberg said: “It will take time, but we will win because our values are superior to (those) the extremists are standing for,” but neither he nor any other Western leader is actually confronting and opposing the values that the Islamic State stands for: to do so would take them into the criticism of Islam and Sharia, and there none of them dare to go.
“Paris attacks not a fight between west and Islam, says NATO chief,” AFP, November 15, 2015:
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Houston Library and Exhibition Center project is one of dynamic architectural proposals for Houston and the greater development of ideas for American cities.
Architect: MA2
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
From the architects: The design functions along multiple trajectories of display corridors and library storage to interpolate exhibition with an expanded book collection for international reading and research. By having a series of harmonic manifolds of book collection space and the mixing of programmatic function for exhibition, it generates a dynamical system of flowing conditions which manifests with moments of extrapolation within the tectonic massing and circulation. Within the radiating tectonic corridors there is also included smaller botanical gardens which resonates with the surrounding landscape development as well, serving the community with a robust flower display and plaza.
The site sits along the axis of Hardy and Burnett St. just north of the downtown center. A vacant -underdeveloped lot and community that is need of an influx injection regarding an economic stimulus in the form of icon urban dynamism. The library – exhibition hall with park and botanical landscaping can transform the area into a destination point within Houston for cultural exchange, civic activities, and research. With a robust architectural formal aesthetic for the complex, it anticipates a world class book collection for both the arts and sciences, also expanding its collection with international publications.
The architectural tectonics shift, bundle, radiate, and project upward in flight to create nodes of complexity in the form of tessellated metallic shells with varied glass façades. This strategy transforms the internal poly-function into a stealth metallic body which carries a meaning signature of a craft of departure, which manifests its conceptual synthesis. It also includes a series of green roofs, led walls, and a labyrinth for digital projections. The total development for the concept proposal is 9,000 m2.
> New Museum of Contemporary Art in Buenos Aires
or view more futuristic architecture
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan vowed to turn Vernon Gholston into a productive player. It didn't happen. Now the New York Jets coach has a new reclamation project on defense -- Aaron Maybin, the former Buffalo Bills draft bust.
Maybin, the 11th overall pick in 2009, signed Wednesday with the Jets, passing his physical. Ryan confirmed the agreement and believes Maybin has the ability to become an effective pass-rusher.
"He has no clue -- he doesn't know a single defense -- but it's like, 'Hey, just turn that corner' -- and he did that pretty good," Ryan said after Maybin's first practice -- an impressive showing with the third string.
Ryan jokingly compared him to Hall of Famer Fred Dean, saying, "We'd settle for Fred Dean. That would be nice. I don't think it's going to happen, but he's got that body type -- the long, lean body the great pass-rushers have. He can get off the football. It'll be interesting to see him in this system. He's got a chance. You look for those kind of guys, with that burst to the quarterback."
Maybin signed a one-year contract, presumably for the veterans' minimum. He's also receiving $2 million in guarantees from the Bills, according to a league source. Maybin, released Monday after two seasons in Buffalo, had three years left on his rookie contract.
"I'm not going to lie and say you don't have a chip on your shoulder when something like that happens, but as far as the business goes, you can't be surprised and take it personally," Maybin said.
But he did say that he picked the Jets, in part, so he could face the Bills twice a year. The biggest reason, he said, was Ryan's track record as a defensive coach.
If Ryan and his staff can turn Maybin into a contributing player, it might go down as one of the all-time great coaching jobs. In 27 career games with the Bills, he didn't record a sack or start, drawing the ire of fans and media. He hit rock bottom last season, when he was declared inactive for five straight games.
Sound familiar? In 2008, one year before Ryan took over, the Jets used the sixth overall choice on Gholston, who wound up playing three seasons in New York without a sack. Each year, Ryan predicted big things for Gholston. He finally gave up on him, releasing him in February. Gholston signed recently with the Chicago Bears.
One of Maybin's problems is maintaining weight. He entered the league at 250 pounds, but reported to the Bills' training camp at 228.
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Image caption Police initially thought a person had fallen through the roof
A 5.7m (19ft) python has been seized after it fell from the ceiling of a charity shop in Australia.
The python, weighing 17kg (37lbs), was recovered by a snake-handler after police investigated a suspected break-in at the shop in Ingham, Queensland.
"Its head was the size of a small dog," said police spokesman Sgt Don Auld.
The snake fell through a ceiling panel, smashing shop goods. Police said it may have got in through the roof, which was damaged by Cyclone Yasi in 2011.
When police were initially called to the property on Monday, they believed a person had fallen through the ceiling because the roof panel had been cut in half.
Crockery, clothes and other goods were scattered all over the floor.
Police were called back to the shop the following day when a large crowd formed outside.
Sgt Auld said the snake must have been hiding when police went there the first time.
It has been released in nearby wetlands.
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Google is shutting down it’s well-known code project hosting service Google Code. Many developers used it as a reliable place for hosting their important code files but now they have to migrate those files because Google will shut down the service very soon.
Google started the service in 2006 with aim to provide scalable and reliable way of hosting open source projects. Many people used it . But now Google thinks that other open source project hosting solutions like GitHub and Bitbucket are doing the same work with more reliability and popularity.
From today, Google will not accept any new project but they will keep website as it is till August 2015. Google will not delete the project files, The existing projects will be available for download in an archive format. Developer can use Google Code Exporter tool to export their projects and code .
Google Sent a mail to all Google Code Users. Here is what i received :
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Qualifier #2 Winner - Hubert "keydEverize" Kabak
Qualifier #3 Winner - Sky "iSInsur" Xu
Qualifier #4 Winner - Kenny "xSixMystik" Vu
Qualifier #5 Winner - Sungbin "binskiLighT" Lee
Qualifier #6 Winner - Richard "fLcEifeR" Gayler
Qualifier #7 Winner - Austin "NrSRaNgeD" King
Qualifier #8 Winner - Wenxue "eFragSonic" Jin
UPDATE: 5/10/12 - Playhem are excited to announce that in addition to the first 8 bids initially given through our Playhem Daily Tournaments, all North American Playhem Daily's starting on Tuesday, May, 15th until May, 20th will act as last chance qualifiers for players still looking to compete at the US National Finals for Blizzard's World Championship Series. To sign up for these last chance events, please visit the links below; Qualifier One @ 5:00 PM PST - May 15th Qualifier Two @ 5:00 PM PST - May 16th Qualifier Three @ 5:00 PM PST - May 17th Qualifier Four @ 5:00 PM PST - May 18th Qualifier Five @ 5:00 PM PST - May 19th Qualifier Six @ 5:00 PM PST - May 20th--Playhem & PlayhemTV Announce Special “Playhem Daily” Tournaments; Winners head to Blizzard US National Tournament in May -The upcoming Playhem Daily tournaments starting on April 21st and ending on April 28th will act as qualifier tournaments for Blizzard’s upcoming National Tournament for the United States (which leads into the Global Championships that are being held instead of Blizzcon this year). The Playhem Dailies on the previously mentioned dates are completelyto enter and will be held at the normal North American Playhem Daily time slot.When asked about the recent development of the Playhem Daily tournaments acting as a qualifying tournament for Blizzard’s new eSports championship event, Playhem's Director of eSports Travis Hezel had to say,“The chance to host official qualifiers for Blizzard’s eSports Championship is a thrilling opportunity for the Playhem brand. We’re happy to provide 8 spots to US National Final through our Playhem Daily tournaments starting this Saturday. On behalf of everyone who has made the Playhem brand what it is today, we’d like to extend our gratitude to Blizzard for recognizing our hard work up until this point.”Live coverage of each event as always will be on PlayhemTV , and we might have an awesome treat in store for the fans watching online, so you’re definitely going to want to tune in and see who receives the first bids to the US National Tournament at MLG's Spring Championship in June!--[center] Qualifier One @ 5:00 PM PST - April 21st Qualifier Two @ 5:00 PM PST - April 22nd Qualifier Three @ 5:00 PM PST - April 23rd Qualifier Four @ 5:00 PM PST - April 24th Qualifier Five @ 5:00 PM PST - April 25th Qualifier Six @ 5:00 PM PST - April 26th Qualifier Seven @ 5:00 PM PST - April 27th Qualifier Eight @ 5:00 PM PST - April 28th--[center][center]Qualifier #1 Winner - Bob "xSixVer" Ekkebus
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The Cuban president has re-affirmed the communist island’s commitment to a one-party political system, dashing any faint hopes dissidents may have had of fundamental democratic reform.
At a communist conference in Havana Raul Castro said allowing more than one party would open the door to US interference.
“We defend the one-party system over the game of demagogy and the commercialisation of politics,” he told delegates.
Castro did, however, announce the government would push ahead with changes to limit the terms of office of Cuba’s top leaders.
“We will implement the decision to limit political terms to two consecutive five-year terms for major government and political decisions,” he said.
Since Raul took over the presidency from his brother Fidel in 2008 there have been some modest reforms, including giving people the right to open small business and to buy and sell cars.
The leadership has not made any commitment to significant political change to match the economic measures, and the weekend conference indicates they are not about to.
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And you thought the balance on your mortgage was frightening.
Moving into a new home can be scary enough, but you wouldn't think the risk of possible attacks by ghosts would be one of them.
Apparently, it is, according to "When Ghosts Attack" a TV series debuting Oct. 20 on Destination America.
As you might expect, the series focuses on people who believe that they were pummeled by paranormal entities.
One of those alleged victims, Lori Settle, found her husband, Donny, dead in a home they lived in Fayetteville, W. Va. and later came to the belief that ghosts were responsible.
Some of the symptoms included flies that never disappeared from the basement despite copious amounts of insecticide, strange voices around the house and cabinet drawers opening inexplicably.
It culminated with Donny's death from a ruptured aorta valve, but Settle said he was in good health and blames his tragic death on a strange entity in the home.
"I never thought that this house would take one of our lives," she said on the premiere episode. "If I had thought that, even for one second, I never would have stayed another moment."
That was six years ago, and she was so affected by the experience and the alleged paranormal experiences that happened afterwards that she became a ghost investigator herself.
She now believes that many Americans may be living in haunted houses without realizing it.
"There are more haunted houses than the public realizes or is willing to acknowledge," she told The Huffington Post. "I denied everything in my house, so it's easier to deny it's happening than admit what may be causing it."
Older homes are more likely to be haunted, because former residents can have an emotional attachment that somehow manifests as ghostly energy, Settle said. But even newer houses can have ghosts.
"Every home has the potential to be haunted, because sometimes entities will just be passing through," she said.
Ghosts have never been scientifically proven, but Settle says if you experience any of the following phenomena, you might be at risk of an attack from beyond the grave.
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Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is becoming increasingly recognized as a very real and devastating problem in which impaired breathing is thought to play a critical role. Researchers believe breathing may be impaired during and after seizures, without the patient's knowledge.
By using electrical stimulation to activate the amygdala, a group of University of Iowa researchers has identified areas of the human brain in which breathing is controlled and, in some cases, impaired, providing an important insight into SUDEP.
Their study - which marks the first time researchers have stimulated the amygdala in humans and reported loss of breathing - is published in the July 15 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
Using a research participant with medically intractable epilepsy - epilepsy which can't be well-controlled with two or more medications - whose brain was already being monitored to map the focus of seizures, researchers found that when seizures spread to the amygdala, the patient stopped breathing. That effect could be reproduced by electrically stimulating the amygdala. Strikingly, the patient wasn't aware he wasn't breathing even though he was wide awake at the time. This finding was reproduced in two other human subjects.
"Amazingly, the patient was completely unaware that he had stopped breathing," says Brian Dlouhy, M.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery at UI Carver College of Medicine and lead author of the study. "It was remarkable to all of us that one of the essentials of life - breathing - could be inhibited and the patients themselves were completely unaware of this."
"The patient just sat there, unconcerned that he was not breathing," says John Wemmie, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry, molecular physiology and biophysics, and neurosurgery at the UI Carver College of medicine, and an author of the paper. "If we asked him to hold his breath for the same duration of time, it was difficult for him and he could barely do it. But when the amygdala was stimulated, he didn't even notice that his breathing had stopped."
Dr. George Richerson, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chairman of neurology, and professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, and neurosurgery at the UI Carver College of Medicine, also an author on the paper, says, "These findings provide an explanation for why SUDEP occurs after seizures, because patients would stop breathing but be completely unaware that their blood oxygen levels are progressively dropping to fatally low levels. The lack of awareness would prevent activation of the reflex that is needed to restore oxygen levels back to normal."
The team's findings may be key in helping to decrease instances of SUDEP, Dlouhy says.
"Identifying brain areas where seizure spread interferes with breathing may help identify patients at risk for SUDEP and lead to preventive strategies," he says.
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Uber And Ola Again Hit The Headline In The Capital; Kejriwal Warns Strict Action Against The Taxi Aggregators
18 April, 2016, New Delhi: Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal has warned app-based taxi service provider companies Ola and Uber after he received few complaints from the commuters of hiking the fares during rush hour. The CM took to his twitter account and tweeted that strict action will be taken for such unethical practices that includes cancellation of permits and impounding of vehicles.
Strict action, incl permit cancellation n impounding vehicle, to be taken against taxis which charge rates more than govt prescribed rates — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 18, 2016
According to the report in Indian Express, the rates were allegedly hiked, the first full working day of the fortnight-long odd-even scheme when offices, schools and other institutions reopened after an extended weekend.
The commuters were asked to register their complaints at 011-42400400 if they have been charged extra by the companies. The appeal was made by Gopal Rai, Transport Minister. “If we receive complaints against arbitrariness of any app-based taxi service, we will impound their vehicles.”
CM’s tweet has already gone viral and it has allured the users to join Kejriwal in curbing down such malpractices by app-based taxi service providers.
@ArvindKejriwal Sir, how will you identify them? What about companies like @Uber Who are charging upto 4 times the rate? — nandita kodesia (@nandita_zee) April 18, 2016
@ArvindKejriwal सर जी यही तो फायदा है odd/even का जो धड़ल्ले से चल रहा है। 3.5x तक रेट जा रहा है और आप वाहवाही लूट रहे ? — Khushi Singh (@khushi2434) April 18, 2016
@ArvindKejriwal suggest a WhatsApp and telephone helpline number for uploading auto and taxi number of defaulters — PS (@oye_P_S) April 18, 2016
Image- Indian Express
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FORT COLLINS — New West Genetics LLC has raised half of an $800,000 funding round that the company plans to use to ramp up sales and marketing, as well as continue research and development of different varieties of industrial hemp.
Founded early last year, the Fort Collins-based company will sell the flower from its first crop this summer to local companies that will extract the cannabinoids out of it to make drinks, oils and edibles. But the company is also developing intellectual property around the genetics of industrial cannabis for uses in the pharmaceutical and agricultural markets. The goal is that the company will have multiple seed varieties available for sale by 2017 that will have guaranteed germination rates and yields.
Industrial cannabis, or hemp, is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant that contains less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana or pot that is used for recreational purposes. Different parts of the industrial cannabis plant have various uses, ranging from food and supplements to medicinal uses to building-material and textile applications.
New West disclosed in a recent regulatory filing that it had raised $200,000 in new funding. But cofounder and chief executive Wendy Mosher said Tuesday the sum is actually $400,000 now.
This summer’s harvest will produce the company’s first revenue.
“But we’ve got customers lined up for the sale of our harvest this summer,” Mosher said. “We’re feeling confident about that at least.”
Mosher co-founded the company with her husband, John McKay, who is a professor of plant genetics at Colorado State University, and Rich Fletcher, who earned his doctorate in McKay’s lab and has worked for several years in the agriculture industry.
The company also has three contract employees. New West is based virtually right now, but Mosher said it could be establishing an office sometime next year. In the meantime, the company has multiple plots in Larimer and Weld counties totaling about 4 acres, where it is growing its cannabis. She said the company would also be leasing warehouse space in the fall to have space to process its harvest.
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I was in a gift store today looking for, well, gifts. Two intrigued me.
One was small crosses made from olive wood. They were said to be from the “West Bank.” The brief, written explanatory material said they were made in Bethlehem and mentioned Jesus. It made no mention of Palestine, Israel, the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, or the occupied territories. The crosses were too small to have anything imprinted directly on them.
A second item was a packet of bars of soap. The label said the bars were made in the Galilee by Arab and Jewish women. Again, no mention of Israel, Palestine,the West Bank, Judea and Samaria, or the occupied territories. (The store attached its own label that did say the bars are “Made in Israel.”)
But this time, the written explanatory material offered further detail with reference to “the Galilee region of northern Israel.” They are “Made in Israel.” Moreover, the organization also works “with olive growers and artisans in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.”
One way to avoid the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions vs Israel) movement is by making clear the product is neither Israeli nor from the Israeli settlements (the crosses). A second way is to appeal to pro-BDS buyers that the Israel connection is necessary to help Arab citizens of Israel as well as Palestinians living under Israeli occupation (the soap). In the second case, pro-BDS buyers might feel a conflict: promoting the boycott of Israeli goods vs. promoting social change and the empowerment, in particular, of Palestinian women.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Priceline Group has agreed with Cuba to make Cuban hotel rooms available to U.S. customers via subsidiary Booking.com, becoming the first U.S. online travel agency to strike a deal with the island’s government, a Booking.com executive said.
Tourists ride in a vintage car in Havana, March 19, 2016. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini
The deal comes on the first full day of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Cuba and on the heels of U.S. hotel firm Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s agreement with the Cuban government to manage and market three Havana hotel properties.
Booking.com would allow Americans traveling to Cuba to reserve and pay for rooms at a number of Cuban and foreign hotels, starting in several weeks, Booking.com Americas Managing Director Todd Dunlap told Reuters in an interview on Saturday.
Americans previously had to reserve Cuban hotels principally through travel agencies or tour groups.
Booking.com would operate initially in Havana, Dunlap said. It planned to work with foreign companies already in Cuba, including France’s Accor and Spanish chains Meliá Hotels International SA and NH Hotel Group SA. It was also working on deals with state-run Cuban chains.
The only major American lodging booking service currently available to Americans in Cuba is online home-rental marketplace Airbnb.
Priceline Group began working on bringing its services to Cuba shortly after President Obama’s Dec. 17, 2014 announcement of a thaw in relations with Cuba. The two countries restored diplomatic relations last year.
Priceline said it would route payments through a European partner but declined to specify which.
The improvement in U.S.-Cuba relations has fueled a price surge for the island’s 63,000 hotel rooms, many booked solid months in advance. Cuba received a record 3.52 million visitors last year, up 17.4 percent from 2014. American visits rose 77 percent to 161,000, not counting hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans.
General tourism by Americans to Cuba is still barred under the U.S. trade embargo. But U.S. travelers may visit the island under “general licenses” that permit travel for religion, family visits, cultural exchange, sports, and other purposes approved by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control
On March 17 OFAC said it would allow people to travel individually, rather than in organized groups, so long as their trips fell under the authorized categories.
Booking.com would ask travelers to certify that they fit one of the Treasury’s approved travel categories, but would not verify their status, Dunlap said. The company would keep travelers’ information on file for five years should officials choose to check.
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Cthulhu Christmas Calendar is the fun way to count down till the stars are right and presents can be opened from their evil slumber. Get the app now so you’re ready to count down from the 1st December! “Red Wasp has produced perhaps the most interesting iPad advent calendar ever.” DigitallyDownloaded.net
Christmas with a Cyclopean twist! The app features an original image each day that can be opened, featuring well-loved festive imagery such as Santa, mistletoe, Christmas trees and the like. However these have been merged, mixed, mutated and mashed with other, darker figures drawn from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. The app is Red Wasp Design’s new fun advent experience that counts down to Christmas with a Cyclopean twist! For more reviews of a the app, see here.
As well are great art, each day also has a Cthulhu-related question for you to puzzle over and answer, with the finally tally of right and wrong being delivered on the 25th when the score will give you your ‘Mythos rating’. Keep track of the sleeps until Cthulhu-mas with the Cthulhu Christmas Calendar; don’t leave R’lyeh without it…
Available Now…
There is also a free version of the app: Available from the App Store for iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone. It is also available from Google Play for Android devices.
App Resources
PS. If you’re interested in this app, you might also be interested in our new game, Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land.
Cthulhu Christmas Calendar Credits
Stuart Griffin was driven into insanity as he drew the images of forbidden seasonal lore with a neurotic and excited aspect.
Michael Devereux, a precocious youth of known genius but great eccentricity, programmed this dreaded but fun application using a non-Euclidian assembler.
Tomas Rawlings with his touch of bizarre familiarity with the monstrous texts of history inscribed the words upon the app.
Debbie Connor muttered dark incantations and slid into madness as she proof-read all of the text for the app.
Dan Pope & Sean Perkins created the music and sounds, drawn from vibrations suggesting nothing on this globe of earth.
And thanks to…
All the Cthulhu and Lovecraft fans and fan-sites who’ve supported us!
All the magazines, blogs, sites and people who’ve posted articles about our work.
Mobile Pie & Calvium for test devices.
The PM Studio for hosting us.
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At the McFarlane Toys Booth for Toy Fair 2017, we were treated to our first look at an all-new Labyrinth Jareth: The Goblin King Figure coming to the Color Tops Collection. We now have some new info and a new official image for the upcoming 7″ scale figure. Jareth will include a masquerade mask and a glass orb as well as 12+ points of articulation.
A mystical figure possessing powers of transformation, Jareth, is the Goblin King of the Labyrinth. With an ability to create crystal orbs within his hands, Jareth is able to use them to create various illusions to entrance and manipulate others. Despite ruling over the Goblins, Jareth resents this position and often dreams of a different life. Detailed 7-inch scale collectible Jareth action figure depicted in his velvet tailcoat from the iconic Ballroom dream sequence
Figure includes masquerade mask, and crystal orb accessories
Designed with 12+ points of articulation for dynamic posing
Figure features a stylized Labyrinth branded display base and showcased in window box packaging
Look for the Labyrinth Jareth: The Goblin King Figure to hit stores in October. He will be priced at $19.99. Click the thumbnail image for a better look at the figure.
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The Main Street bridge is crawling with spiders. But this is no Halloween tale. The $60 million bridge that spans the Scioto River and connects Downtown to Franklinton really is infested with thousands of orb weavers spinning intricate webs up and down the hand and guardrails.
The Main Street bridge is crawling with spiders.
Crawling. With. Spiders.
But this is no Halloween tale. The $60 million bridge that spans the Scioto River and connects Downtown to Franklinton really is infested with thousands of orb weavers spinning intricate webs up and down the hand and guardrails.
If you pay close attention during the day, you can see the sun playing off the silk strands woven round and round on nearly every open span on the steel structure.
But at night, you can really see the webs, snagging thousands of flying insects that live in and around the river. (You can tell how successful the hunters are at night by all the repair work being done during daylight.)
�It�s the night lights there (on the bridge),� said David Shetlar, an Ohio State University professor of urban landscape entomology who toured the site one night this week.
�All the midges, mayflies and caddisflies go up to the lights. Spiders aren�t dumb � they go to where the food sources are.�
One is an arabesque orb-weaver, which is known for its graceful weaving. Another is something out of a arachnophobe�s nightmare � it�s called a long-jawed orb weaver.
�It looks like it has four jaws,� Shetlar said. �They are bizarre-looking things.�
Shetlar estimated that the bridge is currently home to 5,000 to 10,000 spiders.
Jim McCormac, a naturalist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, toured the bridge as well.
�The guard rails are made perfectly for orb-weaving spiders,� he said. �You see spider webs on bridges, but not to this degree.�
He said the sheer number likely speaks to the health of the river, which has seen a transformation in recent years.
A $35.5 million project narrowed the river to expose an area that is being morphed into a 33-acre park with 800 trees and 75,000 plants.
�There is more insect life,� McCormac said. �And that spawns the spiders. If they don�t have things to eat, they are not going to be there.�
>
Spiders typically hatch in spring and fall. To get around, tiny spiderlings cast a bit of silk into the air and let the wind take them far and wide. It�s called ballooning.
If there is plenty of food where they land, they�ll stay. If there isn�t, they�ll balloon again.
The Main Street bridge has both mature spiders and spiderlings, which means some showed up in the spring, some are newcomers and some likely lived through this past winter.
�Most adult and larger immature spiders can survive down to 20 to 25 degrees,� Shetlar said. � Spiderlings, on the other hand, convert some of blood into a type of antifreeze ... and will hunker down in cracks and crevices.
�They can withstand temperatures to about 10-below.�
Richard Bradley, an entomologist and professor emeritus at Ohio State, said infestations are not rare in spots where there are a lot flying insects, such as midges and mayflies.
There are areas along Lake Erie where boat docks and houses are covered in spider webs.
�We tend to notice them when they grow to be mature,� said Bradley, who wrote the book on spiders. (He really did � it�s called Common Spiders of North America.) �And that means they are successful.�
[email protected]
@Marksomerson
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Northern Arena: Montreal - G2 and OpTic set to clash in the Grand Final
G2 Esports and OpTic Gaming defeat Team EnVyUs and Heroic respectively to advance to the Grand final.
The $100,000 prize pool tournament began on November 10th with eight teams fighting in their groups for a spot in the semi-final.
The groups were as follows:
*Teams are ordered according to their final placements.
In Group A, Heroic and G2 advanced to the winners' match fairly easily, Heroic were the winner after an intense 30-round match on Nuke. G2 followed the Danes to the semi-finals by defeating Liquid 2-1 in the decider match of the group.
Both EnVyUs and OpTic Gaming destroyed their opponents in their opening matches. Then EnVy defeated OpTic to secure their spot in the semi-finals. At the opposite end of the group, NRG and CLG were battling to gain a second chance in the group. NRG emerged victorious after besting CLG in two maps, one of which, Overpass, went to overtime. Despite their boosted confidence, Fatih "gob b" Dayik's team failed to put in a good performance as they grabbed just fourteen rounds in two maps.
After the group stage, group leaders were drawn against second placed teams in the semi-final:
The first semi-final match set EnVyUs against G2. Richard "shox" Papillon and co. picked Overpass as the first map and dominated it in the first half as they were leading 11-4 at half time. The tide turned after the halftime, now it was EnVy's turn to overcome the defenders. The second half ended with the same half score as the first one, 11-4 in favour of the terrorists, making the map go to the overtime. In the overtime, G2 were the better performing team and thanks to Papillon's triple-kill when it was 21-18, they grabbed the map.
The second map was Nuke, the most-played map of the tournament at that point with. EnVyUs picked up six rounds as the T side, gaining a fair chance of map victory but G2 played amazing CS as Terrorist on Nuke with every single player in the roster contributing and won the map 16-9 to advance to the grand final.
Heroic's first place result in the group stage didn't help them versus OpTic. The first map was OpTic's pick Cache and the North American team won both halves to close it out 16-10. The second map, Mirage, was so close until the halftime where Heroic were leading by just one round. In the second half though the Danish side defended the bombsites solidly and gave away only a single round to make it 1-1 in the series with a score of 16-8 in the map.
The teams switched to Cobblestone to decide the finalist. OpTic, starting as the T side, didn't show mercy to their Danish opponents and won the half 11-4. Grabbing the second pistol round made the things even easier for Tarik "tarik" Celik and his team. Heroic, despite trying desperately, weren't able to breach OpTic defences in any of the rounds. As a result, OpTic won the map and the series 16-4 and 2-1 respectively.
The victors of the semi-finals are going to clash for the lion's share of $100k prize pool this night at 02:30 CEST. The Grand Final wil be streamed on Northern Arena Twitch channel.
Image courtesy of Northern Arena.
QUICKPOLL Which team is closer to the victory? G2
Thank you for voting! OpTic
Thank you for voting!
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a man who immolated himself as an act of protest a ceremony in which they immolated their cherished possessions so that the gods would send rain
Recent Examples on the Web
Just a bunch of guys trying not to immolate themselves. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "TML: USGA made its golf course the story, not its U.S. Open winner," 18 June 2018
Everyone knew his name, out of proportion to any achievements in his short and self-immolating days as a pitcher. Steve Rushin, SI.com, "How the World Has Changed in the 25 Years Since the Final Cheers Episode," 22 May 2018
This is how hip-hop, the black intellectual scene, and our leadership eroded to the point of self-immolating lunacy. T.d. Williams, The Root, "How the West Was Lost," 26 Apr. 2018
Except as the focus on the radar gun intensified, Jansen immolated on the mound in a game the Dodgers eventually lost, 8-7, in 15 innings. Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "Diamondbacks get three runs off Jansen, two in 15th for double comeback win," 3 Apr. 2018
The wind had kicked up suddenly and unexpectedly, causing him to immolate. Mitchel Benson, sacbee, "Cap Stage‘s ‘Arsonists’ sparks provocative ideas about life, death and family legacies | The Sacramento Bee," 21 Mar. 2018
One hundred years after the start of the first world war, the society that self-immolated between 1914 and 1945 and spent six decades slowly inching back to a state of grace is experiencing a strange turn. Rose Jacobs, Newsweek, "On Top of the World: This Could Be the Start of a Century of German Success," 17 July 2014
The Air Force won't confirm the number of warheads in the missiles, but each can hold a maximum of three; every warhead can immolate 65 square miles within minutes of detonation. Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Meet the Airmen Who Watch Over America's Nukes—And Await the Unthinkable," 23 Mar. 2011
While the end of his relationship with Nicki Minaj and a self-immolating squabble with Drake curdled his rise, Mill remains a legitimate rap star. Ben Detrick, Billboard, "In Meek Mill's Words: What The Rapper's Fight Says About the Justice System," 17 Nov. 2017
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'immolate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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NASA caught a glimpse of Kuwait’s Greater Burgan field in southeastern Kuwait:
Situated about 40 kilometers south of Kuwait City, the Greater Burgan field is thought to hold nearly a tenth of the world’s proven oil reserves and second only to Saudi Arabia’s Ghawar field (about 500 km to the south). Greater Burgan produces around 1.6 million barrels of oil per day (1 barrel = 42 gallons).
In the false-color image, you can still remnants of the oil well fires during the Persian Gulf War:
Vegetation appears red; buildings are white and gray; water is light blue; roads are gray; and the desert is tan. In the top image, a network of interlocking roads connects individual wellheads. The parts of the desert that appear to be stained a darker brown are most likely the remnants of oil lakes and tar mats that formed after oil well fires were ignited during the Persian Gulf War. In the wider view (bottom), Ahmadi, a wealthy suburb of Kuwait City and home to the Kuwait Oil Company headquarters, appears red due to trees and lawns.
You can also see gas flares in the image (showing up as bright orange). Gas flaring is a controversial practice, especially in the U.S. in light of the shale gas boom, but rather limited in Kuwait: only 1 percent of gas is flared off by the state-run oil company, compared to 17 percent in 2005. North Dakota, for reference, was flaring off as much as 30 percent of its gas in recent years (although that is expected to decline as regulations and technology are implemented).
For more on the history of Kuwait’s oil development Geo Expro has a deeper dive on the wars, occupations, and politics of developing Kuwait’s oil resources, like this:
A team of geologists started working in Kuwait in the hot summer of 1935. They recommended drilling at Bahrah; but a 2,423m well into the Cretaceous sediments drilled during 1936-37 yielded minor oil shows only. Meanwhile, gravity, magnetic and seismic surveys were conducted in the Burgan area, and on 16 October 1936 Burgan No. 1 was spudded at a seepage. Sediments below 1,000m had oil shows, and finally, on 23 February 1938 the well hit a high-pressure sandstone unit at a depth of 1,120m. It was a gusher that at last put Kuwait on the world oil map. […] From 1938 to 1942, eight additional wells drilled in the Burgan field were all productive and yielded new payzones in the underlying Burgan Formation. However, World War II put an end to these operations.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using data from NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
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Your first week of oval racing is just about the same as when you try anything for the first time, so take it easy! One of the biggest mistakes that rookies make is trying to go too fast, too early. At first glimpse, an oval looks very simple. It’s got a couple straights and a couple long turns. This makes new drivers want to exit pit road and set a world record time on the first lap. However, you’ll soon realize that because the turns only go in one direction, and because the turns are generally longer than those on road courses, that the cars will be set up to only go left, that the car’s setup will be on the ragged edge of spinning out, in order to achieve competitive lap times.
There are fewer opportunities to make up time on an oval, so it ends up being a competition of who can go through the corner the fastest. Of course this applies to all of racing, but since road racing includes heavy braking zones and shifting, mistakes are more common and making up lost ground is a bigger possibility. You won’t be shifting at most ovals, and there won’t be much braking unless at a short track. So, you better be ready to put the “loose is fast” theory into practice!
But, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, remember that you’re just a rookie at this. Some day you may be burning rubber and hanging out the rear end through the corners, but for now, take baby steps. A good way to learn a track and car is to join an open practice session and simply observe other drivers, preferably the fast ones. There are also plenty of tutorials on VRS’ YouTube channel, and another, perhaps the best option, is to head into the VRS software and open a datapack (learn more about datapacks in 2.6).
Inside each datapack is a replay file you can load in iRacing itself, or you can open the Driving Analyzer (as seen on the image below) to see the inputs as well as the cockpit view. Make notes on how the driver is positioning the car, where it touches the outside and inside of the corner, where it picks up the revs. These minor details are very important on an oval. Missing your mark by a foot can be the difference between running up front or in the back.
Once you’ve seen how the fast drivers go around the track, try it yourself in an offline session. Make sure that you can complete a clean lap, and then two, three, and so on. Eventually, you should be able to complete ten consecutive laps without incidents and achieving a very consistent laptime. If you’re having trouble accomplishing this, simply slow down. Eventually you’ll find a comfortable pace that will allow clean laps. Sure, it may be slow, but being able to complete clean laps and finish races is the most important thing to do as a rookie. Overdriving the car and crashing is highly unproductive.
After you’ve learned to race cleanly, it’s time to join others on track. Go back into an open practice, and run clean laps just like in testing. There is usually quite a bit of crashing in these practices, so you’ll get a chance to practice wreck avoidance. Intentionally find packs of cars and pretend you’re in a race. Get used to having someone right in front of you, blocking your vision into the turn, and someone right behind you filling the mirror. This is what will happen in the race. Practice pit road entry and exit as well. Basically; do your homework. Once you’re comfortable and confident in your ability to run clean laps and not cause an accident, sign up for a race! Remember, you’re a rookie. Don’t ask too much of yourself, and focus on finishing the race. Have a good time out on the track, and learn as much as possible with every single lap. Most importantly, have fun!
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THE State Government has made a “humiliating backdown” on its refusal to join a national education funding deal, conceding that its standoff with the Federal Government would have forced schools to close their doors.
SA Education Minister Susan Close on Friday told her federal counterpart Simon Birmingham she had changed her mind and would agree to the new scheme.
Schools around the state had been left in limbo about whether they would receive millions in expected funding for the 2018 school year, after advertiser.com.au revealed last week that Dr Close was refusing to sign up.
She claimed the agreement, dubbed Gonski 2.0, would rip $210 million out of SA schools over the next two years.
It will be welcome news to schools around the state who had been left in limbo about whether they would receive millions in expected funding for the 2018 school year, after advertiser.com.au revealed Dr Close’s decision to refuse the new deal last week.
media_camera State Education Minister Susan Close. Picture: AAP / Ben Macmahon
But Senator Birmingham said under law he was unable to hand over $1.3 billion in funding to SA schools in 2018 without her signature.
He said federal Treasury needed Dr Close’s agreement by Tuesday or it would be unable to make its expected January payment of more than $440 million.
Dr Close said: “We are now faced with the terrible situation of either having our schools close next year ... or submitting and signing a set of principles to their (Federal Government’s) new Act.
“I object to this Act. It’s an Act that will take $210 million out of our schools in the next two years from what we had been originally promised (under the Gillard Government) and what we need.
“But I have to sign up because I can’t see our schools close.”
Gonski 2.0 passed Federal Parliament in June with support from the crossbench, putting in place a single funding model for the nation.
media_camera Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham. Picture: AAP / Lukas Coch
It replaced a string of separate deals struck under the Gillard-era Gonski plan. Dr Close had argued the Federal Government could use an alternative method to channel money while the dispute was being resolved.
But after receiving advice from Senator Birmingham that there was no viable alternative, Dr Close backed down yesterday.
“The idea that a debate about adequate funding under an existing agreement could lead them to withholding all money from our schools is appalling,” she said.
Senator Birmingham thanked Dr Close for “coming to her senses” but accused her of hiding the “humiliating backdown in vitriol and venom”.
“It was clear from the start the Weatherill Government just wanted to pick a fight with Canberra, but they did it without considering the suffering it would have caused South Australian schools,” Senator Birmingham said.
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Journal entry three is on the comical notion that there is a standard of integrity upon which our elected officials conduct themselves. They are more akin to the shadows on the wall of Plato's cave then they are to actual governing, sensible, responsible citizens. Until we address their failures as individuals and as a collective we will continue to falter together; Democrat, Republican and Independent alike.
The issues plaguing our American Society aren’t easy to diagnose because they are so intrinsically disguised by our perception of reality itself. This is fundamentally by design. American citizens, every day, must wade through an ocean of lies, half-truths, and disinformation presented to them as news and facts by a cast of characters that include ‘News’ pundits, political celebrities and talk show hosts. All of America's pop culture comes out in unison daily to reinforce the ‘truth’ of the political narrative. Divisions carved along racial, sexual and economic lines are constantly exploited and redefined to pit citizen against citizen as the machinations of all of it are hidden from public view.
The greatest misconception that has been glaringly obvious over the past few weeks is that there is any morality in U.S. politics at all. While Democrats and Republicans castigate a candidate for Senate over alleged sordid behavior, we were repeatedly reminded about the ethics and morality that *should* come along with such a high office. Unfortunately, this type of stone throwing is coming from a collection of political animals that throw ALL OF US under the bus every day for nothing more than money and power.
Every sitting congressman and senator (along with the unelected bureaucrats) in Washington D.C., that have spent more time over the last year pontificating and preaching about good ethics while subsequently obstructing any type of policy change that might benefit the American people, have their hands dirty. Our government is failing the people, not just because we are falling behind in areas like healthcare and wage equality, not just because our educational standards have been so greatly diminished, but because even with all the statistics in the world that could highlight a litany of problems, nothing EVER gets done in a bold and expedient way that greatly improves the functionality of our nation. That is the role of Congress and Senate; to legislate and to govern and frankly going back to pre-9/11 our institutions have failed us.
The collection of politicians that fancy themselves more celebrity than public servant has spent their careers using their public office for personal enrichment. With bribery essentially legalized and corruption so blatantly ignored for so long, most US politicians enter an office and end up increasing their net worth by magnitudes by the time they leave their seats behind to make the jump to lobbying themselves. The system isn’t working for the people, not because it is broken, but because it was designed to work for the political actors. The puppets, most of them with less intelligence than the average joe and all of them with less dignity and integrity, run this show and they are running it into the ground with enthusiasm.
It’s a sad state of affairs when the American people have been so thoroughly brainwashed by this system of decay that the election of one more possibly seedy and sexually perturbed man is the end all be all of the political climate, rather than addressing the fact that our House and Senate is comprised of a collection of rapists, thieves, murderers, war-criminals, imbeciles, pedophiles, and liars. There may be a handful of decent men and women who have maintained their integrity even while navigating through a minefield of potential political blackmail and scandal, but it's a drop in the bucket when you consider how many of these people only run for office so they can engage in the culture of debauchery that always infects political institutions of stagnating nations. So, forgive me for not having Trump high on my priority list when the villains have been the same in our country for decades.
Be well,
Sal Biase
www.saloftheearth.com
Twitter:11sbiase
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Getty Images
Unlike most of the teams in the league, the Broncos won’t be playing until Sunday night but it appears the extra day isn’t stopping them from making sure veteran players are well rested for their matchup with the Chiefs.
Thirteen regulars sat out of practice on Wednesday, including several who don’t appear to have specific injury concerns coming out of last Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. That list does not include safety T.J. Ward, however. Ward is in the concussion protocol after playing the entire game against New England and punctuating the loss with an unnecessary roughness penalty for a hit on wide receiver Julian Edelman.
“[He] came in after the game [and] wasn’t feeling good,” Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said of Ward, via the team’s website. “He’s in protocol, doing good. So he’s in the testing phase right now.”
Tight ends A.J. Derby and Virgil Green are also in the concussion protocol and linebacker Brandon Marshall remains out with a hamstring injury. Defensive end Derek Wolfe left the New England game with a neck injury and didn’t practice, although Kubiak said he believes Wolfe has “a good chance” of playing on Sunday night.
Wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders; cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris; linebacker Von Miller; center Matt Paradis and left tackle Russell Okung were also spectators on Wednesday.
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Apple recently circulated its second pre-release 'Golden Master' build of OS X Yosemite among developers, signalling introduction of the new Mac software is close. If you've not been using the public beta, what can you do today to get your Mac ready for the new OS?
Compatibility
The following Macs are compatible with OS X Yosemite:
MacBook Pro: mid-2007 or newer
MacBook Air: late 2008 or newer
iMac: mid-2007 or newer
Mac mini: early 2009 or newer
Mac Pro: early 2008 or newer
MacBook: late 2008 aluminum, early 2009 or newer
Xserve: early 2009
This may also be a good point to buy your Mac some extra RAM.
Get in shape
If your Mac is compatible then you should run Software Update to ensure your current system is up-to-date before you install the new OS. It makes sense to check the Mac App Store to ensure you have the latest versions of your apps installed. This is also an excellent time to go through your apps and check your larger files -- do you still use them? Spring clean your Mac to maximize available space as you prepare for the new OS.
Back-up
Please don't install the new OS on your Mac without backing up first. While it is true the software has been going through extensive public beta testing, there is always the potential for unexpected problems when installing system software, so back up your files first. If you have an external drive it makes sense to create a bootable clone backup using CarbonCopyCloner.
Wait
Do you need to be the first on your block to install Apple's new OS? The traditional pattern sees millions of Mac users attempting to download and install new system software on day one, which often means downloads are particularly slow, so why not wait to download and install the software 24-hours later when things calm down?
Installation
Launch the App Store app and download the new OS.
Double-click the installer, click 'Show All Disks' and you'll be asked which disk you want to install Mavericks on.
Choose the drive you want to install to (probably your main "Macintosh HD")
Click install and installation takes place.
Spotlight
Once installation takes place Spotlight will need to Index your system once again. While it does it is likely system performance may seem slower. Click on the Spotlight icon in the menu to monitor progress of indexing. Once the operation completes you should see immediate performance improvement.
Verify
Once you've installed the OS check your Mac -- are all your files in place? Now check the Mac App Store for any application software updates that may now be available, and run Software Update to install any follow-up patches that may now be available.
One more thing
If you find your system's performance isn't up to scratch try restarting your Mac while depressing the Command-R key to enter Recovery Mode. While in this mode, run Disk Utility to Verify and Repair your Disk and Disk Permissions before restarting your Mac in the normal way.
Google+? If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user,
why not join AppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner community
and join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple?
Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld.
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March 31, 2017
Taiwanese pro-democracy activist Lee Ming-che disappeared on March 19 after clearing immigration in Macau. China has confirmed that Lee is being investigated on suspicion of ‘pursuing activity harmful to national security.’ This is an unauthorized translation of his wife’s statement. — The Editors
Lee Ching-yu’s Press Release:
I’ve been a historian of Taiwan’s period of political violence, the “White Terror,” for many years. Now that my own my loved one is detained, terror grips my heart. I’ve tried so hard to calm myself, to carefully compose my thoughts. I know from the history of the White Terror in Taiwan that when a country’s system of rule of law hasn’t risen to international standards, all attempts to offer defenses according to the law are useless. We can only offer a defense of humanity and human rights — but the legal systems in such countries aren’t built upon universal conceptions of human rights.
It’s for this reason that I make this considered announcement: I am not going to hire a lawyer and thus engage in pointless legal wrangling.
All human rights workers, all those who bring hope to corners of the world that need human rights upheld, are innocent. It is precisely through the contributions of such individuals that human welfare and civilization grows.
My husband acted selflessly and with love for mankind, and I am full of confidence that everything he has done is worthy of the utmost respect.
I’ve decided to travel to Beijing, find out what is going on, and rescue my husband.
Lee Ming-che’s wife, Lee Ching-yu
March 31, 2017
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TONY ABBOTT has restated his sceptical views on climate change, and suggested the world may be getting cooler, as the Australian Academy of Science released a new report warning of the future impact of global warming.
The Opposition Leader said he accepted ''that climate change is real'', but he did not back away from his view, based in part on the work of the Australian climate sceptic Ian Plimer, that the world is getting colder.
Asked by the ABC's Four Corners if he still disputed that humans are responsible for climate change, Mr Abbott said: ''Sure, but that's not really relevant at the moment. We have agreed to get a 5 per cent emissions reduction target.''
He suggested he harboured doubts about the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body charged with collating global warming research.
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First of all, you won’t believe the deal I got on airline tickets. Seriously, someone at Ctrip must have left off a zero because I’ve paid more for foot massage. Even so, I’m sad to be leaving China. It’s been a great five years but it’s time to move on.
To many of you, this may come as a surprise. You’re wondering, why would someone so young and talented leave at the top of his game? Who will take over as dungeon master at our D&D nights? Are you really going to leave without paying the rest of your rent?
I’m afraid I can’t offer a satisfactory answer to all of your questions. Suffice it to say that, for me, China has changed. And no, I’m not going to pay the rest of my rent.
Let me start at the beginning. Like many others, I originally came to China in search of job opportunities. I was drawn by promises that even an abject loser with no measurable talent could make it in this country. But now I’ve come to realize that this so-called “China Dream” is just that: a dream.
Five years ago, I had no marketable skills and even less ambition so China seemed like the perfect place to coast by on my foreignness and rugged good looks. But the job market has changed so much that even the lowest standard of what employers are willing to accept has risen beyond my reach. Schools now demand a teacher that won’t hit on students (a right I’m not willing to waive) and companies are looking someone who will show up on time and keep their pants on, even in the summer.
What’s more, the people have changed as well. Five years ago, the friends I made were just like me – drunken reprobates who couldn’t give a shit what country they were in so long as the beer and women were cheap and went down easy.
I wish we could have stayed like that forever but, alas, time goes on. Those same friends who used to give street sweepers something to clean up after a night at Propaganda now have “rewarding careers” or are in “committed relationships.” Some have given up on life completely and have gotten married. Not me, though. I’ve kept it real this whole time.
But there are deeper reasons as to why I’m leaving. One is that it’s so hard to communicate with Chinese people; their English is really bad. It’s hard for them to understand me, especially when I’m yelling in their face about how I asked for ice water, not room temperature water. And my boss never knows what I’m saying, even when I’m saying it really, really slowly. It’s almost enough to make me want to learn Chinese.
Another issue is that Chinese people are very exclusive. After five years here, I’ve come to see that I’ll never be Chinese, no matter how many funny hats I wear. Chinese people will always be dismissive of my ideas just because I’m a foreigner.
“Mongols and Manchus are not the same,” they tell me. Or they try to convince me that ninjas didn’t exist in the Tang Dynasty. They just can’t accept that a foreigner has figured out their culture.
So that’s why I’m hanging up my hat, packing my bags, calling it quits. China’s been a fun ride but it’s time to get off.
I’m staying positive, though. I see this as a new beginning. I’m going to find a job back home that can fully utilize my China knowledge and insight.
Some of you may laugh at me. You’ll say good riddance because I never contributed anything of lasting value to China but you’re wrong. So many Chinese people have told me, “Thanks to you, we’ll never see foreigners the same way again.”
This article originally appeared on page 88 of the October 2012 issue of the Beijinger.
Click here to see the October issue of the Beijinger in full.
Photo: invensis.net
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Delhi braveheart who was gangraped dies in Singapore
Dec 29, 2012 03:33 AM IST India India Share
New Delhi: The 23-year-old paramedical student, who was allegedly gangraped and brutally assaulted by six men inside a private bus in Delhi on December 16, has died. The student, who was airlifted from New Delhi to Singapore on December 26 as her condition showed no signs of improvement even after 10 days of treatment at Safdarjung Hospital, breathed her last on Saturday (December 29, 2012) due to severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain.
The braveheart died at 2:15 am Indian Standard Time at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital. "We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4.45 am on 29 Dec 2012 (Singapore time). Her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side. The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in mourning her loss," a press release by Dr Kelvin Loh, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said.
According to the doctors at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital, the girl, before her death, had shown signs of severe organ failure despite the doctors putting her on maximum artificial ventilator support and optimal antibiotic doses.
The Indian High Commission said that her body would be flown back to India as soon as possible. "The girl's family is shattered by the development, but they at the same realise that the best possible medical attention was provided to her. In the end it was the scale of her injuries which proved too much for the medical treatment to overcome," said Raghavan. Her body has been sent for autopsy to Singapore General Hospital.
Before being shifted to the Singapore hospital, the 23-year-old was being treated at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital with doctors performing multiple surgeries on her. However, despite all the efforts, her condition did not show much improvement and she succumbed to her injuries.
All the six men accused of brutalising the girl have been arrested and the case has led to nation-wide protests. The protesters have been demanding better security for women and girls, especially in Delhi which many point out is considered to be one of the most unsafe cities for women according to National Crimes Bureau records.
She had remained on ventilator support for a long time at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, and then at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. Her intestines, which had been badly damaged and were infected as a result of the assault, had to be removed surgically.
Following the news of the braveheart's death, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his condolence message said: "I want to tell them (girl's family) and the nation that while she may have lost her battle for life, it is up to us all to ensure that her death will not not have been in vain." He said the need of the hour is a dispassionate debate and inquiry into the critical changes that are required in societal attitudes.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also expressed her deep grief on the 23-year-old's death saying it was a moment of shame for her government. President Pranab Mukherjee, in his condolence message, said he was "deeply distressed by the unfortunate demise of the 23-year-old girl". "She was a brave and courageous girl who fought till the very last minute for her dignity and her life. She is a true hero and symbolises the best in Indian youth and women," he added.
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Note
Note
4. Now, we'll prep to glue the pages together with Mod Podge. Place wax paper in three different sections to keep these pages from being glued together. Place one piece in the middle of the book. This is where the opening of the book clutch will be. Place the other two on each end leaving out about 10 pages on each side. The pages on each side need to be free so that we can sew in fabric inserts later.
5. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge along the page edges in the two middle sections between the wax paper only. Be sure to do the edges inside the hole in the book too. You'll need several thin coats to thoroughly seal the pages together. Place a stack of heavy books on top as you wait for it to dry. When you are finished, the outer 10 pages on each side should be unglued. The middle should also be unglued. Your book should now look like this:
5. Using a needle poke through the outer pages. This is where we will sew in the fabric inserts.
6. To make the pattern for the fabric insert, open the book as wide as you'd like the clutch to open and trace the basic shape. You'll then need to add an extra inch or so allowance on both sides. The allowance at the bottom should be a quarter inch longer than the width of the hole inside the book.
7. Once you have that basic shape, you'll need to create a mirror image as shown below. (Note: I practiced my pattern on a paper towel first to be sure it fit the dimensions of my book. I also used this pattern as the template for cutting my fabric.)
8. After you have the fabric cut outs (you'll need two), fold each one in half.
9. You should have the wrong side of the fabric facing out. Now, sew the bottom edge together like so...
10. Flip the fabric so that the right side is now facing out. Iron a crease down the middle so that they will fold nicely when you insert them into your book.
11. Next, stitch the insert into the pages through the holes you punched out earlier. The narrowest part of the fabric insert will be closest to the spine of the book. The crease in the fabric should point into the book.
12. After you've sewn the inserts into both sides of the book, use the Mod Podge to glue together those last few pages that were previously left free to the rest of the pages. Then, do the same to the book cover. Remember to use wax paper to prevent the opening in the middle from becoming glued shut.
13. Finally, glue the clasp to the front. First, I added small wooden risers to the book with wood glue so that the latch would stick out over the edge of the book. (Hint: I created the wooden risers by cutting a paint stirrer I had lying around the house.) Then, I glued the clasp these wooden risers with the epoxy glue. Be extra careful not to glue the opening shut in this step. Wax paper can help make sure that this doesn't happen.
And that's all there is to it. Grab your phone, keys and library card and you are good to go....
So, will you guys be sporting the nerdy chic look?
Alright, you nerds, it's time for another 'book'torial. The whole reason I created the first two 'book'torials ( here and here ) was so that I could create this nerdy chic book clutch. I'm completely smitten with how it turned out. Carrying a library card never looked so fashionable. ;)Wanna make your own?BookMatte Mod PodgeFabricNeedle and ThreadClasp ( This is the one I used.)Wax paperWooden paint stirrerWood glueEpoxy glue (I used J.B. Weld)Make sure the book you choose is big enough to hold the items you'd like to carry. For instance, your cell phone, keys, lipstick, etc.1. Cover a book with fabric using the DIY: Fabric Covered Book Tutorial 2. Hollow the book out using the DIY: Book Safe Tutorial : Don't glue the pages together just yet. We'll get to that later.3. Cut a piece of fabric to fit the inside cover of the book and glue it in place using the Mod Podge. Do this on each side. We want the inside to look pretty too!
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Microsoft is finally pulling back the curtain on its planned successor to Wunderlist.
(Image: Microsoft)
That app, officially known as Microsoft To-Do (codenamed "Project Cheshire"), has been in private testing for close to a year. On April 19, Microsoft is making Microsoft To Do available for public testing.
Wunderlist, for those needing a refresher, is the to-do app that Microsoft bought when it acquired 6Wunderkinder in June 2015.
The preview of the new Microsoft To-Do application is available for iPhone, Android phones, Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, and the web starting today. (Versions for the Mac, iPad, and Android tablets are "coming soon.") The Windows versions of the app are Universal Windows Platform apps, for those wondering.
Update: Microsoft's original blog post included a now-missing Frequently Asked Questions section, which made it appear that users would need to have an Office 365 Home, Personal, Business Essentials, Business Premium or Enterprise E1, E3 and E5 subscription to use To-Do. (Office 365 IT admins can turn on the preview from the Office 365 admin center, the FAQ said.) Microsoft did not originally specify that anyone with a Microsoft Account also could use To-Do even without having an Office 365 plan, but that is, indeed, the case, as a number of testers noted on Twitter -- and a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed.
Microsoft's plan is to integrate To-Do with other Office 365 services, starting with Outlook. By integrating with Outlook Tasks, To-Do will be able to access and manage them across devices, according to company officials.
However, Wunderlist to-dos and To-Do to-dos won't automatically sync. Microsoft has built an importer to allow users to transfer their to-dos from Wunderlist to To-Do starting today.
The biggest question many may have is what's going to happen to the much-loved Wunderlist app. From Microsoft's blog post today:
"Wunderlist will eventually be retired as we continue to reinvent task management with To-Do. In the meantime, there will not be any features brought to Wunderlist, but we will continue to ensure the security of the Wunderlist experience."
Microsoft currently is not providing any kind of timeframe as to when Wunderlist will be retired.
Some also have been curious why Microsoft didn't simply update the existing Wunderlist app and instead opted to develop a new to-do app. Some of my contacts said they believed Microsoft did this because Wunderlist wasn't built on Office 365 and didn't use Microsoft technologies under the hood.
The official reason is a bit "softer." According to a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson:
"We're committed to helping people and organizations achieve more. We built To-Do--made by the team behind Wunderlist, who joined Microsoft in 2015 -- because our customers were asking for a more personal, connected and smart way to plan their day.
Over the years of building Wunderlist, we repeatedly heard feedback from our customers that although they were completing most of their to-dos in a day or two, they would struggle to manage their ever-growing, longer and overwhelming lists. These two facts are what inspired us to build To-Do's My Day and Intelligent Suggestions features - both combine to deliver an experience focused on making it simple for customers to plan their days, without the stress of having to look at all of their to-dos."
Checklist for smooth and fast installation of Windows 10 PC
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John Stumpf is the chairman of the Wells Fargo board of directors. This prestigious body is tasked with holding company executives accountable for misdeeds, and the chairmanship is its premier position. So it makes sense that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) would ask Stumpf what punishments the board is considering levying against company executives in the wake of a major scandal.
Late last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau levied a $185 million penalty against Wells Fargo for creating literally millions of fake accounts for its own customers ― replete with bogus fees ― in an effort to meet aggressive internal sales targets. On Friday, Warren sent a letter to Stumpf asking if the board is considering clawing back pay to top executives as a result of the mess.
But here’s the thing. Stumpf is not only chairman of the board at Wells Fargo. He’s also the bank’s chief executive officer. When Warren asks him to re-evaluate prior executive payouts, she’s asking him to consider ponying up part of his own fortune. She and her four Democratic colleagues in the Senate who co-signed her letter to Stumpf weren’t shy about its implications for his own bank account.
“Will Wells Fargo take action to claw back any or all parts of any other senior executive’s incentive compensation ― including your own ― as a result of the settlement with the CFPB and other entities?” they wrote.
Listen to HuffPost’s discussion of the Wells Fargo scandal in the latest episode of the “So That Happened” politics podcast, embedded below. The discussion begins at the 13:00 mark.
Much of the letter focuses on the pay received by former Wells Fargo Senior Executive Vice President of Community Banking Carrie Tolstedt, who left the bank in July with a compensation package worth up to $125 million in stock options and awards. Tolstedt reportedly had authority over the 5,300 employees who the bank said it fired over the course of five years for creating bogus accounts.
The fact that thousands of employees were involved in creating millions of accounts over several years, of course, suggests that company-wide policies implemented by top managers may have had something to do with the trouble. As CEO, Stumpf had authority over Tolstedt and everyone else who worked at Wells Fargo.
Stumpf received $19.3 million from Wells Fargo in both 2014 and 2013. He was the highest-paid big bank CEO in 2012, pocketing $22.9 million, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. He has served as the company’s CEO since the summer of 2007.
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Research Questions:
How is ripening defined?
What are some of the common methods of delaying ripening?
What are some of the substances commonly used as ripening indicators?
What are the properties of ethylene gas and at what concentration is this gas dangerous?
What steps can we take to prevent fruit from rotting?
When is refrigeration useful and when should it be avoided in regard to preserving fruit?
On the informational level, this experiment serves to acquaint students with basic information on the ripening process in fruits. When fruits become overly ripe, we classify them as rotten. Our experience has shown us ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. None of us enjoy eating unripe fruit. Fruits become sweeter, less green and softer as they ripen. In many cases, the acidity of a fruit increases as it ripens, but the higher acidity is not always reflected in its flavor.
Experience has also demonstrated that when most fruits are left outside of the refrigerator, they will begin to brown. The browning is due to the presence of ethylene gas found in the air. The fruits themselves are producers of ethylene, which is a ripening agent. Fruits will remain fresh and firm until the concentration of ethylene surrounding them becomes high enough to stimulate further ripening. Many fruits are shipped when they are not fully ripe and then sprayed with ethylene gas on arrival. On the market today we find specially treated bags and packaging materials that are designed to prevent the exchange of ethylene gas and delay the ripening process. Finding methods of minimizing the ripening of produce is of great interest and of practical value.
This science fair experiment also serves to acquaint students with the essential processes of scientific inquiry such as the importance of using a control, identifying dependent and independent variables, collecting data, depicting data and making good judgments as to the validity and reliability of their findings.
Materials:
bananas
kiwis
apples
oranges
clementines
a bowl
a camera
Experimental Procedure
Gather all the materials you will need for this project. These include bananas, kiwis, apples, oranges, clementines, bowls for each kind of fruit and a camera. Place each type of fuirt in a separate bowl where they will not be handled. Keep them at room temperature. Copy and reproduce the Daily Observation Chart, making sufficient copies so that you can readily record your daily observations. Make one copy of the Summary Chart. Take photos of the before, during and after stages of this experiment. Observe each of the fruit samples on a daily basis for a period of 14 days, recording any changes in appearance, any odors, any browning of the skin, and any residue of moisture any signs of dehydration. Note if you were able to detect the presence of ethylene gas. If so, how did you record this? Review all of your data. Write your final report. Include your photos, charts of data, a summary of your research and your bibliography.
Chart #1: Daily Observations of Changes
Kind of Fruit Browning Ethylene gas odor Moisture Residue Dehydration & Other Bananas Kiwis Apples Oranges Clementines
Chart#2: Tabulation &Summary of Evidence of Rotting
Changes Bananas Kiwis Apples Oranges Clementines Browning Ethylene Gas Odor Moisture Dehydration Other
Terms/Concepts: Ripening, ripening agents, ethylene gas
References:
www.ehow.com/facts_7387865_packaging-affect-ripening-fruit_.html - Cached Burg SP EA (March 1962). “Role of Ethylene in Fruit Ripening”. Plant Physiology.37(2):179-89. Doi;10.1104/pp.37
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NEWARK — The owners of the Minnesota Vikings today lost a bid to overturn an arbitrator’s award of $2 million to their business partners in an ongoing legal battle over a Livingston housing project.
Superior Court Judge Thomas Moore upheld the arbitrator’s decision that Norman Mitschele, Jr. and Ralph Mitschele, Jr. are entitled to $2 million from the joint venture they have with the Wilf family.
The judge also indicated he would like to appoint a third-party to oversee the termination of the joint venture.
“I just want the case to continue to move forward,” Moore said during today’s hearing. “I just want to be fair to both parties and get this resolved.”
But outside the courtroom after the hearing, John Wenzke, an attorney representing the Wilfs, said they would appeal the judge’s decision, and reiterated their argument that the Mitscheles already received the money in question.
“We believe it’s a mistake,” said Wenzke, referring to the decision, and adding that “for fifty years, the Wilfs have successfully and profitably and happily worked with dozens of their partners.”
“They’re disappointed that this dispute came about,” he said.
Alan Lebensfeld, the attorney representing the Mitscheles, however, said the case was “evidence of the Wilfs’ scorched-earth litigation tactics.”
“Quite frankly, I thought the Wilfs’ position was frivolous and…unjustified and contrary to reality,” Lebensfeld said after the hearing.
The ruling marks at least the second time in recent years that a New Jersey judge has decided against Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf, his brother, Mark, and their cousin, Leonard, in a dispute with business partners.
In 2013, a judge in Morris County ordered the Wilfs to pay $110 million to a different set of business partners in a long-running lawsuit over a Montville apartment complex.
The judge determined that the Wilfs systematically cheated the partners out of revenues from the 764-unit Rachel Gardens complex for more than 20 years.
“Zygi” Wilf is principal owner of the Minnesota Vikings and head of his family’s Short Hills-based real estate empire. He is the team chairman, Mark Wilf is the team president and Leonard Wilf is the vice chairman, according to the team’s website.
In the Livingston deal, the Wilfs and their associate, Eli Pechthold, entered into a joint venture in 2000 with Norman Mitschele, Sr. and Ralph Mitschele, Sr. to build 40 single-family homes in a project known as “Hillside Heights.”
Those Mitscheles later died, and their sons are involved in the current dispute with the Wilfs.
After 31 lots had been developed, the Wilfs refused to continue building the homes as a result of their ongoing dispute with the Mitscheles, court papers say.
The parties later entered a private arbitration before retired U.S. District Judge John W. Bissell.
In an Aug. 25 decision, Bissell found that the Wilfs violated the joint venture agreement in February 2011 by refusing to continue building the development.
Bissell ruled that the joint venture must be dissolved and found the Mitscheles were entitled to $2 million from the joint venture, which represents the balance of their capital contributions.
The Wilfs later asked Moore to determine that the Mitscheles are not entitled to those funds, claiming they had received the repayment of their entire capital contributions by May 2007, court papers say.
But Moore said he would not disturb Bissell’s findings regarding the return of capital contributions, and specifically pointed to the following quote from the arbitration decision:
“Any argument that some or all of the $2,000,000 balance in their capital contribution has been satisfied by distribution of proceeds of sale from the developed lots is unpersuasive.”
Bill Wichert may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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New NBA commissioner Adam Silver handed down punishment to Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in a harsh and swift manner on Tuesday afternoon, announcing a lifetime ban from the league and a $2.5 million fine. Silver's decision comes three days after a recording of Sterling making racist remarks to girlfriend V. Stiviano surfaced on TMZ. Silver made it clear that the league will attempt to find new ownership for the Clippers. All the NBA needs is a three-quarters majority vote from the rest of the league's owners to force Sterling to sell the franchise.
Sterling's comments have overtaken the NBA news cycle during an exciting first round of the playoffs, and the announcement of the punishment levied by Silver was met with applause from those inside and outside of the league.
The Clippers issued the following statement at the conclusion of Silver's press conference:
LA Clippers statement: "We wholeheartedly support and embrace the decision by the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver" pic.twitter.com/sYrRndN4Ip — NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) April 29, 2014
The Clippers website accompanied the statement by changing its background to all black with the message "We are one" in white.
Magic Johnson was also quick to praise Silver for the decision. Johnson found himself at the center of the controversy because Sterling took exception to a photo Stiviano posted with the Lakers legend on Instagram.
Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life. — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 29, 2014
Current and former NBA players now know that in Commissioner Adam Silver we have a great leader leading our league. — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 29, 2014
Now let's hope that the other 29 owners do the right thing. — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 29, 2014
LeBron James tweeted his support for Silver and the league's decision, as well:
Commissioner Silver thank you for protecting our beautiful and powerful league!! Great leader!! #BiggerThanBasketball #StriveForGreatness — LeBron James (@KingJames) April 29, 2014
Rev. Jesse Jackson voiced his support for the league's decision in an interview with Bloomberg:
"There's nothing more that needs to be done. I'm sure he has polled the owners … No owner will stand against this recommendation and vote for Sterling. If they did not do it, you would have mutiny by the players, boycotts by the fans and more dropouts from the advertisers. "I cannot imagine any owner embracing what Sterling said about black people. He went a step further relative to Israel and blacks and Jews, how the blacks treated Israel. He took it very extreme and provocative dimensions. I think this is a big statement. We should celebrate Chris Paul and Doc Rivers, those that stood up in the heat of the battle. Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaq. "There was a big fight to get Jackie Robinson on the field. A big fight when we had to fight to win the eligibility by Spencer Haywood. These are our defining moments. "Yes I would help [Sterling if he called me]. [I would tell him], 'You should put the team up for sale.'"
NBA franchises, players and executives continued to comment on the Sterling ruling throughout the day.
Official statement from Nets on Adam Silver’s decision to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life: pic.twitter.com/8j5AwSch3M — devin kharpertian (@uuords) April 29, 2014
Great Job! — Zach Randolph (@MacBo50) April 29, 2014
For life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — JARRETT JACK (@Jarrettjack03) April 29, 2014
Commissioner Silver has made the right moves in response to this unfortunate absurd spectacle. #ZeroTolerance — Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) April 29, 2014
Proud of the #NBA and their handling of the offensive comments made by Sterling. I'm honored to be joining this league and family. — andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) April 29, 2014
Big ups to Adam Silver. I think this is a very appropriate way to handle this situation. Now it's up to the owners to make him sell. — Mario Chalmers (@mchalmers15) April 29, 2014
Way to go, Commissioner Silver! The NBA stands for everybody! — SHAQ (@SHAQ) April 29, 2014
Great job Adam.The @NBA is in good hands. You have my full support. — Micky Arison (@MickyArison) April 29, 2014
We'll give the final word to Rick Ross:
The people have spoken.
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row2k news
New APS/Nike Relationship Announced - Exclusivity Lifted, Gear Provider Still To Be Determined
A sponsorship deal between USRowing and Nike licensee Athlete Performance Solutions (APS) that when first struck banned all other apparel companies from operating at the association's owned regattas, has been reworked.
A joint statement released this afternoon suggests that the association and the Nike licensee have reached a new agreement; row2k has learned that the relationship will bring one of the largest sports apparel companies into a new partnership with USRowing in which APS will sell merchandise at USRowing-owned regattas, but no exclusivity component will apply.
Additionally, APS will not be providing gear to the US teams, nor will they sell "USRowing-marked" apparel.
In response to row2k inquiries on Thursday, USRowing acting Chief Executive Officer Susan Smith has said that APS will no longer be providing gear to the national team, and a search for a new apparel company is near completion. USRowing will announce that deal when the negotiations are complete, Smith told row2k.
"USRowing is pleased to welcome Nike licensee Athlete Performance Solutions (APS) into the rowing community," the statement reads. "We are excited that APS will be bringing its knowledge of Nike's innovative products to the sport of rowing.
"It has been reported that USRowing entered into an exclusive agreement with APS but, after much consideration, USRowing and APS have mutually decided not to move forward with an exclusive relationship at this time.
"We look forward to seeing APS and their Nike products at our upcoming regattas. APS has a history of being active in the communities of other sports, including weightlifting, fencing, wrestling and volleyball and we expect their presence in rowing to be positive for the sport."
Smith said under the new agreement, APS will manufacture rowing apparel and sell it at USRowing regattas.
It will not be "USRowing marked gear," Smith said. "At this point, they are going to sell gear and we are welcoming them to our regattas.
"In terms of who the apparel company is going to be, we asked for quotes from three different vendors and we got proposals back. We're evaluating them and pretty soon we'll make an announcement about who that is going to be," she said.
"We're working very hard to make sure our national team has gear they can proudly compete in. I think in the next week or so we'll make that announcement."
When the sponsorship was first reported by row2k, the terms of the deal was said to be a cash and national team apparel contract that gave the Nike licensee the exclusive rights to USRowing's owned regattas.
When news of the original contract was reported in March, it created a contentious situation that pitted the national governing body of rowing in the United States against a large and vocal segment of the rowing community for several weeks.
JL Racing, one of the affected vendors, posted an emotional appeal for support on their website that resulted in a very public and outraged reaction. USRowing's Board of Directors reacted to the situation by seeking legal counsel to determine if the contract was valid.
USRowing subsequently announced that the contract was non-binding, at which time it became known that members of the board had not seen the actual contract or were made aware of the details before it was signed. USRowing's Chief Marketing Officer, Beth Kohl, left the organization following the announcement. (See the row2k story here.)
Following the announcement that the original APS deal was non-binding, USRowing requested a proposal from JL as one of the companies they approached.
JL Racing responded with a proposal on short notice, but was informed last week that they had not been selected. row2k will report on the final selection of the US team apparel provider when information becomes available.
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by Karam Elahi
From a thread at NEOGAF, Amazon Germany will not be sending out pre-orders shipments to customers until January of next year. This is sad news for German PlayStation fans who just placed their pre-orders and were planning to get their systems in before the holidays, much less launch day.
And Germany isn’t the only one going through PlayStation 4 promised supply shortages. Micromania in France is also telling their customers that any new PS4 pre-orders will not be shipped until January of next year.
Considering that the PlayStation 4 pre-orders sold out within minutes in Japan, it seems as if there will definitely be some world-wide shortages after release day. This is not good news for consumers, especially those who were considering skipping the PS4 console launch hoopla, and were betting on picking up their systems near the holidays. Nothing like the lack of a PS4, Killzone: Shadowfall, and bashing heads in online to put a damper on one’s holidays. So what can you do? Get your PS4 pre-order in as early as you can. You don’t want to miss out on the January PS4 shipments either.
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Soccer Legend Gary Lineker Ronaldo Is GREATER Than Pele Ever Was
Soccer Legend Gary Lineker -- Ronaldo Is GREATER Than Pele
EXCLUSIVE
is a soccer legend -- he's even been enshrined in England's Football Hall of Fame -- which is why it's a little shocking that someone with his experience and soccer knowledge believes Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Pele.Lineker -- who's now a popular soccer analyst -- was leaving STK this weekend when we asked how Ronaldo's career compares to Pele's."Ronaldo is Ronaldo," Lineker told us ... "He's better than Pele."Just a quick stat comparison:614 club goals in 18 years (and that's not even counting his time on the NY Cosmos).233 club goals in 12 years3 World Cup titlesnone.There's no doubting Ronaldo's an incredible talent. But better than Pele? Really?
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MUMBAI: When faced with a volley of gunshots, while sipping coffee at the Oberoi Hotel on Wednesday night, Ali Arpaciouglu, a Turkish citizen on a business trip to Mumbai, chose to escape through the hotel kitchen and down a flight of stairs that opened onto the road outside.
This was probably one of the best decisions he took. On the other hand, his business partner, Meltem Muezzinoglu, and her husband, Seyfi, both Turks, when faced with the same situation, decided to dash out of the restaurant and head upstairs instead. When terrorists laid siege to the hotel, the Muezzinoglus were held hostage."I was in the Indian restaurant at the Oberoi on Wednesday night, when we heard a couple of gunshots. This was followed by another round of shots,'' said Arpaciouglu. Diners ducked under their seats in panic. "One of the hotel staff, a lady whose hand had been wounded in the firing, led a group of us to safety. Though she was bleeding, she took charge of the situation, and led us out of the restaurant, to safety.''The Muezzinoglus, however, found themselves in a hostage situation, along with a group of foreigners. That night, they shared a room with three foreigners - all women. Two machine-gun-wielding terrorists stood guard over them the whole night.All the hostages were asked to reveal their religion. When the Muezzinoglus said they were Muslims, their captors told them that they would not be harmed. The other three Caucasian women were removed from the room next day, and the terrorists informed the Muezzinoglus that they had been shot.Arpaciouglu kept in touch with his friends all through the hostage crisis, up until the time they were released the next day. While the hostages allowed the couple to make one phone call to Arpaciouglu at 3am, for the rest of the day, they relied on text messages. The couples' final messages read: `Soldiers are here now. Soldiers found us'.Arpaciouglu said, "I hope I'll never have to relive this experience.''
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A tooth for a tooth, farmers occupy main road as sunning ground
In a newly constructed Kexue Main Road in Zhengzhou City, the usual grey asphalt pavement turns into a golden boulevard of corns which covered 2/3 of the six-lane road and stretched as long as 5km. According to local villagers, the newly harvested corns can be properly dried in a couple of days and packed for sale on the spot thanks to the sunny weather and good ventilation on the road.
When asked why they occupied the public road for private use, one villager explained: "The road used to be our land. The developers just came here and grab our land to build factories and compounds. We are sunning the corns on our own land, no big deal."
To prevent cars from driving over the corns, villagers put branches, beer bottle glass and reflecting road cones on the outline of the sunning areas.
(Translated from Netease)
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Hyperloop One completed the first full-scale test of its hyperloop technology in a vacuum environment on May 12th, the company announced today. In the test, the company’s hyperloop vehicle — which uses magnetic levitation, or mag-lev, technology — pulled 2 Gs while reaching 70 miles per hour down the length of the company’s test track in Nevada.
Hyperloop One also shared images of its new pod with The Verge. The aerodynamic pod is 28 feet long and constructed of structural aluminum and carbon fiber. Using electromagnetic propulsion and mag-lev technology, it’s designed to carry both cargo and human passengers at near supersonic speeds, Hyperloop One says.
Hyperloop One posted this video of the low-speed test. The company’s co-founder Shervin Pishevar and chief engineer Josh Giegel were also on CBS This Morning to talk up their accomplishment.
Hyperloop is building what could be a new high-speed mode of transportation. Passengers will sit in pods and travel at 700 miles per hour pic.twitter.com/lkeMGe8ocm — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 12, 2017
“It’ll be the safest, cleanest, fastest form of transportation in the world,” Hyperloop co-founder says of Hyperloop One pic.twitter.com/KCs2COr79u — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 12, 2017
Pishevar described the test as the company’s “Kitty Hawk moment,” drawing a direct analogy with the Wright Brothers and their “first in flight” milestone. (Of course, Pishevar isn’t the only Silicon Valley big wig to draw on inspiration from the Wright Brothers; Google co-founder Larry Page has named his “flying car” startup Kitty Hawk.)
The company is now entering the next phase of testing with the goal of reaching 250 mph. A concept first conceived by Elon Musk in 2013, the hyperloop theoretically can send aluminum pods filled with passengers or cargo through a nearly airless tube at speeds of up to 750 mph.
“Hyperloop One has accomplished what no one has done before by successfully testing the first full scale Hyperloop system,” Pishevar said in a statement. “By achieving full vacuum, we essentially invented our own sky in a tube, as if you’re flying at 200,000 feet in the air.”
“we essentially invented our own sky in a tube.”
By conducting the test in private, Hyperloop One appears to be toning down some of its public rhetoric since the company’s much-hyped first test lasted only about two seconds. Conducted in May 2016, the test featured a 1,500-pound metal sled shooting down a short track before crashing into a pile of sand.
In October, Hyperloop One began construction of its 500-meter-long “DevLoop” test track, which became operational last April. The company says it will continue to run tests at DevLoop in the coming months to “validate its next-generation components and software.” The next phase of testing will showcase the Pod gliding along a longer track at faster speeds.
The company’s executives have been traveling the world in recent months, selling its vision of near-supersonic travel to government officials and investors. Despite being based in LA and building its test track in Nevada, Hyperloop One has mostly focused its attention outside the US. The company has feasibility studies underway in the United Arab Emirates, Finland and Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Moscow, and the UK. The company is also eyeing less than a dozen regions in the US as possible future locations for its ultrafast, futuristic transportation system.
To be sure, the hyperloop has a host of challenges to overcome before it can claim to revolutionize transportation. It’s very difficult to build anything new in the US, especially something as huge and enormously expensive as the hyperloop. This is an entirely new technology, built from scratch without any of the right-of-way allowances, land acquisitions, or regulatory approvals that other modes of transportation, like the railway, currently enjoy. Suffice, it will be many years before you are able to sit back and let the hyperloop whisk you away to your destination at its promised speeds.
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37 Pages Posted: 30 May 2015
Date Written: May 28, 2015
Abstract
In this paper, a two-step procedure is applied in order to investigate technical efficiency and its determinants in the Greek food and beverages manufacturing industry for the period 1984-2007. Technical efficiency scores for the industry are estimated using the DEA approach. Moreover, bootstrapped truncated regressions and OLS regressions are applied in order to investigate the factors affecting technical efficiency. The empirical results indicate that there is a fluctuation of technical efficiency scores among the sectors of the food and beverages industry. Furthermore, the findings obtained from both the Tobit and the OLS regressions support that the factors affecting positively the level of technical efficiency are sector size, capital productivity, labor productivity and labor intensity. The results also show that the technical efficiency of the whole industry tended to decrease during the period 1984-2007. Moreover, the present paper provides some policy recommendations that may be useful for the industry to overcome the present economic crisis. Finally, in future research, the technical efficiency of the Greek food industry will be analyzed based on the meta-analysis approach.
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The Boston public schools ousted their longtime director of food and nutrition services yesterday after finding 280 cases of out-of-date food in 40 cafeterias amid allegations from a city councilor of systemic mismanagement and widespread waste.
School officials said they have set aside 3,049 more cases of food, worth roughly $107,000, in a privately operated supply warehouse in Wilmington because records do not readily show expiration dates or “best-if-used-by’’ dates. Officials are peeling away plastic packaging on the pallets, looking for dates or other clues to how long the food has been in storage.
US Department of Agriculture guidelines say that properly frozen food can remain safe after expiration dates, but that it can deteriorate in taste and nutritional value. A USDA spokeswoman said yesterday that the department urges food service officials to “err on the side of caution,’’ especially when serving children.
Deputy School Superintendent Michael J. Goar acknowledged problems in Boston’s food management yesterday, saying, “This clearly highlights that we need to do a better job with inventory control, as well as better menu planning.’’
Goar said the discoveries do not necessarily mean that students have been served food that has been in storage past expiration dates.
“Just because you have [out of date food], does not mean you are going to use it,’’ he said. “I don’t want people to say there is food from 2008 being used to feed our kids. That is far from the truth.’’
But Councilor at Large John R. Connolly, who found out-of-date food in freezers at four school cafeterias in surprise visits earlier this month, said he has found documents that suggest high schools served frozen grilled egg patties in January that had been bought during the 2008-2009 school year. The School Department disputed Connolly’s interpretation of the documents, but officials acknowledged that there is no way to accurately determine the age of food from their invoices. The same records appear to show that the department routinely ordered food items, such as chicken patties, that it already had in abundance in storage, Connolly said.
The warehouse, Wilmington Cold Storage, charged the city more than $73,000 last year for storage and other services. School officials are responsible for ordering food stored there.
“Poor inventory management led to Boston public schools paying to store food and serving expired food to our students,’’ Connolly said yesterday as he and his staff examined five boxes of menus, inventories, and other documents from the department. “It’s totally unacceptable.’’
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Earlier this year, I was talking with a very astute healthy policy observer. They pointed out that the Trump Administration’s push towards much wider use of Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA) to pay for employer coverage on the individual market is extremely interesting in a wide variety of ways. The basic HRA concept is that the employer would place an age/geography/family size adjusted sum of money into employee accessible accounts. Employees would then use the exchanges to purchase insurance on the individual market. The employer effectively makes explicit healthcare costs and off-loads the expense of administration of healthcare benefits to the exchanges.
This is interesting in a wide variety of ways. We talked about how the current system of requiring the reporting of insurance premiums on income tax W-2s (Box 12-DD) does not make people too sensitive. Right now, at most box 12-DD is an interesting factoid as the sum of money that Duke spends on my health insurance is intermediate through multiple opaque layers of value creation and destruction. I don’t know if other large employers can provide my family with the same or better realized value on health insurance. If I had to shop on the Exchange and Duke offers $12,000 for family coverage and Other Employer offered $10,000 in an HRA for family coverage, I can make a real estimate of the value trade-off. But right now, if Duke holds premiums constant while increasing deductibles, I have a hard time determining if my value proposition and trade-offs have changed.
In 2012, Paul Krugman was banging the drum on downward nominal wage rigidity.
Via Mark Thoma, a new paper from the San Francisco Fed offers stunning evidence on downward nominal wage rigidity, a topic I’ve written about before. What the paper shows is that many, many workers are getting precisely zero wage growth in dollar terms:
This stuck with me. People don’t like taking nominal pay cuts as their debts are mostly denominated in nominal dollars. Employers don’t want to demoralize their workforce with nominal pay cuts so they cut head count and fringes to reduce costs and then rely on several years of nominal zero percent changes in an inflationary environment to produce real pay cuts.
Health insurance in an employer sponsored world is a major source of potential savings as Box 12-DD numbers aren’t real. Employers could go to a tiered network or higher deductibles or more restrictive plans while still providing something that most of their remaining employees would consider “similiar” enough to a 0% raise. Those moves are invisible or close enough to invisible so that the scream minimization constraint is satisfied. ESI health insurance premiums are very well hidden compensation for employees although it is very clear compensation for employers.
A question that sticks in the back of my policy brain is “What if the 2008/2009 Great Recession happened again?” This question does not dominate my thinking but it gets asked at least a couple of times a year as I think about possibilities.
Moving to an common HRA arrangement for employer sponsored health insurance should make the cost of premiums far more explicit in a repeat version of 2008-2009 employment shocks. An employer who is seeking to cut compensation costs by taking an average of $800 per employee per year out of the health insurance budget can’t do that any more by narrowing the network, restricting the formulary and switching from a PPO to an HMO. Instead it is an explicit cut where the HR rep has to convince the workforce that this year they received on average $10,000 in employer premium support and next year they will receive $9,200 in average premium support and that is still a great deal. And it may be a good deal for individuals who qualify for subsidies as they will get topped up but for folks who don’t qualify for subsidies, this is an explicit wage cut.
The idea of HRA breaking the employer role of selecting health insurance is extremely attractive assuming deep and well functioning individual markets or at least individual markets that are no more dysfunctional than the current large group markets. However, making explicit the cost of health insurance may exacerbate a repeat of 2008-2009.
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New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano is doing his best to get his 23-year-old son into the family business. Joseph Cassano currently works as an FDNY EMT “in an apparent bid to fast-track his promotion to firefighter,” the New York Post reports, but the kid isn’t doing himself any favors, using Twitter to publicly broadcast his various prejudices against black people, women, Jews, and his job. “Getting sick of picking up all these obama lovers and taking them to the hospital because their medicare pays for an ambulance and not a cab,” he tweeted last month. And that’s one of the delicate ones.
Some other assorted Cassano wisdom in 140 characters or less:
“MLK could go kick rocks for all I care, but thanks for the time and a half today.”
“News flash to half of the island, ur white! Stop talking like ur a shwoog.” (Yes, shwoog means what you think it means.)
“I like jews about as much as hitler #toofar? NOPE.”
The FDNY, of course, is notorious for its lack of diversity and the EMS program, of which the younger Cassano is a part, is meant to address those concerns: “EMS members get first crack at joining the FDNY as firefighters under new federal diversity rules that put them ahead of ‘open competitive’ applicants to the Fire Academy,” the Post reports. But it also works for nepotism — Joseph and two others in the 100-person new class are the sons of FDNY leadership.
“I regret posting some comments that were offensive, especially since I enjoy my job and treat every patient with great care and respect,” said Cassano this morning through an FDNY spokesperson.
The @jcassano15 account has been deleted, but lives on through Google. And he made the last tweet count: “I really don’t worry if I make alot of money in my life, as soon as I can buy my wife new tits ill be a happy man.”
Update: Little Cassano is set to resign over the above tweets, the Post reports. “I found the messages offensive,” said Mayor Bloomberg today. “It is my understanding that he has chosen to resign from the fire department. I think that’s the appropriate thing and I’ll leave it there.”
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SINGAPORE - An Uber car crashed into a tree along Xilin Avenue on Sunday (July 9) morning, killing its backseat passenger.
The Straits Times understands that the car, a Toyota Vios, had skidded before hitting the tree. The 22-year-old driver, who was not injured, has been arrested for causing death by a negligent act.
The accident took place on the slip road into East Coast Parkway, in the direction of the Marina Coastal Expressway, at about 7.30am.
According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the 31-year-old male passenger was found lying motionless and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Lianhe Wanbao reported that the victim suffered a fractured skull, and that the road was wet after a heavy downpour in the morning.
Police investigations are ongoing, said a police spokesman.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for Uber said:"We are extremely saddened to hear about this tragic accident. Our thoughts are with all the deceased’s family at this time. We are doing what we can to support them and stand ready to cooperate with the authorities in their investigations.”
This is believed to be the third fatality involving an Uber car in Singapore.
Police have arrested the driver of the Uber vehicle for causing death by a negligent act. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO
On Feb 10, a 23-year-old Uber driver was jailed six weeks and banned from driving for five years for causing his teenage passenger's death and injuring a van driver in an accident along Seletar Expressway in September last year.
The second case saw a 62-year-old driver fined $7,000 and banned from driving for five years on March 29. He had failed to keep a lookout and hit a woman at a pedestrian crossing in Hougang in November last year.
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Blood glucose monitors are pretty ubiquitous today. For most people with diabetes, these cheap and reliable sensors are their primary means of managing their blood sugar. But what is the enterprising diabetic hacker to do if he wakes up and realizes, with horror, that a primary aspect of his daily routine doesn’t involve an Arduino?
Rather than succumb to an Arduino-less reality, he can hopefully use the shield [M. Bindhammer] is working on to take his glucose measurement into his own hands.
[Bindhammer]’s initial work is based around the popular one-touch brand of strips. These are the cheapest, use very little blood, and the included needle is not as bad as it could be. His first challenge was just getting the connector for the strips. Naturally he could cannibalize a monitor from the pharmacy, but for someone making a shield that needs a supply line, this isn’t the best option. Surprisingly, the connectors used aren’t patented, so the companies are instead just more rigorous about who they sell them to. After a bit of work, he managed to find a source.
The next challenge is reverse engineering the actual algorithm used by the commercial sensor. It’s challenging. A simple mixture of water and glucose, for example, made the sensor throw an error. He’ll get it eventually, though, making this a great entry for the Hackaday Prize.
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Genetic testing of far-right Hungarian politician provokes an uproar
If you think running for office in the United States is rigorous, then you haven’t met Hungary’s far-right Jobbik party. After the April 2010 legislative elections that handed the extremist group 47 seats in the national assembly — and before local elections that fall — an unnamed Jobbik MP made a special effort to gain the upper hand by undergoing genetic testing "to ensure he did not have a Roma or Jewish ethnic background." The lab results were published by a Hungarian far-right website in May. According to the report from medical diagnostic company Nagy Gen, the MP, whose name was blacked out, has "No genetic trace of Jewish or Roma ancestors."
The company, which faces a criminal investigation for violating the country’s Law on Genetics, "examined 18 positions in the MP’s genome" for supposedly Jewish and Roma variants, but Joerg Schmidtke, president of the European Society of Human Genetics, criticized the company:
"This is a gross distortion of the values of genetic testing…. In addition, the test proves nothing; it is impossible to deduce someone’s origins from testing so few places of the genome."
Jobbik is the third-largest party in Hungary’s parliament, and is known for its anti-Semitic and anti-Roma platform. European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor found the racial purity test a cause for immediate concern:
"This test demonstrates a very troubling escalation by the Jobbik party … into a genetic and racial ideology that appears to be a short step below a fully-fledged Nazi worldview."
The icing on the cake, though, is the fact that three-time Olympic water polo champion Tibor Benedek, a member of a prominent Jewish family, held a minority financial stake in the Nagy Gen, but he pulled out immediately after the report was published.
It’s good to know that racial purity is making a comeback, but if the testing was truly unprofessional, it’s entirely possible we may have another Vladimir Zhinirovsky on our hands.
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