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/aydz/, n. Pathol.a disease of the immune system characterized by increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections, as pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and candidiasis, to certain cancers, as Kaposi's sarcoma, and to neurological disorders: caused by a retrovirus and transmitted chiefly through blood or blood products that enter the body's bloodstream, esp. by sexual contact or contaminated hypodermic needles. Cf. AIDS virus.[1982; a(cquired) i(mmune) d(eficiency) s(yndrome)]
* * *in full acquired immunodeficiency syndromeFatal transmissible disorder caused by HIV.AIDS, the last stage of HIV infection, is defined by the appearance of potentially lethal opportunistic infections. The first AIDS cases were identified in 1981, HIV was isolated in 1983, and blood tests were developed by 1985. In 2002 approximately 40,000,000 people worldwide were living with HIV, and more than 25,000,000 had died of AIDS. In the U.S. some 2,000,000 people had been infected with HIV, 800,000 had been diagnosed with AIDS, and 450,000 had died. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the focus of infection, but the number of cases in South and Southeast Asia and elsewhere continues to mount at an alarming rate as well. An initial acute illness usually resolves within weeks. Infected persons then generally have few or no symptoms for about 10 years. As the immune system deteriorates, they develop diseases such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, cytomegalovirus (CMV), lymphoma, or Kaposi sarcoma.
* * *▪ diseaseIntroductionbyname of acquired immunodeficiency syndrometransmissible disease of the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a lentivirus (literally meaning "slow virus"; a member of the retrovirus family) that slowly attacks and destroys the immune system, the body's defense against infection, leaving an individual vulnerable to a variety of other infections and certain malignancies that eventually cause death. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, during which time fatal infections and cancers frequently arise.The emergence of HIV/AIDSDetails of the origin of HIV remain unclear; however, a lentivirus that is genetically similar to HIV has been found in chimpanzees (chimpanzee) in western equatorial Africa. This virus, known as simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), does not readily cause disease in chimpanzees. However, AIDS is a zoonosis, an infection that is shared by humans and lower vertebrate animals. The practice of hunting, butchering, and eating the meat of chimpanzees may have allowed transmission of the virus to humans, probably in the late 19th century or early 20th century.Genetic studies of a pandemic strain of HIV, known as HIV-1 group M, have indicated that the virus emerged between 1884 and 1924 in central and western Africa. Researchers estimate that this strain of the virus began spreading throughout these areas in the late 1950s. Later, in the mid-1960s, an evolved strain called HIV-1 group M subtype B spread from Africa to Haiti. In Haiti this subtype acquired unique characteristics, presumably through the process of genetic recombination. Sometime between 1969 and 1972, the virus migrated from Haiti to the United States. The virus spread within the United States for about a decade before it was discovered in the early 1980s. The worldwide spread of HIV-1 was likely facilitated by several factors, including increasing urbanization and long-distance travel in Africa, international travel, changing sexual mores, and intravenous drug use.In 1981 investigators in New York and California reported the first official case of AIDS. Initially, most cases of AIDS in the United States were diagnosed in homosexual (homosexuality) men, who contracted the virus primarily through sexual contact, and in intravenous drug users (drug use), who became infected mainly by sharing contaminated hypodermic needles. In 1983 French and American researchers isolated the causative agent, HIV. (In 2008 French virologists Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of HIV.) By 1985 serological tests to detect the virus had been developed. According to the 2007 United Nations report on AIDS, an estimated 33.2 million people were living with HIV, approximately 2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV, and about 2.1 million people died of AIDS. Relative to previous years, the statistics for 2007 reflect a decrease in the annual number of new infections and deaths from AIDS and an increase in the overall number of people living with AIDS. Some 25 million people have died of the disease since 1981.People living in sub-Saharan Africa account for about 70 percent of all infections, and in some countries of the region the prevalence of HIV infection of inhabitants exceeded 10 percent of the population. Rates of infection are lower in other parts of the world, but different subtypes of the virus have spread to Europe, India, South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Rates of infection have leveled off somewhat in the United States and Europe. In the United States nearly one million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and half of all new infections are among African Americans. In Asia the sharpest increases in HIV infections are found in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Access to retroviral treatment for AIDS remains limited in some areas of the world, although more people are receiving treatment today than in the past.Groups and subtypes of HIVGenetic studies have led to a general classification system for HIV that is primarily based on the degree of similarity in viral gene sequence. The two major classes of HIV are HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is divided into three groups, known as group M (main group), group O (outlier group), and group N (new group). Worldwide, HIV-1 group M causes the majority of HIV infections, and it is further subdivided into subtypes A through K, which differ in expression of viral genes, virulence, and mechanisms of transmission. In addition, some subtypes combine with one another to create recombinant subtypes. HIV-1 group M subtype B is the virus that spread from Africa to Haiti and eventually to the United States. Pandemic forms of subtype B are found in North and South America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Subtypes A, C, and D are found in sub-Saharan Africa, although subtypes A and C are also found in Asia and some other parts of the world. Most other subtypes of group M are generally located in specific regions of Africa, South America, or Central America.HIV-2 is divided into groups A through E, with subtypes A and B being the most relevant to human infection. HIV-2, which is found primarily in western Africa, can cause AIDS, but it does so more slowly than HIV-1. There is some evidence that HIV-2 may have arisen from a form of SIV that infects African green monkeys.TransmissionHIV is transmitted by the direct transfer of bodily fluids, such as blood and blood products, semen and other genital secretions, or breast milk, from an infected person to an uninfected person. The primary means of transmission worldwide is sexual contact with an infected individual. HIV frequently is spread among intravenous drug users who share needles or syringes. Prior to the development of screening procedures and heat-treating techniques that destroy HIV in blood products, transmission also occurred through contaminated blood products; many people with hemophilia contracted HIV in this way. Today the risk of contracting HIV from a blood transfusion is extremely small. In rare cases transmission to health care workers may occur by an accidental stick with a needle used to obtain blood from an infected person. The virus also can be transmitted across the placenta or through the breast milk from mother to infant; administration of antiretroviral medications to both the mother and infant around the time of birth reduces the chance that the child will be infected with HIV. HIV is not spread by coughing, sneezing, or casual contact (e.g., shaking hands). HIV is fragile and cannot survive long outside of the body. Therefore, direct transfer of bodily fluids is required for transmission. Other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, genital herpes (herpes simplex), gonorrhea, and Chlamydia, increase the risk of contracting HIV through sexual contact, probably through the genital lesions that they cause.Life cycle of HIVThe main cellular target of HIV is a special class of white blood cells critical to the immune system known as helper T lymphocytes (lymphocyte), or helper T cells. Helper T cells are also called CD4+ T cells because they have on their surfaces a protein called CD4. Helper T cells play a central role in normal immune responses by producing factors that activate virtually all the other immune system cells. These include B lymphocytes, which produce antibodies (antibody) needed to fight infection; cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which kill cells infected with a virus; and macrophages and other effector cells, which attack invading pathogens. AIDS results from the loss of most of the helper T cells in the body.HIV is a retrovirus, one of a unique family of viruses that consist of genetic material in the form of RNA (instead of DNA) surrounded by a lipoprotein envelope. HIV cannot replicate on its own and instead relies on the mechanisms of the host cell to produce new viral particles. HIV infects helper T cells by means of a protein embedded in its envelope called gp120. The gp120 protein binds to a molecule called CD4 on the surface of the helper T cell, an event that initiates a complex set of reactions that allow the HIV genetic information into the cell. Entry of HIV into the host cell also requires the participation of a set of cell surface proteins that normally serve as receptors for chemokines (hormone-like mediators that attract immune system cells to particular sites in the body). It appears that the binding of gp120 to CD4 exposes a region of gp120 that interacts with the chemokine receptors. This interaction triggers a conformational change that exposes a region of the viral envelope protein gp41, which inserts itself into the membrane of the host cell so that it bridges the viral envelope and the cell membrane. An additional conformational change in gp41 pulls these two membranes together, allowing fusion to occur. After fusion the viral genetic information can enter the host cell.Once the virus has infected a T cell, HIV copies its RNA into a double-stranded DNA copy by means of the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase; this process is called reverse transcription because it violates the usual way in which genetic information is transcribed. Because reverse transcriptase lacks the "proofreading" function that most DNA synthesizing enzymes have, many mutations (mutation) arise as the virus replicates, further hindering the ability of the immune system to combat the virus. These mutations allow the virus to evolve very rapidly, approximately one million times faster than the human genome evolves. This rapid evolution allows the virus to escape from antiviral immune responses and antiretroviral drugs. The next step in the virus life cycle is the integration of the viral genome into the host cell DNA. Integration occurs at essentially any accessible site in the host genome and results in the permanent acquisition of viral genes by the host cell. Under appropriate conditions these genes are transcribed into viral RNA molecules. Some viral RNA molecules are incorporated into new virus particles, while others are used as messenger RNA for the production of new viral proteins. Viral proteins assemble at the plasma membrane together with the genomic viral RNA to form a virus particle that buds from the surface of the infected cell, taking with it some of the host cell membrane that serves as the viral envelope. Embedded in this envelope are the gp120/gp41 complexes that allow attachment of the helper T cells in the next round of infection. Most infected cells die quickly (in about one day). The number of helper T cells that are lost through direct infection or other mechanisms exceeds the number of new cells produced by the immune system, eventually resulting in a decline in the number of helper T cells. Physicians follow the course of the disease by determining the number of helper T cells (CD4+ cells) in the blood. This measurement, called the CD4 count, provides a good indication of the status of the immune system. Physicians also measure the amount of virus in the bloodstream—i.e., the viral load—which provides an indication of how fast the virus is replicating and destroying helper T cells.Because of the high rate at which the genetic material of HIV mutates, the virus in each infected individual is slightly different. Genetic variants of HIV have been categorized into several major subtypes, or clades, which have different geographical distributions. Variation occurs throughout the genome but is especially pronounced in the gene encoding the gp120 protein. By constantly changing the structure of its predominant surface protein, the virus can avoid recognition by antibodies produced by the immune system.Course of infectionThe course of HIV infection involves three stages: primary HIV infection, the asymptomatic phase, and AIDS. During the first stage the transmitted HIV replicates rapidly, and some persons may experience an acute flulike illness that usually persists for one to two weeks. During this time a variety of symptoms may occur, such as fever, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle and joint pain, rash, and malaise. Standard HIV tests, which measure antibodies to the virus, are initially negative because HIV antibodies generally do not reach detectable levels in the blood until a few weeks after the onset of the acute illness. As the immune response to the virus develops, the level of HIV in the blood decreases.The second phase of HIV infection, the asymptomatic period, lasts an average of 10 years. During this period the virus continues to replicate, and there is a slow decrease in the CD4 count (the number of helper T cells). When the CD4 count falls to about 200 cells per microlitre of blood (in an uninfected adult it is typically about 1,000 cells per microlitre), patients begin to experience opportunistic infections—i.e., infections that arise only in individuals with a defective immune system. This is AIDS, the final stage of HIV infection. The most common opportunistic infections are Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium infection, herpes simplex infection, bacterial pneumonia, toxoplasmosis, and cytomegalovirus infection. In addition, patients can develop dementia and certain cancers (cancer), including Kaposi sarcoma and lymphomas (lymphoma). Death ultimately results from the relentless attack of opportunistic pathogens or from the body's inability to fight off malignancies.A small proportion of individuals infected with HIV have survived longer than 10 years without developing AIDS. It was suspected for many years that such individuals mount a more vigorous immune response to the virus, but scientists could not explain why. Then, in 2006, a variation called a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, in the HLA-G gene— human leukocyte antigen G, a gene that codes for a molecule that stimulates immune response—was identified in a subset of female prostitutes who had remained HIV-negative despite having had sexual contact with more than 500 HIV-positive men. In 2007 scientists identified three additional SNPs responsible for an estimated 15 percent of the variability in viral load and disease progression between HIV-infected individuals. Two of these SNPs are located in genes that code for HLA-B and HLA-C, molecules that are similar to HLA-G in that they specialize in pathogen recognition and immune system activation. The third SNP is located in a gene called HCP5 (HLA complex P5), an inactive retrovirus first incorporated into the human genome millions of years ago that shares similarities in DNA sequence with HIV and is thought to interfere with viral replication.Diagnosis, treatment, and preventionTests for the disease check for antibodies to HIV, which appear from four weeks to six months after exposure. The most common test for HIV is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). If the result is positive, the test is repeated on the same blood sample. Another positive result is confirmed using a more specific test such as the Western blot. A problem with ELISA is that it produces false positive results in people who have been exposed to parasitic diseases such as malaria; this is particularly troublesome in Africa, where both AIDS and malaria are rampant. polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which screen for viral RNA and therefore allow detection of the virus after very recent exposure, and Single Use Diagnostic Screening (SUDS) are other options. Because these tests are very expensive, they are often out of reach for the majority of the population at risk for the disease. Pharmaceutical companies are developing new tests that are less expensive and that do not need refrigeration, allowing for a greater testing of the at-risk population around the world.There is no cure or effective vaccine for HIV infection. Efforts at prevention have focused primarily on changes in sexual behaviour such as the practice of abstinence and the use of condoms (condom). Attempts to reduce intravenous drug use and to discourage the sharing of needles have also led to a reduction in infection rates in some areas. HIV infection is treated with three classes of antiretroviral medications. Protease inhibitors, which inhibit the action of an HIV enzyme called protease, include ritonavir, saquinivir, indinavir, amprenivir, nelfinavir, and lopinavir. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (e.g., abacavir [ABC], zidovudine [ AZT], zalcitabine [ddC], didanosine [ddI], stavudine [d4T], and lamivudine [3TC]) and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (e.g., efavirenz, delavirdine, and nevirapine) both inhibit the action of reverse transcriptase. Each drug has unique side effects, and, in addition, treatment with combinations of these drugs leads to additional side effects including a fat-redistribution condition called lipodystrophy.Because HIV rapidly becomes resistant to any single antiretroviral drug, combination treatment is necessary for effective suppression of the virus. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), a combination of three or more RT and protease inhibitors, has resulted in a marked drop in the mortality rate from HIV infection in the United States and other industrialized states since its introduction in 1996. Because of its high cost, HAART is generally not available in regions of the world hit hardest by the AIDS epidemic. Although HAART does not appear to eradicate HIV, it largely halts viral replication, thereby allowing the immune system to reconstitute itself. Levels of free virus in the blood become undetectable; however, the virus is still present in reservoirs, the best-known of which is a latent reservoir in a subset of helper T cells called resting memory T cells. The virus can persist in a latent state in these cells, which have a long life span due to their role in allowing the immune system to respond readily to previously encountered infections. These latently infected cells represent a major barrier to curing the infection. Patients successfully treated with HAART no longer suffer from the AIDS-associated conditions mentioned above, although severe side effects may accompany the treatment. Patients must continue to take all of the drugs without missing doses in the prescribed combination or risk developing a drug-resistant virus; viral replication resumes if HAART is discontinued.Antiretroviral therapy is typically initiated once CD4 levels have fallen to 200 cells per microlitre of blood, which generally coincides with the establishment of symptomatic disease. In most patients, initiating treatment at this point provides maximal therapeutic effectiveness, in that it minimizes the severity of drug toxicities and thus the risk for discontinuance of treatment and development of drug resistance. However, studies have indicated that in patients with morbidity-increasing factors, such as coinfection with a hepatitis virus or unusually rapid CD4 decline or high viral load, initiating treatment earlier, when CD4 levels have declined to 350 cells per microlitre, can improve survival and delay the onset of AIDS-related diseases significantly. Other studies have indicated that beginning antiretroviral treatment in infants immediately following diagnosis, rather than waiting until symptoms appear, can reduce infant mortality and disease progression dramatically. Such studies have resulted in the consideration of treatment recommendations that are more dynamic today than in the past, thereby improving treatment outcomes for certain subsets of patients with HIV.The identification of gene variations in HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-G, and HCP5 has opened avenues of drug and vaccine development that had not been previously explored for HIV infection. Scientists anticipate that therapies aimed at these genes will serve as ways to boost immune response.Robert SilicianoSocial, legal, and cultural aspectsAs with any epidemic for which there is no cure, tragedy shadows the disease's advance. From wreaking havoc on certain populations (such as the gay community in San Francisco in the 1980s) to infecting more than one-third of adults in sub-Saharan African countries such as Botswana, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe at the turn of the 21st century, AIDS has had a devastating social impact. Its collateral cultural effect has been no less far-reaching, sparking new research in medicine and complex legal debates, as well as intense competition among scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions. Since the mid-1980s, the International AIDS Society has held regular conferences at which new research and medical advances were discussed.In order to raise public awareness, advocates promote the wearing of a loop of red ribbon to indicate their concern. Activist groups lobby governments for funding for education, research, and treatment, and support groups provide a wide range of services including medical, nursing, and hospice care, housing, psychological counseling, meals, and legal services. Those who have died of AIDS have been memorialized in the more than 44,000 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which has been displayed worldwide both to raise funds and to emphasize the human dimension of the tragedy. The United Nations designated December 1 as World AIDS Day.Regarding access to the latest medical treatments for AIDS, the determining factors tend often to be geographic and economic. Simply put, developing nations often lack the means and funding to support the advanced treatments available in industrialized countries. On the other hand, in many developed countries specialized health care has caused the disease to be perceived as treatable or even manageable. This perception has fostered a lax attitude toward HIV prevention (such as safe sex practices or sterile needle distribution programs), which in turn has led to new increases in HIV infection rates.Because of the magnitude of the disease in Africa, and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular, the governments of this region have tried to fight the disease in a variety of ways. Some countries have made arrangements with multinational pharmaceutical companies to make HIV drugs available in Africa at lower costs. Other countries, such as South Africa, have begun manufacturing these drugs themselves instead of importing them. Plants indigenous to Africa are also being scrutinized for their usefulness in developing various HIV treatments.In the absence of financial resources to pay for new drug therapies, many African countries have found education to be the best defense against the disease. In Uganda, for example, songs about the disease, nationally distributed posters, and public awareness campaigns starting as early as kindergarten have all helped to stem the spread of AIDS. Prostitutes in Senegal are licensed and regularly tested for HIV, and the clergy, including Islamic religious leaders, work to inform the public about the disease. Other parts of Africa, however, have seen little progress. For example, the practice of sexually violating very young girls has developed among some HIV-positive African men because of the misguided belief that such acts will somehow cure them of the disease. In the opinion of many, only better education can battle the damaging stereotypes, misinformation, and disturbing practices associated with AIDS.Laws concerning HIV and AIDS typically fall into four broad categories: mandatory reporting, mandatory testing, laws against transmission, and immigration. The mandatory reporting of newly discovered HIV infections is meant to encourage early treatment. Many countries, including Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany, have enacted mandatory screening laws for HIV. Some countries, such as Estonia, require mandatory testing of prison populations (in response to explosive rates of infection among the incarcerated). Most of the United States requires some form of testing for convicted sex offenders. Other legal and international issues concern the criminalization of knowing or unknowing transmission (more prevalent in the United States and Canada) and the rights of HIV-positive individuals to immigrate to or even enter foreign countries.In the United States some communities have fought the opening of AIDS clinics or the right of HIV-positive children to attend public schools. Several countries—notably Thailand, India, and Brazil—have challenged international drug patent laws, arguing that the societal need for up-to-date treatments supersedes the rights of pharmaceutical companies. At the start of the 21st century many Western countries were also battling the reluctance of some governments to direct public awareness campaigns at high-risk groups such as homosexuals, prostitutes, and drug users out of fear of appearing to condone their lifestyles.For the world of art and popular culture, HIV/AIDS has been double-edged. On the one hand, AIDS removed from the artistic heritage many talented photographers, singers, actors, dancers, and writers in the world. On the other hand, as with the tragedy of war and even the horror of the Holocaust, AIDS has spurred moving works of art as well as inspiring stories of perseverance. From Paul Monette (Monette, Paul)'s Love Alone, to John Corigliano's Symphony No. 1, to the courage with which American tennis star Arthur Ashe (Ashe, Arthur) publicly lived his final days after acquiring AIDS from a blood transfusion—these, as much as the staggering rates of infection, constitute the legacy of AIDS.Keith DorwickAdditional ReadingGeneral interest and in-depth worksBasic information on the political, demographic, and scientific aspects of HIV/AIDS is provided by Alan Whiteside, HIV/AIDS: A Very Short Introduction (2008). Comprehensive coverage of the virus and disease is provided by Hung Fan, Ross F. Conner, and Luis P. Villarreal, AIDS: Science and Society, 5th ed. (2007). The impacts of social and economic issues in Africa on epidemiological and biomedical research of AIDS are discussed in Ezekiel Kalipeni et al. (eds.), HIV and AIDS in Africa: Beyond Epidemiology (2003).DocumentariesAn informative documentary covering progress in both the sociopolitical and the scientific realms of HIV/AIDS is The Age of AIDS (2006), a PBS Home Video written and produced by Renata Simone, William Cran, and Greg Barker and narrated by Will Lyman. A critically acclaimed documentary about the AIDS pandemic and its impact on people worldwide is A Closer Walk (2006), a Worldwide Documentaries film, produced and directed by Robert Bilheimer and narrated by Glenn Close and Will Smith.Kara Rogers
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Universalium. 2010.


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From the New York Times:
The F.B.I. director, Robert S. Mueller III, has argued that the bureau's ability to carry out court-approved eavesdropping on suspects is "going dark" as communications technology evolves, and since 2010 has pushed for a legal mandate requiring companies like Facebook and Google to build into their instant-messaging and other such systems a capacity to comply with wiretap orders.
FBI Wants to Tap Your Social Networks – Obama on Verge of Agreeing
From the New York Times:

subset: commoncrawl


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A Holiday Apology...
I have to apologize to Loyal Leaguers everywhere. Despite many creative and entertaining entries, The League was unable to get it's act together and get a nice photo for the Holidays.
A few things conspired against me:
1) A lack of time.
2) A lack of a photographer in order to get both Jamie and myself into the photo.
3) The amazing array of props, locations, etc... that Leaguers suggested. I am not certain what makes people think I can just get a police officer or patrol car at any moment, but, despite my wishes to the contrary, I cannot merely summon the police without someone from league HQ ending up in the pokey.
Anyhow, I have failed you. I feel pretty bad about that. But not too bad. And I also wish to point out that I think Jamie was relieved she would not need to get into costume for any photos.
But I still wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, a Positive Post-Hannukah, a Krazy Kwanzaa, or whatever.
We're winging eastward toward Lawton, OK in fairly short order, so The League is going on hiatus until the end of the month. Not that I think you'll take time out during Christmas to check in, but... you know... thought I'd let you know you're not going to miss anything.
So until I post again... Travel safely, eat well, enjoy the family and friends around you, and try to take a moment to remember what it's all about.
My Christmas Wish is the same this year as it has been every year. I wish that next year is better than this year, and that health and happiness prevail.
Merry Christmas, Leaguers. And thanks for hanging around! Jamie and I wish you the best!
Peace on Earth, and goodwill to all from The League of Melbotis.


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With a renewed interest in the eclectically indie, big ticket music videos are quickly becoming a lost art. Indeed, with the new found tendency to favor the unique and unestablished, lavish videos – complete with luxury vehicles and cinematic special effect – are becoming the exception, rather than the rule. That being said, up until very recent years, the genres of hip-hop and r&b were notoriously flashy. The literal origin of the term "bling," many urban videos employed massive amounts of cash, all in the name of entertaining their fans. The following represents the most lavish hip-hop and r&b videos made since the year 2000.
#5) "Touch The Sky"- Kanye West ft. Lupe Fiasco (2006)- An old school throwback of a video, the comical visuals for Mr. West's "Touch the Sky" are simultaneously vintage and modern. Featuring Kanye, Lupe, and Pamela A. (as the leading lady), the video depicts Kanye as an old school daredevil, and it ultimately ends with the rapper boarding a small aircraft, presumably to "touch the sky." Filled with a huge band, flying apparatuses, vintage cars, and one amazing view, the price of this video soared to $1,000,000!
#4) "Thong Song" – Sisqo (2000)- One of the highest-selling singles ever recorded by the artist, the video for "Thong Song" is filled with fun, sun, and, of course, thongs. From the flashy costumes and luxury vehicles, to the elaborate dance sequences and celebrity cameos, (and did I mention, the thongs?!), the cost to make the video was $1,000,000.
#3) "Call On Me" Janet Jackson Featuring Nelly (2006)- Foreign, artistic, creative, and exotic, the video for Janet's "Call On Me" is as rich in texture as it is in funding. One of her lesser known collaborations, Janet teamed up with Nelly for this one, and spent $1,000,000 in the process.
Janet Jackson ft Nelly – Call On Me
#2) "Stronger"- Kanye West ft. Daft Punk (2007)- A glimpse into the new age of music, the video for "Stronger" is a science fiction lover's dream. Filled with bright lights and robots, this video looks to be a flashy introduction into the electronic world of Daft Punk. At any rate, the end product was definitely money well spent – $1,200,000 to be exact.
#1) "Doesn't Really Matter" Janet Jackson (2000)- Released over 15 years ago, the video for "Doesn't Really Matter" by Janet is still looks amazingly modern. A video depicting the starlet in a new age, state-of-the-art condominium and other brightly lit, high-tech locations, the star sings and dances around with her friends to the tune of $2,500,000!
With one look at a search engine, it can quickly be ascertained that big ticket videos are a thing of the past (at least for now). Although they are by no means necessary in order to enjoy an artists' music, it's always fun to reminisce about the days in which music was mainstream, and big budgets were plentiful…


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this kind of feelings.
Hey, you wouldn't believe what happened to me since you're not around. First thing first, I watched and I listened to everything I've never done before. I randomly found calming music and put it to my playlist right away. I didn't listen and watch the same thing over and over. It's a little thing I want you to know.
Beside, I also learned new things, Ka. I made a podcast and impulsively signed up for Korean class. DID YOU BELIEVE IT? I really spare my time to learn Korean, things you always proud of and forgive me back then, but I'm falling to the language right after I learned how to write and read it in the right way.
Oh, I guess you might noticed this, but I fall to Eric Nam on February 2nd 2020. It's tmi but you should know that I fall to another guy, dude. Even, I bought his album. Arkaaaa, I changed a lot! Damn. Aaaaand, I also read those fan fictions or alternate universe stories. Ya ya ya I know, it's common things for you, but this is kinda big deal for me because you know, I never try new things.
I left my second account once I found it's too toxic, for some reason. You won't find me ranting 24/7 on ig stories and I didnt made igstories as much as back then. I'm trying to improving my English and... Having a good life with new things around. There's so many thing that I haven't tried, but let's see if I would enjoy the ride.
Arka, to be honest, sometimes, in the middle of nowhere like this time, your face pops up in my head and suddenly I'm thinking about you. There's strange feeling when I remembered you; but I'm not sure what's should I describe it. It doesn't feel like I'm missing you or even hating you for things that happened to us back then. There's a feeling that always left since you decided to moved on.
It's not like.. I haven't moved on yet. I just.. Well sometimes the feeling is coming and I'm trying to get over it. But the more I tried, the more I see your face.
But I remembered the last time you called my name, warm and nicely. We joked a little about my book -our book, and I walked away. Your voice, your laugh, your smile, your jokes, your flirt, your attention to me are those that I always remembered. I've done enough to erased all the bad things between us, I hope you do the same.
Arka, I'm sorry that we didn't work out. I'm sorry that we couldn't even be friends. I'm sorry to make you feel bad whenever I'm crying after our fights because we couldn't workout. I'm sorry I didn't listen because I'm too blind with things that I thought I know better. I'm so sorry.... I forgot that this relationship is about both of us. I'm so sorry.
So many things happened and revealed after we separated. But after a really long journey, I finally could understand that our destiny just want us to learned things for improve ourselves and I know.. Just because we met each other, it doesn't mean we're meant to be together.
What's ours will find us. But when I found you, maybe I don't belong in your world because even I tried as hard as I could, we couldn't work it out. Same goes to you...
And it's okay.
Hope you're doing well, I'm working on my thesis and pretty good on taking care of my mental health. I hope, you'll always be happy. Well, you know, even we couldn't get happiness everyday, but if you're happy, everything you do will be much easier.
Arka, have you ever think about me?


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BOSTON - As expected, the status of Rajon Rondo is the big news of the night prior to Friday's game between the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns here at TD Garden. Unfortunately, Rondo -- who suffered a right wrist injury on Wednesday night against the Raptors -- will not play on Friday and second-year guard Avery Bradley will start.
Doc Rivers did not know a timetable for Rondo's possible return. Keyon Dooling is also out for the Celtics, even though he expected to return Friday night. In addition, Chris Wilcox is also out for Boston, leaving the C's three men down tonight.
Mickael Pietrus will have the opportunity to show what his former team, the Suns, is missing. Pietrus spoke to reporters prior to the game about his rocky departure from Phoenix (he was waived after a failed trade). Read more here.
Finally, former Boston College star Jared Dudley returns to the city with the Suns. I spoke with Dudley about his NBA career and the current state of BC hoops. Alvin Genrty, the Suns' coach, also chimed in. More on that Saturday.
For more Celtics and Suns coverage, visit both CelticsBlog and Bright Side Of The Sun.


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National Programme for IT in England: Complications and Implications
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Volume Title
Presented at Med-e-tel 2005 Conference in Luxembourg.
National Experiences in Telemedicine and eHealth: The National Programme for IT (NPfIT) in England is being billed as being the largest single civilian IT Project on the planet. The cost of the procurement alone was 6.2 billion (Euros 10 billion) and it is estimated that the full cost of implementation may cost 10 times that figure over the next 10 years. In a project of such complexity and scope, the technology acquisition is often the easiest part. The implementation phase of the NPfIT is proving to be challenging, not least because the large systems integrators who are contracted to implement the programme - have different perceptions as to the best way to manage the process in their respect geographical regions. There are a number of risks associated with this programme, which where possible - have been mitigated. Critical to success has been the acceptance of the process change in working practices by the clinical communities on the ground and this has proved much more difficult than was anticipated hitherto. The current state of the implementation phase of this national eHealth programme will be discussed and the challenges and risks will be addressed and discussed.
The author of this presentation was Dr. R.J. Richardson. It was presented by Adam Hanina, visiting Fellow of Imperial College and Executive Director of the European eHealth Forum, at the Med-e-tel 2005 Conference in Luxembourg on April 7th, 2005.
eHealth, United Kingdom, Evaluation, Recommendation


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But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." John 16:13-16 (NIV)
Coming Next
Are you telling me that you will help me to know what is coming next? Are you saying that I won't be left in the dark? You will help me to know how to live and walk in the truth? You will guard and guide my life? You will help me to know what steps I should take next in life? Do I have this correct? Am I right in my thinking? Yes, I will help you to know what is coming next. Yes, as long as you continue to follow me you will never find yourself in the dark. You will walk in the light with me. As you follow me, I will help you to know how to live and walk in the truth. As you follow me, I will be guarding and guiding your life. You will not go where you should not go. You will not do what you should not do. I will make you able to know and do my will. This sounds very good to me. You are describing the kind of life that I want to live. It is the desire of my heart and mind and life to know you. I want to do your will. I want to live in ways that please you. I want to walk in the light with you. I want to be set free to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. That is very good.
How can I make sure that I am following you? Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. Hold on to me as I hold on to you. Sit at my feet. Listen to my instructions. Follow my guidance. Listen to my word. Put into practice all that I am teaching you. Separate yourself from evil. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Do not allow yourself to be conformed to this world. Focus your heart and mind and life on me. Let me use my word to change your heart, transform your mind and guide your life. Then you will know for certain that you are following me. All of these things I will joyfully do. That will be very good.
Holy Spirit, speak to me now. Show me what is to come and the next steps you want me to take. I'm here in your word attentively listening for your instructions and following your guidance. Take my hand and lead me on the path of life. I will follow you. Amen
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Guidance – John 16-13-15 – Guide You Into All Truth – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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1 Membership—3 Museums
Find the answers to commonly asked questions about trains, astronomy, magnets and much more.
While body-worn technologies have existed for centuries, today's wearable technology is often connected to digital software and the Internet.
At its simplest, stargazing is exactly what it sounds like: taking the time to look at what's above you in the night sky. However, there's literally a universe to discover out there!
Scientists focus on how sounds are made, how they are transmitted, what forces affect their movement, and how the human ear detects and translates them to our brains.
Renewable energy is energy derived from the sources which are inexhaustible, or naturally replenished.
Despite this confusing definition, its meaning is very simple: energy is just the force that causes things to move.
You may have heard the saying, "I'll believe it when I see it!" However, can we really believe everything that we see, hear, taste, smell and touch?


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My first exposure to JavaScript Promises was at a JavaScript meetup a couple of years ago and despite being a talk by a very good presenter, it was an early stage in my JavaScript understanding and most of the topic went over my head. Nowadays Promises are quite common and most developers will probably have had some level of exposure, whether they understand them or not. They're part of the EcmaScript 6 (ES6) specification so if you don't understand them, now is a great time to learn.
We're going to write an implementation of a JavaScript Promises library, and hopefully this helps you reading it and me writing it to better understand the workings of Promises. Let's dive right into the example and a bit of an explanation of how Promises are used. For more information, check out Dr. Axel Rauschmayer's article on ES6 Promises or Jake Archibald's article on Javascript Promises.
Using Promises and the demo app
The basic usage of Promises is something like below, so that's where we're going to start.
doSomething() is going to do something asynchronous and then if it succeeds, we want to be able to use or manipulate the resulting value (if any) from
doSomething() in the success function. If something goes wrong in
doSomething() we want to be able to handle the error in the failure function.
function(value) {
// success
function(error) {
// failure
Take a look at script.js in the demonstration repository at branch
step0 for how we'll use the Promise library for the initial implementation.
button.addEventListener('click', function clickListener() {
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }
.then(function(result) {
img.src = URL.createObjectURL(result);
}, function(error) {
console.error('Got no image!', error);
We're fetching an image, then on success we stop the loading spinner and set the
<img>.src to an Object URL containing the loaded image data. On failure we still stop the loading spinner and log the error. We'll improve on this and remove the duplication as we improve the Promise library.
doSomething() is where we'll actually setup our Promise, start an asynchronous task and then 'resolve' (execute the success handler function) or 'reject' (execute the failure handler function) the Promise. A Promise can only be 'settled' (either 'resolved' or 'rejected') once. For the ES6 standard of Promises, we pass a function to the
new Promise() constructor. The function has two parameters
resolve and
reject which are both functions that we use to resolve or reject the Promise after our asynchronous task. In the example below,
AsyncTask() is a fictional utility that we can attach success and error handler functions to the
onSuccess and
onError properties.
function doSomething() {
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
var task = new AsyncTask();
task.onSuccess = function(value) {
task.onError = function(error) {
Looking at fetch.js in the demonstration repository at branch
step0 you'll see how I've wrapped an XMLHttpRequest with an asynchronous
fetch() function that returns a Promise. I won't explain this in any detail and it won't be changing through this article, just take note of where we create the
new Promise() and where we
resolve and
reject the Promise.
The demonstration is just a placeholder image and a 'Get Random Image!' button. Clicking the button downloads a random 500x500 image from lorempixel.com and replaces the placeholder image with the downloaded image data.
To run the demonstration you'll need to clone the git repository,
git checkout the correct branch (in this case
step0) and then serve the files using a HTTP server. If you have Python 2 or Python 3 installed, the easiest is to just run
python -m SimpleHTTPServer or
python3 -m http.server respectively from the command line inside the cloned git repository.
Basic success/failure handling
If you try running the demonstration now, you'll get an error because promise.js is just an empty stub at the moment. To get the demonstration working, we'll need to flesh out the constructor function and implement the
.then() method. The constructor just needs to initialise two internal properties to store the success and failure handler functions that are passed into
.then(), and then it needs to call the deferred function that is passed into the constructor. We'll need to provide the
resolve and
reject methods that will be called from inside the deferred function that was passed into the constructor. Our initial, very basic implementation looks like this.
// promise.js
function Promise(deferred) {
this._success = null;
this._failure = null;
function resolve(value) {
if (this._success) {
function reject(error) {
if (this._failure) {
Promise.prototype.then = function(success, failure) {
if (success) {
this._success = success;
if (failure) {
this._failure = failure;
This will get the current demonstration application working. In the demo repository,
git checkout step1 to see it working. At the moment, you can only place a single
.then() after the returned Promise from
fetch(), so we just log the error if you have no network connection or request a bad URL. Change
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }); to
fetch(errorUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }); to demonstrate this. Don't forget to change it back!
Handler chaining
One of the great strengths of the Promise pattern is being able to chain operations to happen after an asynchronous operation, and eventually be able to perform a number of asynchronous operations in a style that looks synchronous, or is at least easier for us to understand and reason with. We want to be able to do something like this.
.then(/* ... */)
.then(/* ... */)
.catch(/* ... */)
.then(/* ... */);
Have a quick look at script.js on branch
step2 to see how the demo has been changed. We don't need to duplicate the
setLoading(false) calls anymore, we can do that at the end of the chain. We've separated some of the processing and notice the new
.catch() method. We'll start by quickly implementing
.catch() in the Promise library, it's just a convenience function for
.then(undefined, failure()).
Promise.prototype.catch = function(failure) {
return this.then(void 0, failure);
Promise() constructor doesn't need to change at all, we'll even keep the
if (this._success) { ... } and
if (this._failure) { ... } checks around the handler calls because at the end of the chain the handler functions won't be defined. Our
.then() method needs to change quite substantially, the first and most important change is that to facilitate chaining
.then() and
.catch() handlers, we must always return a
new Promise(). Next we'll always need to define
this._success() and
this._failure() methods. If
.then() provides a success handler we'll call
success() with the passed in value, then resolve the new Promise with the result of
success(value), otherwise we'll just resolve the new Promise with the passed in value which just hands the passed in value along to the next handler in the chain. If
.then() provides a failure handler the processing is quite similar, we'll call
failure() with the passed in error and then because the error should be handled after the failure handler, we resolve the new Promise with the result of
failure(error). If there's not a failure handler provide, we just pass the error down the chain. The revised
.then() method looks like this.
Promise.prototype.then = function(success, failure) {
return new Promise(
function(resolve, reject) {
// Always define this._success() to forward success value if not handled locally
this._success = function(value) {
if (success) {
// Handle success value locally, then pass on new success value
} else {
// No local success handler, pass on success value
// Always define this._failure() to forward error if not handled locally
this._failure = function(error) {
if (failure) {
// Handle error locally, then pass on new success value
} else {
// No local failure handler, pass on error
If you
git checkout step2 and run the demonstration now, the functionality is unchanged, but the code to achieve it is a bit nicer.
Promises in the handler chain
One of the best things you can do with Promises is return a Promise within a handler, this lets you flatten out a chain of asynchronous operations. Take a look at script.js on branch
step3 and you'll notice that we've moved the
.catch() handler to the top of the chain and we're returning a new Promise via another call to
fetch(), this time fetching a local fallback image.
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }).catch(function(error) {
console.error('Got no image!', error);
console.info('Getting default image');
return fetch(defaultImgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' });
We only need to make one change to our
this._success() handler inside the
.this() method. It now needs to check if the passed in value is an instance of
Promise, call
.then() on it if it is a Promise and resolve/reject the outer Promise based on the result/error of the passed in Promise. Replace the line
resolve(success(value)); with the following block to handle Promises as a value.
if (value instanceof Promise) {
// Resolve/reject this Promise after the passed in Promise is resolved/rejected
function(result) {
// Handle resulting value locally, then pass on new success value
function(error) {
// Pass on resulting error
} else {
// Handle success value locally, then pass on new success value
If you
git checkout step3 and run the demonstration now, there's one major change to the functionality. If the initial request to fetch
imgUrl fails, the
.catch() handler returns a new fetch request for
defaultImgUrl, this is a local fallback image so loading it shouldn't fail. Try replacing the first
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }); with
fetch(errorUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }); to demonstrate loading the fallback image and then continuing down the chain of handlers.
Slightly more advanced
Two very useful utility functions that a Promise library should provide are
Promise.race() and
Promise.all(). Both of these functions take an array of Promises and return a single Promise.
Promise.race() resolves or rejects it's single returned Promise with the result or error from the first of it's passed in Promises to resolve or reject. The rest of the passed in Promises are ignored, regardless if they resolve or reject.
Promise.all() resolves it's single returned Promise with an array of results resolved from all of the passed in Promises. The indexes of the results array match the index of the Promise that resolved the result from the passed in array of Promises. If any of the Promises passed into
Promise.all() are rejected, the single returned Promise is immediately rejected with the error and all other passed in Promises are ignored, regardless if they are resolved or rejected.
Promise.all() looks like this.
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }), // fetch 0
fetch(imgUrl, { responseType: 'blob' }), // fetch 1
]).then(function(results) {
// results[0] will contain the result of fetch 0
// results[1] will contain the result of fetch 1
Try and think about how you might implement
Promise.race() and
Promise.all(). Take a look at script.js at branches
step4 and
step5 for the demonstration examples of
Promise.race() and
Promise.all() respectively. (
git checkout step4 and
git checkout step5) to run them. Below are my implementations.
Promise.race = function(promises) {
var settled = false; // Keep track if any Promises have been settled
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
promises.forEach(function(promise) {
function(result) {
if (!settled) {
// First Promise to resolve/reject, resolve with result and set settled flag
settled = true;
function(error) {
if (!settled) {
// First Promise to resolve/reject, reject with error and set settled flag
settled = true;
Promise.all = function(promises) {
var settled = 0, // Keep track of the number of Promises settled
results = []; // Keep track of Promise resolutions
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
promises.forEach(function(promise, index) {
function(result) {
// Add resolution to the same index as the Promises array
results[index] = result;
// Increment number of settled Promises, resolve when all are resolved
if (++settled === promises.length) {
function(error) {
// Reject immediately if any Promises reject
Update 29/05/2015 Kyle Simpson (@getify) took some time to review this article and gave some awesome feedback. I've been slowly rewriting my Promises implementation, but I haven't had as much time to work on it as I'd like so I thought I should post an update in the meantime. Firstly, this implementation isn't currently Promises/A+ compliant, that was never an original goal, but it is something I'm working towards now. Kyle has a lightweight Promises/A+ compliant implementation called Native Promises Only (NPO). Two very important things to note about my current implementation:
- My handlers aren't async! This is a big no-no, but relatively easily fixed by wrapping their execution in
setTimeout(..., 0)
- Promises should recursively resolve to eventually return a non-Promise value


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Akastor in $370M well intervention services LOI with Equinor
Akastor's subsidiary AKOFS Offshore has signed a letter of intent with Equinor (formerly known as Statoil), for the provision of year-round light well intervention services (LWI) offshore Norway.
Under the letter of intent, the contract period is for five years, with an option period of three years. Contract award is subject to partner approval and final agreement on terms and conditions.
The contract value for the initial five-year period is approximately $370 million. The work is scheduled to start in the first half of 2020 and will be performed from the AKOFS Seafarer well intervention vessel which is owned and operated by AKOFS Offshore.
The vessel and its intervention system will undergo necessary modifications and upgrades as part of preparations for the contract.
Geir Sjøberg, CEO of AKOFS Offshore said."This is an important milestone for the company as we increase our operating envelope to include the Norwegian continental shelf. Equinor is a key operator of subsea wells and has been pioneering the use of subsea intervention technology. Building on experience from Norway and international operations including Brazil, AKOFS Offshore together with our partners DeepWell and Welltec, acting as subcontractors, are proud of the confidence shown by Equinor."


text:
Nikki's older brother came to see is for his senior portraits 4 years ago. Now, she's graduating and headed to Texas A&M this fall. We're so pleased they made the decision to come back to work with us again. Notice how many different poses and types of lighting we used to set the mood for each portrait. Lighting is the key to drawing the viewers attention to the part of the image they should look at.
Nikki – Waxahachie High School Senior Portraits
0 comments


text:
Travelers have one more place to watch their backs when they're on the road: the hotel business center.
The U.S. Secret Service on Monday confirmed it has warned the hotel industry about malware installed on computers in business centers that allow crooks to monitor every keystroke typed on a device, yielding a motherlode of personal data, such as passwords, user names and credit card information.
The report was first made public on Krebs on Security, and a Secret Service spokesman confirmed the warning to CNBC.
"The keylogger malware captured the keys struck by other hotel guests that used the business center computers, subsequently sending the information via email to the malicious actors' email accounts," according to the warning obtained by Krebs on Security. "The suspects were able to obtain large amounts of information including other guests personally identifiable information (PII), log in credentials to bank, retirement and personal webmail accounts, as well as other sensitive data flowing through the business center's computers."
Read MoreWhy cyber-insurance will be the next big thing
The report, jointly issued with Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, said the advisory comes after the arrest of individuals suspected of attacking computers at several major hotels in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
"We take that very seriously," Scott Joslove, head of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, said of the advisory. "We have software in many of our business centers that limit how long people can be on the computer, and we try to put [the computers] in public areas where they can be seen," Joslove said.
His association tries to keep its member hotels up to date on the latest threats, but it's a problem that's not unique to hotels. "It's actually what you face in hotel business centers, computers at shopping malls or in your home," Joslove said. "You can never stop trying to stay ahead of them."
Earlier this year, the Secret Service initiated an investigation into a data breach at 14 hotels where malware was installed on the credit and debit card readers at the hotels' restaurants and gift shops to steal customers' names, credit card numbers, security codes and card expiration dates.
Read MoreHotel data breach went undetected for nine months
—By CNBC's Amy Langfield. Follow Road Warrior on Twitter at @CNBCtravel.


text:
Seems Lumia 920 is still seeing good traction at Walmart. Black and Cyan Lumia 920 are the best sellers AT&T smartphones at Walmart. This is bit surprising considering AT&T selling Lumia 920 for as low as $19. But, may be Walmart customers have some additional benefits in buying from Walmart. Anyways good news for Nokia !!
Thanks Geeks for the Tip. Cheers !!
In another good news, the Lumia 820 also joins Lumia 822 and Lumia 810 in going Free now. AT&T has slashed the Lumia 820's on-contract price to $0.01 and this offer is valid till 31st March, it seems.


text:
Mavericks and Lucky Breaks
This is a blog about two truly remarkable blind people. The first is a friend in Maryland who has taught high school for thirty years. Gary is one of those rare people who just radiates class. He is the kind of teacher that every parent hopes for their child and the kind of person every student wants to have as their instructor.
When he won an award as one of the outstanding teachers in his county, his principal said, "My son will tell you today that in his high school career and undergraduate work he never had a teacher he admired more. Gary knew his students as individuals and cared about them as individuals. He knew what their interests were and kept them highly motivated." He added, "Latin is not usually a popular course, but it is because of Gary."
With a master's degree in Classics from Penn. State, Gary has primarily taught French and Latin and even tutored a few students in classic Greek. Since his "retirement," he has been asked to teach some introductory Spanish and Russian at a local college.
I'm telling this story because, although I've known Gary for almost thirty years, I only recently learned he had been unemployed for the first two years after graduation. Even then, full-time employment came about as the result of what Gary describes as "a lucky break, a school needing to fill a position at the last-minute and being desperate enough to take a chance on him." This is an exceptionally accomplished man who came perilously close to being chronically unemployed for life.
Sadly, this is far from an uncommon story for a great many blind and visually impaired adults.
A few statistics will serve to illustrate.
* The commonly accepted unemployment figure for people who meet the legal definition of blindness is 70%. As I've mentioned in other posts, the majority of people included in this definition can see something; society typically thinks of them as just having really poor vision, however. The 70% figure does not include people who have become discouraged from finding employment and stopped looking, and the 30% employment figure includes a large number of people who are only employed part-time. The number of people who are part-time and would like full-time employment is almost certainly far greater than in the general population.
* By comparison, the unemployment rate at the depth of the 2007-09 "great recession" was 10%.
* Contrast this with the average unemployment rate during the Great Depression, the worst economic period in American history, of 17.1%.
There are several reasons accounting for the discrepancies in these rates.
* The unemployment rates are probably always going to be higher for the blind population simply because there are a significant number of potential remote jobs that just require vision. There's no way around it. There will never be much demand for blind surgeons or airplane pilots.
* A large percentage of jobs take it for granted that transportation to and from the job is not an issue. Being able to get back and forth to work for someone who is blind is, however, a very big deal. Probably, only one job in a hundred is even feasible to get to for a blind person. If this seems like an exaggeration, calculate how many job postings you could economically access without a car.
* Lack of entry-level experience is a barrier to the job market. Working as a sales clerk or delivering pizzas allows you to learn valuable job skills that you can then draw on while working your way up the employment ladder. It is extremely rare for the blind teen-ager or college student to have comparable opportunities.
* Like any other group in the job market, some people simply aren't qualified. To be frank, there are visually impaired people who don't have a good work ethic, lack the requisite job skills, or have a poor attitude.
* Discrimination. Someone somewhere along the way has to be willing to give you an opportunity. Such opportunities, sadly, are rare. When you meet someone who is "successful," to be sure, they have done a lot of things themselves to enable that to happen, but it's also almost certain that they've been lucky. As I remember someone saying years ago, "I'm sick of people telling me how 'amazing' or 'inspirational' I am. If I'm truly amazing and inspirational, give me the opportunity to prove it with a job."
Let me conclude by talking about that other remarkable person I promised when I began. Kathy is not reluctant to talk about her struggles when she began as a new high-school teacher. Students took advantage of her blindness. Classroom discipline was frequently a problem, her classroom was often chaotic, and she wondered if she were even qualified to teach. However, she stuck with it, changing those things she needed to change and learning to have confidence in those things she was good at. Two years ago, she was selected the Indiana teacher of the year and one of the four finalists for the national teacher of the year award. As she is quick to say, none of this would have been possible if her principal weren't a "maverick" and willing to give a chance to a blind applicant.
These are heart-warming stories, but ones that leaves you wondering how many Garys and Kathys there are who have never been given the opportunity by being fortunate enough to encounter a potential employer who was a maverick willing to give them a lucky break. They were not asking for equality, only opportunity.


text:
2016 Open Doors Press Briefing
On November 14, 2016, the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs released the latest statistics and trends on international students in the United States and U.S. students studying abroad from the new Open Doors 2016 Report on International Educational Exchange.
Open Doors Briefing at the National Press Club
A Message from Asst. Secretary of State Evan M. Ryan
The Open Doors findings were the topic of a briefing on November 14 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, with Assistant Secretary of State Evan M. Ryan, in conjunction with the worldwide observance of International Education Week. The event included a presentation of the data and a lively conversation about international education among the assembled group of more than 100 educators, U.S. and foreign government representatives, international associations, and members of the press.
Open Doors Presentation and Audio Recording
Listen to the audio recording of the Open Doors 2016 Press Briefing
New Data and highlights on Open Doors website
On the Open Doors website, you can access the new data from Open Doors 2016, the annual report on student mobility, as well as press releases and background information to help explain the trends. Open Doors contains extensive data and analysis on numbers of foreign students and scholars on U.S. campuses and American students studying abroad, and is supported by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.


text:
This privacy statement explains the reasons why we collect, process, handle and ensure the protection of all personal data provided, how that information is used and your rights.
This privacy policy only applies to Maps and Legends PR OÜ and its website, and is reviewed regularly.
Who are we?
For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (GDPR), Maps and Legends PR OÜ is the 'controller' of your personal data, and we comply with the Regulation's requirements in respect of the collection, management and disclosure of your personal information.
Why do we process your data?
We collect only the data we need to respond to your enquiry and provide our services to you
Which data do we collect and process?
We keep a minimum amount of personal information. This includes your name, occupation and contact information, such as business address, telephone, email or Twitter account.
How long do we keep your data?
We keep your data for the time necessary to fulfil the purpose of collection as stated above.
How do we protect your data?
We are committed to ensuring your data is secure and have put in place appropriate measures to safeguard your information.
Who has access to your data and to whom do we share it?
Access to your data is provided to authorised staff according to the "need to know" principle.
If required, access to personal data will be provided to our appointed accountants. With your agreement, we may also work with carefully selected companies who are GDPR-complaint to deliver some of our services, for example graphic design and digital agencies.
We do not share or sell your personal data to anyone else.
Our website
Where our website contains links to other websites of interest, these are not governed by this privacy statement and we are not responsible for their privacy practices.
We use traffic log cookies only to identify which pages are being used. This helps us to analyse data about the web traffic and improve our website.
Photos / pictures, presentation, live web streaming and/or audio and video recordings
Photos/pictures, presentation, live web streaming and/or audio and video recordings may be taken during events we organise and used in our communications including social media.
Changes to your personal data and contacting us
If you want to check or change any of the personal data we hold about you, please contact us.


text:
When students return Wednesday to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, they will start where they left off: fourth period.
A guidance counselor was explaining this the other day to Bruna Oliveira. That's when the freshman felt the grief well up, her mind floating back to when she was crouched on the classroom floor, praying she would be spared, eyes squeezed shut while her favorite teacher lay wounded.
"My teacher is dead," Bruna told the counselor at a Sunday orientation. "And I don't have a class."
Exactly two weeks after gunfire transformed this tranquil, suburban community into the latest chapter in the American school-shooting saga, students are set to return to the sprawling campus. The massacre that left 17 dead put the campus at the center of a debate over gun violence and many of its students at the forefront of a movement to change firearms laws.
But in the coming weeks, teachers hope to ease students back into the business of learning: graphing polynomials, dissecting Shakespeare, learning the countries of Southeast Asia. For Bruna, that should mean starting with geography class, but her teacher, Scott Beigel, is gone. And Building 12 - which held his classroom - is ringed by a chain-link fence. The Broward County school system is seeking money from the state to demolish the building, to wipe the stain away.
Some students are too traumatized to return and instead plan to transfer schools or continue their education online, from the safety of their homes.
But for those who witnessed the violence and plan to return, heading back is an act of defiance. Some sense danger at random times, even at homes protected by alarm systems and secluded deep within gated communities. Sometimes a sound - the shrill ring of the house phone, for instance - transports them to that terrifying day, and they find themselves shaking. Their challenge is how to carry on - how to absorb lessons about math and science and history - when their teenage brains harbor memories of gunfire and broken glass and the bloodied bodies of friends and teachers.
"I know that I'll never forget what happened, and I know that I'm never going to be the same," said Bruna, who moved to Parkland with her mother from Brazil in 2016. She is a hard-working student and worries her grades will slip. "But I'm trying to make everything like it was before."
Bruna and the 3,300 students of Stoneman Douglas High join a growing roster of people who have survived school shootings, many grappling with injuries or the effects of trauma for the rest of their lives. For the survivors of Building 12, the hulking, three-story building where police say a former classmate decided to open fire on about 550 students, the memories are especially vivid.
An ongoing Washington Post analysis has found that more than 150,000 students attending at least 170 primary or secondary schools have experienced a campus shooting since the 1999 Columbine High massacre. And research has shown that standardized test scores fall among students who remain at schools where there has been a fatal shooting.
Mixed in with the grief is guilt, confusion, anger. The students who have dominated the news cycle say they speak on behalf of classmates too traumatized or fragile to speak, teens who spend their days in group counseling.
The start of school has been accompanied by the return of familiar routines punctuated by reminders of this transformative event. On Saturday, Sarah Lezama, a senior who now sleeps alongside her mother and needs Benadryl to nod off, went shopping for a prom dress. Then, she changed out of her cutoff denim shorts and into a black dress with tiny white flowers to head to the visitation for 14-year-old Martin Duque, the last of the Parkland 17 to be laid to rest. Ryan Gutierrez, a senior, attended Martin's funeral Sunday morning, then swapped black slacks for a soccer uniform in his mother's car to play midfield.
It's a combination of resignation - a feeling that what happened in a city hailed as Florida's safest could happen anywhere - and defiance. Those returning to Stoneman Douglas said leaving would feel like betrayal and a surrendering to the fear that the alleged gunman, Nikolas Cruz, perhaps sought to create.
The parents of Alexandra Geisser, a 16-year-old sophomore, got her into a private school after the shooting. But Alexandra, who spent an hour crammed behind a teacher's desk while bullets flew down the hallway, said she is not quite ready to leave. Like many of her classmates, she startles easily, and when she attended a CNN town hall on gun control, she found herself crouching down to the floor when she heard a rumble.
"Logically, I know I should go" to the private school, Alexandra said as she cuddled a therapy dog near the school's entrance Sunday after she collected a backpack left behind when police rescued her from a classroom. "But there's this guilt, this feeling of solidarity. I feel like I'd be betraying the community."
Joseph DiGilio, a 15-year-old sophomore, said he sometimes wakes up in a panic - "I feel like my gut is twisted" - even though there is little to fear in his home.
He wrestles with guilt and helplessness over his inability to help a classmate who lay wounded in the hallway as Joseph hid in a locked classroom. Without warning, he will be seized with fear and terror.
Joseph has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, the same condition that afflicts soldiers on the front lines of war, and survivor's guilt. But there was no question he would return to school. He thought of how the gunman had already stolen so much from him and his classmates.
"If I didn't come back," Joseph said, "it was letting him win."
Isaah Jean, a 14-year-old freshman who came face to face with the gunman and broke his foot sprinting from Building 12, said he is unsure how he will focus. Hobbling around on crutches, he stares at the ground, sadness weighting his face.
"I'm trying to pay attention, but in the back of my mind, anything could happen," he said. On his first visit back to campus, he grew uneasy: "Something in my mind was telling me to keep moving, to not stay in one place for too long."
There are students, too, who have found a sense of purpose. Suzanna Barna, a senior who was in the high school newspaper class when the shooting happened, planned to go to school for engineering because she excels in physics. But Suzanna, who is helping assemble a memorial edition of the student newspaper and who traveled to the state capitol in Tallahassee to speak to lawmakers about gun control, is reconsidering her aspirations, weighing journalism or politics.
Teachers and staff returned to the school last week to prepare it for students, but some were too fearful to enter their classrooms, and one showed up with a deep-purple bruise marking where a bullet had slid past her shoulder. One teacher has asked for a therapy dog to be permanently stationed in her room.
Bruna's first visit to the shattered campus, like many of her classmates, came Sunday, when students returned for an orientation and some retrieved belongings - backpacks, gym bags, Valentine's Day presents with wilted flowers - abandoned in the rush to escape. Principal Ty Thompson offered a hug to every student, and therapy dogs - friendly golden retrievers - hovered outside the campus entrance.
Students were greeted by well-wishers clad in angel costumes and handing out white carnations, and they passed the homegrown memorials lining an entire side of the campus. One girl embraced another on the sidewalk: "I'm so happy you're alive."
Bruna's mother, Alessandra Oliveira, who cries whenever her daughter stoicly recounts that day, offered to drive her to school Wednesday. Bruna instead will ride the early-morning school bus.
"I just want to go back to normal," she said. "I'm not scared."


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Easily grown in acidic, moist but well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some light shade. Prefers rich soils, but tolerates average to poor ones. Soils should be kept consistently moist and not allowed to dry out in the early years. Once the roots are well established, plants generally require less moisture. Prefers cool climates and will struggle in the heat and humidity of the deep South.
Picea mariana, commonly called black spruce, is a conical evergreen conifer that typically grows to 30-50' (60') tall. This is a tree of very cold climates. It is native to muskegs, bogs, bottomlands, dry peatlands, flatlands and dry slopes in the vast boreal forest (Taiga) that stretches from Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland, with additional but somewhat isolated growth occurring further south into Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New England and in the Appalachians to Virginia. Attractive blue-green to gray-green needles are about 1/2" long.Genus name is reportedly derived from the Latin word pix meaning "pitch" in reference to the sticky resin typically found in spruce bark.Specific epithet means "of Maryland", presumably meaning that this pitchy tree comes from North America.'Nana' is a slow-growing dwarf cultivar that forms a dense, rounded, hassock-shaped mound to 1-2' tall with a slightly larger spread. It is ornamentally grown in landscapes for its colorful evergreen foliage, interesting shape, texture and small size. It typically grows at the rate of only one inch per year.
No serious insect or disease problem. Eastern dwarf mistletoe, needle cast, needle rusts and canker are infrequent problems. Watch for aphids, budworms and bagworms.
Specimen or accent for rock gardens, foundations, shrub borders. Small area groundcover. Edging.
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I've heard multiple people say they've been having a hard time using the Hourglass Edit palette, which I've done a review on, because their brushes don't fit the pans since the palette is so little. There's nothing worse than trying to pick up product from one specific area and the brush is so large that it picks up product from an adjacent area, which is why I've gathered up all the brushes that fit the Hourglass Edit palette pans. Most of them are fairly inexpensive, but still good quality so they'll be easy to find!
This large angled contour brush is quite pricey considering it's $35, but it blends product out beautifully. Although it claims to be a large contour brush, it isn't that large and it fits nicely into the pans of the Hourglass Edit palette. This isn't the softest brush I've ever had, but it's not scratchy or hard. I like to use this for either powder bronzer or blush.
This is the small contour brush, and it is great for powder blush or bronzer as well. Personally, I use this more for powder blush, and this also blends product out seamlessly. Although it isn't exactly budget friendly at $35, it is a great brush.
Real Techniques Blush Brush |
Real Techniques brushes are such great quality and usually inexpensive, but this tapered blush brush is a part of their Bold Metals collection so it is more pricey, $24 at Ulta to be exact. The Bold Metals brushes are very pretty and super soft so it blends out product nicely. As the brush name suggests, I like to use this more with powder blushes or dab it into one of the finishing powders in the Hourglass Edit palette and set my under eyes.
ELF Blush Brush |
If you don't want to spend $24 on the Real Techniques blush brush, the ELF blush brush is a great option at $3. I love this brush for setting the under eyes with Hourglass Diffused Light or you could use it to highlight and apply blush. It's a versatile brush, just like the Real Techniques one, but an eighth of the price.
Morphe M509 |
This is a very unique brush to my collection, and it's pretty affordable at $13. The bristles are very soft and shaped in a way that is perfect for adding highlighter to the top of the cheeks, which you could do using the middle shade on the upper level of the palette called Iridescent Strobe Light. I also like to use this with the bronzer if you want something super light and natural or use it to dust the finishing powders all over your face.
Morphe M501 |
This brush is similar to the M509, but it's a lot smaller and costs $8. It reminds me of the MAC 224 tapered blending brush, but larger. This is also tapered so you could use it to highlight the top of the cheeks, under the brow, on the tip of the nose, and anywhere you desire; it would also work to contour really precisely using the bronzer in the palette.
L.A.B 2 Beauty Contour Brush |
Last is the L.A.B 2 Beauty Contour Brush, which is a part of their I'm Turning Pro kit, which I did a review on recently. This brush is probably the softest brush I've ever felt, and blends out powder products so nicely. It's small enough to fit into the pans just like all the other brushes, and I use this when I'm using the bronzer, blush or even the setting powders under my eyes. This brush is similar to the MAC 168 large angled contour brush, but much more affordable and even softer!
Have you tried any of these brushes? Let me know in the comments below!
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While there are still 12 days left until the end of 2018, automotive business associations are already putting forth some numbers for total vehicle sales in 2019, and the numbers are looking a little glum. The National Automobile Association's annual sales forecast, released late last week, is predicting that 16.8 million passenger vehicles will be sold in 2019, which represents a 1.1 percent decline from this year. If it's correct, it will be the first time since 2014 that sales figures will drop below 17 million.
"We're forecasting sales of 16.8 million new cars and light trucks in 2019," said Patrick Manzi, NADA senior economist, at an industry briefing. "This would represent a falloff in sales of about 1.1 percent compared to 2018."
Once 2018 wraps up, analysts do expect this year to cross the 17 million mark. The sales market has been slightly more robust than predicted, possibly due to lower-than-expected gasoline prices. It also helps that consumers are still hot for SUVs and trucks and shying away from lower-priced sedans.
"This was unexpected. We were expecting sales to fall off a little more than they have this year, but then the new tax law was passed which put more money in the pockets of consumers and they certainly purchased new vehicles at dealer showrooms," Manzi added. "The majority of these sales, following the trend of past years, have been light trucks, such as crossovers, pickups and SUVs."
NADA is forecasting that the slippage in sales will be due to a combination of factors it calls "price creeping." This consists of disappearing incentives and rising interest rates. More would-be buyers will simply be priced out of the vehicle market.
"If incentives continue to go down and interest rates go up, it will put tremendous pressure on consumers with rising monthly payments," Lutz added. "The level of interest rates moving forward will be a wildcard. Customers who are returning to the store this year and may have leased a car or purchased a car three to four years ago at a very low interest rate and are hoping to keep their payment roughly the same will not be able to do that, because the cost of borrowing has gone up considerably."


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Current/Future Landscape of Mobile
Learn about current and future trends in mobile.
Join us as we give you a whirlwind tour of the mobile landscape, both current and future outlook. Our goal is to make you fluent in mobile technology lingo to help guide your internal mobile application conversations….all under 60 minutes.
Based on industry trends and feedback from some of the world's biggest brands, we will also share some of the challenges faced in traditional mobile development with iOS and Android and how newer frameworks like React Native aim to address those challenges.
DevelopIntelligence believes that all of us deserve to learn more tech regardless of business needs. With that in mind and in an effort to support our community, DI has launched the Hyperfocus Series: Personal Learning Webinars
These webinars are anywhere between an hour to a half-day of training for learning new tech, getting deeper in your knowledge of tech you know and expanding your capabilities to prepare you for the future.
Trainer, DevelopIntelligence
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Varoon earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego. He has been an instructor in many different forms – including teaching SAT prep to high school students and tennis to people of all ages. That experience allows him to view things from the perspective of a student and create engaging and effective training.
Let DI help you design solutions to onboard, upskill or reskill your software development organization. Fully customized. 100% guaranteed.
Training Journal sat down with our CEO for his thoughts on what's working, and what's not working.


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The 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander is heading to the new generation. The company presented the Engelberg Tourer back at Geneva Auto Show, and fans immediately wanted to know which models will this concept underpin. With the new generation of the Outlander already confirmed, we believe there is a link between these two. However, the company was not precise about the release date. The new architecture could see the premiere of the production version in 2021 but as 2020 YM.
The new 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander was also spotted on the streets. The test mule was clearly bigger than the predecessor. And that is one of the things we expect from the new Engelberg project. On the other hand, the platform is suitable for the further development of plug-in systems. The existing Outlander PHEV is not spectacular since this SUV belongs to the mid-size three-row class. Compared to one of the rivals, Ford Explorer, Mitsubishi lacks a lot of power.
Powertrains and Specs
Outlander is using a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine as the base source of power. Although it is called a mid-size model because of its three-row layout, the Outlander is only 185 inches long. So, a four-banger delivers enough power for a nice cruising. However, most fans won't find 166 hp as a good argument for the purchase. Now, with the size increase, the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander will definitely need a more powerful unit. So, fans can forget about the superb fuel economy for a mid-size model. Instead, a more potent V6 is an option for the SUV.
The current version of this vehicle is using a 3.0-liter V6 unit. However, it is available only for the top of the class GT version. With 225 hp and 215 lb-ft, it still lacks a lot of power compared to its rivals. Still, Outlander is smaller, so it doesn't need a 300 hp-rated mill. A V6 is also capable of towing 3,500 pounds. A CVT is a standard, as well as the All-Wheel Control system. This one is one of the highlights and the certain things for the upcoming 2021 season.
So, what will lay under the hood of the new Outlander? A stronger V6 will have to be there to deliver enough power for the larger and heavier SUV. However, the company is not unveiling any details to this point.
Redesigned – 2020 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Upgrades
The plug-in hybrid system makes the Outlander so special. It is one of the reasons why this SUV is the only Mitsubishi vehicle in the US. But, the company plans to make a breakthrough in other segments as well. The entire fleet will be based on the PHEV systems, instead of the aging diesel motors. But, with 120 hp, the current system can't be competitive in the US. For example, Toyota Highlander Hybrid is producing 310 hp, while the new Ford Explorer is about to crunch three times more than the Outlander PHEV.
There are a couple of good things about the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The first one is the abovementioned Engelberg Tourer concept. It will be bigger and more capable than the current platform. On the other hand, there is a partnership with Nissan. Both companies are striving to deliver class-leading vehicles. The cooperation in the famous alliance is going to lead both Mitsubishi and Nissan to ultimate goals, especially in electric and hybrid segments.
Engelberg Tourer Concept Details
Mitsubishi surprised everyone in Geneva with their new architecture. In a short period, we had an announcement for the new generation of the mid-size SUV and Engelberg concept. Enthusiasts found a link between these two stories to start making up stories about the next-gen 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander being based on the new architecture. But, it has sense. With 185 inches of total length, the SUV is shorter than the competition. It affects other things, such as cargo space and towing capacity. Also, it doesn't require big engines, so there is a lack of power too. The larger model will need a lot of improvements, but it seems like that Mitsubishi is ready to step up.
2021 Mitsubishi Outlander Was Already Spied
We had a chance to see the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander for the first time. It was under the heavy camouflage, but images are confirming the main thing – the new SUV is coming. Panels are hiding all changes on the new model. But, the test mules seem to be larger than the previous edition. That means the Engelberg concept might be in production already.
On the other hand, the platform was very futuristic, with a massive bumper, grille, and headlight. Well, this is not what we see on the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander prototype. Camo is not hiding narrow headlights, which are opposite to what we saw on Engelberg architecture. However, we will see more spy photos and test mules before the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander hits the dealerships. In 2020 we expect it with less camouflage and more info by the company, especially regarding the PHEV and fuel economy.
Spy photos source: Car Advice


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MCALLEN, Texas (KVEO) — Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, crowded lunch tables during school hours was a common occurrence. Now, lunch doesn't quite look the same as students are learning in new ways and outside the classroom to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
In place of a bustling cafeteria, nutrition programs like Curbside Pick-Up, Meals On Wheels, and Breakfast and Lunch In a Classroom have emerged.
These meal options were implemented nationwide to help alleviate food insecurity that many education leaders worried would only increase with students learning remotely.
In early September, an organization called Burbio, which aggregates school and community calendars nationwide, shared a study that revealed 62% of students in the United States went back to school virtually, while 37% attended in person either every day or certain days, with 1% of students in districts that hadn't finalized plans. Since then, more schools have opened up — and an estimated 62.2% of students attended school in-person at least one day a week.
Many education officials have found that given these new learning styles, fewer students are participating in nutrition programs nationwide. That can have a major effect on an already challenging school situation, according to Lionel Vega, the Nutrition Coordinator with Harlingen CISD in the Rio Grande Valley.
"Studies have shown that those who have proper nutrition have a longer attention span, they have better test scores," Vega said.
Why aren't more students getting meals?
Vega says the district still serves meals to an average of 6,000 students a day, despite the pandemic and new students learning in-person and remotely.
But, the amount of meals the district is preparing now is still less than what it would normally produce during a typical school year.
"Like many districts around the nation, we've all felt the decrease," Vega said.
And, HCISD is not the only school district in the area seeing a decrease in nutrition participation. McAllen ISD's Child Nutrition Director Alexandra Molina says its district is also preparing fewer meals and seeing a decrease in student participation with its nutrition programs.
Molina says she believes a lack of transportation, income, and the fact that some students are eating meals prepared by their parents is all playing a factor in the decrease they're seeing.
"We are averaging 52% of our families participating in breakfast and lunch, as opposed to 85%, but the national average is about at 18 or 19%," she said.
According to the U.S Census Bureau more than 50 million people with children under 18 at home say their household has lost income since March 13, which could be contributing to a lack of transportation.
The Bureau also collected data between September 16 to September 28 in a Household Pulse Survey. Over 9 million people said they sometimes "didn't have enough to eat."
"With COVID, there's a lot of obstacles and we continue to explore all different methods to ensure students are getting the help they need," Vega said.
Thinking outside the cafeteria
One of the solutions HCISD has implemented is a Curbside Pick-Up Program.
According to the district, the program started when students began working remotely. HCISD Child Nutrition Services provides breakfast and lunch daily via curbside at 25 school sites from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Another potential solution it has tried to implement is a Good To Go Bus-Hub. The district says this program brings free lunch to children in the community who might not have access to meals while learning remotely.
"We have 10 sites that we reach with 4 bus routes," Vega said.
McAllen ISD has also implemented meals at bus stops.
"We have stops within two blocks of every McAllen ISD child," Molina said.
While both districts are working to reduce food insecurity — Mcallen ISD says it's still difficult to measure the success of its program because there's no reliable way to determine if a student is actually going without food.
Nonetheless, both districts say students having access to food is their priority.
"If the child can get this at home, stay at home and eat your meals," Vega said. "But I will encourage everyone to come and pick up the free meal if they can."
Partnering with the national non-profit Solutions Journalism Network, Nexstar stations nationwide are telling unique stories about how the pandemic has exposed inequities for students and the solutions some groups have found to bridge that gap.


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The picture has been enlarged to show detail. Natural gold nuggets never have a fixed karat value. 24k Pure gold is Man-Made. With such a large inventory of gold, we are unable to test each item's karat value, we cannot guarantee the karat value of our item listing. All our gold is 100% real natural gold.
The item "1.0425 Gram Alaska Natural Gold Nugget (#56895) FREE SHIPPING Alaskan Gold" is in sale since Monday, December 28, 2020. This item is in the category "Coins & Paper Money\Bullion\Gold\Nuggets". The seller is "zeilansales" and is located in USA.This item can be shipped worldwide.


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Presentation slides of the 2016 meeting
On June 15, the annual Swiss QGIS user group meeting took place with 85 people in Berne. The presentation slides (mostly in english, but some in french or german) are now available as PDF documents. One can find the links in the schedule at the presentation titles. The workshops in the afternoon were also well attended, in particular the workshop titled "From data model to QGIS application module".


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A young man searches for his mother and discovers God's plan for him.
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