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Mexican Meatballs with Smoky Chipotle Sauce |
Mexican Meatballs with Smoky Chipotle Sauce |
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 cup stale bread crumbs*
1 (12 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (8 oz) tub Smoky Chipotle sauce from Cinco de Mayo Salsas
For the sides:
Spanish rice
black beans
* I asked Arturo if it would be OK to use store-bought bread crumb, and he said it's better to make your own stale bread crumb. Just cut a few slices of bread into squares (I used 6 regular slices of whole wheat), leave them out for a couple of days until hard, then grind in food processor. (UPDATE 4/14/2012: I recently came across this blog post demonstrating that at least some store-bought, commercial bread does not go stale for a long time, so I'd recommend sticking with something from the bakery.)
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Mix together the first six ingredients (from ground beef to bread crumbs). Form into one-inch balls and bake in a baking dish (a 9 x 13 dish works well). Meanwhile, mix together the chipotle sauce and the tomato sauce. After meatballs have baked for 20-25 minutes, pour sauce over meatballs and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
Serve with spanish rice and whole black beans.
Makes about 16-20 meatballs.
Click here for more recipes using Cinco de Mayo Salsas, available at the Pittsburgh Public Market during the winter and all around town during the farmers market season.


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Face Behind The Name: Meet Iurii Chumak, Alleged Flight Attendant Groper
Meet Iurii Chumak.
The 53-year-old was arrested last month after allegedly groping a flight attendant while onboard a British Airways flight traveling from London to New York. Chumak, seen in the mug shot at right, was photographed by the United States Marshals Service after being forcibly de-planed in handcuffs.
According to the FBI, Chumak placed his hand up the flight attendant's skirt and "grabbed her genital area" when she bent over to pour coffee for another passenger. Although the incident was witnessed by a second flight attendant, who immediately placed him in restraints, Chumak maintained that he had simply been "drinking on the airplane, fell asleep, and woke up in restraints."
Since his bust, Chumak has been locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He was named last week in a misdemeanor criminal information charging him in connection with the in-flight April 28 incident (the filing of an information--in lieu of a grand jury presentment by federal prosecutors--often indicates that a defendant is negotiating a guilty plea).
Chumak's lawyer, Sergei Orel, declined today to comment about his client's case.
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SAS expands corporate social innovation programs and broadens sustainability commitment with environmental goals
SAS' commitment to corporate social innovation and sustainability has long been core to the company's business approach. As a sustainability innovator recently recognized by the Business Roundtable, the analytics leader strives to use its technology to protect the planet and improve the lives of its employees and the larger global community while giving back through education initiatives. In addition to unveiling targeted environmental goals that build on past sustainability efforts, SAS expanded its Data for Good program through additional projects, ranging from fighting the opioid epidemic to helping nonprofits work smarter.
SAS' corporate social innovation initiative supports the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) to make the world a better place. The company's sustainability initiatives promote the goals of clean energy, climate action, and sustainable cities and communities. To accomplish these objectives, SAS is committed to achieving the following environmental goals:
- By 2025, SAS will reduce global greenhouse emissions by 25% (2011 base year).
- By 2025, office buildings at SAS headquarters will improve energy efficiency by 40% (per square foot) and emissions efficiency by 50% (per square foot).
- All new building construction projects will earn LEED® Gold level certification.
- SAS will add 50% more charging stations at our headquarters by 2020 and continue to explore ways to support electric vehicle infrastructure.
- SAS will continue to use analytics to improve operational efficiencies and invest in the highest-efficiency smart technologies, renewable energy, electric vehicle infrastructure and environmentally friendly practices across its operations.
- SAS will develop goals and report progress against science-based targets in support of the Paris Climate Agreement.
"Caring for our people, our communities and our planet is simply the right thing to do," said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight. "Our commitment to social responsibility continues to evolve and expand as we witness the power of connecting analytics and advocacy. By applying our time, technology and expertise toward a social purpose, we're creating a more sustainable future."
Environmental leadership
To foster a sustainable workplace and encourage employee creativity, SAS prioritizes creating environmentally friendly workplaces. From energy conservation and solar projects to "green" buildings, waste reduction and recycling, the company is committed to reducing its environmental footprint. Recent achievements include increasing solar production to more than 4 million kilowatt hours annually, using solar to power nearly half its newest building, harvesting the first honey crop from its headquarters beehives and adding more than 90 free on-site charging stations for electric vehicles.
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SAS has always been motivated by challenges to use its technology to create a brighter future for all. As part of SAS' efforts to support the UN SDGs, the company is helping to bring these global issues into the classroom with the free GatherIQ™ app. Educators and parents can download the app to help students learn more about the goals, unlock donations for nonprofits working toward the goals and explore global issues through interactive data visualizations, quizzes and other multimedia activities.
As the global leader in analytics dedicated to helping the greater good, SAS also continues investing in Data for Good projects by applying cutting-edge technology and expertise to help solve some of society's biggest challenges, such as poverty, health, human rights, education and the environment.
SAS is committed to empowering the next generation of innovators through its continued philanthropic focus on education. SAS provides free digital tools, resources and apps to nearly 4.5 million teachers and students. For higher education and adult learners, downloads and registrations of SAS University Edition and SAS OnDemand for Academics grew more than 30% in 2018 to approximately 1.7 million. More than 300,000 people registered for free e-learning courses in statistics and programming.
Visit the SAS Corporate Social Responsibility site and learn what makes SAS a corporate sustainability leader.
About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.


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From the creators of the award-winning sci-fi game Out There...
In the near future, a paradigm-shifting scientific discovery looms over the world, promising radical new technologies. The world's superpowers realize they could have the power to destroy the global financial system, wipe out entire countries or even gain access to immortality.
However, this discovery — called "The Sigma Theory" — can only be harnessed by a handful of scientists. You are placed at the head of your country's Sigma division. Your objective is to ensure that it is your nation that reaps the benefits of Sigma Theory before anyone else.
To achieve this you will have powerful resources at your disposal: a cadre of the world's most elite covert agents, advanced tactical drones and, of course, your own skills in diplomacy and subterfuge.
It's a cold war out there, one in which mankind must face up to its future.
Turn-based espionage: Use your special agents to dominate the world. Seduction, blackmail, manipulation, industrial espionage… Every low blow is both permitted and encouraged.
Dynamic narrative: Develop and manage your relations with over 100 NPCs: lobbies, armed groups, politicians… Alliance, deception or assassination, you choose.
Field operations: Direct the kidnapping of your targets during gripping pursuits through the world's greatest cities. Discretion or direct confrontation, your agent's life is in your hands.
First, recruit a team of four special agents from 50 unique unlockable characters to support your missions. Each comes with their own story, motivations and traits that define their behavior during missions.
Access the investigator, soldier, hacker, seducer and other archetypes to complete your Sigma division and execute your strategy.
When your team is ready, assign them missions around the world to gather scientists, discover compromising documents on local politicians, and more.
Exploit your agents' abilities to seduce, manipulate and bribe your targets over to your side or have them neutralized.
Other nations will also use their agents to infiltrate your country and seize your scientists. Track, capture and interrogate them to gain information on your enemies, then exchange them for ransom when they are no longer useful.
Order your agents to exfiltrate scientists recruited to your cause during gripping turn-based exfiltration phases through the world's greatest capitals. Choose the position your drones wisely to support these delicate missions.
In Sigma Theory, diplomacy is the key to achieving your goals. Meet your foreign counterparts and further your objectives using flattery, threats or blackmail. You can also recover your captured agents, advance your research, and much more. Develop your relations with powerful lobbies and armed and influential groups to obtain their favor. But be careful, they may turn on you.
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Sigma Theory is the cause of this cold war. Rally scientists from around the world to your cause to discover new technologies to gain the edge and change the world. Mind control, destabilization of the world economy, robot soldiers, immortality… Will you keep these discoveries for yourself or share them with the world?
XCom, Phantom Doctrine, Plague Inc, Pandemic (board game), Rocket Ranger, Tropico, Armello, Civilization, curious expedition and so much more
Less than 1% of orders are flagged for manual authorization. This process can take up to one working day, but orders are normally reviewed within a few hours.


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Darius Rucker Buys Breakfast for Everyone at Local IHOP
Darius Rucker didn't just ask for his check after finishing his breakfast at IHOP on Sunday morning (Jan. 24) -- he asked for all the checks.
The country singer paid for everyone in the restaurant's meal and left a "very generous" tip for servers. The restaurant's general manager tells WCSC-TV in Charleston, S.C., that they were busy at the time. Few people inside recognized him because he was wearing a mask, but his generosity caused quite a bit of excitement.
"We know him because he does come in quite often and we consider him a regular," GM Stephen Vitale tells the news station.
The total bill and details of how big a tip the 54-year-old "Beers and Sunshine" singer left were not disclosed. Rucker hasn't said anything about the gesture on social media.
It's Hard To Believe These Country Stars Are 50 Already!
Earlier in the week, Rucker was in Nashville to help welcome Lady A into the Grand Ole Opry. The trio were invited and inducted on the same night, Jan. 21.
"Beers and Sunshine" is inside the Top 10 on country airplay charts, giving Rucker a Top 10 single for the first time since "For the First Time," which was released in 2017. The song is expected on his next studio project, the release date of which is unknown. Rucker says the album will be as personal as any he's released.
See the Best Country Songs of the 2010s:


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We May Need To Remove One Or More Teeth Before Applying Braces
"To gain something, sometimes you have to give up something else."
No, that isn't the latest viral meme on the Internet. It's actually a practical consideration that could arise in orthodontics.
In this case, the "something" to gain is a straighter, more attractive smile; the "something" you may have to part with is a few teeth. This may be necessary if there are too many teeth on a dental arch for its capacity, a situation called crowding. A lack of space is the main reason teeth come in misaligned.
Before we can correct this, we'll need to free up space to allow for tooth movement by removing one or more of the existing teeth. The ideal candidates are those that are near to the teeth we wish to move but not highly visible. The first bicuspids are the most frequent choices for removal: they're located behind the cuspids or eyeteeth (the pointed teeth right under the eyes).
Ideally, we'll remove the target teeth some time before we apply braces to give the gums a chance to heal. At the same time we want to preserve the bone that once supported the teeth we've extracted. This is because when we chew the forces generated by the teeth stimulates bone replacement growth. When a tooth is no longer there the supporting bone doesn't receive this stimulation and may ultimately reduce in volume.
We may try to prevent this by placing a bone graft in the empty socket immediately after removing the tooth. The graft serves as a scaffold to encourage new bone to grow. Hopefully when we're ready to apply braces, the bone will be strong and healthy to handle the movement of the teeth.
As the teeth move under the influence of braces, they'll begin to fill up the space created by tooth removal. Once it's completed, the extracted teeth won't be missed — the other teeth now straightened will completely fill out the smile.
The different steps in this process must be carefully planned and executed precisely, and it will take months or even years to complete. In the end, though, this complicated bite problem can be corrected and replaced with an attractive, straight smile.
If you would like more information on correcting a poor bite, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article "Tooth Removal for Orthodontic Reasons."


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This is my new battery powered audio modulator (interrupter). It has 2 channels (L&R) for 2 Teslacoils. It is about half the size of my previous version and uses 3 AAA batteries. |
The old version needed a external positive and negative power supply and had only 1 channel. It also had to be configured manually. This new version is completely plug and play, the only tweaking you need to do is the input audio level (volume) of your audio source. Here you can see the completed design and a picture to compare it with the old one.
What this device basically does is compare the audio signal with a reference voltage (8mV). It turns the teslacoil on if the signal is higher than the reference and off when it gets lower. This effectively ruins the sound and provides a very crude (but effective) way of modulation. Only the lowest notes in a signal will display correctly. I made the design on a PCB to shield all the traces and to make it fit in a standard Hammond enclosure. It should be able to run about 70Hrs on one set of batteries (I'm not sure if I ever have to replace them). You can download the construction files (schematics, cam, bom etc.) (updated to V1.1).
It has an input band pass filter which only passes all frequencies from 20Hz to 20Khz, which automatically limits the duty cycle to 50%. I used more sensitive comparators for V1.1. It now functions perfectly with a mp3 player with standard volume settings.
The output is short circuit protected (the series resistor for the optocoupler is placed on the board instead of inside the teslacoil) you can also hook it up to a headphone or small speaker to check the functionality.
Here are some pictures of the inside:
And here is a short movie demonstrating the modulator on my V2.0 AMSSTC with my favorite song of Duke Nukem:
I was actually just playing a modified MIDI file on my laptop, I removed all the chimes and drums to make the sound more clear.
One more thing I found out while running 2 Teslacoils at the same time is that the feedback of each coil disrupts the other. This unfortunately destroyed my V3.0 (because it has a lower resonance frequency than the 2.0). Next time I will put them further apart. This is why I shot this video with V2.0. My next teslacoil (V4.0) will be digitally controlled, so it won't have this problem.
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BOULDER, Colo. — For the last week, a bear has been wandering around near Boulder, Colorado, with a chicken feeder stuck on its head, but with the help of two men who spotted the yearling, the bear has been rescued.
For the last couple of years, Drew McConaughy and his friend Dave Sherman have slowly been building his dream home in the foothills. But in all that time, he's never lived through anything quite like this.
"We were just sitting, having lunch around noon and we heard a rustle down in the woods, so we went down to investigate, and we saw the bear running through the woods, the one with the bucket on its head," McConaughy said.
As it's come to be known as, the bear with the bucket on its head has been spotted running around the mountains for more than a week, but it had never been caught.
"We figured that the bear was probably in distress," McConaughy said.
So, they decided to do something about it after reporting it to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
"Well, Drew said he wanted to tackle it, and I said, 'I don't know if I want a part of that,' so we kind of chased it up the tree," Sherman said.
"As she started going up the tree, we realized that was probably the best-case scenario, and we just encouraged that. So, once she was up there, we just did everything we could to keep her up there until the professionals arrived," McConaughy said.
When wildlife officials got there, they tranquilized the bear and used ladders from McConaughy's construction site to gently bring it down from high up in the tree.
"We rely on the public a great amount to help us reporting activity and in this case, helping us to locate this bear," said public information officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Jason Clay.
CPW was able to cut the bucket off the bear's head and send it back into the wild but not before reinforcing the bear's fear of humans by hazing it.
"A bear naturally should be afraid of humans. The case in point of how this bear got into that situation in the first place is that it broke into someone's chicken coup and got that feeder stuck on its head," Clay said.
Moving forward, officials warned residents that it's crucial to lock up anything that could attract the bear that has, at the very least, made its way into the heart of these two men.
"This bear has a positive light from here on out," McConaughy said.
This story was originally published by Ivan Rodriguez at KMGH.


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Radiophonic 2007
'Les rencontres de l'atelier de création sonore radiophonique'
A radio in the making: ephemeral, live and on the air 24 hours a day
from 25th until 28th of October 2007
Taking the radio station as its starting point, the festival opens on the « post – radiophonic »: an attempt at apprehending new kinds of expressions in sound and radio-art, which are propagating beyond a desire for control, propaganda or discourse. This is a radio inventing itself; in which the three genres of radiophonic art – fiction, documentary, sound art – are approached in their pure or porous forms, through the theme of contamination.
The Radiophonic Festival 2007 offers a laboratory space for radio-artists, those who capture sound, broadcast it on the airwaves as much as for artists of all disciplines, poets, animators, activists, scientists and the amateurs.
If the specificity of sound is to propagate freely, it sometimes does this, despite ourselves. At Radiophonic, both hertzian and Web radio will be the transmitting medium of sonorous viruses, which all kinds of creation, from literature to music, theatre, dance or the visual arts appropriate in order to parasite them and transform them.
Radio is in full mutation; it is an extravagant and plethoric wave unfolding before our eyes and particularly in our ears. « Without much noise, with its elegance and natural discretion, radio is experiencing its revolution». 1
Radiophonic Collectif
(1) Yves Nilly.


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SNOW HILL – With state funding for land conservation limited, Worcester County is looking to federal grant funds to preserve two environmentally valuable properties.
The county is hoping that a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant will largely fund the purchase of conservation easements on the Sturgis Farm, near Public Landing, and the Stark property, along the bay in the Newark area. There is no cash match required of the county. Unlike Rural Legacy funding, which is limited to a particular Rural Legacy area below Snow Hill, this type of funding can be used anywhere.
The Sturgis Farm, in particular, would be a significant easement, as it is already platted for 40 units of development, said Comprehensive Planning Director Sandy Coyman.
"Frankly, we're really quite excited about it," Coyman said.
Staff planner Katherine Munson added, "If we can extinguish those lots, that's going to extinguish a lot of [environmental] pressure there."
Both properties include farmland, tidal wetlands and coastal forest.
When the property owners first came to the county to offer conservation easements, there was no money available, Coyman said. Munson then located the federal grant.
"We have to be kind of opportunistic because these are volunteer programs," Munson said. "[State] funding is really limited. We have a lot of interest in the MALPF [Maryland Agricultural Land Protection Fund] program. We have 15 applicants. We only expect to be able to purchase three easements."
While easement purchases have been mostly confined to the Rural Legacy area around Stockton and Girdletree, there are at least four other properties near the Sturgis and Stark properties already protected, comprising 1,365 acres.
The grant, if awarded, and combined with some state funds, will protect 232 acres at the Sturgis Farm and 48 1/2 at the Stark property.
"It's a way to protect the tidal marsh system into the future," Munson said. "It provides nutrient removal services to the bays and important habitat."
According to Munson, the county is increasing land protection efforts, and will continue to look outside of current state funding for financial support. Efforts to bring more properties into the Rural Legacy program will continue, with one easement purchase going to settlement this week. The county is also working with Somerset County on establishing a new Rural Legacy site in the Dividing Creek area.


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(Spoiler alert!) The denouement of The Little Mermaid takes place in the waves on a picturesque beach, where Cam (William Moseley) has carried Elizabeth (Poppy Drayton). In true fairytale style, our hero and heroine finally share their first kiss, parting to reveal the flaring orange sun behind them, just above the horizon. By the time we got to this sequence, we had already shot some water scenes, but those were in controlled, studio-like conditions. Working with natural light and real waves was going to be a whole different ball-game.
Here are some extracts from my diary, revealing how this magical moment was ultimately captured.
Day 22
Scenes at the beach today, with actors in the ocean. We've been worried about this sequence since the earliest stages of preproduction. Will the cast get too cold? Will it be too dangerous with waves and jellyfish and razor-sharp oyster beds? Will we get the magical dawn lighting the script requires? Building a partial beach set against green-screen was considered for a long time, but eventually shooting on a real beach, and this one particular beach, turned out to be our only option. (We're back on Tybee Island, the same island we did the Shirley Shoot on so very long ago, and Baywatch seems to have all the other beaches tied up.)
The weather is good, with a cloudless sky. We're cheating sunset for sunrise, and I know exactly where the sun will go down, thanks to the Helios and Sun Tracker apps.
We get ready to go into the water shortly after 6pm. The ACs put the camera in the splash bag and we bring it into the ocean. It starts to leak. Which is pretty much the last thing you want to happen. We pull it out before the camera gets damaged, but now we're wondering how to shoot the scene. Someone suggests I just put the camera on my shoulder (I'm only going in up to my waist) and a couple of the crew spot me to make sure I don't drop it. Sounds risky, doesn't it? But it works. Meanwhile Captain Dan joins us in his waders to hand-bash a polyboard bounce, and the 'B' camera team are on a pontoon trying to get alternate angles.
Perhaps the most important thing I do today is ask Will to pick Poppy up the other way around. You see, when we're about to turn over, Will picks up Poppy with her head to his right and her tail to his left. But I can see that if they play the scene with Poppy this way around, I will end up framing the two-shot with my back to the sun, losing that magical image of the low sun in the background, and probably casting camera shadows on them to boot. So I ask Will to pick Poppy up the other way around.
As the sun races towards the horizon, we get two magical takes. I'm constantly reframing to keep the setting sun in the background, and as the hero and heroine kiss, it flares out perfectly between them. Everyone is ecstatic.
Day 23
It's another beautiful day, and the first task is to go out on the pontoon and shoot Poppy's double swimming about in the mermaid tail. I use the Angenieux zoom for only the second time (it normally lives on the 'B' camera), and for the first time on my shoulder. Damn, that thing's heavy. But my shoulder has worse to come today.
As sunset approaches, we must shoot pick-ups for Saturday's water scene with the principal cast. Today the tide is much lower at sunset, and getting out to a deep enough spot (up to around waist or chest level) means walking over very squelchy mud which you sometimes sink in up to your knees, and sharp oyster beds. So instead we get into the water via the pontoon. This boat has a limited capacity, so I'm dropped off on the first trip, before it returns to the dock twice more to get the rest of the cast and crew who are needed. It's extremely pleasant to swim about in the ocean (more of an estuary really) while we wait.
Line producer Fabio has proudly repaired the leaky splash bag with a $2 bicycle inner tube patch. 2nd AC Kane, a big spender, added $5 of tape, and we successfully tested it before we set sail.
Because the splash-bag doesn't fit our Alexa's viewfinder, Kane has to hand-bash a 5.6" monitor in a ziplock bag (along with a Teradek receiver and battery) so that I can see what I'm shooting. This works pretty well though. The hardest thing is the mud; it's impossible to find a firm spot, so during the takes I'm always sinking and trying to keep my balance and follow the action at the same time. Kane has to prop me up on a couple of occasions.
For all the material in the ocean I stick to a (Cooke S4i) 32mm lens; the zoom won't fit in the splash housing, and lens changes take too long. (The cast can only be in the water for 30 minutes at a time, according to Screen Actors Guild rules.) Although we mostly shoot at water level, where the splash bag floats and is easy to control, one set-up requires me to put it on my shoulder. The weight is quite something, but with help I get the shot.
With the water scenes wrapped, and the tide now higher, we swim back to shore. We've been in the water at least three hours, and it was exhausting but a lot of fun too.
That concludes my blog series on The Little Mermaid. If you missed any of the earlier instalments, here are the links:
- "Shooting Shirley" – the pre-shoot with Hollywood legend Shirley MacLaine
- "Circus Cinematography" – lighting the huge night exteriors
- "Pools of Light" – creating a watery, magical look for the mermaid's scenes
- "Boats, Trains and Automobiles" – shooting in moving vehicles
- "Lighting from the Back" – using cross-backlighting for cinematic dialogue scenes
Don't forget, if you're in the UK, the film is currently available from all good high-street DVD retailers and on Amazon as a DVD or download.


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In Myanmar, the word "kular" is an insult that you hear shouted at Muslims. You can see it printed in vicious pamphlets about the Rohingya, Myanmar's largest Muslim ethnic group, calling for them to be kept away from towns, kicked out of the country or murdered.
Kular is a slang word for "dark-skinned" — a form of abuse I know something about. And I, like millions of South Africans, know that such abuse can never last. God did not create us for such hatred.
I know also that a country is never truly free or prosperous until it is at peace with itself — until a nation, be it South Africa or Myanmar, loves and raises all its children equally. A nation must work hard and come together to realize this.
So we must be very measured in our praise of Myanmar's new openness while its poorest and most vulnerable people, such as the Rohingya, are not living in safety and dignity.
I traveled to Myanmar recently and saw for myself a great number of the positive developments that others around the world have been cheering.
I met with several political prisoners who had been released by the new government after decades of detainment under the junta. I was thrilled to finally hold hands with Aung San Suu Kyi, who is no longer under house arrest and proudly stands in the parliament. We were free to walk the streets of Yangon together.
The dreaded red pen of newspaper censorship has also been put away; the printing presses are whirring, and Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, enjoys a newfound freedom of expression that many young people there had never experienced.
But I departed with a heavy heart. I was shattered by the poverty, the decaying buildings, the uncertain electricity supply and the broken sidewalks. Driving into Yangon, our group paid a number of tolls for which we received no receipt, nothing. How blatantly can you steal money that should be used to benefit ordinary people?
I am worried that the winds of change are not blowing evenly, that some of the weak and the poor will be left behind.
And then there are the Rohingya — just one poignant example of Myanmar's new freedoms becoming exploited by bullies and extremists. How can people be treated in such a way — hunted down, homes torched, beaten and killed — in the name of a warped sense of nationalism? Do the perpetrators not know that we are from the same human family?
I was moved by a recent editorial in this newspaper that called it "a moral error" for Myanmar to gloss over its troubles.
This inter-religious strife, previously confined to one state, is spreading to other parts of Myanmar. Protests are being violently quashed. Swaths of land in villages are being confiscated. I pray that President Thein Sein, his colleagues and the rest of the leadership of Myanmar can all apply their impressive willpower so these tragedies can be addressed.
Otherwise, I fear that the extraordinary kindness I found there will never be rewarded and that a rare chance — one that I worried we might never see — will be missed.
If the leadership of Myanmar can come together and embrace all its people, the country can indeed be a land of milk and honey
By Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu is archbishop emeritus of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace laureate.
- PRESS RELEASE : Protectthe Rohingya. - June 8, 2020
- EID-UL-FITR MESSAGE-1441 (A.H) (2020) - May 23, 2020
- How Israel Legitimizes the Abuse of Palestinian Political Prisoners - April 30, 2020


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Dallas, city, Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwell, and Kaufman counties, seat (1846) of Dallas county, north-central Texas, U.S. It lies along the Trinity River near the junction of that river's three forks, in a region of prairies, tree-lined creeks and rivers, and gentle hills. Its winters are mild with brief cold spells, but summers are hot with moderate to high humidity. Dallas is the state's third most populous city (after Houston and San Antonio) and the metropolis of the sprawling Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, known locally as the Metroplex. Fort Worth lies 30 miles (48 km) west; other major cities in the metropolitan region include Arlington, Carrollton, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lewisville, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, and University Park. Dallas has a council-manager form of government that was established there in 1931. Inc. town, 1856; city, 1871. Area city, 385 square miles (997 square km). Pop. (2010) 1,197,816; Dallas-Plano-Irving Metro Division, 4,235,751; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metro Area, 6,371,773; (2020) 1,304,379; Dallas-Plano-Irving Metro Division, 5,129,966; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metro Area, 7,637,387.
In 1841 John Neely Bryan, a lawyer and trader from Tennessee, built the first cabin (now restored) in the area on the riverbank. Other settlers moved into the region, and a town site was laid out in 1844. The origin of the community's name is uncertain; most likely it is named for early settler Joseph Dallas or for George Mifflin Dallas, vice president (1845–49) of the United States. Its early settlement was augmented by Swiss and German immigrants and in the late 1850s by French artisans from the unsuccessful Fourierist utopian colony at nearby La Réunion. Large numbers of African Americans moved into the area after the American Civil War.
Commercial growth was stimulated by the arrival of the railroads in the 1870s. A huge wholesale market developed, with many of the city's retail stores serving the American Southwest; one, Neiman-Marcus, has become internationally known. The adjacent communities of East Dallas and Oak Cliff were annexed in 1889 and 1903, respectively, greatly expanding the city's size.
Locally produced grain, leather, and especially cotton (grown in the black-clay fields around Dallas) fed the city's early growth and were followed by insurance and, later, oil. The Dallas Cotton Exchange was organized in 1907 and in the early decades of the 20th century was one of the world's largest cotton markets. In addition, the city was a top manufacturer of cotton-ginning machinery. Also during the early 20th century, Dallas was a centre of food processing and the manufacture of textiles and leather products, and an automobile plant and a branch bank of the Federal Reserve System were established there. Mexican immigrants contributed to the population growth. In 1930 C.M. ("Dad") Joiner discovered the great East Texas oil field, which attracted investment and made the city a major centre of the petroleum industry. Dallas's Central Centennial Exposition (1936), the state's official observance of the Texas revolution centennial, was a boon to the city's Depression-era economy, and one of the country's first shopping centres opened in 1931 in the suburb of Highland Park.
The city began a period of spectacular growth during and after World War II, when several large aircraft-manufacturing plants were established in the area. These were followed by electronics and automobile-assembly plants. Dallas was thrust abruptly into the international spotlight on November 22, 1963, when U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through the downtown area of Dealey Plaza. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, drawing business to the region and making it an attractive location for corporate headquarters. The oil business reached its peak in the early 1980s; however, by the end of the decade the industry had gone bust, and thereafter its contribution to the economy decreased dramatically. In 1987 Annette Strauss became the city's first elected female mayor, and in 1995 the first African American mayor, Ron Kirk, was elected.
The contemporary city
Dallas today is a cosmopolitan city known for its high concentration of restaurants and shopping centres. Skyscrapers, such as Bank of America Plaza (1985) and Reunion Tower (1978), create a striking night skyline. The population density is unusually low for a major metropolitan area, reflecting the predominance of single-family homes (about two-thirds of all dwelling units). The city is ethnically diverse, with less than half its population being of European descent. About one-fourth of the residents are African American, and more than one-third are Hispanic. Dallas became well known in popular culture as the setting for the eponymous television drama series (originally broadcast 1978–91); the ranch where the show was filmed is now a tourist attraction and convention centre.
Dallas's modern economy is well diversified. A top global wholesale market, the city is the home of the Dallas Market Center (1957), one of the world's largest wholesale merchandise complexes. In addition, it is the world headquarters of the U.S. Army and Air Force Exchange Service, which provides goods and services to military personnel. Wholesale and retail trade combine with services (particularly business, financial, and health) to form the backbone of the economy. Dallas is the leading banking, financial, and trade centre for the Southwest, and some 6,000 companies have their corporate headquarters there. The city is also a busy convention centre and a hub of airline services. It is a well-known medical centre; the headquarters of the American Heart Association is there, as are the Texas A&M College of Dentistry (1905) and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (1943).
Dallas has one of the country's largest concentrations of telecommunications and high-technology manufacturing and services companies. The top technology fields include software production, computer services, and manufacturing of computer hardware, semiconductors, and wireless communication equipment. Food processing, publishing, printing, and advertising are also important. Clothing manufacture is less significant than in the past, but the city is still known as a regional fashion and women's apparel centre. Aerospace manufacturing remains an economic factor, although production greatly decreased during the 1990s. Hundreds of oil companies are still headquartered in Dallas, as are many drilling-equipment supply firms and geophysical exploration firms; however, oil and gas extraction now has little economic impact. Cotton's importance to the city has also declined.
Dallas is a major transportation hub and the trucking and distribution centre of the Southwest. The international airport is one of the world's busiest, and the amount of cargo passing through it ranks it as the largest inland port in the United States. The city operates a second major airport, Love Field, and a smaller facility for corporate aircraft and general aviation. The region has an extensive network of highways and commuter-rail and light-rail transit systems.
The Dallas–Fort Worth region is one of the state's principal centres of higher education. In addition to the schools mentioned above, institutions in the Dallas area include Dallas Baptist University (1898), Southern Methodist University (1911), the University of Dallas (1956), the University of Texas at Dallas (1961), and several community colleges.
The city is known for its cultural activities, including opera, ballet, musicals, and symphony concerts; a notable facility is the Kalita Humphreys Theater (1959; part of the Dallas Theater Center), designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Dallas's arts district is the frequent site of shows and festivals and includes the Dallas Museum of Art, sculpture gardens, galleries of Asian art, and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (1989), designed by I.M. Pei. Pioneer Plaza at the Dallas Convention Center features a life-size bronze sculpture of a cattle drive, complete with 70 head of cattle and 3 cowboys. Old City Park preserves some three dozen restored North Texas buildings, most from the 19th century. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza is near the spot where that president was assassinated; the Sixth Floor Museum (in the building facing the plaza from which the assassin allegedly shot) is dedicated to the assassination and its aftereffects.
Fair Park contains extensive recreational facilities, including the Cotton Bowl (home of the annual American collegiate football classic), a music hall, several museums (including African American art, natural history, and science), a planetarium, an aquarium, a horticulture centre, and the fairgrounds of one of the country's largest annual state expositions. The Dallas Zoo is noted for its reptile collection. Cowboys Stadium in Arlington is the home of the Dallas Cowboys (American football) and the team's famous cheerleaders; other professional sports teams include the Texas Rangers (baseball), Dallas Mavericks (basketball), Dallas Stars (ice hockey), and FC Dallas (football [soccer]). Several lakes in and around the city provide outdoor recreational opportunities; White Rock Lake, a reservoir in the northeastern part of the city, is surrounded by parkland that includes an arboretum.


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High-tech marketing communication specialists
Engineer to Engineer
In the specialized arena of Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing, WelComm's unique competency is Engineer-to-Engineer (E-to-E) marketing communications for technology companies. Our solid engineering and technical marketing background positions us to not only get it right, but get it right away — to quickly, accurately and compellingly convey your product's top features and benefits to your engineering customers.
Full Service
Unlike many agencies that specialize in just one aspect of marketing communications, WelComm offers a full range of services to our E-to-E clients: public relations, advertising, online media, web development, tradeshows and social media. The value-added benefit of this comprehensive approach is our ability to strategically and effectively unify these elements into a consistent, integrated marketing communications campaign.
What - How - Why
The best way to describe WHAT we do is Engineer-to-Engineer (E-to-E) marketing communications. We use our creativity and market knowledge as well as all the tools available to us to generate awareness of and preference for our clients' products and services. That's HOW we do it. But what makes us really valuable to our clients is WHY we do what we do. Quite simply, we love the excitement of bringing new products and technologies to market. We love talking about innovation. We're strategic thinkers and team players. Your success is our success.


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"Our mission? Ensure that every student has access to the high quality learning materials they need — at little-to-no cost."
– Kaitlyn Vitez – PIRG Higher Education Program Director
According to the College Board, the average undergraduate student should budget between $1,200 and $1,300 for textbooks and supplies each year. That's as much as 40% of tuition at a two-year community college and 13% at a four-year public institution.
For many students and families already struggling to afford a college degree, that is simply too much – meaning more debt, working longer hours, or making choices that undermine academic success.
For nearly 20 years, the Student PIRGs have led the way in exposing publishers' practices that rip off students, championing cost-saving textbook options like used books and rental programs, and advocating for open textbooks as a long-term solution.
We can save students a ton of money, and put the heat on publishers to make textbooks affordable.
In the Legislature
- In 2008, Congress passes the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which banned some of publisher's worst practices to rip students off.
- In 2011 and 2012, respectively, Washington and California enact laws to create statewide open textbook and open educational resource programs.
- In 2013, Senators Durbin and Franken, with Congressmen Miller and Hinojosa, introduce companion bills to create a federal open textbook grant program.
- In 2018, Congress includes $5 million in the federal budget for online education resources.
On Campus
- More than 3,000 professors have signed a statement in support of open textbook adoption.
- Dozens of universities like the University of Maryland (College Park), University of Minnesota and UMass Amherst have launched their own campus programs to encourage open textbook use.
- The Student PIRGs have published 20 research reports documenting the problems and harms with traditional textbooks and why open textbooks are the solution.
We need to continue to generate interest in increased federal funding of open textbook
Take Action:
Faculty Member? Sign the Open Textbook Statement of Support.
Learn More:
Research: Browse and Download Our Research Reports
Coalition: Visit the Open Textbooks Alliance
Resources: View our Open Textbooks Guide and Organizing Toolkit
Get Involved:
Are you a student interested in pushing for free textbooks on your campus? check out our organizing materials.


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Buy Curse of Kali and get Fu Man Chu's Vampire for free!
Today I have a special offer for you, and hopefully I can entice you…
As you are certainly aware, I am currently putting the final touches to the latest Jason Dark supernatural mystery with the title Fu Man Chu's Vampire. The book is currently with my editor for a final polish — at least I hope he's not going to recommend a complete rewrite — and I have tentatively scheduled it for a late January release.
What you may also know, since I mentioned it on occasion, is that the previous Jason Dark book Curse of Kali actually foreshadowed the events of Fu Man Chu's Vampire. To call it a prequel would be going too far, but the earlier book definitely leads up to the upcoming mystery with very overt references and a subplot.
Now, I know you may be sitting on hot coals, waiting for Fu Man Cu's Vampire, so I thought, perhaps there is something I could do to make the wait a little more tolerable. That's where my special offer comes in…
Purchase a copy of Curse of Kali anytime between now and the end of the month, and I will give you a free copy of Fu Man Chu's Vampire as soon as it is released. In fact, I'll do one better. You will get the book before anyone else!
So, not only do you get two books for the price of one, you will also be among the first to read the new one. Do I have your attention?
All you have to do is purchase a copy of Curse of Kali anywhere you can find it — on Amazon, at Barnes&Noble, at Kobo, in Apple's iBookstore or on the Jason Dark website. Once you have that, simply forward the email with the order confirmation to and we will take care of the rest. Even if you purchased your copy a week or two ago, feel free to send in the receipt and I'll put you down for a free copy of Fu Man Chu's Vampire.
Are you ready, yet? Curse of Kali is only $2.99 and you could get your copy right now. Why wait?
Purchase on Amazon
Purchase at Barnes&Noble
Purchase at Kobo
But it in Apple's iBookstore
Get your copy from the official Jason Dark website
You won't regret it, and these books are perfect fodder for that new eBook reader you got for Christmas! 🙂


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Three Needle Bind-Off Continental Method
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This video does not have sound and is meant to be followed visually.
This bind off method binds off two pieces of knitting at the same time, joining them in a visible, neat seam. It is commonly used for binding off the front and back of a sweater at the shoulders. The rigid shoulder seam that it creates won't sag down with the weight of the sleeve, and is therefore often preferred over the otherwise more discreet Kitchener Stitch.
Categories: finishing/seaming, bind off


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New Report from VINT Stating that 2015 Will be the Year of Disruption
Sogeti's global trend lab VINT introduces a new series of research on the theme of "Design to Disrupt".
Dayton, Ohio 20/01/2015 – "Design to Disrupt – An Executive Introduction" marks the start of a new research project. The series includes several reports on how the disruptive potential of new technologies is growing at a staggering speed. Disruption is happening all around and is triggered by the advances in Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud and smart 'Things' (SMACT). Customers are changing their behavior in response and companies are keen to find out how to (re)design their organization to survive and thrive in the face of this change. This is the reason why leaders put technology on top of their list of factors that will determine their organization's future.
"Many people have remarked that existing organizations cannot match today's disruptive innovations and that they even believe that they should leave this field to lean startups. Our research shows that Design to Disrupt is an imperative: an appeal to every organization that refuses to passively accept becoming obliterated, but truly believes that pioneering innovations are indeed possible. The design of one's own disruption is the focus of attention in this process," commented VINT Director, Menno van Doorn and continued:
"Looking at the toolset – from collaborative platforms, the industrial internet, advanced analytics, cloud to new mobilities – there is an abundance of opportunities for everyone to change the design of products, services, business models, and the organization itself. This report helps to bring innovation to the center of any organization."
5 Key Business Takeaways
This first report on the theme of Design to Disrupt provides the reader with 5 key business takeaways:
- Exponential growth of technology. The consequent disruptive innovations put pressure on existing companies. To deal with the constantly changing (business) environment, companies have to constantly change and adapt.
- Innovation must become the major process within a company. Design to Disrupt is an imperative to achieve a corporate culture in which innovation is embraced, instead of confronted with feelings of distrust or resistance.
- It is no longer about ownership/possession/control of products, but about having access to/controlling all kinds of services. Platform economy players such as Bitcoin, Airbnb and Uber show us a world in which transparency is the new norm, and where, as a consequence, everyone can assess one another due to new systems of accountability.
- More than ever, the customer is king. Information technology democratizes. Now, the consumer possesses the tools to optimize his experience. The customer is the radiant central point, the linchpin around which the new economic systems revolve.
- The customer obsession from the past has made way for a wave of new opportunities. Companies should create surprising customer experiences at all conceivable mobile-contact moments. After the initial transformation of atoms into bits, they now materialize once again in the actuality of our physical world. With a further thrust of bits into atoms, the circle of service to the customer will be closed with a focus on Mobile Moments to accommodate every need and wish.
The Design to Disrupt Series
The Design to Disrupt research series will include several reports. The first report launched today will be followed by "Platform Economy: new digital competition" (Q2, 2015) a report dealing with the new competitors that are taking over markets by storm using business models based on platform-thinking and explores the major shift from ownership/possession/control of products to having access to/controlling all kinds of services. The third report "How to design to disrupt? Becoming your own startup" (Q3, 2015) will explore how to design for disruption and how to organize design and innovation to become the center of your organization. The Sogeti trend lab VINT is also considering dedicating a fourth report to Bitcoin and the future of money.
The authors of the series of report are VINT trend watchers Menno van Doorn, Jaap Bloem, Sander Duivestein and Thomas van Manen.
Download the report here: http://bit.ly/1BHwIJM
All Sogeti publications are available in an online bookstore:
For more information, please contact:
Menno van Doorn, Director of Innovation/Trend spotter, SogetiLabs/VINT
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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11 September 2019
This week's snapshot brings you more features from other editions of Minecraft and fixes a few bugs.
Do you want to help us fix bugs? Great! We now have a job opening to join the Java Edition team, check it out by clicking here.
- Item predicate in advancements now makes distinction between actual enchantments and stored enchantments (like ones stored in enchanted books)
- Blocks that can be manually placed on farmland can now also be pushed onto it by a piston without detroying the farmland
- Fixed bugs
- Boats as fuel now smelt 6 items in a furnace
- Campfire can be extinguished with a shovel
- When breedable mobs in groups spawn naturally they sometimes spawn babies in the groups
- Changes in item predicate:
- enchantments now only matches enchantments on item itself - it no longer can be used for enchanted books
- to match contents enchanted book, use stored_enchantments
- MC-2958 - Custom mobs and normal Vexes drop equipped items with looting despite DropChances set to 0
- MC-42248 - Placing lily pads does not have a hand animation in third-person
- MC-60634 - Spawn egg 'use' animation not shown when using on animal
- MC-110907 - Curse of vanishing doesn't work in some places
- MC-114715 - Mobs picking up items can drop their current item even with drop chance of 0
- MC-123307 - '/execute store' can modify player data inside item "tags" of their Inventory or EnderItems
- MC-125880 - Recipe book rejects bows with Damage:0 tag when crafting dispensers
- MC-127094 - Arm animation is not executed in certain circumstances
- MC-132445 - Spawn eggs used on water do not display a hand animation
- MC-136352 - Tools from creative inventory/crafting don't have Damage:0 set until relog
- MC-136470 - Buckets' CanPlaceOn NBT check is applied to the block behind
- MC-145179 - data modify modifies player item data but shows error message
- MC-152751 - Horse armor can occasionally be duplicated when killing a horse wearing it with Looting III
- MC-153661 - Villagers always ring bells in the same direction, even if that should not be possible
- MC-154873 - When breaking a block with an enchanted book with Silk Touch on it, the block drops itself
- MC-157494 - Tamed animals no longer teleport to players properly
- MC-158853 - Chests missing after converting and loading old map from 1.7.10
- MC-159455 - Mob riding item frame riding mob crashes the server when item frame breaks
- MC-159785 - Cloned block contains same item in memory
- MC-160123 - Large ferns no longer drop seeds
- MC-160248 - Slime and magma cube spawners crash the game
- MC-160456 - Bee Hives filled with honey are missing their top and bottom texture
- MC-160458 - Using a portal in an older world creates a new portal instead of taking you to an existing one
- MC-160461 - When being activated with Redstone, bells always ring in the same direction, even if that should not be possible
- MC-160464 - New gamerules introduced in snapshot 19w36a default to false in worlds from older versions
- MC-160484 - Placing wet sponges in the nether does not update redstone
- MC-160498 - Gamerule fireDamage being set to false does not prevent lava damage
To install the snapshot, open up the Minecraft Launcher and enable snapshots in the "Installations" tab.
Snapshots can corrupt your world, please backup and/or run them in a different folder from your main worlds.
Cross-platform server jar:
Report bugs here:
Want to give feedback?
- Head over to our feedback website or come chat with us about it on the official Minecraft Discord.


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Welcome to OrchidTalk Orchid Forums
The Friendliest Orchid Community on the Internet!
OrchidTalk - "Bringing People Together to Grow Orchids Better!"
Let us help you grow your Orchids better; Join our community today.
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1) Personal attacks, "flaming", or rudeness towards another member is not allowed, and will not be tolerated. While we encourage debate and discussion, we do insist that you, as a member, treat others here with courtesy and respect, even if their opinions differ from your own. Failure to follow this rule may result in your immediate and permanent removal from this community.
2) Please refrain from making any racist, homophobic, sexist, or otherwise bigoted remarks. These forums are meant to be enjoyed by everyone, from all parts of the world and all walks of life. If this policy is a problem for you, then this is not the forum for you. Failure to follow this rule may result in the immediate and permanent removal of your OrchidTalk membership privileges.
3) No political discussions or discussions about religion are allowed on this board. It's just not worth the administrative bother to prune and edit threads that generate a lot of bad blood, and we don't need that here. Threads that violate this rule will be closed without warning. Posts that violate this rule will be deleted without warning. Repeat offenders will be banned. If you want to debate these or other emotionally "volatile" subjects, please do so on one of the many message boards that encourage those types of discussions.
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An example: You come across a message in which a member has expressed her dissatisfaction with the high prices of plant type O. You reply: "I can get one of those for you cheap. I have sources. PM me. I'll hook you up."
Another example: You are frustrated and angered by the way you've been treated when making your most recent purchase. You start a new thread and announce, "Vendor A/B/C/D - Box Store E/F/G/H royally SUCKS. I will NEVER buy from those dinky-sticked LOSERS again."
Another example: You are interested in buying a plant from vendor 'x, y, or z' and you post a new message about being interested in a certain plant. To show members what you are talking about you simply link to the photograph on the vendor's site or you use the image code and post the photo here in OrchidTalk and it displays either the vendor's name or URL address on the image (watermark).
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Thanks for being here, enjoy the great information and colorful personalities our membership has to offer, and have fun! See you in the forum!


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In January 2004, ALCOSAN service area communities signed municipal consent orders related to the assessment and long-term planning of our region's sewage infrastructure. Under the municipal consent orders, the Environmental Protection Agency assigned enforcement responsibility to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD).
Municipalities operating a combined sewer system (carrying wastewater and stormwater in the same set of pipes) received a "Consent Order and Agreement," which is enforced by the DEP. Communities with a separate sanitary sewer system (wastewater and stormwater are transported in two separate systems) received an "Administrative Consent Order," which is enforced by the ACHD. The orders end in 2015, and require communities to complete the following activities:
Since 2004, municipalities, with the assistance of 3RWW, have been working to complete the consent orders' compliance requirements. Detailed timelines show compliance activities beginning in 2004 spanning through 2015.
Compliance Timeline: 2004-2015
Compliance Timeline: 2012-2026
The Long-Term Wet Weather Control Plan that municipalities and ALCOSAN are required to jointly create must address the sustainable operation and maintenance of the region's sewage infrastructure through 2046. Municipalities should anticipate that the regulatory agencies will require the implementation of the approved wet weather plan through a legally enforceable agreement or order in the future.
Wet Weather Control Plan Timeline
The complete consent orders signed by communities:


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Liquor Rack Exporters
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We continually improve our efforts and techniques to attain maximum client satisfaction. We assist clients and devote ourselves to deliver customized products. We believe in maintaining ethical business practices and work transparently to keep our business growth consistent.
As the best Liquor Rack Exporter based in India, we have the utmost reputation in the niche that help us ensure the growth of our company. Send us your enquiry or call now to know more.
Copyright © 2024 Micro Sheet Crafts (India) Private Limited | All Rights Reserved . Website Designed & SEO By Webclick® Digital Pvt. Ltd. Website Designing Company India


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Teachers in Pennsylvania usually need a Lay Rescuer CPR, AED certification. Required training should include; Adult, Child, Infant CPR, AED and First Aid.
Teachers in Pennsylvania may complete their training online, in-person or via a blended course in order to meet their state licensure requirement. Different school districts may require a specific training method or a specific provider.
If you are not certain of your employer's requirement, make sure to check with them about both the training type and the required course content.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education does not require Teachers to maintain a CPR certification for licensure. However, individual school districts may require to have a current Adult, Child, and Infant Pediatric CPR, AED and First Aid certification upon employment.
Progress through your CPR and first aid certification online from any device! Easily complete your training online so you can finish your certification anytime, anywhere.
In addition to your online first aid and CPR certification, practice hands-on with a CPR manikin in a blended program.
Our online CPR and first aid certification resources can be used to facilitate classroom training, skills practice, and continuing education.


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China pushes its economic leverage
The rise of China and its impact on economies all over the world isn't a new story, but this overview in the New York Times is worth reading. The tone is one of looking at the downside of China's economic empire and the unwillingness of desperate partners like European nations to assert themselves. But there is an upside, as China can provide much needed capital to struggling countries, and this also gives China a huge stake in stability around the world. There are certainly concerns on issues like the environment and human rights, but one needs to look at the big picture as well. Fortunately, President Obama's foreign policy is aimed at engaging but also containing China, and he has been willing to use our own leverage in this relationship.
Posted in: Business, Economy, Human Rights, Labor, Manufacturing, U.S. Relations
Tags: China's economic empire, China's economic leverage, New York Times


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Independence Day is around the corner, and trading volume is expected to be light this week as investors get ready to ditch their stock charts for their barbeques.
While the all-important monthly jobs report comes out on Thursday (a day earlier than usual because of the three-day weekend), there's not much else on the economic or earnings calendars to move the markets.
But as the first half of the year comes to a close this week, we here at CNNMoney are in a reflective mood. After all, you can't know where you're going until you know where you've been.
Here's what you need to know about the markets year-to-date, and what to possibly expect for the rest of 2014.
The calm after the storm: It wasn't pretty at first. After a record run in 2013, stocks were hit by turmoil in the first quarter as harsh winter weather dampened corporate profits and the emerging markets rapidly sold off as investors worried that the tightening of Federal Reserve's easy money spigot would reverberate to those countries that were relying on cheap foreign investment to fuel growth.
Throw in the crisis in Ukraine, it it looked like investors were in for a wild ride.
But warmer Spring weather eventually came, the emerging markets' fears subsided, and the tense standoff between Russia and the West has seemingly been dialed back for now.
Related: Russian markets: They're baaack!
Stocks have been the "little engine that could," slowly pushing higher. The S&P 500 closed at a record high 22 times this year, according to Jeffrey Hirsch of the Stock Trader's Almanac.
The blue chip index has gained about 6% so far this year, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is up 5%. The Dow's rise has been less pronounced, but it is still positive at about 1.6%.
Even emerging markets have rebounded. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, which was battered in the first quarter, is now in positive territory for the year.
Further, as companies take advantage of a rising stock market and ultra-low interest rates, mergers and acquisitions activity and initial public offerings have been hot this year. GoPro (GPRO) is the latest mega success, having jumped 50% since its debut on Thursday.
Winners and Losers: The stocks with the most gains so far in 2014 have come from a wide range of sectors. In the S&P 500: Keurig Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR) has jolted up 65%, while Electronic Arts (EA), the best performer on CNNMoney's Tech 30 Index, has soared 55%.
Southwest (LUV)and Delta Airlines (DAL) have both climbed over 40%, and Under Armour (UA) has risen around 35%.
In the loser category, Coach (COH) has taken the worst with an almost 40% decline, while Whole Foods (WFM) has dropped over 30%. Staples (SPLS), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), Best Buy (BBY), and Amazon (AMZN) aren't far behind in the unglamorous contest for the biggest loser.
Ok, now what? What will happen in the second half of the year is anybody's guess, but that doesn't mean market strategists of all stripes aren't trying to predict the future.
In a midyear report, analysts at BlackRock said that while stocks aren't cheap, the market should continue to rise. They recommend favoring large cap stocks and cyclical sectors like energy over small cap stocks and companies in the consumer discretionary sector such as retailers.
CNNMoney's most recent survey of investment strategists finds that most are still bullish. They anticipate a 6.5% gain for the S&P 500 this year. The index is well on track for that already.
Related: Excited for iPhone 6? Check out this stock
Another question for the markets going forward revolves around interest rates. Although the Federal Reserve has maintained that it plans to keep its key federal funds rate near zero for the rest of the year, the Bank of England is likely to start hiking rates in the fall, and that could have repercussions for the U.S., according to economists from Barclays.
"The lesson here is that rate expectations can change very quickly," they said.


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Competition Resources
Hosting a Competition
If your club, brewery, fair, festival or organization is thinking about hosting a homebrew competition, the first step is to register the competition as an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned Competition with the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Competitions are jointly administered by the AHA and the BJCP.
Registering gives the competition organizers access to resources which ensure managing the competition is easy and fun.
With established competition standards and procedures, homebrewers can be assured their beers are handled and judged in the best possible fashion, creating results that are accurate, meaningful and educational.
Register a Competition
Be sure to register your competition at least two months prior to the competition. Announcing the competition even earlier allows time for homebrewers to brew a beer just for your competition.
There is a $30 fee for registering your competition with the AHA/BJCP. This administration fee is payable by credit card through a secure PayPal account.
Any changes or updates to your competition registration are handled through BJCP.org. These changes will typically be reflected on HomebrewersAssociation.org within 24 hours. If you have made changes on BJCP.org that are not appearing on HomebrewersAssociation.org, please contact us.
Competition Materials
After the competition is registered, sanctioned competition materials are sent via e-mail from the BJCP Competition Director, which include:
- A letter describing how to use the sanctioned competition program materials.
- A contact list of BJCP judges in your state or a multi-state region (you specify the area during the registration process).
- Mailing labels for the BJCP judge list.
- Judge participant list to use for judge check-in.
- Competition Evaluation Form for judges and stewards.
- Additional competition forms and procedural information are available at the BJCP Competition Center.
Promoting the Competition
Registration ensures your competition is listed on the events calendar on this website and on the BJCP competition calendar. Homebrewers nationwide can then easily find and enter your competition!
Looking to Order Medals?
AHA/BJCP sanctioned competitions have the opportunity to use official medals as awards for winners.
The medals are two inches in diameter with an antique brass, pewter or copper finish and come with a red, white and blue neck ribbon. Ordering, cost, and payment is handled directly with The Hermann Werks, Inc.
To order, contact:
The Hermann Werks, Inc.
Aimee Viehmann | PO Box 256 | Hermann, MO 65041 | mobile: (573) 999-0825 | email: email@example.com


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B::Showlex - Show lexical variables used in functions or files
perl -MO=Showlex[,-OPTIONS][,SUBROUTINE] foo.pl
When a comma-separated list of subroutine names is given as options, Showlex prints the lexical variables used in those subroutines. Otherwise, it prints the file-scope lexicals in the file.
Traditional form:
$ perl -MO=Showlex -e 'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo")'
Pad of lexical names for comppadlist has 4 entries
0: SPECIAL #1 &PL_sv_undef
1: PVNV (0x9db0fb0) $i
2: PVNV (0x9db0f38) $j
3: PVNV (0x9db0f50) $k
Pad of lexical values for comppadlist has 5 entries
0: SPECIAL #1 &PL_sv_undef
1: NULL (0x9da4234)
2: NULL (0x9db0f2c)
3: NULL (0x9db0f44)
4: NULL (0x9da4264)
-e syntax OK
New-style form:
$ perl -MO=Showlex,-newlex -e 'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo")'
main Pad has 4 entries
0: SPECIAL #1 &PL_sv_undef
1: PVNV (0xa0c4fb8) "$i" = NULL (0xa0b8234)
2: PVNV (0xa0c4f40) "$j" = NULL (0xa0c4f34)
3: PVNV (0xa0c4f58) "$k" = NULL (0xa0c4f4c)
-e syntax OK
New form, no specials, outside O framework:
$ perl -MB::Showlex -e \
'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo"); B::Showlex::compile(-newlex,-nosp)->()'
main Pad has 4 entries
1: PVNV (0x998ffb0) "$i" = IV (0x9983234) 1
2: PVNV (0x998ff68) "$j" = PV (0x998ff5c) "foo"
3: PVNV (0x998ff80) "$k" = NULL (0x998ff74)
Note that this example shows the values of the lexicals, whereas the other examples did not (as they're compile-time only).
The -newlex
option produces a more readable name => value
format, and is shown in the second example above.
The -nosp
option eliminates reporting of SPECIALs, such as 0: SPECIAL #1 &PL_sv_undef
above. Reporting of SPECIALs can sometimes overwhelm your declared lexicals.
B::Showlex can also be used outside of the O framework, as in the third example. See B::Concise for a fuller explanation of reasons.
Some of the reported info, such as hex addresses, is not particularly valuable. Other information would be more useful for the typical programmer, such as line-numbers, pad-slot reuses, etc.. Given this, -newlex isnt a particularly good flag-name.
Malcolm Beattie, email@example.com


text: This monitoring system for critical vessels uses thermal imaging cameras to provide higher measurement density than thermocouple-based systems. The Critical Vessel Monitoring System measures surface temperature once every 16 cm2, compared with one measurement every 250 cm2 in typical thermocouple systems. The system is optimized for use in gasifiers and other critical vessels in petrochemical refining, power generation, chemical and coal processing, waste management, and fertilizer and plastics production.


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Although he may be adjusting to life after football, former Washington Redskins inside linebacker London Fletcher still keeps close tabs on the movement in D.C. this offseason.
The first of many dominoes to fall was head coach Jay Gruden's decision to retain Jim Haslett as the team's defensive coordinator.
After working with Haslett for the last four years, Fletcher endorsed the move, in an exlusive interview with Redskins.com.
"I think it's good for him. I know as far as continuity goes, guys will be happy with that part of it," he said. "It won't be a major learning curve for the guys who are returning."
Fletcher, who has still yet to finalize his retirement, will technically become a free agent when the league years turns over in March.
For what it's worth, Fletcher still talks like he is part of the team.
"We have to draft some players, bring in some more players free agency-wise and hopefully improve and play better defense," he said. "That was really something we didn't do well last year.
"We didn't play good enough defense as a team."
For now, the Iron Man said the offseason seems average, and that the lack of a return won't settle in until much later.
"Right now, nothing's really any different because my routine is the same as any other offseason," he explained. "It will be different for me when it comes time for like March, April, May.
"That's the time when I would normally be doing the training and preparing myself for offseason workouts, training camp and all those things getting prepared for the upcoming season.
"Right now is not a huge difference in anything I can tell as far as a change in my life, but it's good to know that I won't have to go through those things."


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$67.50 $90.00
1-3 business days
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 5 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 14 days of delivery
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
I only use your address for shipping, and only contact you regarding your order (usually per Etsy convo), or from conversations that you have initiated.
I respect your information, and do not share it with anyone, outside of what is necessary to create your order's shipping label--and nearly all are via Etsy labels, so it's information you have already placed in the Etsy system.
I do retain hard copies of order and label receipts for a time necessary for my tax processing, but I then do shred these hard copies.
Yes, most items can be made in a custom version per your color/size preference.
Most guitar straps & even other items can have a name, image or some small message added to them via silk screen, laser etching. I have created a listing "custom artwork on plain leather strap" for this on guitar straps, but please convo me if you're interested in this option on other items, or have other questions.


text: Fourteen hundred years ago, a tormented soul walked the earth that was neither man nor god. Hercules was the powerful son of the god-king, Zeus, for this he received nothing but suffering his entire life. After twelve arduous labors and the loss of his family, this dark, world-weary soul turned his back on the gods finding his only solace in bloody battle. Over the years he warmed to the company of six similar souls, their only bond being their love of fighting and presence of death. These men and women never question where they go to fight or why or whom, just how much they will be paid. Now the King of Thrace has hired these mercenaries to train his men to become the greatest army of all time. It is time for this bunch of lost souls to finally have their eyes opened to how far they have fallen when they must train an army to become as ruthless and bloodthirsty as their reputation has become.


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A Challenge to Writers: Let's Raise the Bar
Although Mr. Godin isn't aiming specifically at writers, we think you will quickly find your role within the conflict he depicts. In the current culture of "non-curiosity," as he calls it, where does your writing lie? We urge you to evaluate if you are aiming for the lowest denominator or providing resources that raise the bar amongst your genre. These are hard questions, but worth asking.
The bestselling novel of 1961 was Allen Drury's Advise and Consent. Millions of people read this 690-page political novel. In 2016, the big sellers were coloring books.
Fifteen years ago, cable channels like TLC (the "L" stood for Learning), Bravo and the History Channel (the "History" stood for History) promised to add texture and information to the blighted TV landscape. Now these networks run shows about marrying people based on how well they kiss.
And of course, newspapers won Pulitzer prizes for telling us things we didn't want to hear. We've responded by not buying newspapers any more.
The decline of thoughtful media has been discussed for a century. This is not new. What is new: A fundamental shift not just in the profit-seeking gatekeepers, but in the culture as a whole.
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."*
[*Ironically, this isn't what Einstein actually said. It was this, "It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience." Alas, I've been seduced into believing that the shorter one now works better.]
Is it possible we've made things simpler than they ought to be, and established non-curiosity as the new standard?
We are certainly guilty of being active participants in a media landscape that breaks Einstein's simplicity law every day. And having gotten away with it so far, we're now considering removing the law from our memory.
The economics seem to be that the only way to make a living is to reach a lot of people and the only way to reach a lot of people is to race to the bottom, seek out quick clicks, make it easy to swallow, reinforce existing beliefs, keep it short, make it sort of fun, or prurient, or urgent, and most of all, dumb it down.
And that's the true danger of anti-intellectualism. While it's foolish to choose to be stupid, it's cultural suicide to decide that insights, theories and truth don't actually matter. If we don't care to learn more, we won't spend time or resources on knowledge.
We can survive if we eat candy for an entire day, but if we put the greenmarkets out of business along the way, all that's left is candy.
Give your kid a tablet, a game, and some chicken fingers for dinner. It's easier than talking to him.
Read the short articles, the ones with pictures, it's simpler than digging deep.
Clickbait works for a reason. Because people click on it.
The thing about clickbait, though, is that it exists to catch prey, not to inform them. It's bait, after all.
The good news: We don't need many people to demand more from the media before the media responds. The Beverly Hillbillies were a popular show, but that didn't stop Star Trek from having a shot at improving the culture.
The media has always bounced between pandering to make a buck and upping the intellectual ante of what they present. Now that this balance has been ceded to an algorithm, we're on the edge of a breakneck race to the bottom, with no brakes and no break in sight.
Vote with your clicks, with your sponsorship, with your bookstore dollars. Vote with your conversations, with your letters to the editor, by changing the channel…
Even if only a few people use precise words, employ thoughtful reasoning and ask difficult questions, it still forces those around them to catch up. It's easy to imagine a slippery slope down, but there's also the cultural ratchet, a positive function in which people race to learn more and understand more so they can keep up with those around them.
Turn the ratchet. We can lead our way back to curiosity, inquiry and discovery if we (just a few for now) measure the right things and refuse the easy option in favor of insisting on better.
Sometimes a second set of eyes can be invaluable when thinking through an issue like Seth presents. At Certa Publishing, we would be glad to read through your manuscript and offer our opinion on tone, quality, marketability, and format. If we can be of service, please contact us today.
- Customer Service


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Every year millions of babies and toddlers receive general anesthesia for procedures ranging from hernia repair to ear surgery. Now, researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester have found a link among children undergoing multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia before age 2 and learning disabilities later in childhood.
The study, which will be published in the November 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online Oct. 3), was conducted with existing data of 5,357 children from the Rochester Epidemiology Project and examined the medical and educational records of 1,050 children born between 1976 and 1982 in a single school district in Rochester.
"After removing factors related to existing health issues, we found that children exposed more than once to anesthesia and surgery prior to age 2 were approximately three times as likely to develop problems related to speech and language when compared to children who never underwent surgeries at that young age," says David Warner, M.D., Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist and co-author of the study.
Among the 5,357 children in the cohort, 350 underwent surgeries with general anesthesia before their second birthday and were matched with 700 children who did not undergo a procedure with anesthesia. Of those exposed to anesthesia, 286 experienced only one surgery and 64 had more than one. Among those children who had multiple surgeries before age 2, 36.6 percent developed a learning disability later in life. Of those with just one surgery, 23.6 percent developed a learning disability, which compares to 21.2 percent of the children who developed learning disabilities but never had surgery or anesthesia before age 2. However, researchers saw no increase in behavior disorders among children with multiple surgeries.
"Our advice to parents considering surgery for a child under age 2 is to speak with your child's physician," says Randall Flick, M.D., Mayo Clinic pediatric anesthesiologist and lead author of the study. "In general, this study should not alter decision-making related to surgery in young children. We do not yet have sufficient information to prompt a change in practice and want to avoid problems that may occur as a result of delaying needed procedures. For example, delaying ear surgery for children with repeated ear infections might cause hearing problems that could create learning difficulties later in school."
This study, funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, examines the same population data used in a 2009 study by Mayo Clinic researchers, which reviewed records for children under age 4 and was published in the medical journalAnesthesiology.
The 2009 Mayo Clinic study was the first complete study in humans to suggest that exposure of children to anesthesia might affect development of the brain. Several previous studies suggested that anesthetic drugs might cause abnormalities in the brains of young animals. The study released today is significant because it examines children experiencing anesthesia and surgeries under age 2 and removes factors associated with existing health issues.
Additional co-authors include Slavica Katusic, M.D.; Robert Colligan, Ph.D.; Robert Wilder, M.D., Ph.D.; Michael Olson, Juraj Sprung, M.D., Ph.D.; Amy Weaver; and Darrell Schroeder; all of Mayo Clinic, and Robert Voigt, M.D., Texas Children's Hospital.
Material adapted from Mayo Clinic.