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Quaser Machine Tools Inc. was established by Mr. Edward Shar and Mr. Samuel Shieh in 1991. The Company name was established based on important principles for success in the machine tool industry – QUALITY & SERVICE (QUA SER) and continuous DESIGN INNOVATION.
Quaser established long term global relations with large OEM and International Distributor Partners in the Company's history. Quaser's collaboration with international customers, suppliers and distributors has produced unique new machine tool technologies, a strong international supplier network, loyal sales and distribution network and a large global customer base.
The Company's commitment to continuous training and development of employees has created the high standards of manufacturing productivity and efficiencies necessary to maintain a competitive advantage in the global machine tool industry.
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As the seasons change, your diet likely also changes. Sometimes, this can lead to less than happy bowels, especially when winter welcomes heavier foods. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons explains a low-calorie, high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables is key to a healthy colon.
If you feel your bowels are in need of a boost to get things moving, you may want to try these colon-cleansing smoothie recipes that also please the palate. With each recipe, we include a video, so you can watch along and see how easy it is to make!
1. Strawberry beet detox smoothie. This combination from Oh She Glows not only detoxes the colon and works as a diuretic but also cleanses the liver, purifies the blood and balances blood sugar. The ingredients contain anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. Watch the video below to see how to make this recipe:
2. Papaya chia seed detox smoothie. The Green Forks uses this recipe in its detox program because in addition to supporting a healthy colon, the smoothie is anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. The bananas improve sleep and mood, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure, while the greens contain calcium, iron, copper, fiber, and antioxidants. Check out how to make it in the following video.
3. Cucumber almond butter detox smoothie. This tasty combination from The Green Forks is full of nutrients that act as powerful detox agents. They lower cholesterol, heal inflammation, fight against cancer, and normalize blood sugar. Watch how to make this smoothie:
4. Green tea. Sipping green tea throughout the day can do wonders for the colon, says The Science of Eating. It works because it contains antioxidants that help remove toxins from the body.
5. Spinach lettuce detox smoothie. Celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder says her trademarked "Glowing Green" smoothie contains more greens than the average person gets in a single week. Blending the greens not only helps you get more of them, they also aid in the body's full absorption of all the vegetables' nutrients. Watch how to make this smoothie:
6. Papaya oatmeal detox smoothie. This potent smoothie from Livestrong has all the ingredients necessary to get things moving! It is especially high in fiber and will do wonders for your colon and overall metabolism. Watch how to make this recipe in the video below.
7. Senna tea detox. This tasty smoothie from Haylie Pomroy contains an extra boost from senna tea, a laxative used to treat constipation and clear the bowels. Watch how to make this recipe in the video below:
8. Apple sea salt detox. This refreshing, slightly spicy combination from Dr. Axe releases toxins by stimulating the colon. It is best to drink it warm, but not boiling, on an empty stomach in the morning.
Do you have a favorite colon detox recipe? Tell us when you SHARE this article on social media!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Vincent Trasov is a painter, video and performance artist. His work is often media based and collaborative in spirit, involved with developing networks. He is a Canadian born in 1947 in Edmonton. In 1969 he founded Image Bank with Michael Morris, a method for personal exchange of information amongst artists; he has made videotapes since 1971; 1973 he was co-founder and co-director of Western Front Society, Vancouver, a centre for the production and presentation of new art activity; 1981 he was invited with Morris as guest of Berliner Kunstlerprogramm, DAAD to Berlin; 1991 he and Morris founded the Morris/Trasov Archive, currently housed at Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, to research contemporary art and communication. Trasov has had numerous international exhibitions and is represented in public and private collections in both Europe and North America. He presently resides in Berlin and Vancouver.


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Adsorption is the process by which molecules of a substance from a gas mixture or liquid solution became attached to a solid or liquid surface. The substance being absorbed is an adsorbate and the absorbing substance, an adsorbent.
Adsorption is originated by the surface forces acting on the solid-gas, solid-liquid, gas-liquid or (in the case of immiscible liquids in contact) the liquid-liquid interface.
In adsorption of gas by a solid surface, one never distinguishes between physical adsorption and chemisorption. In physical adsorption, the main factors are the nature of interacting substances, the forces of interaction on the interface, and the interaction between adsorbate molecules. Of paramount importance is the degree of surface inhomogeneity and the capability of adsorbed molecules to be in translational, rotary, and oscillatory motion. The surface structure and, hence, adsorption properties may change during adsorption. This is most clearly pronounced when the so-called adsorption energy is of the same order as the surface energy of the adsorbent, e.g., ice, paraffin, and polymers.
Equilibrium in physical adsorption is rapidly established and is reversible. It should be born in mind, however, that the actual adsorption rate can be restricted by the mass transfer rate in the gaseous phase or inside the pores of a porous adsorbent, i.e., by the adsorbate supply to the surface. It is believed that physical adsorption is brought about by the same intermolecular forces as vapor condensation. Hence, a conclusion is drawn that the heat of physical adsorption is close to that of condensation and the amount of physical adsorption is particularly high when the gas has a temperature below critical, i.e., in a vapor.
Gas adsorption by a solid surface is expressed quantitatively as a gas volume adsorbed by the adsorbent per unit mass or unit surface of the adsorbent.
Chemisorption, in contrast to physical adsorption, involves chemical reactions on the surface, which may result in its rearrangement. Cases are also known where physical adsorption proceeds over a chemisorbed layer.
The parameter describing the physical adsorption dynamics is adsorption time, which is the mean lifetime of the molecule on the adsorbent surface. It is t = t0 exp Q/RT, where t0 is the time of molecular vibration (t0 = 10−13 - 10−12 s) and Q is the energy of the molecule-surface interaction, i.e., the heat of adsorption. If thermal equilibrium is established between the molecules and the surface, then the molecules being desorbed leave the surface in the direction independent of the incidence direction, i.e., the accommodation coefficient is assumed to be unity).
An important characteristic of adsorption is also a molecule concentration on an adsorbent surface. It is measured in mol/cm2 and calculated as Г = zt, where z is the number moles of gas colliding with unit surface in a second.
At a given temperature T, adsorption can be classified according to the parameters shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Regions of adsorption
Γ, absorbate | |||
Q, | concentration, | ||
kcal/mol | t, s | mol/cm2 | |
0.1 | 10−13 | 0 | No adsorption, specular reflection |
of molecules, the accommodation | |||
coefficient is zero | |||
1.5 | 10−12 | 0 | The region of physical adsorption, the |
accommodation coefficient is one | |||
3.5 | 10−11 | 10−12 | |
9.0 | 10−7 | 10−8 | |
20 | 100 | The region of chemisorption | |
40.0 | 1017 |
An isotherm, i.e., the dependence graphed as a function V = f(p), where V is the volume adsorbed and p the pressure, is the most common representation of adsorption. In 1918 Langmuir derived theoretically an adsorption isotherm equation that became known as the Langmuir equation. He assumed that the adsorbent surface possesses a certain number of adsorption sites s , part of which are occupied by adsorbed molecules s1 and the other part are vacant s2. He considered adsorption-desorption as a process of condensation and evaporation. The rate of condensation was taken to be proportional to the number of free surface sites s2, i.e., k2s2, while the rate of evaporation proportional to the number of occupied surface sites, i.e., k1s1. When the equilibrium was attained k1s1 = k2ps2 = k2p(s-s1 ) or θ = bp/(1+b ), where p is the partial pressure of an adsorbate, θ = s1/s is the fraction of the surface occupied by adsorbed molecules and b is the Langmuir constant. Taking into account the fact that the evaporation rate is proportional to the saturation vapor pressure pG , the Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation can be reduced to θ = (cx)/(1 + cx ), where c = exp Q/RT and x = (p/pG ) is the ratio of the vapor pressures of a given substance in the mixture to its saturation vapor pressure at the same temperature T. The heat of adsorption Q can be assumed to be equal to the extent of heat of vaporization per mole. R is the universal gas constant related to a mole of vapor.
The next step in the description of adsorption isotherm is the allowance for formation of multimolecular layer, which was realized in the BET (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller) equation.
where V and Vm are respectively the actually adsorbed gas volume and its limit in a monolayer. This equation has gained recognition as a most reliable adsorption isotherm equation and has been widely employed for determining the surface per unit volume from the experimental data. It can be transformed to the form
Plotting x/V(x − 1) against x gives a straight line the intercept and slope of which is used to find the constants Vm and c.
The diversity of experimental adsorption isotherms is depicted in Figure 1. Type 1 isotherms correspond to the Langmuir equation and are characterized by a monotonic approach to a limit value conforming to a complete monolayer surface coverage by a monolayer of adsorbed molecules. Type 2 corresponds to the case when first, a monolayer is formed, and then (from the point B) a multimolecular layer predominantly develops. Isotherms of Type 3 are relatively uncommon and correspond to the formation of multimolecular layer when heat of adsorption is less than or equal to adsorbate heat of condensation. Types 4 and 5, as a rule, are characteristic of capillary adsorbate condensation in porous solids.
Adsorption in porous solids with pores substantially exceeding the free path length of molecules is of the same nature as it is on an open surface of a nonporous solid. In particular, at temperatures higher than the critical temperature, no multimolecular layers are formed. An adsorbent with molecular size pores behaves like a Molecular Sieve, and its apparent surface per unit volume depends on the size of adsorbed molecules: small molecules pass into pores and adsorb on their surfaces, while large ones are trapped and no adsorption occurs in pores.
Of great interest are zeolites composed of tetrahedral groups (Al, Si) O4 . They have large voids into which the molecules of adsorbed gas have to pass through much smaller holes. Thus, in chabazite Ca Al2Si4O12, there are six inlet holes about 4 Å in diameter in the void 10 Å in diameter. These holes accommodate only monatomic or diatomic gases, H2O, and H-alkanes, but trap larger molecules. Changing the hole size makes it possible to separate gases.
At temperatures below critical, for multimolecular adsorption in small size pores not only is the number of layers restricted but also so-called capillary condensation may be observed. For capillary condensation to occur, the effective curvature of the meniscus in the micropores must be sufficient to entirely fill the pores with condensing liquid; however, since the curvature is variable even with a narrow range of pore size, the desorption and adsorption curves do not coincide leading to a hysteresis in adsorption (Figure 2).
Chemisorption gives rise to bonds between adsorbate and adsorbent approaching chemical bonds in strength. In this case, the chemical properties of adsorbate and adsorbent may differ from their initial ones. Chemisorption conspicuously shows up in formation of the first molecular layer because in this case, an enhanced heat of adsorption characteristic of chemisorption comes into play. Considerable variation may occur because of inhomogeneities in the surface or in the energy distribution of adsorption centers. The inhomogeneity may be attributed to surface defects and impurity inclusions, i.e., it depends on the material treatment and quality.
As the second and subsequent molecular layers are formed, chemisorption is reduced to physical adsorption The distinguishing feature of chemisorption, in contrast to physical adsorption, is the fact that it can proceed with gases, whose temperature is above critical.
The rate of chemisorption is described by the expression
where f(θ) is a function depending on the nature of adsorption; k2, the constant of adsorption rate; k2 = k exp( /RT); and is the activation energy which, taking into account its dependence on the surface coverage θ, is described by the binomial = . Hence, at a given temperature, the rate of adsorption varies with surface coverage by molecules in proportion to f(θ) exp(−αθ).
The activation energies of desorption and adsorption differ by the heat of adsorption Q: = . The rate of desorption is described as Rd = dθ/dτ = kf'(θ) exp( + Q/RT), where f'(θ) is analogous to f(θ).
Chemisorption is an important underlying phenomenon in heterogeneous catalysis.
In adsorption from solutions, the behavior depends greatly on whether the solutions are of nonelectrolytes or electrolytes. Adsorption from nonelectrolyte solutions depends on adsorbate concentration and, in the case of dilute solutions, is similar to gas adsorption. The solvent properties manifest themselves at high concentrations.
Two basic models of nonelectrolyte adsorption exist. Adsorption in terms of the first model is restricted to a monolayer directly on the surface, whereas the consecutive layers are merely an ordinary solution. This resembles gas chemisorption, but the heat of adsorption from a solution is low in relation to the energy of chemical reaction. In the second model, adsorption occurs in a fairly thick (up to 100 Å) multimolecular interphase layer in a decreasing potential field of the solid surface.
Both models are consistent with experiment and yield the same mathematical expressions, e.g., an adsorption isotherm: θ/(1 − θ) = ka2/a1, where a1 and a2 are activities of the solvent and the solute in the solution. This is obviously an expression similar to the Langmuir isotherm equation.
Adsorption in electrolyte solutions is considered using several approaches. If an electrolyte is assumed to be adsorbed as an entity bound by opposite charged ions, then this resembles adsorption in nonelectrolyte solutions. However, more frequently, the ions of one sign are more strongly attracted by the surface than the ions of the other sign. The latter produce near the surface a diffuse layer through which the adsorbed ions are forced to diffuse.
A wide range of adsorbents are used for adsorption from gases and liquids. Special adsorbents are often developed for specific purposes. Among the most well-known adsorbents are activated carbon used for adsorbing gases, including hydrocarbons, and silica gel for adsorbing water vapor.
A technological apparatus in which adsorption is implemented is called an adsorber. Adsorbers can have an immovable adsorbent bed and operate either with periodic regeneration under an adsorption-desorption regime or without regeneration but with periodic change of the adsorbent.
In fixed-bed adsorbers, the adsorption process is represented by the breakthrough curve (Figure 3). The concentration of pollutant C in the exit gas stream is plotted versus time. Initially, the adsorbent adsorbs the pollutant gas from the stream readily and efficiently, so that the pollutant concentration of the outlet stream is close to zero (period 0-a on the abscissa in Figure 3). In this period, the bulk of the adsorption is taking place near the inlet with the rest of the bed removing the traces. Eventually, the inlet region becomes saturated and the main region of adsorption moves towards the outlet. Traces of the adsorbate begin to appear at the outlet. When the outlet concentration begins to rise rapidly (B), the so-called "break through point" has been reached. Though, at this time, the exit pollutant concentration may be below the required emission standard Cstd after the point of breakthrough, the exit concentration rises rapidly towards the inlet concentration C0. Thus, at time B, regeneration is required. A steep breakthrough curve is more desirable than a flat one. For a steep curve, the bed saturation may reach 80 per cent, but with a flat curve only 15-20 per cent may be typical before breakthrough. The calculation methods for adsorption, particularly in porous adsorbents, mist allow for heat and mass transfer to the adsorbed substance in pores.
Adamson, A. (1976) Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 3rd ed., Wiley, New York.
Perry, R. H., Green, D. W., and Maloney, J. O. (eds.) Perry's Chemical Engineers Handbook (1984), McGraw-Hill, New York.
Les références
- Adamson, A. (1976) Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 3rd ed., Wiley, New York.
- Perry, R. H., Green, D. W., and Maloney, J. O. (eds.) Perry's Chemical Engineers Handbook (1984), McGraw-Hill, New York.


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A group of inherited disorders of connective tissue that vary in severity and are transmitted as autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, or X-linked recessive traits. The primary characteristics are hyperextensible skin and joints, easy bruising, reduced wound healing, pseudotumours, and ocular defects. Distinct abnormalities in collagen synthesis have been identified in some subtypes of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (type IV, VI and VII). The prognosis of the various EDS subtypes is based upon the specific associated features and their complications.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Cutis Elastica, Cutis hyperelastica, Cutis hyperelastica dermatorrhexis, Danlos disease, Dermatorrhexis with dermatochalasis and arthrochalasis, Disease, Ehlers-Danlos, Dystrophia mesodermalis congenita, Ehlers Danlos Disease, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Disease, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, NOS, Fibrodysplasia elastica generalisata, Hereditary collagen dysplasia, India rubber skin, Meekeren-Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos, Syndrome, Meekeren-Ehlers-Danlos


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Hughes Umbanhowar Architects have designed the River Road house in Sewall's Point, Florida.
Project description
When morning breaks in the small residential community of Sewall's Point, the house is cloaked in light that is reflected and refracted from the faceted Mahogany framed windows of this regal residence. Home for a young family, the structure is reverent in its embrace of the outdoors, both the two-acre waterfront lot it occupies and the landscape beyond. Ensconced in the hillside which overlooks the water, the structure is a series of expansive and intimate courtyards and cantilevered decks, which architectonically echo the diaphanous volumes of the interior, spaces which seem to defy gravity, even while embracing the solidity of Italian limestone and stucco facades. Views to the southwest encompass the dynamic activity of the marina in an inland waterway and track the movements of sun, wind and water.
The 12,300-square foot house, is a complex composition, reminiscent of the canvases of Georges Braque, in which geometric forms appear and disappear in a constant dance of illusion and materiality. The house comprises a series of distinct, yet interlocking rectilinear volumes conjoined by a transparent longitudinal axis. Positive volumes are balanced atop negative creating a heightened tension and intrigue. A glass-skinned throughway connects and distinguishes the two dominant volumes, or towers, capturing light and adding to the sense of interior capaciousness. Exterior glass, limestone, stucco and mahogany outline, augment and anchor what otherwise might be a cacophony of disparate forms.
Whether allegro, andante or largo, the varied rhythms of the internal structure are adroitly composed. Denizens move with leisure or efficiency, depending on need and mood. Interior spaces are carefully orchestrated to conceal and reveal dramatic views to the water. Surprise and delight are amplified by skillful interior and exterior framing. In the same way, the arrangement of program and use moves inhabitants through a logical gradient from public to private space, from activity to slumber, from conviviality to introspection. At either end of the longitudinal axis that connects the two domestic partitions, separate stairways enhance circulation and provide discrete access to the three-storied parapets.
The gracious interior is highlighted by the use of Mahogany, Minnesota Limestone, and plaster finishes. Afternoon sun is mitigated by aluminum louvers and astute structural arrangement. The bulthaup kitchen is enhanced by a sliding window wall which opens to an exterior courtyard, further collapsing the distinction between exterior and interior space, and thereby underscoring the sense of spontaneous yet calculated arrangement.
Architect: Hughes Umbanhowar Architects
Photography by Steven Brookes


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Available only by prescription, Pigment Control Crème 2% HQ is a highly potent Rx bleaching solution that gradually lightens and inhibits hyperpigmentation by altering the natural processes that cause cell damage. Specifically created to help even skin tone by slowing melanin production, it dramatically reduces the appearance of chloasma, melasma, freckles and sun damage.
Pigment Control Crème 2% HQ contains 2% hydroquinone, which is a highly effective treatment for moderate to severe hyperpigmentation, especially melasma. This potent compound gradually bleaches and lightens a wide variety of skin conditions and reduces sun damage. Hydroquinone should be used for a maximum treatment period of 5 months in order to avoid inflammation, rebound hyperpigmentation and reduced tolerance. After this treatment period, patients can maintain their results with the ZO® Non-Hydroquinone Brightening System.
Developed under the guidance of Dr. Zein Obagi, the mastermind behind ZO Skin Health, Inc., Pigment Control Crème 4% HQ is part of a wide spectrum of therapeutic products, daily skincare solutions and treatment protocols that create and maintain healthy skin. Based on the latest advances in skin therapy technologies – unique delivery systems, bioengineered complexes, and exclusive formulations – this skin correcting cream and other advanced products and protocols from ZO Skin Health, Inc. help physicians provide continuous skin health for all skin types, genders and ages.
Gradual skin bleaching of hyperpigmented skin conditions – chloasma, melasma, freckles and other unwanted hyperpigmentation
Helps reduce irritation associated with hydroquinone
Hydrates newly exposed skin
Apply 2 pumps to affected areas twice a day or as directed by a physician. Always follow with sunscreen protection. See enclosed package insert for full prescribing information.
ZO Skin Health Pigment Control Creme 2% HQ


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After installing new technologies throughout Walled Lake Consolidated School District, the district noticed teachers were still holding on to outdated practices and were hesitant to adopt the new technology in their teaching.
The school district developed the iCouncil initiative, a curriculum for teachers that provides technical training and support to integrate new technology, such as the BrightLink displays, into every lesson. As a result, the district found itself better prepared for remote learning during the pandemic.
Merging Curriculum and Technology
Walled Lake Consolidated School District (WLCSD) outside Detroit, Michigan, has always been on the forefront of providing educational technology to teachers and students. But, the district discovered it needed to take an additional step in order to really impact teaching and learning. This led the district to create a new approach to instruction that helped its teachers adopt the new technology in the classroom and prepare for remote learning.
WLCSD has 19 schools and more than 14,000 students. Following the installment of hundreds of Epson BrightLink displays in all of its classrooms, Epson document cameras, and various software and web-based tools, the district was prepared to help augment effective, evidence-based instruction.
The district developed iCouncil, an initiative to ensure both the instruction and the technology being installed in classrooms follows the latest research on teachings such as John Hattie's research on Visible Learning. This research analyzes the best practices for learning in school – including effective feedback and student-teacher relationships. The iCouncil initiative was also a crucial framework for the district as it had to shift to remote learning in the spring and heavily rely on technology for instruction.
iCouncil Model
WLCSD wanted to shift away from a curriculum and content focused organizational design and move toward an instructional focused framework. Its iCouncil model established a wellarticulated instructional vision, streamlined district initiatives and focused on effective instruction for all. It helped to establish a district vision, purpose, and goals around effective instruction using technology.
The first step was to ensure that the district's teachers were using the technology enthusiastically and with student development in mind. The district wanted to eliminate teachers saying they did not have the time or skills to learn new technology. Mark Hess, current principal of Mary Helen Guest Elementary School, and who led the district initiative as the executive manager of instruction, technology, and data analysis at WLCSD, noticed his teachers had no problems using their latest smartphones, so he knew with a little help they could easily become proficient in using the classroom technology. "I see it as a moral imperative," said Hess. "Students should demand from their teachers the same level of tenacity in embracing instructional technology in the classroom as they do in their personal life."
To get buy-in for the initiative the district involved numerous stakeholders in its planning. The technology and curriculum department worked closely together with English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science coordinators to develop lessons that aligned with industry standards while incorporating technologies like the Epson BrightLink interactive display. Like all technology planning and rollouts, collaboration, communication and hard work were key to developing an instructional vision that formalized the science of instruction, while honoring the art of teaching.
The district also developed building-based Technology Teacher Leaders (TTLs) to improve digital learning at all levels. TLLs support teachers as they use technology in their classroom practice and they model technology integration into lessons.
This involves using the BrightLink to practice a variety of teaching techniques and to engage students with content. Each school in the district has a TTL to help integrate the best technology practices for instructing students and motivating them to learn. This creates a successful learning environment that fosters student-teacher relationships and effective teaching practices.
Initial Success
Prior to COVID-19 related school closures and remote learning, the district was seeing successful use of technology in classrooms. "We've been using the BrightLink for several years. They are highly reliable and they are a great tool for incorporating new teaching techniques into the classroom," said Hess.
Teachers use the BrightLink and Epson document cameras to help engage and inspire the entire class whether they are in person or remote. "The next level is ensuring students are actively engaged," said Hess. "It's all about finding ways to maximize the content and involve students by leveraging their interaction with the material in the classroom." The district also implemented a 1:1 initiative. With the BrightLinks teachers can share documents to the student device or highlight students' work by projecting it to the rest of the class.
The district also saw the impact of the iCouncil initiative when it outscored most districts on AdvancED's Index of Education Quality® (IEQ®) evaluations. It is comprised of the Standards Diagnostic ratings from the three Domains: leadership capacity, learning capacity, and resource capacity. WLCSD's high score of 323.06 out of 400 indicates the institution is beginning to reach the impact level. The score also shows the district is engaging in practices that are sustained over time and are becoming ingrained in the culture of the institution.
Technology during Remote Learning
As the district closed schools and shifted to remote learning, the positive culture toward instructional technology was already in place and led to the district's early success. "Our technology and instruction teams were already one department, so we were able to quickly come together and make a plan," said Hess. "We were able to prioritize the curriculum week-by-week and set up our teachers with the technology they needed."
Each teacher was able to bring home their Epson document camera to help set up their remote learning environment. One AP Environmental Science teacher used her document camera to teach students how to use a soil textural triangle. The teacher was able to use the document camera's voice recording functionality to have a record of the lesson as she walked students through the process. This content acted as a guide for students who later completed and uploaded their own practice sheets.
Supporting Teachers during Hybrid Learning
Teachers in the district's confidence in using technology and openness toward instructional technology also helped everyone adjust to a hybrid learning environment in the fall. To help prepare for the school year, the district prioritized professional development. WLCSD moved teacher in-service days up to the beginning of the school year to support teachers in the new learning environment and to ensure any technology questions were answered promptly.
Teachers use the Epson iProjection™ app to connect students' devices to their BrightLink display to share projects or presentations with the entire class. Teachers also use Epson's Easy Interactive Software on their laptops to use images, videos, activities and drawing tools to deliver content to the entire class whether in person or remotely. Both resources promote collaboration and encourage active participation among students.
Like many districts, WLCSD is still unsure what classrooms will look like for the long term, but it is prepared for any learning model. "Our teachers have been embracing all of the changes and we continue to do everything we can to support them," said Hess. "There are still a lot of unknowns, but we have a great team and resources to prepare for anything."
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New research determines how a single brain trauma affects an enzyme associated with the illness
A study, performed in mice and utilizing post-mortem samples of brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease, found that a single event of a moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt proteins that regulate an enzyme associated with Alzheimer's. The paper, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, identifies the complex mechanisms that result in a rapid and robust post-injury elevation of the enzyme BACE1 in the brain. These results may lead to the development of a drug treatment that targets this mechanism to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
"A moderate-to-severe TBI, or head trauma, is one of the strongest environmental risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. A serious TBI can lead to a dysfunction in the regulation of the enzyme BACE1. Elevations of this enzyme cause elevated levels of amyloid-beta, the key component of brain plaques associated with senility and Alzheimer's disease," says first author Kendall Walker, postdoctoral associate in the department of neuroscience at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM).
Moderate-to-severe TBIs are caused most often by traumas such as severe falls or motor vehicle accidents that result in a loss of consciousness. Not all traumas to the head result in a TBI. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year 1.7 million people sustain a TBI. Concussions, the mildest form of a TBI, account for about 75 percent of all TBIs. Studies have linked repeated head trauma to brain disease, and some previous studies have linked single events of brain trauma to brain disease, such as Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease currently affects as many as 5.1 million Americans and is the most common cause of dementia in adults age 65 and over.
Building on her previous work, Giuseppina Tesco, an assistant professor of neuroscience in the School of Medicine, led a research team that first used an in vivo model to determine how a single episode of TBI could alter the brain. In the acute phase (first two days) following injury, levels of two intracellular trafficking proteins (GGA1 and GGA3) were reduced, and an elevation of BACE1 enzyme level was observed.
Next, in an analysis of post-mortem brain samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease, the researchers found that GGA1 and GGA3 levels were reduced while BACE1 levels were elevated in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients compared to the brains of people without Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a possible inverse association.
In an additional experiment using a mouse strain genetically modified to express the reduced level of GGA3 that was observed in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, the team found that one week following traumatic brain injury, BACE1 and amyloid-beta levels remained elevated even when GGA1 levels had returned to normal. The research suggests that reduced levels of GGA3 were solely responsible for the increase in BACE 1 levels and therefore the sustained amyloid-beta production observed in the sub-acute phase, or seven days, after injury.
"When the proteins are at normal levels, they work as a clean-up crew for the brain by regulating the removal of BACE1 enzymes and facilitating their transport to lysosomes within brain cells, an area of the cell that breaks down and removes excess cellular material. BACE1 enzyme levels may be stabilized when levels of the two proteins are low, likely caused by an interruption in the natural disposal process of the enzyme," said Tesco, who is also member of the neuroscience program faculty at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts.
"We found that GGA1 and GGA3 act synergistically to regulate BACE1 post-injury. The identification of this interaction may provide a drug target to therapeutically regulate the BACE1 enzyme and reduce the deposition of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's patients," she continued. "Our next steps are to confirm these findings in post-mortem brain samples from patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injuries."


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Thu, Jun 15
|Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
IGNITE Flow at Lenny Boy - Southend
Join us at Lenny Boy Brewing for an IGNITE Flow class and a glass of kombucha.
Registration is closed
See other eventsTime & Location
Jun 15, 2023, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28217, USA
About the Event
For only $5 (or FREE if your a DLY member-Just let them know you are on a DLY membership), join us at Lenny Boy Brewing Co.'s event space in Southend for our vinyasa-based flow class called IGNITE. After class stick around for a free glass of kombucha and community.
You can RSVP here and pay the $5 fee upon arrival at Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
Catch you on your mat!!
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The iPad version of HISTORY™ Egypt Engineering an Empireallows players to build their own empire from its foundations to the height of its power. Acting as the leader of a territory from the Egyptian Empire, players manage all aspects of its rise, from economic growth to political power, the development of armies, and expansion into other regions by war and diplomacy.
Empires are controlled from three main views: the Campaign Map shows the entire game world, including mountains, forests, coastlines, oceans, rivers, cites, and armies. The City Map gives players an overview of the structure and role of a city within the empire, and provides a basis for economic decisions. The Battle Map is to be used when diplomacy has run its course or when a city is being attacked, resulting in turn-based combat.
The game is graphically rich with fast paced addictive gameplay. It is ideal for newcomers to the turn based strategy game genre.


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You have taken an enormous step to help fight the problem of youth suicide by simply visiting our website. Thank you for your desire and efforts in keeping more than dreams alive, one young person at a time.
There are many things you can do to get involved with not only The Jason Foundation, but youth suicide prevention & awareness efforts as a whole. Obviously, the first thing you need to do if you haven't already is educate yourself on the problem and how to recognize and assist at-risk youth.
Ways to get involved can vary specifically from students, parents, teachers and youth workers. Getting involved can be as simple as telling your friends about The Jason Foundation & youth suicide. However The Jason Foundation has endless ways for a community or individual to get more involved.
JFI has educational programs, specialized programs geared towards teens, donation opportunities, annual fundraising events, and social media campaigns.
Select an option from the list on the left for ideas on how you can get involved. Whatever you choose to invest in, we'll be working together to save more young lives!


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Universal Everything have created 50 unique iterations exclusively for Sedition of their most recent work Walking City (2014) with 50 unique citizens, derived from the same processes as Walking City.
For Walking City, Universal Everything have created what appears like a 3D human shrouded in a digital costume that shifts and breaks, reshapes and endlessly evolves as an anthropomorphised architectural form that continuously walks in the centre of the screen. The work references the utopian versions of the 1960s architecture practice Archigram: the language of the materials and patterns are transforming radical architecture in their own right, as if the city itself was walking, forever nomadic, adapting to its environment. Walking City is Universal Everything's latest exploration into the creation of artificial forms whose movement feels visceral, alive, and un-synthesised - human.
Matt Pyke was Creative Director of the project and Chris Perry in charge of animation.


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We have chosen the most popular questions we are asked, if you do not find the answer to your question here please use the contact us facility to ask us your question. Unlike other family tree printers we are always available by telephone, 01902 836284 or you can just e mail us your telephone number and we will call you to save your telephone bill it does not matter if you are outside of the U.K. we will still call you even if it means an international call.
We comply fully with the European Consumer Protection Act (Internet Distance Selling Regulations) and the Data Protection Act U.K. (Registration No. PZ8045623) and all other international, internet and statute laws. This means your rights are fully protected wherever you reside. Be aware of other family tree printers who do not adhere to the same strict legal and moral standards as ourselves.
We can print your chart from any family tree programFREE family tree design service included in the price. You can design the chart yourself in your own family history program if you prefer.
FREE preview website created for you so that you can see photos of your chart online on your own exclusive website where you can alter the design or colours free of charge BEFORE you make a decision to buy the chart. If you do not wish to buy, you pay nothing at all and your information is deleted from our systems
FREE coloured boxes, lines or text free as standard. Unlike other Family Tree Printers we do not charge you extra for printing your chart in colour.
FREE your choice of fonts
And finally our exclusive no quibble FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE if you are not satisfied for any reason with any of our products. Just return the product in good condition and we will replace it or refund your purchase price. The customer is responsible for return mailing costs. The following options can be included on your chart but will incur an additional charge. Colour and black & white photos included on your chart. Tiled background images or background solid colour. Additional inclusion of other images, coats of arms. We print on 12", 24" 36" or 42" wide 100 gram bright white paper, you don't pay for wasted paper.How much will my Tree cost ?
This is the most common question we are asked. Our no obligation Order Form has been designed to tell you exactly how much your tree will cost. If you complete the no obligation Order Form by ticking all of the items you require printed on your tree the total cost will appear on the form, you can select to pay in British Pounds, United States or Canadian Dollars or Euros. If you wish to have your tree printed you will need to submit your Gedcom File and complete the e mail screen so that we know exactly what items you want included on your print. Remember you do not pay anything at all until you decide you wish to order your chart, if you decide not to purchase there is no charge for the work already done in preparing your chart.
The details I want on my Tree are not on the Order Form.
There are so many items that customers may want on their tree we cannot include them all. If the item you require is included in your file it can be included in your tree.
Extra Tubes for multiple chart orders
If you order more than one chart we will supply the charts in one tube if possible, if we cannot place your order in one tube then we will use as many tubes as it takes to ship your order.
I want to know what my Tree will look like before you print it.
We agree, we offer a unique free service, when we formulate your tree we put pictures of it on your own internet preview website which we create for you within 48 hours. We then tell you where it is online and you can actually see what your tree looks like. You may change any of the fonts or colours free of charge. We also tell you the size and offer suggestions as to how it may be improved or altered. You make all the decisions, we do not print until you are satisfied with it and you are happy with the design and you wish to order. If you do not wish to order your chart then all of your information is deleted from our systems and you don't pay anything at all.
What about hidden charges ?
There are no hidden charges, the price you see is the price you pay, the only time there may be extra charges is when you require something extra included on your print which is not stated on the Order Form. Airmail is not included in the price, due to the charges made by the U.K. mailing service charts sent by Airmail will incur an extra air mail charge which will be stated on your preview website so that you will know in advance exactly what you will have to pay, there may also be an additional charge when a customer orders multiple copies of a chart or if multiple copies of a chart are sent to different addresses. An extra charge may be added to offset the extra postal charges, the charges will be told to you on your preview website before you decide to order or pay anything. Our customers from the USA and Australia normally receive their order within 12 - 15 working days.
What is a Gedcom File.
A Gedcom file is a file format which carries all of the text items within your Family Tree File. All genealogy programs can create this sort of file and you can send it as an attachment, the recipient can then import it into their genealogy program and they will have all of the data from your Family File. We prefer to use Gedcom because it is universal and the file is small in size and does not take long to send by E-mail. If you do not know how to create this file please contact us and tell us what program you use for your genealogy and we will provide full instructions, or if you wish, you may send us the ordinary back up file from your program, we have most of the popular genealogy programs available.
I cannot see the type of tree I want on the Samples Page
There are numerous types of Family Tree and we cannot show them all. If you require something different please use the "Contact us" facility on this website to discuss your requirements. We can print any sort of Tree from any genealogy program.
Can you print photographs on my Tree.
Yes we can. we will include the first one free of charge, if extra photo's are to be included there will be a small extra charge for each additional photograph. Should you wish the photo to cover the entire chart there will be an additional charge and this will be at the same rate as a background color. The type of tree you require will dictate where on the tree the photographs can be placed.
I want my Tree printed in colour.
All of our trees are printed in the colours you specify, we can print in Black only if you prefer.
How do you mail the print to me ?
All of our printed trees are mailed to the customer rolled up and free from any creases in a suitable crushproof heavy duty cardboard mailing tube with plastic end caps.
I do not want to use my Credit Card online.
We understand that some people do not want to pay by Credit Card online. Our secure payment screen is run by WorldPay. They are an international payment provider and your transaction is multi-encrypted, even we do not get to know your card details, we are notified
electronically by WorldPay of your payment. Should you wish to pay by Credit
Card and do not want to use the secure server you may send us your Credit Card details, by telephone or letter, by E-mail but if you choose this method please send the card number in multiple seperate e-mails for added security we can then process your payment. If you prefer to pay by cheque or Postal Order� you may do so but we will not be able to print your tree until our bankers have cleared the cheque for payment.
What happens to my information when my Tree has been printed.
Your privacy is guaranteed by us. We are governed by the Data Protection Act (UK). Once your tree has been printed all of your information is removed from our system. We guarantee that none of your data will be passed on to any other party or used in any other way whatsoever.


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UK aims to send migrants to Rwanda in months if courts agree
More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat in 2022, compared with 8,500 in 2020.
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Britain's government said Sunday that it could start deporting asylum-seekers to Rwanda in the next few months — but only if U.K. courts rule that the controversial policy is legal.
The Home Office said it was aiming to start flights "before the summer," as Home Secretary Suella Braverman visited the east African country to reinforce the Conservative government's commitment to the plan.
In the Rwandan capital, Kigali, she met with President Paul Kagame and Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, visited accommodation intended to house deportees from the U.K. and laid a brick at another housing development for migrants. The project is expected to build more than 1,000 houses.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing firsthand the rich opportunities this country can provide to relocated people through our partnership," Braverman said.
Biruta said Rwanda would offer migrants "the opportunity to build new lives in a safe, secure place through accommodation, education and vocational training."
Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told reporters the country is ready to receive thousands of migrants from the U.K., saying she doesn't consider living in Rwanda "a punishment." She said Rwanda is determined to make the agreement a success.
The U.K. and Rwanda struck a deal almost a year ago under which some migrants who arrive in the U.K. in small boats would be flown to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed. Those granted asylum would stay in Rwanda rather than return to Britain.
The U.K. government argues the policy will smash the business model of people-smuggling gangs and deter migrants from taking risky journeys across the English Channel.
More than 45,000 people arrived in Britain by boat in 2022, compared with 8,500 in 2020.
But the 140 million-pound ($170 million) plan is mired in legal challenges, and no one has yet been sent to Rwanda. In December, the High Court ruled the policy was legal, but a group of asylum-seekers from countries including Iran, Iraq and Syria has been granted permission to appeal.
Human rights groups cite Rwanda's poor human rights record, and argue it's inhumane to send people more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to a country they don't want to live in.
The government also has drafted legislation barring anyone who arrives in the U.K. in small boats or by other unauthorized means from applying for asylum. If passed by Parliament, the Illegal Migration Bill would compel the government to detain all such arrivals and deport them to their homeland or a "safe third country" such as Rwanda.
The U.N. refugee agency says the law breaches U.K. commitments under the international refugee convention.
Braverman faces criticism for inviting only selected media on her taxpayer-funded trip to Rwanda. Journalists from right-leaning outlets including The Times and The Telegraph newspapers and television channel GB News were invited, while the BBC and the left-leaning Guardian newspaper weren't.
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today!


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Tennessee lawmakers vote for Bible as state's official book
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Having already made a .50-caliber sniper gun the official state rifle, Tennessee lawmakers on Monday gave final approval to making the Holy Bible the state's official book.
The state Senate voted 19-8 in favor of the bill despite arguments by the state attorney general that the measure conflicts with a provision in the Tennessee Constitution stating that "no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship."
Opponents argued the Bible would be trivialized by being placed alongside other state symbols such as the official tree, flower, rock or amphibian. But both chambers of the Legislature brushed aside those concerns to send the bill to the desk of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. He opposes the measure but hasn't said whether he'll issue a veto.
Republican Sen. Steve Southerland argued that his bill is aimed at recognizing the Bible for its historical and cultural contributions to the state, rather than as government endorsement of religion.
Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro questioned why the legislation highlights the economic impact of Bible publishing in the state, or that Bibles were traditionally used to track family histories.
"I don't think that's why we read the Bible, I don't think that's why we send our kids to vacation Bible school," Yarbro said. "To those of us who grew up in this faith, it is so much more."
In solidly Republican Tennessee, heavy doses of God and guns are considered reliable election-year politics.
The Bible bill came to a vote just days before the candidate filing deadline, giving lawmakers pause about being portrayed by political rivals as being as opposed to the Bible if they voted against the bill.
Earlier this session, the Legislature approved a resolution to add the .50-caliber Barrett sniper rifle the state's official symbols. The Murfreesboro-based company run by a prominent Republican supporter, Ronnie Barrett, supplies its firearms to law enforcement agencies, private citizens and more than 70 militaries around the world.
Hedy Weinberg, the executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, called on Haslam to veto the Bible bill. She called it a "thinly veiled effort to promote one religion over other religions clearly violates both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions."
Southerland said that an outside legal organization has offered to defend any lawsuits challenging the bill for free.
"So I ask you, what do we have to lose?" he said.


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Compiling Assets (Laravel Mix)
- Introduction
- Installation & Setup
- Running Mix
- Working With Stylesheets
- Working With JavaScript
- Copying Files & Directories
- Versioning / Cache Busting
- Browsersync Reloading
- Environment Variables
- Notifications
Laravel Mix provides a fluent API for defining Webpack build steps for your Laravel application using several common CSS and JavaScript pre-processors. Through simple method chaining, you can fluently define your asset pipeline. For example:
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js')
.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.scss', 'public/css');
If you've ever been confused and overwhelmed about getting started with Webpack and asset compilation, you will love Laravel Mix. However, you are not required to use it while developing your application. Of course, you are free to use any asset pipeline tool you wish, or even none at all.
Installation & Setup
Installing Node
Before triggering Mix, you must first ensure that Node.js and NPM are installed on your machine.
node -v
npm -v
By default, Laravel Homestead includes everything you need; however, if you aren't using Vagrant, then you can easily install the latest version of Node and NPM using simple graphical installers from their download page.
Laravel Mix
The only remaining step is to install Laravel Mix. Within a fresh installation of Laravel, you'll find a package.json
file in the root of your directory structure. The default package.json
file includes everything you need to get started. Think of this like your composer.json
file, except it defines Node dependencies instead of PHP. You may install the dependencies it references by running:
npm install
Running Mix
Mix is a configuration layer on top of Webpack, so to run your Mix tasks you only need to execute one of the NPM scripts that is included with the default Laravel package.json
// Run all Mix tasks...
npm run dev
// Run all Mix tasks and minify output...
npm run production
Watching Assets For Changes
The npm run watch
command will continue running in your terminal and watch all relevant files for changes. Webpack will then automatically recompile your assets when it detects a change:
npm run watch
You may find that in certain environments Webpack isn't updating when your files change. If this is the case on your system, consider using the watch-poll
npm run watch-poll
Working With Stylesheets
The webpack.mix.js
file is your entry point for all asset compilation. Think of it as a light configuration wrapper around Webpack. Mix tasks can be chained together to define exactly how your assets should be compiled.
The less
method may be used to compile Less into CSS. Let's compile our primary app.less
file to public/css/app.css
mix.less('resources/assets/less/app.less', 'public/css');
Multiple calls to the less
method may be used to compile multiple files:
mix.less('resources/assets/less/app.less', 'public/css')
.less('resources/assets/less/admin.less', 'public/css');
If you wish to customize the file name of the compiled CSS, you may pass a full file path as the second argument to the less
mix.less('resources/assets/less/app.less', 'public/stylesheets/styles.css');
If you need to override the underlying Less plug-in options, you may pass an object as the third argument to mix.less()
mix.less('resources/assets/less/app.less', 'public/css', {
strictMath: true
The sass
method allows you to compile Sass into CSS. You may use the method like so:
mix.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.scss', 'public/css');
Again, like the less
method, you may compile multiple Sass files into their own respective CSS files and even customize the output directory of the resulting CSS:
mix.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.sass', 'public/css')
.sass('resources/assets/sass/admin.sass', 'public/css/admin');
Additional Node-Sass plug-in options may be provided as the third argument:
mix.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.sass', 'public/css', {
precision: 5
Similar to Less and Sass, the stylus
method allows you to compile Stylus into CSS:
mix.stylus('resources/assets/stylus/app.styl', 'public/css');
You may also install additional Stylus plug-ins, such as Rupture. First, install the plug-in in question through NPM (npm install rupture
) and then require it in your call to mix.stylus()
mix.stylus('resources/assets/stylus/app.styl', 'public/css', {
use: [
PostCSS, a powerful tool for transforming your CSS, is included with Laravel Mix out of the box. By default, Mix leverages the popular Autoprefixer plug-in to automatically apply all necessary CSS3 vendor prefixes. However, you're free to add any additional plug-ins that are appropriate for your application. First, install the desired plug-in through NPM and then reference it in your webpack.mix.js
mix.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.scss', 'public/css')
postCss: [
Plain CSS
If you would just like to concatenate some plain CSS stylesheets into a single file, you may use the styles
], 'public/css/all.css');
URL Processing
Because Laravel Mix is built on top of Webpack, it's important to understand a few Webpack concepts. For CSS compilation, Webpack will rewrite and optimize any url()
calls within your stylesheets. While this might initially sound strange, it's an incredibly powerful piece of functionality. Imagine that we want to compile Sass that includes a relative URL to an image:
.example {
background: url('../images/example.png');
{note} Absolute paths for any given
will be excluded from URL-rewriting. For example,url('/images/thing.png')
won't be modified.
By default, Laravel Mix and Webpack will find example.png
, copy it to your public/images
folder, and then rewrite the url()
within your generated stylesheet. As such, your compiled CSS will be:
.example {
background: url(/images/example.png?d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e);
As useful as this feature may be, it's possible that your existing folder structure is already configured in a way you like. If this is the case, you may disable url()
rewriting like so:
mix.sass('resources/assets/app/app.scss', 'public/css')
processCssUrls: false
With this addition to your webpack.mix.js
file, Mix will no longer match any url()
or copy assets to your public directory. In other words, the compiled CSS will look just like how you originally typed it:
.example {
background: url("../images/thing.png");
Source Maps
Though disabled by default, source maps may be activated by calling the mix.sourceMaps()
method in your webpack.mix.js
file. Though it comes with a compile/performance cost, this will provide extra debugging information to your browser's developer tools when using compiled assets.
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js')
Working With JavaScript
Mix provides several features to help you work with your JavaScript files, such as compiling ECMAScript 2015, module bundling, minification, and concatenating plain JavaScript files. Even better, this all works seamlessly, without requiring an ounce of custom configuration:
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js');
With this single line of code, you may now take advantage of:
- ES2015 syntax.
- Modules
- Compilation of
files. - Minification for production environments.
Vendor Extraction
If you intend to make frequent updates to your application's JavaScript, you should consider extracting all of your vendor libraries into their own file. This way, a change to your application code will not affect the caching of your large vendor.js
file. Mix's extract
method makes this a breeze:
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js')
The extract
method accepts an array of all libraries or modules that you wish to extract into a vendor.js
file. Using the above snippet as an example, Mix will generate the following files:
: The Webpack manifest runtimepublic/js/vendor.js
: Your vendor librariespublic/js/app.js
: Your application code
To avoid JavaScript errors, be sure to load these files in the proper order:
<script src="/js/manifest.js"></script>
<script src="/js/vendor.js"></script>
<script src="/js/app.js"></script>
Mix can automatically install the Babel plug-ins necessary for React support. To get started, replace your mix.js()
call with mix.react()
mix.react('resources/assets/js/app.jsx', 'public/js');
Behind the scenes, Mix will download and include the appropriate babel-preset-react
Babel plug-in.
Vanilla JS
Similar to combining stylesheets with mix.styles()
, you may also combine and minify any number of JavaScript files with the scripts()
], 'public/js/all.js');
{tip} A slight variation of
. Its method signature is identical toscripts
Custom Webpack Configuration
Behind the scenes, Laravel Mix references a pre-configured webpack.config.js
file to get you up and running as quickly as possible. Occasionally, you may need to manually modify this file. You might have a special loader or plug-in that needs to be referenced, or maybe you prefer to use Stylus instead of Sass. In such instances, you have two choices:
Merging Custom Configuration
Mix provides a useful webpackConfig
method that allows you to merge any short Webpack configuration overrides. This is a particularly appealing choice, as it doesn't require you to copy and maintain your own copy of the webpack.config.js
file. The webpackConfig
method accepts an object, which should contain any Webpack-specific configuration that you wish to apply.
resolve: {
modules: [
path.resolve(__dirname, 'vendor/laravel/spark/resources/assets/js')
Custom Configuration Files
If you would like to completely customize your Webpack configuration, copy the node_modules/laravel-mix/setup/webpack.config.js
file to your project's root directory. Next, point all of the --config
references in your package.json
file to the newly copied configuration file. If you choose to take this approach to customization, any future upstream updates to Mix's webpack.config.js
must be manually merged into your customized file.
Copying Files & Directories
The copy
method may be used to copy files and directories to new locations. This can be useful when a particular asset within your node_modules
directory needs to be relocated to your public
mix.copy('node_modules/foo/bar.css', 'public/css/bar.css');
When copying a directory, the copy
method will flatten the directory's structure. To maintain the directory's original structure, you should use the copyDirectory
method instead:
mix.copyDirectory('assets/img', 'public/img');
Versioning / Cache Busting
Many developers suffix their compiled assets with a timestamp or unique token to force browsers to load the fresh assets instead of serving stale copies of the code. Mix can handle this for you using the version
The version
method will generate unique hashes for all of your compiled files and use this hash when including the file from your templates. In other words, this provides a convenient, built-in "cache busting" mechanism:
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js')
.sass('resources/assets/sass/app.scss', 'public/css')
After generating the versioned file, you should use Laravel's global mix
function within your views to generate the appropriately versioned asset URL:
<link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ mix('/css/app.css') }}">
<script src="{{ mix('/js/app.js') }}"></script>
Because versioned files are usually unnecessary in development, you may instruct the versioning process to only run during npm run production
mix.js('resources/assets/js/app.js', 'public/js');
if (mix.inProduction()) {
Browsersync Reloading
BrowserSync can automatically monitor your files for changes, and inject your changes into the browser without requiring a manual refresh. You may enable support by calling the mix.browserSync()
// Or...
// https://browsersync.io/docs/options
proxy: 'my-domain.test'
You may pass either a string (proxy) or object (BrowserSync settings) to this method. Next, start Webpack's dev server using the npm run watch
command. Now, when you modify a script or PHP file, watch as the browser instantly refreshes the page to reflect your changes.
Environment Variables
You may inject environment variables into Mix by prefixing a key in your .env
file with MIX_
After the variable has been defined in your .env
file, you may access via the process.env
object. If the value changes while you are running a watch
task, you will need to restart the task:
When available, Mix will automatically display OS notifications for each bundle. This will give you instant feedback, as to whether the compilation was successful or not. However, there may be instances when you'd prefer to disable these notifications. One such example might be triggering Mix on your production server. Notifications may be deactivated, via the disableNotifications


text:
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Who could bear to break the news to Yaman Ahmat?
Just hours earlier her husband put her and their eight children, including newborn daughter Ashta, on a private plane to Central African Republic's capital in a desperate bid to save their lives.
Now she sat on a floor mat in an airport hangar in Bangui, among hundreds of Muslims desperately awaiting a flight, any flight, out of their increasing violent country to neighboring Chad. The half dozen suitcases and plastic bags behind her held everything she owned.
The man she married when she was just 17 had stayed behind to try and sell what remained of his store merchandise before joining her. But returning home from the airstrip in the town of Boda, his convoy came under a hail of gunfire.
The family's dreams of a new life together died with him.
Her relatives didn't know how to tell her what had happened while her plane was in the air. Finally it was her mother who called. The Christian militiamen had attacked the car, her mother said. Her husband Markhous had been killed.
Yaman collapsed to the ground in grief, the cell phone still in her hand.
"His children were his world," she says several days later, holding now 12-day-old Ashta in her lap. "His last words to me were 'The children are suffering. When they get to Bangui, be sure they eat well. Buy milk for the baby no matter what the cost.'"
Now they are among the hundreds of Muslims sleeping in an airport hangar, some of whom have been sheltering here for weeks. Their plight underlines the mass exodus of Muslims taking place in Central African Republic that U.N. officials have described as "ethnic-religious cleansing." More than 290,000 people have fled to neighboring countries and "most of those remaining are under permanent threat," the U.N. says.
Inter-communal clashes were sparked by anger toward a Muslim rebel government that tortured and killed an untold number of mostly Christian civilians during its 10-month rule. Ordinary Muslims like Yaman and her family became targets of retaliatory violence when the rebel leader-turned-president went into exile in January, persecuted because they shared a religion and in many cases Chadian heritage.
After scores of gruesome mob killings, Muslims — who once made up 15 percent of the population — fled for their lives. Christians then began desecrating mosques and burning homes to keep the Muslims from ever returning.
Yaman's grandparents were born in Chad to the north, but she is a Central African. She speaks only a few words of Arabic; her oldest daughters a little French. Together they speak in Sango, the national language of the country they are now fleeing.
None of them has ever been to Chad.
Before the crisis, Yaman and her husband had built their lives in the village of Ngotto south of Bangui. He was 20 years her senior, and ran a successful shop that sold everything from food to cleaning supplies. Not long after the country exploded into sectarian bloodshed between Muslim and Christian communities, the family moved to the nearby town of Boda.
With each sale, they socked away money in hopes of an escape. It would take more than 1 million francs (more than $2,000) for enough space on a chartered plane to get out of Boda. Roads were too dangerous: The countryside surrounding town was infested with machete-wielding fighters who wanted to kill Muslims like them.
Staying wasn't an option either: Muslims were only safe in a neighborhood sandwiched between two bridges. They couldn't get to the market in the Christian part of town and were slowly starving. Each day they would eat a bit more of the rice they were trying to sell.
It also was too dangerous to travel to the Christian neighborhood where there were doctors and midwives. The night Yaman gave birth to her eighth child, a neighbor came with scissors to cut the cord.
The first time they tried to go the airport, they missed the flight. The second time they went it was under armed escort by French soldiers. One by one the couple's children climbed into the plane that normally flies diamond traders to and from Boda.
Yaman's brother Mahamat is convinced the militiamen must have seen the family heading to the airport and decided to attack as he returned solo from the airstrip to town.
He was the 12th Muslim killed in a week here, residents say. At least three others have been killed in the days since she left for Bangui, say residents.
The mounds of dirt at the end of a path behind a warehouse are still fresh from where the bodies are buried. Earlier victims had been taken to a plot behind one of the town's mosques but it is now on the wrong side of the bridge, too dangerous for the Muslim community to bring their dead there now.
Now Yaman spends her days sitting on a mat inside the airport hangar in Bangui, her 15- and 18-year-old daughters minding the little ones. Every few hours there is the baby to nurse and medicines to give 4-year-old Moura, who has contracted malaria.
Yaman thinks about how her husband wanted the children to have plenty, and then tearfully displays a cardboard box with all the food she has: only some uncooked noodles and cans of beans donated by a charity. She does not have any money to her name, only mouths to feed and broken hearts sleeping at night without blankets.
Some families here have made their homes inside small private planes parked here. Yaman and her eight children have neatly arranged their luggage to give some semblance of privacy to the mats where they must crowd together at night.
As Yaman recounts all they have lost, 18-year-old Awa wipes her own tears with the ends of her headscarf and tries to comfort her mother.
Even in a future full of uncertainty, there is one thing resolute in Yaman's mind: "With all that has happened, we will never go back."


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Please visit our Open House at 5 3268 156A ST in Surrey.
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File this under the Strange Case of the 2012 Presidential Campaign. It was a long, tortuous trip that ended up at a very familiar destination: the re-election of President Obama.
But along the way, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney did garner more electoral votes than a lot of losers, including John McCain in 2008, Bob Dole in 1996 or Jimmy Carter in 1980.
Romney must have done some things right. And he must have done some things wrong.
On Election Day, Romney was asked by a reporter if he had regrets. "No campaign is perfect," Romney said. "Like any campaign, people can point to mistakes."
And so here we are, as the election dust settles, asking seasoned political observers to do just that — point out a handful of foul-ups, fallacies and false steps in Romney's run.
1) At first, Romney didn't lead the Republican Party, it led him.
This one was not Romney's fault, but the "manufactured Republican primary" of 2012 was a major miscalculation by the party, says Massachusetts political pollster and Emerson College professor Spencer Kimball. Instead of the winner-take-all system that had been used in the past, he says, Republicans "tried to capture some of the energy from the Obama-Clinton [Democratic] primary of 2008 and changed the rules to basically a proportional vote system."
The result, Kimball says, was an artificial race — and Romney responded by tacking to the right on social issues as the campaign unfolded during the spring. Instead of the primary battle ending on Super Tuesday — March 6 — with a Romney nomination, the race continued for five more weeks before former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum finally stepped aside.
"His campaign spokesman tried to keep Romney looking moderate with the Etch-a-Sketch comment in late March," Kimball adds, "but this gave Romney problems out of the gate — with finances, fracturing of the party base and messaging, which caused him to trail in the polls until the convention and the first debate."
2) For too long, Romney let the Democrats define him.
Throughout the summer, "Romney basically allowed the Democrats to run a blizzard of ads telling the nation who he was, defining him as a vulture capitalist — uncaring," says presidential historian Julian Zelizer of Princeton University. "He didn't really respond, and by the time he did — at the convention, which was too late — the Democrats had already defined to the nation who Mitt Romney was."
Zelizer says it reminded him of 1988, when Michael Dukakis let George H.W. Bush pigeonhole him as a weak and ineffective leader.
3) For a while, the Romney campaign lost focus.
After the American consulate in Benghazi was attacked on Sept. 11 — and Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed — Romney repeatedly criticized the way the Obama administration handled the international crisis. The former governor "got caught up in foreign policy at a time he shouldn't have," Zelizer says. "He and his campaign made a big mistake. They took their eye off the economy. They focused so much on Libya and not on the economy."
On the day after the election, The Washington Post reported that Romney knew he had made a mistake by criticizing Obama immediately after the attack. "We screwed up, guys," Romney confided to his aides.
4) The campaign had too many unscripted occasions.
Mac McCorkle, who teaches the politics of public policy at Duke University, points to two misbegotten moments: First, the "messed-up convention launch" in late August — where Clint Eastwood addressing an
empty chair stole the show. And second, the leaking in September by Mother Jones of the off-the-cufflink "
47 percent speech" that Romney had delivered at a Florida fundraiser. In the clip, he insinuated that many Americans are basically freeloaders.
5) Instead of ending with a bang, Romney's campaign faded away.
By 9 p.m. on Election Night, says NPR's Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving, exit polls made it clear to Romney and his advisers that he was behind in the key states and had no path to 270 electoral votes. "It was time to stop denying the plain facts and offering an alternative reality through media mouthpieces," says Elving, referring to Romney advocates such as Karl Rove, who was telling
Fox News that his candidate still had a chance to win.
Instead, Romney should have been crafting a runner-up speech. "It was time to start preparing a concession," Elving says. "John McCain did that. Even George W. Bush made some preliminary moves to prepare for a possible concession on Election Day 2004 before the trends changed."
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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[Clarification of His Holiness' answers by Dr. Berzin are included within square brackets.]
Topics for Introductory Talks for Taking the Kalachakra Initiation
Dr. Berzin: When I go to the West next year to give introductory talks for the Kalachakra initiation, what would be good to present that would help people prepare? What would be helpful for people to know as a background for attending the initiation?
His Holiness: Speak about the uncommon things to be understood from Kalachakra. Setting it as an anuttarayoga mandala, present its special features. Then, explain the way that Kalachakra works, in terms of the systems of external, internal, and alternative Kalachakras. Then, since the initiation is important and, for taking the initiation, keeping the vows is essential, and before this, training in the common paths of bodhichitta and the correct view of voidness are extremely crucial; if you explain a little bit about all of these, that will be good.
In addition, if you have more time, give the general way of proceeding with anuttarayoga, step by step, and the features that it shares in common with tantra in general. Without a good foundation and preparation, there is no point in becoming involved with tantra. I shall also give an introduction about these things as preliminary.
What about also describing the history of the Kalachakra tantra and its spread to India and Tibet?
That would be fine.
Is it helpful to explain about Shambhala?
Certainly. Where do you think it is?
I don't quite know. Serkong Rinpoche said it was not on earth, but could perhaps be on another world where flying saucers come from. This is because the texts speak of people coming from Shambhala on flying vehicles. They come from Shambhala to check our situation. Several cultures among the indigenous people of South America and South Africa also have myths like this, that visitors came long ago from outer space and taught them calendar-making and astronomy. Perhaps they came from Shambhala.
From the point of view of Buddhism, Shambhala is a pure land (dag-zhing), like Sukhavati, Tushita, and Khachari (Dakini Land).
Isn't Shambhala a human realm?
If it's a pure land, it doesn't have to be a god realm. There are some pure lands where humans can go. Even non-Buddhists can reach them and once there, proceed on the spiritual path.
Is Shambhala included in samsara or nirvana? Serkong Rinpoche said it is a samsaric realm.
It seems to be in samsara. However, once one gets to this samsaric place, one's mind and heart naturally develop much more rapidly. It is probably more like a human realm within in the cycle of samsaric existence where special people live who have built up a great store of positive force (merit, positive potential).
So it is not technically a pure land, but just similar to a pure land?
It is not a pure land in the sense of being a god realm. It is a human realm, but probably also a pure land.
It is not on earth?
It is not on earth. If it were, we should be able to find it. However, it is probably in our universe, but we need pure karma to reach it. I wonder if we can really get there directly by just some sort of mechanical vehicle, like a space ship. Why I think like that, I don't know. But, what (the Sixth Panchen Lama) Panchen Palden Yeshe (Pan-chen dPal-ldan ye-shes) said about it makes things a bit complicated. In his Guidebook for the Path to Shambhala (Shambhala lam-yig), he wrote that if you do an intense meditation retreat, then you can actually see deities and they will give you help to go to Shambhala. He wrote like that. Therefore, it is not simply an ordinary physical journey.
Serkong Rinpoche told me that his father, Serkong Dorjechang, had gone to Shambhala and had brought back fruit and flowers, which they had in their house.
I take safe direction (refuge) from him! Panchen Palden Yeshe also went to Shambhala. Some other learned masters went as well. There is an account of Taranatha going to Shambhala, but I think that was in a dream body. However, it is not on this round earth. It is probably a pure land with humans similar to those on earth. It is difficult to say.
The Kalachakra texts speak of the larger and smaller Jambudvipas (Southern Continents). On the northern half of the smaller one, the texts list six lands going northwards, one of which is Shambhala.
That is difficult. If we speak in terms of that, then Shambhala would have to be a place on this earth. There is also mention in the texts of Potala Mountain in the south, the land of Ugyan (Skt. Oddiyana) in the west, the Five-Peaked Mountain in the east, and Shambhala in the north.
Serkong Rinpoche had said that of these, some are on earth and some are not.
Precisely, that is why. There are two for each: the actual ones and similar ones that represent and substitute for them. For instance, according to the scholar Gendun Chopel (dGe-'dun chos-'phel), Ugyan is in Sindhi Swat Valley in Pakistan. Today, it is a Muslim area. It is not completely clear, but as for the Copper-Colored Mountain that Guru Rinpoche went to in Ugyan, that probably is in an uncontaminated pure land.
Now as for Potala Mountain in the south, then as a substitute for it, there is one in the south of India. But, then there is also the Potala Mountain of Avalokiteshvara, which is in a pure land. As for the Five-Peaked Mountain, there is the usual place in China [Wutaishan] with this name as an actual place in the east, but also there is the pure land of Manjushri with the same name.
Thus, it is quite probable that Shambhala is also a pure land like this, with some location representing it. There is precedent for it being so. However, it cannot be found in any place. There are many reasons and signs for saying that it exists, but because it isn't in this world, then except for it being an uncontaminated pure land, there is nothing else it could be referring to in the texts.
And what about the talk of flying saucers?
It could be said that they have a connection with Shambhala. Definitely, there are other beings in the universe. There are other kinds of sentient beings and it is decidedly so that they are on other worlds, not just on our world. That is definite. There are many galaxies.
Now, Shambhala is included in our galaxy, perhaps even in our solar system, since the texts say it is included in Jambudvipa our world-system. Thus, it is talking of a pure land in our world-system, however large our system might be, where only sentient beings with pure karma can go and where there are sentient beings with human bodies.
In the West, we have talk of Shangrila. Is this related?
It is a pure place, isn't it? I don't know, but probably it is. The name signifies a pure place, so I think the name probably came originally from Shambhala.
Prophesies about the Barbarian Invasion
What is the best way to explain the Kalachakra prophesies about the non-Indic barbarian invaders, the Lalo?
Can we actually say they are Muslims or a group that shares certain customs in common with Muslims? It is not at all definite. I don't know what to say. For instance, in Mongolia, they call the Russians "Turuka," another name that appears in the literature for the Lalo invaders. Communists in general are also called Turuka or Lalo. Lalos, then, are those who deliberately try to destroy Buddhism.
Is it better just to call them Lalo in English?
Yes, Lalo is perhaps the best. If you look in The Abridged Kalachakra Tantra (bsDus-rgyud), it says that Lalos eat beef and eggs. The reference is to non-Indic people [since Indians do not eat beef], and undoubtedly people from a warm climate. It is quite clear that in Europe, in cool climates, there were no chickens. I don't think it was so in previous older times. The Greeks and Romans probably ate chicken eggs [and the Indians originally used the term Lalo (Skt. mleccha) for the invading troops of Alexander the Great of Macedonia]. In Tibet, we didn't especially eat eggs. It was an Indian custom, so why the reference to eggs?
Turuka refers to Turkic people, doesn't it? Among the Muslim invaders of India, there were several waves of Turkic people. However, the Mughals weren't Turkic and they invaded much later. Were people at that time [in the late 9th or early 10th centuries when the Kalachakra teachings came to India] called Turks? I think that if the texts have a historical reference, they are referring to the Turkic invasions of India. However, Turuka in general refers to those who would destroy Buddhism [whether Central Asian hordes or from elsewhere, whether Muslim, communist, or followers of any other creed.]
[For a more detailed discussion, see: The Prophets of the Non-Indic Invaders in Kalachakra. See also: Holy Wars in Buddhism and Islam]
Could the Lalos be only symbolic and refer only to the destructive forces we need to battle in an internal spiritual war?
I wonder if it is only symbolic? When the texts speak of a war and the general Hanuman, whether that is merely symbolic or for real, I don't know.
But they do have symbolic meanings, as the Kalachakra texts explain.
Yes, but the commentaries of learned masters don't take them only symbolically, but also literally. However, if the reference is to a nuclear war, it won't be for another almost 400 years. But, how it will be, I don't know.
Sometimes Westerners ask if this war and Dragpo Korchen (Drag-po 'khor-can, Skt. Rudrachakrin) [the ruler of Shambhala who will defeat the Lalos] will come earlier. Is that possible?
I don't know. It is difficult to say. But, if Shambhala comes sooner, then we will be able to go back to Tibet sooner. The sooner Shambhala comes; the sooner there will be freedom.
Learning about the Initiation and Vows before Receiving the Initiation
As an introduction to the initiation, is it permitted to describe the mandala, how many deities there are, the colors, and so on?
It is all right. It is good if people know a little about the procedures of the initiation. Later, during the actual initiation, I'll introduce them to each point. But, if they knew a little beforehand, it would be of help.
What about the tantric vows and close bonds (dam-tshig, Skt. samaya), is it permitted to tell people about them beforehand?
According to the tantric procedures, one must not disclose the tantric vows before the initiation. However, for those who are sincere in receiving the initiation, if they know a little beforehand, then the initiation will come out really strong and perfect. But such persons would need to be Buddhists who were sincere and definite about taking the initiation or those who have received another anuttarayoga tantra initiation before. To explain to such persons, there would be no fault. Especially, if people have already received another anuttarayoga initiation, then there is nothing wrong with explaining the Kalachakra close bonds.
For those with no anuttarayoga initiation and no intention to receive one, for example those who are only scholars, it is not too good to explain them. It is better to have some restrictions. However, if the lists of the tantric vows and close bonds are already published and people misunderstand them and hold strange views about them, the necessity overrides the prohibition. It is better to give people a correct explanation, rather than let them disparage tantra because of misinformation or poor explanations.
[See: Common Root Tantric Vows]
Attending As a Neutral Observer
Among those who will attend the initiation, most will have interest in Buddhism, but it is hard to say whether or not they accept Buddhism. Those who do not follow Buddhism, but attend the initiation, will not want to take the bodhisattva and tantric vows.
This is something I regularly talk about at the time of the initiation. Then they would just be like observers or witnesses. I spoke like that the last time I gave the initiation in America. Also, in France, when I gave the Guru Rinpoche eight manifestations initiation, on the second day, Mayor Jacques Chirac came and I invited him to attend as a witness. He isn't Buddhist, though he likes Buddhism. So, there is no harm.
Thus, at the time of taking the bodhisattva vows, I regularly explain that only those who are Buddhist, who want to take the bodhisattva vows and who can keep the vows, need to visualize like this. Then, I do the same for the tantric vows. Others who do not wish to take the vows are just witnesses, observers [and do not follow the same procedures and visualizations].
When they are there like that and observe, what is best for them to think and what is the benefit of their being observers?
I can't say. Although one could suggest helpful thoughts if such people are receptive, we have no right to insist that they should think this way or that. Just be simple observers. Some who come may even be critical of Buddhism. That is possible. However, we cannot say don't be critical. That is their right. For those of us who are Buddhists, we can give them instructions what to think and do during the initiation; but for others, we cannot impose specific instructions on them. We can only say observe, and that is all.
Some may come with ill feelings, but most won't have ill feelings. As for those with no ill feelings, there is no problem. But, as for those who would come with ill feelings toward Buddhism, there is no need for them to come. It would be better for such people to stay home. However, there is no point in saying don't have ill feelings. So, better to be actual neutral observers and then there is nothing to say. Isn't that so?


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The distinguished panel before tasting |
How different is it to taste and review wine with a group of people rather than to sit alone and quietly rate them? I find that it's drastically different, and that it's a subject rarely written about. (Like just about every damned stupid thing I write about on HoseMaster of Wine™.) Are the reviews of a single wine writer who evaluates wine on his own, in the privacy (or emptiness) of his own mind, more valuable than the reviews of a group of wine experts who taste and talk about each wine they rate? If you look at who wields all the power in the wine world these days, it seems the single reviewer is far more valued. The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator still have the most clout when it comes to wine sales, at least in the United States, and their reviews are done by individuals.
Ever ask yourself what would have happened if the Judgment of Paris in 1976 had been overwhelmingly won by the French wines? It certainly could have happened that way. Maybe they should have gone Best Out of Three. There's no doubt the results of that famous tasting changed California's wine future forever. Would that have been the case if it had been a single wine critic passing judgment? Did the fact that it was an all-French panel make the results more valid? I'd say no to both questions. Did it prove California wines are better, or as good as, their French counterparts? Of course not. It didn't prove much at all; and but for the presence of one reporter, it would have been as lost to history as our first Judgment at Geyserville most certainly will be. The Judgment of Paris proved only the power of the press, not the superiority of the wines. What did our little Geyserville tasting prove? We like to drink wine in the company of our peers, and eat pizza. Not necessarily in that order.
The more distinguished panel after tasting |