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2018-05-15 Altercation between protesting students and security staff
Around 11 pm on May 14th, 2018, Security staff at IIT Kharagpur clamped down on a group of students who were trying to organize a protest. By all accounts, the protest was a peaceful one and was being organized to show solidarity with the students of Aligarh Muslim University, who were on a hunger strike against a laathi charge conducted by the police against them.[1] [2] [3] [4]
The protest was being organized by a student group called the Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle, IIT Kharagpur. This group is not registered with the gymkhana as a recognized society. They organized the event leveraging social media and a mailing list. The event was called Solidarity Gathering for AMU and it's main aim was to show people around the country that students from all pockets opposed the laathi charge on the students of AMU.
The then-President of TSG, Prof. William K Mohanty, sent an institute-wide email with the subject "Unauthorized Political Event" saying We expect that students of IIT Kharagpur will not participate in any such event. TSG does not support any such activity. Despite this email, the protest continued when 40 students turned up at the venue at the arranged time and tried to conduct a peaceful protest. Several SIS security officers (number unconfirmed) were deployed near the Gymkhana right before the arranged time for the protest. Photos and one video in which the security officer for IIT Kharagpur is seen screaming at a student who refuses to tell him his hall of residence was later published on the Facebook page of the Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle, IIT Kharagpur.[5][6]
Timeline[edit | edit source]
|People involved
|14 May 1816
|TSG President sends out an email to all students
|President, TSG (Prof. W K Mohanty)
|15 May 0030
|ABSSC posts photos and videos from the protest on their Facebook page
|16 May 0922
|ABSSC sends out an email on their public mailing list
|17 May 1622
|VP, TSG sends out an email to all the students
|VP, TSG (Vishal Singh)
|Somesh Kumar comments on the Facebook event for the gathering
|Prof. Somesh Kumar (then-Dean of Student Affairs)
Communication[edit | edit source]
Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Somesh Kumar's comment on Facebook[edit | edit source]
Prof. Somesh Kumar replied to a comment by Abhilash Gollapalle that said:[7]
Is this organized by the GymK or any other administration within IIT? Because I doubt if an individual or a group of individuals can speak for the entire campus or the official administration when they say that "IIT Kharagpur stands with AMU"
His reply was:
No this is organized by some anti-national elements. They want to spoil the image of IIT Kharagpur
Email from President of Technology Students Gymkhana, Prof. William K Mohanty[edit | edit source]
Time: Monday 14 May 2018 06:16 PM
Subject: Unauthorized political Event
Dear Friends, It is being observed that some groups without any permission are organizing some political events in IIT Kharagpur but tagging the name of IIT Kharagpur. This is to inform you that such events are completely illegal and have no sanction of institute authority. IIT Kharagpur is an institution of national importance and we do not encourage any activity which escalates tensions in the society in the name of political affiliation, religion, caste and region. Our sole aim is to promote development of science and technology and nationalistic fervour among students. We expect that students of IIT Kharagpur will not participate in any such event. TSG does not support any such activity. Best wishes William K. Mohanty President, TSG IIT Kharagpur
Email on a mailing list sent by ABSSC, IIT Kharagpur[edit | edit source]
Time: Wednesday 16 May 2018 09:22 AM
Subject: [spark] Attack on free speech at IIT Kharagpur
Dear All, The Hizli jail housed in the IIT Kharagpur campus had hosted numerous revolutionaries who have laid down their lives in order to establish freedom and democracy for their motherland. The same campus witnessed a mockery of democracy when a peaceful gathering of IIT students was attacked by the security personnel of IIT Kharagpur. It all started with a circular issued on the 14th of May, 2018 asking students to obtain permission from relevant authorities before exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly. Later, on the same day hundreds of security guards were posted at the gymkhana to prevent a group of students from expressing solidarity with the students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) sitting in hunger strike against the brutal lathicharge carried out on them on the 2nd of May that left 20 students injured. The circular issued by the competent authorities on the 14th of May goes against the student's fundamental right to freedom of assembly and speech. The purpose of any protest is to voice ones resentment against the authorities in power and the act of asking permission for the same while facing threats and with all possibilities of a denial defeats the objective of such an exercise in the first place. It needs mentioning that in the protest march organized for Asifa in IIT Kharagpur, a gathering of 400 individuals were restricted from raising their voices against the barbaric perpetrators of the crime. At a time when the entire country was standing for a cause, the students of an "Institute of National Importance"- IIT Kharagpur were asked to remain silent. However, the students without paying heed to the intimidating tactics of the administration completed a rally and raised their voices for justice. Be it the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula in HCU, the brutal repression of students in JU during Hok Kolorob or the recent harassment of female students in BHU (and in numerous other instances), Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle along with other progressive student voices have always protested against the silencing of democratic voices and the autocratic high handling by institute authorities across different institutions in the country. In the present instance, 40 students braved the threats from the Dean of Students Affairs to stand for justice for their friends sitting in hunger strike against brutal police oppression at the Aligarh Muslim University. The assistant security officer, Mr. Sushil Kumar Choubey literally went to the extent of heckling a student by force while he was trying to enter the JC Bose Hall of residence. Such an act speaks volumes regarding the undemocratic and intolerant attitude of the administration and the free hand given to security personnel to deal with dissent in the campus. Earlier during the day, the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Somesh Kumar labelled the organizers of the protest as "anti-national" elements and accused them of bringing disrepute to the institute. Unfortunately, such is the times that any act not conforming with the diktats of the ruling dispensation is termed as "anti-national". The remark is not only derogatory but also exposes the extent to which the authorities in power can stoop down to harass students fighting for justice and equality. We strongly feel that even few years back "anti-national" was not a word that was used so casually as has been done in recent times. While Mohammad Hamid Ansari, the former vice-president of the country have stood by the protesting students of AMU, students from IIT Kharagpur in solidarity with them were branded "anti-national". Is standing in solidarity with the students in hunger strike opposing against the entry of armed right winged goons in an academic campus "anti-national"? Will the act of ignoring the brutal reality of our times really make us better individuals? The mail circulated by the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Somesh Kumar accused the organizers of being politically motivated and therein he has raised his concerns regarding the affiliation of IIT Kharagpur being used for such protests. It is to be noted that in spite of the institute despising all things political, there are significant right wing activities going on in the campus and there are facebook groups using the IIT affiliation for the same. Next, while discussing the point of "activities that escalate tensions in the society in the name of political affiliation, religion, caste and region" it should be kept in mind that the different institute talks and lectures graced by different Hindu monks, promotes a particular religious belief and in turn vitiates the secular atmosphere of the campus. We are sure that there are good aspects of other religion too if AT ALL religious activities needs to be carried out in the institute premises. This kind of majoritarianism definitely adds in (if not escalate) tensions in the society. Next, when Darwinism is under attack, we definitely look forward to the institute authorities for the upliftment of scientific temper and critical thinking as opposed to the promotion of some organizations and individuals engaged in business models of spiritual corporations (read Art of Living, ISKON). Lastly, while discussing instilling of "nationalistic fervor" among students, we should always keep in mind that dissent is the cornerstone of a healthy and functioning democracy. An academic campus that doesn't promote free speech and progressive thinking is definitely not dedicated to the service of the nation. Keeping the present situation in mind, we challenge Prof. Somesh Kumar to present us with evidence that proves that we have done anything that defies the Constitution of the country. Hereafter, we demand that - 1) Prof. Somesh Kumar must withdraw his "anti-national" statement and refrain from making such comments in the future. 2) Mr. Sushil Kumar Choubey should publicly apologize for arrogant behavior and manhandling of students. 3) And finally, we urge the administration to re-establish the fundamental rights granted to all citizens of the country by the Constitution in the campus premises. Some images related to the incident can be found in the following link. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zizNqebDMUeL_46Joqs8dHQI7-s4nxxi Regards, Team ABSC.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "AMU row: Tear down Jinnah's portrait, says Muslim Mahasangh chief; up…". 2018-05-17. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17.
- ↑ "Jinnah portrait row: Probe ordered in AMU controversy, internet suspe…". 2018-05-17. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17.
- ↑ "Police resort to lathi-charge to disperse protesting AMU students A…". 2018-05-17. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17.
- ↑ "IIT bar on protests irks students - Telegraph India". 2018-05-17. Archived from the original on 2018-05-17.
- ↑ "Condumn the attack by authorities on PEACEFUL GATHERING ... (Video)". 2018-05-14.
- ↑ "CONDEMN THE ATTACK BY AUTHORITIES ON PEACEFUL GATHERING ... (Photos)". 2018-05-15.
- ↑ "IIT Kharagpur Dean of Student Affairs comment on Facebook". 2018-05-15.


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It is Thursday, June 9, the 315th anniversary of Philippe death and one day after the second Episode of Versailles aired in the UK. You probably all read of the horrendous critics Episode One received, they were rather hard to ignore, and you most likely read the fuss that was made before Episode One even aired.
It ranked from utter crap and soft porn to absolutely fabulous. Suddenly everyone had an opinion on something they hadn't even seen yet and that opinion was published in the UK media and read by thousands, whose own opinion got formed by reading it.
Now, although most of this was utter nonsense, it brought quite the publicity for the show and cast, thus got people to turn in and perhaps be pleasantly surprised. As I however read what was going on at Twitter under #Versailles that very evening, I was a little devastated. Why? It was the same ado the UK media tossed at everyone in the previous weeks, something the show and cast do not deserve. I read so much rubbish that night, it was overwhelming. It also made me wonder if the opinion forming UK media actually gave the show a chance at all. Nup.
It might be because it is French and as Alex Vlahos said, the English don't really have a connection to that time in history, or rather French history. People are aware of what was happening on their island during that time, Charles I versus Oliver Cromwell, Charles II and the Restauration, James II and William III, but people don't really know of Louis XIV, nor his brother or the intense relationship they had.
Now, I am German and could say the very same about Germany, but oddly it is not like that over here. Until now I only spotted one article on German media that was talking unfavourable about the show and this article seemed based on something published in the Daily Mail the previous day. I read that Daily Mail article and the German one was basically a translation of it. We, as Germans, don't really have a connection to that time in France as well. We have Liselotte von der Pfalz, Philippe's second wife, but ask someone on the streets about her and they will tell you they have no clue who that is. So, you can't entirely blame it on a lack of knowledge of the period, which the Germans have as much as the English. Yet we seem way more willed to give it a chance.
What is it then? Are the Brits really that prudish? I watched Episode One in company of a lovely English lady and she didn't seem really bothered by the naked skin displayed. She said she liked that show and would watch the next Episode as well.
It appears some people saw that differently. What amazes me is how Versailles is so very scandalous for showing naked flesh, just a little less naked flesh than I saw myself on the streets of an English city I used to live in for a while. There were boobs on display every night. There was groping and fumbling.
Admittingly, the 'normal' Brit doesn't really see any of that on a daily base and if they do, they most likely wrinkle their noses at it, but it is still there.
Last night, however, the general atmosphere under the hashtag Versailles, seemed way more amazed. People enjoyed the Episode, the costumes, the characters, the tensions and drama. There were still some that complained, (which is fine, because not everyone will like this kind of show) but the majority was happy. The show got the feedback it deserved. I was looking forward to see more flattering articles in the UK media after it……. and then I spotted something that was dripping ignorance.
It was an article in the Guardian, published shortly after Episode Two aired. I facepalmed. Hard. I felt angry and embarrassed at the same time. I couldn't believe it.
Those who follow me on Twitter, surely saw my initial reaction to it (calling it a heap of shit) and as I went to bed, I had in mind to comment on that article.
As you can see, I decided against it and for writing something here instead. If I had written it under that article it surely would have gotten more attention there than here on my struggling blog, but that is somewhat the point. I write here whenever I have time, I write about Versailles and happenings at court, I write of people long dead now that lead amazing lives, I try to share what I know and make it somewhat entertaining to read. I write here, because I want to, because it makes me happy, because I think that period in time deserves more attention. Every time I post something here, I doubt myself. I doubt my skills and knowledge. I was told not to do that, but I still do. There are some people, who come by every once in a while to read what I write (Thank you xxx), there are some who discover it by accident, there are who share what I write. I put effort into what I do and am grateful for every click, every 'well done', every 'Woah, I didn't know that.'. Every 'I learned something', because that is the purpose of this blog, to share what I know.
I do not get paid for it. I do it because I want to do it. I make no money from this blog. I have a limited audience and try to be as kind and helpful to that audience as I can be. A newspaper like the Guardian has a massive audience and a certain responsibility towards it. If I read something in a major news-outlet that pays people for writing, I expect it to be well researched. I expect that the writer actually knows what they talk of.
This article I am going on about lacked in every department and was nothing more than another bashing by someone who has no clue what they talk of. Let's have a look, shall we?
Headlined by "Versailles recap: episode two – barely a passing bum or nipple" the article continues:
"The promise of gratuitous sex, violence and historical accuracy is proving as limp as Louis' locks. I feel like I've been had. Ever feel like you've been had? The whole point of Versailles was that it was meant to come laden with gratuitous nudity and violence. But with only one shag 33 minutes in – and even that was far too sensitively filmed; not even a passing bum or nipple – along with a single hanging and a fairly inoffensive beating-up, the second episode turned out to be little more than 80s Sunday night soap Howards' Way, in fancy dress."
The whole point of Versailles is sex scenes? Really? The show is called Versailles and not 'Nips and bums'. The show's purpose is to tell the story of Louis XIV, the story of Versailles, how a man in his 20's managed to make France the capital of the world. First there are complaints of too much sex, now there isn't enough sex? You gotta be kidding me. If you want sex, watch a porn movie. Versailles is no porn movie. It is a drama set in 17th Century France.
"At the tail end of last week's episode, historians Kate Williams and Greg Jenner were imprisoned in a tiny attic and made to explain how everything we had just watched could just about have happened and – if you kept an open mind – it could even have been a documentary. But Kate and Greg didn't sound convinced by the birth of a black baby to Marie-Thérèse; Louis was equally unconvinced by the nice-but-dim doctor's explanation that the black dwarf must have surprised his wife so much while "playing with her" that he impregnated her with a penetrating look. Louis then announces the baby was stillborn, even though dozens of people have already noticed it is very much alive."
Ah, the black baby. If you had typed that into Google (works wonders) you would have noticed that the whole thing is based on a 17th Century rumor. It is not invented. It is what people gossiped about and the makers of Versailles decided to go with that rumor. Whether it is true or not, is an entirely different matter. This is a show based on history, yet altered for the audience. Some things that are shown happened in a different way (as far as historians can say), some of it happened before the year the show is set in, some is based on rumors that circulated. Also, as I explain in my Episode Two review, what the good doctor tells us about the origin of that black baby, was actually what people believed back then. People thought that a child in the womb of the mother can be influenced by what she sees and eats, and take on a funny colour. What he says is that the Queen was frightened by him and that very mightily, thus her fright influenced the baby. The given explanation is perfectly reasonable, although it sounds funny to us now, but this is not the modern world, this is Versailles. Dozens of people have noticed it is alive? Really? I saw only one seeing it as it was carried outside.
"The title sequence put an end to this first bit of nonsense. And what a sequence it is. Especially the music, which sounds like a bad Genesis track from the early 70s. The lyrics are even more unintelligible than the theme song of The Bridge. The best I've been able to come up with is: "I am the king of my own name / The faeces tending to doubt / Tears the end something something / Fleeces of matches / Now is forever and forever." If anyone can improve on this, I'd be very grateful."
If by "first bit on nonsense" you mean what you just wrote, I totally agree with you. That awful theme song is Outro by M83 and the lyrics go "I'm the king of my own land. Facing tempests of dust, I'll fight until the end. Creatures of my dreams raise up and dance with me! Now and forever, I'm your king!". Google can tell you that too. In my opinion it is a very fitting tune, that captures in a few words what Louis XIV is about.
"Meanwhile, the badder of the two bad Phillipes is up to some as-yet-unspecified no good. We know he's bad because he's got long blond hair, while everyone else just has long brown hair and looks like he's next in line of succession to be the drummer of Spinal Tap."
I am glad you refer to him as Philippe and do not use his title of Chevalier as synonym of a first name, yet the "badder of the two bad Philippes"…. seriously. Firstly, what makes you think the other Philippe or "less bad Philippe" as you will call him, is bad? Did you even understand what is going on? Do you sense what the problem between the brothers is? Obviously not. As for the Chevalier, hair colour as an indication of character? Makes totally sense. No, wait…. it does not. You will see…. and there you have your nipples. Or do boy nipples not count?
"Elsewhere in the proto-palace, a nurse tells the king's brother – the less bad Philippe – that the baby is very much alive. Though possibly not for long, as the king has ordered Fabian to drown it. Unluckily for the baby, there was to be no such easy way out of this series, as Louis changes his mind at the last minute, has the sprog taken to a misty nunnery and arranges a fake funeral. As usual, everyone in the church is thinking more about who is getting off with whom than matters spiritual. This is about the only bit of the entire programme that feels realistic."
Again, this is based on the rumor. Are you even putting any effort in what you write? Bash everything you see, while trying to sound smart and sassy. I feel embarrassed and suddenly wonder if our writer here is actually serious or just taking the piss.
"After which, the whole thing started to drag. Some noblemen who all looked the same did some desultory plotting, Louis wandered around moodily, and the two Phillipes went to a fashion show. The less bad Philippe couldn't understand why everybody was staring at him just because he had arrived dressed as a woman, so he poked someone in the eye. I'm not sure who, as I was losing the will to live."
Again with the "bad and less bad Philippe" nonsense. As Philippe pointed out, insulting the King's brother is the same as insulting the King, and for insulting the King the punishment was way worse. Lese- Majeste. Google it. I am losing the will to continue reading any further.
"Less-bad Phil, it turns out, is going through a particularly difficult phase and just needs a good war to make himself feel like more of a man. Like any decent elder brother, Louis promises to start one for him. (Historical non-fact alert: Louis is recognised by therapists the world over for his groundbreaking psychological insight that all transvestites are basically ordinary blokes struggling to suppress their homicidal tendencies.)"
What. What did I just read? Not even going to comment of the transvestism thing…. Starting a war, because his brother wants to go to war? Jesus. Ever heard of the War of Devolution? Nup, you have not, otherwise you wouldn't write what you just did. Once again, Google can help you with it. You could tell your readers that the war they are talking about happened in 1667 and 1668. You could tell them that Louis started this war and it was against Spain. You could tell them that the talk of tactics they saw was the planning of the invasion of the Spanish Netherlands. You could tell all sort of stuff about it….. I did in my reviews.
"Back in the queen's bedchamber, the doctor's daughter remembers it might be a good idea to remove the final traces of afterbirth from inside Marie-Thérèse and the queen instantly feels a lot perkier. After appointing the quack's daughter to be his own doctor, Louis wanders off to dinner where he pronounces the immortal words, "I am the state" – L'Etat, c'est moi – (who says this isn't real history?) then terrifies the court into submission by giving the conspirator Moncour a seriously hard time."
It is funny how you call a line attributed to Louis XIV real history. Guess what, Google could have told you as well that Louis never said 'I am the state.'. Am I right in thinking that you think this attributed line is more history than anything else you have seen on the show? Educate yourself, do us the favour… or at least check the spelling of the characters names.
"The episode ends with a lot of people splashing in the fountain and the black dwarf lying face down in the water. I know just how he felt."
Do you fancy to know how I felt? Not really, but I will tell you anyway. I facepalmed the most epic facepalm in history. It is amazing much crap can fit into one article. It is amazing how you probably thought to have written the most smart and sassy thing eva. It is amazing how very ignorant you are. How unwilled to educate yourself, before hitting the keyboard. How little you care for your readers.
But the worst of all is, that your article (you can find the full thing here) will be read by thousands. This piece of crap. It will form the opinion of people in a bad way. You never gave the show a chance. God knows, I did my fair bit of criticizing it as well, but I daresay mine was way more constructive. In my reviews I try to explain the historical backgrounds to the people who watch the show, I tell them of rumors, of 17th Century thinking, of how the people they see were in real life (as far as we can say) compared to how they are portrayed on the screen. Yes, I am a fan of the show. A critical fan. I state what I do not like and I praise what I like. All you seem to do is bashing something for the sake of bashing it.
Well done, mate.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thought it was Japan? Nope, not even Toyota can compete with the Indian industry. We have an excellent set-up. We also have a distinct advantage over the Japanese. Here, the cars themselves want to be made and be sold in the market. No, I am not talking about the Maruti 800s or the Tata Indicas. I have a completely different picture of the "car". The industry that I am referring to is not the traditional car manufacturing industry, but the highly lucrative Education Industry which produces ultra-sophisticated cars. Make no mistake, these cars have the self-motivation to be perfect and advertise for themselves to be sold.
We keep hearing the garb about education being commercialised, being commoditised, losing its value, what not? Wait a minute. Consider those statements for a moment. All that is crap, isn't it? Of course it is. We are missing the all-important point: It's not just education which has been commoditised, it's the students themselves who have been commoditised.
We are manufactured. We are sold. We are driven by somebody else. We are filled with fuel. We are turned into products which can be sold in the market.
One might ask, is that not what education is supposed to turn us into? According to Education Theory, these are the aims of education:
- Preparation for political participation
- Preparation for economic participation
- A product for use as social capital
- Fulfillment of self-development
- Development of character
I was about to ask for an introspection. But hey, intros what? We have no time for all that shit. I leave it to the conscience of the reader.
Coming back, I have the burden of justifying the atrocious comparisons and accusations I made. Let me plead my case.
Are we manufactured?
Ever heard of assembly line production? The concept, introduced by Henry Ford (yes, the founder of Ford Motors), was a revolutionary concept in the manufacturing sector. It allowed for the mass production of commercial motor vehicles.
The concept is simple. Instead of assembling all the workers and building the car at one place, we shall place the workers in a line. The about to be manufactured cars are sent in a queue. The first worker in the line does the initial job of fitting something, then the car moves to the second worker where he fits something else. This process continues till the car is finally manufactured. Each worker focuses only on his part of the job. People familiar with computer science might recognise this as the concept of pipelining.
The present education scenario is strikingly similar. We go through a similar assembly line where we are fitted with the required skill-set. However, I do not say that this in itself is wrong. I find nothing wrong with the process. But look at the words in red. Skill-set required by whom?? Who requires those skills?? Is it the student who consciously wishes it or is it something else??
These skills are required by the industry and if you have a different skill-set, then you are junk to the industry.
Are we sold?
Of course. Cars are kept in showrooms, customers walk-by, look at the car, its features, inquire the sales person about the car and then decide whether to buy the car. The case with the products of our colleges is somewhat different. Remember, they produce cars which can speak. So the necessity of a sales person is eliminated. The customer directly inquires the product,viz., the student. This process of sales inquiry is politely termed "interview". Better the features, higher the price offered. A BMW is costlier than a Maruti 800.
And we have some advantages over the normal cars. We have some degree of freedom in choosing our "master", a master who then appoints a driver to drive his brand new car.
Are we driven by somebody else?
For a normal employee, the statement does not need much of an explanation. We do not choose where to go. We simply go wherever our driver wants us to go. We obey his orders. We are afraid our master might throw us out as junk if we apply our own brains. So, we switch them off.
The argument that we apply our brains while doing our job is moot. Today's cars apply intelligence as well – ABS, Electronic Driving Assistance, Electronic Climate Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution System, etc. Surely, we won't be applying anymore brains than they do. And they apply their intelligence when they do their work – carry their masters.
The real question comes not from an employee but from an entrepreneur. A person who does not wish to join any company but starts his own company. Is he also driven by somebody else? If I were to use the "liberty" of quoting the libertarian Milton Friedman, the entrepreneur is driven by the market forces.
Whereas the fuel for cars is petrol, the fuel for us is money, the salary that is paid to us in huge amounts in order to keep us running and in order to keep us from complaining.
Be honest with yourself. How many of you are studying because you chose the field and not driven by the jobs and salaries? How many of you loved the field before you took it up? I do not say it is a mistake of the students, rather it points to a fundamental flaw in the system. A system which forces and coerces us leaving us with no options. With no freedom. With no love towards our field.
It will be unrealistic of me to urge the students to come out of this mould. I cannot ask them to become jobless for the sake of some ideals. However, it does not hurt us to think. It does not cost us to spread the word.
Why is it that the job market so polarised to a single industry? Why don't we see multi-nodal growth? Why can't a person pursue his field of choice and still earn his bread? Why should he be forced to choose something which he does not love?
P.S.: This is purely my opinion. People are free to disagree and are welcome to air their views.


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We are hosting a time trial swim meet for all Riptides swimmers during regular practice hours on Monday, December 17 from 3:30 to 6:00 pm. This is an opportunity for swimmers to try some of the long distance events that are not always offered at swim meets. It is also a chance to qualify for the Alberta Age Group Trials Championships in February by achieving a Meet Qualifying Standard.
At this meet, swimmers in the 10&U category can qualify in the 100 IM, 200 IM, or 400 free, while swimmers that are 11 or older can qualify in the 200 IM, 400 free, 800 free, or 1500 free. Here are the Alberta Provincial Meet Qualifying Standards.
Warm-ups are from 3:30 to 4:25 pm and the meet will run from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. We need parents to help out as timers and stroke and turn judges. Please sign up for a shift here – http://volunteersignup.org/PHCRB.
Thanks to Lockie Lister, who is returning as our meet referee.
The swim meet will be followed by our annual Christmas party upstairs at the Rec Centre in Lady MacDonald Hall from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Details to follow by email.


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Why To Go Short If You Can Still Fake It?!
If we speak about looks in general, experiments are probably the first thing that comes to our mind in terms of securing the innovations and the fresh looks all the time. Discussing the changes, when looking for something special for the hairstyle of yours, you can opt for cuts that are most probably the first thing that comes to the mind. But what if you are reluctant to say farewell to the long and beautiful locks of yours? In this case the resourceful faux bob comes as an irreplaceable variant for having those long and stunning wonders and for experimenting with short hairdos! So you don't necessarily have to go short if you want a bob! Learning how to style a faux bob hairdo will give you the chance to be super diverse every day and sometimes even unexpected, as you'll be playing with lengths in a magical way.
The styles that may be created with a faux bob are just as diverse as the options of hairdos themselves. Thus for a retro feel you may try out the dos with tiny curls and some bigger ones for that sassy Hollywood look. And in case you want a modern interpretation, you may just leave your hair straight and gentle. This is, indeed, an irreplaceable option both for those yearning for changes and for the professional stylists.
We have already seen a number of celebrities having opted for a faux bob for important red carpet events, and some of the most memorable and impressive are the bobs of Cate Blanchett for the Golden Globe and Amy Adams for SAG Awards. However, instances of this may also be found among the celebs' looks for the previous years like the pioneering dos of Emma Watson and Claire Danes who seem to be the first having opted for a faux bob instead of the cut. As for the fashion shows, lines like the one by Dries Van Noten also kept some space for this hairstyle.
This is a really universal and versatile hairstyle, which is suitable for any occasion from casual looks to red carpets and what is especially nice about it is that it's easy to create and you don't need a professional hair stylist to do it for you. All you need to do to make a faux bob is using a good conditioner for the start, then applying a strengthening cream right after, quickly drying it with a hairdryer in order to add some volume to the look. Afterwards, you may also need to curl the hair a bit and for doing that you'll need to divide the hair into 5 sections only. When the curls are ready you only need to curl them down styling into a bob and securing with pins. For the final touch you just need to loosen the locks a bit and add some volume. If the hair has some natural texture, it will make the creation of the bob easier, naturally securing the volume. Also, you shouldn't use products like hairsprays, in order to avoid the possible "helmet' effect.
Thus, saying faux bob we mean a whole arsenal of versatile and universally suitable hairdo options, which are easy to create at home and are ready to secure the chic and the glam of your looks at the same time excluding the necessity of going short for making some changes.
Photos courtesy of Vogue, Fashionising, Stylebistro


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Par howwtoolosee le 7 Mars 2017 à 16:16
With January arriving at and end, a significant number of us might do not have the weight reduction inspiration we had toward the start of the year.
In any case, to get you back on track to your body objectives, wellbeing specialists and nutritionists have shared some top traps that don't include consuming less calories or working out.
Here are 12 thinning hacks that how to lose weight while pregnant don't include eating routine or work out.
1. Snap a selfie
Taking photographs of yourself frequently can help you adhere to your weight reduction objectives. Try not to sit tight for the exceedingly imperative previously, then after the fact change pictures, however rather take a stab at taking an "outfit of the day photograph" or "OOTD" to help you monitor the pounds you're destroying.
A current review from a nourishment center in Columbia proposes that individuals who take routine photographs of themselves – while on a weight reduction arrange – will probably complete their arrangement, instead of the individuals who were camera-modest and didn't take general photographs of themselves. So get trigger upbeat to continue thinning down.
2. Never skip breakfast
Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at SuperfoodUK.com, clarified why you ought to dependably begin your day ideal with an invigorating feast first thing.
She stated: "The familiar adage says that 'breakfast is the most critical feast of the day' and when you eat, you are truly 'breaking the quick' really has some truth in it.
"Dozing causes your digestion system (fat blazing ability) to back ideal off and nothing makes them go speedier than breakfast.
"In any case, never forget that similarly as imperative as eating itself, it's likewise fundamental to pick sound breakfast alternatives, for example, wholegrain oats like porridge, natural "live" normal dairy items like yogurt, natural eggs and organic product.
"Sugar-loaded grains will bring about your glucose to rise pointedly and drop rapidly, making you feel more ravenous rapidly – you require something that will maintain you and keep you feeling more full more."
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How to use Twikrs
Vinyl Stickers
Our vinyl stickers are printed on high quality, easy to apply and fault tolerant vinyl.
Your order package will include detailed instructions on how to apply the vinyl to your furniture or wall.
Procedure Overview:
- Make sure the surface is clean and dry. Remove all dust and humidity;
- Apply the vinyl, from one of the top corners and gently proceed from that corner to the opposite corner;
- Use a cloth to ensure the vinyl is glued without air bubbles or wrinkles;
- If you notice a wrikle, gently pull the vinyl back, enough to remove the wrinkle and repeat;
Vinyl Sticker Notes:
- The vinyl won't damage your furniture. It can be safely removed and replaced by another vinyl;
- At least for large sizes, we recommend two people for this process;
- If you don't feel you'll be able to apply the vinyl, a general contractor should have no problems;
Our canvases are light weight and have a hanging hole on the top side.
You'll need a nail on the wall or some similar hanging product
You can also frame the canvas just like any other painting.
Light Letters
Our light letters have a battery operated led lights. The are very efficient so the battery should last about a year depending on the amount of time the lights are turned on.
These letters are made of PVC so they are very light weight. Thus they can be placed on any shelve or easily hanged on the wall.


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Sketch Books
"This is a very big sketch book it has 696 pages. Fairly decent pages, it has nice binding and it probably weighs more than one of my dogs. It is unbelievably thick, unbelievably heavy and everyone wants to get one of them, in my house at least!" Danny Gregory
In October 2007 we sent artist and blogger Danny Gregory one of our giant Coffee Table Sketch Books. On his blog Danny writes little essays about creativity and art and he posts his drawings and watercolors so we figured he would like sketching on the 696 pristine white acid-free pages in the book. What we didn't figure is how much he and his son would LOVE the book. They loved it so much that they made a video about it...talk about an enthusiastic reception! Check out the duo's fun and creative video on Danny's blog by clicking on the image to the left. Visit www.dannygregory.com.


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See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Constricted pupil: Pupillary constriction. This may result from congenital absence of the dilatator pupillary muscle, defective sympathetic innervation, or irritation of the CONJUNCTIVA or CORNEA.
Source: Diseases Database
These medical condition or symptom topics may be relevant to medical information for Constricted pupil:
Source: Diseases Database
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By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2014 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 13 August, 2015 (1:27)


text: Been busy working away on the new website in time for the wedding show this weekend in Exeter… It's going to be big. If you're a bride that is after anything this will be the place for you to go. Keep an eye out for me, I would love to chat about your wedding.


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A renowned chef and author, Regina Charboneau studied in Paris before opening celebrated restaurants to worldwide acclaim. She now brings her boundless creativity and stunning flavor pairings to French America Line to craft cuisine unmatched on America's inland waterways.
A resident of Natchez, one of our most charming antebellum destinations, she got her start in San Francisco where she launched Regina's at the Regis and later the award-winning Biscuits & Blues nightclub.
She returned to Natchez in 2001 and opened the Twin Oaks Bed and Breakfast in a historic antebellum home dating to 1832, where she teaches cooking classes as well as serves as a warm, ebullient host. Her latest venture is King's Tavern in Natchez, specializing in fresh farm-to-table selections. Under her deft touch, the dining experience on the Louisiane is elevated to an apogee of gastronomic pleasure.
"A meal is a celebration," she claims. "It is a time when we gather together at one table and celebrate family and friends, both old and new, with love and laughter. The cuisine should both embrace and lift the spirit."
She blends the panache of French cuisine with the comfort of Southern staples. "The French have a natural ability to acknowledge each flavor, each spice and each cooking method in a manner that brings them together in a harmonious symphony. Southern cuisine does the same in a straightforward way that celebrates regional ingredients blending myriad cultural and agricultural influences," she says. Regina is proud to encompass both styles in her menus as she brings the regions in which the Louisiane sails directly to the plate. Much of the American South was deeply influenced by the French and so is French America Line's elegant but wonderfully familiar cuisine.
Take a look at our latest brochures online, download an e-version, or order a printed copy.VIEW BROCHURES
Join our mailing list now for insider news, special sailings, our newsletter, and updates on our inaugural season.


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Oliver and Jumpy, Stories 37-39 (Oliver and Jumpy, the Cat Series, Book 13): Cat and kangaroo picture book series with bedtime stories for children
by Werner Stejskal
The illustrations are nicely done and something that children would really like because they can easily identify the animals represented. The story line is simple but not so simple that a child would find it not worth reading/listening to. The characters are upbeat and seem to have a good time with each other. There are subtle lessons to be learned about friendship and helping others.
I do not have any young children but the ones in my home said that would have liked this when they were younger. Because of this I would recommend for young children.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Some great wisdom here for accomplishing anything with excellence:
We all have goals that are important to us. But is it our drive to achieve a certain outcome that makes us better? Or something else entirely?
In the book Art & Fear, authors David Bayles and Ted Orland share a surprising story about a ceramics teacher. This story just might reframe the way you think about setting goals, making progress, and becoming better at the things that are important to you.
Here's what happened…
The ceramics teacher announced that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality.
His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the "quantity" group: fifty pounds of pots rated an "A", forty pounds a "B", and so on. Those being graded on "quality", however, needed to produce only one pot — albeit a perfect one — to get an "A".
Well, grading time came and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity!
It seems that while the "quantity" group was busily churning out piles of work — and learning from their mistakes — the "quality" group had sat around theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay.


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Top Selling Products
True mastery comes from a powerful focus and a burning desire to share the absolute best you can offer. You never stop learning and perfecting. At Queen City Sausage, our focus has been on crafting and consistently offering the most delicious Bratwurst, Mettwurst, and Hot Mettwurst we can possibly can.
There is no trying or hoping to. We must create the perfect sausage with every single batch, every time, every day. Its Elmer's way and how he taught us. These three sausages are the foundation and backbone of our company. There are other sausages out there, but none quite as special as these. Honest! No brag. Just fact!
Bratwurst is a beloved treasure at Queen City Sausage. There is something about the simplicity in bratwurst, yet there is an art to crafting just the right blend of pork and spices. The Cincinnati Style brat is all pork and steamed to perfection. This results in the white color we are so famous for.
The Mettwurst showcases our ability to truly craft sausages. With this sausage which we simply call a mett, our smoking skills along with our ability to blend the right combination of fresh meats and spices come into play. Of course we use real hickory wood smoke, fresh spices and never rush the slow cooking process. These are so delicious!
Hot Mett
Queen City Sausage is the hot sausage specialist. Seriously! We have three varieties; Hot, Extra Hot and Super-Hot. Of course we apply all of our Mettwurst skills as the base, and we simply add the heat (black pepper, white pepper, and crushed red pepper). If you want hot sausage, it has to be Queen City!
Goetta Too!
Goetta is a regional specialty found only in the Greater Cincinnati area and Northern KY. Goetta is a German breakfast sausage made with pork, beef, onions, spices and oats. Goetta is fully cooked. Simply slice it, and brown it in a medium heated skillet. The oats are the magic, they absorb the delicious flavors. The results are pure food enjoyment! Goetta is traditionally served as a breakfast side. However goetta makes a delicious slider, Reuben, and goetta grilled cheese!


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Firstly, tell your boss what you're dealing with. Do this in a brief and matter-of-fact way. Ask for a few days off. Deal with any urgent matters that won't wait until your return to office. If you think you might get overly emotional, write a formal email or letter.
- Communicate very clearly with your boss about what he or she can and can't count on from you. Give deadlines and try your best to stick to them. However, if it looks like you are struggling to meet a deadline, communicate with your boss immediately and recommit to what is possible.
- Watch your work hours. Your colleagues and boss will be looking to see if you are working less hours, therefore, unless you have permission to work less, work the full allotted time you are hired to work. If you arrive late, communicate immediately that you are going to be late AND ensure you work later to make up the time.
- If you are taking time off and have close relationships with clients, I wouldn't recommend telling them about your divorce. Simply mention you are taking some time off and their contact person whilst you are away is [insert name.]
- If you have the option to work from home, do so. It's easier to maintain professional etiquette via email and remotely than to be around the colleagues and people you work with every day when you're dealing with raw emotions.
- Inform the accounts department as soon as possible about your pending divorce as your tax code may change. If you feel nervous about calling and aren't feeling organized, prepare a list of things to communicate and email this through. Ensure that you include your current tax code in the email.
Stay tuned for part III…
Lots of hugs!


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We are proud to welcome you to our new Faith to Action Initiative website! Launched on March 18, 2014, www.faithtoaction.org is designed for ease of use whether you are connecting from your computer, tablet, or mobile device. Our goal is to provide the Christian faith community–churches, mission groups, and individuals–with valuable resources, inspiring stories, and practical tools to inform and support your ministries in response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children. We invite you to explore the special features below, to share our website with others, and to give us your feedback so that we can continue to improve our site to better serve you.
Special features:
- "The Importance of Family," a new Infographic providing an introduction to some of the key issues impacting orphans and vulnerable children.
- Resources including free and downloadable study guides and additional publications and online resources that inform and support best practice.
- News & Updates about current articles, publications and resources, and announcements of upcoming faith-based OVC (orphan and vulnerable children) focused conference and event opportunities.
- Stories that highlight how churches, faith-based organizations, and individuals have thoughtfully and effectively supported the work of indigenous churches, ministries, and community initiatives serving children and families in Africa and beyond.
- Videos to use for raising awareness, teaching, and advocacy.
- Weekly Blogs from Faith to Action Initiative members, our partners, church leadership and other individuals who represent a range of ministries dedicated to promoting and supporting family care for orphans and vulnerable children.
- More to Come…Scriptural study and worship guides for engaging your church… and a summary of evidence-based research on the limitations of orphanages, and the importance of family.


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WPH Plant Hire Crushing Services
WPH plant hire crushing services is a privately owned mining solutions provider in Australia. We pride ourselves in being customer focused, which in turn provides us the flexibility to develop partnering relationship with our clients. Our services include crushing & screening, mining and plant hire. We have a team of industry professionals who are experts working in mining and construction environments. We specialize in the area of ore processing, fixed & mobile crushing and screening. We also provide high quality crushing equipment that mobilizes quickly to produce construction materials. Our experienced project management team has the capacity to operate in all main areas of mining services. We manage the whole project from earthworks to final trimming. We help you to develop your projects smoothly by providing skilled operators, quality equipment and customized management.
Level 1, 195 Great Eastern Highway Belmont, Perth, Western Australia 6104
Phone: 08 9437 9911
Fax: 08 9437 9933


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Your favorite local bookstore.Everywhere.
Looks like there are no items in here. Start shopping now and add treasures to your cart. If you have items saved in your cart, sign in to your account to pick up where you left off.
Regular Shipping:
7 to 10 business days
Expedited Shipping:
2 to 3 business days
Overnight Shipping:


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Tax Relief, Unemployment Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
You have probably heard or read that last month President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act (the "Act") into law. But in case you have missed some of the details of the Act in the press, the following is a summary of the key provisions relating to estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
For the first time in many years, all three transfer tax regimes – estate, gift and generation-skipping – are unified with an exemption equivalent of $5 million. This essentially means that couples with tax-planning wills or trusts can leave a combined total of $10 million to future generations without incurring any transfer taxes. Annual exclusion gifts of $13,000 per year to any individual from any individual continue to be "excluded" gifts and do not erode the $5 million exemption.
For deaths that occurred in 2010, the new Act gives fiduciaries two options. The first option is to use the $5 million unified estate, generation-skipping transfer and gift tax exemption, which provides for the basis of assets to be stepped-up to the fair market value of those assets on the date of death. The second option is to apply the law that otherwise applied in 2010 (i.e., an unlimited exemption from estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, but with a carry-over basis, instead of a stepped-up basis, for assets in excess of $1.3 million). This change will be very helpful to people administering estates for deaths that occurred in 2010 because it gives the fiduciary an option for avoiding the complicated carry-over basis rules that would otherwise apply (and which created daunting capital gains tax ramifications).
The transfer-tax regime created by this Act will apply only until the end of 2012, and then we will likely face another round of significant changes, or the Act will sunset and we will again be preparing to turn the clock back to 2001. This means, though, that Congress has granted a window of opportunity over the next two years for people to make significant transfers of wealth to their loved ones without incurring transfer taxes. For example, during the next two years a couple who have not previously used any of their transfer tax exemption could transfer $10 million into a trust for the benefit of the couple's family without incurring transfer taxes. And if Congress doesn't subject the transferred property to tax after 2012, the property transferred, and the future appreciation on that property, could continue for many generations without ever incurring transfer taxes. For people who are willing and able to do so over the next two years, this could be an unprecedented opportunity to transfer wealth free of transfer tax.
Finally, in spite of the relief that the Act provides at the federal level, Washington and Oregon continue to impose their own death taxes on estates in excess of $2 million and $1 million respectively. Planning to minimize those taxes and to address the uncertainty in the federal laws after 2012 should be a priority in estate planning over the next two years.
If we can help with questions you may have about the new Act or about your estate plan, please let me know at email@example.com.
Comments are closed.


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Photography is a wonderful art that can reduce any stress you to forget the stresses in your life. Pictures capture more than words can't.
Don't dawdle when taking your photographs.If you dawdle, there is a good chance that the subject will move, take off or there could be a change in the background that will ruin the photo.
Framing the subject is an important thing to do in photography. Zoom in on your subject or the most important part of the photo and eliminate any surrounding distractions. This method can eliminate any unnecessary focal points and prevent tons of clutter in your photographs at bay.
Choose only your best photos to showcase or display.Don't show too many photos and vary the exact same subject.It can be very boring for others to see the same sort of image again and over again. Keep what you show other people fresh and exciting by showing many different types of shots.
Many photographers ignore the foreground in their shots focusing on the background, but the foreground is what the viewer will see.
Start taking pictures right when you depart! While shooting on location will provide you with some great shots, the journey itself is also worthy of being recorded. Document each phase of your vacation — the airport is always good for some interesting things at an airport.
You should enjoy taking pictures.Taking photographs should allow you to capture the essence of a memorable event in your life, and reviewing them later should give you a sense of warm nostalgia. Have fun when actually taking the photos so that you can be excited about learning a new skill.
If you want to take great pictures, make sure you have a memory card large enough to store all of your photos. Another benefit of large memory cards is that they allow you to take shots in RAW format, which allows the most flexibility during post-production.
Even if you are not the best photographer, you can still find this hobby enjoyable. By involving yourself in photography, you too can create lasting memories that others may not get to witness. Photography can be a great artistic outlet. You may find that sharing photos with others is a wonderful stress reliever and allows you to notice the little things in life.


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Britney Spears wants to duet with Selena Gomez
- Bang Showbiz
- 21 July 2016
Britney Spears has taken to Twitter to ask Selena Gomez to record a duet with her
Britney Spears wants to record a duet with Selena Gomez.
The 34-year-old pop superstar has gone public with her wish to get in the studio with Selena, 23, by messaging her on Twitter.
Britney was responding to a Snapchat video posted by a Selena Gomez fan account on the social networking site in which the 'Good For You' hitmaker is seen saying she has "technically done a duet" with the 'Toxic' singer because they appear together on 'Hands' - a tribute single dedicated to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting in June which also features Meghan Trainor, Pink and Mary J. Blige among others.
Quoting the tweet, Britney wrote: "Technically, yes ... But when are we working on our actual duet @selenagomez? (sic)"
Selena is yet to respond to Britney - who unveiled her new single 'Make Me', featuring G-Eazy, earlier in July.
It is likely that Selena would be very interested in Britney's offer because she has been a massive fan since she was a child.
Britney was the first artist the former 'Wizards of Waverly Place' star ever saw perform live and she has never forgotten going to the concert with her mother Mandy Cornett.
She previously revealed: "I was 11 or 12 when I went to the show. I'm from Texas, so it was in Dallas. We couldn't really afford to do any of that stuff, but my mom had been saving up because it was the first CD I ever bought. I was absolutely obsessed with Britney. We were in the nosebleeds - it was just ... it was awesome."
More recently, Selena went to see Britney at her Las Vegas 'Piece of Me' residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.


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Ethnic differences in adult mortality in England and Wales, 1991-2001 (Extension to Yuan Huang Lee's project A study of ethnic variations in mortality by socio-economic measures)
Yuan Huang Chow and Brian Johnson, Office for National Statistics
[Project number 20063]
This request for additional data forms part of an existing project looking at ethnic differences in mortality which was approved in 2002.
The analysis of mortality by ethnic group has now been completed. This extension aims to look at contrasting country of birth and reported ethnicity for estimating mortality by ethnic group.
In addition to explore mortality rates with the inclusion of deaths available
since 1999.
LS will provide linked data on an individual's country of birth from census and death registrations to ethnic group obtained from the 1991 census.


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Pitchfork Music Festival 2013, Saturday: Belle & Sebastian photos and review
International indie pop crew Belle & Sebastian woo the Saturday crowd of Union Park's Pitchfork Music Festival.
I'm not sure if I'm too young or too lame, but I've never had a Belle & Sebastian phase. Standing in the drizzling rain eating my overpriced chicken sandwich, I nodded my head along to a few familiar tracks ("Oh, hey, this song was on the Juno soundtrack.") and observed the Scottish group's megafans twirl around trying to understand the appeal. After an hour of wading in the indie pool, I will admit—sparkling indie pop at the end of a warm summer day at Union Park was pretty damn charming.
The 11-piece band began their set with an instrumental piece before soaring into "I'm a Cuckoo," a heartsick pop ditty brought to life in a live setting. The band's orchestral trademark violin and trumpet was fuller than usual with additional guitarists and violinists joining the rest of the band, making for a full-blown twee jam. Frontman Stuart Murdoch was warm and welcoming, serving as the ultimate hipster emcee and inviting audience members onstage to help perform a few tracks. He even shared his trials with the city's new Divvy bike share program, "I tried your bike rental program," he admits, explaining that it surpasses New York's stressful version, and forcing the audience to chuckle as they picture Murdoch rolling around the city in one of those goofy-looking powder blue bikes.
He closes the night by performing the lamenting "Piazza, New York Catcher" on the lip of the stage and leads the popular piano-driven groove "The Boy with the Arab Strap" as a large sing-along under the rain. Although I still can't say I ever fully understood it, I could get down with vintage Scottish chamber-indie pop.
RECOMMENDED: Complete coverage of Pitchfork Music Festival


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ABOUT | ADVERTISE | NEWSLETTER | FAQs | LINKS | TEAM | FRIEND
A Book Review - Black Artists In British Art – A History Since The 1950s, Pub 2014
Eddie Chambers
Publishers : I.B. Tauris - www.ibtauris.com
Black Artists In British Art – A History Since The 1950s is a very good read. This should be read by anyone interested in Black British Artists. This book documents the background of key artists behind changing political climate and important art movements. The book is thoroughly researched and informative relating to societies changing attitudes to Black Artists and their practice. It acknowledges the artists featured with a good selection of artwork by them. This defines the artist's significant impact within British Art and society. This book details the tensions felt by artists during the nationwide racial conflicts and their personal struggles expressed in their practice. It focuses in on the artist accounts of racism and inequality felt among many black and Indian artists being ignored, segregated or as Eddie Chambers define "eradicated" from British Art and Market. The editor of femalearts.com agreed with this statement about black artist in British Art. But it must be noted that Eddie Chambers has outdone himself promoting this book within the UK. I had the opportunity to attend the "Running Through The Jungle" event at the Ikon Art Gallery which Eddie Chambers was in topical conversation with artist/curator Morgan Quaintance and convened by Marlene Smith. This book is exceptional, informal read and could benefit as part of further educational curriculum. I look forward reading books in the future written by Eddie Chambers.


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Get the Facts
Hepatitis: Overview...the same symptoms as viral hepatitis. In these cases, the liver is not damaged by a viral infection. The job of the liver is to break down many substances in the blood, and it can get overloaded. Some medications used to fight AIDS or related diseases can cause hepatitis. So can the common painkiller, acetaminophen (Tylenol). The best treatment for these types of hepatitis is to stop using alcohol or the drugs that are irritating the liver....
Ask the Experts
a high risk experience in a high risk part of the worldI recently had unprotected sex with a sex worker in Bangkok(a fairly well-known hotbed for HIV/AIDS). About 11 days after my encounter, i began experiencing a very mild sore throat which seemed to only bother me when i woke up first thing in the...
Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.
The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation...Hello,1. "Symptoms" are notoriously unreliable in predicting who is or is not HIV infected. The bottom line is that you put yourself at risk for STDs, including HIV, by having unprotected sex and consequently Read more »
Pancreas - severe painThank you for maintaining this website.I have been on daily Atripla for 12 months. I've been undetectable and CD4 above 400 for the past 8 months. Everything seems to be working fine except:Since last week I have been experiencing severe acute...
Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.
Rocky Mountain CARES...or kidney injury.So, I'd be discussing your symptoms with your doctor. If very severe, as you note, I wouldn't wait for your HIV doctor to come back into town, rather call his or her office to find our who's on call; or go to your local... Read more »
Elevated liver enzymes, sustiva or hepatitis C?Dear Doctor, after being on sustiva/truvada for almost three months my HIV viral load is undetectable and CD4 increased from 329 to 440. This looks good but my concern is elevated liver enzymes ALT 124 and AST 160. My doctor ordered hepatitis...
Response from Barbara McGovern, M.D.
Tufts University School of Medicine...good result from your therapy in terms of CD4 count improvement and viral suppression. I agree with your concerns about your liver function tests. However, I do think it is okay to continue for now as long as you have no symptoms of right upper... Read more »
HIV and HBVCan HIV cause my dormant HBV to reactive. All my results (ALT, DNA, VL, Panel,PCR and all the Surface B test) have been normal/neg except Surfac AB Quant =
Response from Barbara McGovern, M.D.
Tufts University School of MedicineYou appear to certainly be negative for hepatitis B.If you have not been checked for hepatitis C, I would certainly recommend that. Read more »
IRIS: A Concern for People Starting HIV Therapy...therapy is usually continued as well, unless IRIS becomes life-threatening. To reduce the inflammation, you may be prescribed NSAIDs and/or corticosteroids. More research is currently looking at this issue. Starting HIV therapy while an active... Read more »
Ziagen... AWP: $581.10 / month, $152.77 for 240 ml bottle Manufacturer contact: ViiV Healthcare, www.treathiv.com , 1 (877) 844-8872 Potential side effects and toxicity: Approximately 5-8% of people taking abacavir... Read more »
Caring for Your Liver if You Have HIV/AIDS...medications, over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), repeated use of antibiotics, or exposure to chemicals AIDS related opportunistic infections (OIs) such as MAC (mycobacterium avium complex), TB (tuberculosis), CMV... Read more »
Natural History of Hepatitis C...liver do? How does hepatitis C damage your liver? How can you protect your liver? Hepatitis C outside the liverHIV and hepatitis C coinfection Effect of hepatitis C on HIV Hepatitis C progression in HIV-positive people As... Read more »
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With all the problems I've been having lately, I've been considering moving back home, or picking up and moving somewhere else. Anywhere else. Of course, this isn't the smartest financial decision, but it sure feels like a good fix for the problem- momentarily. I've considered Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; Maui, Hawaii; and even other islands of Hawaii. When we went there for our honeymoon, I absolutely loved it. I have been wanting to go back there ever since we left!
Unfortunately, all this talk about having a baby and real life has put my plans on hold. While I'd love to have a tropical vacation, it's just not doable right now. Maybe in a few years. Lately I've become the queen of rash decisions, and thankfully I haven't been fully acting on them. Good thing!
A couple of my friends are suggesting that I look into selling our house and just picking up and moving back to Colorado. While I agree that would be wonderfully amazing, I can't help but think logically about the financial crunch it would put on us. Sometimes I wish I didn't have responsibility! I think our best bet is to stay put, ride out the economy, and maybe when things get better, seriously look into moving back home. While we should have done that before we bought this house, you live and you learn. And right now I'm just doing a lot of learning!


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Weeks of lurking on Craigslist yielded a few prospects, but in honor of my incipient curmudgeon-hood (is that a word?) I settled on........
|Delta 1160 Tilty top table saw
Rather than have the arbor and blade tilt, like any reasonable saw, these ones have the motor and arbor/blade assembly stationary while the table rises, lowers and tilts. A bit goofy and inconvenient, it also has a very small footprint for it's size and is heavy and dead simple.
|From the bottom
If you are looking at buying one of these, there are a few things to look for. The entire (HEAVY!) weight of the table and fence are supported by these two ridiculously puny trunnions. And they are cast out of a pot metal called Zamak. It's that stuff that cheap cabinet door handles and other things are made out of and looks and feels a bit like aluminum. Not tough, durable or high quality. These saws are top-heavy and if it goes over hard, these are the weakest link. Most everything else on these saws is well built, but these......
This is the front trunnion, where the 90 degree stop would be located if it had one. I have a feeling that even if it were still there, it wouldn't be for long.
|More cracks!
This is the rear trunnion and you can see that the primary retaining bolt has split the casting a bit. This is also very common, but I am not worried in the least. It sure would've been nice if these pieces had been made out of a stronger material like cast steel. I think that these machines were targeted at the home hobbyist woodworker or small shop, often as a combo unit with a jointer on the side. I wonder if the designers would've guessed that even these lower quality units would still be around and in use 60 or so years after they were originally built? Products manufacture to the lowest common denominator and price point has turned this antique into a high quality/value tool that REALLY makes new saws seem cheap and flimsy. It makes you wonder what will be the norm in another 50 years.
Remember when I said that these saws are top heavy? This one had tipped at some point in it's long life, breaking a couple of the bolt bosses on the underside. The repairs were two well performed brazes (?) and look to be good to go. The heat required for brazing is pretty high and often causes......
|Flat (NOT)
Warpage. My photo skills being what they are, what you are seeing is a cast iron table surface that is bulged upward about 1/32" in the center between the two miter gauge slots. Again, not the end of the world. We have the knowledge, we have the power!
Completely dis-assembled, there are only about 2 dozen parts to this saw, so cleaning and painting were simple and pretty easy. Clean off the 60 years of caked on pitch and grease, mask, sand and paint. Not too much to show.
I used Rustoleum hammer finish black, painted with a brush to look a bit like wrought iron. I love this paint. Super easy to use and very durable, all things considered.
One note. If you use oven cleaner to remove the old pitch, don't let it touch the cool, red emblems. Two of the four weren't color fast. Why only two? This is a before.
|Before. Red! (YEA!)
|After. Pink (BOO!)
|Saw ( to be)
|Typical mess
|I think that I remember
|That's better
Now for the moment of truth.
|Cutting machine
|Nasty old doug fir, 4" rip
|Time for some exercise
|Back in black


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These shirts were all over #DCAD2015 yesterday. Get yours today!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Abuse… A Doctors Get Out Of Jail Card | dystonia and me
"clings to the idea of abuse being the root of all my problems. This is despite having letters from my neurologist and my cognitive behavioral therapist telling him that my past has nothing to do with my Dystonia. "
* * *
Doctors love to blame your physical problems on psychiatric causes, because it absolves them of needing to do more than refer you to a psychiatrist.
Posted by CFS Facts at 7:35 AM No comments:
Monday, May 18, 2015
Why Disability Capitol Action Day?
Follow on Facebook: Disability Capitol Action Day
Legislators are used to seeing disabled people in ones and twos and threes, each on their own awareness day, talking about their own disease. Therefore, since they never see a lot of people at once, they don't realize how big a voting bloc the disabled community is, and don't think they need to care about our issues because "it only affects a few people".
Come to #DCAD2015 -- Wednesday, May 20, 2015 -- so that the legislators see thousands of disabled people, along with their families, friends, and caregivers, and understand how many of us these issues really affect. We'll be on the front lawn of the California State Capitol, where they will be sure to notice that there are oodles of people who care about disability issues, whether that's curb cuts or IHSS/SSDI/SSI payments or expanded Medicaid.
This year, we're celebrating 25 years of ADA. Help us make a lot of noise to dissuade those who think it's time to get rid of it. Yes, there are legislators who think all the problems have been solved and there's no longer a need for ADA.
Admission is free, and there are plenty of resource booths where you can pick up information, free pens, free pads, free fridge magnets, maybe even a free tote bag. If you register early next year, you'll get a free box lunch; all of the available ones for this year have been spoken for, but there are plenty of places nearby to buy lunch (I recommend the cafe in the Secretary of State building 2 blocks away at 11th & O -- your taxes subsidize inexpensive food for state workers, so why not take advantage of it yourself? You will need photo ID to get into the building.) Alternately, between 10 and 1, there's a farmers market 3 blocks away at 10th & J, where you can buy fresh fruit and veggies to snack on.
If you'd like, you can go into the Capitol to meet with legislators to share your concerns with them. Or just come for the party and the entertainment.
Posted by CFS Facts at 8:19 PM No comments:
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Assassin's Creed 2 – A Paragraph Review
"Ezio! I meant for you to keep running not to start climbing the walls! Why would I want you to take a dive from ten stories up onto solid concrete below? Keep climbing!" Don't be surprised if early on in your play time with AC2 you hear yourself yelling out to your covert assassin to control a bit better. The mechanics never entirely meliorate but you get used to them enough to enjoy directing Ezio a la free running and parkour-esque scaling through beautiful Renaissance-era Italy. Add varied objectives, engaging combat, side missions that you'll actually want to take on, and you have the ingredients to spruce up AC2 for even those who soured on the original. Further control streamlining will be a task left for the third act.
Rating: B


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Let me start this review by making a candid confession. I liked Anees Bazmee's 2007 Blockbuster 'Welcome' to a great extent. The gangster duo Uday Shetty and Majnu bhai, played by a remarkable Nana Patekar and an ever-dramatic Anil Kapoor respectively, were etched in my mind for long. Add to it Akshay Kumar's gifted sense of humor, Paresh Rawal's impeccable comic timing and the iconic "Aloo Lelo, Kanda Lelo" sequence – Welcome had some genuinely uproarious moments. No wonder, the film was not just a huge box office success but also went on to become one of the most loved films on television that continues to garner great TRPs till date.
Eight years later, Bazmee comes with an absolute charade in the name of a sequel. There seems to be no genuine creative impetus or even an honest motive behind making Welcome Back, apart from the obvious urge for financial windfalls. Welcome Back has a plot that is so hackneyed, loop-ridden and even ridiculous at places that it makes a motley bunch of talented actors look like buffoons. Imagine yourself silently cursing Naseeruddin Shah towards the end because he and his uninspiring portrayal of 'Wanted Bhai' does nothing apart from stretching an already dreadfully boring film. Ditto for someone like Dimple Kapadia who does not know what she is supposed to do or the poor comeback man Shiney Ahuja who is put into a predictable and pointless role.
Poor Story, Screenplay and Direction:
The film's story itself is a spin-off from its prequel's plot with a couple of inexplicable son and daughter discoveries being used to repackage the old, worn-out drama. This time around Uday and Majnu bhai (Nana Patekar and Anil reprising their roles) take up the task of marrying off their yet another sister (Shruti Haasan) to a seedha and shareef man as the gangsters themselves have become good guys and settled down in Dubai. In their quest for a perfect groom, they yet again cross paths with Dr Ghungroo (Paresh Rawal) who has his own 'son discovery' to deal with. Ajju Bhai or Ajay (John Abraham) is Dr. Ghungroo's step-son and a dreaded Mumbai gangster. Uday and Majnu themselves are in awe of a petite young thug (debutante Ankita Shrivastava) who along with her mother (Dimple Kapadia) pose as princess and queen of Najafgarh.
Welcome Back's screenplay is over-complicated and overcrowded to a point that it annoys you. There are too many worthless sub-plots in the film and actors come into and go out of the frame on their will (you can't imagine what they do with Rajpal Yadav's character). Anees Bazmee is not an auteur in the genre of comedy but Welcome Back definitely pitches him at par with someone like Sajid Khan and his brand of intelligence-insulting humor. I am all game for lowbrow and leave-your-mind-at-home kind of comedy but a film like Welcome Back takes the audiences for granted and only tries to cash in (and eventually destroys) the existing goodwill for its prequel.
Wasted Ensemble Cast:
The biggest disservice by Anees Bazmee is probably how he assembles such fine actors and lets that advantage fritter away. Not just that, he replaces the very likeable lead pair of Akshay-Katrina from the prequel with an odd and insipid jodi of John Abraham and Shruti Haasan. John Abraham tries to bulldoze his Shootout at Wadala act here but fails miserably. His contributions to the film end with his 10 packs, a good-looking face and a new found, weird baritone during dialogue delivery. Shruti Haasan, on the other hand, delivers such an amateurish performance that you wonder why is she in the film, or worse why is she into acting.
Ankita Shrivastava, the debutante who is there in the film to wear skimpy clothes and deliver dialogues like a 10-year old, is a bizarre choice for the role of a temptress. She tries too hard but does not achieve an iota of what Mallika Sherawat did effortlessly in Welcome. And also, the girl is way too young to be singing tacky songs with Nana and Anil who look like her granddads. Dimple Kapadia is cast in a role that gives her no scope whatsoever. Shiney Ahuja makes an entrance post interval and does a few predictable screechy scenes before falling in line with the film's overall tediousness. Naseeruddin Shah fails to be a worthy replacement for the Late Firoz Khan and I will not mince words in saying that he is plain bad in the film. He might be a great actor otherwise but there is no harm in calling a spade a spade when there is a need.
Nana and Anil Salvage Some Pride:
Welcome Back's only saving grace is the delectable duo of Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor. The two veterans are in the same old form and try hard to salvage the pride despite being handicapped by poorly-written dialogues (Raj Shandaliya). Despite all the lacuna, there's a memorable sequence in a graveyard where Nana and Anil play Antakshari with the ghosts. This one scene underscores the incredible chemistry that the two share as affable goons and makes you wonder how a good script would have allowed these two to come into their elements. It's a shame that Anees Bazemee wastes the potential of two fine characters and two great actors by making what is easily a lesser of sequel. Similarly, Paresh Rawal, who sparkled as Dr. Ghungroo in the previous installment, is undone by sheer lack of witty one-liners that were a trademark of his character.
Outrageous Music and Tacky VFX:
Welcome Back perhaps features the most outrageous songs that I have had the misfortune of hearing to in recent times. Songs pop out of nowhere through the film and they are resplendent with horrible lyrics (Band kamre mein 20-20 hua!), suggestive dance moves and horrendous choreography. You would want to close your eyes and ears in disgust while these songs are bombarded on you without any prior warning. Do I need to say more?
As if the entire, almost 3-hour long film was not torturous enough, Welcome Back also has an inexplicable climax featuring hordes of camels, choppers, dessert gypsies, aircraft bombs and a sandstorm. The CGI of the sandstorm is a throwback to the 80s and it makes the special effects of a film like Hisss look good.
Final Verdict:
Welcome Back is an unbearable film that mocks your intelligence, breaches all the thresholds of stupidity and redefines the contempt with which many mainstream filmmakers treat their audiences these days. Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor try hard but fail to save this sinking ship and you dearly miss the good old Akhsay Kumar who was the rock-solid anchor of Welcome.
Do yourself a favor and do not watch Welcome Back. You, I and all of us deserve much better.
Rating: * (1/5) – Poor


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A-1 Rental/Party Plus Rentals & Sales
- Event Planning
- Equipment, General Rental
A-1 Rentals has been a family, locally owned and operated business since 1959. A-1 Rentals began as a small business in 1950's when Ernie Jacques started renting our first equipment. Since then we have continued to grow with the times and needs of our customers. Dan Jacques currently owns and operates A-1 Rentals. In 1992, A-1 Rentals added a full-line of Party rentals and retail store, which is now known as Party Plus Rentals and Sales. Callie Jacques, the third generation, manages this store, known as Party Plus Rentals & Sales.
A-1 Rentals and Party Plus Rentals & Sales offers the largest inventory of construction, home owner and party rentals in Helena, Montana. Party Plus Rentals also carries a large inventory of retail items.
Our Business offers rental items from construction to the do-it yourself home owner rentals and don't forget about our party rentals and retail store. Our staff can help with any job no matter how big or small.
We are celebrating our fifty fourth year serving the Helena community and surrounding area's. Thank you for all of your support over the years!!!
Whom to Contact
- Dan Jacques


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STORRS, Conn. (AP) The NCAA says that Connecticut's basketball program - already banned from the postseason for failing to meet other academic standards - has a Graduation Success Rate of just 11 percent.
The GSR, released Thursday, measures the percentage of student-athletes earning diplomas at a school over a six-year period. This year's numbers are for the classes that entered school from 2002 to 2005.
UConn's 11 percent was far below the national average of 68 percent for men's basketball.
Athletic Director Warde Manual, who took that job this year, says the school is committed to improving the program's academic performance and already has implemented changes that are designed to do that.
He pointed to improvements last year in the program's Academic Progress Rate as a sign that those changes are working.
UConn also pointed out that 14 of its 19 athletic programs have Graduation Success Rates at or above the national average.


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Putting all the Pieces Together
Content's job is to communicate—whether it's in the form of text, video, audio or images. Website design also communicates by visually representing your business brand. Site function and usability send messages too (whether you intend it or not) about respecting your visitors' time and attention by being easy to navigate, addressing accessibility, revealing your level of web savvy and, quite possibly, your business expertise.
Beyond and alongside the complexities of creating great content we must also account for the many ways the newly created content will drive design and development decisions. Design and function need direction, and we derive direction from the content itself—in everything from visually representing your brand to accommodating content-related demands with user-friendly layouts.
A web design expert will be able to convey a great deal of information in a condensed, coherent, and comprehensible fashion. IF they know what needs to be conveyed from the outset. After all, how would you put something together without information about what that something must address, accommodate, and actually DO?
6 Key Reasons Why Content Must Be Created First
1) No initial website structure (information architecture) stays the same throughout a project—while developing content in alignment with your business vision, site structure and requirements inevitably change.
2) As the site structure evolves and emerges, no time, effort, or money is wasted on adapting initial designs to unexpected factors. By creating all the content first, we know exactly what to expect in the final phase and can focus on making your site look good, work for your audience, and help achieve your business goals.
3) Text heavy sites benefit from adding more images for visual interest. If a designer doesn't know how much text they have to accommodate on various pages, sections, and the site as a whole, their design will be less effective.
4) Images should relate to text on the page—choosing and placing related images requires the actual content.
5) In the age of mobile, the ways that designers deal with content will become more important and reflect site quality for visitors in new ways. When mobile device users look at your site, what they see differs from what someone looking at a desktop monitor would see. But your customers and clients increasingly do both or skip the desktop all together—and the number of mobile users just keeps rising. Starting with all the content and parameters of your site allows us to provide better solutions for different viewing situations.
6) Effectively incorporating marketing messages, testimonials, definitions, or other breakout content into a design requires a holistic and balanced approach to each page and the site as a whole. That approach both requires, complements, and builds on the site content.
All in all, we believe that web services companies who say they take a holistic approach to creating your web presence should guide you through:
preferably in that order for a myriad of practical, technical, and success-related reasons.
If someone tells you that a design is the place to start to make your site a success, then all you have to do is provide the content after you see the design, beware. It's time to think critically about what that approach will mean for your project—then smile, wave, and keep walking.


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Huntington School Board members have appointed Christine Hoffman as a probationary English to Speakers of Other Languages teacher, effective February 27. She will be eligible for tenure on February 27, 2021.
Ms. Hoffman obtained a BS degree in special education at Dowling College in 2012 and a master's degree in education at St. John's University in 2016. Prior to coming to Huntington, she taught at Dimitrios & Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School in Brooklyn, P.S. 39 – Queens School for Leadership and Excellence and as a third grade special education/self-contained classroom teacher in Amityville.
Ms. Hoffman has been assigned to Jefferson Primary School. She replaces longtime Huntington faculty member Brian Foster who resigned to assume and administrative post in another Suffolk district.
District officials reviewed 12 applications and interviewed nine candidates prior to recommending Ms. Hoffman for appointment.
Trustees also took the following actions during their public meeting on February 6 in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium:
• Appointed Christina Gottlieb and Jessica-Lyn Barry as teaching assistants, effective February 7.
• Appointed Rosalie Digaudio (high school; social studies), Alison Hagedorn (high school; art), Jane Judson (high school; art) and Lauren Kotler (Jack Abrams STEM Magnet/Woodhull Intermediate; English as a new language) as long-term substitute teachers.
• Approved the return of elementary school classroom teacher Heather Flaherty from a child care leave of absence effective September 1.
• Appointed teachers Gina Carone, Dianna Molenko and Camille Tedeschi as after school educators at the high school.
• Appointed Jordan Gould as an alternative high school teacher for economics and participation in government.
• Adjusted teacher Aimee Antorino's appointment as one of the high school newspaper advisors.
• Appointed teacher Steven Kroll as one of the high school newspaper advisors.
• Appointed high school teachers Kaitlyn Hanft and Ryan Fatscher as faculty advisors for the Model UN club.
• Appointed teachers Theresa Duffy, Edward Florea, Lynn Hefele, Mark Helstrom, Karen Mallow-Rizzo, Jeffrey Marciano, Tracey McManus, Dianna Molenko, Ingrid Moreira, Regina Murnane, Veronica Quinlan, Cinzia Reeves, Allison Rooney, Melissa Studdert and Timothy Witt as technology mentors in their respective building.
• Appointed Deborah Winans as a teacher-tutor for homeless children and youth. The stipend of $51.20 per hour for up to 200 hours will be covered by a Title I grant.
• Appointed Cable Jamison as speed, strength and conditioning coach at the high school for the spring semester.
• Appointed Eileen Gonzalez as high school parent liaison. The $1,000 stipend is covered by a Title III LEP grant.
• Approved a tenure appointment for teaching assistant Regina Askerberg, effective February 17.
• Accepted the resignations of teaching assistants Kristina Sair and Colleen Wanser and microcomputer repair technician Hugo Guardado Henriquez.
• Accepted the resignation for the purpose of retirement of Southdown School teacher aide Patricia Gaspari, effective March 1.
• Approved a child care related leave of absence for Flower Hill School reading teacher Kimberly Giani for the 2017/18 school year.
• Appointed Robin Brunet and Joan Lucana as three hour monitors at Jefferson Primary School.
• Appointed Julia Dunn as the Flower Hill School nurse, effective February 13.
• Approved leaves of absence for J. Taylor Finley Middle School teacher aides Elizabeth Meoli and Jacquelyn Smith and Finley security guard Tracie Philbert.
• Authorized Samantha Bindrim, Ashley Howard, Itzel Cedillo Rosas and Morgan Scimeca to work as per diem substitute teachers during the 2016/17 school year.
• Appointed Barbara Gross to work as a daily recurring substitute teacher.
• Authorized Steven Haddock and Thomas Hughes to work as per diem substitute custodians.
• Authorized Min Chin Cheung to work as a per diem substitute clerical.
• Authorized Mackenzie Maloney, Gregory Rorke and Megan Wilder to work as per diem substitute teacher aides.
• Approved Huntington School Board meeting dates for the 2017/18 school year.
• Approved a resolution opposing approval of the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as US secretary of education.
• Approved memorandums of agreement with the Associated Teachers of Huntington and the Huntington Chairperson's Association related to a retirement incentive for faculty members who have passed their first eligibility for retirement.


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Opinion Columns & Blogs
Shawn Bagley: Legal pot could help drought, environment, state coffers
We are going through an unprecedented drought, but I don't have to tell you that. You see it every time you see a brown patch that used to be green grass or dirt that should be your family's crop. It's disgusting, and politicians in Sacramento aren't doing anything about it except bickering.
Whenever they get back from their vacation, our legislators will finally decide to send a water bond to the November ballot. It'll likely include appropriations for conveyance, storage and restoration – renovations to our water infrastructure that should have been put into place years ago. But there is one industry that we can change today to ensure more water comes through for our families and farmers – marijuana.
Politicians are too afraid to even mention the issue. They don't trust the people they represent to be smart enough to have a rational discussion about marijuana. They're afraid of being labeled as "pro-legalization" or "pro-regulation." Well, I'm pro- realization.
I realize that illegal marijuana growers are polluting and diverting water from vital creeks, streams and groundwater sources. I realize that our law enforcement agencies are stretched too thin and don't have the resources to combat heavily armed cartels. And I realize it's time to figure out a reasonable solution to this problem.
Just in the last month, more than 1,000 illegal marijuana plants were discovered in California. Cultivating those plants meant bulldozing mountain sides to create flat land and dumping tons of fertilizer near creeks and streams. Water was diverted into industrial-sized tanks and moved from one watershed to another; dirt from razed mountainsides was pushed into creek channels, and dammed the creeks; fertilizer seeped into those creeks, depleting water sources.
Sheriffs have seen their budgets diminished year after year, so going directly after these cartels at a fast enough pace to eliminate them isn't really an option. They simply cannot keep up with the "prohibition style" culture that has risen up out of this black market. While law-abiding farmers are cut off from their water supplies, these marijuana farmers continue to steal water to stay in business.
It's not fair to our Valley farmers that these illegal growers use unlimited water to grow their crop. It's not fair that Valley farmers have to pay for permits to grow when illegal marijuana growers just grow wherever they want without any regard for how it affects you and me.
So let's level the playing field by making marijuana growers follow the permitting rules that all farmers must follow. Let's take marijuana from the black market to the free market. Moving marijuana into the free market will enable other free-market actors to help the state ensure they're playing by the rules we all abide by. As the only "pro-realization" candidate running for state Senate, I promise to tackle this issue so the outcome will help our state, not hurt it. I'm not afraid of these tough issues, and I'm not afraid to say the status quo isn't working.
Some say that legalizing marijuana is inevitable in California. I have studied how Colorado and Washington have passed and enforced their new laws regarding marijuana. We can learn from their mistakes and make sure marijuana doesn't end up in the hands of children, and marijuana farmers will have to play by the same rules.
In 1996 voters passed Proposition 215, allowing for personal medical marijuana use. This proposition was poorly written and resulted in legal challenges and gave more questions than answers. This is why the Legislature must step up and author a comprehensive marijuana bill. One that ensures our community's safety, environmental protections and an economic benefit to our state.


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July 10 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wednesday as investors await the U.S. Federal Reserve's minutes releasing later in the day, but gains could be capped after a surprise fall in China's June exports raised concerns about a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.
* China warned of a "grim" outlook for trade after a surprise fall in June exports, raising fresh concerns about the extent of the slowdown in the world's second-largest economy and increasing the pressure on the government to act.
* Italy's one-year debt costs rose to their highest level since March at an auction, a day after Standard & Poor's cut Italy's sovereign credit rating to two notches above junk.
* KKR & Co raised $6 billion for its third Asia private equity fund, equipping the firm with the largest such fund in the region at a time when market turmoil is creating both opportunities and challenges for foreign investors.
* British luxury brand Burberry beat forecasts for the first quarter with an 18 percent jump in sales, boosting its shares and allowing it to maintain its full-year guidance in the face of an otherwise struggling global economy.
* Canada stock futures traded up 0.21 percent
* U.S. stock futures , , were mixed around 0.05 percent to -0.1 percent
* European shares, were down
* Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB Index : 285.6156; rose 0.52 percent
* Gold futures : $1,256.6; rose 0.86 percent
* US crude : $105.22; rose 1.63 percent
* Brent crude : $108.29; rose 0.45 percent
* LME 3-month copper : $6,793.25; rose 0.94 percent
Following is a summary of research actions on Canadian companies reported by Reuters.
* Calfrac Well Services Ltd : National Bank Financial raises price target to C$39 from C$33, expects a positive outlook for activity in the second half of 2013 with the company poised for outsized benefits given the current customer mix.
* Continental Gold Ltd : BMO starts rating coverage with outperform, expects the company to trade at a premium to peers given the Buritica project's high-grade ounces, potential top cash costs, and geological prospectivity.
* No major Canadian economic data scheduled for the day
* Major U.S. events and data includes mortgage index, wholesale inventories and sales, and refinancing index