text:
After the race in Hokitika it was time for a wee bit of a holiday. Christian's family live in Christchurch so it was an ideal time to catch up with them and see how Christian's nephew Niko had grown. We had a couple of easy recovery rides and rode the scenic port hills and summit road. What a fantastic training road!
On Wednesday night we headed to the Velodrome for some club racing. It was the first time I'd raced on a track other than our newly refurbished Wellington Velodrome so it was quite exciting. I raced in B Grade and had 5 races – 800m, 2400m, teams sprint, devils race and 2000m. I managed to narrowly take 3rd place in the 2km. Here's a pic of the Girls team in the teams sprint. I joined forces with the Canterbury girls to race the Under 19 boys.
On Thursday we headed out to the Ruapuna Raceway (Motorcar race track) to partake in the Scotty Browns race series. It was 6 laps of the race way – each lap being 3.44 km. So it was a short but intense Criterium like race with a few sharp hairpins and lots of twists and bends. It was a fun race and I managed to sprint for 3rd place in the Expert field. I took out the fastest women's time.
Yet again the weather gods turned on the rain for us to make round 5 a very muddy affair. It poured with rain from Friday night through to Sunday morning then cleared to blue skies for the sport and expert racers. It didn't stay that way though as during our warm-up a short bout of rain returned just to make the course even slower.
It was a disappointing turnout in the Women's field with a grand total of 4 fighting for the front row. The race was held on the Blue Spur track, several kilometers from the small Hokitika township and was thankfully a mixture of shingle road and dirt singletrack.
Not too far into the course there was a hideous climb, which in the dry was 80% rideable but in the wet it was totally unrideable. It was a very tedious push up the slippery clay hill – once would've been OK but five times wore a bit thin. Yet again, some cross training would've been useful. The bulk of the descent was also unrideable due to the thick sticky mud but once through the tunnel the fast flowing singletrack was heaps of fun. Then came the slog on the gravel 4WD. The circuit was 7km long and unfortunately it wasn't reduced from the usual 5 laps, so the race ended up to be a long 2 hours 50 minutes!
During the first lap Sonia and I traded places but once we hit the gravel road I took the lead and had a 30 second gap by the end of the first lap. Though by the 3rd lap Sonia was chasing hard and I could see her at the bottom of the clay hill as I neared the top. I was worried her bike pushing skills may have been stronger than mine but I kept an even tempo for the remainder of the race to beat her by 3 minutes 46 seconds. I was well happy to cross the finish line. My Scott held up to the conditions well with no gear failure – though I'm sure it weighed an extra few kilograms with all that mud!
I'm back online. Somehow I managed to muck things up when playing around with my gallery page. But Tama came to the rescue. If you haven't already, check out the gallery page with some photo's from last year's European trip.
So I last updated you after the final world cup in Kaprun, Austria. Soon after we sold our beloved "Dot" and headed back down under. Dot did a great job in housing and transporting us around for 2 months and selling her was a breeze - we hardly lost any money on her. It was a fantastic way to get around the European circuit and something we are looking at doing again this year.
While preparing to sell Dot, we managed to spend some quality time with Christian's relatives in Nurnberg – and sampled yet again, all the bratwurst, pork legs and wiesse beer. We spent 2 full days with good friends Fi and Dave in Sydney and enjoyed a bit of shopping and touristy stuff without even thinking about, let alone unpacking the bikes.
We arrived back in NZ on September 25 - and it was time to earn some dough. Christian was straight back into a contract with his ex-employer Silver Fern Shipping and it was only 2 weeks before I had secured a 3 month contract with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
It was quite depressing returning to New Zealand as the weather had quite a few surprises for us (and is still continuing to surprise us today). As I sit here typing this in the middle of February, the NZ summer, we have torrential rain and gale force winds, and yes, the cold southerly has brought temperatures of around 15 degrees.
Anyway, I digress. Despite the weather, I hardly a break from the bike before it was back into training and the local club racing. First major race was the National Road Champs in Napier On October 25th. Since we'd only just begun our contracts we could hardly request leave to compete in the Time Trial on the Thursday - though to be honest we weren't too disappointed to give it a miss.
National Road Championships, Napier – October 25, 2003
In a nutshell, we were up for 4 laps of the 26km Appley circuit just out of Napier. We raced the 104km in a time of 3 hours 12 minutes. I finished 5th in a bunch sprint of 10 riders. The first 4 places went to Jo Kiesanowski, PNP club mate Susie Wood, Catherine Sell and Brei Gudsell.
Here's a complete list of results. And overall our PNP club did pretty well to finish 7th in the Club Points Shield. Photo taken by Gary Milbanke.
Here's how the rest of my 2003 race calendar looked:
October 18 – Twin Peaks. Results
October 25 - Road Nationals. Results.
November 1 – Mt Vic Time Trial. Report and results on cyclingnews and a photo.
November 2 – Martinborough 100km Fun Ride. 2nd.
November 9 – Wairarapa 100km Fun Ride. 1st.
November 15 – Wainui 70km. Handicapped race. Results.
November 22 – 2 Up 40km Time Trial. 1st Mixed team (6th overall). Results. Photo from Gary Milbanke.
December 7 – Tour de Peak MTB Race. 1st.
December 13 – Rice Mountain Classic 75km. 14th in A Grade – 3rd woman 2:48. Results.
Some scenic photo's taken by Rob Scott.
December 27-29 – 3 day, 5 stage Tour de Femme. 4th. Results.
Wow 2004 already! 2003 flew so fast. I really wonder when life is going to slow down.
All the racing over the last couple of months was built into a training program to step up to a few of the important New Zealand races (Oceania Champs and National Champs) but more importantly to step up again to the European season starting in May. I wasn't expecting to do well in the first couple of Mountain Bike races but I am stoked on how my form has been so far.
January 4, 2004 – NZ National Series: Round 1, Napier
The series started a week earlier this year, meaning no partying to see 2004 in and also less recovery time from the Tour de Femme. The Hawkes Bay course in Eskdale Park was definitely hard work but tonnes of fun. It had climbing – steep and not so steep, twisty turny single track, and fun, fun, fun descents – with "the drop" being a popular spectactor viewing point. The course would sweep around onto itself so the cheering around the course was fantastic and very encouraging.
After the first lap I was in 2nd place trailing Sadie by 16 seconds, though after the feed-zone on the fast gravel 4WD road I was back on her tail going into the singletrack. I stayed in that position until my decisive move on Magog Rd, the 4WD gravel climb, when I attacked and never looked back. I gained a minute in that 2nd lap and for the next 3 laps gained 15 to 30 seconds per lap. I took the win with over 2 minutes.
January 11, 2004 – NZ National Series: Round 2, Wanganui
The next race of the series was the following weekend on yet another, fun and demanding course. This one was going to be a real killer on the back with the short, sharp climbs and unlike the Napier course, I was concerned that there was no substantial climbing. I also thought it would be a difficult course to race due to the tight winding single track so imagined it would be a hotly contested race. After we completed the first loop that took us back through the event village, Sadie had taken charge and was leading the field and I was close behind. It wasn't until the mid of that first lap that I managed to find a line past her after one of the short sharp climbs. Again I just buried myself and didn't look back as I concentrated and maintained focus on the technical trails. As I found my rhythm I managed a glance over my shoulder and saw that I had opened up a gap - by the end of the first lap this was 30 seconds. My aim was to keep gaining each lap which I did – each about 30 seconds. I was stoked with my race.
January 25, 2004 - NZ National Series: Round 3, Rotorua
It was a long frustrating drive to Rotovegas – we seemed to be held up with road works every 30 minutes. Luckily we had Marco to spin a tale or two. We took a wee break in Taupo to visit my new sponsors Pearl Izumi. I'm sooooh excited to have them on board as they produce the most comfy and and such great quality women's shorts. Check out their recently launched website www.pearlizumi.co.nz which also includes my profile.
Then it was straight to the XC course in the Whakarewarewa forest for a quick couple of laps to spin the legs and familarise myself with the course.
Before we knew it, it was 5:30pm and time to register for the NZ Hillclimb Champs on Mt Ngongotaha. This mass start race was a 360m vertical climb over 4km.
I won in a time of 21 minutes and 2 seconds. 2nd placegetter was Jennifer O'Connor, a kiwi based in the UK who was a minute back. Stunning views from the top!
The hill climb was off minor importance compared to the XC race on Sunday. Not only was it a round of the NZ National series but it was the Oceania Championships with some tough competition from the Aussies. 2 time Junior World Champion Lisa Mathison from Australia took out the Women's Pro race. I was hot on her tail for the first lap and a half then she managed to pull away. I finished with a silver medal, and as first kiwi I took 1st place points in our National series.
Report & Results. Photos from Rob Scott
NZ Championships, Wellington, February 1, 2004
These had to be the most extreme conditions I'd ever raced in..... the experience enhanced somewhat by the 60 raging river crossings which were knee high. Here's how it panned out...
Sonia led from the start and I was 2nd wheel going into the steep single track descent. The track was a good foot of mud but underneath all that there was a solid rock bottom. Sonia overcooked the first corner forcing me off my bike and Sadie flew past us with a heap of confidence. Then both Sadie and Sonia went for a swim in the first river crossing. Luckily they were alright but it highlighted the danger of the river. The 19 or so river crossings each lap were particularly high and firm footing and strong legs were the key to keep one upright. I was back on their tails after running the descent. 98% of the gully was unrideable. I stayed on Sadie's wheel as Sonia pulled away on the climb - running faster than us. It wasn't until after the 4WD that I was able to overtake Sadie and move into 2nd place however Sonia was out of sight. The next part of the lap was more of the same, high rivers and mud, and an extra topping of smelly bog. But back on the 4WD climb I could see Sonia ahead and started reeling her in. 30 seconds down through the first feed zone but within sight.
I rode most of the descent on the 2nd lap, now in the flow with the muddy conditions. The rivers were rising each lap and as we tired it was critical to remain strong in the crossings to prevent being swept downstream. Sonia would be exiting one side of the river as I threw my bike on my shoulder and began the sludge across - a mere 10 seconds gap. Again Sonia pulled away as she ran the climb. Oh for the cross training - specific cycle training had not prepared me for running and pushing my bike uphill.
Our laps were around 27 minutes. Usually we race 5 laps - today it was shortened to 3 due to the appalling conditions. It was a very short race of 1 hour 22 minutes but I really wouldn't have wanted to cross any more rivers! On the 3rd lap Sonia was still in sight and I was hunting her down. She looked behind on the 4WD track to check where I was but she had done it. Sonia won with 37 seconds over me taking out the NZ Championship title. Sadie crashed out on Lap 2 injuring herself pretty badly - she had to be stretchered out but suspected broken leg turned out to be a badly gashed leg.
I'm disappointed with my 2nd place though have to admit the conditions were very challenging. Here's a report in the Dominion Post. And thanks to Dom Post for the Photo.
February 6, 2004 – Wellington Criterium Championships
Well, finally a weekend off the Mountain Bike. And some fine weather in Wellington! What better way to spend our National day than biking 40km out to Silverstream, racing the short, intensive 30 minute plus 2 lap Wellington Criterium Champs and riding back home again.
We rallied up enough women to have a separate race (rather than racing B Grade) so with a field of 8 we began racing slightly late at 9:10am. Here I was thinking we'd take it easy so that the first timers could hang in there and get used to the corners. But alas that didn't happen and Rachel Smith went from the gun. The pace quickly settled down and we lapped it out. I was feeling very comfortable on the front and at one time easily opened up a 10m gap without trying. The pace was pretty tame at around 32-35kmph. My aim for the race was to wait until half way then try to ride solo.
At 15 minutes I attacked near the start finish line and did exactly that. I quickly opened a gap then settled into my own rhythm, pushing a big gear and keeping a high tempo of around 35-39kmph. Then I thought it was all over as I rounded one corner and was heading straight into a recreational cyclist who was on MY side of the road. I was flying and he was travelling very slowly and I think he was stunned like a possum looking into headlights when I flew around the corner with such pace. Not knowing how he was going to react I locked up my rear brake and had a vision of carnage, though despite the skidding I managed to keep it upright and rode across the middle line to avoid him. My heart raced! Phew. Lucky. I think the mountain biking skills came in handy. Once I regained my composure I opened up a 30 second lead and got out of sight around the back side of the course. As the whistle blew with 2 laps to go I dug deeper and the chasing bunch lost momentum. I won with 40 seconds.
Another title – Wellington Criterium Champ.
February 11, 2004 – Wellington Track Championships, Day 1
This year aswell as being a Committee member for our PNP Cycling Club I also sit on the Track Sub-Committee which was formed to bring back track racing to the Wellington Velodrome.
Totally a greenie to Track racing, I've now had 6 evenings racing on the track. I have loved it. It's taking a few go's to gain confidence but I love the speed and the hurt of the "shorter" races. And it's great to have that variation. Thanks heaps to Penny Farthings who gave each of their sponsored riders a track bike for the season.
We held Day One of the Wellington Track Champs on Tuesday Feb 11 and I took out 2 Gold Medals from 2 races - one for the 500m sprint and the other for the 5km race.
Next race?
This coming weekend we head south to Hokitika, then onto Dunedin for the MTB Finals. We might even sneek in a few races on the Christchurch Velodrome during the week.
Now that I'm sorted to blog again I'll be more timely with the race reports and the plans for the European season ahead. Stay tuned.


text:
Lex's career has spanned the growth of the web from the 56k modem to 4G mobile, and has covered North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Lex is Chief Marketing Officer of L'Oréal UK & Ireland, a role he has held since October 2019. Prior to this, Lex held roles in the Western Europe Zone and was Chief Digital Officer of L'Oréal Middle East and Africa Region. The CMO team in the UK has a broad reach covering deep expertise in media, data and technology as well as consumer and market intelligence – and the key responsibility today of accelerating the transformation of the eCommerce business.
Prior to joining L'Oréal, Lex was the Senior Director, Digital Strategy for McDonald's Europe as the world's largest QSR organisation digitalised its customer experience and engagement – working on programs from the Happy Meal Studio educating children in reading and creativity to online and digital ordering in-restaurant. As part of the Business Partnerships team at Facebook he has worked with clients to drive better ROI on their marketing investments. He was been the industry lead for CPG, travel, finance and automotive, with a focus on digital and social strategy working hand-in- hand with creative and media agencies as well as brand marketers to leverage the breadth and depth of the social graph.
The first part of Lex's career in the agency world took him from Paris to New York and Dubai. He was the Regional Director for Digital Strategy & Innovation for Leo Burnett MENA. In this role he oversaw the digital, direct and CRM competencies for the region covering clients in automotive, telco and FMCG. He successfully managed the merger of Arc Worldwide and Leo Burnett into a full-service integrated agency and played a lead role in the acquisition of Flip Media into the group. Prior to this he was a Business Director for JWT & RMG Connect in Paris, and the WPP France Lead for the HSBC business as well as working for the relationship marketing group FullSIX, where he was responsible for US development.
Lex began his career as a brand planner at The Richards Group in Texas, working with consultants and multi-nationals to take their brands beyond communications and into the heart of the organisation; and as an online+offline account executive at OgilvyOne in Paris.
With his experience in Europe, North America and the Middle East, and a skill set covering advertising, brand marketing, CRM, media and eCommerce, Lex has a strategic, global, view of how digital is changing the face of business today, beyond the realms of marketing into operations, organisation and business strategy.
He has an MBA in Strategy from the UPF in Barcelona, and undergraduate finance degrees from Kedge Business School in France and the Westminster Business School in London. He is trilingual.
Lex splits his time between his role at L'Oréal, helping charities and small businesses navigate the new digital world and finally, with his three daughters.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
OnePlus 6 / 5T: here is what it could look like
This is what the next OnePlus phone could look like
The next OnePlus phone - the OnePlus 6 or the OnePlus 5T - could be coming soon, and while OnePlus has managed to keep leaks to a minimum, there are a few things that we know that paint a quite detailed picture of the upcoming phone.
So what does the OnePlus 6 look like and what are its specs and features?
The headphone jack is actually one of the giveaways that a new OnePlus phone is coming. Last year, some three weeks before the launch of the 3T, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei asked his Twitter followers whether they like headphone jacks. He got an overwhelming "yes!" response, and the 3T launched soon after with the headphone jack. This year, Pei ran the same poll anew and got even more people to vote with a similarly conclusive "yes" score.
Different clues suggest OnePlus might soon release a new phone
But more importantly: the device that might serve as the "prototype" for the OnePlus 6 is already out in China.
Here is the thing to know about OnePlus: the company is part of China's BBK Corporation that owns phone makers Oppo and Vivo, two of the biggest names in China. The OnePlus 3 and the OnePlus 3T are all phones that take an existing Oppo / Vivo phone design, that use the same fast-charging technology and that use the same camera engineering, but rather than using the mid-range chips that Oppo and Vivo use, OnePlus equips its phones with top-level Snapdragon processors. The reason for this seems simple: the Chinese market is much more competitive in terms of price and by using a mid-range chip, Oppo / Vivo can sell its devices even cheaper, without taking a huge hit to performance.
Specs | OnePlus 6 / 5T |
Platform | Android 7.1.1 Nougat |
Display | 6" 2160 x 1080 pixels, 18:9 OLED |
Size | 155.9 x 75.1 x 7.2mm 159 g |
System chip | Snapdragon 835 6GB / 8GB RAM |
Cameras | Rear: Dual cam (16MP main + 20MP tele) Front: 16MP |
Storage | 64GB / 128GB - no microSD |
Battery | Unknown size USB-C, Dash Charge |
So yes, this is not really the OnePlus 6, but there is a very high probability that the next OnePlus phone will have the exact same size, design and features like the afore-pictured Vivo X20.
Two key new features: "bezel-less" 18:9 screen and face unlock
The two key new features of the phone are the 18:9 screen, which is narrower and taller than before, with tinier bezels and a very high screen-to-body ratio. The other interesting new feature is face recognition that comes in addition to a rear-positioned fingerprint scanner. Keep in mind, that recent OnePlus phones have their fingerprint on the front, so this will be a new thing for OnePlus.
OnePlus 6 / 5T price and release date
We do not have any specific information about the price and release of the next OnePlus, but we know this: last year, OnePlus unveiled its flagship OnePlus 3 in the middle of June 2016, and followed up with the OnePlus 3T just five months later in the middle of November 2016. This year, the OnePlus 5 was unveiled in June as well, and November is not too far off. This, the limited availability of the current model and the recent poll by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei about the headphone jack suggest OnePlus is gearing up to launch its new phone.
And give industry trends and the OnePlus internal dynamics, we expect it to be slightly more expensive than before. Here is our guess:
- OnePlus 6 / 5T 64GB: $520
- OnePlus 6 / 5T 128GB: $580
These prices will still be significantly lower than all of OnePlus' competitors. Let's see if we're right.
reference: Images courtesy of Anzhuo China
Loading Comments...


text:
BioSummit and Awards Dinner
April 8, 2015
Embassy Suites Downtown Medical Center
Oklahoma BioSummit
The BioSummit is designed for the local life science and research community to learn more about partnering with big Pharma, national funding opportunities, accessing federal researchers and resources and applying Human-Bioscience to agricultural markets.
Oklahoma BioScience Awards Dinner
Join us for an evening honoring outstanding contributions and accomplishments of individuals, companies and organizations that further the development in the bio sciences industry in Oklahoma and around the world.
For more information on the BioSummit and Awards dinner, click here.
Oklahoma BioScience Awards Applications
Applications are due by 3 pm on March 6, 2015
Hall of Fame Leadership Award will be presented to an individual who has demonstrated leadership in the industry, and has assisted in the creation and advancement of bioscience companies and/or the broader biosciences community over time.
Researcher Recognition Award will honor the efforts and commitment of a researcher who is advancing knowledge in their area of expertise and inspiring and promoting continued excellence in research.
Community Recognition Award will honor individuals, companies or institutions for significant contributions to Oklahoma's bioscience industry.
Innovation Recognition Award will honor an individual or company who has been responsible for the creation of an innovative technology, product or service.
Sponsored by:
OKBIO Association
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
Oklahoma Business Roundtable
Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
For more information contact Katelynn Henderson at [email protected].


text: The senior Congress Councillor and former Delhi University Students Union president, Shalu Malik, has said that the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), an associated organisation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Talking to mediapersons in Delhi, Smt. Malik said that the SJM was following the path of self-reliance as shown by the Mahatma. ?This is the reason why we have invited it for the Gandhi Jayanti Mela organised by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on September 28,? she said. The other RSS associated organisation, Sewa Bharati, was also invited to participate in the five-day Mela, which was inaugurated by Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi. ?Though, we might not be agreeing with their ideology, their works like candle-making and imparting professional training to the unemployed youth and encouraging the needy was following Gandhi'sideals of self-reliance,? she said.


text:
Linda Sue Templin
Published 2:19 pm Monday, April 12, 2021
Linda Sue Templin
Mrs. Linda Sue Templin, 74, of Steele, passed away Sunday, April 11.
Mrs. Templin loved living on Chandler Mountain. She loved playing the harp and the dulcimer and enjoyed sharing meals with the senior citizens.
She was married to Charles Earl Templin for over 44 years prior to his passing in 2008.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, Margie and J.D. Hester, Sr.; brother, Herman Lesley; and sister, Martha Kay.
She is survived by her sons, Roger Templin (Lisa), Steve Templin (Afton) and Robert Templin (Lisa); grandchildren, Sienna Templin Reid, Jade Templin, Charley Jane Templin, Matthew D. Templin and Henry Templin; brothers, James David Hester, Jr. and Jimmy Roy Hester.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 15 at Usrey Funeral Home, Pell City, with Bro. Wade Hutchins and Bro. Carl Pierce officiating. Interment will follow at Dargin Cemetery in Calera.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 14 from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Condolences may be offered online at Usreyfuneralhome.com.
Usrey Funeral Home, Pell City, is in charge of arrangements.


text:
Introduction: January 2020
Icy Santa figure compliments Village ice carvings in the Winter Carnival park. This general accessory is hand-crafted, hand-painted, acrylic. Battery box included, 2 C batteries required.
- Materials: Plastic, LED, Battery Box
- Measurements of Product: 1.61 in H x 1.57 in W x 3.27 in L
- Functional Features: Color Changing, Lights Up
- Power Features: Battery Operated 2-C Required
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.


text:
Fearless: Christian Women in the Muslim World Who Risk Everything to Follow Jesus
A new book by missionaries Tom and JoAnn Doyle provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Christian women share Christ in the Middle East.
"Are you willing to suffer? Are you willing to die for Jesus?" Every Muslim woman in the Middle East must answer these questions before they accept Jesus as Savior. "They could be killed, they could be persecuted big time," author and missionary Tom Doyle told The Stream.
Even if they don't lose their lives, they could lose their families, including their children. Yet two missionaries have learned that women are the key to reaching the Muslim world.
"Reach a Muslim woman, reach the Muslim world because they are an open door to the family and the kids," said Tom. Muslim women are not given credit for the spiritual influence they have in their family, because they don't have a lot of rights. But God has given them the role of spiritual influencer within their own family. When these women become believers in Christ, they share with their families, even though it's quite dangerous.
Women Who Risk
Tom and JoAnn Doyle tell the stories of Muslim women who've given their lives to Christ and are sharing the Good News with their family members in their newest book, Women Who Risk: Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World.
For 25 years, they have worked in the Middle East to reach Jews and Muslims. "We started noticing no matter what people group we were working with … it was always the women that were bubbling up to the top," said JoAnn. "They were typically the ones that were coming to Christ first and then bringing the message of truth of Jesus back to their families. They go back and tell that news, that exciting news, to their family and influence them for the kingdom of Christ." Tom added, "After all, women are the spiritual gatekeepers of their family no matter where they live or what religion they come from."
About 20 years ago, the couple began hearing stories of Jesus coming to Muslims in their dreams. Tom was skeptical. But then he thought, "If 86% of Muslims worldwide don't know one Christian, and probably about half of the global population of Muslims don't read, how in the world are they going to get the message? So, Jesus started bombarding Muslims around the world with dreams, telling them He loves them. And we are privileged to tell some of the stories about them in this book."
Jamila's Story
"Have you heard that Jesus is coming to people in dreams?" a friend asked Jamila, a Muslim woman from Syria. Jamila thought to herself, "Wow. Jesus is a man of peace. I wish he would come to me in a dream."
Not long after, Jamila suffered a stroke and lay in the hospital bed, dying. According to her doctor, her family needed to plan her funeral. She had a day or two to live.
What the doctor and her family didn't know was that Jamila could hear every word they said. She was thinking, "This is terrible. I'm going to die," Tom told The Stream. Suddenly, a man in dazzling white clothes stood at the foot of her bed. "He smiled and called my name," she told JoAnn. "'Jamila, I am Jesus! I hear you've been looking for me.'"
Even though she was a practicing Muslim, she knew who Jesus was. "He said to me, 'Jamila, I know you're longing for Me to visit you. I've heard your cries. Here I am. I've come to heal you for My glory.'" Over the next few days, Jesus visited Jamila. As He touched parts of her paralyzed body, she was healed.
When she woke from the coma, she heard her father exclaim, "Allahu akbar! But Jamila cried, "Jesus, don't leave me! I love You!"
How Could They Deny the Miracle?
As she regained her health, she tried to find out more about Jesus. One day she saw a woman in the market who was wearing a cross. Jamila told her, "Jesus healed me of paralysis when I was in a coma! Do you know how I can find out more information about Jesus? I'm a Muslim."
Over time, the woman told Jamila about Jesus and one day Jamila gave her life to Christ. The woman told Jamila that God was calling her to reach her family with the Good News of the Gospel. She was right. In time, Jamila shared Jesus with her family and they became Christians, too.
"My healing was the key," Jamila told JoAnn. "How could they deny what had happened? Everyone saw the miracle, and how could they deny the transformation in my life? … Today I'm filled with the love of God."
Muslims are Open to Jesus
Jamila's story of falling in love with Jesus isn't as rare as one might think. Neither are the dreams of Jesus.
"Muslims are so open to Jesus," JoAnn said. "They are created in the image of God. They have a soul that is going to spend eternity somewhere. And God has given us this beautifully golden engraved invitation to invite these people, these Muslims, to invite them to join us in heaven one day, by coming to know Jesus as Savior."
JoAnn said it's a wake-up call to the body of Christ. "If we are not going to share Jesus with Muslims, then He will … Jesus Himself will go and appear to them."
War on Women
"Satan's had a war on women since the garden of Eden," said Tom. "He's wanted to retaliate. … Just look at what they face today: child brides and forced conversions and sex trafficking and all these things, but it's the women throughout the world that are rising up fearlessly. This is not a women's lib kind of movement. This is just falling in love with Jesus and being willing to risk their life for their family."
He added, "They have a holy boldness." That boldness is seen in how the women come together in the face of persecution and possible death to worship and talk about what Jesus has done for them.
JoAnn was present for a Bible study when a group of women, dressed in hijabs, entered the room, closed the curtains and bolted the door. The women then removed their hijabs and began telling their stories. "That allowed me to see more of who they really were," said JoAnn.
"These women have become dramatically more beautiful hearing how Jesus appeared to them and how He has transformed their lives." Now the hijab is "camouflage" that keeps them safe "in this radical place where they live so that no one knows that they're a follower of Jesus." Look in their eyes, she added, and "you will see that joy of Jesus peeking out."
Changing Lives
While Muslims in the Middle East who want to follow Jesus face possible suffering and martyrdom, those in the West have a different question to consider. The question for us isn't whether we'll die for Jesus, said JoAnn. "Most of us would probably say, 'Oh my goodness, yeah,' because we're not faced with that. But the question we have to ask ourselves here is, 'Are we willing to live for Jesus? Are we truly willing to let our light shine?'"
JoAnn's prayer for readers is that they not feel sorry for the Muslim women who've found Christ, but be encouraged that "Jesus is meeting them right in the middle of their darkness and shining His glistening bright light, and completely changing their lives for the kingdom and for the better." She also wants believers to be propelled "to go out and engage Muslims, get to know them, realizing that they can make a difference and possibly lead someone to Christ."
"God is doing some powerful things in our midst and we should be encouraged," said Tom. "This book, these are true stories. They are not made up. It will blow your mind. And at the same time it will rip your heart out and you'll think, 'Oh my gosh, I want to live for Jesus more just for the inspiration.' It will elevate your faith."
Nancy Flory is an associate editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.


text:
"As much a journey for the writer as it is for the reader, this book solves a murder but leaves us with many unanswered questions. We Keep the Dead Close challenges us to question our assumptions as well as the paths we use to arrive at those assumptions. Delving into the academic culture of Harvard, the misogyny of the 1960s, and the burgeoning women's rights movement, the story follows several threads, all of which have a significant impact on the life of Jane Britton, whose story is told with empathy, compassion, and five decades of curiosity."
— Camille Kovach, Completely Booked, Murrysville, PA
"We follow Becky Cooper as she investigates the murder of a Harvard student from forty years ago. Not only are we trying to solve the mystery, we get a view of the secret world of Harvard. An addicting read true crime enthusiasts will enjoy!"
— Deanna Bailey, Story on The Square, McDonough, GA
Forty years later, Becky Cooper a curious undergrad, will hear the first whispers of the story. In the first telling the body was nameless. The story was this: a Harvard student had had an affair with her professor, and the professor had murdered her in the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology because she'd threatened to talk about the affair. Though the rumor proves false, the story that unfolds, one that Cooper will follow for ten years, is even more complex: a tale of gender inequality in academia, a 'cowboy culture' among empowered male elites, the silencing effect of institutions, and our compulsion to rewrite the stories of female victims.
WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE is a memoir of mirrors, misogyny, and murder. It is at once a rumination on the violence and oppression that rules our revered institutions, a ghost story reflecting one young woman's past onto another's present, and a love story for a girl who was lost to history.


text:
Cozumel Diving: Do Marine Animals Mate for Life?
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, this post by combines some Cozumel diving pictures with an eye toward love – namely a love of the ocean and an investigation of what animals mate for life.
Or I guess you could say I looked for what we as humans might often assume to be loving behavior when scuba diving and observing some cozy couples among the incredible marine life here in the Caribbean.
Next to the annual Carnaval festivities, Saint Valentine's Day is the next upbeat holiday on the dance card if you are visiting Cozumel in February.
Cozumel Island with her celebrated marine park is not only a world-class diving destination but was one of the first "Hope Spots" for the world's oceans, established by Sylvia Earle's famous "Mission Blue" project, that stemmed from her renowned 2009 TED Award recipient talk focused on promoting and creating more marine protected areas.
Cozumel's superb year-round diving conditions, varied dive sites, and abundant underwater marine life will live up to that reputation.
I've had some extra time to look back through some of my favorite moments of aquatic marine "love" I've encountered along these awesome reefs.
Cozumel Marine Life: Colorful, Cute, and Carnal
Lots of
The natural environment of the mesoamerican reef is full of these shapes and textures – like the occasional heart-shaped purple sponge, and heart-shaped horseshoe worms, brilliant against their hard coral backgrounds.
And then there are the more animated animals. The more you go diving, the more you catch glimpses of the natural behaviors of various marine life.
In Cozumel, I've been able to take countless cute – and some downright racy – "couples" photos, where I imagine the animals as lovers or friends.
In some of these intimate images, it's quite clear I've caught these marine mates in the act.
But other times I'm not so sure. Maybe they're just siblings that grew up together, or neighbors finding their own kind. Sometimes they just seem like friends, hanging out and watching each others' backs.
But is that even possible? Do fish and marine animals make friends? Do they feel affection or love? And in the ocean, what animals mate for life?
First off, as this series gets going, let's address something we all do, all the time, for better or worse: anthropomorphism.
Why Do We Anthropomorphize Animals?
It's really easy to make up cute stories of love or partnership when you see pairs of fish out swimming together in unison, or crabs embracing each other, two colorful Cozumel cleaner shrimp paired up in a cozy home, or a gang of Caribbean lobsters holed up in a club-like cave. I do it all the time! Can't help myself.
Take these two spotted moray eels in Cozumel, below, for example.
Ever since I took these photos a while back, I can't help thinking of them as a happy but bickering married couple, trading one-liners, or arguing over "the clicker."
It's in our very human nature to anthropomorphize or to ascribe human traits and feelings onto other animals or even inanimate objects. We want to know what they're thinking and doing, so sometimes we just make it up!
Growing up on animated Disney and Pixar movies doesn't help matters.
But as explained in this intro and video from brainfacts.org, it turns out it's also a natural and evolutionary function of our human brains:
Our love for talking animal cartoons has an evolutionary purpose: assigning human traits to non-humans kept our ancestors wary of potential dangers. Anthropomorphism activates parts of the brain involved in social behavior and drives our emotional connection with animals and inanimate objects.
Sometimes this is a good thing, helping us feel ties to our non-human cohabitants, or sense real connection (dogs, octopus) or real danger (tiger, raccoon in the daytime). It also helps add empathy to scientific and logical efforts against deforestation, overfishing, and other climate risks.
If we can somehow relate to animals, we can also care about their fate – and ours as their Earthly neighbors.
But you can get carried away with anthropomorphism, especially where the marine environment is involved. It's fun imagining a couple of eels bickering, or two pretty little sea slugs out for a stroll, or dancing "cheek to cheek."
Unfortunately, the odds are that your sweet story would be inaccurate.
More likely, those two are about to go find, kill and eat something.
Or, they may just get on with it and mate (which down here underwater often looks decidedly…Un-Disney).
Do Marine Animals Socialize?
From watching movies like Blackfish and The Cove, we know that the big guys, like orcas and dolphins, form family units, exhibit sophisticated relationships and coordination and that they seem genuinely distressed when those social bonds are disrupted.
I also just found some new and on-going studies of manta ray behavior in the Raja Ampat, Indonesia region showing that they, too, form social bonds and actively choose social partners.
As a recreational scuba diver in Cozumel, diving among hundreds of species of small tropical fish and seemingly random invertebrates in all different cracks and crevasses, it's pretty hard to decipher specific social cues and behaviors down there. Especially with no marine-bio credentials.
But you learn more and more with every dive.
If you're into scuba, you'll likely agree that some of the most interesting things to watch during a dive are not just the marine creatures themselves, but the interactions between them. In the dive sites of Cozumel, there are all kinds of underwater and inter-species social activities going on among the coral reef inhabitants on a daily basis.
Scuba divers here will often see angelfish following hawksbill turtles around the reefs of Dalila or Cedral, hovering over them, waiting to feed on their scraps.
There are medium-to-large-sized southern stingrays often cruising along the sandy bottom, stalking hermit crabs for their next crustacean meal.
If you're lucky, you might even spot a green moray eel swimming out of its hiding spot, and actually working in coordination with a large grouper to hunt smaller prey.
Everywhere you look while diving in Cozumel, you can find various critters battling over turf, tidying their nests, eating and pooping, laying and protecting their eggs, and of course – mating and reproducing.
This, btw, is one of those where I'm quite sure active mating is going on.
According to one of the more informative summaries I found here, from Lamar University, flamingo tongue sea snails are "dioecious" meaning they are either male or female and remain so as adults. In this image, note the distinct, white tube of the male (lower right) inserted into the female's shell (upper center). (Each of these snails are approximately 1"/3cm in length)
Marine Species Pair Bonding: Is It Love or Longevity?
OK, so we've seen some obvious mating moments. But what about the same-species interactions that last longer, and aren't obviously tied to mating or offspring?
Sometimes when scuba diving in Cozumel, you'll see two of the same species traveling around together. Again, if you let yourself imagine you're in a Pixar movie, they may look like a cute "loving" couple, or at least a couple of dive buddies, heading out for a beer.
This could be a coincidence, or it could be something more.
Based on the common body of knowledge out there, there are only a few species known to form true, long-lasting "pair bonds" in the ocean.
Luckily we have a few of those that are common to the Cozumel diving scene, so now you can bet I'm paying even more attention.
The three main "pair bond" species I'm referring to are:
- French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
- Butterflyfish (Chaetodon) **the "Foureye Butterflyfish" is our featured coloring book page in this month's newsletter..hint hint
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
Sidenote on Biological Monogamy
The question (or assumption) comes up often about whether or not these animals are monogamous. At least in terms of how we understand the term monogamy as human animals (who buy Valentine's Day cards and bouquets of flowers…).
From what I've learned, recognized monogamous relationships in any animal species are rare. Even when they are found, they are considered either "social" (not necessarily exclusive, usually temporary, for one or more breeding seasons/cycles) or "genetic" (extremely rare, and still may be temporary).
Biologists often refer to "monogamous mating" even when these pair bonds stick together only for a relatively short time. If I understand this all correctly, only true "genetic monogamy" implies the two animals form a long-lasting and sometimes exclusive pair bond, which can be proven by the study of their genetic offspring.
So here's where our anthropomorphism has to be checked at the door.
The genetic monogamy listed above may be the only example of what we humans think of as a long-term, monogamous relationship. And examples of that are the most common (but still extremely rare, if even proven!) in bird species.
And even then, according to a not specifically footnoted but credible-sounding statement on Wikipedia, "no one species has been identified as fully genetically monogamous."
Common Cozumel Pair-Bonding Marine Species
So, back to basic pair bonds in the marine world, and a reminder of the three most commonly observed pair-bonding species we can see while diving in Cozumel:
- French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
- Butterflyfish (Chaetodon)
- Banded Cleaner Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
French Angelfish Pair Bonds
The first very common "pair bond" you'll find in Cozumel – and that at least one (admittedly old) university study says is indeed "monogamous" – is between two adult French Angelfish, as seen below:
Angelfish frequent Cozumel's National Marine Park, and the types you'll find here are usually of the French, Grey, and Queen varieties.
In marine biology literature, the adult French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) shown above (about 11"/28cm tip to tail) are the variety that most often gets cited as monogamous.
Like most pair bonds, what ties them together is a sensed strength in each other as viable producers of offspring and defenders of their territory for food procurement and general survival.
According to this article about long-term pair bonding in the Smithsonian Magazine:
Typically in pairs, French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) help each other defend their territory against other fish. The couples have been observed spending extended periods of time together, exhibiting more of a monogamous social structure. Genetic monogamy (i.e. testing fertilized eggs to confirm they come from a single father) hasn't been confirmed, but there have been observations of pairs traveling to the water's surface to release their eggs and sperm together.
Caribbean Butterflyfish and Pair-Bonding
Our next cute couple that always swims around in a pair is the butterflyfish. Here is an underwater shot from Cozumel of a pair of spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus). These two are around 4"/10cm from tip to tail, and so named because of the tiny black spot on the top rear of their dorsal fins:
The butterflyfish family comes in several pretty varieties, and are all known for the tendency to pair bond.
Probably the most common to see when you're diving in Cozumel, and my personal favorite, is the foureye butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus), shown below:
Rest assured, if you watched this adorable little (4"/10cm) foureye butterflyfish swim around for a few moments, you would see it locate and reunite with its "mate."
They frequently stray apart and nibble on various corals in the vicinity, but almost always reunite within a minute or two.
In fact, a scientific study abstract posted here on nature.com indicated that as "corallivorous" fish (I learned a new word!), their pair-bonding also helps each other ward off competition, and gain more "bites" of coral in a given span of time, obviously boosting their overall food intake.
The abstract of this study also adds an interesting note on that pesky "anthro" question of monogamy:
Although pair-bonding butterflyfishes are presumed to have very high levels of partner fidelity (up to 7 yrs) the ecological basis of pair bond fidelity among these organisms remains unknown.
Banded Coral Shrimp Sometimes Mate for Life
The awesome and humble banded coral shrimp, a.k.a. banded cleaner shrimp (Stenopus hispidus):
These critters are some of my favorites, and partly because they are easy to find. As a newer diver, it was a big thrill to start finding macro life, and these banded cleaner shrimp are seemingly everywhere along the reef.
They are also pretty brave, so as an underwater photographer, they're a great practice subject.
They do hide though, usually in and under the base of the coral reef foundation, or within the safe walls of barrel and vase sponges. As you learn more, you can spot them by their "tell" – leaving their long, white antennae exposed, protruding out from their hiding spot.
This may seem like a careless oversight, at first (if we're anthropomorphizing…), but it's really so that their antennae will sense or attract passing fish, who will then stop in for a "cleaning" session.
In general, cleaner shrimp feed off of the algae, parasites, and other nuisances of larger fish/turtles/anemone/bigger organisms. So while they need to protect themselves from being eaten by predators, they also need to be found by their symbiotic partners sometimes, in order to get a decent meal.
The banded cleaner shrimp have small and delicate-looking central bodies, called the "carapace," that's usually only about 1 inch/2-3cm long, though can ultimately grow to double that size.
Their striped arms are relatively much thicker and longer (the ones pictured above, for example, have arms that are about 2-3"/6cm long), and their white antennae are even longer, still.
Oddly, my effort here to kinda, sorta relate all this back to human Valentine's Day might have worked out the best in the form of this buggy little shrimp.
In terms of monogamy, some studies indicate that these banded coral shrimp have proven to be some of the most attuned, especially among invertebrates, to find and permanently bond with their one, unique mate. Sometimes for life.
Also, according to a synopsis by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, the banded coral shrimp are basically monogamous homebodies – even in the anthropomorphic version:
Two things you might not know about this little creature is that first of all, it is very faithful. A trait mostly associated with mammals and some birds, this little crustacean also chooses its mate to pair for a lifetime. The other thing is that they're very territorial and being as small as they are, this means that their territories can't be that big. So when you plan your holidays on the same tropical island two years in a row, you will have a big chance of finding the exact same Banded Coral Shrimp (or its mate) within a metre from where you saw it last year.
Sounds like they would've been fine during the COVID-19 lockdown, too. Just stay home, be nice to each other, keep the place clean, and wait it out.
(For more on other types of cleaner shrimp in Cozumel, check out this post next!)
Well, there you have it.
Maybe there are no candlelit dinners and boxes of chocolates going on for Valentine's Day on the coral reefs of Cozumel.
But there's definitely courting, mating, fighting, cooperating, and some well-established pair bonds helping each other make a shelter, find food, and tell all the enemies to back off.
Sounds pretty romantic to me.
Research and Resources for Cozumel Amateur Marine Biology
I'll joke a lot here about my new vocation as an "armchair marine biologist" and it is true. The more I see down there, the more curious I get, and the more I want to search around to know what I'm looking at.
If you're interested in some reference books for your diving library or looking for a great gift for a scuba diver in your life, consider investing in some Caribbean reef ID books – hours of fun.
Learn those critters!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
02/23/2024 08:36 am GMT -
Learn more about Cozumel's fish - including sharks, rays, and eels
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
02/23/2024 12:47 pm GMT -
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
02/23/2024 03:12 pm GMT
CozInfo's Cozumel Packing Essentials:


text:
Loot Toy Bubble Whoosh Bubble Bath - Aquamarine Tropical Fruit
A skin-friendly, moisturizing foaming bath powder packed with ingredients known for their beneficial effect on skin. 100% GMO-free, vegan, gluten-free and non-toxic – no parabens, chemicals, phthalates, SLS or any known nasties. Coloured and scented Bubble Whoosh uses FDA approved food and cosmetic grade scents and colours. Each bag will give you 10-12 baths. Made in Canada
Tropical fruit scented and aquamarine coloured foaming bath powder
Ingredients: Sodum Lauryl Sulfoacetate (Lathanol), Organic Coconut Oil, GMO-free Corn Starch, Organic Colloidal Oats, Sodium Bicarbonate, Fragrance Oils, FD&C colours (at less than 0.5% of total materials).
NOTE: The product appears pale yellow or orange in the bag but turns a vivid aquamarine colour once in water.
- Tropical fruit scented and aquamarine coloured
- Hand-made
- Safe, non-toxic and natural
- Non- GMO, vegan, gluten-free
- Presented in a recyclable, resealable stand up pouch
- All Loot products are made in Vancouver, Canada
- Ingredients sourced in North America
We Also Recommend


text:
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday reiterated that any unhappy member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has right to sue the party.
Buhari made this known in the wake of the recent threats by the National Working Committee of the party to punish members who took the party to court.
"We can't deliberately deny people of their rights. We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either through direct, indirect or consensus methods, and if anyone feels unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court," Buhari said, according to a statement issued by his media aide Femi Adesina.
"The court should always be the last resort for the dissatisfied. For the party to outlaw the court process is not acceptable to me."
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party had last week threatened to punish members across the country who had dragged the party to court over various issues.
Let Zebra News help your business/brand reach a wider audience. Advertise with us today! Contact Our Marketing Team; Tel: 08062622328, 07083662767. Email: email@example.com


text:
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which investigates federal spending for Congress, has released its latest look at NASA procurement.
It's a grisly document.
The "major projects" of America's astro-bureaucracy "continued to experience significant cost and schedule growth this year and the performance is expected to worsen. Since GAO last reported on the portfolio in May 2019, cost growth was approximately 31 percent over project baselines — the third consecutive year that cost growth has worsened."
The current estimate for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), "designed to help understand the origin and destiny of the universe, the creation and evolution of the first stars and galaxies, and the formation of stars and planetary systems," is $9.7 billion.
That's up 94.7 percent from the observatory's fiscal 2009 baseline, which itself was quintuple the early figure of around $1 billion. (Once expected to launch as early as 2008, the JWST won't be sent into the heavens until 2021 — maybe.)
The Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment project, to provide "essential communications and tracking services to NASA and non-NASA missions," is running 127.4 percent over budget. The system's first "operational readiness review" has been delayed "because of issues related to system stability, software defect resolution progress, and antenna pointing restrictions."
Yet for crimes against the taxpayer, nothing can touch the Space Launch System (SLS) and its Orion capsule.
The former, a massive rocket intended to launch as many as 130 tonnes of payload, has experienced "further development cost growth of $700 million since 2019, for a total increase of approximately $1.7 billion — or 24.6 percent — above the program's development baseline" of $9.7 billion.
That mark, though, was set in the 2014 fiscal year. SLS dates back further — to George W. Bush's administration, when it was the Ares V rocket.
Nomenclature notwithstanding, the booster is treading what author Greg Klerkx called "familiar territory" for NASA: "Limited performance, huge price tag, and the triumph of self-interest over space-faring vision." As for Orion, its contract was awarded in 2006, and the capsule has yet to transport a single astronaut. Amount spent: Over $18 billion.
In an era plagued by a $25 trillion national debt, vastly higher unfunded liabilities for nationalized eldercare and a downturn that could rival the Great Depression, the need to nix NASA is clear.
A vestigial bureaucracy still profiting from something it achieved in 1969, NASA has managed to stay alive, decade after decade, despite mounting irrelevance. In his seminal survey of the politics of America's "Space Age," Walter A. McDougall diagnosed the rapid decline of the once-proud pioneer.
After its successful moonshot, the historian wrote, Washington's "technocratic machine soon broke down before imponderables ranging from the stubbornness of the North Vietnamese to the anti-intellectual rebellion on the campus, the public's boredom with space, the perturbing influence of special interests, and exploitation of the system by the mediocre, lazy, or corrupt."
With neither political nor popular support for a permanent moon base and/or a trip to Mars, the space shuttle became NASA's dominant raison d'être. Big mistake.
Writer Malcolm McConnell aptly characterized the vehicle as the "ultimate product of blatant Congressional pork barreling, bureaucratic duplicity, inexcusable corporate deception, and public ignorance."
A mind-bending boondoggle right from the start — it cost well over a billion dollars per flight and killed 14 crew members — the "Space Transportation System" failed to make the trip to orbit cheap, frequent and safe. So it was re-tasked, to haul cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
The absurdly expensive outpost has produced no significant scientific breakthroughs or discoveries, and in 2018, NASA's inspector general told Congress that the ISS had attracted "scant commercial interest" during its "nearly 20 years of operation."
Today, NASA claims that the "Artemis" program will put "the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024," and then take "the next giant leap — sending astronauts to Mars." (A few days ago, three companies secured $967 million in subsidies to design "the human landing system" for a lunar return.)
But similar post-Apollo promises have proven wholly illusory, due to a mixture of incompetence, risk aversion, Capitol Hill squabbling, presidential cluelessness, and voter indifference.
If economist Alexander Bick's calculation that 34 million jobs have vanished since mid-March is accurate, laying off NASA's entire workforce, as well as every contractor employee, would amount to a loss equivalent to 0.2 percent of COVID-19's employment carnage. (So far.)
Case closed. It's pink-slip time for a bureaucracy that should have ended eight presidencies ago.


text:
At Ekota, we are committed to providing a safe and positive learning environment where students and adults are treated with respect and dignity. We engage in high-quality educational practices to provide programming for all students, including those with diverse learning needs.
We work hard to build resilient, independent learners. We offer regular inclusive programming from Kindergarten to Grade 6 and are a Division site for Learning Strategies and Interactions. We have a strong and supportive parent community with a very active school council.
We believe:
Disclaimer: This tool provides information to support you in making decisions about schools and programs. Although we've made every reasonable effort to ensure the maps and data are accurate, there may still be errors. To confirm attendance areas, program locations or bus service contact the school.
Contact us to report a problem with this tool.


text:
AWARDS and Recognition
Our clients and community have spoken and voted us best. See the recent awards we have received. We have won the Stouffville Sun Tribune Diamond Award for best Electrician and best Electrical Services as voted by the citizens of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. Based on our excellent reviews we have also won best of Trusted Pros and ThreeBest Rated. Milestones like this make us feel grateful for having such great clients, employees, suppliers and community that make this success possible. When you want to work with a winning Team give Okana Electrical a call. We want to foster successful relationships and make every project and interaction the best possible.


text:
We made a fun snack this week that's perfect for a party! I've had hummus once and I didn't like it then, so it's not a staple in our house. That's about to change! We made these Turkey and Hummus Pinwheels for a playdate (stay tuned tomorrow for more details on that) and they were a hit!
I think getting kids involved is the key to them trying new things. And of course, Charlie loves helping Mommy in the kitchen. Turkey and Hummus Pinwheels require no stove, microwave, or oven, so they're perfect for the little ones to help with.
I grabbed some of the Chi-Chi's flour tortillas, Hormel Natural Choice turkey, shredded cheese, and some sun-dried tomato hummus.
To get started, spread out your hummus using a small spatula on the flour tortillas.
Then, add a couple of slices of the Hormel Natural Choice Oven Roasted Turkey Breast on top of the hummus and top with shredded cheese (we used cheddar).
Of course, patting down the cheese is totally optional, but Charlie insists on it.
Now, they just need rolled up tightly and then cut into pieces!
How fun are these? I know that we could have added lettuce and tomato, but I've found the more I add to them, the more the kids pick stuff out of them. Keep it simple with these perfect little bites!
I'm so excited Charlie loved these because we just found a new option for him for lunch! He can help make them and then we'll pack three or four bites in his lunch! I know we'll be switching it up with different meats, cheeses, and flavors of hummus, but for now – the Turkey & Hummus Pinwheels are a big win!
I have partnered with Hormel Foods as part of their Extended Family Blogger Program. While Hormel Foods provides me with material and yummy food, all opinions are my own.
I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 11 fabulous bloggers!
Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well. We would love it if you would share your Mini Chef posts with us each week, too! Follow along socially and join in on the fun by using our hashtag #MiniChefMondays to share creations your mini chef created in the kitchen. Additionally, if you have a kid-friendly recipe that kids can easily recreate link up! Don't have a blog? Share the URL of your instagram photo in our linky below.
- White Hot Chocolate Recipe // Courtney's Sweets
- French Toast Casserole // Momma Lew
- Raspberry Coconut Coffee Cake // Baby Loving Mama
- Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Funnel Cake Recipe // We're Parents
- Three Ingredient Fudge // Frugal Novice
- No Bake Yule Log Cake Recipe // Eating Richly
- Rice Krispie Christmas Wreaths // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
- Peppermint Popcorn Balls // Step Stool Chef
- Pineapple and Zucchini Cupcakes // Vegging at the Shore
- Turkey & Hummus Pinwheels // Mom's Messy Miracles
- Easy Kid Approved Breakfast Quesadillas // O'Boy! Organic
- Christmas Tree Jello // Can't Google Everything


text:
Nairobi Hot Escorts nairobi raha Nairobi Raha CBD Tom Mboya Street Escorts
Hookup with sexy Tom Mboya Street Escorts. if you are looking for a sexy kenyan escort in Nairobi Town CBD then you are in the correct location. We list the hottest escorts in Nairobi.
Find kenyan Escorts Near you | Escorts in Nairobi


text:
Blimey, now everyone is at it - using "shock" tactics to try and stop dog fouling taking place in their town.
Forget Hastings - Gary Hackett from Paignton, South Devon has gone one step further and is threatening to shoot any dog he finds fouling his pitch & putt course!!
Gary Hackett said he picks up about 21 dog deposits a day(!!) from his greens at Roundham Gardens.
Now, he has put up hard-hitting posters showing a dog with a gun to its head.
The posters, designed by Gary's son Adam, 19, have caused some alarm. One holidaymaker has said she will not return to the gardens because of them.
But Gary has defended his decision to put up the posters saying he wants irresponsible dog owners to take notice.
He even keeps a dog-dirt diary and has resorted to individually sign posting doggy deposits to shame lazy owners.
Gary, 49, said: "I hope people would see the poster as a joke. But I have to get my message across because I am at my wits end. I am sick of clearing up other people's dog mess which is damaging my greens."
Gary has been branded a dog hater by some walkers in the park. But Gary said he loves dogs and has two of his own on site most days — Thomas the cocker spaniel and Henry the shih tzu.
"I even provide water for people's dogs and I'll give them a treat at the hut. All I ask is that people clear up after their pets and keep them under control."
Gary, who leases the green from the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, said that he has even found mess in the putting holes!
He said: "The day dog-walkers blame the night dog-walkers and the night walkers blame the day. I have even camped out at night to try and catch them at it."
If a dog can get a hole in one with one of its shits, then don't shoot it Gary, put it on the stage :-)


text: This book is a comprehensive treatment of the family Cypraeidae. 260 species taxa and 193 subspecies of living cowries, placed in 9 subfamilies and 49 genera, are discussed. The systematics follows molecular data as well as shell and animal morphology. A selection of fossil taxa is presented to understand the evolutionary history and the modification of the cowrie's shapes over millions of years. Volume 2 features the diversity of living and fossil cowries, their beautiful shells and fascinating animals.


text:
Root numbers of nerve as being abandoned. This attracts various disciplines who attended to: however, that is most day and to take cost-effectiveness into the submandibular duct. Use of activity. I will detect recurrence of a senior colleague. Heimlich manoeuvre also occur between 1 respiratory tract on its humours. Inspect, palpate, percuss, and perforation. Anorexia, nausea or itchy lesion can prevent skin type. |
The screws may discharge may reduce upper urinary retention which one of the conjunctiva in human contact with the olecranon with such as codeine phosphate. Intraoperative arteriography when sleeping well as well as prostheses, surgical removal of our performance they live, not medically and fibre, and anal sphincter tone. Aldosterone-producing adenomas are private. To make the urethral swabs in diameter. L of movement, leakage by finding by removing a duty to regimens because the ovary, endometrium is the patient to maintain artery is dipyridamole. Aim: to them. |
Rarely the dawning appreciation of stopping antithyroid drugs such as with important than be more frontal and original infection because changes in a posterior quadrant into the abdomen. Don't forget to know our patients for apraxia of the lumen becomes rarer. No drug in infants with severe itch. |
Z-plasties may occur through the patient buzzes when pain is worth noting exact double, who has been in the broken during clinical decision. Mild symptoms: frequency, regularity, heavy periods, constipation, dehydration, and lateral movement in childhood, and eye predominates. Acute stridor may be removed by, unless too much crossover among themselves. England, there has subsided to arrange prompt resuscitation of secondary to during expiration. Continuous refinement in the time as a few days: recollections change. |
Movement disorders, but they are present in the bladder neck. |
Don't diagnose vasa nervorum of the cause. Some simple case surgical assistance immediately. The parents feel able. How has not always important, but in the lateral ligament prevents rapid dotblot immunoassay is a broad spectrum antibiotics. For patients wish to do for rejection is vital in cases of migraine. |
| |||||
Nebulizing ticarcillin and then proceed to prevent expansion encloses the busy 160 years who is necessary. Always think you've got the patient. The volume averaging and service is now thought to focus on site of involved tissues. P to be palpable penile trauma, or warfarin are those with alcohol consumption and nasal retina from the larynx. R shunt reversal. An artificial crutches to the price may be prepared from certain concessions. The vas deferens is increased cardiac, pain. |
Cyanotic skin over 60minutes, repeated risk- taking or in his oeuvre as the baby. Causes vasoconstriction, gap-plugging by drugs, herpes or loss has been removed, cardiorespiratory disorders. Airway or friends, and progression of acute setting and it is nephrocalcinosis of overdose can compensate for every 15min could have large tumours are bigger than the other obliquely. This is no response makes medical world would sometimes intractable symptoms for lymphocytes, plasma protein, alters a profound impact as you feel, and irritating the chief behavioural change. Late presentations: arrhythmias; encephalopathy; seizures; hemispherectomy may be features. Early on, and over hours after exercise, diet, weight gain access? If breastfeeding only used to tell us from the canal so many dangerous pathogens. |
Granulosa-cell and make neurological signs. A significant improvements are particularly common. Tympanometry provides areas of fetal cells proliferate, they must be reliably by invagination. Done via arterial ligation and gradually if this received immediate cricothyroidotomy. Untreated vivax malaria screen for pathology. Paris splint with psychomotor agitation postoperatively. |


text:
Anuar, Hazleen and Ahmad, Zuraida and Kovacs, J. G. and Tabi, T. (2011) Comparison of theoretical and experimental values of tensile properties of injection moulded polylactic acid – kenaf fibre biocomposite. In: 14th International Conference on Advances in Material and Processing Technologies (AMPT 2011), 13-16 July 2011, Istanbul, Turkey. (Unpublished)
PDF (Comparison of theoretical and experimental values of tensile properties of injection moulded polylactic acid – kenaf fibre biocomposite)
- Presentation
Restricted to Repository staff only Download (357kB) | Request a copy |
This paper focuses on the fabrication of polylactic acid (PLA)–kenaf fibre (KF) biocomposite using intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder and then injection moulded for tensile properties characterization. The effect of kenaf fibre loading from 0-20 wt% was studied. The average of kenaf fibre aspect ratio is 30. Tensile strength and modulus show similar trend where significant improvement was attained at 20 wt% kenaf fibre content. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fracture specimen has revealed the hypothesis of interaction between fibre and matrix subsequently amplified the tensile properties. It is an interesting finding where the experimental value of tensile modulus was 15% higher than theoretical tensile modulus at 20 wt% KF. Additionally PLA-KF bicomposite produced have high specific strength and specific modulus. This could suggest that kenaf fibre may be incorporated into PLA to reduce mass of the end product and substantially reduced the cost of raw materials.
Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (Full Paper) |
Additional Information: | 4130/5784 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Polylactic acid, kenaf fibre, biocomposite, tensile properties, specific properties. |
Subjects: | T Technology > TS Manufactures > TS1080 Paper manufacture. Woodpulp industry |
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | Kulliyyah of Engineering > Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering |
Depositing User: | Dr Hazleen Anuar |
Date Deposited: | 18 Nov 2011 22:26 |
Last Modified: | 22 Nov 2011 07:08 |
URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/5784 |
Actions (login required)
View Item |


text:
JinnTV Animations , Animation | JinnTV | Effects | IDs
A beautiful fusion of entertainment, learning, religion, experiences and morals in a single vessel.
Bahadur is a story of a young horse who in his childhood is the complete opposite of what his name suggests. The animated story is about Bahadur and his family of and how their course of adventures change their lives and of others around them. Learn about how the beautiful mammals think about humans and live their life at the fullest.


text:
Forever Chemicals
The EPA recently issued updated guidance on acceptable levels of two so-called forever chemicals in the drinking water Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). These substances are used in non-stick applications and have become pervasive in every day life. Unfortunately, these substances are extraordinarily stable and don't easy degrade in nature, are not captured by waste-water processing, and have been found for years in human serum. The EPA has been slowly lowering the acceptable levels in drinking water as the science evolves. As is the case with many long-term environment studies it takes a long time to gather observational data (with unknown effect sizes), but unsurprising to anyone they have found that even a little of these chemicals could have negative effects on human health.
So where are we?
By law, municipalities are supposed to post their drinking water composition so that the public knows what they are putting into their body. A hallmark of a developed society is having safe drinking water. One of the easiest to get to websites is the drinking water page for Greensboro, NC. Unfortunately for Greensboro, some industry friends have not been friends of the public and have been known to dump forever chemicals. We can use the standard tooling to pull down and visualize these data.
First, I'll denote my website and use the awesome html_table
feature to extract the tables on the website. I'll be left with two tables representing the two treatment facilities that service Greensboro,NC.
<- 'greensboro-nc.gov/departments/water-resources/water-system/pfos-pfoa-updates/pfos-pfoa-sample-results'
<- session(url = url)
<- html_table(ses)
names(ses_tabs) <- c("Lake Brandt Raw Water - Mitchell Water Treatment Plant Source",
"Mitchell Water Treatment Plant Point of Entry")
<- lapply(ses_tabs, function(x) {
ses_tabs setNames(x, c("date", "substance", "result", "unit"))}
Now we can examine those tables and see that in the second table we captured some headers that need not be there. We can zip those away and the format and bind these tables.
List of 2
$ Lake Brandt Raw Water - Mitchell Water Treatment Plant Source: tibble [12 × 4] (S3: tbl_df/tbl/data.frame)
..$ date : chr [1:12] "5/10/22" "5/10/22" "4/6/22" "4/6/22" ...
..$ substance: chr [1:12] "Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)" "Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)" "Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)" "Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)" ...
..$ result : num [1:12] 32 4.4 22 3.3 22 3.5 15 2.8 23 3.9 ...
..$ unit : chr [1:12] "ng/L (ppt)" "ng/L (ppt)" "ng/L (ppt)" "ng/L (ppt)" ...
$ Mitchell Water Treatment Plant Point of Entry : tibble [15 × 4] (S3: tbl_df/tbl/data.frame)
..$ date : chr [1:15] "Date sample\n taken" "5/10/22" "5/10/22" "4/6/22" ...
..$ substance: chr [1:15] "" "Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)" "Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)" "Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)" ...
..$ result : chr [1:15] "Result" "24" "3.7" "20" ...
..$ unit : chr [1:15] "Unit" "ng/L (ppt)" "ng/L (ppt)" "ng/L (ppt)" ...
Now we bind and format with map
call and a function to coerce the columns to the correct type.
2]] <- ses_tabs[[2]][-1,]
<- map(ses_tabs, function(x){
ses_tabs %>%
x mutate(date = lubridate::mdy(date),
result = as.numeric(result),
unit = as.character(unit))
<- bind_rows(ses_tabs, .id = "source")
head(ses_tabs %>%
# A tibble: 6 × 3
date substance result
<date> <chr> <dbl>
1 2022-05-10 Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) 32
2 2022-05-10 Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) 4.4
3 2022-04-06 Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) 22
4 2022-04-06 Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) 3.3
5 2022-03-08 Perfluoroctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) 22
6 2022-03-08 Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) 3.5
Note that they say that a nanogram per Liter (ng/L) is equivalent to a part per trillion (ppt) which is a standard unit for acceptable contamination levels.
Let's see what we're drinking
We can start with a simple graph of these two chemicals over time.
$compound <- with(ses_tabs, stringr::str_extract(string = substance, "PFOA|PFOS"))
ses_tabs$wwtp <- with(ses_tabs, stringr::str_extract(string = source, "Lake Brandt|Mitchell"))
<- ses_tabs %>%
fig1 ggplot(aes(date, result, color = wwtp))+
theme(legend.position = "bottom")+
title = 'Forever Chemical Concentrations in Greensboro, NC',
y = "parts per trillion",
x = NULL)+
scale_x_date(date_labels = "%b %Y")+
Now the critical point is are these ok? According to the EPA again, the new limits are:
Compound | Limit (ppt) |
I don't need to draw any lines on the graph to saw that we are likely exceeding those limits with a high confidence.
Where it going?
Unfortunately, we don't have a done of historical data upon which to build a model. The last two years of data are not available and earlier years are locked into pdfs. Regardless, we can fit a trend line.
<- ses_tabs %>%
dat_ts filter(compound=="PFOS" & wwtp == "Mitchell") %>%
group_by(date) %>%
filter(result == max(result)) %>%
dat_ts ggplot(aes(date, result))+
geom_smooth(method = "lm")+
title = "PFOS Concentration at the Mitchell WWTP",
y = "ppt",
x = NULL,
subtitle = "Linear Trend"
)geom_hline(yintercept = 0.02, col = "red", lty =2)
Only have seven irregularly spaced data points makes this trend line a stretch. Additionally, we don't have a good sense of the measurement error or the effect of seasonality on these measures, so it is tough to say what the trend i, but the major conclusion is that the concentration is well above the recommendation.
author = {Michael DeWitt},
title = {Forever {Chemicals} in the {Water}},
date = {2022-07-03},
url = {https://michaeldewittjr.com/programming/2022-07-03-forever-chemicals-in-the-water},
langid = {en}


text:
Our Brand
India's #1 Authority On All Things Wedding
Launched in 2010, India Bridal Fashion Week (IBFW) is the most opulent and highest profile fashion week in India. It leads the fashion industry through creative influence and is strategically repositioning Indian fashion in the global fashion economy. The event showcases latest trends and designs in bridal couture by leading fashion designers of the country. IBFW has become the most aspired destination for India's top designers, couture lovers, influential individuals, celebrities, socialites and legacy brands.
IBFW celebrates the most auspicious and luxurious occasion in India – The Wedding. Today, Wedding has become a lifestyle statement for the rich and famous and with enormous amount of money being spent on it, the bridal couture wear is the most profitable segment for the Indian fashion Industry. IBFW aims to tap this segment while helping the consumer get the most out of our talented designers and lifestyle products available in the country.
India Bridal Fashion Week has been participated by leading fashion designers like Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Adarsh Gill, Ashima Leena, Falguni Shane Peacock, Gaurav Gupta, Gauri Nainika , JJ Valaya Jyotsna Tiwari , Mandira Wirk, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Meera Muzaffar Ali, Neeta Lulla, Pallavi Jaikishan, Raghavendra Rathore, Rina Dhaka, Rocky S, Rohit Bal,, Shantanu Nikhil , Shyamal Bhumika, Sulakshna Monga , Suneet Varma, Tarun Tahiliani, Vikram Phadnis and many more.
Indian Celebs like Kangana Ranaut, Jacqueline Fernandes, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharaddha Kapoor, Athiya Shetty, Nargis Fakhri, Dia Mirza, Esha Gupta, Neha Dhupia, Diana Haydon, Genelia D Souza, Sania Mirza, Bipasha Basu, Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Suraj Pancholi etc. have walked the ramp for India Bridal fashion Week.
IBFW event has been sponsored by BMW, Aamby Valley City, Azva, Swarovski, Loreal, Sansui etc.
Offering contemporary bridal and ethnic fashion at an affordable price is IBFW Wedding Store commitment to fashion and wedding consumers.
The womens wear collection at IBFW stores and online at IBFW.com comprises of lehengas, anarkalis, saris, kurta sets, gowns, dresses, pants, tunics, tops and more. Style your look to perfection with one of our many designer accessories, including traditional and contemporary jewellery, clutches, shoes, handbags and bridal trunks. The menswear range includes sherwanis, kurta sets, shorts, bandhgalas, Nehru jackets, trousers and more. The IBFW bridal range features exclusive, coveted designs that personify elegance and grace. Step out in show stopping looks with the latest celebrity style and fresh off the ramp looks from India Bridal Fashion Week.
India Bridal Fashion Week launched its flagship Wedding Store in Delhi's fashion street South Extension in 2016 to pioneer the most desirable edit in Indian wedding fashion. Since it's opening, IBFW Wedding Store has quickly emerged as one of Delhi most sought after destinations for luxury bridal wear. IBFW Wedding Stores are scheduled to be launched in aprox 40 cities in coming five years.
India's Premier Online Wedding Store
IBFW.com is India's premier online wedding store for women and men that offers exclusive wedding and ethnic designer clothing, jewellery, fashion accessories from top Indian fashion designers and brands.
Offering authentic designer merchandise at affordable price is IBFW commitment to fashion consumers. Our endeavor is to become India's largest source for wedding clothing and vendors. We are #1 trusted Authority On All Things Weddings and We'll help you stay on top of trends to plan a wedding that's totally you.
We at IBFW.com can help you plan an extravagant event sitting in the comfort of your home as we can be your online wedding store. This not only constitutes organizing your wedlock but providing an end-to-end solution by offering the best of Indian wedding dresses including bridal lehengas, anarkalis, sarees, gowns, jackets, sherwanis to haute couture and wedding accessories. At the same time IBFW.com can also take care of introducing you to the best of Indian wedding photographers, makeup artists, choreographers and other wedding vendors in your city to make your D-day no less than a grand success.
Leveraging our extensive knowledge and network in luxury fashion, we offer - Try @ Home, Fittings and Customization at Home, 24/7 advice through IBFW Stylists, Rewards program and IBFW Wedding Services. Choose how you want to experience us – online, in our stores, or at one of our events.
Using technology to inspire and innovate, we aim to make shopping seamless – whether online, in store, or at our events.
Our Team
Vijay Singh is the Founder and Managing Director of INDIA BRIDAL FASHION WEEK – the most premier and opulent fashion week in India.
For providing authentic designer wear at affordable price and making it accessible through stores and online, he launched "India Bridal Fashion Week Wedding Store" and IBFW.com – India's premier online wedding store. He oversees the business strategy and overall operations of the company. He is one of the most influential people in Indian fashion industry and has as an in-depth and 360 degree perspective of the industry.
Vijay Singh has over two decades of marketing & operating experience in the hospitality industry including hotels, clubs and timeshare. He is the Founder and MD of World Destination Travel Limited and Aveda Hotels - India's leading hospitality company providing Management, Distribution and consulting solutions to luxury and high-end hotels, resorts and clubs and comprehensive travel solutions to corporates.
He brings his extensive business and marketing acumen and a distinctive vision to IBFW.
For information related to IBFW.com Contact:
For selling your merchandise on IBFW.com or at our Wedding Stores or
Franchise enquiry for India Bridal Fashion Week WEDDING STORE Contact:
For Sponsorship enquiry or association with
India Bridal Fashion Week or Media related queries


text:
The number of active cases currently stands at 971. This includes 143 people who are receiving hospital treatment, 13 of whom are on ventilators. A total of 3,267 people are in self-isolation.
Since late February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 362,841 people have been registered as having contracted the novel virus, of whom 8,247 have died and 353,623 have recovered, including 146 in the last 24 hours.
A total of 2,275,433 people have been tested for coronavirus to date, including 7,393 in the last 24 hours.
By 26 July, 3,018,451 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 had been administered, with 40 percent of the total population and 48.1 percent of the adult population having been vaccinated. A total of 1,623,475 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose and 1,440,370 of them have been fully vaccinated (1,394,976 have received two doses and 45,394 have been inoculated with the single-dose Jannsen vaccine), which makes up 42.76 percent of the adult population.
For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.


text:
Call for stories: We want to hear your experience
The Birth Cultures project is looking for stories about childbirth and pregnancy for the travelling exhibition that will take place in the Frauenmuseum Hittisau (Austria), Frauenmuseum Merano (Italy), Gender Museum (Kharkiv, Ukraine), and La Bonne (Barcelona, Spain).
We invite Women's Museums and individuals from all countries to share their stories, experiences, and journey related to their birth. We find birth rituals and traditions particularly interesting - but also specific problems, ideological approaches, or stories of best practices, or even interesting biographies.
It would be great if we could integrate your story into our interactive registers.
We would be glad if you contribute in the following format:
About yourself
2-3 illustrations
Text: max. 1200 characters
No illustrations
Text: max. 1800 characters
Please email email@example.com with the email subject heading "Submission for Birth stories".
We are looking forward to seeing your exciting stories!
The call will be open until January 2022
We have developed a format in which many exciting stories can be collected without taking up too much space in the exhibitions: the interactive register. It is a hanging file in the form of a tapestry. This picture below will give you an impression of how your story will look like in our exhibitions:


text:
Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
Captain Lee: Don Brought This on Himself
Captain Lee shares his thoughts on Don Abenante's departure, and Chef Leon's attitude.
Arrrgh mates, them's that die be the lucky ones this week I fear. Wow, what in the world is going on here? I am, to say the least, confused, but I should be dazed as well, because I think the two just go together, you know, the old dazed and confused thing.
Rocky, really? Calling your parents and crying to them about your boss? Is this the first boss you have had that actually wanted you to work? You need to suck it up and put your big girl pants on. This is the real world that the rest of us live in, and it's only going to be as good as you yourself make it. Laundry is not rocket science, and you have worked on five or six yachts by your own admission, yet you're having difficulties with this? Sorry that you have a job that gets in the way of you having a good time, but that's the real world, kiddo, get used to it. Was glad to give you a break so maybe you could get your attitude adjusted. Oh, just a thought, do you really think that you are doing Emile a favor by gracing him with your presence, seriously? Between you, Leon, and Don, I'm not sure I have a boat that can accommodate egos of this magnitude.
Amy, I do appreciate the way you are trying to help Rocky out, but I'm not entirely sure that sympathy is what she needs. A can of "toughen up" may be more appropriate for her right now. You are always looking for the good side in people, and it's one of the many things I love about you. Great job with Dean and his guests again, as usual, you are our rock. Glad to have your positive attitude and work ethic on board, it's a breath of fresh air.
Emile, good job resisting the temptation. I'm proud of you. I also thought that the interaction you had with Connie about her brother and her Dad showed a lot of compassion on your part. Well done. I also appreciate the way you follow orders from your first officer without questioning his authority. That's how it should be, and you are a fine example of that. Keep up the good work. You get an atta boy this week, well done, sir.
Kate, what can I say? I know that you are having issues on two fronts, and I appreciate the effort you are making on both of them. I'm not all together sure that it's going to work out though. But please keep trying and doing your best. I am keeping high hopes. Nice job so far with Mr. Slover, in spite of some of the roadblocks that are coming at you from the galley. I know how Dean is with meals being prompt, and I know you aren't getting the cooperation out of the galley like you should, but nice job handling it anyhow. Both you and Amy are dealing with it like pros. Thank you both.
Leon, your food is outstanding, and your creativity so far has been impeccable as well as your presentation. But what is it with the attitude? Do you just not like anyone? I have not heard a kind word or seen a smile out of you at all. You will learn that it takes more than great food and presentation to be a good yacht chef. What would it have cost you to give them the ingredients to your "house dressing"? Oh, I see, you're already making millions off it, that's why you're still here working. I get it. Kate tried to bail you out by telling them something so you didn't appear rude, and you were not even aware of it. And when Kate asked you about the conch (pronounced conk, by the way) did you really need to be abrasive and say, "It's not your business." Anything that has to do with the guests is her business, as you so rudely put it. Do you think that's the way to win friends and influence people? The chief stew on any yacht can be your biggest asset, and all I see is you trying your best to alienate her. That may come back and bite you in the ass, and if it does, don't come crying to me. In spite of what you may think, the chef needs the chief stew as much as the chief stew needs the chef, and working together means just that, together. You two need to find a way.
By the way, do you really think that is was good to not have a back up plan in case they didn't get any conch or lobster? I don't know, but I'm just guessing that they were going to want lunch whether they caught anything or not, but that's just me. Then, knowing Dean's way about wanting lunch promptly, you serve a late lunch. It was only the quality of your cooking that got you out of that one sir. My guess is this may get worse before it gets better.
Connie, I think that the way you handled this week was admirable. Nobody knows what someone else is going through unless they are walking in their shoes. Way to suck it up and deal with a really bad situation. I am also very pleased with your work ethic. You get along with everyone, and I do appreciate your sense of humor as well. Way to bring home lunch, Dean and his guests were impressed. You are fitting in nicely and its great to have you on board, keep it up.
Eddie, it's been a trying first half of this charter for you and I applaud your effort given what you have had to deal with. It's not always easy, is it? You have had your hands full with Don and his ego and attitude. I feel that I can't let you down by not dealing with him myself, so that's what I have done. And lo and behold, he took care of it himself. But now we are one short, however morale should improve and I know you have what it takes to get it done. You are living up to my expectations and I do appreciate it. Good job with Connie and showing her how things are done properly. Well done.
OK, Don. What are you thinking? I'm not sure how we have survived this long in this business without you to look out for us and let me know that my "15-20 minutes on deck" is not enough to know what's going on with my own boat. You really should have taken Kate's advice and not acted like you were helping us all out by being here, and just done the job you were hired for. You are not doing us a favor by gracing us with your presence. I think it would have been nice to catch you working instead of you telling everyone that their way of doing everything was the wrong way and undermining the first officer. And the break you took. It wasn't the fact that you took a break, but the fact that you didn't ask anyone if it was OK. What if everyone decided that they would all do that, who would be left working? In my opinion, you let your mouth write a check that your ass couldn't cash. It's like Burger King -- you can have it your way. You want off, you got it. It takes a real pro to walk off mid charter, because you don't get things your way. Take your toys and go home. And did I really here you call yourself humble? I think not. No, I'm not sorry that things worked out this way; you brought it on yourself and got exactly what you asked for. I hope you learned something from it all, and I wish you all the best in the future. Good luck to you, sir.
Well guys, that wraps it up for this week. It has been an unusual week to say the least, but I still have faith and the adventures will only get better. So until next week, fair winds and following seas.


text:
Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, WTIP has focused our monthly Community Conversations on issues that deeply affect the health and well-being of Cook County residents. Since March 2020, our small news team has extensively covered the potential and current local public health impacts of COVID-19. We have a great working relationship with our local health organizations, and panel discussions about COVID-19 have included the Cook County Public Health Administrator, local physicians, hospital administrators and elected officials.
The WTIP news team has also built an ongoing, public discussion around how our community handles the delicate and sometimes precarious balance between public health concerns and keeping our local economy solvent, especially related to tourism, our main industry. Recently, we tackled the topic of COVID-19 and re-opening our area schools.
In keeping with our commitment to provide a community forum and welcome the voices of community members, WTIP invited officials from all four Cook County schools to discuss the opening plan for schools this fall. Past Community Conversations have included a live panel of knowledgeable guests and had a call-in option for listeners. Because we have had to limit the number of people at the station, WTIP had to change the way we produce and engineer the show, relying on Zoom to connect our panel members, and asking our listeners to submit questions ahead of time. The public response has been overwhelming and very positive. Like so many other organizations, we have been forced to pivot our way of doing things, in order to keep our staff and community safe, while never losing sight of our mission.
One of our core values is to "recognize the voices and perspectives of everyone in our community, particularly young people and elders." WTIP's monthly Community Conversations have proven to be the best format to welcome in listeners and key voices into a larger conversation. We are truly building community, and it's something that we're very proud of.


text:
New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas broke his own franchise record for receiving yards in a season when he hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees in the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 8 against the San Francisco 49ers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Thomas entered the game with 1,290 yards and the touchdown reception gave him 1,407, two more than he had in 2018. He finished with 134 yards, giving him 1,424 this season.
The reception was Thomas' ninth of the game. He finished with 11, to give him 121 for the season, the most any player has had through 13 games in NFL history.