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Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad
One of the things they don't tell you when you get married and buy a house is that you will, no matter how hard you try not to, have a junk drawer. You can both walk into the house with the best intentions of keeping things neat and organized and saving only the pieces of paper that matter, but ultimately you find a reason to keep everything. And it all ends up in that one drawer that you'd be embarrassed to open in front of anyone but your spouse. Because honestly, you have no idea what's in there. You stopped keeping track long ago. Any attempt to clean it turns into a clown-car scenario leaving you wondering how it all fit in there and how much further there is to go till you can see the bottom. We'll just figure that out some other time. Please tell me you have a junk drawer, and perhaps a junk closet or two too?
My blog is eerily similar to my junk drawer. That's just what happens when you've been at it this long. Except that people are free to open it up and peak around without your supervision. And of course, one woman's junk is another one's treasure.
"I totally made your lemon herb swordfish last night! It's so good, you eat it all the time, right?" Who knew there was swordfish on this blog? Not me…
I confess I probably can't remember half of what's hiding in here. And I get a tiny little anxiety attack every time someone says, "So I was going through your blog…" Sh!t. What did you find? Is that something anyone should be touching with a 10 foot pole?
But when Elina mentioned that my recipe for Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad had lost its photo (which has happened with some of my old posts since switching from Blogger to WordPress) I actually didn't mind at all. The picture, I remembered, was not worth recovering at all. But the recipe? It couldn't have been more perfect timing.
I was already in the midst of planning a little Cinco de Mayo fiesta but hadn't figured out anything beyond the obvious fajitas and margaritas. And our friends that were coming over, you know what recipe of mine they love most and have made a zillion times? Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad, of course! What better opportunity to get a new picture of the salad – and add a few new twists in the form of coconut too.
As a side note, my friend was impressed with my ability to make "just a single batch" – the amount I'd bring as a healthy summer side dish to any potluck or barbecue. She prefers to double (or triple!) it to have a large bowl chilled in fridge, ready to feed the whole family for lunch or snacking all week long. If that isn't one of the nicest things someone has ever said about my recipe, I don't know what is 🙂
Calories in Tropical Black Bean Mango Quinoa Salad
Yield: 6 side-dish servings
This healthy summer side dish is the perfect thing to take along to any potluck or barbecue - or, to keep in fridge for satisfying snacking.
1/2 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions
2 mangos, peeled and diced
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
4 tbsp light coconut milk (from a carton, such as So Delicious brand)
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Combine the quinoa, mangos, black beans, red onion and red pepper in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
Add coconut milk, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, coconut sugar, and salt to a small food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour over the quinoa mixture and stir to coat.
Gently mix in coconut and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories 216.1
Total Fat 5.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 111.2 mg
Potassium 344.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.7 g
Dietary Fiber 6.4 g
Sugars 12.0 g
Protein 7.0 g
Cara Lyons, www.carascravings.com


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It is no coincidence that the deep dark green color of the foliage of Monterey Cypress is so similar to that of Monterey pine. Both inhabit coastal regions that are so often foggy that they need to absorb as much sunlight as possible. On harshly exposed hillsides where there is plenty of sunlight and not much competition with other trees, blue oak and digger pine, which is also known as gray pine, have grayish foliage. In the Rocky Mountains where the air is dry and clear, blue spruce and Rocky Mountain juniper have bluish foliage that is resilient to intense exposure.
In home gardens, a variety of foliar color can be quite appealing. The light blue of a well bred blue spruce is even more striking against a backdrop of dark green Monterey pines. Even in sheltered gardens where they might be partially shaded some of the time, blue spruce, as well as most blue varieties of juniper, century plant and echeveria. are as blue as they would be in the wild.
Some echeverias, salvias, lavenders and westringias with grayish foliage are more discriminating. They need to be very exposed to maintain their foliar color. They will be more green with partial shade. Regular watering also compromises the color of century plant and some salvias.
Bronze, reddish, purplish, yellowish and variegated foliage may not seem like it would be so dependent on exposure because such coloration is generally the result of genetic variation, such as mutation. Some variegations are caused by viral infections. Yet, exposure often enhances color.
Japanese maple is an understory tree that prefers to be at least partially sheltered by taller trees; but those with purplish foliage are merely bronzed green if too shaded. Golden honeylocust can be a vibrant yellow that contrasts nicely in front of a row of deep green redwoods, or it can be a sickly yellowish green if so close to the redwoods that it is partially shaded. The trick is knowing what sort of exposure each one wants.
highlight: century plant
The horridly sharp and stiff terminal spines, and the nastily stout marginal teeth of the big leaves of century plant, Agave Americana, are very intimidating. Such striking but dangerous foliage should be appreciated only from a safe distance. Individual leaves can get about six feet long, and are arranged in rosettes that can get more than twice as broad, so need plenty of space. Many century plants have metallic gray foliage. Others are variegated with various white or yellow stripes.
Despite the name, healthy century plants rarely wait half as long to bloom. Most bloom within only a quarter of a century. Many that get watered can bloom much sooner.
The imposingly tall and branched flower stalk that eventually emerges from the center of each rosette can be as striking as the foliage is. Vigorous stalks can get taller than twenty feet! The yellow flowers are too high to be seen closely, and are protected by even more nastiness.
Each rosette dies and eventually needs to be removed as young but wickedly barbed pups (basal offshoots) begin to develop around it after bloom. Cutting down such tall and spiny stalks surrounded by such objectionable foliage is quite a chore. Pups can easily develop into a wicked thicket if not thinned!

subset: commoncrawl


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PUMA Men's Figc Italia Stadium Jacket Peacoat/Power Blue
Everyone remembers their first passion. When you pull on the azzuro everything comes rushing back to that first tournament. The day you all gathered around the TV in hope, that was the first time you felt real passion, the first day those colours bled into your soul and you felt a nation come together as one. These memories resonate forever and are what brings fans together. Their energy flows through the players as they enter the tournament, carrying them on the path to greatness


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Belmont-Watertown Local First
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Winter's Hardware & Plumbing Supplies is an old time full supply hardware store providing unparalleled customer service at hometown prices since 1924. We do lamp repair, window and screen repair, sell plumbing hardware and paint supplies, and useful household items. We give 10% discounts every day for senior citizens, and offer contractor referrals of any kind in the Belmont area. Call or visit to learn more about our extensive products and services.
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The aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings has been a roller coaster of emotions: the initial shock and fear, followed by grieving for those who lost their lives, and then capped off by last Friday's tense, dramatic pursuit of the bombers which paralyzed an entire city. But now that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been captured and charged, what will our next emotional response be?
The first, and likely the most natural, is a desire for revenge. For the hurt and the damage that he and his brother caused, we can hope that Tsarnaev is punished for his crimes and possibly even put to death. We can also feel anger and hatred toward him for what he has done to our entire country, and especially to the people of Boston. But for Christians, there is another, much more difficult, response: forgiveness.
This close to the tragedy, with details of the bombing still slowly coming out in the news, it may be difficult for many to start thinking about mercy and forgiveness. But Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley was quick to remind the Catholics of Boston and the world that there is no room for hatred and vengeance in the hearts of the faithful.
"Forgiveness does not mean that we do not realize the heinousness of the crime," O'Malley said in a homily. "But in our own hearts when we are unable to forgive we make ourselves a victim of our own hatred. Obviously as a Catholic I oppose the death penalty, which I think is one further manifestation of the culture of death in our midst."
O'Malley's response, as well as an open letter to Tsarnaev written by Jesuit priest Father Mike Rogers–are excellent examples of the principles of restorative justice triumphing over the retributive and punitive forms of justice that we have come to favor in our society. No amount of hate, anger, or revenge will bring back the victims killed in the bombing, nor will it heal those wounded and those who lost a loved one. It is unlikely to deter future attacks. And though it might make some feel better in the short term, in the long term it solves nothing.
Rather than hoping Tsarnaev will pay for his actions, let us instead hope that he finds a path to redemption. He's still a young man, and there is plenty of time to turn his life around. And rather than focusing on hatred and anger, we are much better served by praying for all of those whose lives have been impacted by this tragedy–including the two brothers who were responsible for it.


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I Want to Learn More About SCCA
So you've read all about the great things the Sports Car Club of America has to offer its members and you're ready to sign on the dotted line. But wait! You say to yourself, 'I'm not really interested in competing, so what else can I do within this Club?.' Well, we have plenty of opportunities for folks, even if they aren't interesting in strapping into a fire-breathing racing machine. Whether it's Rally, Solo or Road Racing, there are tons of jobs that need to be performed to ensure a fun, exciting and safe event goes off without a hitch. In addition to supporting out amateur motorsports programs, SCCA workers also provide staff to numerous professional sanctioning bodies, including IndyCar, NASCAR and IMSA.
Trackside – Up Close and Personal
If you're interested in being on the front lines of an event, here are some possibilities for you:
Flagging and Communications
Take a position along the course and communicate with racecar drivers on track utilizing flags and hand signals. These folks give drivers extremely important information such as hazardous track conditions ahead and if faster traffic is approaching from behind. In addition, these workers act as first responders when there is an on-course incident. Simply put, they serve as the link between race officials and the drivers throughout a race.
Emergency Services
This group of folks includes highly trained individuals in three areas: medical response, firefighting and vehicle recovery. Incidents are not fun, but they are bound to happen at the race track. Here is your chance to put training from your day job to work in a fun and exciting environment.
Do you love to see the green flag fly to start a race and hear the sound of drivers putting the gas pedal to the floorboard to get the best position heading to turn one? What if you were the person responsible for that? It is the responsibility of the starter to ensure a safe and fair start each time they are on the flag stand. With this high-profile position comes the responsibility to get the race started in the correct way.
Race Officials
Enforcing the rulebook and making sure everything runs smoothly at an event is very important. Here are a couple ways to get involved in administering successful motorsports events:
These officials make sure each competitor is following the rules set forth in the rulebook. They are the front line of defense ensuring that each car is fit for competition, while keeping the playing field level for everyone. Some of the responsibilities include pre-race safety inspections, technical compliance, post-race inspection and mechanical compliance.
Timing and Scoring
Are you good with computers or have an interest in knowing who's leading, and by how much, at every moment? If so, you may have a future here. It is your responsibility to set up, run and disassemble the advanced timing equipment used for each race.
If organization is your thing, working in registration may be for you. You are the first person everyone meets at the track. Customer service is of the utmost importance in this fast-paced, people-centered environment. As the first point of contact, get everyone headed in the right direction to start their race weekend off on the right foot.
The buck stops here. If you are interested in having a hands-on influence on how each part of the event is run, this is for you. Whether it's making sure everyone is safe, rules are enforced or the event runs smoothly, you're the boss. Even the best laid plans are prone to issues, and that goes double at the racetrack. Everyone will look to you adapt and solve issues that arise.
Workers & Officials Programs
How do you get involved? It's as easy as going to a local event and volunteering to help. Workers are issued a license, just like competition drivers, and can work their way up through four levels of competence by participating in different events. Eventually, you can gain the knowledge and experience necessary to hold a national-level specialty license. SCCA-licensed workers staff many of the major motorsport events held throughout the United States, in one capacity or another.
If you would like more information, please e-mail our Membership Department and express your interest. We will send you the information via the postal service, so be sure to include your full name and mailing address.
Join SCCA
Ready to find your Fast? Join now.
What are you waiting for? It's easy. Whether you want to drive, race the clock, get your hands dirty in the pits, stand next to the track with a big yellow flag or sit in the control tower, the first step is signing up.
|Military Discount
|If you are in active United States Military service, you qualify for a $35 rebate making your National dues just $30. After joining the SCCA please call, fax or send an email to Member Services requesting the military rebate. The contact information for Members Services is:
Military Rebate
Fax: (785) 232-7213
Military deployed to hazardous areas are eligible to have their SCCA dues waived by contacting us.


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After leading minister joked about Nazis, Finland moves to criminalize Holocaust denial
(JTA) — The government of Finland agreed on a policy to combat racism and Holocaust denial on Thursday in the wake of multiple racism and neo-Nazi scandals that have rocked the administration in its early months.
The governing coalition's parties agreed on the content of a statement submitted to Finnish parliament that calls for "non-discrimination in Finnish society," according to a press release, and for new legislation to work toward that goal.
"Acts motivated by hate against Jews, Muslims, Christians and other religious groups will be prevented and Holocaust denial will be criminalized," the release says, adding that the government would also explore "the possibility of criminalizing the use of at least Nazi and Communist symbols to promote ideology."
The ruling coalition, formed in April, is the most right-wing in the country's history and has already faced numerous racism scandals. Thursday's statement comes two months after then-Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila resigned after only 10 days on the job over revelations that he had joked about Nazi symbology at a far-right political event in 2019. His successor also was revealed to have sent racist messages, as was the deputy prime minister.
"There is no room for racism in Finland. Political decision-makers must set an example in building a safe and equal society, and we need all of society to take part," Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Thursday.
International Jewish groups celebrated the government's actions.
"Open discourse is one of the keys to a healthy democratic society, but for too long there have been those who have hidden behind the shield of free speech while desecrating the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators," said World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder in a statement.
The only Jewish member of Finland's parliament, Ben Zyskowicz, contributed the statement's passage on criminalizing Nazi and Communist symbols. Zyskowicz reported being assaulted and targeted with antisemitic slurs in Helsinki earlier this year. His proposal was supported by the chair of the Finnish Holocaust Remembrance Association.
If passed, Finland would join more than a dozen other countries including Germany, France, Canada and Russia that have formed laws to combat Holocaust denial.
The post After leading minister joked about Nazis, Finland moves to criminalize Holocaust denial appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
25 years after opening, Yiddish Book Center overhauls its core exhibit for a wider audience
AMHERST, Massachusetts (JTA) — Since its opening in 1997, the Yiddish Book Center has wowed visitors with its architecture. A Jewish village resurrected on a college campus in sylvan Amherst, Massachusetts, the building conveys the Center's mission: to rescue and revive a language spoken for over 1,000 years by Ashkenazi Jews in German-speaking lands, Eastern Europe and wherever they migrated.
On Oct. 15, the Center is unveiling a new core exhibit, meant to flesh out and deepen the story told by its building and the treasures stored inside. Arriving at a moment when Yiddish is experiencing one of its periodic revivals, "Yiddish: A Global Culture" is a major Yiddish institution's answer to a question without easy answers: How do you tell the story of a language without a country, and of a culture that lost a majority of its purveyors in a little over a decade of madness?
In response, the new exhibit depicts the "secular" Yiddish culture that arose in the mid-19th century as a distinctly transglobal, modern movement that includes theater, the press, mass market publishing and intellectual ferment in big cities from Warsaw to New York to Shanghai.
The exhibit is "foregrounding a story of creativity, tremendous accomplishment and tremendous diversity of a culture that has migration built into its DNA," David Mazower, the Center's research bibliographer and the exhibition's chief curator, told me when I visited Amherst last month.
The displays in the exhibit will surround and weave in and out of the Center's book stacks, another striking architectural feature of the building. The stacks offer duplicates of the Center's collection of 1.5 million Yiddish books and periodicals, for sale and browsing. I couldn't be the first visitor to be reminded of the closing scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which reveals a colossal government warehouse filled with, in the words of the screenplay, "crates and crates. All looking alike. All gathering dust."
What a casual visitor might not see is all that is happening at the Center to blow the dust off those books, including translator workshops, summer fellowships, conferences, an oral history project, a busy publishing program and a riotous summer music festival.
Interest in all of those activities has been helped along by young Jews interested in the language and culture and a pandemic that created a demand for online Yiddish classes. The Yiddish Book Center has been drawing 10,000 visitors a year since its pandemic shutdown. The New York Times made the latest revival official (to non-readers of the Jewish media, anyway) in an essay last month by the Jewish polymath Ilan Stavans, declaring that "Yiddish Is Having a Moment." Stavans notes a flurry of new translations of obscure and classic Yiddish writers, the all-Yiddish staging of "Fiddler on the Roof" and the Yiddish dialogue in three recent Netflix series: "Shtisel," "Unorthodox" and "Rough Diamonds."
(More controversially, Stavans also reports that Yiddish is appealing to those — presumably young anti-Zionist Jews — for whom Hebrew "symbolizes far-right Israeli militarism.")
Such a revival also challenges keepers of the flame — not just the Yiddish Book Center, but the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, The Workers Circle, publications like In geveb and the Yiddish Forward, academic departments plus a host of regional Yiddish organizations — to define a language and culture that means many different things to many different people.
Is it a language of a decimated past? A progenitor of the Jewish left? A tongue, still spoken daily by haredi Orthodox Jews, that continues to grow and evolve? Is it an attitude — a Jewish way of being and thinking — that survives in humor and cooking and music even if those who appreciate it can't speak the language? For European Jews of the Enlightenment, the Yiddish scholar Jeffrey Shandler reminded me a few years ago, "Yiddish represented the resistance and inability of Jews to enter the cultural mainstream. It represented something atavistic, a way of holding Jews back." For Zionists, meanwhile, it represented a weak Diaspora and everything associated with it (a clash explored in a current YIVO exhibit, "Palestinian Yiddish: A Look at Yiddish in the Land of Israel Before 1948").
Goldie Morgenthaler, herself the daughter of the Yiddish writer Chava Rosenfarb, has written that she teaches Yiddish literature to mostly non-Jewish university students in Alberta, Canada because "studying what is specific to one culture is often the first step to understanding many cultures."
At YIVO, an institution founded by scholars in Vilna in 1925 and transplanted to New York in 1940, Yiddish is regarded as an expression of and vehicle for "Jewish pride," according to its executive director and CEO, Jonathan Brent.
"For Jewish people in the Diaspora to understand that they have in fact a future as Jews," he said last week, "they have to take pride in their heritage. For all kinds of historical reasons, many Jews felt that [Yiddish] was somehow a shameful or devalued heritage. It was 'zhargon' [jargon], and it had been basically eliminated from public discourse in the land of Israel. YIVO from the very beginning wanted to study Yiddish as a language among languages, the same way you studied Russian or Spanish or French. It was a language with a history.
"What Yiddish does," he continued, "is help anchor us in the language in which our grandparents and great grandparents communicated their deepest thoughts and feelings. And that has real implications for the survival of the Jewish people."
Aaron Lansky, the founder and president of the Yiddish Book Center, said the story he wants to tell goes back to his days as a graduate student in Yiddish at McGill University in the 1970s, when he first started saving the discarded books that would become the core of the Center's collection.
"People think of [Yiddish] as this nostalgic creation," he said. "But the truth is, it was a profound, multifaceted and really global literature that emerged in the late 19th century, and then just took off throughout the 20th century…. It wasn't long before writers were using every form of literary expression — expressionism, impressionism, surrealism, eroticism. It all found expression in this very short period of time, and even the Holocaust didn't destroy it. "
Lansky admits his own vision is more literary than the core exhibit's, and thanked Mazower for creating a broader view of Yiddish as a global culture.
That view is represented in a 60-foot mural that serves as an introduction to the exhibit. Cartoons by the German illustrator Martin Haake depict key historical vignettes in Yiddish history, from nearly every continent. Glikl of Hameln, a German-Jewish businesswoman, writes her diaries at the turn of the 18th century. Women call for a strike at "Yanovsky's Cigarette Factory" in Bialystok, Poland, in 1901. A nursery scene honors the leading Yiddish activists who were born in Displaced Persons camps after World War II. And tubercular Yiddish writers are seen recovering at the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society in Denver, Colorado, which operated from 1904 to 1940.
The mural lines the ramp that leads to the bookshelves, where displays (some of which Mazower calls "wedges") use artifacts and wall-mounted photos to talk about the breadth of Yiddish culture. There's a display about Yiddish celebrities, including writers, such as Sholom Aleichem and Chaim Zhitlowsky, who would draw tens of thousands of mourners to their funerals. Another display honors those who preserved and studied Yiddish culture, from YIVO (described here as "The Mothership") to the monumental "Language and Cultural Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry" undertaken between 1959 and 1972 by the linguist Uriel Weinreich. A Yiddish linotype machine, rescued by Lansky, anchors an exhibit about the Jewish press.
A centerpiece of the core exhibit is a recreation of the Warsaw literary salon of the writer and playwright I.L. Peretz, a leading figure of the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. While few actual artifacts belonging to Peretz survive, the room will include contemporaneous objects and photographs to immerse visitors in the literary scene of the day.
"You'll step through his doorway the way that so many young writers did, clutching their first manuscripts to show them either in Hebrew or in Yiddish," Mazower explained. "His name, his address was known throughout the Russian Empire at that time. People would come thousands of miles in some cases to Warsaw to try and get entry into this alchemy-like space where extraordinary things happen."
One of those pilgrims was Mazower's great-grandfather, the famed playwright Sholem Asch. When Asch showed Peretz a draft of his notorious play "God of Vengeance," whose lesbian subplot would shock audiences and rile religious leaders, Peretz reportedly told him to burn it.
"My hope is that through the exhibition as a whole you see Jewish history through a Yiddish lens and in a different way from the Holocaust-defined story that so many of us have been educated with and that popular culture feeds us," said Mazower.
The exhibit treats the Holocaust as one part of the Yiddish story, not its culmination. The original Yiddish edition of Elie Wiesel's "Night," published as part of a memorial project in Argentina shortly after the war, rests in a wedge about individuals who rescued Yiddish culture under the Nazis. The same section features a tribute to Rokhl Brokhes, a writer murdered in the Minsk Ghetto in 1945. A still from a recent animated adaptation of one of her stories by Alona Bach, currently a PhD student at MIT focusing on the "intersections of electricity and Yiddish," affirms one of the Center's aims: to bring young Yiddishists into conversation with the past.
The story of Yiddish theater will wrap around the auditorium, starting with a large photo of the audience at the opening of the Grand Street Theatre in New York in 1905. A memorial section remembers the probably thousands of actors, playwrights and musicians who were killed in the Holocaust.
"Had Yiddish theater not suffered a rupture, which it did, it would have continued to evolve and borrow and expand," said Lisa Newman, the Center's director of publishing and public programs. "What's so important about this exhibition is that it places Yiddish in this context of language no less than any other country's, except it's not a country."
I asked Mazower what kind of stories he did not want to tell about Yiddish culture.
"It's not a story about Yiddish humor," he said. "It's not a story about the Holocaust. It's not a story about the state of Israel. It's not a lachrymose story about Jewish persecution through the ages."
Other Yiddishists told me much the same thing (Brent said that the story of Yiddish "shouldn't be told as a collection of jokes, or Yiddish curses, or as a cute language that connects you to Bubbe's gefilte fish").
And yet, said Lansky, "We're not feinschmeckers, we're not elitist when it comes to Yiddish. Yiddish was a vernacular language, and I am happy to embrace that. I love the humor and social criticism that's embedded in it. It's the aggregate that's so impressive. To see all of this literature and culture in a lively and accessible way can be quite transformative."
The post 25 years after opening, Yiddish Book Center overhauls its core exhibit for a wider audience appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
San Francisco Giants fire Jewish manager Gabe Kapler after disappointing season
(JTA) — The San Francisco Giants have fired Jewish manager Gabe Kapler after four seasons.
Kapler joined the Giants in November 2019 and led the Giants to a 295-248 record during the 2020-2023 seasons, highlighted by a 107-win 2021 campaign that earned Kapler the National League Manager of the Year award. The team rewarded Kapler with a two-year contract extension that was set to run through 2024.
The Giants were eliminated from postseason contention this week, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
In addition to his 2021 accolade, Kapler's tenure in San Francisco was punctuated by his unorthodox style both on and off the field. The 48-year-old Hollywood, California, native is a fitness geek with an active social media presence and his own blog. ESPN deemed him "the most interesting man in baseball" in May 2022. Kapler also has a Jewish tattoo on each leg: a Jewish star on his left leg and "Never Again" — a reference to the Holocaust — on his right leg.
On the field, Kapler in 2020 became the first MLB manager to kneel during the national anthem amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. In 2022, in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Kapler announced that he would begin skipping the pregame national anthem to protest the "state of this country." He frequently used his platform in the sport to share his political beliefs.
Kapler played for six teams during his 12-year major league career, largely as a role player and backup outfielder. After retiring in 2010, Kapler played and coached for Team Israel in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He previously managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 2018-2019 and worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
With Kapler's firing, San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin becomes the league's lone Jewish skipper.
The post San Francisco Giants fire Jewish manager Gabe Kapler after disappointing season appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Flash floods put a dangerous damper on the first night of Sukkot in NYC
(New York Jewish Week) — Mark Vogel, who lives in Riverdale and runs a website about Jewish and kosher travel, spoke for many of his neighbors when he posted a video on Instagram of his sukkah being pounded by rain, standing forlornly in the middle of his flooded backyard.
"I built a Sukkah," he wrote in a caption. "I should have built an ark."
Vogel, and many of the other millions of Jews in the tristate area, have been coping with the reality that Sukkot, the most outdoor holiday on the Jewish calendar, has coincided with heavy rains that have flooded highways, shut down subway lines and triggered a state of emergency in New York City. More than 8 inches of rain had fallen at John F. Kennedy airport by Friday afternoon, and more is expected into Saturday.
New Yorkers should expect heavy rain and flooding to continue throughout the night tonight," Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on social media on Friday afternoon. "To our Jewish neighbors celebrating the beginning of Sukkot, please take steps to stay safe during this severe weather event."
Sukkot begins Friday night, and on the weeklong holiday, Jews traditionally eat their meals and even sleep in the sukkah, an outdoor hut with a roof generally made from tree branches that recalls the Israelites' biblical sojourn in the desert and emphasizes the need for divine protection.
But rain makes those observances close to impossible — leading most would-be sukkah-dwellers in New York to accept that they'll be eating indoors on the holiday's first night, and sparking a wide variety of theological and practical responses from rabbis and rank-and-file Jews alike. For others, it has complicated travel plans hours before the holiday's start, backing up traffic and making the subway especially hard to navigate.
"I once heard that if it rains on [the] first night of sukkoth, it's some sort of sign that God is displeased with us," Linda Gisselle Roth, who splits her time between New York City and Connecticut, wrote on Facebook on Friday. "And it's been raining for days. And I've never felt like this before."
She added, "I want to spend [the] first night of sukkoth, in my sukkah. So for right now, I'm asking, please let the rain stop."
While the rainy season in Israel traditionally begins right after Sukkot, rain is a common occurrence on the holiday in the United States and even inspired the title of a children's book from the 1990s, "Why Does It Always Rain on Sukkot?"
Observant Jews have varying customs when it comes to dealing with rain on the holiday. Many avoid their sukkah entirely, while others will quickly recite blessings over wine and challah in the sukkah and then eat the rest of the meal indoors. Adherents of Chabad, the Hasidic movement based in Crown Heights, try to eat in the sukkah under nearly all circumstances.
One resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, a heavily Jewish suburb, posted a single-spaced, two-page guide from his local rabbi on what to do if it rains on the holiday. (The rabbi, who is not named in the document, recommends saying blessings over wine and challah in the sukkah and then continuing the meal inside.)
Rabbis on social media, meanwhile, explored the theological dimensions of the weather. Some cited a passage from the Mishnah, the ancient code of rabbinic law, that compares rain on Sukkot, following the effort of building a sukkah, to a servant bringing his master a jug of wine, only for the master to throw water back in the servant's face.
"Nasty weather on sukkot is a sign of God's displeasure with us," Rabbi Ysoscher Katz, who teaches at the liberal Orthodox Yeshivat Chovevei Torah seminary, wrote on Facebook. Then, referencing the recent High Holidays and addressing God, he wrote, "If all we did the last few weeks is not good enough for You, what's left for us to say?! We did the best we can. If You want more, You will have to let us know what that more is."
Rabbi Ethan Tucker, the president of the Hadar Institute, an egalitarian center of Jewish study based in Manhattan, also cited the passage and encouraged people to focus on the experience of the servant in the parable. He added that because the first day of the holiday falls on Shabbat, the other central commandment associated with Sukkot, praying with four species of plants, is also deferred a day. (Sunday is expected to be sunny.)
"What does it *feel like* when you have prepared for something and then you cannot execute it as planned?" he wrote on Facebook. "It feels like rejection, as in the parable. The weather may in fact just be the weather, but it doesn't necessarily make the feeling of loss less palpable. Is there a way to make this Sukkah rainout an opportunity to sit with rejection? To empathize with other such experiences, even if they are not our own?"
Some New Yorkers tried to stay positive. "It might be flooding and we might consume a lot of rain water with our food lol but Sukkot Dinner under the Stars is still on even if we might end up eating indoors under a roof instead!" a Facebook user from Queens posted on Friday, advertising a meal that night.
Nina Jochnowitz, a State Senate candidate in New Jersey, cited the rabbinic idea that Sukkot is considered a time of joy, and referenced a Hasidic saying that "'joy breaks all boundaries,' transforming even the most negative occurrences into blessings!"
And others reached for seasonal parallels: "If only sukkot came with rain dates like baseball," one person posted.
For Vogel, the travel writer and Riverdale resident, the rain was especially unfortunate, as he has built a smaller sukkah in recent years to limit capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first year he had gone back to building a larger one.
"Well, I was looking forward to eating in a large sukkah this year with friends and family," he told the New York Jewish Week. "But we can't control the weather, so we will make the best of it."
The post Flash floods put a dangerous damper on the first night of Sukkot in NYC appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.


text:
|11:30 AM PT12:30 PM MT1:30 PM CT2:30 PM ET7:30 PM GMT3:30 AM 北京时间12:30 PM MST2:30 PM EST, Dec. 25, 2021
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama Attendance: 0
Grainger gifts Georgia State a 51-20 Camellia Bowl win
By JOHN ZENOR
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Darren Grainger and Georgia State saved their best for the last game of the season - and especially for a thoroughly dominating third quarter.
Grainger passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 122 yards and a fourth TD to lead Georgia State to a 51-20 victory over Ball State in the Camellia Bowl on Saturday.
The Panthers (8-5) finished with their seventh win in eight games, dominated the lone bowl played on Christmas Day and set a season record for wins.
Coach Shawn Elliott called it "the best performance Georgia State football has had this year."
"I think we finished Christmas Day with one of the best presents we could have ever asked for and that's a commanding, dominating win," Elliott said. It was the first time the program had won back-to-back bowl games.
His team was up 20-13 at halftime but scored the next 31 points.
Grainger completed 15 of 19 passes and carried 11 times, including a play fake midway through the third quarter when he scampered 34 yards untouched into the end zone. It was the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, and he was named the game MVP.
Ball State (6-7) couldn't summon up many big plays after Drew Plitt's 56-yard touchdown bomb to Jayshon Jackson for an early lead.
The Cardinals finished with a losing record a year after coach Mike Neu led his alma mater to its first Mid-American Conference championship since 1996.
"This group of young men has changed our program, and I mean that," Neu said. "A few years ago, we were struggling, we were down and out. These guys stuck together."
Tight end Aubrey Payne had two touchdown catches for Georgia State, along with career-highs of eight catches and 109 yards.
The Panthers defense also supplied two touchdowns: a 37-yard fumble recovery by defensive end Javon Denis and a 55-yard interception return by Antavious Lane that ended the team's 28-point third quarter.
"I really just wanted to win," Grainger said. "It didn't really matter how it came. We were talking so much about getting the eighth win this week."
Plitt completed 27 of 46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Ball State, which was without injured leading receiver Justin Hall. Jackson caught 12 passes for 146 yards.
It was Plitt's last game of his career at Ball State, but afterward, he was looking ahead to how his returning teammates can bounce back.
"I feel like this team is going to surprise a lot of people," Plitt said.
Georgia State: Completed a dramatic turnaround after a 1-4 start that included losses to Army, North Carolina, Auburn and Appalachian State. The nation's No. 8 ground game dominated Saturday, churning out 259 yards.
Ball State: Had a disappointing ending after gaining bowl eligibility with a 20-3 win over Buffalo in the regular-season finale. A failed fourth-and-1 try from its own 34 in the first half led to a field goal. The Cardinals fell to 1-9-1 in bowl games.
Ball State was without two offensive line starters -left guard Anthony Todd (injury) and right tackle Damon Kaylor (COVID-19 protocol) - along with Hall.
"We had some moving parts on the offensive line," Neu said. "We had a few adjustments we had to make throughout the week. That's part of it. There's some guys who stepped in and played their first snaps this week."
Georgia State starting noseguard Dontae Wilson also didn't play for undisclosed reasons, and tight end Roger Carter was out with an injury.
Ball State: Opens next season at Tennessee, and must replace Plitt and had 32 seniors/grad students.
Georgia State: Will have Grainger back next season and also starts on the road against an SEC team - South Carolina. "This team is growing, and I think it's going to continuously grow under Coach Elliott," Payne said.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25
Updated December 26, 2021


text:
Major partners of the Paris Opera's 350th anniversary
Major partners of
the Paris Opera's 350th anniversary
Major partners of the Paris Opera's 350th anniversary
Major partners of
the Paris Opera's 350th anniversary
A suivre:
Abbé Perrin (Director of...
Merce Cunningham was born in Centralia in the state of Washington. He began his career as a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company where he performed as a soloist from 1939 to 1945. He created his first choreographic pieces in 1942 and, in 1953, he established the highly experimental Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He created over 150 pieces and 800 "events". In the 1970s, his curiosity for new technologies led him to explore the relationship between dance, film, virtual composition and the capturing of a dancer's movements. John Cage, his life partner from 1937 to 1992, exerted a profound influence on his work. A pioneer of the American avant-garde, Cunningham stood out throughout his entire career for his endless appetite for innovation, expanding the horizons, not just of dance, but also the visual and performing arts. Merce Cunningham created Un jour ou deux (1973) for the Paris Opera Ballet. He also passed on Points in Space (1990) and Walkaround time (2017) to the Company.
Partners of the Paris Opera's 350th anniversary
Sponsor of Crystal Pite's production
Sponsor of Opera's Battle
Sponsor of Les Indes galantes
With the generous support of
Sponsor of La Traviata
Sponsor of the Emperor box restoration
Principal sponsor of the Paris Opera Ballet
IT Mobility & User Experience Partner
Mécène Services IT
Sponsor of the Paris Opera Academy
Institutions associated with the 350th anniversary
Media partners


text: For years enterprises have battled to prevent and manage data breaches, yet the costs associated with data breaches keep climbing higher \u2014 especially for organizations in highly regulated industries. The average cost of a breach today is $188 per record in the U.S, According to the Ponemon Institute, with the total costs of data breach hitting upwards of $5.4 million. Also according to Ponemon average losses are up 18% from the same survey in the prior year.[Positioning your institution's response in the face of data breach]Our own Global Information Security Survey finds that breach costs are rising, as well, especially for those organizations with less mature security programs.Is there anything organizations can do to curb rising breach costs? Turns out plenty. And most of it are things enterprises should already be doing.Take the high probability of having to eventually endure a breach disclosure, for instance. Today, nearly all states have financial data breach notification laws, while disclosure rules for other industry regulations such as for public companies that have breaches considered material. Or those under the purview of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which also require a good portion of breaches to be reported. Chances are, if you are breached today, you are going to have to report."That leaves you with two options," says David Mortman, chief security architect and distinguished engineer, Dell. "You can work to reduce your chances of a breach. Second, because breaches do happen, you can protect yourself from additional litigation due to a breach, says Mortman. And this is where state law comes into play: they ultimately determine what constitutes due care, and typically when an organization is breached and is following due care they are not as exposed to successful lawsuits.Most of those state rules can be distilled down to keeping access to the data minimal, being able to audit access, and encrypting the data and ensuring that the encryption keys are kept separate from the encrypted data. "The simple solution is that if you think you have client data that falls under that category, keep it encrypted and don't store the keys with the data. There are not a lot of good practices out there in the world, but that's a pretty good best practice," says Mortman.[Data breach notification laws, state and federal]Faster detection and response will also go a long way to minimizing costs, explains Gene Kim, independent director at the Energy Security Consortium, and co-author of The Phoenix Project: A Novel About IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win. "We find that in high performing organizations, when it comes to information security, they have the ability to find and resolve issues within hours and days versus months or quarters. I think this is validated by the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, where the actual breach occurred quarters before it was detected," says Kim. It makes sense: the more quickly enterprises can identify breaches, the less damage the attackers can do. "In my mind, the obvious answer is to be able to find issues faster and also be able to fix them faster," says Kim. In fact, it isn't a matter of if, but when, most any organization can expect to be breached. "It's almost like riding a motorcycle. Sooner or later you are going to have an accident," says Andrew Storms, Sr. director DevOps at CloudPassage. "It comes down to not only how well you respond, but also what you learn from the breach," he says. Yet, despite the number of breaches, and the numerous surveys showing the associated rising costs, not everyone thinks the breach costs being reported reflects reality. After all, following a breach, no organization wants to admit that they were easily infiltrated, and if they are a public company, or there could be tax implications associated with higher breach costs, companies are actually motivated to push the cost of the breaches to as high of a number as is legally possible. "They want to make it look like they really got nailed. They want to tell stakeholders and shareholders that they didn't perform well because they got nailed by the attacker, and it didn't have to do with anything else that they may have failed at executing that period," says Mortman.Perhaps so, but data breaches are too common and every year they are draining enterprises of capital that can be used elsewhere. So keeping costs low entails optimizing breach identification and incident response, minimizing the chances of breach through good security practices, and prepping for proper response when it does occur.George V. Hulme writes about security and technology from his home in Minneapolis. You can also find him tweeting about those topics on Twitter @georgevhulme.


text:
CFP: Interdisciplinary conference: Images of Afterlife
22–24 October 2014, University of Turku, Finland
Images of death and afterlife are rich and manifold in various religious
contexts, as well as in artistic, media and other symbolic expressions.
Representations of afterlife reflect cultural values, fears and hopes. In
the contemporary West collective religious representations are challenged
and completed by individual conceptions and beliefs, which, in turn, derive
from various cultural sources. How has afterlife – the life and existence
of souls and minds (or bodies) after death – been imagined in different
contexts and how is it imagined today? What are the contexts in which these
images are expressed? Where do afterlife conceptions come from and what is
their significance in the societies of the living?
The interdisciplinary conference Images of Afterlife aims to discuss the
cultural imagery of death and afterlife from various perspectives, such as
anthropology, history, linguistics, religious studies, arts studies, social
sciences, health care, psychology and psychiatry, in various cultural and
historical contexts. We welcome a broad spectrum of papers, which
illustrate and analyze theoretical approaches to cultural representations
as well as to individual experiences of death and afterlife. The
representations can include stories, beliefs, conceptions, customs and
rituals, as well as works of art and literature. We are also interested in
various methodologies that can be applied in the study of the images,
including multidisciplinary methodologies.
Topics for papers may include but are not limited to:
o Religious and spiritual images of afterlife
o Images of afterlife in art
o Mythic topographies of the otherworld
o Secular conceptions of afterlife
o Afterlife conceptions as sources of comfort and hope
o Beliefs about persistence of the mind after death
o Mind, soul and consciousness
o "Good" and "bad" death
o Suicide and afterlife
o Euthanasia
o Organ transplantation
o Death, afterlife and multiculturalism in health care
o Agency in afterlife
o Marginalized discourses of afterlife
o Interaction with the spaces and agents of the afterlife
o Spirits, souls, ghosts, wraiths, apparitions, revenants
o Near-death experiences and deathbed visions
o Afterlife: popular (pseudo-scientific) discourses vs. legitimized
The conference is organized by the research project Mind and the Other – An
Interdisciplinary Study on the Interactions of Multiple Realities (funded
by the Academy of Finland) in collaboration with the Finnish Death Studies
The invited keynote lecturers are:
Professor Altti Kuusamo, Art History, University of Turku
Professor Eija-Liisa Ahtila, The Academy of Fine Arts (tbc)
Professor Emerita Margaret Lock, Social Studies of Medicine, McGill
University (tbc)
Professor Samuel Scheffler, Philosophy, New York University (tbc)
Professor Jussi Kotkavirta, Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä (tbc)
Those who wish to present a paper in the conference are kindly requested to
send an abstract of no more than 300 words (in .rtf, .doc or .docx format)
to email@example.com by February 28, 2014. Please send with the
abstract your name, affiliation, contact information and field of
specialization. Notices of acceptance will be sent by April 30, 2014.
Further information about the conference, social programme, travel and
accommodation in Turku will be soon available on our web page


text:
This Gorgeous 9x9mm Gem Quality Princess Cut Genuine Chatham-Created Cultured Yellow Sapphire Weighs Between 4.37-4.99 Ct. Individual stone weights may vary outside the average weight range, but the size of the gemstone will be consistent.
Our Chatham lab-created yellow sapphires are real sapphires with the same chemical, physical and optical properties as their natural counterparts. They are grown by the flux method, which means they grow in the same crystal structure as natural mined stones. Gem quality means there are no inclusions visible to the naked eye. Comes with a small 4-color warranty card, which also certifies Chatham-brand authenticity.


text:
774 attacks on A&E staff over past 2 years
Information obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats showed that doctors, nurses, porters and administrative workers suffered physical and verbal abuse from patients.
In one case a person being treated at Perth Royal Infirmary attempted to bite a staff member.
Reports from other hospitals revealed "worrying" incidents of homophobic and racial abuse, the Liberal Democrats said.
Health spokesman Jim Hume said: "Our figures show that a total of 774 attacks on A&E staff took place across Scotland over 2012 and 2013. That's equivalent to an attack a day on NHS staff.
"NHS staff at A&E units have a tough enough time trying to save the lives of patients in often traumatic conditions. It is shameful that A&E staff are having to fend off violent and verbal attacks whilst trying to do their job.
"Time is precious in A&E units and every minute which is spent dealing with abuse and calling in the police could be better spent at the bedside of patients.
"Most people in Scotland hold a deep respect for our A&E staff and the inspirational work they do. The minority of people who attack our A&E staff should recognise that this will not be tolerated."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Attacks against NHS staff are despicable and the perpetrators should be dealt with in the strongest possible terms. There is no question that staff should feel safe in their jobs and no-one should be the victim of abuse or violence while at work.
"We are working hard to continue to bring down the rate of attacks against staff and more people than ever before are being convicted under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 with the penalty of up to 12 months imprisonment, a £10,000 fine or both."


text:
Voss Hostel - 4 bedded room with shower and toilet, including breakfast
Hostels | Located with own beach 800m from Voss station. 4-5-bedded standard room with bunk beds that can be booked privately for 1-4 persons. No extra cost for children from 0-3 years. Rate includes bed linen and breakfast. All our rooms have toilet and shower.
Voss Hostel is a social and comfortable place to stay, perfect for the traveler who wants to spend his money on experiences while on holiday.
The hostel is uniquely located right by the lake Vangsvatnet, close to both Voss village and the beautiful nature surrounding it.
There is a total of 40 rooms (180 beds), all with toilet and shower. Most of the rooms have bunk beds, while the category "lake view private room has twin beds. There are no TVs in the rooms, but there is a TV-room and also a guest kitchen in the common facilities.
In the winter time you can relax by the fire place, or use the sauna after a day of skiing. In the summer time the veranda towards the lake might be your first choice.
Voss Hostels has a few rooms which is allowed with dogs, for an additional cost of 150 per night. If you want to order a room with dog or a "lake view private room" with twin beds, contact the hostel directly at [email protected]
There is no additional cost for children from 0-3 years in the room. Choose only the number of adults when you book. After you have booked the room, please send e-mail to [email protected] to inform if you have children from 0-3 years in the room, and if you need an extra children bed.
Other facilities
- Ping pong table
- Billiard table
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free parking outside
- Washing machine
- Library
- Room for luggage, available when the reception is open
Contact information
Phone number + 47 97593888
Contact person email: [email protected]
Address: Peter Bondesveg 40, 5705 Voss.
Check in: From 15.00 p.m.
Check out: 11.00 a.m.


text:
|# Having a separate GNUmakefile lets me `include' the dynamically
|# generated rules created via Makefile.maint as well as Makefile.maint itself.
|# This makefile is used only if you run GNU Make.
|# It is necessary if you want to build targets usually of interest
|# only to the maintainer.
|# Copyright (C) 2001, 2003, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
|# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
|# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
|# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
|# (at your option) any later version.
|# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
|# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
|# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
|# GNU General Public License for more details.
|# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
|# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
|# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
|# Systems where /bin/sh is not the default shell need this. The $(shell)
|# command below won't work with e.g. stock DOS/Windows shells.
|ifeq ($(wildcard /bin/s[h]),/bin/sh)
|SHELL = /bin/sh
|# will be used only with the next shell-test line, then overwritten
|# by a configured-in value
|SHELL = sh
|have-Makefile := $(shell test -f Makefile && echo yes)
|# If the user runs GNU make but has not yet run ./configure,
|# give them a diagnostic.
|ifeq ($(have-Makefile),yes)
|# Make tar archive easier to reproduce.
|export TAR_OPTIONS = --owner=0 --group=0 --numeric-owner
|include Makefile
|include $(srcdir)/Makefile.cfg
|include $(srcdir)/Makefile.maint
|@echo There seems to be no Makefile in this directory. 1>&2
|@echo "You must run ./configure before running \`make'." 1>&2
|@exit 1
|# Tell version 3.79 and up of GNU make to not build goals in this
|# directory in parallel. This is necessary in case someone tries to
|# build multiple targets on one command line.


text:
Year of publication
- 2019 (1) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (1)
- English (1)
Has Fulltext
- yes (1)
- traceability (1) (remove)
In recent years, machine learning methods have taken a firm place in society and their use continues to grow. The challenge here is their little to almost non-existent interpretability. The aim of this paper is to uncover the possibilities of interpreting machine learning. The novel mechanisms and procedures of the emerging field of interpretable machine learning are presented. In a two-part analysis, intrinsically interpretable machine learning methods and established post-hoc interpretation methods are examined in more detail. The focus is on their functionality, properties and boundary conditions. Finally, a use case will be used as an example to demonstrate how post-hoc interpretation methods can contribute to the explainability of an image classifier and systematically provide new insights into a model.


text:
Woman standing on cliffs looking out to sea
A young woman stands on cliffs looking out to sea, Carreg Onnen Bay, Pembrokshire, Wales, United Kingdom
Flight Test 3
A man attempts to fly with wooden wings tied to his back with ropes. On a mountain in Italy.
Happy Beach Jump
A young woman jumping for joy in the water on a beach at sunset.
A young female athlete running in a park
A young female athlete running through a park.
man on beach in sunrise
A man stands on the beach watching the sunrise over mountains by the sea. Tuscany, Italy
Night Hiker
A hiker at night, wearing a head torch in a forest,under a starry sky.
Hiker in red jacket
A hiker walks on top of mountains with a red jacket and orange backpack. Rear view, Lake District. UK.
Female hiker lakes 2
A female hiker standing on a rock
Smiling young woman with umbrella on bridge in Strasbourge
A happy, smiling young woman with an umbrella stands on a bridge in the Petit-France area of Strasbourg.
Woman drinking wine at sunset
The silhouette of a young woman drinking wine in a sunset over looking the Aegean Sea and islands, Turkey.
Young woman standing at entrance to country house
Young woman jogging in a field
A Young woman jogging in a field on a sunny day.
Pool girl in white hat
A young woman wearing a bikini and a white hat sits at teh edge of a swimming pool.
Hiker on rocks
A female hiker standing on a mountain top in the Lake Districk, England.
Silhouette mountain hiker
A female hiker with a backpack arrives at the summit of a mountain.
female hiker talking on cell phone
An Asian female hiker talks on a cell phone while sitting on a mountain top in Sardinia, Italy.
Hiking couple 1
A couple holding hands on the top of a mountain.
Man standing in a forest
A man stands in a forest looking up and smiling.
Young woman sits by pool
A young woman wearing a bikini and a hat sits by the edge of an infinity pool looking at the view of Turkish islands.
Gunman in a dark city
A man, wearing a hoodie, walks through a dark, modern cityscape, holding a hand gun. Surreal, sci-fi, computer game style photograph. London's financial district.


text: Back Catecholamines (Blood) Does this test have other names? Dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine tests What is this test? This test measures the levels of catecholamines in your blood. The catecholamine hormones are epinephrine, also called adrenaline; norepinephrine; and dopamine. Catecholamines are made in the adrenal glands and released when you have physical or emotional stress. These hormones have many functions in the body, from transmitting nerve impulses in the brain to constricting blood vessels and increasing your heart rate. The test can help diagnose certain conditions that affect catecholamine levels. Three rare tumors can also affect catecholamine levels. The tumor types called pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are not cancer. They cause high blood pressure that generally goes away if the tumor is taken out. Pheochromocytomas occur in less than 0.2 percent of people with high blood pressure. Neuroblastoma tumors, which are cancer, almost always appear in childhood. Why do I need this test? You may need this test to help your doctor figure out whether you have certain conditions that cause high blood pressure, severe headaches, a fast heartbeat, and sweating. You may also have this test if your doctor suspects you have a rare tumor that causes high blood pressure. Your child may have this test if he or she has symptoms of a tumor that affects catecholamine levels. Signs and symptoms may include: Bone pain or a limp "Dancing" eye or limb movement Anemia Weight loss An unusual lump, usually in the abdomen (belly) What other tests might I have along with this test? Your doctor may also order a urine test to check your catecholamine levels. Your doctor may also order a CT or MRI scan to find the suspected tumor. What do my test results mean? Many things may affect your lab test results. These include the method each lab uses to do the test. Even if your test results are different from the normal value, you may not have a problem. To learn what the results mean for you, talk with your health care provider. Results are given in milligrams (mg). If the blood sample is taken while you are lying down, normal levels are: Dopamine: less than 87 mg Epinephrine: less than 50 mg Norepinephrine: 110 to 410 mg If the blood sample is taken while you are sitting up, normal levels are: Dopamine: less than 87 mg Epinephrine: less than 60 mg Norepinephrine: 120 to 680 mg If you have higher levels of catecholamines in your blood, you may have a pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma, or neuroblastoma tumor. How is this test done? The test requires a blood sample, which is drawn through a needle from a vein in your arm. Does this test pose any risks? Taking a blood sample with a needle carries risks that include bleeding, infection, bruising, or feeling dizzy. When the needle pricks your arm, you may feel a slight stinging sensation or pain. Afterward, the site may be slightly sore. What might affect my test results? Physical and emotional stress can affect your results, as can your diet. Certain medications can also affect your results. How do I get ready for this test? Try to avoid rigorous exercise and stressful situations before your test. Also, be sure your doctor knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use.


text:
Natural Selection2012 Drama | Comedy
Linda White, a devoted Christian housewife, leads a sheltered existence in suburban Texas. Her world is turned upside-down when she discovers that her dying husband, Abe, has a 23-year old illegitimate son named Raymond living in Florida. Somewhere on the edge of guilt and loneliness, Linda grants Abe's final wish and sets off on a quixotic journey to find Raymond and bring him back. Along the way, Linda's wonderfully bizarre relationship with Raymond will teach her more about herself than she ever imagined possible and force her to come to terms with her troubled past.


text:
Let me preface this with IANAD (I am not a doctor), nor do I pretend to be one on the Internet. But I have to question a few of your points above.
Coconuts and avocados both contain cholesterol. Neither is an animal product.
My doctor's advice to me about high cholesterol is that diet was the *smallest* contributing factor to cholesterol levels, not the largest. In decreasing order of relevance, she said, were heredity, exercise level, fish oil supplements (more specifically, Omega-3 fatty acids), and finally, diet. Should I eat eggs for breakfast? Probably not. Will it make as big a difference as my genetics or getting 90 minutes a week of exercise? Not even close.


text:
Heart-Stopping Hallowe'en Horror, Left And Right
Happy Samhain, everyone, if that isn't an inherent oxymoron.
For those of you who expected (and were, of course, waiting for with bated breath... what the Hell is bated breath, by the way?) Volume 100 of my weekly Friday Talking Points column, I will begin your Hallowe'en weekend by dashing your hopes on the rocks below (bartender!... another one of these... on the rocks, of course), and by telling you you're going to have to wait another week for this auspicious and historical event... because, of course... it is time for this column's annual celebration of all that is terrifying and horrible -- from both sides of the political chasm!
Because today we offer up (instead of the usual FTP drivel), a bone-shaking nightmare for those of the Left and those of the Right. Complete, of course (it wouldn't be a Hallowe'en column otherwise) with photos of my 2009 pumpkins, carved lovingly with a knife that was previously used to... well, perhaps it's best you not know that part....
[Cue: Shrieking teenager, heavy clanking of chains, and assorted eerie moans and groans...]
So, without further delay [Cue: Witch cackling], we open the crypt door to this year's installment of my attempt to scare the Hell out of everyone. As a special treat, we've also got all my pumpkins for the past few years at the end, to remind everyone of what terrified us all in Hallowe'ens past.
[Cue: Creaking hinges...]
Prologue (with apologies to Ray Bradbury, of course)
While wandering the midway at the traveling carnival which had mysteriously come to town the previous night, I became privy to a rather frightening occurrence, which I now relate to you, dear reader.
I had strolled through the carnival grounds once, and upon my return was drawn to the fortunetelling booth for what I can only describe as inexplicable reasons. The whole "Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show" (as it was grandiosely billed) was a mixture of that return-to-childhood innocence of the end-of-summer carnivals I remembered from my youth, as well as that rather creepy "carnie" overlay which adult eyes see, but a child's eyes do not. Plus, there was a disconcerting extra layer of sinister which seemed to blanket the entire carnival, much like a fog blankets a cemetery on a moonless night.
Maybe it was just because it was Hallowe'en, that could've been it.
In any case, as I approached the fortuneteller's tent, two men appeared in front of me, a few steps before I entered. One came from the right. One from the left. They collided with each other at the opening to the tent, and blocked the entryway. After much mumbling and grumbling, they both managed to squeeze in together. Amused by this display of eagerness to hear their "fortunes" told by a "witch," I followed them through the portal with nowhere near their level of enthusiasm. What was I even doing here? I had no particular wish to hear some fantastically spun story about fame and wealth and love and happiness from some bored carnie woman. But, as I said, something drew me onward.
Inside I found a waiting area with a few dilapidated chairs. I took the only available chair, which (as it happened) was right next to the opening, affording me with the opportunity to eavesdrop. A very pale woman was exiting this opening as I sat, and Mr. Left and Mr. Right (as I had them pegged in my mind now) glared at each other for a frozen moment, before Mr. Left leapt up a fraction of a second before Mr. Right had the chance to move. Beaming triumphantly, he entered the macabre sanctum sanctorum, to be told the following tale by the woman concealed within.
Mr. Left's Terrifying Fortune
Mr. Left asked but a single question: "What does the future hold for Democrats?"
The answer was downright chilling.
"I see..." began the crone's voice, low but strong. "I see... the number 59."
She continued: "I see a very important bill before the Senate. This bill is the one that the entire Democratic Party has staked its hopes upon for the future. It looks like it has been beaten and abused to even get to this point -- like the loser of a barroom fight, being trundled into a waiting ambulance.
"I see many promises being made. I see arms being twisted. I see this process being led by a strange creature -- a jellyfish who has recently grown a spine. This grotesque creature is actually attempting to do his job for once, in fear of his own political life.
"I see a bullwhip reporting to the jellyfish. I see him confidently say '60.' I see a big arena -- a big top tent. I see a center ring. The jellyfish is now the ringleader, and he proudly calls the vote.
"I see the numbers rising... 30... 40... 50...
"But hubris has led to disaster, as one says 'nay' when asked to vote. The number stops at 59. The bill is defeated.
"Because so much time has been wasted, this is the final vote. I see a house of cards falling around the Democrats.
"And next year, I see very angry voters. I see crushing losses at the polls. I see the Democrats taking years to recover. I see the party devastated by the public's rage. I see people saying 'they can't get anything done,' and 'how big a majority do they need to pass a bill?' I see Democrats slinking away from this electoral wreckage, and hiding in dark holes for years.
"And I see death for thousands, because the bill did not pass. Death, death, as far as the mind's eye can see into the future -- death... death... and more death.
"That is your fortune, young man."
Mr. Left came out of the doorway looking like he had seen into his own grave. He shuddered once, then pulled himself together, jammed his hat on his head, and strode out of the tent.
Mr. Right, having heard none of this I am sure (he was sitting quite a distance from the doorway), eagerly jumped up to take his place. I leaned back in my chair, and heard his fortune as related as well.
Mr. Right's Terrifying Fortune
Mr. Right was just as brief in his question to the fortuneteller: "What does the future hold for Republicans?"
"I see..." the voice began again, "I see... Barack Obama signing a national health care bill."
An audible gasp, followed by a groan, was Mr. Right's reaction. The crone continued.
"I see the Democrats passing their bill just before Christmas. I see the public joyful at this Yuletide present. I see the media finally giving Barack Obama some credit.
"I see Republicans weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth. I see them scream and howl. I see them shriek and gibber. And I am not alone in this -- the public sees it too. This cements in the public mind forevermore the fact that Republicans were against this plan, and that it came about solely from the Democrats.
"I see an opt out option in the final plan. This becomes a lethal trap for the Republican Party. I see this battle being joined at the state level for years to come. I see states opting out in the Deep South, and the upper Mountain West. I see the Plains states and the purple states being more cautious, and adopting a wait-and-see approach.
"I see the residents of the states who have opted out start to become dissatisfied with their state lawmakers for denying them something other Americans have. I see a grassroots movement to kick these state-level Republicans out of office. I see Democrats taking some state legislatures they haven't held in a century.
"But that is not the worst of it for Republicans... oh, no.
"Because in some of these states, I see Republicans splitting in two. I see a great cleft opening -- wider by the second -- between two factions. On one side of this schism, I see frothing at the mouth. I see teabags being worshipped. I see a presidential nominee in lipstick from the far north, you betcha. On the other side of this split I see people begging for change and moderation within the party. But the Pure Republicans on the other side will have none of it. The Big Tent Republicans announce they are for small government and less taxes, but that they simply don't care what people do in their bedrooms or churches. I see the Big Tenters tossing intolerance over the side of their ship, in a desperate effort to stay afloat in modern times. I see the Purists tossing the Big Tenters over the side in response.
"This party divided cannot stand. I see the Purists renaming themselves 'Know Nothings,' and having an absolutely grand time losing election after election, until they are reduced to winning local elections for dogcatcher. I see them smug in their purity, but I also see that same purity guaranteeing their demise on the national scene. Eventually, after suffering rejection after rejection at the polls, the party dissolves due to internal conflicts over purity. The various factions, all demanding purity on their single issues, will wind up tearing the party apart like an unbalanced carousel, spinning wildly out of control. The issue which finally destroys the party is..."
A cackling laugh erupted at this moment, which had the effect of freezing my blood.
"... whether to burn witches at the stake, or merely to humanely execute them. How's that for some Hallowe'en irony, Sonny Boy?
"The Big Tent moderates will cling to the label of 'Republican,' but it will soon become apparent that their tent is shrinking daily, not getting any bigger. The Democrats, riding high on the wave of public approval for the health insurance reform, waltz into office for the next generation to come. Next year, they shock political pundits by picking up 52 seats in the House and nine more seats in the Senate. Together with taking over state governorships and legislatures, this gives the Democrats absolute domination over the levers of government for the next twenty years.
"And, Dearie, one last thing before you go.
"I see the Twenty-Second Amendment being repealed by popular demand. I see Barack Obama serving four terms as President, and going down in history as second only in popularity to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"That is your future."
Mr. Right appeared in the doorway looking even worse than Mr. Left, put his hat on his head with a trembling hand, and exited, still dazed.
"It's your turn," said the voice from the darkness and gloom in the next room.
"Sorry... I've changed my mind..." I responded, rising, and putting my own hat back on my head.
"Don't you want to know what the future holds, young man?" the voice cajoled.
I couldn't resist. "You're a fraud -- you just told those two exactly opposite stories. Both can't be true."
"Maybe not in one world's timeline, but rest assured, both of those men will live out the nightmare which awaits them. They may not see it in the same world as you or I; who may live one of those time tracks or the other. The future is a powerful force, about which you know nothing."
"You're right," I agreed, "And I don't want to know another thing about it."
The flap of the door closed behind me as I exited. I hurried away from the tent, from the midway, and from the creepy carnival, which disappeared into the mist gathering behind my footsteps. A wind blew up on my way home, and for a moment I thought I heard a witch's cackling... thin and dry... like dust borne on that wind.
But then it was gone and I was alone, facing the future in the only way I knew how.
-- Chris Weigant
A Trip Down "We've Eaten Your Brains, Now We Know All Your Memories" Lane
[These are my political Jack O'Lanterns from years past, just for the Hell of it. Click on each to see a larger image. And Happy Hallowe'en to all!]
2008 -- I can see Frightening Things from my porch!
2006 -- Ohio-tastically O-horrifying!
2004 -- The Hideous Spectre of the Hanging Chad!
Cross-posted at Democratic Underground
Cross-posted at The Huffington Post


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KDE PIM/Akonadi/Trashhandling
The akonadi trashhandling are a couple of convenience classes, to make it easy for developers building on akonadi, to provide a trashbin in their application. It's also meant to standardize the way trashed items are handled among several applications using the same akonadi resources.
The uniform handling opens possibilities (which are not yet realized), like mapping the flags used to mark trash to remote locations (i.e. IMAP server), or creating a janitor agent which does automatic cleaning in a configured interval.
The trashhandling consists of the following parts:
Mark entity as trash with the EntityDeletedAttribute and moves it to a configured trash collection (if configured).
The default behaviour is to move the item to the trash collection which is configured in TrashSettings. If this trash collection is not available, the entity is kept in place.
All sub entites of a collection which is marked as trash are also marked as trash, and get the parent collection of the collection which was marked as trash as restore collection. This ensures that it is possible to restore items from trash, which were originally moved to trash together with the parent collection.
The job has also an option to automatically delete items which are already marked as trash.
Restore the entity from the trash collection to the original collection and remove the EntityDeletedAttribute.
By default the RestoreJob tries to move the entity back to the original location, which is saved in the EntityDeletedAttribute. If this collection is not available anymore, it tries the original resource root as fallback, if also not available it aborts.
For this case it is possible to configure a special restore collection on the job, to which the item is restored.
If the move was successful the EntityDeletedAttribute is removed from the entity (and from all subentities).
Marks the entity as deleted and stores the restore collection/resource. Resources could map this flag to an appropriate flag as the MarkAsDeleted flag in IMAP.
Store a trashcollection for a resource.
In the future further trash related settings, as the time before the janitor agent deletes items could be stored here.
TODO: atm. the settings are never removed. Even if the configured resource or trash collection is removed.
Either shows all items with the EntityDeletedAttribute or hides all entities with the EntityDeletedAttribute. It is using a KRecursiveProxyModel, so also trash items which are in a non trash collection are shown in the trash.
Provides 6 standard actions:
- MoveItemToTrash
- MoveCollectionToTrash
- RestoreItemFromTrash
- RestoreCollectionFromTrash
- MoveToTrashRestoreCollection
- MoveToTrashRestoreItem
While the first 4 are trivial, the last two provide a single action, which changes its behaviour depending if the EntityDeletedAttribute is set or not. As it doesn't make sense to restore entites which are not in trash or move entities to trash which are in trash, I believe it is the most common usecase and is what I use myself. All new actions need the EntityDeletedAttribute fetched in order to work properly. I had to add some bits to the internal structure of the standardactionmanager to make it possible to change description/icon/etc. for a single action, everything existing should continue to work as expected though.
Trash Janitor Agent (TODO)
Goes trough all collections, and deletes items after a configured period of time, if they are marked as trash. This configuration is in TrashSettings on a per resource basis, but could be overridden by a configuration in the EntityDeletedAttribute
This is not work in progress atm. but more a concept. I also don't plan to add this anytime soon, so feel free to do it if you need it now.


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Many people assume they aren't rich because they don't earn enough money. If I only earned a little more, I could save and invest better, they say. The problem with that theory is they were probably making exactly the same argument before their last several raises. Becoming a millionaire has less to do with how much you make, it's how you treat money in your daily life. The list of reasons you may not be rich doesn't end at 10. [Here are 10 more.]
Here are 10 more possible reasons you aren't rich [For the original 10 reasons go here (1)]:
10. You care what your car looks like
A car is a means of transportation to get from one place to another, but many people don't view it that way. Instead, they consider it a reflection of themselves and spend money every two years or so to impress others instead of driving the car for its entire useful life and investing the money saved.
9. You feel entitlement
If you believe you deserve to live a certain lifestyle, have certain things and spend a certain amount before you have earned to live that way, you will have to borrow money. That large chunk of debt will keep you from building wealth.
8. You lack diversification
There is a reason one of the oldest pieces of financial advice is to not keep all your eggs in a single basket. Having a diversified investment portfolio makes it much less likely that wealth will suddenly disappear.
7. You started too late
The magic of compound interest works best over long periods of time. If you find you're always saying there will be time to save and invest in a couple more years, you'll wake up one day to find retirement is just around the corner and there is still nothing in your retirement account.
6. You don't do what you enjoy
While your job doesn't necessarily need to be your dream job, you need to enjoy it. If you choose a job you don't like just for the money, you'll likely spend all that extra cash trying to relieve the stress of doing work you hate.
5. You don't like to learn
You may have assumed that once you graduated from college, there was no need to study or learn. That attitude might be enough to get you your first job or keep you employed, but it will never make you rich. A willingness to learn to improve your career and finances are essential if you want to eventually become wealthy.
4. You buy things you don't use
Take a look around your house, in the closets, basement, attic and garage and see if there are a lot of things you haven't used in the past year. If there are, chances are that all those things you purchased were wasted money that could have been used to increase your net worth.
3. You don't understand value
You buy things for any number of reasons besides the value that the purchase brings to you. This is not limited to those who feel the need to buy the most expensive items, but can also apply to those who always purchase the cheapest goods. Rarely are either the best value, and it's only when you learn to purchase good value that you have money left over to invest for your future.
2. Your house is too big
When you buy a house that is bigger than you can afford or need, you end up spending extra money on longer debt payments, increased taxes, higher upkeep and more things to fill it. Some people will try to argue that the increased value of the house makes it a good investment, but the truth is that unless you are willing to downgrade your living standards, which most people are not, it will never be a liquid asset or money that you can ever use and enjoy.
1. You fail to take advantage of opportunities
There has probably been more than one occasion where you heard about someone who has made it big and thought to yourself, "I could have thought of that." There are plenty of opportunities if you have the will and determination to keep your eyes open.
Editor's Note: The above excerpts* from the original article have been edited ([ ]) and abridged (…) by Lorimer Wilson, editor of munKNEE.com, for the sake of clarity and brevity. Also note that this complete paragraph must be included in any re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.
Scroll to very bottom of page & add your comments on this article. We want to share what you have to say!
(*The author's views and conclusions are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original article. Furthermore, the views, conclusions and any recommendations offered in this article are not to be construed as an endorsement of such by the editor.)
Title and Link to Article Referenced Above:
- Are You a Millionaire? 10 Reasons You May Not Be and What to do About It https://munknee.com/2011/07/are-you-a-millionaire-10-reasons-you-may-not-be-and-what-to-do-about-it/


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In general, team grants support expert teams of talented and experienced researchers carrying out high-quality research on important health issues best addressed through a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. These teams provide superior research training and mentorship environments, and support the production of new knowledge and the translation of research findings into improved health and health care.
160 Elgin Street, 9th FloorAddress Locator 4809AOTTAWA, Ontario, Canada613 941-2672


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(I started writing this in a light hearted way. It was meant to be humorous. It has ended up being very dark. I'm sorry. I guess joking around and trying to act fine doesn't always work. I am doing this post as an extended one, it has got so long.)
Since the kids were born, I've slowly, cautiously starting trying to build a new relationship with my body. My body is the physical means of me being able to care for and mother my children. Without my body, I can't care for them. And so slowly, slowly, I am started to build up respect for it, trust in it.
I was surprised, and not surprised when the scan showed no heartbeat. Surprised because I felt so pregnant. I know what pregnant feels like. And right up until that scan, I felt very pregnant. I was not surprised because firstly it all felt so surreal to start off with, and secondly because bad news like this no longer has the power to surprise me. Funny how those feelings, that room, that terribly still little blob on the scan all feels so achingly familiar. It's as if I never left.
Dear TERTIA ALBERTYN
Details of your hospital admission
Patient's name: TERTIA ALBERTYN
Reason for going to hospital: Missed abortion
Hospital name: KINGSBURY HOSPITAL
Treating doctor: WISWEDEL, HEYLEN & LE ROUX
Date of admission: 22/03/2007
Authorised length of stay*. 1.0 days
"Missed abortion". I cried a little when I read that. (WTF does that mean any way? A bit crap calling it a missed abortion.)
I'll be ok, I am a survivor, I've been through worse. I'll be ok, because the alternative is not an option for me. I'll be ok, because I have to be.
Love to all of you.


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Story Highlights• NEW: Iraqi TV airs video of noose placed around Hussein's neck
• Hussein refused to wear black hood
• Bush praises Iraqis for giving fair trial
• Celebrations break out in Baghdad and Michigan
Adjust font size:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator who spent his last years in captivity after his ruthless regime was toppled by the U.S.-led coalition in 2003, was hanged before dawn Saturday for crimes committed in a brutal crackdown during his reign.
The execution took place shortly after 6 a.m. (10 p.m. Friday ET), Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, told Iraqi television.
"This dark page has been turned over," Rubaie said. "Saddam is gone. Today Iraq is an Iraq for all the Iraqis, and all the Iraqis are looking forward. ... The [Hussein] era has gone forever." (Watch noose placed around Hussein's neck )
Al-Iraqiya state television aired videotape of Hussein's last moments several hours after the execution.
The video showed Hussein, dressed in a black overcoat, being led into a room by three masked guards.
The broadcast only showed the execution to the point where the noose was placed over Hussein's head and tightened around his neck. No audio was heard.
Rubaie, who witnessed the execution, said the former leader was "strangely submissive" to the process.
"He was a broken man," he said. "He was afraid. You could see fear in his face."
Rubaie said that Hussein carried with him a copy of the Quran and asked that it be given to "a certain person." Rubaie did not identify that person.
On Al-Arabiya television, Rubaie said the execution took place at the 5th Division intelligence office in Qadhimiya. He said Hussein refused to wear a black hood over his head before execution and told him "don't be afraid." (Watch Rubaie describe Hussein's final moments )
White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel said President Bush was asleep when the execution took place and was not awakened. The president had been briefed by national security adviser Stephen Hadley before retiring and was aware the hanging was imminent, Stanzel said.
The White House issued a statement praising the Iraqi people for giving Hussein a fair trial.
"Fair trials were unimaginable under Saddam Hussein's tyrannical rule," Bush's statement read. "It is a testament to the Iraqi people's resolve to move forward after decades of oppression that, despite his terrible crimes against his own people, Saddam Hussein received a fair trial." (Full story)
The execution took place outside the heavily fortified Green Zone, Rubaie said, and no Americans were present.
"It was an Iraqi operation from A to Z," he said. "The Americans were not present during the hour of the execution. They weren't even in the building."
He added that "there were no Shiite or Sunni clerics present, only the witnesses and those who carried out the actual execution were present."
Hussein was hanged for his role in the 1982 Dujail massacre, in which 148 Iraqis were killed after a failed assassination attempt against the then-Iraqi president. (Watch what happened in Dujail )
Two other co-defendants -- Barzan Hassan, Hussein's half-brother, and Awwad Bandar, the former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court -- were also found guilty and had been expected to face execution with Hussein, but Rubaie said their executions were postponed.
"We chose to postpone Barzan and Awwad's execution to a later date because we wanted to have this day to have an historic distinction," he said. "We wanted to have one specific date for Saddam so people remember this date to be linked to Saddam's execution and nothing else."
Rubaie said the execution was videotaped and photographed extensively from the time Hussein was transferred from U.S. to Iraqi custody until he was dead.
Many of those who witnessed the execution celebrated in the aftermath. (Full story)
"Saddam's body is in front me," said an official in the prime minister's office when CNN telephoned. "It's over."
In the background, Shiite chanting could be heard. When asked about the chanting, the official said, "These are employees of the prime minister's office and government chanting in celebration." (Watch what Hussein's death could mean in Iraq )
He said that celebrations broke out after Hussein was dead, and that there was "dancing around the body."
Iraqi-Americans celebrated in the street in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest concentration of Iraqis in the United States. (Watch Iraqi-Americans dancing, kissing and singing in the streets )
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki did not attend the execution, according to an adviser to the prime minister who was interviewed on state television.
"It's a very solemn moment for me," Feisal Istrabadi, Iraq's U.N. ambassador, said on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." "I can understand why some of my compatriots may be cheering. I have friends whose particular people I can think of who have lost 10, 15, 20 members of their family, more.
"But for me, it's a moment really of remembrance of the victims of Saddam Hussein."
Friday evening, a U.S. district judge refused a request to stay the execution.
Attorney Nicholas Gilman said in an application for a restraining order, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, that a stay would allow Hussein "to be informed of his rights and take whatever action he can and may wish to pursue."
Munir Haddad, a judge on the appeals court that upheld the former dictator's death sentence, called Gilman's filing "rubbish," and said, "It will not delay carrying out the sentence," which he called "final."
Throughout the day, there were conflicting reports about who had custody of Hussein. Giovanni di Stefano, one of Hussein's defense attorneys, told CNN the U.S. military officially informed him that the former Iraqi dictator had been transferred to Iraqi custody, but that the move in U.S. court could have meant that Hussein was back in U.S. custody.
There had been speculation that Hussein would be executed before Eid Al-Adha -- a holiday period that means Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims around the world at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. The law does not permit executions to be carried out during religious holidays.
Eid began Saturday for Sunnis and begins Sunday for Shiites. It lasts for four days. Hussein was a Sunni Muslim.
Meeting with half-brothers
Another defense lawyer, Badie Aref, told CNN that Hussein met with two of his half-brothers in his cell on Thursday and passed on messages and instructions to his family.
"President Saddam was just bracing for the worst, so he wanted to see his brothers and pass on some messages and instructions to his family," Aref said. The half brothers who visited were Sabawi and Wathban Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, he said.
He never asked to see anyone else -- not even his wife, said his lawyers. She was the mother of his five children.
Aref said the U.S. soldiers guarding Hussein on Tuesday took away a radio he kept in his cell so he could not hear news reports about his death sentence, which was confirmed that day.
"They did not want him to hear the news from the appeals court upholding the sentence," he said. "They gave him back the radio on Wednesday."
Aref said Saddam found out about the appeals court verdict "a few hours after it was announced."
Crimes against humanity
Hussein was convicted on November 5 of crimes against humanity in connection with the killings of 148 people in the town of Dujail after an attempt on his life.
The dictator was found guilty of murder, torture and forced deportation.
The Dujail episode falls within 12 of the worst cases out of 500 documented "baskets of crimes" during the Hussein regime.
The U.S. State Department says torture and extrajudicial killings followed the Dujail killings and that 550 men, women and children were arrested without warrants.
CNN's Aneesh Raman, Arwa Damon, Ryan Chilcote, Sam Dagher, Jomana Karadsheh and Ed Henry contributed to this report.
Saddam Hussein refused to wear a hood over his head during his execution.
Gallery: Hussein's last moments
Timeline: Downfall of Hussein


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Trucks and Transport Lined Curtains
Product Description
- Exclusive PriceRightHome design
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- Please note - Designs may vary slightly
Trucks and Transport Lined Curtains
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