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"13 Reasons Why."
The Selena Gomez – produced Netflix show that remade the YA fiction novel by the same name.
The topic? Teenage Suicide.
The "13 Reasons" refer to the 13 cassette tapes the victim, Hannah, left behind, explaining why each of the 13 people on the tapes were to blame in why she took her own life.
I didn't want to watch it. Clearly, this is not a light subject matter, and not particularly something I wanted to watch alone in my studio apartment in New York. But given my affinity for Justin Bieber, and as a result, his first love, Selena Gomez, I wanted to see what she produced.
And well, after watching all 13 episodes in less than 48 hours, I have some thoughts. Strong ones.
Suicide is never the answer. It should never even be an option. Let's get that right out of the way from the get-go. And if you are having suicidal thoughts, you should seek professional help. Call a crisis hotline. Talk to someone.
This show got it wrong.
As a survivor of a severe case of anorexia, this topic hits really close to home with me. Too close. During my disease, even though I never would have said, "I want to end my life," the fact is, my actions communicated just that. I starved myself down to 78 pounds. Anorexia is a slow, drawn out suicide attempt. There. I said it. Whether you realize it or not, you are killing yourself, every day. Every meal you skip. Every calorie you burn. You are slowly and deliberately allowing yourself to waste away.
And there is nothing to glorify there. Nothing to romanticize. Nothing to slap a sepia filter on and call it "teen angst." It is a form of mental illness; just like conditions that lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. And it should be treated and supervised by professionals.
The thing that made me the most upset about the show, aside from the appalling depiction of sheer ineptness by the guidance counselor, the glamorization of her death through an elaborate "riddle" of tapes left behind, and the depiction of control that creates, the thing that got to me the most was that these tapes – these 13 Reasons – blamed someone for it.
One of my biggest regrets, that I still live with to this day, is thinking that my loved ones blame themselves for my anorexia. Thinking that they were a contributing factor to my illness, or that they did or said something that triggered the development of the eating disorder. It has worn at my spirit that they could possibly blame themselves. And over and over and over, I've tried to communicate to them that it wasn't their fault. Sure, tense words were said, and maybe sometimes the best decisions weren't made, but the fact is, we all were just getting through it the best we could, the best we knew how.
No one is to blame for a suicide. I don't care how "good" of a story line that creates.
Is it horrible that Hannah had to endure assault and bullying? Absolutely. But taking one's life is not the only option out there. Where were those options in the plot line?
Finally, my heart absolutely shatters, to think about the impressionable teens who watch this series. Who, like myself, want to check it out because Selena Gomez is on the poster and take her word as "Gospel-ajacent."
The act of taking one's life stems from one thing: control. Regain control of a life that seems hopeless, and at a dead end. And the message that the storyline communicates – that Hannah was able to leave a legacy and communicate with her classmates and control them into solving her riddle – it glamorizes, belittles and negates the gravity and severity and finality of the act of suicide. It puts an air of "celebrity" on the devastating act that doesn't leave people curious, it leaves them ruined. Suicide ruins the loved ones. Shatters them. Leaves them unable to pick up the pieces.
When a person takes their life, there is no more communicating with their friends afterwards. There is no seeing if they've solved the riddles or played the "game" by the rules, or done this or that. When a person takes their life, they are no longer alive. They are no more. And everyone is left to put the pieces back together, and fight the horrific guilt that they were to blame.
There is always another option. There is always a way out. No matter how bleak. There is always another option. It is my deepest prayer that if someone who is at risk, watches that series, that they don't become enamored with the glitz and the notoriety Hannah received after her death. That they realize that there are people that they can reach out to for help. Guidance counselors are good people and, contrary to the depiction in the series, are well equipped and want to help.
But lastly, I pray that those at risk youth remember that they're not alone. That they are loved so fiercely by their Heavenly Father, who wants to fight for them. And even though that might not seem like enough, it has the power to turn things around.
"13 Reasons Why" is negligent. It panders to the glorification of a tragedy that should never, ever be glossed over or trivialized or romanticized.
Hannah had a mental illness. And with proper care and guidance, her story could have ended a lot differently.
And I pray that for anyone watching it, they realize that too.
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Fancy and flour-free, it's unlikely that you'd find any dessert better suited for Passover than the classic pavlova. Crispy meringue cradles whipped cream and fresh fruits, creating a simultaneously light and rich sensation all in one bite. Based heavily on egg whites and dairy, this versatile treat is surprisingly easy to veganize while remaining every bit as luscious. Pictured above is a miniature interpretation, perfect for a single serving so that no one has to share.
It all starts with the Meringue Cookies on page 191 of Vegan Desserts, piped in small nest shapes with a large star tip. For a particularly spring-y rendition, the addition of lemon zest for flavor and a tiny pinch of turmeric for a sunny yellow hue does wonders to perk up the plain vanilla base. After baking for the time as written, just drop down the oven temperature to 250 and bake for an additional 15 – 20 minutes longer to yield perfectly crisp shells, through and through. Once cooled, simply fill the indentation of each little cookie with a dollop of whipped coconut cream and a handful of ripe berries to seal the deal.
The combination of crunchy lemon cookie, creamy whipped coconut, and juicy berries will undoubtedly have all your guests drooling.

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, February 10, 2012
In Progress
It's pretty silly, really--shifting from the period of the French Revolution to the 1980's and back again with a grand and ancient conspiracy of good versus evil in which almost every historic personage has played a part.
Today, I picked up the book A Visit to Vanity Fair: Moral Essays on the Present Age by Alan Jacobs. Coincidentally:
1) the epigraph is a quote from W.H Auden, and I am currently rereading The Dyer's Hand, essays and lectures by Auden, and
2) the introduction includes references to Boswell, Blake, and Rousseau, although certainly not in the line of the fantastic conspiracy of The Eight, but rather in the sense that the three were famous essayists.
I've just finished The House of Silk, a modern Sherlock Holmes mystery. Holmes and Watson are always fun; Laurie King writes my favorite modern Holmes' stories featuring Mary Russell, but I've also enjoyed Carolyn Douglas' Irene Adler series.
Sherlock Holmes is well-represented in both films and television. The British television series with Jeremy Brett and some of the old movies with Basil Rathbone have great atmosphere. In sharp contrast, the new series Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbach, features a modern Sherlock who uses cell phones and texting.
I'm planning to watch Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes tonight. Even if the reviews were pretty bad, it will be fun to watch Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law--I hope.
On my list of Holmesian books/movies: They Might Be Giants (a 1971 film in which George C. Scott imagines himself to be Holmes) and The Final Solution by Michael Chabon. I like Chabon and don't know how I missed this one.
7 comments:
Jenclair, I love the Laurie King books too!!! They are wonderful! Enjoy Sherlock Holmes. I liked both of them but I loved the first one more.ReplyDelete
The Dyer's Hand has been on my TBR list for some time - just need some cash to buy it! People keep recommending Laurie King to me, so maybe I'll get one from the library when I take books back later today.ReplyDelete
I had never heard of Laurie King before but now I looked her up and she sounds like someone I would like a lot. Thanks for the suggestions.ReplyDelete
I enjoyed the BBC mini-series quite a bit. I thought it worked well in modern day London.
Sherri - Laurie King came up with a winner in Mary Russell, didn't she? I like her depiction of Mycroft, too. Didn't get to watch the movie last night after all, but I will be watching it soon.ReplyDelete
ChrisCross - Stefanie (So Many Books) has been reading The Dyer's Hand and posting about it; she reminded me how much I'd enjoyed the essays years ago, so I searched for my copy. Auden is both erudite and down-to-earth--a pleasure to read.
Caroline - Laurie King does a good job re-visiting Holmes, but instead of imitating Watson's style of story-telling, she lets Mary Russell recount the adventures of Holmes' later life. The adventures have a more feminine view point and are more expansive. Great fun.
A Visit to Vanity Fair sounds interesting. I love the new Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbatch!ReplyDelete
Stefanie - I'm not enjoying these essays as much as I'd hoped. They are less about literature and more about religion, and Jacobs has a decided view on his subject matter.ReplyDelete
:) I love the new Sherlock series, too.
Always a pleasure to meet a Holmesian!ReplyDelete
Did you like 'The House of Silk'. Anthony Horowitz is a great writer. I too liked this pastiche.
Check out my review .


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Getting Ready to Hit the Club? First Learn How to Dance
Jem "Da Hunk" Mark is something of a micro-celebrity in certain Pinoy circles. In his latest how-to video, the Dubai-based flight attendant and amateur dance instructor walks (or, rather, dances) you through the moves you're likely to encounter when you hit the club later tonight.
"I hate clubs because I have bronchitis and allergic rhinitis," Mark told LifestyleCheck 101. "I can't stand the smell of smoke. Maybe that's why I am a good observer."


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Top-Notch Rating
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Recession and unemployment are playing spoilt sport in the financial plans of many people. More often they find that even though they are paying towards their debt, they are barely covering the interest due. Thus, getting into the debt trap. Everybody wants to be debt free as soon as possible.
Again thanks to aggressive marketing, there are different options being offered by banks and other non-banking organizations for people to become debt free. These can have very technical sounding names like debt restructuring, debt consolidation and debt settlement etc. They all sum up to some thing more disastrous. The overall credit score is affected. It is not an option for a person, who wishes to repay his debt and maintain a good relationship with his lenders.
In this scenario, National Bankcard Monitor is a right choice. It offers professional help to the customer, who is sure of his or her repayment potential. The company offers a faster way to get rid of debt, to be stress free and enjoy the house or car purchased and in the process, save some money by way of interest. The company has a number of plans available for the customer to choose from, one which may suit his or her requirements. The company has a panel of experts who study the debt amount to be repaid by the customer, and work out a schedule for its prompt closure. Of course, they do it for a fee, but it is negligible compared to the amount of money saved by way of interest. It is not a magic potion that works on your debt instantly. They do no claim to get your loans written off or paid off. The company helps you, as a valued customer, to manage your finances better.
National Bankcard Monitor has professional expertise and the necessary tools to better manage your debt. Their services are easy to obtain. All the information is available online. Select a plan suitable for you, fill in the data required and sign up for a nominal fee. Many satisfied customers have gone for upgrades to better manage their finances. The company offers a solution for people to better enjoy what they earn.


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Research and Markets: Global and Chinese M-Fluorotoluene (CAS 352-70-5) Market Analysis and Forecasts 2010-2020
By Business Wire News
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3c5rzp/global_and) has announced the addition of the "Global and Chinese M-Fluorotoluene (CAS 352-70-5) Industry – 2015" report to their offering.
Market Research Report on Global and Chinese M-Fluorotoluene Industry, 2010-2020 is a professional and in-depth market survey on Global and Chinese M-Fluorotoluene industry.
The report firstly reviews the basic information of M-Fluorotoluene including its classification, application and manufacturing technology. The report then explores global and China's top manufacturers of M-Fluorotoluene listing their product specification, capacity, Production value, and market share etc. The report further analyzes quantitatively 2010-2015 global and China's total market of M-Fluorotoluene by calculation of main economic parameters of each company.
- The breakdown data of M-Fluorotoluene market are presented by company, by country, and by application.
- The report also estimates 2015-2020 market development of M-Fluorotoluene Industry.
- The report then analyzes the upstream raw materials, downstream clients, and current market dynamics of M-Fluorotoluene Industry.
- The report makes some proposals for a new project of M-Fluorotoluene Industry and a new project of M-Fluorotoluene Industry before evaluating its feasibility.
- The report provides an in-depth insight of 2010-2015 global and China M-Fluorotoluene industry covering all important parameters.
Key Topics Covered:
- Introduction of M-Fluorotoluene Industry
- Manufacturing Technology of M-Fluorotoluene
- Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers
- 2010-2015 Global and China Market of M-Fluorotoluene
- Market Status of M-Fluorotoluene Industry
- Market Forecast of 2015-2020 Global and China M-Fluorotoluene Industry
- Analysis of M-Fluorotoluene Industry Chain
- Global and China Economic Impact on M-Fluorotoluene Industry
- Market Dynamics and Policy of M-Fluorotoluene Industry
- Proposals for New Project
- Research Conclusions of Global and China M-Fluorotoluene Industry
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3c5rzp/global_and
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150915006736/en/
Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470
For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630
For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Sector: Chemicals


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Lenovo is ahead in the PC all-in-one race after announcing new additions to its consumer line of laptops and desktops that elevate the computing experience. The new clamshell Y40, Y50, Z40 and Z50 laptops and the C560 all-in-one (AIO) desktop provide advanced performance and entertainment features in portable and space-saving designs. The Y Series laptops give users the technologies needed to enjoy a full multimedia experience with the latest graphics options and rich audio while the Z Series offers a selection of color choices, VeriFace facial recognition and motion/voice control. The C560 AIO provides families a large screen multitouch home PC that doubles down on work and play. The Lenovo LI2821 Wide monitor overwhelms the visual senses with its mind-blowing 4k resolution display, complemented by the two new consumer-friendly monitors: The Lenovo LI2223s and LI2323s.
Y Series Built for Performance, Z Series Optimizes Multimedia Entertainment
The new 14-in Y40 and 15.6-in Y50 laptops offer a powerful mobile Windows 8.1 PC experience. Encased in a black shell the laptops offer a selection of technologies including an optional backlit keyboard on the Y50. The Y50 also offers choices of an up to Ultra HD 3840×2160 display or Full HD 1920×1080 display with optional touch while the Y40 features a Full HD display.
The laptops showcase graphics at their best – optional AMD Radeon™ on the Y40 and NVIDIA® GeForce® on the Y50. Powered by an up to 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor, Windows 8.1 and HDD or SSD drive, users can easily multitask among activities such as watching videos, opening apps, posting to social media and browsing photos. Movies and videos sound rich and resonant with the Y40 and Y50's pairing of JBL® speakers and Dolby® Home Theater® v4.
Besides offering a lightweight design, the 14-in Z40 and 15.6-in Z50 laptops raise the bar for mobile productivity. These highly portable laptops are equipped for the performance to enjoy the latest in entertainment with an optional Full HD 1920×1080 screen, up to 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor, optional NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics, Windows 8.1 and Dolby Home Theatre v4. They also come with large storage up to 1 TB either HDD or hybrid SSHD. The Z40 and Z50 laptops are available in choices of black, silver or white.
Users can play movies wirelessly on each laptop's from their TV using the WiDi technology1 or by using the HDMI-out connection to transmit high definition content via a cable. The laptops also feature the latest and fastest WiFi standard, 802.11ac and high definition webcams. They come equipped with features that make the computing experience fun, easy and responsive: Lenovo's VeriFace Pro facial recognition lets users quickly log-in with their face. Motion control allows for scrolling through photos and video with just a wave of the hand, and voice control uses a few simple voice commands to move through multimedia.
Lenovo C560 AIO Touchscreen for the Family
The affordable C560 AIO makes an ideal all round Windows 8.1 AIO for the family. Its 23-in full HD 1920×1080 optional multitouch display makes work or personal content come to life. This AIO gives users uncompromising performance: up to 4th generation Intel® Core i7™ processor and NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics make content snappy and responsive. Audiophile and movie buffs will enjoy its Dolby® Advanced Audio™ and convenient DVD burner for listening to music and watching movies along with up to 2 TB HD for plenty of storage for those files. The C560 AIO offers WiFi and an optional TV tuner for using it around the house as a large screen tablet or TV. It also comes with HDMI out support to connect via cable and stream high definition content to a TV or bigger screen. The C560 AIO also makes it easy for users to upgrade the memory and hard drive since it requires no tools to do so. It comes in choices of white or jet black.
Lenovo Monitor Showcases 4K Resolution
The new 28-in Lenovo LI2821 Wide monitor offers a sensory experience like no other with its UHD 3840×2160 screen that displays content in 4k resolution. The monitor caters to consumers who want to experience the highest resolution content available. The LI2821 Wide offers DisplayPort and choices of HDMI, MHL and VGA, has JBL® speakers for rich audio, a 1080p webcam, super fast response time and a 10 million to 1 dynamic contrast ratio. The monitor also offers up to four split screens for picture-in- picture viewing. Designed for a great VOIP experience, it includes a webcam with privacy cover, a dual array noise cancellation mic for clear video and audio, one button call answering via Skype or Lync and easy to adjust volume and mute buttons.
Meanwhile, the borderless 21.5-in Lenovo LI2223s and 23-in LI2323s IPS FHD monitors offer consumers a sleek design with their steady aluminum stands and convenient features like an easy-remove stand for VESA mount applications.
For all the new products, Lenovo offers a portfolio of integrated services solutions including warranty extensions, warranty upgrades, premium technical support and also accident damage protection for the laptops.
Pricing and Availability2
Models of the Lenovo Y40 and Y50 laptops start at $999 and will be available beginning in May 2014 via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
Models of the Lenovo Z40 and Z50 laptops start at $599 and will be available beginning in March 2014 via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
Models of the touchscreen C560 AIO start at $659 and are available beginning in February via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
The Lenovo LI2223s, LI2323s and LI2821 wide monitors start at $179.99, $219.99 and $799, respectively and will be available beginning in June via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feedsor follow Lenovo on Twitterand Facebook. The press kit is available at: http://news.lenovo.com/CES2014.


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Parenting and Behavior
In our experience of parenting our own eight children and 40 years of pediatric practice, we've learned a lot of strategies. First, discipline means having the right relationship with your child more than the right techniques. Discipline also means giving your children the tools to succeed in life. Here are the tools we have found to work for most families most of the time. We first want to help you understand why children behave the way they do and then how to discipline them through these behaviors.


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Wal-Mart Atlas Perfect for RVers
When we first heard about the Wal-Mart Atlas we were a little confused. Why would anybody want to know where every Wal-Mart in the United States is?
For RVers the answer is simple – most Wal-Mart stores allow you to park your self-contained RV overnight for free! If you're traveling the country and need a place to stop for a rest with no campground in site, the Wal-Mart Atlas will show you where the nearest store is.
The Atlas displays more than 4,000 Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters, and Sam's Clubs in the united States with detailed state maps that show you where the stores are located and whether gas or diesel fuel is available. A quick glance at the Atlas will also tell you how close the store is to the Interstate, whether it's open 24 hours, GPS coordinates, driving directions, and more.
The Wal-Mart Atlas is available, we would imagine, at most Wal-Mart locations, as well as a variety of on-line shopping sites.


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Amelia Rose Water Clutch - Ships end Oct
Crafted by hand in Spain in bordo velvet and features a gold clasp. The clutch can be embellished in any of embellishments to match your shoes perfectly, please contact our studio for more information The clutch is a good size for all of your essentials, the length is 20cm, the height is 11.5cm and the width 5cm, it has a detachable gold metal chain strap, suitable for on the shoulder. If you would like to add an embellishment please contact the studio and we can help.
Returns/exchanges accepted (includes shoes with a sole message & sale items)
Insoles, half insoles & heels huggers, none refundable if tired in shoes, shoes with half insoles stuck, both shoes and insoles cannot be returned.
- UK FREE (orders over £230) standard shipping, orders under the cost is £5.99 (inc free exchange, full price not sale items)
- UK next day £9.99 (inc free return, full price not sale items)
- UK free London showroom collection available at the checkout
- United States & Canada standard shipping FREE (orders over US$308/CA$408), orders under the cost is $25 (10-15 days)
- United States express courier $33.8 (2-5 days)
- United States express courier $65 (inc free return/exchange)
- EU & Australia standard shipping FREE (orders over £230), orders under cost £20 (No standard to Asia, Middle East)
- Worldwide courier shipping £40 (Asia & Middle East only shipping option, no standard)
Please see our shipping page for all available options.
- Items bought online can be returned or exchanged (including sale and shoes with a sole message)
- To receive a refund/exchange please return goods unworn in the original condition and packaging within 14 days of receipt/delivery of the goods, not the order date, the date when you receive the delivery.
- All items are sent with a signed service and can be tracked.
- To return email quoting your order number, advise if you require an exchange or a return: email@example.com
- UK orders we can send you a free return label (full price, not sale items)
- US/Canada/worldwide we can generate a courier label for an easy return/exchange, email: email@example.com


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Friday Fun: SoundClouder Nations & The World Cup
As they – loosely translated – say in Germany: The ball rolls.
That's right, South Africa just played Mexico (1:1) and the Vuvuzelas made their appearance on the world stage. Team SoundCloud is in it too and all geared up for the world's biggest sporting event. Earlier this week, we already asked you for submissions to the World Cup Group on SoundCloud, go check it out and submit yours if you haven't already.
So let's take a look behind the scenes:
SoundCloud staffers are from around the world so we thought it'd be fun to see who's likely to be rooting for which team. Not all nations are participating, let's break it down:
Nations playing the World Cup and the Clouders from that country (yay!):
Greece: Michalis
England: David Adams, Dave Haynes, Jami and Thom
USA: Adrienne, Valerie, Jake, Sean and Ian
Germany: Jeanette, Steffi, Katharina, Johannes, Jan, Alx, Frederic, Ole, Sebastian, Robb and Torsten
Holland: Roel
New Zealand AND Italy: Rany (yup, quite an exotic combination, he actually has two nationalities)
Nations not playing the World Cup and the Clouders from that country (boo!):
Sweden: Alex, Eric, Hannes, Henrik
Lithuania: Matas
Belgium: David Noël
Canada: Thor
Transylvania: Probably a rumor so I'm not quite about this one but recently, the dev team started to talk about a chick named 'Cassandra' but I haven't seen her around the office so far. She's either a code name or outsourced to Transylvania. I'm betting on the latter, Cassandra sounds pretty Transylvanian to me.
The SoundCloud World Cup Sweepstakes
And to spice things up a little bit, our new guy Thom came up with this little fun game:
"The rules: Each person payed €2 into the pot and, in exchange, received a randomly drawn team for the tournament. Since there are 32 teams and not 32 SoundClouders, anyone who was lucky enough to draw North Korea, Algeria or the like can double down and buy another team for another €4.
Everyone would then have a team to be passionate about for the next 30 days and are obliged to come to work dressed in the national outfit of the newly adopted nation or paint our entire desk in their inevitably national colours (optional).
The prize: Assuming all 32 teams are taken, the person holding the winning team takes home a tasty €40 whilst the runner up takes €16 and the two beaten semi-finalists double their money with a whopping €4 prize.
Bonus prize: €10 to the person whose team concedes the MOST goals in the entire tournament."
Who picked who? See for yourself:
Alright everyone, enjoy the World Cup and we'll be back next week with your regular programming. If you're not into football, apologies for this little intermezzo.


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Tens of thousands stranded as Bali volcano closes airport
KARANGASEM - The Associated Press
Authorities ordered a mass evacuation of people on Nov. 27 from an expanded danger zone around an erupting volcano on Bali that has forced the Indonesian island's international airport to close, stranding tens of thousands of travelers.
Mount Agung has been hurling clouds of white and dark gray ash about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) into the atmosphere since the weekend. A mudflow of volcanic debris and water known as a lahar was filmed moving down the volcano's slopes.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency raised the alert to the highest level early Nov. 27 and expanded the danger zone to 10 kilometers (6 miles) in places from the previous maximum of 7.5 kilometers. It said in a statement that a larger eruption is possible.
Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told a news conference in Jakarta that the extension of the danger zone affects 22 villages and about 90,000 to 100,000 people. He said about 40,000 people have evacuated but others have not left because they feel safe or don't want to abandon their livestock.
"Authorities will comb the area to persuade them," he said. "If needed we will forcibly evacuate them." About 25,000 people were already living in evacuation centers after an increase in tremors from the mountain in September sparked an evacuation.
Bali's airport was closed early Nov. 27 after ash reached its airspace. Flight information boards showed rows of cancelations as tourists arrived at the busy airport expecting to catch flights home.
Airport spokesman Air Ahsanurrohim said 445 flights were canceled, stranding about 59,000 travelers. The closure is in effect until the morning of Nov. 28 though officials said the situation will be reviewed every six hours.
Bali is Indonesia's top tourist destination, with its gentle Hindu culture, surf beaches and lush green interior attracting about 5 million visitors a year.
Some flights to and from Bali were canceled on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 but most had continued to operate normally as the towering ash clouds were moving east toward the neighboring island of Lombok.
"We now have to find a hotel and spend more of our money that they're not going to cover us for when we get home unfortunately," said Canadian tourist Brandon Olsen who was stranded at Bali's airport with his girlfriend.
Indonesia's Directorate General of Land Transportation said 100 buses are being deployed to Bali's international airport and to ferry terminals to help travelers stranded by the eruption of Mount Agung.
The agency's chief, Budi, said major ferry crossing points have been advised to prepare for a surge in passengers and vehicles. Stranded tourists could leave Bali by taking a ferry to neighboring Java and then travel by land to the nearest airports.
Geological agency head, Kasbani, who goes by one name, said the alert level was raised because the volcano has shifted from steam-based eruptions to magmatic eruptions. He told Indonesian television on the morning of Nov. 27 that he did not expect a big eruption but added "we have to stay alert and anticipate."
The volcano's last major eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people.
Ash has settled on villages and resorts around the volcano and soldiers and police distributed masks on the weekend.
In Karangasem district that surrounds the volcano, tourists stopped to watch the towering plumes of ash as children made their made to school.
Indonesia sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.
Mount Agung's alert status was raised to the highest level in September following a dramatic increase in tremors from the volcano, which doubled the exclusion zone around the crater and prompted more than 140,000 people to leave the area.
The alert was lowered on Oct. 29 after a decrease in activity but about 25,000 people remained in evacuation centers.


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I discovered this while doing some etymology research on the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) site. Through my affiliation with Eastern Michigan University I have access as a subscriber. But when I headed over to the blog and found out you could access it there too, I knew I had to share it with you. It allows you to discover what words entered the Oxford English Dictionary in the year of your birth. Although to be honest I checked out every year!
When you arrive it will be a blog article so scroll down the page and read about the generator if you like. You'll see that subscribers can access this from within the site, but so can you with the interface beneath the article.
By default it is set to 1900. Use the dates across the top to change decades, and the dates along the left side to change years. So if you go over to the 1980s, you'll see all the words for that year: smart phone, text messaging, spell-check, mono-brow, BOGOF, app, road rage, turducken, and ecotourism. Then if you click 1982 on the side (my birth year) you'll get a single entry, in this case: downloadable. Then entry includes the part of speech it is and it's definition.
Overall, I think this is a really cool and personal way to look at language since you're being motivated to check out what was happening linguistically in the year you arrived on the planet!


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Earth and Space
Illustration of an elliptical orbit
Demonstration: three methods of visualising elliptical orbits.
Practical Activity 14-16
The IOP wants to support young people to fulfil their potential by doing physics. Please sign the manifesto today so that we can show our politicians there is widespread support for improving equity and inclusion across the education sector.Sign today


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AMES, Iowa — In a single motion pruning demonstrates both the art and science of horticulture. Perhaps that's why so many homeowners get nervous and postpone or ignore the task. Understanding how plants grow, why pruning is necessary and which tools to use can remove the mystery surrounding this routine practice. Horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach answer pruning questions.
When should I prune my shrubs?
The proper time to prune deciduous and evergreen shrubs is determined by the plant's growth habit, bloom time and health or condition.
Spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, bloom in spring on the growth of the previous season. The best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs depends on the health or condition of the plants.
Neglected, overgrown spring-flowering shrubs often require extensive pruning to rejuvenate or renew the plants. The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (late February to early April). Heavy pruning in late winter or early spring will reduce or eliminate the flower display for two or three years. However, the long-term results of rejuvenation pruning are restoration of plant health, improvement in plant appearance and greater bloom.
The best time to prune healthy, well-maintained spring-flowering shrubs is immediately after flowering. (Healthy, well-maintained shrubs should require only light to moderate pruning.) Pruning immediately after flowering allows gardeners to enjoy the spring flower display and provides adequate time for the shrubs to initiate new flower buds for next season.
Summer-flowering shrubs, such as potentilla and Japanese spirea, bloom in summer on the current year's growth. Prune summer-flowering shrubs in late winter or early spring. The pruned shrubs will bloom in summer on the current year's growth.
Some deciduous shrubs don't produce attractive flowers. These shrubs may possess colorful bark, fruit or foliage. Prune these shrubs in late winter or early spring before growth begins.
Prune evergreen shrubs, such as juniper and yew, in early to mid-April before new growth begins. Light pruning may also be done in mid-summer.
When is the best time to prune shade trees?
February through March is generally regarded as the best time to prune most deciduous trees. The absence of foliage at this time of year gives the individual a clear view of the tree and allows the selection and removal of appropriate branches. Also, the walling-off or compartmentalization of wounds occurs most rapidly just prior to the onset of growth in spring. Oaks are an exception. The winter months – December, January and February – are the best time to prune oak trees.
Deciduous trees can be pruned at other times of the year with little or no negative consequences. However, if possible, avoid pruning deciduous trees in spring when trees are leafing out and in fall when trees are dropping their leaves.
To reduce the risk of an oak wilt infection, do not prune oaks from March through October. Oak wilt is a fungal disease that is lethal to many oaks. It can be spread from infected trees to healthy trees by sap-feeding beetles ("picnic bugs"). If an oak tree must be pruned in spring or summer (such as after a storm), apply latex house paint to the pruning cuts to avoid attracting sap-feeding beetles to the wounds.
When should I prune my fruit trees?
Late February to early April is the best time to prune fruit trees in Iowa. Summer pruning of fruit trees is generally not recommended. However, water sprouts (rapidly growing shoots that often develop just below a pruning cut) can be removed in June or July.
When should I prune my gooseberries?
Fruit producing shrubs, such as gooseberries, currants and blueberries, should be pruned in late winter or early spring. In Iowa, pruning can be done from late February until bud break.
When is the best time to prune grapevines?
The most desirable time to prune grapevines is late winter or early spring. In Iowa, pruning can begin in late February and should be completed by early April. Grapevines pruned at this time of year may "bleed" heavily. However, the loss of sap does not harm the vines.


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The Sun is in the plane of the drawing far to the left, as befits the summer solstice. At that time, the apogee B is in or near the midnight plasma sheet, yet far from the plane of the ecliptic (broken line). Because the satellite spends relatively long times around its apogee, were B on the ecliptic or near it, it would be spending long times in the Earth's shadow, getting severely chilled.
In Figure #1, A is in the (Z, Ze) plane, containing the Earth axis Z (solid line, labeled) and the perpendicular Ze to the ecliptic (broken line, not labeled). Then and only then is perigee in the midnight plasma sheet during the summer solstice, the way the drawing shows it.
In Figure #1, A is in the (Z, Ze) plane containing the Earth axis Z (solid line, labeled) and the perpendicular Ze to the ecliptic (broken line, not labeled). Then and only then is perigee in the midnight plasma sheet during the summer solstice, the way the drawing shows it.
A simple way of reaching the desired orbit is to have the parking orbit in the same plane as the final one. In Figure #1 both orbits would be viewed edge-on, represented by overlapping straight lines. The upper stage is fired eastward (upwards from the plane of the drawing) when the rocket reaches point A, in same (Z, Ze) plane; A could as well be the launch point, because there, too, the velocity is directed eastward.
Consider the motion at the apogee point B in the above drawing. Figure #2b defines (x,y) coordinates in a plane passing B and perpendicular to the line of apsides; the notation (x,y) is unrelated to any celestial or terrestrial coordinate system, except that x is perpendicular to the plane of the Figure #1 (the (Z, Ze) plane) and points in the direction in which we want the rocket at B to move.
The line of apsides AB then looks like the one in Fig. #2, but it still does not lie in the (Z, Ze) plane. However, we remain free to choose the time of launch. In any 24 hours, Cape Canaveral makes a 3600 rotation around the Earth's axis, so does the broken oval and the launch point marked on it . At some time in its rotation, that point crosses the (Z, Ze) plane: firing the upper stage at that moment ensures a line of apsides like the one in Figure 2a. A final rocket firing at apogee then leads to the orbit of Fig. #1.
Back to the "Profile" Index Page
Back to the "Exploration" Index Page
Author and Curator: Dr. David P. Stern
Mail to Dr.Stern: audavstern("at" symbol)erols.com
Placed on the internet 21 January 2006


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I seldom go to Starbuck's (not anti-Starbuck's--I grew up in Seattle) because my local coffee place offers "double punch" Monday and then one free, any size, after 9 punches. Plus they have $1.00 off coupons that don't expire, and I have a wallet full of them.
Don't avoid that trip to New York--use rewards points! We used points for international flights, hotels and rental cars, and had no trouble booking any of it. Of course, we remodeled our kitchen and bathroom so we had a lot of points, but even charging every day things that you NEED will get you rewards.


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The U.S. Congress should resist any temptations to pass new cybersecurity rules affecting broadband and mobile service providers, a group of Internet service providers told lawmakers Wednesday.
Instead, Congress could remove some legal barriers for ISPs to share cyberthreat information with each other and for the government to share information with private companies, officials with five broadband and mobile network operators said during a hearing before the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee's communications subcommittee.
ISPs have "strong incentives" to secure their networks and invest heavily in cybersecurity because of competition, said Jason Livingood, vice president of Internet systems engineering at Comcast. "Attempting to impose uniform cybersecurity solutions could actually be counterproductive, by enabling an attacker that cracks a single solution to compromise multiple systems, and by slowing down or constraining our ability to rapidly develop innovative cybersecurity solutions," he said.
Edward Amoroso, chief security officer at AT&T Services, agreed that new regulations aren't needed, but he also suggested that many private companies are being "out innovated" by cyberattackers. Congress should look for ways to provide incentives to companies and universities to develop innovative cybersecurity protections, he said.
Many recent pieces of malware are "so good and so well-crafted that we marvel at how far the adversary has come," he said.
The five witnesses at the hearing, also including representatives of Research In Motion, Century Link and MetroPCS Communications, all agreed that they don't need more cybersecurity regulations. The witnesses didn't point to existing legislation that would create more regulations, but some critics have said the Cybersecurity Act, introduced in the Senate in February, would create new regulations for network operators and owners of other critical infrastructure.
Regulation can't keep up with rapidly changing threats and the responses, the witnesses said. "When you write a law, we do paperwork," Amoroso said.
Delegate Donna Christensen, a Virgin Islands Democrat, asked what agencies should have a role in defining cybersecurity practices.
If network operators were not taking basic steps to protect their businesses, then someone in government should "shake us into action," Amoroso said.
"I don't think there's an agency right now that's in a good position, to solve a problem that we can't solve ourselves," he added. "The problem is, we don't know what it is you should be telling us we should be doing."
Amoroso and Livingood, representing the two largest ISPs in the U.S., seemed to disagree what steps their businesses should take to combat cyberthreats.
Livingood called on other ISPs and websites to implement DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC), a set of tools designed to authenticate the origin of DNS clients on the Internet. In January, Comcast was the first U.S. ISP to implement DNSSEC, in development since the late '90s.
But Amoroso said DNSSEC adds complexity to the jobs of network operators and can be defeated if DNSSEC servers are compromised. "The complexity can be very stifling," he said.
Livingood and other witnesses also called on Congress to provide legal protections to private companies that want to share cyberthreat information with each other. Amoroso agreed, saying private companies already share some information, but in some cases, private companies may want to keep some information to themselves.
AT&T may not want to share its proprietary efforts to protect the Apple iPhone with other mobile carriers offering the same device, he said. "I'd like my customers to say, 'hey, we're going to stay with AT&T because they're really investing in doing protection,'" he said. "It's not necessary for us to share, the market is going to force our competitors to catch up, or me to catch up with someone else."
Instead of private information sharing, Congress could look at ways that government agencies can more easily share classified and other thread information with companies, Amoroso said. "Whenever I get involved in something like that, there's more lawyers involved in the discussion than there are people in this room," he said.
Grant Gross covers technology and telecom policy in the U.S. government for The IDG News Service. Follow Grant on Twitter at GrantGross. Grant's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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It's finals season for some college students, and I personally know one who is busy studying ... for Wine Tasting. You know you're jealous. And if you were lucky, you maybe once took a class like that yourself.
A quick poll of the Jezebel staff resulted in a course catalog of the easy and the ridiculous. Dodai took Sex in Ancient Rome, "which meant reading long poems about penii" (yes, for you Latin sticklers, it's technically penes, which I think is even grosser). Katy's first-year seminar involved "'classical symposiums,' in which we would watch a movie and drink a ton of wine (because that's what the Greeks did, or something)." She adds, "Since we were all underage, I'm pretty sure that was illegal." Margaret's Shakespeare in Performance class "involved two classmates standing on a conference table and fighting each other with fake knives," while Intern Maura's Organizational Communication "turned into 'listen to the professor ponder his life experiences while I drink boxed wine and eat cookies.'" And Jessica enjoyed Beat Lit, in which the "professor burned incense while everyone just talked about drugs."
But we've bet you've got better tales to tell. Did you take a silly or bizarre course in college (perhaps, say, a "blow-off class") or enroll in something that turned out to be much weirder than you expected? We want to hear about it.
Tell us your tales of higher education (either in the comments or to firstname.lastname@example.com, subject line "College Classes"), and we'll catalog the absurdity. Three key points that we need to know: a) the official course title and school; b) what you thought the class would be about; and c) what it actually entailed. Your personal anonymity will remain protected.
The best classes will be highlighted next week. Until then, happy studying!
Image via Picsfive/Shutterstock.com.


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Raheem Devaughn
Raheem Devaughn, the R&B Hippie Neo Soul Rockstar has emerged, not as the down home brother that appreciates the struggle but as a brother who has almost but not quite made it and has already started in the wrong direction. This may come across as hate and if it does then so be it, but I am completely outraged at the marketing strategies that are being forced upon him by his label Zomba/Jive records. Every person out there that has listened to this man\'s work should be able to relate to how I feel. After viewing the video for his hit single Woman I was distraught! He went from videos such as Guess who loves you more and You which both had a more realistic vibe, to this monstrosity of a project that is full of false images and content that I for one can not relate to. I was so elated to finally come across a positive artist that I can listen to even with my children around and when the song Woman was released it became an anthem to me and numerous other women out there that felt that same \"Yeah Raheem I am a good catch\" vibe. These women vary-drastically. His fan base is full of women of all heights, weights and nationalities which was not portrayed at all in this video and all of the above took a liking to that song. Can you imagine the pain in his fan base\'s heart when this was released I mean take a look around at any of his DC area shows and you got what Variety, true this video has a variety of women and they are all beautiful but, how realistic is this Call it old fashioned but I am one who enjoys a video that coincides with the content of the song. I have dedicated so much of my time and effort to Raheem Devaughn and I support him like a truly dedicated fan all of this for what For him to get signed to a label that is steering him into the direction of a sellout. NO MORE, this has to be corrected before his image is tarnished forever, sure this may be big now and I am sure this video does appeal to some but what about those that has been and will be there for the long haul We fans are not temporary, we are not rented like the object of one\'s desire in this video. We are here, for everyone to see, a permanent fixture in his career and this is unacceptable. This petition will be sent to Jive/Zomba and whoever else can help make a change.


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At PureTacoma.com, you will find the largest selection of Tacoma compatible parts and accessories on the web. We are dedicated to providing you with the best customer service around.
Constructed with 100% polyurethane on all four sides, this high-flow, oiled OE replacement performance filter outflows the stock filter by up to 63% for improved horsepower and torque. The PRO 5R air filter uses five layers of progressively finer mesh cotton gauze media to provide maximum airflow for best performance results. Washable and reusable for multiple cleaning cycles, this filter is designed with open, evenly spaced pleats that provide excellent dust holding capacity for longer service cycle between cleanings. An integrated urethane bump seal insures a tight, no leak seal over the life of the filter.
Pro 5R Media: This filter features a 5-layer progressive oiled media to provide maximum flow with excellent filtration. The progressive layering of media allows the filter to flow at high levels even when dirty. The Pro 5R filter media has been tested at 98.6% efficiency.
Rounded Open Pleats: aFe performance air filters use a rounded pleat design, which produces more useable filter surface area for increased flow and greater dust holding capacity.
Progressive Bump Seal: This pliable sealing surface conforms to even the most uneven filter housing. This design eliminates the use of gaskets or sealants. The soft urethane construction always goes back to it's original form so you will never compress the bump seal. This makes for a perfect filter fit and sealing surface every time.
Full Urethane Housing: aFe Power performance air filters are constructed with engineering-grade polyurethane on all four sides. This construction allows for a proper OE-style fit with excellent filter strength.
aFe Power OE replacement performance filters have a limited lifetime warranty.
Weight: 3 lbs
Product 2/7
WARNING: This product may contain chemicals knownto the State of California to cause cancer, birth defectsand other reproductive harm.


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Banisteriopsis Caapi
Caapi Vine & Seeds
Caapi Vine, the legendary Ayahuasca Vine "Vine of Souls", is native to the Amazonian rainforest.
Banisteriopsis Caapi Vine is the main ingredient in Ayahuasca (Yage, Yaje), a sacred medicine used for millennia in order to enter the sacred supernatural world, to heal, divine, and worship. To prepare Ayahuasca, sections of Banisteriopsis Caapi vine were boiled with leaves from a number of potential admixture plants such as Psychotria viridis (Chacruna) or Diplopterys cabrerana (Chagropanga, Chaliponga) to make the Ayahuasca.
The use of Ayahuasca and other plant teachers for visionary experiences as well as for healing purposes appears to be ancient. According to tradition, Banisteriopsis Caapi Vine contains a sentient intelligence - with vast knowledge - which reveals guidance; the proper steps to follow in case of emotional or psychological problems, and even remedies that may be used for healing.
Keep in mind that due to the fact that shredded caapi, being a natural product, deteriorates rapidly due to oxidation and exposure to air, light, and humidity. Because of this we shred our caapi on a daily basis from fresh whole vine.


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Hello all, I'm taking an intro to CS class based on Java. A question in the book gives the following declarations:
init iResult, num1=25, num2=40
double fResult, val1=17.0, val2=12.78
and then asks: what result is stored in this assignment statement?
fResult = (int) ((double) num1/num2);
To me, this means that num1 is cast to a double and num2 will have to be a double as well to perform the division (25.0/40.0), answer .63. This is then cast to an integer, making it 1, and then turned into a double again since we're looking for fResult, giving a final answer of 1.0....is this correct?...if not, please point out my error.


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DCNA News, Park News
Nature Foundation St. Maarten and DCNA say farewell to Governor Holiday
Sint Maarten
November 8, 2022
Over the last twelve years, His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday has proudly served as Governor of… Read more >
Park News
DCNA Organizes Junior Ranger Exchange Week 2022
All DC islands
August 25, 2022
The Junior Rangers just wrapped up their annual exchange event. Youngsters from the islands got together… Read more >
Park News
Grant from the European Union to enhance nature protection and sustainable tourism
July 11, 2022
Lac Bay is a unique tourism hot spot which boasts a wide array of habitats from… Read more >
Bionews, DCNA News, Park News
Blue Marine Foundation launches new partnership with Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance
All DC islands
May 9, 2022
Ocean charity makes initial grant of $90,000 to marine parks on six Dutch Caribbean islands. Award… Read more >
Bionews, DCNA News, Park News
2022 Park Updates
All DC islands
May 3, 2022
The Nature Conservation Network Organization the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) hosted its biannual Board Meeting on… Read more >
DCNA News, Park News
2022 promises new nature parks on Curaçao
April 6, 2022
The Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) recently highlighted some big changes and impressive achievements… Read more >
DCNA News, Park News
Unique Solutions Presented for Nature Conservation on St. Maarten
Sint Maarten
March 29, 2022
Nature Foundation St. Maarten showcased their critical conservation work during the 2022 Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance… Read more >


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Boston's famous flower show has been signaling the wind-down of winter since 1834. This year's edition, The 2013 Boston Flower & Garden Show, blooms indoors at the Seaport World Trade Center Thursday through Sunday.
The theme "Seeds of Change" embraces both environmental concerns and the down-home pleasures of vegetable gardening. The dozens of scheduled presentations include tips on how to raise chickens and keep bees — two fast-growing hobbies. Ecologists will lecture on controlling invasive species and reusing water. Local chefs will show how to grow, use, and preserve herbs and produce. There will also be plenty of pops of color, such as Deborah Trickett's lecture on creating "Jaw-Dropping, Traffic-Stopping, Get-Your-Neighbors-Talking Container Gardens."
Most appreciated will be the instant gardens in full bloom. (If they can do this for the flower show, why can't they do it for your daughter's backyard wedding?) Favorite returning exhibitors include Miskovsky Landscaping of Falmouth, Earthworks of Leverett, Heimlich Nurseries of Woburn, and Peter R. Sedeck of Lakeville who includes exotic birds in his Eden-like designs. Debi Hogan and Warren Leach of Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth will contribute one of their crowd pleasing miniature gardens where 1 inch represents 1 foot in scale and a begonia does a good imitation of a Japanese maple tree while nasturtium seedlings stand in for lotus leaves.
The roots of the Boston flower show go back to 1834 when the Massachusetts Horticultural Society held its first large show in Faneuil Hall, primarily for farmers and gentlemen to exhibit their homegrown produce, especially new fruit varieties. The Concord grape was introduced at the 1854 exhibition. The Society ran the show for 137 years before its financial meltdown in 2009. This resurrected version of the show is produced by Paragon Group of Needham with long-time director Carolyn H. Weston.
But Mass Hort still has an important role. It oversees all the amateur competitions, including a floral design show and an Ikebana International Exhibit. Seven small gardens, called vignettes, trace Mass Hort's long history, including its role in the creation of Mount Auburn Cemetery in 1831, the Window Gardening Movement of the 1870s, the School Yard Experiment of 1891, and the Victory Gardens of WWII. The noteworthy designers include Julie Moir Messervy, Paul Miskovsky, and Marisa McCoy.
There will also be educational children's activities and the state Master Gardener's Association on hand for your questions. For hours, ticket prices, and more information, visit www.bostonflowershow.com.
Carol Stocker can be reached at stocker


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Another piece of the puzzle that is scheduled to take shape next month at HP's webOS press event looks like it has just been revealed. A render of Palm's large-form tablet was first seen earlier this month, but this time around there are specs and plenty of details to go along with new renders and slides. Codenamed Topaz, this webOS-powered slate will reportedly feature a 9.7-inch 1024 x 768-pixel oil and scratch-resistant display, a 1.2GHz processor, an Adreno 220 graphics processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a front-facing camera for video chat, integrated Beats audio and two 3,150 mAh batteries that should deliver 8 hours of usage. HP will reportedly launch a Wi-Fi-only version of the Topaz initially, but 3G and 4G versions will follow soon after — obviously.
Preliminary details have also emerged surrounding HP's next-generation Touchstone technology, which will be featured by the Topaz. Compatible functions include charging, of course, as well as image and file sharing, multimedia streaming, wireless printing, integrated cloud services and even "wireless video game playing via Touchstone video dock." Consider our interest piqued.
The look of the Topaz is very, shall we say familiar, but we're still excited to see this puppy become a reality alongside next-generation Touchstone technology and some new cloud-based services to compliment Palm's gorgeous OS. We'll be on hand in San Francisco next month to see just what HP has in store for us, and we definitely wouldn't be surprised to see the Topaz make an appearance, albeit with a different name. Let's just hope HP also has some sleek new webOS smartphones in store as well.


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Insomnia means you regularly have problems sleeping. It usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits.
Check if you have insomnia
You have insomnia if you regularly:
- find it hard to go to sleep
- wake up several times during the night
- lie awake at night
- wake up early and cannot go back to sleep
- still feel tired after waking up
- find it hard to nap during the day even though you're tired
- feel tired and irritable during the day
- find it difficult to concentrate during the day because you're tired
If you have insomnia for a short time (less than 3 months) it's called short-term insomnia. Insomnia that lasts 3 months or longer is called long-term insomnia.
How much sleep you need
Everyone needs different amounts of sleep.
On average:
- adults need 7 to 9 hours
- children need 9 to 13 hours
- toddlers and babies need 12 to 17 hours
You probably do not get enough sleep if you're constantly tired during the day.
What causes insomnia
The most common causes are:
- stress, anxiety or depression
- noise
- a room that's too hot or cold
- uncomfortable beds
- alcohol, caffeine or nicotine
- recreational drugs like cocaine or ecstasy
- jet lag
- shift work
Conditions and other things that can cause insomnia
Conditions and medicines that can cause insomnia:
- mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease
- restless legs syndrome
- overactive thyroid
- menopause
Many medicines for these illnesses can also cause insomnia.
Things that keep you from getting a good night's sleep:
- long-term pain
- sleepwalking
- snoring or interrupted breathing while sleeping (sleep apnoea)
- suddenly falling asleep anywhere (narcolepsy)
- nightmares or night terrors (children can have these)
How you can treat insomnia yourself
Insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits.
go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
relax at least 1 hour before bed, for example, take a bath or read a book
make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet – use curtains, blinds, an eye mask or ear plugs if needed
exercise regularly during the day
make sure your mattress, pillows and covers are comfortable
do not smoke or drink alcohol, tea or coffee at least 6 hours before going to bed
do not eat a big meal late at night
do not exercise at least 4 hours before bed
do not watch television or use devices, like smartphones, right before going to bed, because the bright light makes you more awake
do not nap during the day
do not drive when you feel sleepy
do not sleep in after a bad night's sleep and stick to your regular sleeping hours instead
How a pharmacist can help with insomnia
You can buy tablets or liquids (sometimes called sleeping aids) from a pharmacy that may help you sleep better.
Some contain natural ingredients such as valerian or lavender, while others contain an antihistamine.
They cannot cure insomnia but may help you sleep better for 1 to 2 weeks. They should not be taken for any longer.
Some of these products can have side effects, for instance, they may make you drowsy. This could make it difficult for you to do certain things like drive.
Check with your doctor before taking anything for your sleep problems.
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- changing your sleeping habits has not worked
- you have had trouble sleeping for months
- your insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard for you to cope
Treatment from a GP
A GP will try to find out what's causing your insomnia so you get the right treatment.
Sometimes you'll be referred to a therapist for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
This can help you change the thoughts and behaviours that keep you from sleeping.
You may be referred to a sleep clinic if you have symptoms of another sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea.
GPs now rarely prescribe sleeping pills to treat insomnia. Sleeping pills can have serious side effects and you can become dependent on them.
Sleeping pills are only prescribed for a few days, or weeks at the most, if:
- your insomnia is very bad
- other treatments have not worked
Page last reviewed: 12 March 2021
Next review due: 12 March 2024


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It took two years to wipe out 8.7 million American jobs but more than four years to gain them all back.
That's according to the Department of Labor's latest jobs report, which shows the U.S. economy added 217,000 jobs in May. With that job growth, there are now more jobs in the country than ever before.
The last time we were near this point was January 2008, just before massive layoffs swept throughout the country, leading the unemployment rate to spike to 10%. The unemployment rate is unchanged at 6.3% for May, and much has improved since the worst of the crisis.
Related: Happy to have a #newjob
Yet, this isn't the moment to break out the champagne. Given population growth over the last four years, the economy still needs more jobs to truly return to a healthy place. How many more? A whopping 7 million, calculates Heidi Shierholz, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute.
President Obama's administration was quick to point out that the recovery is still incomplete by their standards.
"We're moving in the right direction, but we have a lot more work to do," said Secretary of Labor Tom Perez. "There are way too many people who are still on the sidelines."
As of May, about 3.4 million Americans had been unemployed for six months or more, and 7.3 million were stuck in part-time jobs although they wanted to work full-time. Both these numbers are still elevated compared to historic norms, and are of concern to Federal Reserve officials, who will meet in two weeks to re-evaluate their stimulus policies.
Overall, this has been the longest jobs recovery since the Department of Labor started tracking jobs data in 1939. Economists surveyed by CNNMoney predict it will take two to three more years to return to "full employment," which they define as an unemployment rate around 5.5%.
Related: The American Dream is out of reach
These jobs are still missing: The jobs that have been created over the last few years are not necessarily the same ones that were lost. Blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and construction accounted for about half of all the positions lost in the crisis, and they've been painfully slow to return.
States that were hardest hit by the housing bust, like Nevada and Arizona, have had the slowest comebacks and still haven't fully recouped all the jobs they lost.
These are the jobs we've gained: States like North Dakota and Texas have come out well ahead of the pack. North Dakota has 30% more jobs now than it did in early 2008, and Texas has 9% more jobs than it did back then.
Nationwide, industries like health care, professional services and leisure and hospitality have not only recovered, but are at all-time highs for jobs. Whereas low-wage jobs dominated the first part of the recovery, now middle wage jobs appear to be growing as well.
Related: The economic recovery in 17 charts
Justin Hirsch, president of JobPlex, specializes in recruiting mid-level managers and young executives for companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook. Over the last year, he's seen an increase in top companies looking for human resources managers -- which could be a good sign of more job growth to come.
"The labor market, from our perspective, seems to be improving," he said. "If anything, corporations are very hungry for great talent."
New grads from the class of 2014 may face a better job market, but they'll also be competing against workers whose careers have taken a detour over the last few years.
"Will employers have the patience for the individual who had to disrupt their career path over the last few years? Or will they just go back to hiring fresh grads?" said Rich Thompson, chief human resources officer, for Adecco Group North America. "It's going to be really interesting to see."


text: Space | 23. June 2017 | posted by Manuela Braun ROBEX Part 1: Mission in the lava landscape Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0) A journey to the Moon is an arduous one, even if this 'Moon' is located here on Earth, 2600 metres above sea level, directly on Mount Etna. A heavy transporter winds its way slowly and laboriously through the narrow, serpentine roads above Catania in Sicily to arrive at our lunar destination. The landscape becomes increasingly black as the team from the HGF Alliance ROBEX (Robotic Exploration under Extreme Conditions) approaches its temporary work location. Everyone clambers into all-terrain vehicles at Rifugio Sapienza to cover the last stretch to base camp, which is located right in the middle of a lava field. There, one lander, two rovers and several seismometers have been prepared for this one and a half week 'mission'. For the next four weeks, the on-site containers will be home to the almost 50 team members from DLR, AWI, the University of Würzburg and the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, where they will function as multipurpose laboratories, workshops and offices.##markend## The cooperation, comprising 16 German institutes from deep sea and space research, is tasked with investigating the best way of dispatching Rovers to explore unknown, extremely inaccessible regions as autonomously as possible. Mount Etna was chosen as the site for these 'space explorers' to put the developments and insights of the last five years through a rigorous series of tests. The two rovers will have to overcome slopes on their own, traversing areas strewn with porous lava granules. This landscape, which to the camera 'eyes' of the rovers could well be the Moon, is set on a permanently active volcano, rocked by minor earthquakes. There are not many such places on Earth that so perfectly simulate the conditions on the Moon. Travelling through Italy by lorry Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0) The transporters wind their way along dirt tracks to an altitude of 2600 metres Travelling over land and by ferry, part of the team embarked on the trip to Sicily with several containers full of equipment. The first days were spent unloading and assembling the gear, repairing minor damage from transport, and setting up the communications network on the mountain. The ultimate goal of the mission is to make a rover autonomously make its way to a lander, unload mobile measurement stations (remote units), position them at previously defined spots and then measure the activity of the volcano and gain insight into its various layers. Here, the commands for the rover to complete its tasks will be given from a small control room set up at the hotel in Catania. Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0) Setting up camp in a rough environment and equally unfriendly climate Naturally, the meteorological conditions on Mount Etna differ significantly from those encountered on the Moon: for the first few days, the Sun glared down on the engineers and scientists, and today they find themselves hit by a nasty wind. Below them, along the coast, tourists bathe in the sun wearing nothing but T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops, while up on Etna, at around 11:30, a wall of clouds rises up, causing the temperature to drop. A windbreaker and a hat are sensible apparel on this 'Moon on Earth'. Each mission has its teething problems, and it is no different here: sometimes there are issues with the communications network, while other times the rover experiences minor difficulties. At the end of June/start of July, the complete mission scenario will be carried out from start to finish. So far, the rover has already demonstrated that it recognises the RODIN lander, travels towards it and collects the experiments. The journey to the deployment positions and release of the measurement instruments have already been tested successfully as well. Hammer blows and a rumbling volcano Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0) Final preparations and last bit of company for the LRU-2, before it heads off into the 'Earthly Moon' The goal of the mission is two-fold: first, the rover will be asked to deposit four sensor units on the dark surface, where they will passively record volcanic activity. Second, planetary researchers will send sound waves through the ground, using hammer blows, to determine their propagation through the various strata. But before that, engineers will have to get the Rover LRU-2 (Lightweight Rover Unit) in shape so it can perform scientific experiments as autonomously as possible. A small group of tourists wanders into base camp: besides it lava-strewn landscape and smoking summit, Mount Etna holds yet another attraction: a lander and a rover. Tourists are welcome to take photographs, but are asked not to wander onto the grounds. DLR planetary researchers explain what ROBEX is all about to the holidaymakers. Meanwhile, the LRU Rover travels another few metres along. The metal wheels spin before they can find traction in the lava granules. It is almost like being on the Moon, yet not quite as far away.


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Show SummaryAdam announces the release of the newly improved website, as well as the official Adam Carolla Show App (now available for your Android or iPhone). DAG asks Adam about his relationship with his daughter Natalia, and Adam says that she's maybe warming up to him a bit more. Adam also talks about young guys with beards who play video games, and what teachers molesting you can do for your confidence. In the news, the guys watch a clip of Rick Perry acting very odd during a campaign speech in New Hampshire. The guys all joke about the similarities between Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow, and then talk about the sexual harassment allegations against Herman Cain. The last news story is about the Kardashian siblings. Later in the show, Adam gives updates on his dog Molly's health, who is still dealing with a lot of issues. The news then wraps up with stories about the Jerry Seinfeld cohosting Live with Kelly, new laws against excessive dog barking, and the latest updates on the Bank of America checking card situation.
LinksVIDEO LINKS: Rick Perry
Show CreditsProducer: Mike Lynch Producer: Mike Dawson Audio/Voice Over/Post-Production: Mike Dawson Newsgirl: Alison Rosen Sound Effects: Bryan Bishop Technical Director: Chris Laxamana Researcher: Gary Smith Show Summary: Matt Fondiler
Image Gallery


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Let $G_1$ and $G_2$ be topological groups. Assume that there exists a continuous homomorphism $f : G_1 \rightarrow G_2$ which (ignoring the group structure) is a homotopy equivalence. If $BG_i$ is a classifying space for $G_i$, then we get an induced map $f_{\ast} : BG_1 \rightarrow BG_2$ which is a homotopy equivalence.
The fact that $f_{\ast}$ is a homotopy equivalence is clear if you construct $BG_i$ via Milnor's construction of classifying spaces. However, the existence of $BG_i$ is also an easy consequence of the (unpointed) Brown representability theorem. This leads me to my question : is there an "abstract nonsense" proof that $f_{\ast}$ is a homotopy equivalence which avoids having to know an explicit description of $BG_i$?
EDIT : As Fernando Muro pointed out, the desired result is equivalent to the fact that if $EG \rightarrow BG$ is the universal $G$-bundle over $BG$, then the space $EG$ is contractible. Of course, this is true, but I don't see how to prove it without knowing an explicit construction of $BG$. My definition of $BG$ and the universal bundle $EG \rightarrow BG$ is that $BG$ is a space such that for any CW complex $X$, the set of principal $G$-bundles on $X$ is naturally in bijection with $[X,BG]$ via the map that takes $\phi : X \rightarrow BG$ to $\phi^{\ast}(EG)$. Is there a way to see that $EG$ has to be contractible without knowing a construction of $BG$?


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Sat, 29 Aug|
Unity Certified Associate Examination 29 August 2020 11AM
Time & Location
29 Aug 2020, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
About The Event
1. Exam Booking Cancellations
Cancellations must be submitted to Gen Infiniti Academy no later than 7 working days in advance. You will be charged the full exam fee of $294.25 ($275 + GST) if your cancellation is made after the deadline. This is due to the costs incurred in processing the withdrawal and refund requests from candidates. Candidates who wish to cancel their booking may write in to email@example.com to submit your cancellation applications.
2. Requirements for Exam Taking
Each participant undergoing the CITREP+ subsidy must meet the following requirements before taking the exam:
- at least 75% attendance, or 6 out of 8 classes
- submission of the full course fee
Gen Infiniti Academy reserves the right to cancel your exam booking if you have yet to meet these requirements.
3. Medical Leave
Students who are granted medical leave must submit the medical certificate to Gen Infiniti Academy.
All medical certificates must be submitted not later than 7 working days after the medical leave to Gen Infiniti Academy. If students submit the medical certificate after the deadline, they will be given zero marks for any exams that they were absent from.
Note: The Academy only recognizes medical certificates issued in Singapore by Medical Practitioners registered with the Singapore Medical Council or Dental Officers registered with the Singapore Dental Council.
4. Compassionate Leave
Compassionate leave will be granted in the event of the demise of an immediate family member (defined as parents, siblings and grandparents). You can write in to firstname.lastname@example.com to submit your cancellation applications.
UCA Exam
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Volcker to appear before UK bank commission
Paul Volcker, the former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, will appear before British lawmakers investigating standards within the UK's banking industry later this month, the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards said on Tuesday.
Volcker, who led the Fed under presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, has been at the forefront of recent regulatory attempts to reform the U.S. banking system and will compare and contrast banking practices in Britain and the United States.
The octogenarian is considered a sage of monetary policy and a crusader for tighter regulation in the United States.
The hotly debated "Volcker rule" preventing banks from taking risky bets for their own gain rather than on behalf of their customers and mandated by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Andrew Tyrie, who is heading the UK inquiry, said the commission will want to hear Volcker's thoughts on America's recent experiences with regulatory reform - on the steps that have been taken, on areas that require further work, and on how these proposals compare with those in other countries.
"There is no one better placed than Paul Volcker to shine some light on the standards and culture prevailing in the U.S. banking industry," Tyrie said in a statement.
"There are good arguments for more co-operation between regulators, in order to secure better standards across the world and to avoid regulatory arbitrage," he added.
In an opinion piece in the Financial Times on Tuesday, Tyrie said cultural shortfalls and measures providing banks with protection from the full disciplines of the market need to be tackled.
"Gaps in the law that have allowed banking malpractice to occur require attention. The common perception is that the law has done little to deter practices that often seemed criminal, to victims and observers alike," he said
Tyrie also points to a "gap in knowledge and understanding" between banks and their customers as a clear need for higher standards in banking.
"Recent scandals have amply illustrated the consequences; a failure of banks, and the culture within banks, to meet acceptable standards," said Tyrie.
"The commission will not be able to address all of these deep-rooted problems in a few months. But we can at least signal some remedies, suggesting ways to protect taxpayers better from the consequences of bank failure and to improve the experience of dealing with banks for customers of all types," he said.
The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards was launched after the British government came under pressure to scrutinize banks after Barclays was fined for manipulating interest rates.
Volcker will appear before the commission at 1230 GMT on October 17. The commission is expected to make legislative proposals by December 18.
Britain is already committed to making its banks ring fence their domestic retail operations and to give savers a higher priority in the event that lenders hit trouble.
(Additional reporting by Stephen Mangan; Editing by Philip Barbara and Mark Potter and Catherine Evans)


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Anantara Solutions Private Limited - AX Financial Analysis
Real time financial analytics for Dynamics AX. Analyze the overall financial results including sales, cost, profits and more from different tables. Drill into customers and invoice. Migrated from their traditional reports to PowerBI Pro which provided interactive visualization and an holistic view for the management team review. It has reduced a lot of time and manual work involved like querying to extract the report.Contatta partner Guarda il video
- Silver Data Analytics
Challenge: The client is using Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP. The management team was keen to view the updated status of the customers' payments which were received and pending payments yet to be received without logging into AX or running queries to extract the reports. They were skeptical on how the data could be merged from different tables and made to look like a single view in AX along with the fields that required calculations.
Solution: Anantara has recommended and deployed a dashboard using PowerBI Pro which meets their requirement to view the transaction status almost close to real time whenever the management team wanted to view it. Also, they were satisfied with the relationship feature in PowerBI Pro which takes care of the combining different tables and the calculated columns feature for the calculated fields.
Benefits/Results: The client migrated from their traditional reports to PowerBI Pro to share with their management team which provides interactive visualization and a holistic view. It has reduced a lot of time and manual work involved like querying to extract the report.
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ABB Robotics Technology Days Draws Nearly 1,000 to Auburn Hills
System Integrators and end-users experience a wide array of demos and seminars from ABB and a roster of affiliated technology providers
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – ABB Robotics hosted nearly 1,000 people during its annual Technology Days event October 11th, 12th and 13th, 2011, at its North American headquarters and training center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The attendees included current and potential customers, system integrators, affiliated technology equipment providers, members of the media, and for the Thursday afternoon Open House, a wide-eyed crowd of students and robot enthusiasts of all ages. The 55,000 sq ft exhibit floor included over 40 live robot related demonstrations from ABB and over a dozen peripheral equipment providers. Featured were the latest robotic and automation technologies for a wide range of applications including arc and laser welding; picking packing and palletizing; and systems for painting, tool changing, RTV dispensing, machine tending and vision sensing.
Technology Days also featured the expanding marketing and promotional collaboration among multiple business units and divisions of ABB . Fellow members of the Discrete Automation and Motion (DM) division team displayed drives, motors, PLC's and other control products, including motors from Baldor, a new member of the ABB Group. The Low Voltage Products (LP) division was well represented with an array of safety solutions from Jokab Safety, including enclosures, sensors, and controllers on many robotic demos. The sales teams quickly identified common customers and opportunities, providing a comprehensive and compelling ABB message that was very well received by the attendees.
Tuesday was dedicated to ABB system integrator partners who spent a full day learning about new robotic products and technologies, and the support services available to them through ABB. On Wednesday and Thursday morning, with the attendance expanded to include current and future customers, over 15 seminars and tutorials on general and application specific advancements in industrial robotic technology were presented by a roster of ABB and technology provider experts. This provided a great opportunity for industry professionals to gain first hand intelligence, and network with their peers in the industrial robotic, motion, control and automation industries on the demo floor. The Thursday afternoon open house was attended by friends, family, youth organizations and students, many of whom were exposed to the precision, motion and grace of industrial robots for the first time.
"The energy and enthusiasm on the show floor confirms the continued market growth in manufacturing automation," said Joe Campbell, vice president of the ABB Robots & Applications Group. "Robots, motion controls, safety and related peripheral equipment will be the major building blocks for the next generation of manufacturing, and ABB is proud to be part of this resurgence."
Some of the specific highlights included:
- An announcement about a new industry stocking program to expedite the delivery of the most popular ABB robot models and systems to North American customers;
- An IRB 4600 robot with a 60" Samsung Smart TV attached to the arm. Created by Robotic Arts, the "RoboScreen" featured a character that launched and described four robotic demos;
- A new PowerPac software to more easily program robotic palletizing systems, and a lineup of new ABB FlexGripper palletizing grippers;
- ArcPack Lean 1410, a fully configured, quick start robotic welding package with an array of options to suit the needs of many small to medium welding operations, offered at a base package price under $35,000;
- The Redi-FlexArc system, a pre-built FlexArc system ready for final configuration, shippable in two to four weeks from initial order date;
- Motion and PLC solutions demos and seminars from ABB (Baldor) on how to build cost effective and results-based motion and logic solutions for single or multi-axis machine-integrated automation systems.


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CALGARY, Alberta -- The Calgary Flames traded defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues on Monday night.
In return, the Flames got a first-round pick and two prospects -- defenseman Mark Cundari and goaltender Reto Berra.
If St. Louis does not qualify for this year's playoffs, the Flames will receive St. Louis' fourth-round selection in this summer's draft, with the first-round pick being deferred to 2014.
"He's certainly a big body and he's a tremendous skater," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "He's a workhorse back there and he logs 25 minutes a night on a regular basis. He gives us, really, what we believe is one of the stronger defenses in the NHL right now.
"When you bring Jay and (Jordan) Leopold into it with the consistent players we have on the right side, we have a lot of players now."
The move comes after Calgary started to rebuild by trading captain Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh last week.
The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Bouwmeester, who has an annual cap hit of $6.68 million through to the end of next season, has six goals and nine assists in 33 games in 2013.
Bouwmeester joined Calgary in 2009 after being drafted third overall by the Florida Panthers in 2002. He has 71 goals and 229 assists in 10 seasons with the Flames and Panthers.


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GM HelicoptersA Company that is growing amongst heavy lift helicopter operators in the field of cargo transportation and aerial works.
Quality PolicyDevelopment and the implementation of the GM Helicopters quality system shall provide the following benefits:
- Enhanced flight and ground safety through the achievement and continuing compliance with Latvian civil aviation law and ICAO, EASA and JAA standards;
- Satisfy the Customer;
- Improve Cost effectiveness;
- Environmental Friendly.
In order to achieve these objectives, the executive management and staff will perform their duties according to strict regulations, standards and procedures adopted by the company.
The Management commits to continuously improve our qualities
Our VisionTo become one of a leading heavy lift helicopter operator with a highly experienced and motivated staff, ensuring the highest flight safety operation and ultimate customer satisfaction.
Our MissionTo satisfy our customers' needs and expectations through continuous improvement of our company commitments.
We will achieve this by:
- Understanding our customers' needs
- Continuous employee training
- Continuous quality improvement
Our employees are encouraged to perform their best in individual and teamwork performance to produce defect-free achievements.


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These functions allow you to work with arbitrary-length integers using the GNU MP library.
These functions have been added in PHP 4.0.4.
Most GMP functions accept GMP number arguments. These are shown in this documentation as GMP objects; however note that PHP 5.5 and earlier represented GMP numbers as resources. Most of these functions will also accept numeric and string arguments, so long as it is possible to convert the latter to a number. Also, if there is a faster function that can operate on integer arguments, it would be used instead of the slower function when the supplied arguments are integers. This is done transparently, so the bottom line is that you can use integers in every function that expects GMP number. See also the gmp_init() function.
From PHP 5.6 onwards, you can use arithmetic, bitwise and comparison operators with the GMP objects returned from gmp_init() and other GMP functions.
If you want to explicitly specify a large integer, specify it as a string. If you don't do that, PHP will interpret the integer-literal first, possibly resulting in loss of precision, even before GMP comes into play.
Зауваження: This extension is available on Windows platforms since PHP 5.1.0.


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In the 102nd episode of the Functional Nerds Podcast, Patrick Hester and John Anealio welcome Stina Leicht and Chris Holm.
About Stina:
Stina Leicht is a 2012 Campbell Award nomineee and author of two books: Of Blood and Honey, And Blue Skies from Pain published by Night Shade Books. Stina Leicht's debut novel Of Blood and Honey, a historical Fantasy with an Irish Crime edge set in 1970s Northern Ireland, was released by Night Shade books in February 2011. And Blue Skies from Pain (a sequel to Of Blood and Honey) was released March 22, 2012 and is available via Indie Bound, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Night Shade Books, BookPeople and Powell's. She also has a flash fiction piece in Ann and Jeff VanderMeer's surreal anthology Last Drink Bird Head.
About Chris:
Chris F. Holm was born in Syracuse, New York, the grandson of a cop with a penchant for crime fiction. It was the year of punk rock and Star Wars, two influences that to this day hold more sway over Chris than perhaps his wife would like. He wrote his first story at the age of six, which got him sent to the principal's office. Since then, his stories have appeared in a slew of publications, including Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Beat to a Pulp, and Thuglit. His novella "The Hitter" was selected to appear in THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2011, edited by Harlan Coben and Otto Penzler. He's been an Anthony Award nominee, a Derringer Award finalist, and a Spinetingler Award winner. His debut novel, DEAD HARVEST, is available February 2012 via Angry Robot Books, with its sequel, THE WRONG GOODBYE, to follow that October.
- Stina Leicht (website)
- Stina on Twitter
- Chris F. Holm (website)
- Chris on Twitter
- Patrick on Twitter
- John on Twitter
© 2012 Patrick Hester and John Anealio
This podcast features original music written and performed by John Anealio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS
5 Responses to Episode 102 – Stina Leicht and Chris Holm
:raises hand: Lapsed Catholic here…
Unlapsed Catholic here.
[…] Functional Nerds interviews Stina Leicht and Chris Holm […]
Cool. Listening to it now. Hey, are you going to try to get Anne Lyle for your show? She's an Angry Robot author, and I want to hear her English accent.
Good for the donor fellow, too. Woot!


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NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who holds the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, took charge of the International Space Station Saturday (Sept. 15), becoming only the second female commander in the orbiting lab's 14-year history.
Williams took charge of the space station from Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who is returning to Earth on Sunday after months commanding the outpost's six-person Expedition 32 crew. Williams launched to the station in July and will command its Expedition 33 crew before returning to Earth in November.
"I would like to thank our [Expedition] 32 crewmates here who have taught us how to live and work in space, and of course to have a lot of fun up in space," Williams told Padalka during a change of command ceremony. She will officially take charge of the station on Sunday, after Padalka and two crewmates board their Soyuz spacecraft for the trip home.
Padalka, NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and cosmonaut Sergei Revin are scheduled to undock from the space station Sunday at 7:09 p.m. EDT (2309 GMT) and land in the Central Asian steppes of Kazakhstan at 10:53 p.m. EDT (0253 on Sept. 17). The trio is wrapping up a five-month mission to the space station and Padalka thanked his crewmates and flight controllers on the ground for their help during the flight.
Sunita Williams arrived at the space station on July 17 on a Soyuz spacecraft with two crewmates: Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. They will be joined by three new crewmembers in October.
Williams, 46, is a captain in the U.S. Navy and flying on her second long-duration space mission. She first launched into space in 2007 and spent 195 consecutive days in space, setting a record for the longest single spaceflight by a female astronaut. On Wednesday (Sept. 19), she'll celebrate her birthday in space.
In a NASA interview before launch, Williams said a friend asked her if she was nervous about commanding the space station. She said no, adding that the more than two years of training alongside her Expedition 32 and 33 crewmates, as well as the Mission Control team, prepared all the space station crewmembers for life in space.
"When you get up on the space station, you know what to do, so I'm not nervous about it all," Williams said. "I'm psyched."
The first female commander of the International Space Station was NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who commanded the orbiting lab's Expedition 16 mission between fall 2007 and spring 2008. Whitson later served as NASA's chief astronaut and recently stepped down from the post to rejoin the Astronaut Corps' spaceflying ranks. Two other female astronauts, Eileen Collins and Pam Melroy, commanded NASA space shuttles.
Mission Control sent Williams a few words to mark her new role as space station skipper.
"Congratulations on the promotion to your new position," a flight control told Williams after today's ceremony. "We know you'll run a fine ship up there."
You can follow SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik on Twitter @tariqjmalik and SPACE.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+.


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I've been busy organizing my kitchen in Ghana. It's the harmattan season now (January), with dry winds blowing from the Sahara, and there's fine red dust everywhere. When the plane landed last week from the air it looked like a bad case of smog. It's a challenge keeping things clean--particularly because our house in Tema has screens and wooden shutters rather than glass windows in most of the rooms, including the kitchen. . .
The most exciting accomplishment today, however, was getting some fresh kontomire (nkontomire) leaves and some smoked fish (tuna and "safo") from the local market. I deboned the fish and gave the head away since I don't cook with it.
As I was preparing the leaves I realized that folks outside of Ghana might not know what they are. In the U.S. Ghanaians always say they're making "spinach" stew, the most easily available substitute being spinach leaves. However, in Ghana they use cocoyam (taro) leaves, called kontomire or nkontomire, that are easily available, either wild or cultivated. I paid about 60 cents for a huge bunch of them and cooked them all to freeze some for another day. Tonight we'll enjoy kontomire stew with smoked fish and leftover ampesi (boiled Ghanaian yam, ripe ["red"] plantain, and white sweet potatoes). Kontomire stew is often eaten with boiled green plantain: another example of good, simple, healthy food!
Kontomire's flavor differs a bit from spinach--the leaves are thicker and hardier, more like kale or collard greens. I wonder if that's one of the reasons slaves from West Africa favored cooking with collard and mustard greens? I remember that people prepared leaves exactly the same way when I was in Belo Horizonte in Brazil in 2007 and we cut up collard greens to accompany feijoada.
After washing the leaves, remove the tough central stem (holding the top end of the leaf by the stem and pulling downwards to release it (sorry, I didn't think to take a picture of that). Then layer several leaves together and roll them up tightly, and slice thinly.
I'd better stop writing now and make dinner. This post is making me hungry!