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Q: There are many similar dao methods in anorm, is it right? I'm using Play2 with anorm. I think the spirit of anorm is write plain sqls, no magic behind.
But I quickly found I have write a lot of similar dao methods. For example:
case class User(id:Pk[String], username:String, email:String, realname:String, city:String, website:String)

object User {
  val simple = get[Pk[String]]("id") ~ get[String]("username") ~ ... get[String]("website") map {
    case id ~ username ~ ... ~ website = User(id, username, ..., website)
  }
  def findByUsername(username:String) = DB.withConnection { implicit connection =>
     SQL("select * from users where username={username}").on('username->username).as(simple.singleOpt)
  }
  def findByEmail(email:String) = DB.withConnection { implicit connection =>
     SQL("select * from users where email={email}").on('email->email).as(simple.singleOpt)
  }
  def findById(id:String) = DB.withConnection { implicit connection =>
     SQL("select * from users where id={id}").on('id->id).as(simple.singleOpt)
  }
  def findByRealname(keyword:String) = DB.withConnection { implicit connection =>
     SQL("select * from users where realname like {keyword}").on('keyword->"%"+keyword+"%").as(simple *)
  }
  // more similar methods
}

There methods are almost the same, exception the where clause has small difference.
So I created a findWhere() method as:
def findWhere(conditon, values:Any*) = ...

That I can call it in actions:
User.findWhere("id=?", id)
User.findWhere("username=?", username)

It works, but I don't think it's recommended by anorm.
What's the best way to solve this problem?

A: Why do you believe it is not recommended or ok?
Anorm only cares of receiving a SQL query and parsing the result into a case class. If due to your constraints/design you generate that SQL request dinamically, that makes no difference.
The only issue I see is witht he '?' char, which is nto the way Anorm works. I believe it would me more like:
User.findWhere("username", username)

def findWhere(field: String, value: String) = {
  SQL("select * from users where "+ field +"={"+ field +"}").on(Symbol(field)->value).as(simple.singleOpt)
}

This is a simple example, extend as required.


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Dr. Abdulmalik Mohammed Durunguwa, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State was on Friday reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the state capital.
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Colin Moreau has an axe to grind. Of all the Gravediggers, he's the most reluctant in his new role as dead man walking. He's angry, and being stuck in the tiny town of Last Stop, Texas might as well be purgatory. He misses his country and the life he had before he was betrayed. The only thing keeping him sane are the men who are like him—the Gravediggers—and the woman who makes his head spin. He's never met anyone like Miller Darling. She's not intimidated by his scowls, and damned if he doesn't find that appealing.
When Miller sneaks out of town in the dead of night, her suitcase in tow, he has no choice but to follow. He's made an oath to the Gravediggers. Only death can separate them. But he's willing to risk it all to follow the one woman who drives him crazy halfway around the world. But when the ones who own his soul find out that he's deserted them, there will be nowhere to hide.
GONE TO DUST by Liliana Hart is the second novel in the Gravediggers romantic suspense series. Fast-paced with a smidgen of heat and an elite counter-terrorism group known as the Gravediggers, Hart takes us on a quest deep in the tropics.
Elias Cole was a former Navy Seal until he was labeled a traitor and forced into becoming a Gravedigger. As the best friend of Tess, we met the vibrant and talented writer Elias Cole in THE DARKEST CORNER, book one of the series. From the beginning, there has been some heated chemistry between these characters, but Cole is a dead man. Hart quickly fills us in on what we have missed since the first book including a heated encounter that left Miller unsatisfied.
The tale opens up with a chapter from Darling's romance novel. She is in the middle of a three-day writing binge when a delivery from the UPS man pulls her away from the novel. Through the contents of the package, we learn a great deal about Miller, her family, and her parent's death. Her brother, a former SEAL, is in serious trouble which puts Miller in the crosshairs of some dangerous people. Determined to save her brother she makes plans to travel. Elias is very familiar with her brother, and not all of it is happy memories, but there is no way Miller is going alone. The tale that unfolds is action packed, with cool technology and the full resources of the Gravediggers.
While I wish the story had a little less tell and more show, I found GONE TO DUST to be stronger than book one. I love the tension between Eve and the Gravediggers. Last Stop, Texas is certainly not a boring place. I like that we went offline on this mission. Its Temple of Doom vibe and exotic location, (minus the snakes..eek gads) added the perfect suspense, danger, and tension needed to put this couple to the test. It was fun seeing them gather clues and evade danger. I adored a killer computer named Elaine and all of the great sexual chemistry Hart delivered.
The romance developed slowly and aside from kisses we didn't see any real action until around the sixty percent mark. Hart gives us just enough heat to set are imagination on fire, but the action happens mostly off page. There is a bit of instalove here, which I almost expect in romantic suspense, but Hart did an excellent job of building and developing a relationship with depth.
Snark, strong characters, humor, and danger made their quest and romance a page-turner. I devoured GONE TO DUST in a single sitting and closed the book satisfied. SAY NO MORE the third book releases later this month. The synopsis has me intrigued.
Liliana Hart is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty titles. After starting her first novel her freshman year of college, she immediately became addicted to writing and knew she'd found what she was meant to do with her life. She has no idea why she majored in music. Since publishing in June 2011, Liliana has sold more than five-million ebooks. All three of her series have made multiple appearances on the New York Times list. Liliana is a sought after speaker and she's given keynote speeches and publishing workshops to standing-room-only crowds, from California to the Library of Congress to London. Liliana can almost always be found at her computer writing, or giving workshops for SilverHart, a company she founded with her husband, Scott Silverii, where they provide law enforcement, military, and fire resources to writers, so they can "write it right." When Liliana and her husband aren't working or spending time with their children, they're traveling to the places that interest them most.
I'm a huge fan of Liliana Hart and I can't wait to read this one. it sounds pretty good!
This sounds so dark and the slow burn romance definitely has my attention.
I hope you get to try it, Stacy.
I love these kinds of books. Do they have to be read in order?
I don't think it's totally necessary, but the overall arc is there.
The first book in this series is on my Wishlist. This sounds like my kind of series! I'm not entering the giveaway, since I"m in Canada.
Several people have tole me I'd like this series as I loved Laura Bickle's Alchemy series. It is a wee bit similar and I like the idea of Navy Seals. Thanks for the review. I have a feeling I'll be trying this series.
I thoroughly enjoyed your review!
I like romantic suspense because there's something to pay attention to besides the romance aspect.
I enjoy it too Dianna, usually, it eliminates drama and other arc threads.
"Sometimes the dead do rise…" That simple line has me hooked! Thanks for the post.
I love that line as well.
I've heard really good things about this series and it's been on my radar for a while.
I hope you entered and that either way you get a chance to try them.
Temple of Doom vibe? Oh man, you have me super curious now. Great review!
Happy to share. Good luck Linda.
I like that kind of romance in a romantic suspense book. I have the first on my wishlist and I think I need to add this one.
Cool. I hope you entered.
I love romantic suspense…this sounds good!
Book two and three on the way soon> That is nice to get quick releases. I am curious about this series, but still not sold on it. I will keep it in mind.
Yes, I like that they release close together.
I was already interested after your review of book one, but neat that the series is getting stronger with each new release. The Gravediggers world sounds cool and I love that the heroine is a writer.
Sounds interesting. Thank's for the review!
Happy to share Angela. Thank you.
I enjoyed the book immensely. Wonderfully talented writer.
Last Stop, Texas sounds like a couple of towns I've lived in…LOL. The premise and the characters sound very tempting. Thanks for sharing.
As I read your review, I was thinking to myself, " I'd really like to give this book a try, but I probably should read the previous novel first." Then I saw the giveaway lol. It was meant to be!
It's awesome to see growth in a writer through a series. I'm glad this installment outdid the first one. Happy reading, Kimba!
I'm glad this series is going well, Kim. Hopefully with the next book, the show v/s telling will improve. It can be frustrating. And hopefully there'll be more romantic developments!
I almost picked this one up. It sounds so interesting and fun. I'll have to add this to the TBR for when I get in the romantic suspense mood.
I am glad this is better than book 1. I was a bit worried.. Thanks for alleviating my fears.
I think the set up bogged down book one, but yes this was much stronger.
This series is my first go with her Geybie.
it is nice to have a slow romance like that, I always love when it's like that.


text:
Students reminded to look out for each other this semester
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For many students, the fall semester ushers in new classes, new routines, new living arrangements and, for some, new friends and new surroundings.
With so much going on and so many changes taking place, it can be easy for students, especially first-year students who may be living on their own for the first time, to be targeted and victimized by others.
In fact, the first six weeks of classes at colleges and universities nationwide are often referred to as the "red zone," which is when a large percentage of sexual assaults involving college students happen across the country.
"You see a lot cases where people are targeted or victimized during the first six weeks of classes, especially first-year students," said Jennifer Pencek, programming coordinator in Penn State's Center for Women Students. "When you're so new to campus, you might be experiencing things for the first time, you might be away from family for the first time, you're trying to get to know people, and you might not have that really strong support network yet. Unfortunately, there are people who will try to take advantage of that."
Pencek said the majority of sexual assaults that her office sees involve alcohol, and in many instances the perpetrator and victim knew each other in some capacity prior to the crime. That's why Pencek says that consent is a vital component of any sexual activity, and it must be clearly present at all times.
"We do a lot of programming about sexual assault that centers on the topic of consent," Pencek said. "Making sure that you have consent and making sure that the other person is comfortable with what is happening is crucial, especially if alcohol is involved. If it seems like a situation when the other person's ability to give consent is even in question, then it's time to call it a night."
Obtaining consent and knowing the boundaries of that consent is the obligation of the person initiating the act. Thus, it is imperative to:
Get verbal consent from your partner and don't assume you know what the other person wants. The absence of a "no" or lack of physical resistance does not mean consent is present.
Know if a person is incapacitated. There is no consent no matter what the person said or did previously if a person is incapacitated by alcohol and/or drugs.
Listen to your partner. If you are getting unclear messages, stop.
Keep in mind that perpetrators are responsible for sexual assaults. Perpetrators take advantage of vulnerability and seek opportunities to commit sexual assaults.
The only way to prevent sexual violence is to stop people from committing crimes, such as rape and sexual assault. However, the action steps below are things individuals can do to reduce their risk of victimization, according to Sgt. Monica Himes in University Police and Public Safety:
Always lock your door, even if you are inside your residence hall room, visiting with friends down the hall, or heading to the bathroom. In addition, don't allow unescorted guests into residence halls. Residence halls are controlled by 24-hour electronic access. Residents are required to use student identification cards for admittance and a resident must escort every guest.
Know the phone number for University Police. Students should program 814-863-1111 into their cell phones.
Never walk home alone. Use Penn State's free, dusk-to-dawn security escort service to avoid walking home alone. Just call 814-865-WALK.
Use social media wisely. Updating locations or statuses can clue stalkers into a student's location.
Limit alcohol consumption. Always be aware of what is going on, and don't let alcohol cloud judgment.
Be aware of surroundings. Pay attention while walking, instead of texting or listening to music. Students should call police if they notice suspicious or unusual behavior.
Pencek said it's also a good idea for friends to make a plan before going out and to look after one another throughout the night.
"One thing we try to stress is friends looking out for each other," she said. "Even if you're at a party and you see something that seems off to you, there are strategies you can use to diffuse a situation and keep people safe.
"Let's say your friend is trying to go home with someone and you know that either your friend or the other person has probably had too much to drink. Saying something as simple as 'Hey, let's go get something to eat,' or 'We're going to leave, come with us' can help to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation, and it doesn't have to be a big, heroic gesture."
As part of a University-wide effort to combat sexual assault, Penn State launched the Stand for State bystander intervention program in January 2016. Stand for State provides educational programming that empowers students to intervene when they encounter a situation that could lead to sexual misconduct, as well as when they are confronted with issues like relationship violence, mental health concerns, acts of bias, excessive drinking, and drug use.
To learn more about the Stand for State program or to sign up for a workshop, visit http://standforstate.psu.edu/.
In addition to Stand for State, Penn State has programs and resources in place to help address the problem of sexual assault.
The Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response, a stand-alone office dedicated to the issue of sexual misconduct, was created in 2015 as part of a list of 18 recommendations made by the Penn State Task Force on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment to address sexual violence on campus. In addition to carrying out those 18 recommendations, the office ensures University compliance with Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on the sex or gender of employees and students. The office is responsible for handling all cases of sexual harassment, sexual violence and gender-based discrimination, and it is a resource for information about those issues or to file a complaint.
Additionally, the office is spearheading a range of initiatives across the University focused on prevention, awareness and education. For more information, or to report an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating or relationship violence, stalking, or sexual exploitation, visit http://titleix.psu.edu.
All incoming first-year students are required to complete an online training module dealing with sexual assault awareness before arriving on campus. Penn State AWARE is designed to educate students about sexual assault and sexual harassment, and to develop practical safety skills. The training module takes about 45 minutes to complete, and is offered in conjunction with Penn State SAFE, an online alcohol education program.
Along with providing free and confidential counseling and advocacy for students of all gender identities who may have been impacted by issues like sexual assault, the Center for Women Students, located in 204 Boucke Building on the University Park campus, also provides extensive prevention education and opportunities for students to get involved in efforts to prevent sexual assault. For more information, including how to request an educational program for classes or organizations, visit http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/womenscenter/.
"Despite our name, the center is here to help all students," said Pencek. "We have men who come here for services, so it's not just for women students. We also do a lot of prevention work, so it's also not just for people who are dealing with the aftermath of a sexual assault. We offer free and confidential counseling and advocacy for all students, but we also do extensive prevention programming and have two peer education groups: Men Against Violence and Peers Helping Reaffirm, Educate and Empower (PHREE)."
Additional resources, available both from Penn State and the local community, for those who have experienced sexual assault and relationship violence include:
University Police victim resource officer
University Police can assist with advice and help to find the programs and services that might be of assistance. Email Det. Vicki Litzinger at vja104@psu.edu for more information, or call 814-863-0823 to schedule an appointment. The victim resource officer is located in Eisenhower Parking Deck, Room 30-C.
Sexual assault and relationship violence hotline
A hotline has been established for victims and observers to report sexual assault and relationship violence. Penn State students from any campus can call 1-800-560-1637 to access the hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Commonwealth Campuses sexual assault resources
http://titleix.psu.edu/sexual-harassment-and-assault-resources-for-each-university-location/
Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response
http://titleix.psu.edu/
titleix@psu.edu
Office of Student Conduct
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/conduct/
Emergencies/University Ambulance Service
Dial 911 (identify yourself as a student)
Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department
http://www.mountnittany.org/medical-facilities/mount-nittany-medical-center/
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health/
Telephone advice nurse (24 hours a day): 814-863-4463
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/
Center for Women Students
http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/womenscenter/
Centre County Women's Resource Center
http://ccwrc.org
814-234-5050 (24-hour hotline); 877-234-5050 (toll free)
http://www.pcar.org/
Immediate assistance hotline: 888-772-7227
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
http://www.rainn.org
24-hour hotline: 800-656-4673
Emergency — 911
University Park Police — 814-863-1111
State College Police — 814-234-7150
Patton Township Police — 814-234-0273
Ferguson Township Police — 814-237-1172
Bellefonte Police — 814-353-2320
Pennsylvania State Police (Rockview) — 814-355-7545
Centre County Emergency Communication Center (non-emergency) — 800-479-0050
Emergency phones
For emergencies, dial 911. The Campus Night Map also shows the location of emergency phones on campus. The Campus Night Map is also available at the University Police station, located in Eisenhower Parking Deck.
'It's On Us PA' grant will further sexual assault prevention and education
Chi Omega Nu Gamma endowment supports Collegiate Recovery Community
Center for Women Students, CAPS aid female and male violence survivors
Campus Life, Health and Safety
Campus Safety, Center for Women Students, Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response, sexual assault, sexual assault prevention, Stand for State, University Police and Public Safety

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Since last update the ability for the host to kick bad drivers from the lobby seems to have stopped working. Was this deliberate or is it a new bug?
The more worrying issue is, how does anyone at SMS justify doing this? Supposedly as a way to prevent abusive hosts kicking drivers for no reason (other than to artificially inflate their rating or kick people needing the full 2 min pre-race break), it can't really have been a problem they have ever faced. Because, if they had ever spent much time in random online public lobbies, they would already know that the damage caused by doing it would be far worse than the damage done by not doing it. And if (as seems all too apparent) they really never go to public rooms and root around in the swill like we have to, and restrict themselves to only tightly hosted private rooms, they wouldn't have faced the issue at all!
How, exactly, did this EVER seem like a good idea?
Yeah, I've just read others complaining about this. It is a ridiculous solution to a minimal problem. They've penalised the majority for the sake of the minority.


Ideal grow room temperature and humidity varies depending on the stage of plant life. Cloning requires higher temperature and humidity than vegetative growth and flowering plants have different ideal atmospheric conditions as well. In order to master the art of marijuana growing, dialing in the proper environment at the right time remains the most essential ingredient for success. So, what is the best grow room temperature and humidity level?
In order to properly measure temperature and humidity, you'll need a thermometer and hygrometer. Best to invest in a digital one that can give you current readouts as well as highs and lows when you're not inside the room. To raise heat, you'll need a heater and to lower heat, you'll need an air conditioner. These can be outside or inside the growing space depending on the size of your space and how much the temps and moisture levels fluctuate. A humidifier and a dehumidifier can be employed to raise and lower humidity rates. Larger grow rooms can benefit from a controller that uses a sensor to keep track of temps and humidity and turns on the appropriate appliance to regulate and keep them within your set parameters.
Because cannabis cuttings root best in warm conditions with high humidity, the cheap trays with clear plastic domes work remarkably well. In cool conditions, a heat mat should be placed underneath the trays to maintain an optimum temperature of 74-78 degrees F. and relative humidity at 75-85%. No matter where and into what medium you plan to root your clones, keep warmth and high humidity on your priority list. Clones allowed to get cold or dry will perish quite quickly. Too much humidity (over 90%) can also cause mold and rot, so cut a quarter-sized hole or two in your clear plastic dome to allow some air movement and circulation.
The best grow room temperature during the vegetative stage of growth is 70-78 degrees F. when the lights are on during the "daytime" and no more than 10-15 degrees cooler at "night" with a relative humidity of 45-55%. With these settings, your plants will best be able to convert light into energy for growth. This is the time when the plant puts on leaves and branches and expands it's root system throughout your growing medium. If it gets too cold or hot, growth stops and you eventually risk losing your plants altogether.
The best grow room temperature during the flowering stage of growth is 68-75 degrees during the day and no more than 10-15 degrees cooler at night. If you're supplementing with CO2, daytime temps can be as high as 75-82 or so. During flowering, you should lower your relative humidity to 35-45% and even lower (30%) for the last couple of weeks before harvest. This will help you avoid issues with mold, bud rot and PM (Powdery Mildew) that can arise in higher humidity.
The drying room is a place that must be carefully monitored. Keep in mind that your plants will be giving off a large amount of moisture into the room as they dry. It's important to pull wet air out and keep air circulating in the room without actually having fans blowing right on your hanging branches, which can dry them out prematurely resulting in a harsh taste and burn. Also, growers in dry places such as Colorado struggle to extend their drying time with humidifiers, while farmers in more humid climates such as Northern California use dehumidifiers to pull water from the air in order to avoid mold growing on their buds.
The ideal temperature for a drying room is between 65 – 74 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity between 45 – 55 percent in a dark well-ventilated room. Cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids can evaporate and be released at temperatures above 80 degrees, diminishing the scent, flavor and potency of your buds. Within 6 – 10 days your branches should snap instead of bending and the buds should feel popcorn dry on the outside. This is the time to cut the individual buds from the branches and put them into glass jars to begin the curing process. Cure your buds in a cool (68-72 degree F.) and dark place.


text:
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PATIENT PROFILE: A Preemptive Kidney Transplant
By Suzanne Ruff, Living Donor, AAKP Board of Directors, Author
What is a preemptive kidney transplant? Let's examine the word: preempt and its adjective: preemptive. The Oxford dictionary defines preempt as a noun, with the definition:
1. a. forestall b. acquire or appropriate in advance.
2. to prevent (an attack) by disabling the enemy. The adjective, preemptive, defines it perfectly: taking action against the enemy. In the case of a preemptive kidney transplant, the enemy is kidney disease.
A perfect example of someone who embraced the concept of a preemptive kidney transplant is 63-year-old Karyn Waxman of the Memphis, TN area. She was diagnosed nearly twenty years ago with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a disease without a cure. PKD is a hereditary disease, but in Waxman's case, there was no family history of the disease.
Waxman explains, "When I was initially diagnosed with PKD, I felt frightened, alone and confused." Doctors determined her disease was caused by a mutated gene. "Dealing with the unknown was like entering an unwelcome dark part of my life that I wasn't wanting to explore. But there it was… no choice… just me and PKD. Arming myself with knowledge and finding others with experience with this disease helped shed light on the unknown and strengthened my resolve to keep plugging along to live my best "healthy life". Waxman, once she recovered from the initial shock of her diagnosis, jumped in fully to 'attack the enemy'.
Her kidney disease progressed, "Very slow for me and very gradual, thank goodness. I felt okay." Over five years ago, Waxman asked the owner of a gym about hiring a personal trainer for herself, telling him about her polycystic kidney disease. Waxman says she was at about Stage 4 CKD with 30% kidney function then.
The owner of the gym decided another trainer, Sara Kelly, would be a good fit for Waxman and told Kelly that Waxman had polycystic kidney disease.
Waxman laughs now. "I thought he was going to train me himself, but he turned me over to Sara Kelly! The owner passed me over to a perfect trainer. Here I was recruiting this guy…."
Kelly said, "I Googled PKD and tried to find out a little bit about it. I learned a little, but not much before the training began. Karyn, though, was mainly the source of the information about what Karyn could or couldn't do and what she would feel comfortable with as far as exercising. My main concern with her workout was safety and avoiding things like sit-ups or crunches that may bother her kidneys."
"Karyn seemed like a healthy person, but maybe about once a year we were dealing with something that put her over the edge…"
Waxman added, "Yeah, you know when you get a cyst rupture – it's just not working for you". (Some patients suffering from PKD, a disease that forms cysts on the kidney, can sometimes suffer from painful cyst ruptures).
Kelly says about Waxman, "The thing that impressed me was how involved she was, what a champion for the PKD Foundation she is, trying to raise money and trying to raise awareness, they have their license plates on their car and they have their golf tournament every year, doing PKD fundraising, just helping people."
Understanding the disease can cause total kidney failure, Waxman said, "The thought of living my life tethered to a machine was beyond disturbing." She talked with her nephrologist often and in her own words told him "dialysis was NOT in my plan if I could help it." Waxman repeatedly asked that he let her know when a good time to search for a living donor would be. Waxman continued, "At one visit he actually smiled and told me that I should not worry and when the time was right, I would have no trouble finding a donor. My smug reply was that they don't grow on trees and I need him to give me ample time to put the wheels in motion."
In 2018, her nephrologist told her it was time to be referred to the transplant center for evaluation. Her eGFR was 21%. No one in her immediate family shared her blood type. Waxman said, "I studied the campaigns of others through Facebook and some other media outlets. I decided that asking for a kidney was not what I wanted to do, but moreover ask for the sharing of my need. I began with the creation of golf balls for our PKD Tournament that said #KidneyforKaryn, Donate Life, Share your spare. As soon as my transplant coordinator gave me the green light, I created 250 business cards to help accomplish this. I posted to Facebook. People have been so kind and supportive. It's truly the beautiful part of this difficult journey."
Sara Kelly, her trainer, age 52, said her first thought when she saw Waxman's business cards was "Oh my gosh, she's going to need to get this from a stranger. I knew that I had O+ the universal blood type so I knew the blood type would not be an issue. How could I watch her go through the process of looking for a donor; what would be my reason for not offering to donate?"
Kelly told Waxman that she was going to call the transplant center to be evaluated adding, "I bet I'm the first person they'll call."
The transplant center did call Kelly back. Kelly told Waxman who said, "You shouldn't tell me about these things." Waxman didn't want to get her hopes up.
Kelly laughed and said, "I have to talk to someone about it!"
Waxman said, "It was remarkable."
Kelly stated, "She never put pressure on me at all."
Waxman laughed and said she cautioned Kelly about being a donor because it is major surgery, "I was telling her the ugly. I wanted her to know it was a big deal."
As a fit and healthy personal trainer, Sara Kelly had concern about not being able to exercise.
"I'm one of those people who exercises every day as part of my mental well-being. So this was going to be one of my challenges."
As she recovers and gets back to her routine as a personal trainer, Sara said she will not be as pampering to her clients at first by not picking up their weights but instead telling them, "See that 5 lb. weight, you go get it."
Kelly also expressed her belief that Waxman would take good care of the gift of her kidney and respect the sacrifice of it, saying, "I just know Karyn is going to treat it like something special. She has so much knowledge about the disease and being so proactive and going ahead and getting it before dialysis."
Waxman said, "I am in awe of someone who is alive and healthy and willing to take time out of their lives and give a piece of themselves to a person so you can have your best life. I don't see how anyone would be able to live with themselves and not treasure, value and take care of that precious gift."
When Kelly was approved to be Waxman's donor, they celebrated the date set for surgery: May 21, 2019. The transplant was a success and both are doing well.
Sara Kelly, newly living kidney donor, stated, "I hope somebody else donates, just from hearing our story. I hope one person, no matter how far removed, can say, 'I think I can do that.'"
In July 2020 Both women hope to compete at the Transplant Games of America at The Meadowlands, New Jersey. I'd bet on them!
This article was originally published in aakpRENALIFE, July 2019.
Author Sidhvi NekkantiPosted on July 1, 2019 May 11, 2020 Categories Articles, Our Blog
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text:
import { ts } from "@ts-morph/common";
import { Constructor } from "../../../../types";
import { Identifier } from "../../name";
import { NamedNodeBase, NamedNodeBaseExtensionType, NamedNodeSpecificBase } from "./NamedNodeBase";
import { ReferenceFindableNode } from "./ReferenceFindableNode";
import { RenameableNode } from "./RenameableNode";

// todo: make name optional, but in a different class because TypeParameterDeclaration expects a name
// (maybe NameableNode and rename some of the other "-ed" classes)
export type NamedNodeExtensionType = NamedNodeBaseExtensionType<ts.Identifier>;

export interface NamedNode extends NamedNodeSpecific, ReferenceFindableNode, RenameableNode {
}

export type NamedNodeSpecific = NamedNodeSpecificBase<Identifier>;

export function NamedNode<T extends Constructor<NamedNodeExtensionType>>(Base: T): Constructor<NamedNode> & T {
    const base = RenameableNode(ReferenceFindableNode(Base));
    return NamedNodeBase<ts.Identifier, typeof base>(base);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Emma Bayliss, Hannah Mei Steury, and Sophia West|September 28, 2021
Recently, students at West Potomac have stolen soap dispensers as a part of a viral Tik Tok trend that has swept across the county. The new challenge, dubbed "The Devious Lick Challenge," encourages students to steal certain items from their schools.
Urban dictionary defines a "lick" as, "a successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday for the protagonist." Early on in September, some of the most popular items to steal included bathroom soap dispensers, classroom wall clocks, and paper towel dispensers, and many students from other schools posted their vandalism on Tik Tok. Some of the items students from other schools have claimed to have stolen are: crossing guard signs, toilets, urinals, microscopes, fire alarms/extinguishers, bathroom doors, and sinks.
"I think it's kinda stupid," Tamon Hendricks, a senior at West Potomac High School, says about the "Devious lick challenge."
Notably, students and teachers currently at West Po have started to notice the repercussions of this consequential trend. Just how far have students at West Po gone with this devious lick challenge? Soap dispensers all around the school, mostly in the boys bathrooms, have gone missing as well as toilet paper dispensers along with the toilet paper itself.
"Especially during COVID times, kids need to be able to wash their hands in the bathrooms," Mr. Ivan Johnson, vice principal, said.
Johnson expressed the concern he has for the school, because of the theft and vandalism, the school is having to replace an abundance of these dispensers, each one being priced in the hundreds including labor.
There are additional ramifications coming in the form of the new bathroom regulations, only 2 students can go to the bathroom at a time per class, and they must sign out and sign back in, causing annoyance among both students and teachers.
"I encourage students to come to the administration if they see something," Mr. Johnson said.
Emma Bayliss, Writer
Emma Bayliss is a freshman at West Potomac. Her dislike for avocados and mustard fuels her picky eating habits, and she often finds herself drinking coffee...
Hannah Mei Steury, Writer
The non-stop, always moving Hannah Mei Steury, only 4'11", shines as a soccer all star, making at least 4 goals each game. Not only a soccer player, ...
Sophia West, Writer
Sophia West is a freshman at West Potomac High School. She lives with her mom, younger brother and her adorable dog Rudy. She dreams of becoming a lawyer...


Dr. Norman Borlaug, whose scientific research sparked a "green revolution" in agriculture that saved millions of lives, was prescient.
Groundbreaking research that he envisioned nearly 50 years ago is finally coming to fruition as scientists announce new advances in their efforts to develop plants that can create their own sources of fertilizer.
Then I wake up and become disillusioned to find that mutation genetics programs are still engaged mostly in such minutiae as putting beards on wheat plants and taking off the hairs.
If we are to capitalize fully on the past biological accomplishments and realize the prospective accomplishments, as exemplified in my dream, there must be far greater investments in research and education in the future than in the past.
Investments have been made into that type of research in recent years, and the results are very promising.
In this video by Robert Hazen of the Alliance for Science, scientists from the Engineering Nitrogen Symbiosis for Africa (ENSA) project discuss how they are using genetic engineering to transfer the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of legumes (peas and beans) into cereal crops. Their work could help small-holder farmers in Africa and elsewhere realize higher yields, without the use of expensive fertilizers. It could also reduce the world's overall use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, which contribute substantially to both carbon emissions and environmental pollution.
Harvard University researcher Daniel Nocera is taking a different approach. He and his team presented their work on "a 'bionic' leaf that uses bacteria, sunlight, water and air to make fertilizer in the very soil where crops are grown" at an April 3 session of the 253rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), according to an ACS press release.
For this application, Nocera's team has designed a system in which Xanthobacter bacteria fix hydrogen from the artificial leaf and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make a bioplastic that the bacteria store inside themselves as fuel.
Nocera's lab has analyzed the amount of ammonia the system produces. But the real proof is in the radishes. The researchers have used their approach to grow five crop cycles. The vegetables receiving the bionic-leaf-derived fertilizer weigh 150 percent more than the control crops. The next step, Nocera says, is to boost throughput so that one day, farmers in India or sub-Saharan Africa can produce their own fertilizer.
Nocera also shared his work at a press conference that can be viewed here.
Research by ENSA scientists and Nocera is helping to make Borlaug's dream a reality. Yet advancements in agricultural science continue to meet resistance from groups that oppose the use of modern technology to address food production challenges, just as they did in Borlaug's time.
Some critics have said that the green revolution has created more problems than it has solved. This I cannot accept, for I believe it is far better for mankind to be struggling with new problems caused by abundance rather than with the old problem of famine.
For the underprivileged billions in the forgotten world, hunger has been a constant companion, and starvation has all too often lurked in the nearby shadows. To millions of these unfortunates, who have long lived in despair, the green revolution seems like a miracle that has generated new hope for the future.
I want to reiterate emphatically that there now are available materials and techniques of great potential value for expanding the green revolution into additional fields of agriculture. But to convert these potential values into actual values requires scientific and organizational leadership. Where are those leaders? Where are the leaders who have the necessary scientific competence, the vision, the common sense, the social consciousness, the qualities of leadership, and the persistent determination to convert the potential benefactions into real benefactions for mankind in general and for the hungry in particular? There are not enough of them now; therefore we must try to identify and develop them in our educational systems and we must utilize them in our campaigns for food production.
The green revolution is a change in the right direction, but it has not transformed the world into Utopia. None are more keenly aware of its limitations than those who started it and fought for its success. But there has been solid accomplishment, as I have already shown by concrete examples. I have also tried to indicate the various opportunities for capitalizing more fully on the new materials that were produced and the new methods that were devised. And, above all, I cannot emphasize too strongly the fact that further progress depends on intelligent, integrated, and persistent effort by government leaders, statesmen, tradesmen, scientists, educators, and communication agencies, including the press, radio, and television.
-Written by Joan Conrow and published in Cornell University Alliance for Science Global Network website. See original article link here.
Sarnia – It took until 1800 for the world population to reach one billion people. The second billion was reached in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in less than 30 years (1959), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974) and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).
During the 20th century alone, the global population grew from 1.6 billion to over six billion people.
In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are today.
How was this global starvation catastrophe averted?
One element high on the list is innovation. Crop production science and innovation led to new technologies that produce more per acre and more per crop inputs.
Dr. Norman Borlaug was an American agronomist known as "the father of the Green Revolution." Borlaug developed new varieties of wheat that were planted around the world and had tremendous yield responses. His approach was adopted by other scientists to improve other crops. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply. Borlaug is often credited with saving over a billion people from starvation.
With new technologies based on Borlaug's research, the successes continue. Biotechnology is a new set of tools that enhance crop breeding for new plant traits. Products from biotechnology have shown tremendous improvement since first provided to farmers in 1995. Biotech-bred crops allow farmers to reduce pesticide use, and improve quality and yields with reduced input costs. Biotech-enhanced crops are now grown by 18 million farmers, most of them in developing countries.
In Canada, corn, soybeans and canola are grown using biotechnology (often referred to as genetically-modified organisms or GMOs). All are designed to reduce pesticide use while improving yields. In 1940, corn varieties yielded 25 to 40 bushels per acre. Now, with hybrids and biotechnology, yields are typically 150 to 200 bushels per acre.
GMOs have helped Canadian farmers manage production costs, increase yields and provide safe, nutritious food to the world's consumers. There is tremendous experience and knowledge about the safety and benefits of GMO crops, based on years of development, testing and production.
The predictions of major hazards, by critics of GMO, have not materialized. GMO crops have played a vital role in improving world agricultural food production per capita. And this will be an ongoing need as the world's population heads to 10 billion people later this century.
Biotechnology in agriculture production should be embraced the same way we have embraced innovation in medicine, transportation, communication and any number of other sectors. Biotechnology will continue to help reduce global poverty.
We need more people like Borlaug. Through research, science and innovation, he helped ensure we have the necessary tools for a healthy future. Biotechnology will be an important part of that future.
Dr. Murray McLaughlin is an adviser to and former executive director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, based in Sarnia, Ont., and a former Saskatchewan deputy minister of agriculture.


This page is a guide for Principal Investigators (PIs) who have applied to Compute Canada's Resource Allocation Competitions (RAC), a peer-reviewed process to grant priority access to storage and compute resources beyond what can be obtained via the Rapid Access Service.
You will be notified shortly before the new RAC year of the results of your application. The RAC year typically begins the first week of April, so you should expect notification sometime in March. You and your sponsored users can begin to use the awarded resources at the beginning of the RAC year.
Compute Canada resources are made available to PIs through Resource Allocation Projects (RAP). Each RAP has a RAPI and an associated groupename.
Default RAP: A default RAP is automatically created when a PI role is activated. Default and Rapid Access Service quotas for storage and cloud resources are managed via this default RAP. The Default RAP allows PIs and sponsored users to make opportunistic user of compute resources with the default (that is, the lowest) priority. The default RAPI typically takes the form abc-123-aa and has an associated group name that follows the convention def-profname.
RAC RAP: This RAP is created when the PI receives an award through the Resource Allocation Competitions. The RAC RAPI typically takes the form abc-123-ab, with an associated group name that follows the convention rrg-profname or rpp-profname for HPC resources, or cpp-profname or crg-profname for Cloud resources.
A RAC award consists of one or more allocations. Each allocation consists of a resource (such as "graham-cpu", "graham-gpu", "ndc-waterloo") and an amount, and has a designation like abc-123-aa-001.
You can find RAPIs and their corresponding group names and allocations by visiting the Account Details page of the CCDB site. See Running jobs: Accounts and projects for an illustration.
Compute Canada accounts are per person: Account sharing is strictly forbidden. Each of your students, employees, or collaborators who will use the resources should therefore obtain their own account under your sponsorship. They should go to the Compute Canada database to register in their own name, using your CCRI to indicate your sponsorship when filling out the web form. You (the sponsor) will receive an e-mail with a link to click on to confirm the sponsorship of this individual. There is no limit on the number of sponsored accounts that a PI can have, but such sponsorship should only be in the context of a genuine and sustained research collaboration. More details on the process of obtaining a Compute Canada account are available here.
For more information, please click on the tab below corresponding to where you have been granted resources. "General-purpose clusters" are Béluga, Cedar, and Graham. More than one tab may apply if, for example, you have been granted an allocation on both Niagara and a general-purpose cluster.
Who can use the allocation?
By default, every role that you have sponsored through your Compute Canada Database (CCDB) registration has access to your RAC award. Any co-PIs that were listed on your RAC application will also have access.
2) From the "My Account" menu, select "Manage RAP Memberships." This will take you to https://ccdb.computecanada.ca/resource_allocation_projects/members. In the Resource Allocation Project (RAP) drop-down list on this page, select the RAP to which you want to add members.
3) To add a new member, go to "Add Members" and enter the CCRI of the user you want to add. Once added, you will see the new member highlighted in yellow.
4) If you add a new PI as a member, you can add any of their sponsored users or co-PIs at the same time. Go to "Add Members" and click on the "In bulk" link: this will take you to a new page where you can add all or several of the roles associated with that PI at once. If you do not see the name of the user that you are looking for in that list, then click on "Cancel" to go back to the RAP membership page and follow step 3.
RAP membership is represented as a group in LDAP. It defines a group of users that are authorized to submit jobs against the RAPI (which is the ID of the RAP) and share files within the same Unix group.
When submitting jobs to the scheduler, users will need to specify a group name as the value of the --account option. Jobs pertaining to the research described in the RAC application should be submitted with the group name corresponding to the RAC award, e.g. --account=rrg-profname-ab. Jobs pertaining to other research should be submitted with the default group name, e.g. --account=def-profname.
See Running jobs: Accounts and projects for more details.
If you have substantial amounts of data to transfer to a Compute Canada cluster in order to use your storage allocation, we strongly recommend the use of Globus for this transfer.
A /project storage allocation on a general-purpose cluster is created as a directory of the form /project/<group-name>, e.g. /project/rrg-profname-ab, and an associated quota defining the amount of data that can be stored in the directory. Files pertaining to the research described in the RAC application should be stored there by all sponsored users. More guidance on the use of /project space can be found at Project layout and Sharing data.
Note that you will also have default project space of the form /project/def-profname. You may wish to move data from that default project space to the RRG or RPP /project directory, if the data pertains to the research described in the RAC application.
Please see Using nearline storage.
2) From the "My Account" menu, select "Manage RAP Memberships". This will take you to https://ccdb.computecanada.ca/resource_allocation_projects/members. In the Resource Allocation Project (RAP) drop-down list on this page, select the RAP to which you want to add members.
When a user submits a job to the scheduler, the job will be assigned to the current allocation of the user's PI. If the user has more than one PI, i.e. more than one group, they must specify a group name as the value of the --account option.
If you have substantial amounts of data to transfer to the cluster in order to use your storage allocation, we strongly recommend the use of Globus for this transfer.
The location of a /project storage allocation on Niagara should be found by using the environment variable $PROJECT. This variable will point to a user-specific directory in the research group's project space.
A /nearline allocation on Niagara means space in HPSS. Please see Using nearline storage.
Cloud resources allocated via the Rapid Access Service (RAS) use the default RAP.
Cloud resources allocated via the Resource Allocation Competitions are awarded through a RAC RAP which follows a different naming convention than default projects. The group name of RAC RAPs with cloud allocations typically takes the form of crg-profname (for cloud resources allocated via the RRG competition) or cpp-profname (for cloud resources allocated via the RPP competition).
If you have an active cloud resource allocation, you should already have a RAP and therefore access to the particular cloud on which you have an allocation.
Default RAP: Cloud resources granted to you via RAS are allocated through your default RAP. All your activated sponsored user roles are always members of your default RAP. That is, confirming sponsorship of a user confers on them membership in your default RAP. However, you can at any time deactivate any role you sponsor.
RAC RAP: By default, only the PI is added as a member of a RAP associated with cloud resources allocated via the Resource Allocation Competitions. If desired, you can add sponsored users and/or other active Compute Canada users as members to the RAP. Only members added to your RAP can use your cloud allocation.
3) Go to "Add Members", and click on the "In bulk" link: this will take you to a new page that will allow you to easily add co-PIs and any of their associated sponsored users' roles.
4) If the "In bulk" page in step 3 above does not show the name of the user that you want to add, then click on "Cancel" to go back to the RAP membership page. Once there, go to the "Add Members" section, and enter the CCRI of the member in the "One by one using a CCRI" field.
5) Following step 4 will allow you to add an associated PI that was not included as co-PI in your RAC application. Once a new PI is added as a member to your RAP using this process, you will be able to add any of their associated sponsored user' roles through the "In bulk" mechanism explained in step 3.
Any new member added to a RAP for your cloud project will automatically has access to your cloud allocation. If desired, at any time you can promote members to Managers, or remove members.
For information about logging in and using a particular cloud see using the cloud. If you are unsure about your cloud allocation or if you have difficulty logging into a cloud where you have an allocation, please contact technical support.
Refer to THIS PAGE for information on the transition period for continuing, increased, or reduced allocations.


text:
C.Brancusi vs. United States
Starting from December 2018 every now and then Ms.Kate Zilgalve will share an overview of legal cases – from more serious to even comic ones, that have changed the way how art and its connection with law is seen in court rooms. Kate starts this topic with one of her personal favorites–C.Brancusi vs. United States, that came to court on 1927 and came to a final judgment on 1928*
Kate Zilgalve, LL.M, Postgraduate certificate in Art Crime and Cultural heritage protection,
consults Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art (RIBOCA).
Constantin Brancusi (1876- 1957) was born in Romania, but from 1904 he lived and worked in the boiling center of art world of that time - Paris. As one can imagine, Paris at that time was used to quiet eccentric and daring activities of artists (C. Brancusi himself had already exhibited works with such description as "an egg on a sugar cube", in 1913, and later, in 1926, "a drainpipe coupled with a coat of chainmail"), but when the work of C. Brancusi traveled to New York, U.S it raised some questions in minds of custom service officers.
Law in force at that time, allowed artworks, including, sculptures to enter U.S. without import tax. The favorable regulation was in force to encourage U.S. collectors to buy artworks from old Europe, thus supplementing their collections, mostly, with antiquities. Back in 1926 to qualify as a sculpture works had to be "reproductions by carving or casting, imitations of natural objects, chiefly the human form"[1] and most of the antiquities imported in U.S. perfectly fit the description.
In 1926 C. Brancusi created a sculpture called "Bird In Space" (currently in a collection of Seattle art Museum) and sent it to an exhibition in New York. It is worth mentioning, that this was curated by Marcel Duchamp, who, I believe, already had some experience explaining broader perspective of art not only to exhibition visitors, but also state official's in Europe and U.S. Of course, organizers of the exhibition wanted to use the favorable regulation in force, thus lowering costs of import of the artwork. However, U.S custom officials did not let "Bird In Space" pass as art (it did not look much of a bird to them and also did not match the above given definition of the sculpture). Instead they marked it as a manufactured object, more precisely, "Kitchen Utensils and Hospital Supplies", thus applying a tax of 40% of the value of the work and offending the artist, or more likely his friends.
Even nowadays the question of import of artworks as other goods or vice versa, depending from the raw material value or value of the artwork in total, is raised by exhibition organizers and galleries in order to smoothen the process and lower the costs. Practically, a similar case to this one might be a box full of parts of art installation "X", for example, number of cables or some square meters of plastic and metal that would travel through customs and would not look as "X" at all. If now in such cases we don't question what is art and what is not, back then allies of C. Brancusi saw an opportunity to let court decide this sensitive question.
Indeed, it was not C. Brancusi himself who decided to go to court and seek a justice of this relatively small incident with custom tax. C. Brancusi had very strong allies among them lawyers of Harry Payne Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art, and many supporters of European modern art movement, who were based in New York and who saw an opportunity to set a precedent that would stay in court practice for a long time and legitimize the "new school" art that they were advocating.
No doubt that they also saw a professional entertainment in this particular case and possibility to rise media attention. In order to "fight of free art" collectors, artists and writers joined to appeal custom's officers' taste.[2]
The transcript of court records, from a perspective of today, reminds me of a discussion between a contemporary art lover and first-time visitor of a gallery. Let me provide a short glimpse into deposition of sculptor Jacob Epstein (1980 -1959) who was called as a witness from the side of the plaintiff.
"- MR SPEISER [..]: Mr. Lane suggests that you might enlighten the court as to whether you would think that object (Exhibit One) a bird?
- I would, of course, start off with that artist's title, and if the artist called it a bird, I would take it seriously, if I have any respect for the artist whatsoever. It would be my first endeavor to see whether it was like a bird. In this particular piece of sculpture there are the elements of a bird, certain elements.
- MR. HIGGINBOTHAM: What elements?
- If you regard the piece of sculpture in profile, you see there, it is like the breast of a bird, especially on this side.
- All breasts of birds are more or less rounded?
- Yes.
- Any rounded piece of bronze then, in other words, could represent a bird?
-That I cannot say.
- JUSTICE WAITE: Looks more like the keel of a boat, too?
- If it were lying down.
- And a little like the crescent of a new moon?
- MR. HIGGINBOTHAM: If Mr. Brancusi called this a fish, it would be then to you a fish?
- If he called it a fish I would call it a fish.
- If he called it a tiger, it would change your mind to a tiger?
- No.
- In your thirty years experience you have met many other sculptors and artists?
- Yes, Sir.
- You have seen their works?
- Do any of them do works of this class and character?
- There are other artists that do work similar, not absolutely like Brancusi, but of that character[..]. "[3]
A key argument to this case came from the testimony of the art critic Frank Crowninshield, who was asked to explain to the court, what in the object in question made him think it was a bird and he explained that: "It has the suggestion of flight, it suggests grace, aspiration, vigor, coupled with speed in the spirit of strength, potency, beauty, just as a bird does. But just the name, the title, of this work, why, really, it does not mean much." [4]
This argument made court to conclude that the definition for art was outdated and did not follow the trend of "the new school" of art. This new school portrayed abstract ideas not natural objects, that is, it was art, but outside of the scope of the definition. There was no question whether or not court was in sympathy this "new school" art, the question was of its legal recognition.
From today's perspective it is no surprise to see an artwork that bears a little resemblance to its title, but since C. Brancusi's we can say no matter what the title is or how you call it, the most important thing behind the art is the author's idea. C. Brancusi's sculpture "Bird In Space" is nowadays one of the most iconic art pieces of 20th century 15 original versions made in marble and bronze can be found in museums around world from Peggy Guggenheim Collection to MOMA. What we rarely see behind this abstract smooth shape of a bird is the big legal question it raised, legitimizing art of its time.
[1] Mann, Tamara. 2011. "The Brouhaha: When the Bird Became Art and Art Became Anything." Spencer's Art Law Journal 2
[3] Excerpt from the transcript available: https://www2.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/materials/art/Tanzi/Summer04/203T/BrancusiCourtCase.htm
Kate Zilgalve has obtained a Bachelor's degree in Law (2011) and Lawyers qualification from the University of Latvia (2016) as well as the highly specialised Postgraduate certificate in Art Crime and Cultural heritage protection from Association For Research into Crimes Against Art in Amelia, Italy (2015). She has gained wide professional experience in Latvia and abroad, from a youth mission in Kigali, Rwanda (2007), to work experience at such world renown art institutions as Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice, Italy (2011–2012), and Russian Art Department of Christie's auction house in London, United Kingdom (2015). Kate has the consulted Latvia's accession to UNESCO 1970 and UNIDROIT 1995 Conventions, currently consults Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art (RIBOCA).
Used image: Photo by Shreyas Malavalli on Unsplash


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Johns Hopkins recently welcomed more than 150 guests to Rising to the Challenge: Palo Alto, a campaign event hosted by President Daniels, featuring a panel discussion about the Science of Learning. The gathering provided the opportunity to showcase the translational aspects of Johns Hopkins' research and practice, as well as distinguish campaign efforts through the lens of interdisciplinary collaboration. To learn more visit rising.jhu.edu.
Harvard Alumni Association President Catherine A. Gellert AB '93 on staying involved and interesting alumni conversations.
Jacques Pepin in conversation with Jeffrey Freburg. They'll discuss his new book, Essential Pepin. For the first time ever, the legendary chef collects and updates the best recipes from his six-decade career. With a searchable DVD demonstrating every technique a cook will ever need. In his more than sixty years as a chef, Jacques Pépin has earned a reputation as a champion of simplicity. His recipes are classics. They find the shortest, surest route to flavor, avoiding complicated techniques.


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Two dozen charges filed against N.L. woman for alleged pet scams
June 27, 2020, 2:58 p.m. ·2 min read
Brittany Mahaney/Facebook
A Newfoundland and Labrador woman has been charged with fraud and identity theft, just days after CBC Investigates reported on alleged pet scams victimizing people across Canada.
Brittany Osborne, 25, was arrested Friday and appeared in provincial court Saturday.
According to court documents, Osborne is facing a total of 24 charges, including defrauding people of hundreds of dollars and falsely selling kittens and dogs on Kijiji.
She is also charged with possessing the identity of Natalie Lenstra, including her Canadian Kennel Club registration and Canadian passport, which police say were "intended to be used to commit the indictable offence of fraud."
On Thursday, CBC Investigates reported on the claims of multiple people who said they paid hundreds of dollars in e-transfers for puppies they never received.
They said they had placed "dog wanted" ads on Kijiji and then received a response from a woman claiming to have the puppy they were looking for.
The victims sent deposits of between $150 and $500 each.
After the deposits were sent, some people said they asked to do a video chat so they could see their new dog, but they were met with radio silence.
Two dog breeders, including Lenstra, said their identities had been compromised as part of these alleged scams.
Lenstra told CBC Investigates that she had spoken to about 35 people who say they were victimized, losing between $150 and $700 each.
Osborne is also charged with resisting an RCMP officer by allegedly destroying evidence related to a criminal investigation.
She is also accused of breaching a previous court order that barred her from accessing online marketplaces like Kijiji.
Osborne has been remanded in custody and will appear in court for a bail hearing on Monday.
The RCMP are also expected to release more details next week.
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Aurora grappling with more than 100 active cases of COVID-19
In the first wave of COVID-19, Aurora rarely had more than 20 active cases of COVID-19 at any one time. Now, there are more than 100 active cases of the virus, most of which have been acquired within the community. By Tuesday, January 12, Aurora was grappling with 104 active cases of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 718 confirmed cases of the virus within the community, 23 of which have proved fatal. 591 cases are now marked as recovered. The twenty-third Aurora resident to lose the fight against COVID-19 was a 90-year-old female resident of Willows Estate, a long-term care home in Aurora's south end, one of two active long-term care outbreaks in the community. She lost her fight at the residence on January 11 after receiving positive test results and the onset of symptoms on January 4. The twenty-second resident, this time a 91-year-old female resident of Kingsway Place Retirement Residence, lost her fight at Southlake on January 6 after receiving positive test results on December 16. Willows Estate was issued an order under the Province's Health Protection & Promotion Act on Thursday. The order instructs Willows Estate, which has been in outbreak mode since Christmas Eve, "to take a series of actions to ensure the health and safety of their residents and staff," said Patrick Casey, Director of Communications for the Regional Municipality of York. The order, issued by Dr. Karim Kurji, York Region's Medical Officer of Health, states that York Region Public Health "has received information and conducted inspections evidencing" that the residence has "inadequate staffing levels to meet the needs of residents; has inadequate senior leadership (supervisory staffing) presence on the institution's units, at all times, to ensure appropriate adherence to IPAC (Infection Prevention and Control) measures; and has inadequate and/or insufficient IPAC knowledge and processes to protect resident needs and requires assistance from York Region Public Health, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Public Health Ontario, and the Local Health Integration Network to provide IPAC expertise to the institution to help contain the stop of COVID-19 outbreak at the institution." According to Patrick McCarthy, President & CEO of OMNI Health Care, which operates Willows Estate, the residence will work closely with the Region, Southlake, and the Ministry of Long-Term Care to support staff and residents. "The situation evolved rapidly over several days, as test results were received by the home," said Mr. McCarthy. "In addition to the increase in residents affected, several key staff from the leadership and nursing team were quarantined and unavailable. OMNI mobilized its response team with our Director of Operations on site to assume leadership. As well we have brought in management and nursing staff on site from other OMNI homes as support, and recruiting additional staff and agency contract staff to supplement our existing staffing during the outbreak. "We continue to work closely with York Region Public Health, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ontario Health and have arranged a site visit this week with federally sponsored Canadian Red Cross for IPAC and possible ongoing staffing supports." At press time this week, 32 of Aurora's 104 active cases of COVID-19 were related to institutional outbreak. 71 active cases are attributed to local transmission or close contact, with 94 new cases in this category reported to York Region Public Health in one week alone. 1 active case is attributed to workplace cluster and there are zero travel-related cases.Brock Weir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Auroran
Stay-at-home orders take effect Thursday to curb spread of second wave
Stay-at-home orders will take effect at 12.01 a.m. on Thursday, January 14, to limit mobility in the fight against COVID-19. The Provincial Government announced the stay-at-home orders on Tuesday afternoon, along with an Ontario-wide state of emergency, which will be in place for a minimum of 28 days." As the number of new cases of the virus continue to rise, there is a "looming threat" that Ontario's hospital system could collapse, said the Province. The stay-at-home order will require everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise and for essential work. As such, employers must ensure that any employee who can work from home does so. Additional measures announced Tuesday include restricting organized outdoor public and social gatherings to no more than five people with limited exceptions, requiring individuals to wear masks or face coverings in the indoor areas of businesses and organizations that are open, and requiring all non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and businesses offering curbside pickup and delivery to open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. These restrictions do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery. "The Ontario spirit has lifted us through worse, the people of Ontario have battled through worse, and I know this time will be no different," said Premier Doug Ford. "Now more than ever, we need you…to do your part, stay home, save lives [and] protect our health care system. The system is on the brink of collapse. It is on the brink of being overwhelmed. We're at levels we have never seen before. Last week, I stood here and I told you that our province is in crisis and the facts are clear. Cases and deaths are at the highest level since the start of the pandemic and community spread continues to escalate. The…very dangerous UK strain of COVID is being found across the Province. Ontario had eight new cases confirmed today and if we don't move fast, our hospital ICUs could be overwhelmed by the first week of February. "I know everyone is tired. I know everyone is sick of COVID, including myself. I know everyone wants to return to normal. New reports and data show one third of Ontarians are not following Public Health guidelines. Many are travelling and gathering. Now, let me be clear: I am not blaming anyone, only one thing is truly at fault and that is the virus. It just takes a moment. If you let your guard down, it can strike. Think of the teenager out with their friends not wearing their masks. They go home, pass it to their parents. Later that day at dinner, the virus passes from parents to grandparents. Within days, the grandparent is in the ICU and tragically passes. This is a story we're hearing too many times. Stories like this are why we need to stay home and save lives." Added Health Minister Christine Elliott: "The measures we are introducing today are absolutely necessary to save and protect the lives of Ontarians. This is not the first wave. Now, community transmission is widespread. It is in our hospitals, it is in our long-term care homes, and it is in our workplaces. The number of cases and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 are at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic a year ago. In a few short weeks, our hospital and ICU capacity could be overwhelmed. Yesterday, 41 Ontarians died from COVID-19. It has been an extremely tragic year. Over 5,000 Ontarians have lost their lives to COVID-19 since this pandemic began. These are not just numbers or statistics. These were brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and grandparents." Ontarians, she said, must change mobility patterns. Too many people are having too many contacts, resulting in increased cases, and the cycle must be broken. The new orders also come with increased enforcement measures. The Province will provide authority to all enforcement and provincial offences officers, including the OPP, local police forces, bylaw officers and provincial workplace inspectors to issue tickets to individuals who do not comply with the stay-at-home orders. Additional enforcement measures will also impact big box stores, noted the Premier, with "inspection blitzes" over the coming days. "We have been up front about the severity of the threats we face if the numbers begin moving in the manner we have seen during these past days and weeks," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "We have said we would not hesitate to explore and exhaust all options necessary to protect Ontarians if the situation worsens, and it has. We are declaring this Provincial Emergency to allow for stronger measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and these measures will be enforced. "If people are found not complying with these orders, they will be subject to fines and persecution. Penalties may include up to a year in jail. We are taking the current situation very seriously and we ask that all Ontarians do the same. It is critical now more than ever that people adhere to the orders and follow public health measures. Please stay home, stay safe. Orders can only take us so far. Stopping the spread of COVID-19 can only be done if we all band together and make an extraordinary effort to protect the communities our family and our friends call home."Brock Weir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Auroran
Alberta man convicted of sexually assaulting teen girls declared dangerous offender
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A judge has declared a southern Alberta man with a history of sexually assaulting teen girls a dangerous offender, a designation that means he can be held in jail indefinitely. Trevor Pritchard of Coaldale, Alta., has been convicted of sexual assault five times between 2004 and 2019. Court of Queen's Bench Justice Johnna Kubic says despite attending sex offender programs while in jail, Pritchard made little or no progress and continued to reoffend. Kubic handed Pritchard an indefinite sentence in Lethbridge on Thursday. During the dangerous offender hearing process, his victims gave impact statements describing serious negative, long-term effects on their physical and emotional well-being. The victims said this included taking part in self-harm, struggling to maintain relationships, substance addiction, anxiety, and panic attacks. (LethbridgenewsNOW, The Canadian Press) This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021 The Canadian Press
City urges people to get out and vote in Ward 22 byelection on Friday despite pandemic
The city is urging residents in Ward 22 to get out and vote in the Scarborough-Agincourt byelection on Friday despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Friday's byelection is being held to replace Jim Karygiannis, who was removed as city councillor last year due to a campaign spending violation in the 2018 municipal election. Twenty-seven candidates are running for municipal office. There are 65,793 people eligible to vote. In an email on Thursday, Mayor John Tory urged people to go to the polls and cast their ballots in the byelection. "I want to reassure residents that health and safety has been a top priority for this election and that City staff have been working with Toronto Public Health to make sure all safety protocols are in place," Tory told CBC Toronto. "Your vote matters." The city said in a news release this week that the byelection will proceed as planned on Friday. "Government services, including elections, are essential for the continuity of government," the city said in the release. "Ward 22 Scarborough-Agincourt has been without representation since September 24, 2020, and it is important that the electors are able to exercise their democratic right to vote." The city said the city clerk, with the help of Toronto Public Health, has reviewed the provincial stay-at-home order that took effect in Ontario on Thursday and determined that the vote can and will proceed. City government can carry out byelection, province says The Ontario health ministry said in an email on Thursday that the city can hold the byelection according to the regulation of the Reopening Ontario Act. The province is currently under a second state of emergency and a provincial stay-at-home order as officials try to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. "The byelection is not prohibited by the Emergency Order," the ministry said. General rules for areas in Stage 1, which include Toronto, state: "Nothing in this Order precludes operations or delivery of services by the following in Ontario: 1. Any government. 2. Any person or publicly-funded agency or organization that delivers or supports government operations and services, including operations and services of the health care sector." Pandemic precautions will be in place at all polling stations to keep voters safe. "These measures include health screening, reduced touch points, physical distancing, occupancy standards and specialized health and safety positions in all voting places," the city said in an email. According to the city, a total of 2,227 voters cast ballots on advance polling days on Jan. 8, 9 and 10. The city sent out more than 4,000 mail-in ballot packages and 1,280 have been returned to the city and tabulated. Ward includes temporary hotel shelter Ward 22 includes the Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto East, which is housing 330 people who were formerly experiencing homelessness, a number that has been confirmed by the city's shelter, support and housing administration. "Toronto Elections provided information flyers to be posted in the facility, as well as copies for distribution to residents so they understand where, how and when they can vote," the city said in the email. The Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN), a non-partisan organization that aims to address inequities across the district through civic engagement, has said the ward has many seniors and a substantial population of people born in China and that population is diverse. Ward boundaries run from Victoria Park Avenue to the west, Midland Avenue to the east, Steeles Avenue East to the north and Highway 401 to the south.
Public art for Library Square in focus for redevelopment's vision
As Council considers a proposal for a significant installation of digital media as part of the Library Square development, some are looking for more traditional and varied forms of art to be a public draw to the area. Work is currently underway on Victoria Street to bring Library Square to fruition, but as construction continues, thoughts are returning once again to the programs and services the $52 million redevelopment project will be able to offer. Following a presentation to Council from Arts Help, which proposed a digital and evolving vision for what could be on offer inside the extension to the historic Church Street School, Councillor John Gallo, a long-time proponent for public art, said it is time to "analyse every aspect" of how public art will fit into the overall vision. "My view is we should take our time and analyse every aspect of it and see how we can invest [in] and develop our public art policy as we deal with the funds we have put aside for Library Square," he said. Staff responded that a report on a public art policy is still in the works. "Staff were still due to return to Council with a public art policy, and confirming the direction for public art in general, but certainly with the funds that were allocated for this project, we would be returning to Council seeking some guidance with how you wish to see those funds spent, whether it be on the property or within the properties themselves," said Robin McDougall, Aurora's Director of Community Services. "We were due to come back to Council at this point. It certainly would be something we could anticipate in 2021 [but] in light of the presentation we may need to expedite that coming to Council." That presentation was received positively by local lawmakers, but it sparked further questions on just what Council's overall vision for public art will be once the project is complete. "I believe the budget is to provide art for the Square and I was thinking it was going to be paintings and sculpture," said Councillor Wendy Gaertner. "I love the idea of sculpture as you see in big cities that people can climb on and sit on… I was thinking about that kind of art [as being] an interesting draw for people." Arts Help co-founder Mo Ghoneim said his group did explore the option of sculptures and getting the community involved in the creation of a mural, but they wanted to have something with legs. "When we thought about the current trend in what is happening and how can we do this in a way that has longevity to it, we realized after a lot of the research and the work we have been doing with various organizations that when we do create a sculpture…as much as they are beautiful and appreciated, you've seen them once and that kind of takes away from bringing you back again. "When we're thinking about this project being a really big project for the Town, we thought about, what is that solution to keep people continuing to come back and how can we have art as a driver, a key force to bringing them back and engaging with them through art and creativity. That is why we shifted to this proposal." Councillor Gallo also told the proponents he was more "traditionalist" when it comes to the arts and wanted to see those options on the table as well. "Either a collaboration with a prominent artist, local artists, something of that sort," he said. "To me, a lot of thought should be put into this."Brock Weir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Auroran
COVID-19 exposure notice issued for Uplands Elementary School in Terrace
Northern Health has released a second COVID-19 exposure notice for Uplands Elementary School in Terrace. The exposure occurred Jan. 4 to Jan. 6 according to the notice, which is posted on the Coast Mountains School District 82 website. Jan. 4 was the first day students were back in class after the winter break. There have been numerous COVID-19 exposure notices for Terrace schools issued by Northern Health since Nov. 2020, and nearly all Terrace schools have had at least one exposure notice. Uplands Elementary School's first exposure took place on Nov. 30, and Dec. 1, 2020. The last COVID-19 school exposure notice in the Terrace area was issued by Northern Health on Jan. 11, regarding an Jan. 4 exposure at Skeena Middle School. It was the first exposure notice issued after the winter break.Ben Bogstie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Interior News
The A-list is back. How A-list? Try Lady Gaga and J. Lo. Inauguration officials announced on Thursday that the glittery duo would appear in person on Jan. 20, with Gaga singing the national anthem as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, and Jennifer Lopez giving a musical performance. The announcement comes a day after word that Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating Biden's inauguration. Other performers include Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Ant Clemons. Despite a raging pandemic that is forcing most inaugural events online, it was a sign that Hollywood was back and eager to embrace the new president-elect four years after many big names stayed away from the inauguration of President Donald Trump, hugely unpopular in Hollywood. The question: How would the star wattage play across the country as Biden seeks to unite a bruised nation? Eric Dezenhall, a Washington crisis management consultant and former Reagan administration official, predicted reaction would fall "along tribal lines." "I think it all comes down to the reinforcement of pre-existing beliefs," Dezenhall said. "If you're a Biden supporter, it's nice to see Lady Gaga perform." But, he added, "what rallied Trump supporters was the notion of an uber-elite that had nothing to do at all with them and that they couldn't relate to." Presidential historian Tevi Troy quipped that the starry Gaga-J. Lo lineup was not A-list, but D-list — "for Democratic." "When Democrats win you get the more standard celebrities," said Troy, author of "What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House." "With Republicans you tend to get country music stars and race-car drivers." Referring to Lady Gaga's outspoken support for the Biden-Harris ticket, he said he was nostalgic for the days when celebrities were not so political. "Call me a hopeless romantic, but I liked the old days when Bob Hope or Frank Sinatra would come to these events and they were not overtly political," he said. Still, he said, Biden's unity message won't be derailed. "In the end, I don't think having Lady Gaga or J. Lo is all that divisive," he said. Attendance at the inauguration will be severely limited, due to both the pandemic and fears of continued violence, following last week's storming of the Capitol. Outside the official events, one of the more prominent galas each inauguration is The Creative Coalition's quadrennial ball, a benefit for arts education. This year, the ball is entirely virtual. But it is star-studded nonetheless: The event, which will involve food being delivered simultaneously to attendees in multiple cities, will boast celebrity hosts including Jason Alexander, David Arquette, Matt Bomer, Christopher Jackson, Ted Danson, Lea DeLaria, Keegan Michael-Key, Chrissy Metz, Mandy Patinkin and many others. Robin Bronk, CEO of the non-partisan arts advocacy group, said she's been deluged with celebrities eager to participate in some way. The event typically brings in anywhere from $500,000 to $2.5 million, and this year the arts community is struggling like never before. Bronk noted that planning has been a challenge, given not only the recent political upheaval in the country but also the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic. Given all that, did a celebration make sense? "I was thinking about this when we were trying to phrase the invitation," Bronk said. "Do we celebrate? This is the most serious time of our lives." But, she said, especially at a time when the arts community is suffering, it's crucial to shine a spotlight and recognize that "the right to bear arts is not a red or blue issue. One of the reasons we have this ball is that we have to ensure the arts are not forgotten." The Presidential Inaugural Committee also announced Thursday that the invocation will be given by the Rev. Leo O'Donovan, a former Georgetown University president, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Andrea Hall, a firefighter from Georgia. There will be a poetry reading from Amanda Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate, and the benediction will be given by Rev. Silvester Beaman of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware. On the same platform, Biden sat in 2013 behind pop star Beyoncé as she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at President Barack Obama's second inauguration. James Taylor sang "America the Beautiful," and Kelly Clarkson sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." At Trump's inauguration in 2017, the anthem was performed by 16-year-old singer Jackie Evancho. A number of top artists declined the opportunity to perform at the festivities, and one Broadway star, Jennifer Holliday, even said she'd received death threats before she pulled out of her planned appearance. There was indeed star power in 2017, but most of it was centred at the Women's March on Washington, where attendees included Madonna, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Cher, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, Emma Watson and many others. This year, signs are that Obama-era celebrities are returning. Dezenhall said that in the end, it's logical for organizers to go with the biggest talent. "Lady Gaga is as big as you can get, and she is very talented," he said. "If I were being inaugurated and I could have Lady Gaga, I would take it." Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press


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The Senate has voted down a Republican-backed amendment that would have authorized construction of the Keystone Pipeline from Alberta to the Midwest and Gulf Coast.
The amendment to the transportation bill now being debated in Congress, which was put forth by North Dakota Republican Senator John Hoeven, needed 60 votes for passage.
Fifty-six senators voted in favor, while 42 were opposed. Eleven Democrats voted in favor of the measure, along with every Republican present. Two Republicans did not vote.
President Obama denied TransCanada's application to build the $7 billion, 1,700 mile pipeline in January amid concerns about the environmental impact in the sensitive Sand Hills area of Nebraska. He said he was willing to revisit the decision but that a Republican-mandated timeline did not allow enough time for an environmental impact assessment.