What Is the Effect of Aging on Liquor?
Much like a child matures over time, whiskey, brandy, and other aged alcohols become more refined as they spend years resting in a barrel. The aging process is vital to many styles of liquor as it gives them the color and flavor we expect.
Aging is the process of storing distilled spirits (or wines) in barrels for a specific period of time. The goal of maturation is to remove harsh flavors from the raw alcohol while adding distinct flavor characteristics found in the barrel's wood.
The barrels, or casks, are often made of oak, which is sometimes charred. Other woods may be used, and each type of wood used plays a large role in determining the final flavor profile of that particular spirit.
Brandy and whiskey are the most common liquors that require aging. Many styles are required to spend a minimum amount of time (typically 3 years) in barrels prior to bottling.
Many rums and tequilas are aged as well, though aging is not a requirement for all styles of these liquors.
Higher quality spirits are aged for a longer period of time and have a price tag to reflect this extra mellowing time. For instance, a 50-year-old scotch will be more expensive than a 10-year-old scotch.
The workers who build and repair barrels are called coopers. Some distilleries have their own cooperage to make their barrels while others use the services of a business dedicated to building barrels.
As an alcohol enters the barrel it is clear and relatively flavorless, much like vodka. During its time in the barrel, it will pick up flavors and colors from the wood and become the dark spirit we are familiar with in the bottle.
First, you will notice that aged liquor is darker than unaged liquor. Think about it: whiskey has an amber or golden brown color while vodka is clear. This is because (most) whiskey is aged and vodka is not.
There are exceptions to this and in the world of whiskey; moonshine is a perfect example because it is unaged whiskey. Pisco is another example as this brandy cannot, by law, be aged in wood. Both moonshine and pisco are clear and colorless.
More important than the color is the flavor that is added to aged spirits. At the same time, this 'flavor enhancement' mellows out any harsh notes found in the distillate (liquor straight out of the still).
You will often read whiskey reviews that talk about an 'oakiness' or 'undertones of charred oak.' As the spirit is in contact with the wood, it pulls out some of those woody flavors. It is similar to grilling salmon on a cedar plank.
Depending on the wood used in the barrel, you will get different flavors. Woodford Reserve's Master Collection of bourbons is a great example of this. Every year the brand releases a limited edition of the whiskey and the difference is often as simple as the finishing barrel.
For example, they will take the same aged bourbon we enjoy every day and place it in a special barrel to 'finish' it. The Maple Wood Finish from 2010 was decidedly sweeter than the Seasoned Oak of 2009. The barrels for the 2009 whiskey were charred then set outside for 3 to 5 years before filling. The resulting bourbon was far more complex than anything Woodford had produced to date because the wood itself had gone through so many seasonal changes.
It is common for distilleries to play with the types of wood used in their barrels and enthusiasts often look forward to the new tastes. The liquor's flavor will also be affected by the previous use of the barrel.
Barrels that previously aged sherry are common in whiskey aging, especially with scotch. These whiskeys may have a sweeter, wine-like tone in the flavor.
Bourbon can only be aged in a new barrel, so they are unusable by the distillery after the first batch. Many tequila, rum, and other whiskey brands will buy these barrels for aging, giving their spirits flavor notes reminiscent of bourbon.
Brands like Novo Fogo Cachaca make a point of using exotic woods in their barrels to create distinct expressions of their distilled spirits.
You should get excited when a brand tries to show off a liquor aged in a new barrel, especially if it's one of your favorites. You should try the new-barrel-aged spirit against the standard bottling. It will give you an entirely new appreciation for the effects of aging.
Unlike wines, distilled spirits do not improve with age once they are in the bottle. As long as they are not opened, your whiskey, brandy, rum, and the like will not change and they will certainly not mature further while they wait on the shelf.
Single malt scotch and Irish whiskeys must all be aged for a minimum of 3 years.
Añejo tequila must be aged for at least 1 year but no more than 3 years (after 3 years, it is considered an extra añejo).
Other spirits, such as rum, have no requirements for aging.
Vodkas and gins are typically unaged.
Many times, especially in the case of whiskey, the label will indicate the liquor's age. This is particularly true when the brand wants to show off how old the bottling is.
Other labels do not indicate an age at all. This is often because the distiller relies on a general aging time, and will fine tune it according to taste. A fine example of this is Maker's Mark, which is aged for nearly 6 years. At that mark, it is tested and aged further if needed or, according to the brand, "until it is fully matured."
If a blended liquor (rums and whiskeys are most common) is marked with an age statement on the label, it typically indicates the age of the youngest liquor in the mix. For instance, the Chivas 25-Year-Old Scotch bottling is comprised of a blend of different whiskeys that have each been aged for at least 25 years. Some of the whiskeys used may be older than that.
Why Is Whiskey Aged Longer Than Rum and Tequila?
Why don't we see many 50-year-old rums or 20-year-old tequilas? The simple answer is climate.
Think about the climate differences between major whiskey regions like the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Scotland versus Mexico where tequila is produced and the Caribbean and South America where the majority of rum is made. The climate of the region is the main factor in how long a spirit needs to be aged to its optimal potential.
In hotter climates, the aging process is naturally sped up so it is unnecessary to keep tequila or rum in barrels for more than a few years. Tequila reaches a peak at around 2 to 3 years and rum averages about 8 years.
In the case of rum, the time is going to depend significantly on the location where it is produced, which can be anywhere in the world. A rum that is aged in New England may need 2 to 3 more years in the barrel than a rum aged in the Caribbean.
In contrast, the majority of whiskey and brandy distillers are located in the northern hemisphere in locations that experience significant annual shifts in temperature. The extreme cold and heat along with mild periods in between require a longer time in the barrels in order to obtain the correct mellowing and barrel notes in the whiskey.
You will notice that the more northern the whiskey, the longer it is aged. That is why it is not uncommon to see scotch that has been aged for 25 years while the best bourbons may only spend 7 years in the barrel.
Even a barrel's location inside the rackhouse (where the barrels are stored during aging) can affect the liquor. Many distilleries choose to rotate the barrels from the top to the bottom over the years because of the different temperatures found inside these warehouse-sized buildings.


Ransomware has attacked your backups. Now what?
Every 14 seconds—that's how often analysts predict ransomware will attack a business this year.
Despite the best efforts to thwart ransomware attacks, cybercriminals are innovative, and they continue to inflict more sophisticated attacks that can even infect your backups and shadow data copies.
How do you ensure your backup doesn't become an attack target?
This e-book offers instruction on preventing, detecting, and responding to a ransomware attack. Continue reading for 3 tips on how to prevent backup from becoming a target and guidance on formulating a multi-layered data protection approach.


is on his travels around the globe. Just log on to www.noradsanta.com .This is a brilliant site for all to enjoy. Obviously the site is not up and running until Christmas Eve, because up until that day Santa is busy finishing off Toys, making sure all the Reindeer are OK and keeping his eye on all of the Elves.
So don�t forget on Christmas Eve SEE WHERE SANTA IS.


text:
Interview Part II
Investing in a Shaky World -- Part II
Sept. 18, 2006 12:01 am ET
Interview -- Part I
Richemont is best positioned to benefit from the sector's secular growth because it is focused on the very, very high end, which is growing much faster than the category as a whole. High-end watches -- watches priced at $5,000 and more, for example -- are growing about 30%. Richemont is also equally focused on high-end jewelry, which is a highly fragmented market that we expect a lot of consolidation in.
What are some of Richemont's brands?
The major brand is Cartier; it is almost 50% of sales. Other sources of growth include better cost controls at Cartier and the turnaround of two soft-luxury-goods divisions: Dunhill and Lancel. Richemont also has a 19% stake in BAT, British American Tobacco, which provides some stability to earnings. It is relatively cheap given its growth potential. The P/E is about 14 times 2007 consensus earnings.
What else do you like?
State Bank of India. It is, by far, India's largest commercial bank. It has about a 28% market share, about 14,000 branches and 120 million customers, and they have a huge real-estate portfolio. They own 40% of those branches. They own the residences of their 200,000 employees and 60% of the real estate is in urban areas. Some analysts have estimated the Bombay real-estate portfolio alone is worth about $600 million. The company's market cap is about $11 billion. The Bombay real estate is worth more than 5% of the market value.
The Indian market is very exciting because of the potential for growth. Loan value to GDP in India is about 42% while in China it is about 130%. Mortgage loans as a percentage of GDP are about 4% in India, versus 11% in China. So you have a huge potential for growth in India. In addition to the growth in loan volumes, State Bank should see a lot of synergies and cost reductions from the integration of seven subsidiary banks, which represents about 30% of total assets. They expect over time, say the next 10 years, to improve corporate governance dramatically. Today, the government controls the company and owns about 60%, but recently a law was passed to lower the minimum ownership limit to 51%. Ultimately, the government stake will go below 50%, but that will take a long time, especially given the current government. Longer term, the government influence at this bank will be reduced.
What about their capital standards?
There is expectation in the market that the bank will raise $1 billion to strengthen their balance sheet and meet the explosion in growth they are going to see over the next two to three years.
Doesn't that dilute shareholders?
If you participate, you are not going to be diluted, but if you don't you are going to be. One of the problems historically in India that we think will change over time is that Indian banks have been notorious for raising capital, which has depressed margins by creating too much capacity in the system. In time, equity shareholders will put pressure on management to be much more disciplined. Therefore, return on equity will rise to a level closer to the average of other emerging markets. The return on equity at State Bank of India is about 18%, but banks in many countries in central and Eastern Europe have a 25%-to-30% return on equity.
Let's talk about the valuation.
Without accounting for the hidden real-estate value in the bank, the price-to-book value for the consolidated bank is about 1.1 times. The forward P/E is about 7.8 times. The bank can easily grow 14% a year from loan growth, without the need for capital raising. An additional important aspect to mention is the 20% foreign ownership limit. Because of that, the GDRs [global depositary receipts] trade at about a 20% premium. But even then, it is still very cheap and could be one of the best investments one could make in the next 10 years.
How about another pick?
Finland is a theme in our portfolio. Finland is benefiting from its close proximity to Russia, the Baltics and central eastern Europe. Its familiarity with the rules of doing business in the region has fueled growth for many Finnish companies. We believe many of them will be stars in the years to come.
One we like a lot is HK Ruokatalo, a meat processor that has made substantial investments in Eastern Europe. About 40% of its sales are in that region: 25% in Poland, 15% in the Baltics. Meat consumption in that region is expected to grow about 10% annually over the next 10 years, so that's a huge potential. In Finland, the growth will come from margin expansion as they close inefficient plants and gain market share by squeezing out weak competitors as they improve economies of scale. They are also planning to increase market share in Poland by acquiring some capacity and to expand into new countries including Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Valuations are very cheap: Its forward P/E based on 2008 earnings is about 8.2 times and 12 times based on 2007. Its expected dividend yield is about 5½%.
Germany's economy has been weak for ages, asset prices have been falling for ages, the banking sector is very, very fragmented and there are a lot of unprofitable banks in the sector, which are supported by the states. Now, economic activity is picking up. Asset prices seem to have bottomed and there is an increase in loan demand. Consolidation is happening. The European Union is forcing states to give up their ownership of the Landesbanken. Bankgesellschaft Berlin is expected to be sold in 2007. And HSH Nordbank has said it will make an initial public offering in the next few years There will be fewer players, better margins, and banks will be forced to manage for profits.
Names, please.
We like Commerzbank, the second-largest corporate bank in Germany after Deutsche Bank. It is leveraged to the economic recovery in Germany through their small-to-medium-enterprise lending. They have sufficiently increased their exposure to real estate by their acquisition of Eurohypo last year, and they could benefit from consolidation -- they are always mentioned as a takeover target. They have recently reduced dramatically their proprietary trading business, and there should be less volatility in their numbers.
They have a very high cost ratio of 64% that could be lowered to 55%. Return on equity is very low at about 10% and in the medium term, Commerzbank's management plans to bring it up to 15% and ultimately to 20%, which is the low end for European banks. It is cheap based on its price-to-book value at about 1.3 times and a forward P/E of about 9.5 times. As fundamentals improve, we see the multiple on price-to-book improving to 2.5 times, which is the average for a European bank.
How about one more?
Romanian real estate is about to become very, very hot for the next five to 10 years, driven by its entrance into the European Union in 2007. A lot of capital will be coming in as companies feel more comfortable relocating and opening businesses there.
Office space in Bucharest is about 10% that of Warsaw's or a city with a similar population of two million people. The yields are relatively attractive at 8% and there is a low vacancy rate of about 5%, which we believe will exist for the next 10 years because of the huge imbalance between demand and supply. On the residential side, Romania's number of rooms per capita is 0.8 versus 3.4 in Western Europe.
Real-estate growth should benefit a construction and development company we own, Impact. It has an 18% share of the housing market in Bucharest and it is moving their focus from mainly residential to a 50/50 mix of commercial and residential. It is very cheap, with a price to net asset value of about 1.5 times. It is a blue chip in the making.
Thanks, Riad.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Treasury reviewing processes after reports it helped Wagner Group boss circumvent sanctions to sue British journalist
The Treasury is reviewing its processes after reports it helped the head of Russia's notorious mercenary Wagner Group circumvent UK sanctions to take a British journalist to court.
James Cartlidge, exchequer secretary, confirmed a review is under way about the Treasury's decision-making but could not comment publicly on the case of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Investigative website openDemocracy reported a small Treasury team issued licences to allow British lawyers to help Mr Prigozhin - once dubbed "Putin's chef" - launch libel action against Bellingcat journalist Eliot Higgins in the UK in 2021.
At the time, the Russian oligarch was subject to UK sanctions.
The Wagner Group has been recruiting convicts to fight in Ukraine, where it is heavily involved in Russia's offensive. Ukraine says its fighters have died in their thousands.
Mr Prigozhin took legal action against Mr Higgins for articles and tweets about the Russian and the Wagner Group's operations in Africa and the Middle East, as well as his links to the Kremlin.
Mr Cartlidge said the Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (Ofsi) adheres to a strict set of rules "for strong constitutional reasons" when granting sanctioned individuals permission to bring lawsuits as "everyone has a right to legal representation".
Labour accused the government of giving a "waiver for a warlord" to pursue legal action, which it said was aimed at intimidating critics of Mr Prigozhin.
The government has been asked by several MPs to proscribe the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation.
Wagner Group boss appears to laugh off claims of assassination plot
Wagner Group suffers heavy losses as their boss steps into the spotlight
Mr Higgins' situation was brought up in an urgent question in the Commons on Wednesday, with Mr Cartlidge replying: "It is a longstanding custom that the government does not comment publicly on individual cases.
"It would not be appropriate to break this custom even in a case as serious as this where there is obviously public interest."
Describing Ofsi's approach, Mr Cartlidge said: "Applications are assessed solely on a costs basis, and as a country with checks and balances it is right that the relevant court should decide the outcome of the substantive merits of a case rather than the government.
"However, I can confirm, in light of recent cases and related to this question, the Treasury is now considering whether this approach is the right one, and if changes can be made without the Treasury assuming unacceptable legal risk and ensuring that we adhere to the rule of law."
He added that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was chancellor at the time, had no part in considering whether Mr Prigozhin should be granted permission.
Labour's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said: "The government appears to have granted a waiver for a warlord that enabled him to launch a legal attack on a British journalist.
"This is a perfect example of a Slapp (strategic lawsuit against public participation) lawsuit, designed to silence critics through financial intimidation."
Alicia Kearns, Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, urged the government to "commit to looking at whether we need to introduce ministerial oversight" on the process.
David Davis, the Conservative former cabinet minister, added: "Of course you have right to representation if you are defending yourself in court.
"There is no fundamental right to use legal representation to destroy somebody else or shut down free speech."
Mr Cartlidge replied: "I do think that the right to legal representation is a fundamental tenet of our democracy and that can mean that individuals and persons who we - and I'm not commenting on the specific case - but it can mean that individuals and persons who we find distasteful therefore have a right to legal representation.
"Let's not forget, even at the Nuremberg trials, people who had committed the most heinous crimes in the history of the Western world were legally represented."
Labour former minister Liam Byrne accused Mr Cartlidge of having "just confessed" sanctions implementation are "out of ministerial control" - which the minister denied.
"We sanctioned Prigozhin because he was operating 'a deniable military capability for the Russian state'," Mr Byrne told the Commons.
"Ten months later civil servants under his control signed off £3,500 for business class flights, £320 for luxury accommodation at the Grand Hotel Europe Belmond, £150 for subsistence and more.
"Let's be very clear about what the leaked emails from that conversation show. They show that Prigozhin's lawyers wanted to sue Eliot Higgins and Bellingcat 'because public rebuttal of the article is one of the reasons for his sanctions designation'.
"He signed off money for a warlord to prosecute an English journalist in an English court to undermine the sanctions regime that he himself is responsible for.
"This is outrageous, it's got to change and it's got to change now."
Turkey says it could evaluate Finland NATO bid separate from Sweden
Turkey could evaluate Finland's NATO bid independently from that of Sweden, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, after protests including the burning of a Koran in Stockholm sparked outrage in Ankara. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and need all member countries' approval to join.
Jake Paul vows to make Tommy Fury 'hate boxing' after long-awaited fight
A boxing match between the pair has twice been cancelled but is now set for 26 February
Love Island: Who is bombshell contestant Jessie Wynter? Meet the Love Island Australia star
Aussie personal trainer joined the villa on day seven
Watch: 'Uber driver' steals pet parrot from park then returns it to be killed by fox
A man stole a pet parrot from a London park then returned it to be killed by a fox.
Canada province tests decriminalizing hard drugs
A Canadian province on Tuesday decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and other hard drugs in a radical policy shift to address an opioid overdose crisis that has killed thousands.Isabelle Fortier of the Canadian group Moms Stop The Harm, whose daughter died of an overdose in 2019, said decriminalization is a good first step, but more are needed.


Black Goose is fully Licensed and Insured. You can trust our years of experience and trusted reviews when we come to your home. We bring 21st century technology to a century old trade with extensive experience and state of the art tools. Our training and dedication to excellence makes Black Goose Chimney the company you want when credentials and quality count!
All of our Lead Sweeps are nationally certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) for chimney sweeping, Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians [C-DET]and they also hold the Fire Investigation, Research, and Education (F.I.R.E.)certification as well. We feel it is essential to continuously educate ourselves in this growing field.
Feel free to review the below documents.


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Wasteology Provide A Cardboard Collection Service For Somerset and Devon.
The majority of cardboard comes from packaging, because it is 100% recyclable it will remain popular for some years to come. To recycle the cardboard the material is soaked, agitated to release fibres and then repulped; making such products as; New Cardboard and Paper Bags.
If you are short of space for a separate Cardboard Collection Container, Wasteology will extract the cardboard from Dry Mixed Recycle collections and can also gather cardboard from uncontaminated General Waste Collections.
Used Paper is recycled by adding water and chemicals to break it down, heated, pulped, strained, and re formed. Paper can go through this process seven times.The average person in the UK gets through 38kg of newspapers per year and it takes 24 trees to make 1 ton of newspapers. Recycled paper produces 73% less air pollution than if it was made from raw materials. Depending on the quantity of paper that you produce, Wasteology can advise on which collection service is most cost effective for you.


After some months of interruption, Graphic Dreams - the art project powered by the partnership between Koinup and the Magazine MondiVirtuali aimed at supporting the virtual creativity - is going to start again. Here you can read the first article dedicated to the amazing Koinup artist: Anais.
Any week (starting from this one), MondiVirtuali.it - one of the most read magazines focused on virtual worlds - will feature one of the artists of the Koinup Graphic Dreams group. Then, if you're not a member yet, I highly suggest you to join the group and start to contribute with your pictures. The staff of MondiVirtuali will periodically browse the entries and will pick any week one artist for the weekly column. Here you can find some of the previous stories.


The family of Audrie Pott plans to sue three teenage suspects, arrested last Thursday on charges of sexually assaulting the 15-year-old Saratoga High School student. Pott hanged herself after explicit photos of her sexual assault were passed around by her peers. In a press conference today, the family alleged the three boys were sober while they used cellphones to document the sexual assault.
The incident allegedly occurred during a sleepover party on Labor Day weekend last year. Audrie had been drinking Gatorade with vodka before going upstairs to fall asleep. Later she "woke up to the worst nightmare imaginable," the Potts' Attorney Robert Allard said. In a Fox News interview, Audrie's stepmother Lisa Pott said the suspects were sober during the incident and their actions were "cold and calculated."
Audrie pieced together the assault and her attackers when she learned a humiliating photos was being passed around her high school. Although friends had tried to console her, she hanged herself eight days after the incident shortly after posting to Facebook, "worst day ever" and saying that her life was ruined.
Eric Geffon, attorney for the three suspects, is arguing that there is no connection between the humiliating photo being passed around Saratoga High School and Audrie's decision to take her own life. The boys were not officially charged with a crime until last Thursday and it took months for the family to find out what could have driven Audrie to suicide.
Now that the case has hit the media, the Pott family is speaking out against teen sexual assault and cyberbulling. "This period has been difficult for us because the wounds are so fresh," father Lawrence Pott explained at a press conference today. "We miss her every day, but now we must carry on and share her story so that this epidemic of sexual assault and cyberbullying amongst teens can be exposed and stopped."
Another spokesman for the Potts also told the press the family is set on making sure the three 16-year-old suspects, who are unidentified because of their age, be tried as adults. The boys are currently being held in a Santa Clara County detention center.


When I made the first post with my favorite pictures from 2007 I realized that I had more faves than I could fit into one post. So here is the next batch of my favorite macro photos taken in Northern Norway 2007.
Click on the pictures to see a larger version and if you click on the individual links you can read more about each picture.
If you look closely you can see the ant is dragging a spider.
This freaky creature is a sort of Ichneumon wasp that lay eggs into other insects. Their larvae live as a parasite of other insects.
If you look at the picture large you can see the reflection of me, the sun and a big mountain.
Bumblebees are beautiful and fascinating. Check out this post for more bumblebee pictures.
Loved the blue eyes on this sawfly.
Wow, those are amazing! The critters kind of give me the creepy-crawlies, but I love the one where I can see your reflection in the water droplet.The colors are beautiful!
Loving the sawfly, though the ant and spider was a bit gruesome for me!
Holy crap man, awesome stuff.
Wonderful macros! Although I don't enjoy the presence of insects, small or large. But they're fascinating to look at–just as long as they're depicted in photos and aren't crawling on me!
PS -The little green guy is gorgeous, for a fly!
Wow, some pretty sweet Macros…I am envious again. I think the Sawfly's blue eye was my favorite of the bunch.
All of them are amazing – what lovely macro pics – thanks for sharing!
It's hard to chose between them, but my fave would be the sawfly. It's so colourful and sharply captured.
Whoa~great pics. I think I accidentally ate a fly that looked like that once.
I love macro shots. The ant and spider one is exceptional, although the sawfly is great too!
These are awesome! Really cool.
Just gorgeous. I too love macro shots and was thrilled to see you showcase them today.
Holy mackerel! Fantastic macro shots. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Awesome photos! I wish I could take such real-life pictures!
Just amazing photos. How do you get such brilliant depth of field and focus.


"I crossed something off my #bucketlist, and I would do it again. Flew to #Vegas just to jump off the #Stratosphere ....Twice."
"It was brilliant, it was great!"
"The #adrenaline rush from #SkyJump was fantastic. Looking way down to the ground in anticipation was an unforgettable experience."
"That was so awesome, you so have to do it! It was amazing!"
"It's worth every penny, the second time in the same day you get a discount. We did it at night. Great feeling!"
"It was awesome, it was great! I'm so happy we came back a second time."


FFWPU Kenya: Bishops of married priests held their first Initiative Married priests seven days workshop to teach Divine Principle to their church leaders in Othaya Nyeri at Bishop peter Wachira home church on December 1-7, 2015, with 12 participants.
They were from different areas of Kenya such as othaya Nyeri, Kuria, kisii, kitale, Nairobi. They begin with Hondhokhae every morning. Lecturers were Bishop Peter Wachira who thought the Principle of creation, Pishop Dr. Richard Muma who thought the human fall and second coming, Bishop John Kalama who thought marriage and family, and Bishop Patrick Magara spoke about home church.


This invitational exhibition will feature a select group of 28 kapa practitioners from Hawai'i and California whose work involves both traditional and nontraditional use of materials and techniques in kapa-making.
Learn about the history, tools, and botanical resources of this ancient Hawaiian art form, and the dedicated work of those who have revitalized the almost-lost knowledge and cultural value of the craft.
We are pleased to share resources and expertise in collaboration with the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and the Maui Historical Society/Bailey House Museum.
CLICK HERE for the exhibit brochure.


Women ages 21-40 who are discerning a call to religious life are invited to a national vocation discernment retreat March 7-10 in the San Antonio Hilton Airport Hotel. It will be offered in English and Spanish. The cost is $30, which includes meals, lodging, and the retreat. For more information, contact Sister Marichui Bringas, C.C.V.I. at escribe@nationalcatholicsistersproject.org or visit nationalcatholicsistersproject.org.
The Institute of Religious Formation and Hesburgh Sabbatical Programs at Catholic Theological Union are currently accepting applications for the fall semester of both programs, which begin August 28. For more information, see ctu.edu/academics/special-programs.
Catholics on Call is sponsoring a Young Adult Conference July 23-27. The conference will be expanded to a five-day program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. This experience is designed for women and men (ages 18+) who may be thinking about a life of service in the church as a lay minister, religious sister, brother, or priest. It is for those who are undecided and want guidance in determining how God is calling them.
September 19-20, Catholics on Call will again offer its Partner Conference. This event is for campus ministers, vocation directors, volunteer directors, and anyone who ministers to young adults. It is an opportunity to come together to learn and discuss best practices for supporting young adult men and women in vocational discernment.
St. Luke Institute's SLIconnect is currently offering a number of webinars. Topics include understanding spiritual desolation, strategies for de-escalating conflict, preventing compassion fatigue, and more. Some seminars are free; most are $25.
The Religious Formation Conference is organizing the next ForMission class, which will begin May 30 and run until June 7 at Catholic Theological Union. Application materials and updated information are available. For details, to receive application materials, or to ask questions about the program, click here.
In addition the RFC has more than 35 webinars and presentations available online for a fee for non-members or free for members. Find them at relforcon.org.


1. In blender, combine half of watermelon with limeade concentrate and grenadine; puree until smooth. Add remaining watermelon and puree until smooth. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead.
2. In 2 batches, in blender, add half of watermelon mixture and 2 cups ice; blend until smooth and no chunks of ice remain. Pour into tall glasses; garnish with watermelon wedge or lime slice, if desired.


text:
package org.drip.analytics.rates;

/*
 * -*- mode: java; tab-width: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 4 -*-
 */

/*!
 * Copyright (C) 2014 Lakshmi Krishnamurthy
 * Copyright (C) 2013 Lakshmi Krishnamurthy
 *
 *  This file is part of DRIP, a free-software/open-source library for fixed income analysts and developers -
 * 		http://www.credit-trader.org/Begin.html
 *
 *  DRIP is a free, full featured, fixed income rates, credit, and FX analytics library with a focus towards
 *  	pricing/valuation, risk, and market making.
 *
 *  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 *   	you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 *
 *  You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *  	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 *  	distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 *  	WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 *
 *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 *  	limitations under the License.
 */

/**
 * ExplicitBootDiscountCurve exposes the functionality associated with the bootstrapped Discount Curve.
 *  - Generate a curve shifted using targeted basis at specific nodes.
 *  - Generate scenario tweaked Latent State from the base forward curve corresponding to mode adjusted
 *  	(flat/parallel/custom) manifest measure/quantification metric.
 *  - Retrieve array of latent state manifest measure, instrument quantification metric, and the array of
 *  	calibration components.
 *  - Set/retrieve curve construction input instrument sets.
 *
 * @author Lakshmi Krishnamurthy
 */

public abstract class ExplicitBootDiscountCurve extends org.drip.analytics.rates.DiscountCurve
	implements org.drip.analytics.definition.ExplicitBootCurve {

	protected ExplicitBootDiscountCurve (
		final double dblEpochDate,
		final java.lang.String strCurrency)
		throws java.lang.Exception
	{
		super (dblEpochDate, strCurrency, null);
	}

	/**
	 * Create a shifted curve from an array of basis shifts
	 *
	 * @param adblDate Array of dates
	 * @param adblBasis Array of basis
	 *
	 * @return Discount Curve
	 */

	public abstract ExplicitBootDiscountCurve createBasisRateShiftedCurve (
		final double[] adblDate,
		final double[] adblBasis);

	@Override public org.drip.state.representation.LatentStateMetricMeasure[] lsmm()
	{
		org.drip.product.definition.CalibratableComponent[] aCalibComp = calibComp();

		if (null == aCalibComp) return null;

		int iNumLSMM = aCalibComp.length;
		org.drip.state.representation.LatentStateMetricMeasure[] aLSMM = new
			org.drip.state.representation.LatentStateMetricMeasure[iNumLSMM];

		org.drip.analytics.support.CaseInsensitiveTreeMap<java.lang.Double> mapQuote = _ccis.getQuote();

		org.drip.analytics.support.CaseInsensitiveTreeMap<java.lang.String> mapMeasure = _ccis.getMeasure();

		for (int i = 0; i < iNumLSMM; ++i) {
			java.lang.String strInstrumentCode = _ccis.getComponent()[i].getPrimaryCode();

			try {
				aLSMM[i] = new org.drip.analytics.rates.RatesLSMM
					(org.drip.analytics.rates.DiscountCurve.LATENT_STATE_DISCOUNT,
						latentStateQuantificationMetric(), mapMeasure.get (strInstrumentCode),
							mapQuote.get (strInstrumentCode), null);
			} catch (java.lang.Exception e) {
				e.printStackTrace();

				return null;
			}
		}

		return aLSMM;
	}

	@Override public boolean setCCIS (
		final org.drip.analytics.definition.CurveConstructionInputSet ccis)
	{
		return null != (_ccis = ccis);
	}

	@Override public org.drip.product.definition.CalibratableComponent[] calibComp()
	{
		return null == _ccis ? null : _ccis.getComponent();
	}

	@Override public double manifestMeasure (
		final java.lang.String strInstrumentCode)
		throws java.lang.Exception
	{
		if (null == _ccis)
			throw new java.lang.Exception ("ExplicitBootDiscountCurve::getManifestMeasure => Cannot get " +
				strInstrumentCode);

		org.drip.analytics.support.CaseInsensitiveTreeMap<java.lang.Double> mapQuote = _ccis.getQuote();

		if (null == mapQuote || !mapQuote.containsKey (strInstrumentCode))
			throw new java.lang.Exception ("ExplicitBootDiscountCurve::getManifestMeasure => Cannot get " +
				strInstrumentCode);

		return mapQuote.get (strInstrumentCode);
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The lovely dulcet tones created by Michael Kollwitz on his Chapman Stick have once again, on his latest album Serenity III – More peaceful Music on The Chapman Stick, been selected to enchant and relax the body, mind and soul. The rich velvety tones created on The Chapman Stick (The Stick) played by a Master, are simply beautiful.
This latest album from Kollwitz continues the serene thread begun with his first album created using only The Stick, Serenity – Peaceful Music on The Chapman Stick, an album made to present to the world the full and immensely rich scope that can be created by this intriguing instrument, when used as a stand-alone instrument, not just as a backing choice for some of the more immense sounds that need to be produced in modern music culture.
Learning from the creator of this amazing instrument Emmett Chapman more than forty years ago, Michael Kollwitz has become known as a stand-alone musician with his beloved "Stick", performing at many venues throughout America, opening for the Beach Boys and attracting the attention of Carlos Santana who described the luscious sounds as 'a gift from the heart'.
Musicians Keith Emerson, Mick Fleetwood, Steve Morse and Herbie Hancock, along with many others, have been introduced by Kollwitz, to the almost magical sounds and qualities of this unique member of the guitar family. Kollwitz and his Chapman Stick are now recognised worldwide for the immensely soothing and luxurious albums created in the genre of Relaxation and New Age music.
Opening with Cloud Number Eleven the velvet beauty of the music simply oozes out of the speakers, immediately slowing the pace, offering relaxation and time out, which simply continues on track after beautiful track.
Half way a through this sixteen-track collection is the delicate and subtle Contemplation, a piece that has a soft backing which enhances the sentiment of the title perfectly. For many the titles may feel like familiar friends, but become so much more, perhaps because the original emotion felt by the composer is unchallenged, presented in a more simplistic format with a delicate sensitivity, which seems to be a trademark of Michael Kollwitz, at least in his albums recorded on The Chapman Stick.
The final track on this restful album is fittingly Good Night Sleep Tight, which is almost perfection in is serenity, drawing this deliciously sumptuous collection to a restful and delightful finale.


text:
Watsonville Police: Officer shot, suspect gunned down
Updated: 6:10 PM PDT Jun 6, 2015
Watsonville police said an officer is in stable condition after being shot in the stomach while on duty.The person who shot him is dead, according to police. It happened just before 7 p.m. Saturday at San Juan Road and Porter Drive.Watsonville police said five police officers were chasing the suspect when the person opened fire, shooting an officer.Officers do not know how many shots were exchanged.The police officer was taken to a hospital and is expected to live.Police are investigating why officers were chasing the suspect.
WATSONVILLLE, Calif. —
Watsonville police said an officer is in stable condition after being shot in the stomach while on duty.
The person who shot him is dead, according to police.
It happened just before 7 p.m. Saturday at San Juan Road and Porter Drive.
Watsonville police said five police officers were chasing the suspect when the person opened fire, shooting an officer.
Officers do not know how many shots were exchanged.
The police officer was taken to a hospital and is expected to live.
Police are investigating why officers were chasing the suspect.


Voters should only elect Eagle County commissioner candidates who support the democratic process and are willing to put the continuance of the open space tax on the ballot.
We should all be clear about what the real issue is in this debate.
It is about who should decide for what purpose and how much property owners are willing to tax themselves.
Should politicians decide or should the voters decide?
This is not about the value of the open space tax, as both Jill Ryan and Jon Stavney would like you to believe.
That decision should be made by the voters after we elect at least two commissioners who believe in democracy and are willing to place the issue on the ballot.
County government in Colorado is unique in that only the commissioners can place an issue like this on the ballot. The law does not allow for a petition or initiative process, so we have to only elect commissioners who are willing to follow the will of the voters.
We should all consider Stavney and Ryan's opposition to placing this issue on the ballot as a slap in the face to Lady Liberty. Our nation was based on our right to choose and be self governed.
Jill and Jon believe that they know better than we do about how we should be taxed. We must ask ourselves why they refuse to let the people decide.
My guess is that they and their campaign donors believe that the voters will boldly state that the county has spent enough of our hard-earned dollars on open space.
And what about property owners like me who cannot vote? Who represents them? My wife and I have had to temporarily relocate for work but hope to return someday to our home.
I have ultimate faith in a voting majority of the citizens in Eagle County to represent me and not in only three politicians.
Jon and Jill would be free to plead their case in defense of the open space tax once they allow the issue to be placed on the ballot.
For now, the only reasonable and responsible decision is to vote for the two candidates who have committed to support democracy and let the people decide: Jeff Layman and Courtney Holm.
Tom Stone is a former county commissioner who currently lives in Genoa, Nevada.


10. Great people-watching, without paying to get into the Fair.
9. Parking lot workers get to tell people where to go!
8. FREE FOOD? – Some fair-goers share their Sweet Martha's Cookies when they get off the bus.
7. Attractive neon vests and orange flags make you stand out in a crowd.
6. You will receive enough "Thank You's" to last the whole month of September.
4. People who work from 8pm to Midnight don't need any sunscreen.
3. Every person who helps earns more for the gift from the State Fair to our church (but only four per 4-hour shift).
2. It won't get you into heaven, but you can sit up front at church ANY time you want!
1. It will be cooler than it is TODAY!
Ray Landkamer and satisfied State Fair goers who parked in our lot–from ENGLAND!
Would you help us welcome and direct people in our parking lot this week and weekend? Call Karen Landkamer to volunteer, 651.776.7620.
Sept. 8 – 500 School Kits!
Help buy school supplies and help fill the 500 school kits we'll be putting together on September 8 at church for children in need around the world! Attached is a list of the specific supplies that go into each school kit. All 500 kits will be assembled and shipped to Lutheran World Relief, a highly-respected and Christian aid organization active in the places in the world where there is need. Visit www.lwr.org for more information. We're doing this on September 8 as part of our "God's Work. Our Hands." celebration of the ELCA's 25th Anniversary PLUS the day we bless the backpacks, messenger bags and briefcases for students of all ages and education professionals!
Filed in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Sept. 8 – 500 School Kits!
Our parking lot is the site of FREE parking (and riding) to the Minnesota State Fair!
8am to midnight every day except SUNDAYS, when the lot opens at Noon.


text:
by: Homer
Books 9-10
Books 11-12
Sample A+ Essay
Nestor seems like a minor character in The Iliad, but he actually plays a significant role in the development of the epic's plot. What are some of the ways in which the aged king propels the action of the story? What effect does he have on the epic as a whole?
In his role as storyteller and counselor to the Achaean forces, Nestor often provides motivation for The Iliad's plot. He convinces the Achaean army to build fortifications around its ships—fortifications that serve as a locus for much of the future confrontation between the two armies. He proposes the spy mission on which Odysseus and Diomedes kill Dolon and a number of Thracian soldiers. Furthermore, it is Nestor who convinces Agamemnon to send an embassy to Achilles, begging him to return to battle. Although this mission ultimately fails, it provides Homer with the occasion to develop the character of Achilles, giving an important context to his decision to abandon the war effort. Finally, Nestor proposes to have Patroclus fight in Achilles' place wearing his armor. This scheme proves the turning point for the entire epic.
What is the role of women in The Iliad? Does the poem contain any strong female characters, or do the acts and deeds of males dominate the work?
The Iliad certainly contains strong female characters. Athena and Hera rank among the most powerful forces in the book. Even the other male gods cannot stand up to them, and Ares, supposedly the god of war, must cede to Athena's superior might on two occasions. Moreover, Athena and Hera are more than just assertive and forceful. They are cunning, quick-witted, and sharp-tongued. By using her womanly assets and a little trickery, Hera incapacitates even Zeus, the king of gods and men.
In the mortal sphere, however, The Iliad has little to offer in the way of strong female figures. Very few women enter the story at all, and the women who do appear usually fall into one of two categories: property, such as Chryseis and Briseis, or interlocutors for male characters, such as Helen and Andromache. Homer uses Helen to reveal the cowardly underside of Paris's character and to spotlight the Achaean commanders when she describes them to Priam on the Trojan ramparts. Andromache helps to make Hector a sympathetic character and provides the stimulus for his speech in Book 6 about the fate of Troy. Thus, the significance of both women lies not in themselves but in the ways they illuminate the men around them. The two may seem to be important characters because of the high status they enjoy relative to other women, but compared to The Iliad's warriors they are little more than props.
What role does fate play in the emotional and psychological effect of The Iliad? Why does Homer make his characters aware of their impending dooms?
Homer's original audience would already have been intimately familiar with the story The Iliad tells. Making his characters cognizant of their fates merely puts them on par with the epic's audience. In deciding to make his characters knowledgeable about their own futures, he loses the effect of dramatic irony, in which the audience watches characters stumble toward ends that it alone knows in advance. But Homer doesn't sacrifice drama; in fact, this technique renders the characters more compelling. They do not fall to ruin out of ignorance, but instead become tragic figures who go knowingly to their doom because they have no real choice. In the case of Hector and Achilles, their willing submission to a fate they recognize but cannot evade renders them not only tragic but emphatically heroic.
Books 23-24 Quick Quiz Next
Achilles: Character Analysis


Corner unit in an upscale community is move in ready. Kitchen has built in Viking appliances, breakfast nook with a view and is great for entertaining. Master Bedroom has two walk-in closets with master bath with whirlpool tub and fireplace. Hard wood floors throughout make this sun lit unit feel like home. Take the elevator to the Ground floor to the unfinished area and convert this space into your dream space with full bath and laundry. 2 Car garage plus additional guest parking when needed.


text:
use std::collections::HashMap;
use std::option::Option;
use url::form_urlencoded;
use serde_json;

use ::errors::StashError;

include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/types.rs"));

serializable_enum! {
    /// Enumeration for valid SCM types in Atlassian Stash API.
    #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
    pub enum ScmType {
        /// Git (the only available one)
        Git
    }
    ScmTypeVisitor
}

impl_as_ref_from_str! {
    ScmType {
        Git => "git",
    }
    StashError::Other
}

serializable_enum! {
    /// Enumeration for repository states in Atlassian Stash API.
    #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
    pub enum RepositoryState {
        /// AVAILABLE state
        Available,
        /// INITIALISING state
        Initialising,
        /// INITIALISATION_FAILED state
        InitFailed
    }
    RepositoryStateVisitor
}

impl_as_ref_from_str! {
    RepositoryState {
        Available => "AVAILABLE",
        Initialising => "INITIALISING",
        InitFailed => "INITIALISATION_FAILED",
    }
    StashError::Other
}

serializable_enum! {
    /// Enumeration for Stash permissions
    #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
    pub enum Permission {
        /// Admin permission
        Admin,
        /// Licensed user permission
        LicensedUser,
        /// Project administrator permission
        ProjectAdmin,
        /// Project create permission
        ProjectCreate,
        /// Project read permission
        ProjectRead,
        /// Project write permission
        ProjectWrite,
        /// Project admin permission
        RepoAdmin,
        /// Repository read permission
        RepoRead,
        /// Repository write permission
        RepoWrite,
        /// System administrator permission
        SysAdmin
    }
    PermissionVisitor
}

impl_as_ref_from_str! {
    Permission {
        Admin => "ADMIN",
        LicensedUser => "LICENSED_USER",
        ProjectAdmin => "PROJECT_ADMIN",
        ProjectCreate => "PROJECT_CREATE",
        ProjectRead => "PROJECT_READ",
        ProjectWrite => "PROJECT_WRITE",
        RepoAdmin => "REPO_ADMIN",
        RepoRead => "REPO_READ",
        RepoWrite => "REPO_WRITE",
        SysAdmin => "SYS_ADMIN",
    }
    StashError::Other
}

serializable_enum! {
    /// Enumeration for Stash Repository Hook types
    #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
    pub enum RepositoryHookType {
        /// PRE_RECEIVE repo hook
        PreReceive,

        /// POST_RECEIVE repo hook
        PostReceive
    }
    RepositoryHookTypeVisitor
}

impl_as_ref_from_str! {
    RepositoryHookType {
        PreReceive => "PRE_RECEIVE",
        PostReceive => "POST_RECEIVE",
    }
    StashError::Other
}

#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
    use serde::ser::Serialize;
    use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
    use serde_json;
    use super::*;

    fn test_serialization<T>(tests: Vec<(T, &str)>) where T: Serialize {
        for test in tests {
            match test {
                (t, v) => assert_eq!(serde_json::to_string(&t).unwrap(), v),
            }
        }
    }

    #[test]
    fn serialize_repository_params() {
        let tests = vec![
            (
                RepositoryParams::new(None as Option<String>, None as Option<ScmType>, None as Option<bool>),
                "{}"
            ),
            (
                RepositoryParams::new(Some("repo"), Some(ScmType::Git), Some(true)),
                r#"{"name":"repo","scmId":"git","forkable":true}"#
            )
        ];
        test_serialization(tests);
    }

    #[test]
    fn serialize_project_params() {
        let tests = vec![
            (
                ProjectParams::new(None as Option<String>, None as Option<String>, None as Option<String>, None as Option<String>),
                "{}"
            ),
            (
                ProjectParams::new(Some("proj"), Some("project"), Some("My project"), None),
                r#"{"key":"proj","name":"project","description":"My project"}"#
            )
        ];
        test_serialization(tests);
    }

    #[test]
    fn deserialize_paged_responses() {
        let json = r#"{"size": 1,
                       "limit": 25,
                       "isLastPage": true,
                       "values": [
                           {
                               "key": "PRJ",
                               "id": 1,
                               "name": "Demo Project",
                               "description": "A demo project",
                               "public": true,
                               "type": "NORMAL",
                               "link": {
                                   "url": "http://link/to/project",
                                   "rel": "self"
                                },
                                "links": {
                                    "self": [
                                        {
                                            "href": "http://link/to/project"
                                        }
                                    ]
                                }
                            }
                        ],
                        "start": 0
                    }"#;

        let rsp = PagedResponse {
            size: 1,
            limit: 25,
            is_last_page: true,
            values: vec![
                Project {
                    key: "PRJ".to_owned(),
                    id: 1,
                    name: "Demo Project".to_owned(),
                    description: Some("A demo project".to_owned()),
                    public: true,
                    project_type: "NORMAL".to_owned(),
                    link: serde_json::from_str(r#"{"url": "http://link/to/project", "rel": "self"}"#).unwrap(),
                    links: serde_json::from_str(r#"{"self": [{"href": "http://link/to/project"}] }"#).unwrap()
                }
            ],
            start: 0,
            filter: None,
            next_page_start: None
        };

        assert_eq!(serde_json::from_str::<PagedResponse<Project>>(json).unwrap(), rsp);
    }

    #[test]
    fn project_list_params() {
        fn test_serialized_query(tests: Vec<(ProjectListParams, Option<String>)>) {
            for test in tests {
                match test {
                   (p, v) => assert_eq!(p.to_query_string(), v),
                }
            }
        }

        let tests = vec![
            (
                ProjectListParams::builder().build(),
                None
            ),
            (
                ProjectListParams::builder().permissions(Permission::Admin).build(),
                Some("permission=ADMIN".to_owned())
            ),
            (
                ProjectListParams::builder().repo_name("demo".to_owned()).build(),
                Some("name=demo".to_owned())
            )
        ];
        test_serialized_query(tests);
    }

    #[test]
    fn deserialize_permissions() {
        for (value, e) in vec![(r#""ADMIN""#, Permission::Admin),
                               (r#""LICENSED_USER""#, Permission::LicensedUser),
                               (r#""PROJECT_ADMIN""#, Permission::ProjectAdmin),
                               (r#""PROJECT_CREATE""#, Permission::ProjectCreate),
                               (r#""PROJECT_READ""#, Permission::ProjectRead),
                               (r#""PROJECT_WRITE""#, Permission::ProjectWrite),
                               (r#""REPO_ADMIN""#, Permission::RepoAdmin),
                               (r#""REPO_READ""#, Permission::RepoRead),
                               (r#""REPO_WRITE""#, Permission::RepoWrite),
                               (r#""SYS_ADMIN""#, Permission::SysAdmin)] {
            assert_eq!(serde_json::from_str::<Permission>(value).unwrap(), e);
        }
    }

    #[test]
    fn deserialize_scm_type() {
        for (value, e) in vec![("\"git\"", ScmType::Git)] {
            assert_eq!(serde_json::from_str::<ScmType>(value).unwrap(), e);
        }
    }

    #[test]
    fn deserialize_repository_state() {
        for (value, e) in vec![(r#""AVAILABLE""#, RepositoryState::Available),
                               (r#""INITIALISING""#, RepositoryState::Initialising),
                               (r#""INITIALISATION_FAILED""#, RepositoryState::InitFailed)] {
            assert_eq!(serde_json::from_str::<RepositoryState>(value).unwrap(), e);
        }
    }

    #[test]
    fn deserialize_repository_hook_type() {
        for (value, e) in vec![(r#""PRE_RECEIVE""#, RepositoryHookType::PreReceive),
                               (r#""POST_RECEIVE""#, RepositoryHookType::PostReceive)] {
            assert_eq!(serde_json::from_str::<RepositoryHookType>(value).unwrap(), e);
        }
    }
}


In men and women alike, failure to correct the problem results in continued spread. It's better to be safe than sorry. If you're sexually-active, the only way to know for certain you don't have chlamydia is to rely on lab-based testing.
Chlamydia can be easily treated using antibiotics. This makes it all the more distressing for people who have suffered long-term consequences in not knowing they had it earlier. Within seven weeks of your first dose, you're typically able to resume sexual activity without risk of spreading the disease.
The staff here at Test Smartly Labs understands the embarrassment that can be associated when requesting STD testing. Don't be shy! We see you as a responsible adult ensuring the safety of both your health and your partner's. Call today to see how we can help.


text:
Practice Makes Perfect -
by Yolanda Navarra Fleming
Dr. Pedro Cordero is the ultimate one-man show.
For Dr. Pedro Cordero, a Roselle-based General and Vascular Surgeon, the expression "going out on a limb" has daily significance. In his practice, during the course of more than 35 years, he says, "I've saved hundreds and hundreds of legs." Among other things, he treats dialysis patients and those with vascular problems including non-healing ulcers of the feet or lack of circulation, and specializes in laser surgery for vein treatments for varicosities, spider veins, and carotid surgery in the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Trinitas Regional Medical Center.
"I'm not on the teaching circuit or doing research or anything else," Dr. Cordero reiterates. "I'm doing what I love: saving limbs."
By any measure, his work is impeccable.
"The results I've gotten over the years," he confirms, "are better than the national average."
Indeed, Dr. Cordero is proud of the fact that he has performed more than 800 carotid endarterectomy surgeries, with very few complications and zero deaths. In addition to a high success rate, it's worth noting that his is a solo practice in a corner of the world where group practices are more common.
"As a solo practitioner, I am unique," he explains. "There are different boards in surgery, and if you want to distinguish yourself, you specialize and join a group, and that's all you do. You can't be good at everything. But if you go to a group practice nowadays, you may not see the same doctor twice. As a patient, I like to see the same doctor because there's a level of trust and comfort that develops over time."
Dr. Cordero was born in Cuba in 1950. At the age of 9, he immigrated with his brother and parents to the Union City/West New York area. As a student at Emerson High School he was called to the medical profession by his favorite teacher.
"Mrs. Zippo made biology come to life," he says, noting that he didn't let his weak math skills stop him from pursuing his passion. "She was a really great biology teacher who inspired me to want to go into medicine."
Thirty-five years later, while attending a surgical conference, he sat across the lunch table from another doctor whose nametag said "Dr. Zippo from Union City, Kentucky."
"I thought it was such an odd coincidence that he had the same last name as my teacher from Emerson High
School in Union City. I told him, 'the reason I'm sitting here in front of you is because of a teacher by the same name who taught at my high school in Union City, New Jersey.' The man nodded knowingly and said, 'That was my mother.'"
Dr. Cordero didn't have an easy time in school: "Everything was tough for me coming from an inner city school. The educational system is not the same that the kids get in suburbia. So I had to make up ground in college."
He began at Rutgers University for pre-med and went on to SUNY Buffalo Medical School. During that time, another teacher pointed him toward becoming a surgeon.
"Dr. Lee at Buffalo was a great anatomist; I enjoyed his anatomy class so much that I decided I had to become a surgeon," he recalls, adding that part of his fascination was the artistry of the human body. "Everything has a purpose, everything is placed so perfectly. It's a perfect machine."
At SUNY Buffalo, Dr. Coredro also met his future wife. He went on to do his residency at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
"Since the first few letters in our last names were similar, we were paired off in our histology lab and had to use the same microscope, so we became friends," he recalls. "Finishing medical school together, we were matched as interns at Montefiore/Albert Einstein."
They worked dogged hours, often more than 140 per week. Upon graduation, he established both solo and group practices in Union, while she went on to become an internist with a sub-specialty in adolescent medicine. Now with his main practice in Roselle Park, he is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, where he completed a fellowship under Dr. Bruce Brener, and Trinitas Regional Medical Center, which he joined during its inception.
In 2005, he was invited by a fellow doctor on a medical mission trip to the Philippines.
"I saw the need these people had for not only medical equipment, but surgical care," he says. "There was an extreme lack of medical care and the urgent need for items that are routinely discarded by hospitals in the United States. We realized the usefulness of these items in the places we visited."
By 2007, Dr. Cordero had co-founded Mano-A-Mano International Relief Organization. Mano-A-Mano routinely ships out containers of medical supplies donated by hospitals to Third World countries including Venezuela, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Grenada, and Guyana, in addition to the Philippines. Medical missions are designed to provide immunizations, health education, disease prevention, dental screenings and treatments, eye examinations, and free reading glasses. Most recently, Mano-A-Mano is opening a small charitable surgical center in Pierre Payen, Haiti. He plans to teach surgery in underdeveloped countries when he retires, and offer mobile cancer screenings for women where there is a high breast cancer mortality rate.
"It makes me feel great to be able to go to other countries and treat people who would never be able to be treated because they have no money and no access to care," says Dr. Cordero. "They are so appreciative and you can feel that appreciation for taking care of them."
The only compensation is the joy he gets from the look on their faces.
Pedro Cordero, MD, RVT, FACS Chair of the Periop
Value Analysis Committee


Today I had the alarm company come out because the keypad that we use 99% of the time to turn the alarm on and off was getting really difficult to press. Our system dates back to when the company was still Brinks. Now it's ADT and I understand the company was just acquired by another alarm company, so we'll see where that all ends up.
The upshot of my conversation with the service guy is that our system is ancient (we had it put in around 1997) and there are no replacement keypads to be had. Because we had another rarely-used keypad in a different part of the house, he recommended that we just swap them. He also offered to clean out the bad one as much as possible to make it more functional.
That all worked out pretty well and now we have an almost-new keypad in the kitchen (seriously, it still has the plastic film over the display after all these years) and a better-than-it-was version upstairs. Best of all, the service call was free.
Once that remedy exhausts itself, it'll be time to have a new alarm system installed.
Because we've lived in this house for almost 21 years, I'm finding more and more things like that keypad that either need to be fixed now or will soon.
The hot water heater is a shining example. I'm pretty sure we bought it a year or two before the alarm system, which makes it super old for a hot water heater. I'm sure it's part of the reason all our faucet aerators are choked with tiny mineral pebbles. Yet, it still heats the water and sends it to the sinks and shower in a reasonable amount of time, so I'm not going to get ahead of myself.
Then there's the washing machine. I've been threatening to replace it for years because it not only deposits clumps of lint randomly all over our clean clothes, but it's now rusting inside, which means it will leave rust spots on light-colored clothing unless you remove the loads immediately after the last spin cycle concludes.
I'm not completely neglectful of our home maintenance. We just had the guttering on the back of the house replaced and the downspouts relocated to where they won't send water directly into the garage and basement every time it rains. That's been a problem for years and I'm almost looking forward to our next rainstorm to see if it did the trick.
My first priority in the next six years or so is to get the house paid off. Without a mortgage payment, I'll be able to afford lots of different home repairs and improvements. In the meantime, the to-do list can just keep growing.


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Some of you may have received a notification that the iTunes App Stores has gone through a few changes. As always, Apple touted these as improvements (we're not saying they aren't,) but it's not a bad idea to go through the modifications to understand exactly what you should expect for the future of submitting apps to the store.
One thing to remember is that Apple has about 2 million apps available for users to download. Not only that, but around 100,000 updated and newly submitted apps are reviewed each week. That's quite a bit of competition for any of your new apps. Plus, we all know just how picky Apple can be with its new apps.
Although it's tough to understand all of the requirements from Apple, they do a pretty good job of sharing as much information as they can.
For example, two particular suggestions were sent out to the development community:
Shortening App Names
All apps submitted for evaluation are now limited to a maximum of 50 characters. This means that you may have to adjust some of your older app names or think more about what you would like to call your future apps.
Why was this improvement made?
Prior to the change, some developers decided to somewhat take advantage of longer app names, since they could cram in multiple keywords, descriptions and even features. The only problem is that this generally made the app store look more cluttered for the user, and many of these words in titles had nothing to do with the apps.
Therefore, Apple decided that longer app names were a hinderance to the overall UX. After all, you have plenty of room to talk about your features and highlights in the description area.
So, from here on out, just remember that you need to keep the app names short. When making an app in iBuildApp, you'll eventually get to the point where you need to submit to the App Store. Do yourself a favor and follow rules like this one before you get to the submission page.
The Search for Quality Apps
Sometimes it seems tough to get your app listed in the app store. There's a reason for this. Apple wants to make sure that users only have access to quality, innovative apps that are going to help them in their daily lives.
However, Apple never really had much of a process for going through to bump out the older, or obsolete, apps.
With the new improvements, however, you may end up receiving an email from Apple regarding your older, or lower quality, app.
The company has implemented a process of continuously sifting through the app store to locate and remove apps that are either problematic or abandoned.
Don't worry, though. Developers are contacted before the removal takes place. This way, you have an opportunity to either adjust the app, make it up-to-date or abide by the standards set forth by Apple.
What Else is There to Know?
All of these improvements started on September 7, 2016. Therefore, the entire process is already underway. However, we're assuming that going through all of those abandoned apps will take a long time.
We encourage you to go through all of the App Store Guidelines, because every single category of app is going to be evaluated. There's no chance that your apps go overlooked.
One other thing to keep in mind is that any app that crashes upon being launched is going to be removed immediately. So, if you have an app you'd like to keep around, but you need to get it back on track, get in there and start editing.
Finally, if Apple contacts you about your app, you have 30 days to make the requested changes. Otherwise, the app will be removed.
Are You Ready For the New App Store Improvements?
From shorter titles to abandoned app removal, Apple clearly takes its app store seriously. Luckily, Apple keeps us up-to-date on changes like these, giving us a little time to adjust. Furthermore, it's not always all that hard to ensure your app is of the highest quality and has a shorter title.
If you have any questions about the recent changes to the Apple App Store, please let us know in the comments section below.
iBuildApp License
How to Publish an App on Google Play – Create a Google Play Developer Account
Ackjewelrystore
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Website: https://ackjewelry.com
Phone number: (972)-284-4573
Adress : 3467 Giraffe Hill Drive, Clarendon, New York, 14429
Email: info@ackjewelry.com


text:
/*	$OpenBSD: rpc.h,v 1.3 1996/12/08 15:15:56 niklas Exp $	*/
/*	$NetBSD: rpc.h,v 1.8 1996/09/26 23:22:03 cgd Exp $	*/

/*
 * Copyright (c) 1992 Regents of the University of California.
 * All rights reserved.
 *
 * This software was developed by the Computer Systems Engineering group
 * at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory under DARPA contract BG 91-66 and
 * contributed to Berkeley.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
 * are met:
 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
 *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
 *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 * 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
 *    must display the following acknowledgement:
 *	This product includes software developed by the University of
 *	California, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and its contributors.
 * 4. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors
 *    may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
 *    without specific prior written permission.
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
 * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
 * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
 * ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
 * FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
 * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
 * OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
 * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
 * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
 * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 * SUCH DAMAGE.
 */

/* XXX defines we can't easily get from system includes */
#define	PMAPPORT		111
#define	PMAPPROG		100000
#define	PMAPVERS		2
#define	PMAPPROC_NULL		0
#define	PMAPPROC_SET		1
#define	PMAPPROC_UNSET		2
#define	PMAPPROC_GETPORT	3
#define	PMAPPROC_DUMP		4
#define	PMAPPROC_CALLIT		5

/* RPC functions: */
ssize_t	rpc_call __P((struct iodesc *, n_long, n_long, n_long,
		     void *, size_t, void *, size_t));
void	rpc_fromaddr __P((void *, struct in_addr *, u_short *));
int	rpc_pmap_getcache __P((struct in_addr, u_int, u_int));
void	rpc_pmap_putcache __P((struct in_addr, u_int, u_int, int));

extern int rpc_port;	/* decrement before bind */

/*
 * How much space to leave in front of RPC requests.
 * In 32-bit words (alignment) we have:
 * 12: Ether + IP + UDP + padding
 *  6: RPC call header
 *  7: Auth UNIX
 *  2: Auth NULL
 */
#define	RPC_HEADER_WORDS 28


text:
Kailas|	13/04/2015| Sound
Red Ink and Difficult Happiness [Beth Hart]
This has been the most difficult, the most scary experience I've had writing and making a record and I know why. It's because I was scared.
FBI, Drink, Drugs, Young Fame and times in the wilderness.
The headlines of Beth Hart's life are there, written in red ink, screaming blues clichés that fill column inches in gutter rags and are the prison kissing cousins to every downtimer's midnight playlist. She sings it so true, our own filing cabinet of fucked loves and failings are released when we hear her intense soul punch the walls of however we're holding it together.
Hart makes albums that water the down-country of her many ardent fans. The blues, rock, soul, pop hinterland has a been comprehensively covered by a myriad of artists and despite the die hard dosh it comes back to the question: do we really need another modern blues record that chases idiom and puts originality in a very tight 12 bar cage? No, we don't. Beth Hart isn't going to give us one either.
Released on April 13th Better Than Home is a new direction, one which embraces a new perspective both for fans of her work and for admirers of the more unusual avenues in the suburban sprawl of contemporary blues-based music. It's not off the map but rather takes the driver down a new stretch of road, with the aim of connecting us with positivity without the plastic platitudes or fast-food for the soul so beloved by light jazz and (puke) six string teenage confessionals.
Reclining in a London hotel foyer, Trebuchet approached Beth with caution. She's a big presence. She's intense, fills a room, and has a mercurial quality that might not necessarily go your way. Settling back into a corner chair, Trebuchet turned the recorder and moved closer to the topic 'Why does the 'up' of this new record sound like such a right turn from her usual style?'
Beth Hart: I didn't really realise what was going on in terms of coming from a writer's perspective until we did the difficult job of choosing from the 40-plus songs that I turned over to the producers that eventually became the record. I knew what they wanted from me a year and half ago, they had really done their homework in terms of past records I had done (Rob Mathes and Michael Stevens) and after seeing me at the Kennedy Honours with Jeff Beck.
It first started with them wanting me to do a soul blues record of covers, because I had done a soul/blues songs for the event. But then they listened to my past records and came across what they saw as the strongest thing I had to offer: confessional songs, singer/songwriter stuff when I sit behind the piano, when I'm not screaming the rock and roll and when I'm not doing the blues/soul thing. Where I'm just doing those personal songs.
Now, at that stage I had gotten away from those sorts of songs… which was really nice. I had gotten away from them during my California record, which was a lot about demons and a lot about struggle and I was sick of feeling it and talking about it. It had become exhausting.
So when I came across Joe Bonamassa and we did a couple of cover records together it was just so much fun. So I wrote the Bang Bang Boom Boom record, which was my trying to write in that fun direction and digging into figuring out how to play jazz songs, how to write jazz songs and do more blues stuff.
So from that to Rob and Mike saying 'No no no! We want to go back to this and dig even deeper to look at really what's going on in your life at the present instead of going into what was going in your past', I just didn't think I could do. I didn't think it would be any good. I had written in a certain way for so long, in terms of a narrative and in terms of a lyric, and so to take me out of my comfort zone and to challenge me to really look at the good was really scary.
Not only because I didn't know it would be able to do it in a way that would communicate and connect with others, but also because I had got so used to writing from a place of pain that I realise that you don't have to fall from pain. You're already down. But you can fall from your joy and your faith, your 'up' and also you don't get to hide when you're up, you have to be responsible.
I read a quote by Ghandi and he spoke about the difficulty of happiness compared to pain, and how much more work it is to be happy as opposed to being sad.
I thought, wow that is so cool. So despite kicking and screaming, instead of telling Rob and Mike to go fuck themselves I said OK.
I think this is the upside to having mental illness and knowing what I have to deal with in my head is that, instead of me saying 'This is my gut instinct and I'm sticking to it and I'm not going to do it and that's it' I can let myself be doubtful in some ways. I'm aware of my illness and if your head doesn't always work so well, or even properly, then it's sometimes a good thing to question yourself and try something else that someone else is suggesting for you. So I propelled myself forward and sent them so much material as well as saying 'Let's try some jazz, let's try some blues, let's do some whatever' and they would come back with 'Oh not that's not what we're talking about, don't go hiding' and so on. But at some point they finally said 'We've got it. We've got the material. Good on you, we're proud of you'. However, when we went to make the record it was even scarier.
If people rejected the record I didn't have anyone to blame it on and I didn't have anything to hide behind. I couldn't say 'Oh it's because my influences came from this or that artist' or, as with my past records, the genre bending allowed me to hide too. Instead of that I stood in one place, with one voice with one message about how I was feeling and having that voice being the music and obviously the narrative behind it. It was – oh man.
In the end it was only seven days in the studio but it was a lot of writing for over a year and a half and when they turned in the (pre) mix I hated it. I hated it so much I ended up hurting myself and went back into hospital. I just freaked out.
It was after so many years of writing and having a certain perspective and then being on medicine and having a husband and being sober for 14 years (I have my slips) and praying and getting close to god. So instead of feeling all this confidence I was out of my comfort zone and this is a wonderful place to be, but I was afraid of it, and I think that's why I hurt myself.
So when I got out they had (final) mixed it and when I heard it, I was all ready to hate it. I was on tour and I had my headphones in and I couldn't wait to hate it and call them 'We're not putting this out' (laughs). You know?, any reason, and then my manager David (I've been with him 20 years) said to me: 'So, what do you think?'
I turned to him and said 'This doesn't suck. This is beautiful. I can get behind this. I can learn from this.'
I think that that is proof that when you write it's not you. Whether you want to call it God or the angels or your subconscious or whatever, but that you already have the answers. It came through in the writing and now after all this I've never enjoyed promoting a record like this. I've enjoyed it so much, it has changed me as a writer. I'm enjoying going down this path that I fought like crazy to avoid going down. It's so nice to sing these songs or listen to the record and hear the part of me that really has faith in life and in love, in family and in husband and in myself. And that is so different for me.
NEW ALBUM 'BETTER THAN HOME'
RELEASED 13TH APRIL 2015
PROVOGUE/MASCOT LABEL GROUP
UK Tour Dates.
Thurs 30 April Cheltenham Jazz Festival – Tickets
Fri 1 May Colston Hall, BRISTOL – Tickets
Sun 3 May Philharmonic Hall, LIVERPOOL – Tickets
Weds 6 May O2 ABC, GLSAGOW – Tickets
Fri 8 May Barbican, LONDON – Tickets
Sat 9 May O2 Academy, LEEDS – Tickets
Mon 11 May Corn Exchange, CAMBRIDGE – Tickets
Weds 13 May Rock City, NOTTINGHAM – Tickets
Beth Hart Website
Beth Hart Facecbook
Beth Hart Twitter
Beth Hart Youtube
Beth Hart Instagram
Editor, founder, fan.
Beth Hart blues country Interviews jazz rock
Charging out: Dataflame's costly domain transfer fees
Faith No More UK Dates Announced
Poetry in the Precision: Jordan Ann Craig
Walking Jazz in Soho
IN-FLO-RES-CENCE: Music as an Art Object


Some might say she is inspired by 15-year-old activist Malala Yousafzai, who was the victim of one of the many attacks on hundreds of schools in the northwest region of Pakistan — simply due to the fact that Taliban militants oppose girls' education. While appropriately dressed in a concealing and ninja-like burka to hide her true identity, the Burka Avenger is a passionate schoolteacher named Jiya by day, who also happens to fight the town's thugs and politicians who are on the prowl to shut down the girl's school in which she works.
Unlike the costumes we normally see on female superheroes in the West, the choice to dress the first female superhero in a black burka is sure to raise questions and oppositions due to the history and stigma associated with wearing a piece of clothing that has been forced upon women when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in the 1900s.
In the short trailer presented on the website, opening scenes introduce the town of Halwapur, Pakistan, a fictional town that is presented with citizens who are bursting with energy and life. This harmony is disturbed when a corrupt politician named Vadero Pajero and an evil magician named Baba Bandook, whose long beard insinuates a resemblance to the Taliban, aim to shut down the girls' school in Halwapur. The scene cuts to thugs who are advancing on young children with threatening hand gestures until you see a figure in black jumping from the top of a building — you might even think it's Batman! But it's the Burqa Avenger, who uses her martial arts skills as well as books and pencils as her weapons to fight against the evil that has been brought to her town.
It is obvious that the targeted audience is not a Western one but it caters to specifically Muslim/Desi and mainly Pakistani audience. This refusal to cater to the Western gaze makes this show unique due to the fact that this is meant to inspire and encourage Pakistani youth, especially young girls to fight for what they believe in and their education in a time where Taliban members have went as far as shooting young women for attending school. Through this family friendly cartoon, it is made obvious that many citizens in Pakistan do not agree with the extremist ideas and fear that the Taliban instills.
This narrative challenges the presumptions under which imperial feminism operates because of how Muslim women are often portrayed in the media and through Western feminist groups such as FEMEN. The fact that Muslim Pakistani women are empowered and able to take matters into their own hands means that they are able to find strength and their own feminist ideals by turning a piece of clothing that has been used to oppress women into a source for their own empowerment. It also dismantles this nothing of a foreign savior or intervention being needed in order to liberate these women because the Burka Avenger is able to save herself as well as inspire young women in her city by helping take back the young girls' school.
The "Burka Avenger" is set to premiere on Geo TV in the next few weeks in early August, this family friendly show is a lighthearted action-comedy cartoon with lessons to offer each episode. In a music video featuring the voice of creator Haroon Rashid and local rap star Adil Omar, they sing praise and warn evildoers to take caution of the Burka Avenger, while standing in front of a pair of colorfully Pakistani trucks traditionally decorated with lights.


text:
« NIH Funds Natural Hearing Restoration Technology
Technology is Shaping the Future of Business Travel »
FDA Chief Calls Teen Vaping an "Epidemic"
Scott Gottlieb at Brookings Institution, 19 March 2019 (A. Kotok)
20 Mar. 2019. The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration warned that the sharp rise in teen electronic cigarette use is an epidemic threatening the public health. Scott Gottlieb made the remarks in an interview yesterday at the Brookings Institution, a public policy think tank in Washington,. D.C.
Gottlieb, in his last few weeks as FDA's commissioner, used the word "epidemic" several times to describe the recent increases in electronic cigarette use, also known as vaping, among teenagers. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are battery-powered nicotine delivery devices, that heat a liquid containing nicotine, moisturizing and flavoring agents, as well as preservatives and artificial coloring. Makers of e-cigarettes often market the devices as safer alternatives to tobacco-burning cigarettes and sometimes as a technique to help tobacco smokers quit conventional cigarettes.
But findings from the most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey, released in November 2018, show the number of e-cigarette users in high school rose 78 percent to more than 3 million, or about 21 percent of all high school students, since the last survey in 2017. Even among middle school students, e-cigarette smoking jumped by 48 percent in the past year to 570,000 or about 5 percent of all middle school students. The report also shows rising combustible tobacco use among high school and even middle school students, after years of continuous declines.
"All the gains made against youth tobacco use over the years," noted Gottlieb, "will be reversed by these products." While acknowledging that some evidence shows e-cigarettes can help current smokers quit their conventional cigarettes, that's far outweighed by the marked increases in teen use of e-cigarettes and upticks in combustible tobacco. In fact, said Gottlieb, the law requires giving more weight to stopping adolescent smoking. And while tobacco companies agreed to take their flavored products — considered inducements for younger smokers — off the shelves, Gottlieb called a meeting held last week with tobacco company executives "difficult."
Another difficult issue for FDA was the U.S. government funding impasse and shutdown, which included FDA for much of that period. Gottlieb called the shutdown, "the largest operational challenge in our history," but has not seen long-term negative effects from it, at least not yet. With a separate funding stream from user fees, FDA was able to keep up its schedule of high-risk inspections, but Gottlieb acknowledged overall inspections were down 5 to 10 percent.
Other questions posed by interviewer Anna Edney, health policy reporter at Bloomberg, included prospects for cannabidiol, or CBD, -based products before FDA. The latest farm bill that passed Congress in December 2018 legalized growing of hemp with low concentrations, less than 0.3 percent, of THC, the high-producing chemical in cannabis. The legislation still puts restrictions on growing non-intoxicating hemp, but CBD from hemp grown under those restrictions is no longer considered a controlled substance. Gottlieb said an agency working group is now reviewing the legislation, but because there are no products with CBD now in the food supply, it will take "highly novel rule-making" to establish a regulatory framework for these products.
One disappointment for Gottlieb is the slow growth in the use of so-called biosimilar therapies. Biosimilars are engineered replacements for original branded biologic drugs, and not one-to-one chemical substitutes like generic drugs. As a result, biosimilars are more complex and must show they are interchangeable with the branded drugs they seek to replace. Gottlieb said biosimilars face headwinds from larger rebates offered by makers of branded biologics, as well as physicians who have more experience with the original biologics. He urged payers and health plans to "take a long view" with biosimilars, and look past the immediate rebates to more price competition that biosimilars can provide.
Gottlieb announced his resignation as FDA commissioner on 5 March because of the long periods of time away from his family, including 3 young children, who live in Connecticut. He said his last day will be 5 April, and feels "very good about the inflection point FDA is at." Gottlieb added that, "It will be hard to walk away from this job."
Commentary – Scott Gottlieb's Legacy
FDA Drafts Brain-Computer Device Regulatory Guidance
FDA Approves 25 Precision Meds in 2018
Shutdown Delays FDA Peanut Allergy Drug Review
Start-up Funds Univ. Medical Cannabis Research
Regulations agriculture, biomedical, biotechnology, FDA, health care, medical device, pharmaceuticals, special


It seems like just the other day that Reddit finally banned a handful of its most hateful and deplorable subreddits, including r/coontown and r/fatpeoplehate. The move was, at the time, derided by some as pointless, akin to shooing criminals away from one neighborhood only to trouble another. But a new study shows that, for Reddit at least, it has had lasting positive effects.
The policing of hate speech online has become a flash point for many a flame war, these past few months especially, as white nationalists, neo-nazis and others with abhorrent but strictly speaking quite legal viewpoints struggle with being banned repeatedly from the internet's biggest platforms.
The practice has led sites like StormFront to seek shelter at dismal ports like off-brand hosts and small social networks pitching their tolerance of certain types of free speech being "censored" by others. It's an example of one of the objections made to the idea of banning troublesome users or communities: they'll just go elsewhere, so why bother?
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology took this question seriously, as until someone actually investigates whether such bans are helpful, harmful or some mix thereof, it's all speculation. So they took a major corpus of Reddit data (compiled by PushShift.io) and examined exactly what happened to the hate speech and purveyors thereof, with the two aforementioned subreddits as case studies.
Essentially they looked at the thousands of users that made up CT and FPH (as they call them) and quantified their hate speech usage. They then compared this pre-ban data to the same users post-ban: how much hate speech they produced, where they "migrated" to (i.e. duplicate subreddits, related ones, etc.) and whether "invaded" subreddits experienced spikes in hate speech as a result. Control groups were created by observing the activity of similar subreddits that weren't banned.
Migration was common, both to similar subreddits (i.e. overtly racist ones) and tangentially related ones (r/The_Donald).
Of course, it's not so simple as all that. Naturally, many of the users who previously spewed racial slurs at CT just moved over to Gab or Voat, where their behavior is proudly fostered. But the point of the bans at Reddit wasn't to eliminate racism; it was to discourage it on the platform. To that end, it accomplished its goal (I've asked Reddit what it thinks of the study and its conclusions). And similar strategies may work for other platforms.
The question of how to to combat racism and hatred at large is one that is really too much for a major platform like Reddit or even Google or Facebook. The best they can hope to do is strike at it when and where it appears. But as ineffective as that might seem, it worked for Reddit and it may work elsewhere: bigotry is easy and those who cherish it are lazy. Make it difficult and many people may find it more trouble than it's worth to harass, shame, and otherwise abuse online those different from themselves.