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Cuomo: No Classroom Summer School Across New York State
maroke
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it's too early to tell if students will return to the classroom in the fall. He also doesn't recommend sending children to summer camps.
On Thursday during his COVID-19 briefing, Cuomo said 105 New Yorkers died since his last update.
He said there are 157 cases of the new rare illness in New York children that is likely linked to COVID-19. The inflammatory virus has killed a number of New York children, according to Cuomo.
"This inflammatory symptom is more scary that COVID, in some ways, because it inflames the heart," Cuomo said. "In one week we doubled the number of countries that found it and doubled the number of states that found it."
Stay Informed: CDC Website About Coronavirus
He then announced all schools will remain closed through the summer.
"Summer school is not going to open statewide for in-class teaching," Cuomo said during his briefing. "To reduce the risk of spread, summer school this year will be conducted through distance learning. Meal programs and child care services for essential employees will continue."
He said its still way too early to determine if schools will reopen in the fall. The state will release guidelines to schools next month so officials can start to plan for a number of scenarios for the fall. He wants districts to review those guidelines and submit plans on how to reopen safely to the state in July.
Cuomo also said, as a parent, he wouldn't send his child to summer camps, until more is known about the rare disease in children.
State officials are reviewing guidelines for summer camps.
"Before we go ahead and say we want to open more places where children can congregate" we want to make sure kids are safe," New York State Divison of Budget Director Robert Mujica said during the briefing.
Cuomo also announced that Rockland County hospitals are now eligible to have elective surgeries.
He said the New York State Contract Traciing program is up and running. He added if your caller ID says "New York State Contact Tracing" it's not a spam call and you should pick up and take what you are told very seriously.
"Each of us plays a role as we go forward," he said. "What happens next depends on what we do."
NYC Residents Moving to HV Tops This Week's Hudson Valley News


3 Herb and Arugula Salad is a vibrant salad with fresh herbs, peppery arugula, simple vinaigrette, and crunch from fried cashews! The recipe is naturally gluten-free, it can be adapted for vegans as well. Serve as a side salad or a refreshing lunch.
I made this 3 Herb and Arugula Salad adapted from NY Times Soft Herb Salad Recipe for Galentine's Brunch and seemed like everyone loved it. I use that recipe roughly as a base and switch herbs, nuts, & vinaigrette seasonally and it's always a surprising burst of flavors and texture explosion in my mouth. Unlike regular lettuce-based salad, this one is light with herbs, it's got lovely crunch from fried cashews, and everything is married well with simple vinaigrette.
We start the salad by rinsing (in cold water), cleaning and drying our greens. It's a little finicky task but well-worth your time. Use a salad spinner or leave greens on a clean kitchen towel to absorb excess moisture. Do not rush this step otherwise, you will end up with limpy greens which nobody wants. You can most definitely do this ahead of time and keep your greens in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
I love this salad mostly because of cashews. Not just any cashews but butter-fried cashews until golden brown! It takes the salad to a whole another level. Trust me on this one.
Roasted and thinly sliced beets were a last minute decision to compliment the Galentine Brunch theme (red and all you know) but they work well with greens and herbs so they are here to stay. For the greens, I am using arugula but if it's too peppery and bitter for your taste, spinach is a good alternate.
Like most salads, there are really no hard and fast rules here; I want you to be inspired by seasonal herbs, greens of your choice, and fry nuts in butter and enjoy this salad with bright vinaigrette of your choice!
I served 3 Herb and Arugula Salad with Leek and Cheddar Frittata (stay tuned for the recipe) & Challah French Toast along with donuts from Funkytown Donuts in FW, parfait, banana nut bread, and of course mimosas! I had a blast putting together Galentine's Brunch and meeting old & new friends for a relaxing afternoon.
Fill a large bowl with ice cold water and gently rinse all the greens.
se a salad spinner to remove all the moisture. Alternatively, use a large clean kitchen towel to air-dry greens.
Meanwhile, heat a small pan with butter and fry cashews until golden brown.
Remove from heat and transfer cashews on a plate lined with paper towel.
Reserve the cooked butter as a part of the dressing for later.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
When ready, chop all the herbs and put them in a large bowl. Add arugula and beets into the bowl.
Add fried cashews on top and drizzle salad dressing and cooked butter on top.


Measure the intensity and duration of solar energy in a given location with this DIY monitor.
The insolation monitor's most important job will be helping you choose a suitable site at which to set up solar equipment.
The housing for the monitor is made entirely of acrylic plastic.
Since our society has (finally!) begun to make the transition into the solar age, it's become easy to acquire general information about the average intensity and duration of sunshine in different parts of the United States. What's more, we can now get very precise data on the efficiencies of solar collectors that have been tested under controlled laboratory conditions.
However, as would-be sun-energy users, we need numbers indicating the performance of solar systems that must work in environments which don't necessarily offer either perfect conditions or the exact amounts of sunlight predicted by the National Weather Service's estimates. In short, we need to know how the conditions in our backyards stack up against the area's averages, and how well we can expect devices forced to work in those surroundings to perform.
To answer those questions accurately, we have to take measurements. But that's been a good deal easier said than done, up until now. You see, MOTHER's solar insolation monitor, which costs a couple of hundred dollars less than a sophisticated solar pyrometer, will provide the information needed—though it's admittedly somewhat less accurate than more expensive laboratory instruments—concerning the daily duration of sunshine at a particular location, and it'll give an inkling of the sun's intensity, too.
This solar insolation monitor is easy both to understand and to build. The device consists of a solar generator (made up of several cells) and an electric quartz clock movement. When sunlight impacts the surface of the photovoltaic generator, electricity is produced and fed directly to the clock. By setting the hands to "high noon" (12 o'clock) before the sun rises, and then reading the elapsed time indicated by the hands at the end of the day, you can get a true reading of the number of sun-hours during one diurnal cycle.
Furthermore, to account for differences in solar intensity, a small resistor is placed across the leads coming from the photovoltaic generator. The resistor puts a load on the photovoltaic cells, which in turn drags down the voltage somewhat. Unless the intensity of the light is above a certain level, there won't be enough power to run the clock, so those "weak sun" hours won't be recorded.
Because the insolation monitor is dependent upon photovoltaic cells, it's probably best suited to simulating a solar electric system's potential performance. The data you generate with the instrument can, however, be used to determine the practicality of solar collectors that will heat water or air, as well.
The housing for the monitor is made entirely of acrylic plastic (plexiglass is one commonly available example of this type of material), as illustrated in the diagram. I began with a single-strength sheet (0.080 inch thick) of the type that's normally used as a storm window covering and can be purchased from just about any hardware store. Cut the plastic pane (using a saber saw fitted with a fine-toothed blade) into several sections: two pieces that each measure 4" × 4 3/4", one that's 4" × 4", and another measuring 5 3/4" × 5 3/4". (Be sure to use a slow speed when drilling or sawing any thermoplastic, to avoid melting the material around the tool.) The 5-3/4"-square section should then be cut in half diagonally to yield two right triangles.
Next, drill a 3/8" hole through the center of the 4" square. You can dress the edges of the hole with a small rat-tail file, a tapered reamer, or a larger drill bit held in your hand.
The shaft of the clock movement fits through the 3/8" opening, so you'll have to remove the hands (and the face, if it has one) to fit it to the 4" square. (A quartz clock movement should be available from most arts and crafts stores, or you can order one from Klockit. Order model Q-70.) You may also wish to add a manufactured clock face to your timer. However, I simply drilled twelve 1/8" indents, arranged in a circle around the shaft, to indicate the hours.
Now, glue all the plastic parts together, using the exploded drawing as a guide. Although acrylic cement is probably the best adhesive for the job, you may have a little trouble finding any (I did). If so, Duco cement—or one of the cyanoacrylate glues—will have to do. I recommend that you secure the rectangular pieces to only one triangular side at a time, then attach the other side as the final step. This will allow you to align the parts more easily, and it'll also prevent glue from being smeared by parts that slip during assembly.
You'll notice that the wires on the photovoltaic unit are bare and thus are not color coded. Take the one that originates from the light-sensitive side of the chip and solder it to the negative (-) battery contact on the clock. The other wire, which comes from the back of the solar generator, should be connected to the positive (+) battery terminal. (If you're at all confused about which wire is which, check the instructions that come with the solar cell.) Finally, solder a 220-ohm resistor (Radio Shack part number 271-015) between the two battery terminals.
MOTHER's insolation monitor is designed to perform a number of tasks, but its most important job will be helping you choose a suitable site at which to set up solar equipment. And, though there are several different ways to go about checking the available insolation at a given spot, I've gotten the quickest results using the procedure that follows.
First, find a promising location and set up your monitor so that it faces south. Because you'll probably be doing this early in the morning, you'll need a compass to determine the orientation. (Don't forget to correct for the variation between magnetic and true north!) You'll also want to shim the monitor housing to angle the device to suit your latitude and needs. When the solar cell is lying flat, the incident angle of the sunlight is 45°, which is about right for many locations in the continental U.S. However, you can increase the angle (for higher latitudes or winter use) by raising the back of the monitor, or reduce it (for lower latitudes or summer operation) by adding material under the front edge.
Now, just set the clock's hands at noon, and let it run all day. In the evening, or first thing in the morning, record the number of hours that have elapsed and reset the hands for the next day's session. The more days you can take readings for a particular site, the more accurate your measurements will be. By repeating the procedure for the same period of time at several different locations, a pattern will begin to emerge. Some spots will prove to be very obviously unsuitable, while you'll be able to carefully compare those that have good potential. Who knows, the garage roof may prove to be best of all, even though that tree obscures the sun until 10:00 AM!
Once you've picked a site, you can go on to use your solar insolation monitor to estimate the performance you'll be able to expect from a given solar collector. To do so, permanently install the monitor at the location, and measure the solar hours over an extended period. In this instance, it's easiest just to let the device be a cumulative counter. That is, simply note the reading each day without resetting the dial, and count the number of revolutions the hour hand makes during your study.
This procedure will allow you to predict what a solar energy system of a given size will be able to do for you, so you can expand or trim the square footage of your planned unit to match your demands. Then again, don't hesitate to experiment with different altitude angles (the height above the horizon) and headings east or west of true . Keep in mind that every solar site is unique.
And, of course, you could make the solar monitor just for fun: to keep tabs on the sunlight in your area, to measure the south length of the day or simply to create a unique science fair project. If nothing else, you can amaze your friends with your battery-less daytime patio clock!


Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2019-04-21 03:10:51 EDT and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on http://www.amazon.com/ at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
For Aprilaire model 560, 560A, 568. Includes feed tube with installed orifice, strainer, compression nut with ferule. Feed tube length approximately 29-1/4 Long.


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CASE IV:
Four-year-old Aberdeen Angus cow, bovine (Bos taurus taurus)
A four-year-old Angus cow presented a clinical history of neurologic signs, which included aggressiveness and isolation from the herd, anorexia, depression and ataxia. Antibiotic treatment (doxycycline) was administered for three days; nonetheless, the clinical condition progressed, and after five days paddling movements, opisthotonus and lateral decubitus were noted. Euthanasia was elected, and the entire head was shipped to the laboratory by the field veterinarian. The referred cow was one of 300 beef cattle that were managed in a cow-calf operation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The animals were kept in flooded pastures, in a paddock of irrigated rice stubble.
Grossly, the leptomeninges covering the brain, especially the ventral surfaces of the mesencephalon and rhombencephalon presented multifocal, severely thickened dark red areas. Furthermore, the right olfactory bulb showed a soft well-demarcated grayish area of 2.5 cm in diameter. Similar areas, ranging from 0.5 to 2 cm in diameter were noted bilaterally in the piriform lobes, right hippocampus, frontal lobe cortex and fornix. The remaining organs were not available for evaluation.
Brain sections were processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC), to search for Acanthamoeba spp., Balamuthia spp. and Naegleria spp., as previously described.1 The amoebae stained positively for Naegleria fowleri through IHC, while immunostaining for Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia spp. was negative.
The submitted slides present one section of brain (piriform lobe or mesencephalon), and some slides also display choroid plexus sections. In the brain, there is a focally extensive, well-demarcated area of marked necrosis, surrounded by a halo of severe inflammatory infiltrate of viable and degenerate neutrophils, fewer foamy macrophages (gitter cells), lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils and rare multinucleated giant cells. The referred inflammatory cells are also noted scattered within the necrotic area, mainly in perivascular regions, markedly expanding Virchow-Robin spaces, as well as extending and moderately expanding the adjacent leptomeninges.
A large number of round to oval amoebic trophozoites measuring around 12 to 15 µm in diameter were seen within the necrotic areas, around and within blood vessels, both in the wall and in the lumen, frequently forming clusters with numerous organisms. These amoebae had abundant granular and pale eosinophilic cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei measuring approximately 3 µm in diameter and had a single 1 to 2 µm hyperchromatic karyosome. The nuclei were surrounded by a clear thin halo.
Furthermore, marked multifocal fibrinoid necrosis and hyalinization of blood vessel walls, characterized by accumulation of amorphous proteinaceous material and inflammatory infiltrate of neutrophils, was noted within the necrotic area. Thrombosis was frequently observed in vessels showing fibrinoid necrosis hyalinization. Moreover, multifocal moderate inflammatory infiltrate comprised predominantly by lymphocytes, plasma cells and fewer neutrophil was noted in the neuropil adjacent to the necrotic area. Similar inflammatory infiltrate was also observed markedly and diffusely expanding the choroid plexus.
In addition to the piriform lobes, similar demarcated lesions were noted affecting both the white and grey matter of the right olfactory bulb, frontal brain cortex, thalamus, mesencephalon, and hippocampus. In the cerebellum, the leptomeninges and Virchow-Robins spaces were diffusely and markedly expanded by a similar inflammatory infiltrate described in the piriform lobe. Furthermore, multifocal areas of severe hemorrhage were seen in the neuropil, as well as multifocal areas of gliosis, which were also noted in the brainstem.
Contributor's Morphologic Diagnoses:
Necrotizing and pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis, marked, focally extensive, acute, associated with severe multifocal thrombosis, vasculitis and numerous amoebic trophozoites. Lymphohistiocytic and neutrophilic choroid plexitis, acute, marked, diffuse.
Contributor's Comment:
Free-living ameboflagellates of the genera Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia and Naegleria have been associated with disease in people and animals.1,2,4,5,6,7 N. fowleri infection is known to cause a rare entity called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.3 Most cases of this condition have been reported in people, and the majority of the cases have been described in the USA.8 This protozoon reaches the brain through the olfactory nerve10 causing a highly fatal disease that is restricted to the central nervous system, frequently in immunocompetent individuals.10
N. fowleri is a widely distributed thermophilic free-living amoeba that is commonly found in fresh and hot water.12 The drinking water has been suggested as a potential source of infection in previous reports of N. fowleri infection in cattle.2 In the present case, amoebae were not searched in the environment and sources of water; however, it is plausible to think that the epidemiological characteristics present on the farm, including high temperatures and the use of pastures in seasonally flooded areas, may have contributed to the occurrence of the disease.
After invading the nasal mucosa, N. fowleri is believed to reach the encephalon through the olfactory nerve, consequently causing initial damage to the rhinencephalon.12 The initial lesion is frequently observed as an area of encephalic softening located in the olfactory bulb, and is most commonly unilateral.2 After this initial lesion, N. fowleri tends to spread and cause disseminated lesions in the brain.2
Histologic findings were characterized by severe vascular lesions, including vasculitis and thrombosis. In the present case, these seemed to be caused by direct damage induced by N. fowleri, since great numbers of parasites were observed within the wall of blood vessel, associated with necrosis and neutrophilic inflammation. The referred vascular lesions may have preceded the marked necrotic changes observed, since the latter were interpreted to be the result of infarction, associated with direct damage induced by tissue spread of these agents. Histological visualization of amoebic trophozoites may be challenging.2 Frequently these amoebas may resemble foamy macrophages in areas of suppurative inflammation and necrosis.2 Thus, immunohistochemistry is crucial for establishing the diagnosis, as well as to distinguish these organisms from other amoebas, which are important differential diagnosis in such cases, including Acanthamoeba sp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris.1
Faculdade de Veterinária
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Setor de Patologia Veterinária
http://www.ufrgs.br/patologia
Cerebrum: Vasculitis and meningoencephalitis, necrotizing, multifocal, severe, with thrombosis and numerous amebic trophozoites.
The contributor provides an excellent review of Naeglaria fowleri, one of several mitochondria-bearing, free-living eukaryotic amebae, in addition to Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris, each known to cause infection of the central nervous system (CNS) of humans and other animals.14 Knowledge that free-living amoebae are capable of causing human disease dates back more than 50 years, prior to which time they were regarded as harmless soil organisms or, at most, commensals of mammals.12 In humans, several species of the genus Acanthamoeba cause an insidious and chronic disease, granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE), principally in immunocompromised hosts, including those infected with HIV/AIDS. Balamuthia mandrillaris causes GAE in both immunocompromised and immune-competent hosts, mostly in very young or very old individuals. In addition, both etiologies may cause disseminated disease in the lungs, skin, kidneys, and/or uterus. In contrast, N. fowleri causes an acute and fulminating, necrotizing infection of the CNS known as primary amebic meningo-encephalitis (PAM). Children and young adults with history of exposure to warm fresh water are most often affected by PAM.14
As described by the contributor, N. fowleri's route of infection is via direct penetration of the olfactory neuroepithelium via the rhinocerebral route. Upon reaching the olfactory bulb, N. fowleri elicits a significant immune response through activation of the innate immune system, including macrophages and neutrophils. The parasite enters the body in the trophozoite form, which has special structures known as food cups. These structures allow the normally free-living organism to ingest bacteria and fungi, but also tissue of parasitized hosts. In addition, the pathogenicity of N. fowleri is dependent upon the release of cytolytic molecules, including acid hydrolases, phospholipases, neuraminidases, and phospholipolytic enzymes which contribute toward host cell and nerve destruction. The combination of the pathogenicity of N. fowleri and the intense immune response resulting from its presence results in significant nerve damage and subsequent CNS tissue damage, which often results in death.3
Other free-living amoeba may also gain entry to the brain via the rhinocerebral route, however, hematogenous spread following primary lung or skin infection is thought to be more common. An example of this was suggested following a retrospective review of five cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis in gorillas and other old world primates at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park between 1965 and 1995 caused by B. mandrillaris. Although the route of infection was unknown, the lack of olfactory lobe involvement was inconsistent with the rhinocerebral route of infection.9
Another significant genus warranting discussion is Entamoeba. Species of this genus inhabit a range of invertebrates and vertebrates, often as commensals in the intestinal tract and less commonly as pathogens. Pathogenic species have an arsenal of virulence factors to enable tissue invasion, including lectins for attachment to intestinal epithelium, mechanisms to cause cytotoxicity of epithelial cells (including induction of apoptosis), secretion of "amoebapore" proteins to lyse cells, a vast array of cysteine proteinases to degrade extracellular matrix, oxygen detoxification mechanisms to allow deep invasion, and finally, various tools to evade the host immune response. E. histolytica, one of the most well-known species of this genus, causes serious disease in primates and is the etiologic agent of human amoebic dysentery, a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the third world. Another well-known species is E. invadens, which variably affects captive reptiles. In snakes it may be either innocuous or cause severe necrotizing enterohepatitis whereas in turtles it is generally a commensal. Finally, E. ranarum, is rarely associated with intestinal or hepatic disease in captive amphibians.10
Although amebae were typically readily visible with standard HE staining, periodic acid?Schiff reaction (PAS), readily stains the glycogen-laden cytoplasm and can be a useful tool for their identification.10
1. Benterki MS, Ayachi A, Bennoune O, Régoudis E, Pélandakis M. Meningoencephalitis due to the amoeboflagellate Naegleria fowleri in ruminants in Algeria. Parasite 2016; 23(11): 1-4.
2. Daft BM, Visvesvara GS, Read DH, Kinde H, Uzal FA, Manzer MD. Seasonal meningoencephalitis in Holstein cattle caused by Naegleria fowleri. J Vet Diagn Invest 2005; 17:605-609.
3. Grace E, Asbill S, Virga K. Naegleria fowleri: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015;59(11):6677-6681.
4. Jonckheere JFD. Origin and evolution of the worldwide distributed pathogenic amoeboflagellate Naegleria fowleri. Infect Genet Evol 2011; 11: 1520-28.
5. Lozano-Alarcón F, Bradley GA, Houser BS, Visvesvara GS. Primary amebic meningoencephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri in a South American tapir. Vet Pathol 1997; 34(3):239-43.
6. Martinez AJ, Visvesvara GS. Free-living, amphizoic and opportunistic amebas. Brain Pathol 1997; 7:583-598.
7. Morales JA, Chaves AJ, Visvesvara GS, Dubey JP. Naegleria fowleri-associated encephalitis in a cow from Costa Rica. Vet Parasitol 2006; 139:221-223.
8. Pimentel LA, Dantas AFM, Uzal F, Riet-Correa F. Meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri in cattle of northeast Brazil. Res Vet Sci 2012; 93:811-812.
9. Rideout BA, Gardiner CH, Stalis IH, Zuba JR, Hadfield T, Visvesvara GS. Fatal infections with Balamuthia mandrillaris (a free-living amoeba) in gorillas and other Old World primates. Vet Pathol. 1997;34(1):15-22.
10. Schuster FL, Visvesvara GS. Free-living amoebae as opportunistic and non-opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. Intern J Parasitol 2004; 34:1001-1027.
11. Shilton CM, ?lapeta J, Shine R, Brown GP. Pathology Associated With an Outbreak of Entamoebiasis in Wild Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) in Tropical Australia. Vet Pathol. 2019;56(6):921-931.
12. Schuster FL, Visvesvara GS. Free-living amoebae as opportunistic and non-opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. Int J Parasitol. 2004;34(9):1001-1027.
13. Siddiqui R, Ali IKM, Cope JR, Khan NA. Biology and pathogenesis of Naegleria fowleri. Acta Trop 2016; 164: 375-394.
14. Visvesvara GS. Infections with free-living amebae. Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;114:153-168.
04-1. Cerebrum, ox.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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HomeInsecurityWe Are Winning War Against Terrorism, Banditry And Other Criminal Activities - Buhari | CABLE REPORTERS
We Are Winning War Against Terrorism, Banditry And Other Criminal Activities - Buhari | CABLE REPORTERS
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, vowed that his administration is committed to ensuring that Nigeria remains one indivisible country no matter the challenges facing his government.
President Buhari, who was represented by Prof. Chinedu Nwajuba, a member of the NUC and former Vice-Chancellor of FUNAI, added that his administration is winning the war against terrorism and banditry among other criminal activities in the country.
"Nigeria is the only country we have, in respect of our ethnics, religious and cultural differences. My government will continue to do the needful to ensure that the country remains one. We are also winning the war against terrorism, banditry and all other forms of criminal activities.
"Our government will continue to ensure that citizens remain safe and their livelihood secured in every part of the country."


The slides  worked well, and I should have posted them long ago.
The BoF was very well attended and I would likely have been overwhelmed by all the ideas and suggestions were it not for a number of fellow UIUC folks (all part of the ALLVM team) who stepped up to take notes, handle the whiteboard, and help guide and answer questions.
This was also an opportunity to tell the community about ALLVM, which was well-enough received for a project still underway :).


The Landscape III Uluru Painting by Martina Roos Art is a brilliant painting that captures the ever-changing colours of the landscape as light reflects on the different surfaces and textures like a rich tapestry. It is an Acrylic mixed media painting on canvas in an abstract expressionist manner. To find out more about pricing contact the seller directly via Treniq.


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Scarlet E
The Tension in Free Expression
( roberthuffstutter/flickr )
Summary Transcript
BOB GARFIELD: From WNYC in New York, this is On the Media. Brooke Gladstone is on a reporting trip to Cairo this week. I'm Bob Garfield. Freedom of speech, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, sometimes has the vilest of consequences. It permits the Westboro Baptist Church to stage protests at military funerals, assailing grieving families with hate rants about homosexuality and American apostasy. In 1977, the Supreme Court ruled that the American Nazi Party had the right under the First Amendment to parade before Holocaust survivors in the predominantly Jewish Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois. Freedom of speech is why flag desecration is a lawful act, no matter how it may dishonor the sacrifices of those who fought and died under that banner. And two weeks ago, freedom of speech gave Florida Pastor Terry Jones license to set fire to a Quran in judgment of Islam's supposed crimes against God and man. And beginning last weekend came the consequences of that constitutionally protected act.
[SOUND OF CROWD]
MALE CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of Afghans filled Mazar-i-Sharif after Friday prayers, furious over news that pastors had burned a copy of the Quran.
MALE CORRESPONDENT: At least twelve people, including six United Nations staff, have been killed in an attack on a UN guesthouse.
MALE CORRESPONDENT: There's been further violence in Afghanistan, following the burning of a Quran in the U.S. last month. At least one person's been killed and eighteen injured in the third day of protests.
BOB GARFIELD: Some commentators blamed Terry Jones for intentionally enraging violent radicals who regard blasphemy as punishable by death. Some blamed Islam itself for barbaric notions of justice. Yet others looked no further than the First Amendment. This was South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking on CBS's Face the Nation.
LINDSEY GRAHAM: You know, I wish we could find some way to hold people accountable. Free speech is a great idea, but we're in a war.
BOB GARFIELD: Yeah, a perverse publicity stunt in Central Florida prompted a politician, who had spoken more than once about defending our freedoms, to float the idea of tinkering with one of the most uniquely American freedoms, the First Amendment. But in that regard, he is by no means alone. When the going gets tough, Americans have a tendency to treat the Bill of Rights like a luxury we cannot always afford. Andrew Kohut is president of the PEW Research Center for the People and the Press, whose polls consistently reveal the public's misgivings about the very principles that define our democracy. Andy, welcome back to OTM.
ANDREW KOHUT: Happy to be with you.
BOB GARFIELD: Outlawing Quran burning on incitement grounds makes sense to Lindsey Graham. Outlawing flag burning on blasphemy grounds makes sense to a lot of people. At various moments in recent history, a majority of Americans have been willing to add at least one big fat asterisk to the First Amendment, right?
ANDREW KOHUT: At least one, and probably more than one. The most famous is the broad support that we've seen for constitutional amendments that would make flag burning illegal. Back in 1989, 65 percent approved of this. That was at a time when this was very much a political issue. It was one in the '88 campaign. More recently - the last time we surveyed on this was the middle of the last decade – we had 54 percent favoring such an amendment.
BOB GARFIELD: Every few years, going back to 1994, PEW has polled Americans on whether they believe that, quote, "books containing dangerous ideas" should be banned from school libraries, and consistently a very sizeable minority has said, yeah, I'm down with that - book banning, no problem.
ANDREW KOHUT: Well, we get - in the most recent poll, which was only conducted last month, we get 57 percent saying, no, I don't favor book banning that contain dangerous ideas, but 39 percent say they favor this idea. And this is what we've seen over the course of the years. And now, this is akin to Americans saying, yes, you have freedom of expression, but yelling "Fire!" in a theater is just not appropriate.
BOB GARFIELD: I've noticed a kind of cognitive dissonance – I think that would be the nicest way I could phrase it – between our notion of going to war to protect our freedoms, a bit of rhetoric that is often mouthed, and Americans willing to suspend those [LAUGHING] very freedoms on the home front as a matter of national security. Has your polling given you any insight into the provenance of that kind of paradox?
ANDREW KOHUT: Well, you know, we've seen a lot of that in more concrete terms over the years since 9/11 when we've polled about restricting civil liberties versus protecting the country from another terrorist attack. We get large percentages of people saying that they think that at least some of the time torture can be justified to get information from terrorist suspects. We consistently found broad public support for the Bush administration's using warrantless wiretaps to gain information about terrorist suspects. When we ask people around the world, what do you think about Guantanamo, most publics, certainly publics in Western Europe and in the Muslim world, say that they disapprove of this. Most Americans do not - did not disapprove of Guantanamo. When the American public feels threatened, seriously threatened, it really goes on the warpath, and sometimes going on the warpath will involve suspension of these principles that are so central to the way we think about our democracy and our nation. There's a long record of Americans making these exceptions.
BOB GARFIELD: Andy, as always, thank you very, very much.
ANDREW KOHUT: Okay. Good to talk to you, Bob.
BOB GARFIELD: Andrew Kohut is president of the PEW Research Center for the People and the Press.
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Skillet rock sold-out Circle Drive-in show on a Friday night.
Sullivan King and Boogie T close out stacked back to back Pavement Raves
Smith & Myers of Shinedown go acoustic for the biggest Drive-In Series show yet.
Wakaan Pavement Rave Halloween Takeover Sells Out Scranton
Blackberry Smoke & Nick Perri turn it to '11' at Circle Drive-In
Exclusive Interivew | Brett Emmons of The Glorious Sons
Skillet | An Interview with John Cooper
Screams From A Black Wilderness: All Hail The Yeti's Connor Garritty on Inspiration Behind New Album
Billboard Hot 100 Festival : Lindsey Stirling
Ville Valo of HIM
Billboard Hot 100 Festival : Halsey
KISS' End of the Road Tour Part II
Cage The Elephant headline FuzzFest 2014 at Montage Mountain.
Artist Spotlight : Otherwise
Photo by Matt Christine Photography
Hailing from Las Vegas Nevada the rockers on the rise and good friends of Sight of Sound, Otherwise, stopped by the Chameleon Club in Lancaster a week back now to put on a very memorable show for the packed venue. Otherwise, being known for their incredible live shows, kicked 2015 off with the "From Birth to Burial" tour supporting 10 Years across the states.
The tour was very well received in all markets with a large portion of fans coming out each night just to see Otherwise, The Chameleon Club was no different as many fans in the crowd had their Otherwise gear on. Lancaster has always been a special market for the band as they drew a very large crowd the last time they came through supporting Filter.
Since then the band has cut out some negative influences and re-focused according to guitarist Ryan Patrick who talked with us prior to the show. Otherwise released their sophomore album late last year, "Peace At All Costs," and has been supporting it ever since. The first single off the album, "Darker Side of the Moon" charted 16th on the Active Rock Charts and their new single "Coming For The Throne" is currently climbing the charts right now, request it at your local radio station if you get the chance to. As stated Sight of Sound sat down with Ryan Patrick before the show to talk about a myriad of subjects including that new single, the tour, the career of Otherwise and more. Check out the conversation below :
Now normally there would have been two acts prior to Otherwise giving them a modest amount of time on stage but for reasons that I never found out an opener was unable to make it to the Chameleon Club show which meant the band was going to have a much longer time on stage. This meant the inclusion of songs like "Lighthouse" that don't always make the set, the Otherwise fans were certainly pleased with the extension of their set that night. Prior to the band taking the stage they gathered in the back in a circle as they prepared themselves for what was to take place that night, after a quick shout the huddle broke and they stormed the stage to assault the crowd with a relentless performance.
Having the over 21 crowd on the ground floor of the Chameleon Club instead of residing upstairs certainly gave this show a unique vibe and atmosphere that Otherwise was able to pick up on early on in their performance. Lead singer, Adrian Patrick, moved around the stage with an incredible amount of energy as he belted out each song flawlessly even as he hung off the stage at times giving fans the chance to sing into the microphone. His vocals shined strong on the heavy tracks such as "Vegas Girl" and "Coming For the Throne" but it was truly incredible on the deeper cuts like "I Don't Apologize" and "All The Pretty Things." The crowd appreciated these heartfelt songs during the set as it gave them a minute to catch their breathe, sing along and often times reflect on the songs' very heavy meanings.
Back on drums, Corky Gainsford kept things on beat all night even while he was flipping drum sticks in the air, spinning them around his hands and even standing on the kit at on point. Many of his sticks would break during the night's performance but that didn't slow the performance down and if you weren't standing right next to him like I was you probably wouldn't have even noticed it happening.
Newcomer to the band Tony Carboney or "The Beast" as the band refers to him was a perfect fill for the bassist position and the fans have already embraced his presence in the band as if he had been there from day one. Andrew Pugh was also in top form that night and all smiles, more smiles than usual actually as he tried not to get trampled on the extremely cramped stage that the Chameleon Club had to offer. Otherwise is so many pieces coming together in the right way to create something special, and a big part of that is the crowd interaction both during the show and outside of it.
There are very few bands in rock right now like Otherwise, in fact there are few band likes Otherwise in any genre of music right now. The band shares a very special bond with their fans and considers them family, as they say themselves "We Are All Otherwise." I think the band will only keep climbing the rock genre until the reach the "throne" that they are coming for, Otherwise packed the Chameleon Club on a Tuesday and though 10 Years was the headliner that night there is no doubt as I said that the crowd was there for them too. As their long set came to an end the crowd roared with approval as Adrian Patrick ran through the crowd singing the ending of "Soldiers," a perfect song to bring their family of a crowd together as one. As he climbed back on stage the band turned their back to the crowd only for a minute to commemorate the evening with this photograph :
Be sure to check out the full photo gallery from Matt Christine Photography below, check out Otherwise's newest album "Peace at All Costs" and as always thank you for reading.
Viewing on Mobile? Click Here to View the Gallery!
Chameleon ClubOtherwiseotherwise 2015otherwise chameleon clubOtherwise InterviewOtherwise Reviewryan patrick interview
Matt Christine
By Matt Christine
In Galleries
Adventure Club, Wooli & more bring the bass to the Pavement Rave
Copyright 2019 Sight of Sound
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I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, but have spent most of my adult life abroad, 3 years in Italy and 7 years in Tanzania. I moved back to the US (Berkeley, California) in December 2016 to be closer to family, but I've also really enjoyed rediscovering the States this past year and have enjoyed frequent domestic trips. I joined this site because as a travel agent I can work from anywhere, as an animal lover that grew up with dogs, cats and fish I know that our animals are our best friends and as a travel enthusiast, house sitting in various locations seems like a win win! I'm trustworthy, responsible, communicative and available for a phone call if you'd like to chat before making house sitting plans. Or if you are Bay Area based, happy to meet as well.
I want to house sit for a few reasons : 1) I'm a caregiver to my father who has a degenerative disease, but I take frequent self-care breaks and house sitting allows me to do that, 2) I love to travel, 3) I can't have my own pet at the moment but I love the companionship they provide.
Animals have been a part of my family since the day I was born. I grew up with dogs, cats and fish. I've looked after all types of dogs, from street mutts to former race greyhounds with lots of emotional needs. I've housesat in various parts of the world and follow directions well.


Definitions are the foundation of any philosophical pursuit, and they are just as important to Christian apologetics as they are to secular philosophy. This compact and concise dictionary defines over 300 of the most important, and sometimes controversial, terms, thinkers and movements in philosophy and apologetics. Useful for its brevity and directness, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion will assist beginners and refresh scholars in this study.
Logos. Greek term for "Word" or "Reason," used in the prologue to John's Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word." The Logos is thus a term for the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, understood as the agent of divine creation and the one who "illumines," or enlightens, human beings. Many early church fathers used this concept to justify a positive attitude toward Greek philosophy on the grounds that those who lacked the biblical revelation could still attain some truth because of the operation of Christ as the Logos in them.


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More than 200 Local Newspaper Publishers Are Suing Google and Facebook for Damages
December 31, 2021design tips
A group of 30 companies that own more than 200 local newspapers have formed a coalition against Google and Facebook in a newly consolidated antitrust lawsuit, alleging the tech giants have manipulated the digital ad market to the detriment of local news. The Charleston Gazette-Mail, a small West Virginia newspaper, was the first to file…
People of WordPress: Collins Agbonghama
December 31, 2021WPDev News
In this series, we share some of the inspiring stories of how WordPress and its global network of contributors can change people's lives for the better. This month we feature a website builder from Nigeria, who uses the open source WordPress platform to support his family and to share learning with others in his home…
10up Releases the Publisher Media Kit WordPress Plugin
Earlier today, version 1.0 of 10up's Publisher Media Kit went live in the WordPress plugin directory. It is a preconfigured set of blocks and patterns for jump-starting a media kit page for small and medium-sized publications. When I first noticed the plugin, my mind immediately jumped to press kits and branding pages for businesses. Not…
The Next Generation of WordPress Theme Authors Will Design From the Site Editor
Last week, I played around with a new plugin that allows users to export a custom theme.json file. The project is still a little buggy at the moment, but I look forward to covering it in more detail soon. The export function was more of a secondary objective for the plugin, but it represents a…
WP Courses Helps Launch Creators Into The New Year!
December 28, 2021WordPress
WP Courses Helps Launch Creators Into The New Year! Mike Bal As we approach the new year, we like to encourage our team, our friends, and our customers to look back and celebrate all we were able to accomplish. While this year has had its challenges, we kept creating, connecting, and growing. We launched WP Courses…
Creative Commons Search Is Now Openverse
The Creative Commons search engine has been rebranded to Openverse and now redirects to its new home at wordpress.org/openverse. Users will find the revamped interface maintains the ability to search the same collections, narrowing results by use case, license type, image type, file type, aspect ratio, and more. The Openverse search engine is also now…
How to Design Social Proof (Without Social Media)
Recommendations from friends and family can be one of the most reliable sources of information when you are looking to try something, make a purchase, or enroll in a new service. Whether you are doing it subconsciously because of your peer group or you are seeking out information, what people around you do can influence…
Alara Block Theme Promises a New Pattern or Design Variation Every Week for the Next Year
One month ago, UXL Themes released Alara. It was a theme that carried with it one bold promise: every week for the next year, users could expect a new design variation, child theme, or block pattern. And, all of this would be done on the back of the block theme system that is slated to…
All In One SEO Plugin Patches Severe Vulnerabilities
The All In One SEO plugin has patched a set of severe vulnerabilities that were discovered by the Jetpack Scan team two weeks ago. Version 4.1.5.3, released December 8, includes fixes for a SQL Injection vulnerability and a Privilege Escalation bug. Marc Montpas, the researcher who discovered the vulnerabilities, explained how they could be exploited:…
State of the Word 2021: WordPress Passes 43% Market Share, Looks to Expand the Commons Through Openverse
Matt Mullenweg delivered his annual State of the Word address yesterday before a live studio audience in New York City. The majority of WordPress enthusiasts joined the event through the livestream on YouTube. More than 25 meetups gathered for in-person and online watch parties around the world – from Detroit, Singapore, Pakistan, and Medellín, to…


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Tag: Dawn Barry
By Dawn Barry, President and Co-founder, LunaPBC
Welcome to the New Year, LunaDNA Community.
Your passion and commitment to creating health solutions these past few years has inspired all of us. You've continuously reinforced that the LunaDNA mission is not just ours alone, and that we are all in this together. As we approach 2021 with optimism and hope, we're confident in our pursuit of redefining relationships between people, communities, and scientists towards better health for all.
One thing we learned from 2020 is that times of emergency have a clarifying effect. They tend to surface what's truly important to us versus what we might have assumed was important. These times have also reminded us of the importance of establishing a deeper understanding of health and disease, and how vital these understandings are for all people. Through this lens, we proudly reflect on Luna's top guiding principles.
Consumer Data Privacy Empowers Participation in Science
From meetings with lawmakers in Sacramento, California to quotes in media articles, Luna actively maintains the position that when people have privacy protections, they lean into opportunities to share their information for research. Further, we believe that we can achieve a sorely needed level of data inclusiveness through such privacy protections.
Throughout 2019 and into 2020, we saw steady advancements in consumer privacy laws, most notably Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The momentum toward rigorous data privacy regulations were no doubt necessary at a time where there nearly weekly reports on mismanagement, misuse, and consumer data breaches by big tech companies, banks, law enforcement, and healthcare systems.
The core tenant of these consumer privacy laws is quite simple: honor the individual and their intents — versus the institution that stores their data — as the one who should decide what entities holds their data and for what purposes. These laws also empower people to remove their data at will – ultimately enabling people to have control over their most personal, private information.
This evolution awoke a cultural consideration: should data privacy be a fundamental human right, and, if so, what events could supersede such a human right? The COVID emergency instigated the societal conundrum of trading consumer privacy rights in exchange for cooperative data uses that benefit the whole. Only time will tell how this exchange will impact us as individuals, families, and an international community.
Looking Ahead into 2021 and Beyond
Meanwhile, amid the chaos of December 2020, big tech companies made significant updates to their privacy policies — Apple going in a positive direction, Instagram going in a negative one. While minimally highlighted in the media, privacy policy updates to consumer data usage have many people concerned about using certain apps. Some updates, which you tacitly allow just by continuing to use the product, allow third parties to view and analyze the information captured through your phone camera; copy your address book, call log and SMS history, and reach through to other devices you own to capture your online activity.
At Luna, we know people hold the power to transform discovery by simply sharing what they already know about their experiences in health and illness. When we come together as a community of all backgrounds, ages, environments, and share this information for study in a structured way, we can surface more robust answers faster. Even better, we can advocate for what's essential to our health, beyond just pills and doctor visits. Look no further than COVID-19 data insights: we can clearly identify that different communities have very different challenges, and science is still working to clearly understand why, while also wrestling with the community's deeply rooted issues of trust, privacy concerns, and possible discrimination.
Luna is a new model for social and cultural engagement that empowers health for all. Just as people came together to change how we rent properties and request rides, so too can we change how we surface health answers. Together, we built Luna from a foundation of putting people's needs for data control, privacy protections, and transparency first.
Now it's time. While we're all experiencing health in a whole new way — to show the world that our data is ours and it's valuable — we can put it to good work by coming together for science.
In 2021, we invite you to continue to help us realize our collective vision by joining our ever-expanding studies and inviting others to join, too. Only together can we overcome barriers life throws our way.
Luna is bringing together individuals, communities, and researchers to better understand life. Directly drive health discovery by joining the Tell Us About You study. The more we come together to contribute health data for the greater good, the quicker and more efficient research will scale, and improve the quality of life for us all.
Looking Ahead to 2030: Four industry watchers share their hopes for advances in precision medicine
Original article from Clinical Omics
There is typically much reflection whenever tipping from one decade into the next, as we look back at what has transpired over the past 10 years. When it comes to omics technologies and their application to precision medicine, there have certainly been significant advances.
Notable among them would be the completion of the 100,000 Genomes Project which both commenced and reached its final goal of 100,000 whole genomes sequenced within the decade and has served as the springboard for the launch of a genomic medicine program by England's National Health Service. Today, there are more than a dozen country-wide efforts focused on collecting health and sequencing data of large and diverse swaths of each countries' citizens—all with an eye toward using these vast data to improve how we provide healthcare for both large populations of patients and, ultimately, individuals.
But are we yet able to consistently provide precision medicine? In small niches, yes. So, while much progress has been made, it is fair to say more advances are needed before precision medicine and/or genomic medicine is standard practice. So how will we get there? Read on as four industry watchers share with you their thought on what may happen in the next ten years to advance the field.
Protection and Individual Control of Personal Health Data Will Fuel Research
Dawn Barry
President + Co-founder, LunaPBC
Discovery flows from research and research requires data. This longstanding truth will dramatically change in the decade ahead through how crucial data is acquired, aggregated, controlled, and protected. This transformation will occur as a consequence of maturation in our thinking around personal data sovereignty, and accountability and transparency in data stewardship.
A marked change in public sentiment around health data privacy is afoot. Google is under investigation by the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health & Human Services because they partnered with Ascension, the nation's largest nonprofit health system, which provided health data without notifying individuals that their information was disclosed. This, despite asserting that they were compliant with HIPAA regulations that protect disclosure of personal health information. And on January 1st, the strictest data privacy law in the U.S., the California Consumer Privacy Act, took effect strengthening consumer data privacy rights in the country's most populous state.
There is a growing lack of trust among the public in the institutions holding, buying, and using people's data, which has fueled fears that data may be used against individuals and their families—from discrimination to "tailored" information feeds. People also now better understand the value of their personal data, and that they are not sharing in the value created from it. With DNA data in particular, people are now keenly aware that this information is shared within families, as numerous 2019 headlines detailing law enforcement applications demonstrated.
Data fuels research which in turn fuels discovery, but ultimately it is people who fuel this data—sick people, healthy people, old and young people, rich and poor people, people of all colors. They are the best curators of their health condition. If the past ten years are remembered as the decade that made genome sequencing for disease research possible, I believe the next ten years will see us execute discovery with a more holistic and inclusive lens. We will broaden our study beyond disease research to human health—with 'health' defined as more than just the absence of disease—and quality of life with the recognition that genetics is a mere 30% contributor to premature death. Human behavioral patterns, social circumstances, health care, and environmental exposure contribute the remaining 70%. I hope transcriptomes, microbiomes, and epigenetics will complement DNA datasets, and that person-reported, real-world, and environmental information will be included.
I'll use the next decade to champion raising the standing of people from subjects of research to partners in discovery. In our increasingly digital world, and respecting that all personal health data—including DNA, health records, social and structural determinants of health, and clinical outcomes—starts with people, it stands to reason that if people are included, it represents a step function increase in discovery. As partners in discovery, we must win people's trust starting with transparency and assurances they are in control over how their data is used, who it's stored with, and empower them with the ability to un-share all their data, at any time, if they wish.
Research has suffered for lack of data scale, scope, and depth, including insufficient ethnic and gender diversity, datasets that lack environment and lifestyle data, and snapshots-in-time versus longitudinal data. Artificial intelligence is starved for data that reflects population diversity and real-world information. I worry about the impact on research if people disengage with science and digital tools for fear of privacy violations. It's time to feed discovery with data that reflects the diversity of the population we wish to serve. I believe people are the key to the next generation of discovery, and that protecting their privacy will empower discovery.
To read more from other industry watchers, click here.


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Uganda to raise funds by selling government securities through mobile phones
Ugandans can now purchase government securities through a mobile money platform. This was approved during a cabinet meeting on Monday. The rationale is to reduce over-dependence on commercial banks and institutional investors for funding. The government believes that this would increase savings and investment which would, in turn, increase economic growth.
Government security is a bond or any other type of debt obligation that is issued by a government with a promise of repayment upon the security's maturity date. Government securities can be issued for two different reasons.
The primary reason that most government securities are issued is to raise funds for government expenditures. The government also issues treasury securities to cover shortfalls (deficits) in its annual budget. It can also issue bonds for public infrastructure programs.
The Ugandan government conventionally auctioned its debt through treasury bills and bonds by bidding through commercial banks who act as primary dealers, therefore limiting its choices. With this new initiative for auctioning of treasury bills and bonds, the government has a wider range of options which can help raise funds to finance its debt
The Ugandan government said, "widening the scope of investors reduces the dependence on a few players such as commercial banks, offshore players and institutional investors which tend to bid highly in the auctions given that government has limited choice."
Uganda's public debt has been a major concern for the East African country. Last year, the government employed measures such as tax increase in a bid to look for easier ways of raising money to finance persistent budget shortfalls and fund infrastructure projects. According to the 2018 auditor general's report, Uganda's debt increased by 22 percent rising from Shs 33.99 trillion as at June 30 2017, to Shs 41. 51 trillion as of June 30 2018.
This initiative is a similar move made by Kenya who was the first country in the world to sell government bonds through mobile phones. In March 2017, Kenya began selling a government bond exclusively through mobile phones, a world first aimed at expanding the pool of investors in the country.
According to the National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U), about 24 million or 70.9 percent of Ugandans own mobile phones. This statistics shows that the government is likely to succeed with the sale of government securities through the mobile money medium as there is fair penetration into the mobile phone industry. MTN Uganda, a unit of South Africa's MTN Group is likely to be the main beneficiary of the change among telecoms operators, as it has the largest mobile money customer base.
While there is an expectation that the Ugandan government should be able to raise funds to cover shortfalls in the budget and as well pay off some of its debt, critics are concerned about Uganda's appetite for credit which has seen its public debt reach 41.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) as of June. They fear that increased borrowing could spark a crisis like those in the 1990s and early 2000s before debt forgiveness by the World Bank on Uganda's loans.
Mobile money is an electronic mobile wallet. It is a technology that allows people to receive, store and spend money using a mobile phone. Mobile money is a popular alternative to bank accounts. There are more than 260 different mobile money services around the world, although they are most popular in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
150 African engineers to benefit from Tata Communications' skills programme
AU looks to renew talks on South Sudan's peace deal ahead of November deadline
Why this Rwandan teacher is taking legal action against Uganda
Morocco is building Africa's tallest wind tower


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Phantoms shut out, 3-0
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Youngstown Phantoms reached the quarter mark of their first USHL season Friday night, but they'd just as soon forget this particular milestone.
Sioux Falls goaltender Clay Witt earned his first shutout of the season, blanking the visiting Phantoms with a 30-save effort in the Stampede's 3-0 win.
Youngstown (8-6-1, 17 points) was held off the scoreboard for the first time in 15 USHL games and fell for just the second time in regulation on the road.
Sioux Falls (10-1-4, 24 points) improved its record at Sioux Falls Arena to a league-best 8-1-3.
The Stampede's seventh-ranked power play cashed in its second opportunity of the game at 14:02 of the first period to put the Phantoms in an early 1-0 hole. Chad Ruhwedel's slapshot from the center point was stopped by goalie Matt Mahalak, but the rebound skipped directly to the stick of Matt Farris, who deposited his fourth of the season from the bottom of the left circle.
The tight dimensions of the Stampede's rink tend to cause trouble for first-time visitors, and that appeared to be the case throughout the opening stanza with the home side outshooting Youngstown 13-4, although Farris' goal was the only tangible damage.
Joe Zarbo's older brother, Matt, tossed a left-side wrister past Mahalak at 4:44 of the second, finishing a 2-on-1 rush with Matt Lindblad, who got the primary assist on the scoring play.
Despite registering 10 shots to the Stampede's nine in the middle frame, the Phantoms couldn't solve Witt through 40 minutes of play.
Sam Coatta finished the scoring 4:49 into the final frame as the rebound of George Michalke's drive caromed into the goal off his body. The Phantoms launched 16 shots in the third and also enjoyed a late 5-on-3 power play for 30 seconds, but Witt kept a bouncing puck from crossing the goal line in the final second, locking up his shutout, Sioux Falls' second clean sheet of the campaign.
The Phantoms visit Sioux City (Iowa) tonight at 8.


CHILLICOTHE – Two Cavaliers earned this week's Chillicothe Gazette's Athletes of the Week awards.
Chillicothe High School baseball's Kaden Riffe earned the male award this week after getting one RBI, scoring two runs, and earning the save on the mound during the Cavs' nine-run comeback win over Thomas Worthington last week. Chillicothe girls lacrosse's Payton McBee won the female award this week after scoring three goals in the Cavs' overtime win over Little Miami last week.
Riffe won the male poll with 1,339 votes while Southeastern baseball's Bryce McWhorter finished second with 596 votes after earning the win against Paint Valley in a complete game where he allowed no earned runs and struck out eight batters. McBee won the female poll with 3,678 votes while Zane Trace track and field's Hannah Kerr finished second with 2,666 votes after winning the 1,600-meter race and the 3,200-meter race at Westfall last week.


text:
from pytest import raises
import sqlalchemy as sa
from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base

from sqlalchemy_utils import has_unique_index

class TestHasUniqueIndex(object):
    def setup_method(self, method):
        Base = declarative_base()

        class Article(Base):
            __tablename__ = 'article'
            id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, primary_key=True)

        class ArticleTranslation(Base):
            __tablename__ = 'article_translation'
            id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, primary_key=True)
            locale = sa.Column(sa.String(10), primary_key=True)
            title = sa.Column(sa.String(100))
            is_published = sa.Column(sa.Boolean, index=True)
            is_deleted = sa.Column(sa.Boolean, unique=True)
            is_archived = sa.Column(sa.Boolean)

            __table_args__ = (
                sa.Index('my_index', is_archived, is_published, unique=True),
            )

        self.articles = Article.__table__
        self.article_translations = ArticleTranslation.__table__

    def test_primary_key(self):
        assert has_unique_index(self.articles.c.id)

    def test_column_of_aliased_table(self):
        alias = sa.orm.aliased(self.articles)
        with raises(TypeError):
            assert has_unique_index(alias.c.id)

    def test_unique_index(self):
        assert has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.is_deleted)

    def test_compound_primary_key(self):
        assert not has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.id)
        assert not has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.locale)

    def test_single_column_index(self):
        assert not has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.is_published)

    def test_compound_column_unique_index(self):
        assert not has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.is_published)
        assert not has_unique_index(self.article_translations.c.is_archived)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The objectives of the workshop are unchanged from those set out in the summary of the proposal endorsed by the APPPC biennial session, viz. to provide delegates with a sound understanding of how to prepare and consider irradiation treatment proposals, apply irradiation as a phytosanitary measure and verify compliance. The workshop will draw on existing irradiation material, including IPPC, APPPC, ISO and IAEA standards and best-practice documentation, as noted in the endorsed proposal.
The workshop programme will include each of the components described in the Project Details section of the endorsed Project Proposal. However, it is now clear that the body of finalized protocols for irradiated commodities in the region may not be sufficient to sustain some of the sessions envisaged in the original, 'three phase' proposal.


text:
Edgars Rinkēvičs, né le  à Jurmala, est un diplomate et homme politique letton, membre du parti Unité.

Biographie
Ancien haut fonctionnaire du ministère de la Défense, il est nommé directeur de la chancellerie du président de la République, Valdis Zatlers, en , et occupe ce poste jusqu'à la fin du mandat de Zatlers, en . Le 25 octobre, il devient ministre des Affaires étrangères, sur proposition du Parti réformateur de Zatlers (ZRP), auquel il adhère en 2012.

En novembre 2014, il annonce publiquement son homosexualité.

Notes et références

Annexes

Articles connexes
 Liste des ministres des Affaires étrangères
 Gouvernement Dombrovskis III
 Gouvernement Straujuma I et II
 Gouvernement Kučinskis
 Gouvernement Kariņš I

Liens externes
 ,   Ministère letton des Affaires étrangères

Naissance en septembre 1973
Naissance à Jurmala
Naissance en RSS de Lettonie
Personnalité ayant fait son coming out
LGBT en Lettonie
Ministre letton des Affaires étrangères
Récipiendaire de l'ordre de la Croix de Terra Mariana de troisième classe
Récipiendaire de l'ordre de la Croix de Terra Mariana de deuxième classe
Étudiant de l'université de Lettonie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The Thumb in Doha Souq
by Indrajit Roy ChoudhuryPosted on Jan 14, 2020 Jan 17, 2020
Souq Waqif, a labyrinthine market near the city's waterfront, looks deceptively old. Built on an ancient market site, Souq Waqif continues to be the social heart of Doha in Qatar. Centuries ago, Bedouin would bring their sheep, goats and wool here to trade for essentials, and the entire market area has been cleverly redeveloped to look the part of a 19th-century souq, with mud-rendered shops and exposed timber beams, plus some authentic and beautifully restored original Qatari buildings.
Despite the ongoing gentrification of the area, the chief business of the souq continues unabated, and it remains one of the most traditional marketplaces in the region. This is the place to look for national Qatari dress, including the beautifully embroidered bukhnoq (girl's head covering), spices, perfumes and oud (incense made from agarwood).
Until land was reclaimed along Doha's waterfront in the 1970s, the waters lapped at the entrance to Souq Waqif, where traders were just as likely to arrive by boat as by camel. The first semi-permanent shops here were built around 250 years ago. Before that, vendors stood and sold their wares from makeshift stalls, as the market often flooded, and it is from this tradition that the souq's name derives: waqif means 'standing' in Arabic.
Mounted Heritage Police Officers in traditional 1940s Qatari uniform trot up and down the streets, often stopping their horses from time to time for photos.
Women with mobile food stalls start cooking in a nearby square in the afternoon for evening snacks and meals.
I was walking through the alleys of Souq Waqif casually in the afternoon.
The Thumb
Suddenly I noticed a tall, golden structure in the midst of a road full of eateries. I went closer to find it's the thumb. Yes, it's The Thumb. The Qatar Museums has installed a new bronze with gold patina art piece by acclaimed French artist César Baldaccini at the heart of Souq Waqif to mark the biggest sporting success in Qatar's history in February 2019.
According to the website of Qatar Museums, Le Pouce, in the shape of a giant thumb as it translates directly to English as 'The Thumb', is one of its creator's best-known pieces and a popular example of his tendency to create larger than life experiences.
César Baldaccini (1921-1998) was born of Italian parents in Marseilles, France. He was an important figure in the French 1960s art movement Noveau Réalisme, emphasizing the use of everyday objects over traditional art materials.
The original cast of the artist's own thumb was first produced for an exhibition on the theme of hands titled 'Le Main' in 1965, in Paris. The artist then made a series of increasingly larger versions of the thumb, scaling-up the smaller model using traditional techniques. The motif of the thumb has since become the most well-known of the artist's subjects.
Posted in Arts & Crafts, Qatar, Travel & LeisureTagged Doha, Malls & Markets, Statue and Sculpture
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Nilanjana Moitra says:
I hope it's not to show 'thenga' to rivals. Jokes apart, the idea of placing such a sculpture in a market is interesting.
Judhajit Roychoudhury says:
Beautiful place.
Yes, Souq Waqif is a major tourist attraction in Doha.
The market does look ancient except for the wares and the flooring. The police patrol on horses only adds to the charm.
Yes, very true. It's a nice fusion.
Well, I not only saw the Souq Waqif through your eyes but smelt it too. Very well written piece that instills life in a sleepy Mediterranean Market.
By the way what is the "sporting achievement of Qatar" that warranted showing a "Thenga" to the world? (Hehehehehehe…)
They became Asian champions in soccer.
Thanks, Aro.


As of 2013, the number of divorce cases in the USA has spiked and 53% of the marriages lead to separation. Even in a relatively scarcely populated country like Sweden, the numbers have been over 25,100 divorces, which is the highest figure since 1975. That is about 47% of the marriages leading to separation. So can Jyothish help in this respect to minimizing the damage? The answer is Yes.
Relationships of any sort will always involve three entities. An individual's capacity for a relationship can be seen from his/her birth chart. With that, we can analyze whether you as an individual have a good foundation for a relationship. Following this, the relationship capacity of the girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse will also be analyzed on the same lines using their respective birth chart. Then both charts will be laid on top of each other and the relationship compatibility will be performed. This type of reading is very exclusive to Jyothish Shastra.
First, you will receive an assessment of your capacity to have a healthy relationship. Both individual charts (male and female partners) are assessed to establish the capacity of the native. You will receive your individual chart analysis with respect your relationship strengths and weaknesses. A remedial will also be prescribed in the end to strengthen your capacity for a relationship.
Next, the charts are laid on top of each other and assessed to establish the compatibility between the couples. Later, an assessment of the relationship karma and synastry is also done.
Traditionally, only the Moon's of the couple are matched for the compatibility. But, in my opinion, it is also important to do the compatibility of the other planets to get the complete picture. In this third part, the other 6 planets will also be analyzed along with the compatibility of the deities of higher divisional charts. In addition, the influence of karma between the natives will be analyzed too.
Sometimes two individuals may have the best compatibility and capacity. But past life karmic imbalances will be blocking their love life. Even the couples with the best compatibility will eventually break-up and travel different roads if this is the case. In such scenarios, it is good to know what may have potentially caused this hardship so that some remedies can be done to complete those karmas and move on with their present lives. In my experience having good individual capacity and compatibility is just 75% of the puzzle; the karma analysis is highly recommended to complete the remaining 25% analysis of the puzzle.
I highly recommend this reading to clients who are planning on getting married or engaged. The relationship compatibility reading will cover in detail the strengths and weakness of both individuals. It will also address the cards in your spread that are instrumental in building a healthy relationship. In some cases when difficult cards appear in one person's spread, they may push the wrong buttons of the other person in the relationship. This will eventually stress the other person and cause the relationship to fail. The cards more than any system readily reveal these patterns.
First, you will receive an assessment of your capacity to have a healthy relationship. Both individual birth card spreads (male and female partners) are assessed to establish the capacity of the native. You will receive your individual card spread analysis with respect your relationship strengths and weaknesses. A remedial will also be prescribed in the end to strengthen your capacity for a relationship.
Next, the card spreads are laid on top of each other and assessed to establish the compatibility between the couples. Later, an assessment of the relationship karma and synastry is also done.
Traditionally, only the Moon's of the couple are matched for the compatibility. But, in my opinion, it is also important to do the compatibility of the other planets to get the complete picture. In this third part, the other 6 planetary cards will also be analyzed. In addition, the influence of karma between the natives will be analyzed too.
Sometimes two individuals may have the best compatibility and capacity. But past life karmic imbalances will be blocking their love life. Even the couples with the best compatibility will eventually break-up and travel different roads if this is the case. In such scenarios, it is good to know what may have potentially caused this hardship so that some remedies can be done to complete those karmas and move on with their present lives. In my experience, having good individual capacity and compatibility is just 75% of the puzzle; the karma analysis is highly recommended to complete the remaining 25% analysis of the puzzle.
Note that even if you have already received an astrological compatibility reading from me or another astrologer, I still recommend the cards of truth relationship compatibility reading. The cards reading will describe the psychology and the areas of life the couple is mutually stimulating in one another. This will serve as a supplement to the vedic compatibility reading and fill in the voids that the vedic astrology reading may not be able to cover.
Tier 3 is the most comprehensive and complete relationship compatibility analysis that I offer. It is the combination of the above Tier 1 and Tier 2 readings. This reading combines both the above readings ie. Astrological vedic compatibility as well as Cards of truth compatibility reading. You will also receive the vedic astrology as well as cards of truth assessment of individual charts and also compatibility/synastry analysis.
After the capacity, compatibility and synastry analysis, a special relationship chart and card spread are calculated. This is termed as "the birth chart and birth card of the relationship". This special chart is also analyzed using special vedic astrological as well as card techniques. This chart or birth card is different from your individual birth charts or card spreads. But the strength of this chart/card spread and also the quality of the planets in this chart/spread will define the fate or entire course of the relationship. So it is highly recommended for clients who are interested to get an overview of their combined energies through the lens of vedic astrology as well as cards of truth.
In addition, I will also assess the current dasas or time frames in both individual charts (male and female partner) and time the future events in the relationship. The harmonious and challenging time periods in the relationship will also be discussed.
I recommend this to clients who want to get the complete picture and confluence from two different systems (Vedic astrology as well as cards of truth). I will dedicate 6 to 7 days of analysis on only your charts.
After purchasing any of the above readings, please send me your details using the contact page and consultation form on my website.
This is a reading suitable for couples who don't have knowledge of their birth times. It is recommended for people who don't have their (or significant other's) birth times and still want to figure out their compatibility. In this case, I will cast up to three manual tarot card spreads and explain your compatibility with respect to different areas of your lives.
I will do this particular reading based on my intuition. In order to connect intuitively, I would also require most recent photographs of both people involved in the relationship.
This type of reading is suitable for individuals who have plans of starting a business partnership with another individual. This type of reading will focus on three aspects. Firstly an analysis will be done to study each individual's capacity for business separately. Following which, their compatibility for like-mindedness and business will be done combining both charts. Finally, a higher divisional chart analysis will be carried out to reveal finer details of the partnership.
When do I advise people to get a compatibility reading?
Compatibility is best done when two people have started seeing each other or both of them have a liking for each other and want to take it to the next step of marriage. Compatibility reading shows the energies that the couples bring into the relationship and even the potential pitfalls in the relationship.
If you have trouble finding love then I recommend you to get one of my other Male/Female relationship capacity reading along with foundation readings or character reading in which I will indicate some of the problems (if any) in your chart that is stopping you from having a decent relationship.
How can this be useful when you both already know that you are compatible?
During the first six months of any relationship (also known as the honeymoon period) even if all hell breaks loose everything around the couple's life will always look beautiful, that is just the nature of that initial phase when all the reward and pleasure-seeking hormones in the brain are high. It is only when they live together for some time that they realize each other's strengths, weaknesses, insecurities and begin to have second thoughts about the relationship. With Jyothish, we can know in advance when will there be some difficult time periods in the relationship, what sort of behavioral patterns of the native is obstructing the free flow of love and affection in the relationship. With such a knowledge and some remedial measures, not only will there be a restoration of happiness between both parties, but the couple can then work towards avoiding disasters such as divorce or break-up and instead learn to accept the fact that it is just a difficult time period.


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You are here: Home / News / Snowden seeks asylum in Norway
Snowden seeks asylum in Norway
Norwegian government officials confirmed on Tuesday that Edward Snowden, the young American who's on the run from US authorities for divulging details of their secret and controversial surveillance operations, has sought asylum in Norway. His chances of getting it are slim to none.
Norway is one of 18 countries where Snowden is seeking refuge from US authorities who want to jail him for spreading confidential documents and threatening national security. The 30-year-old man, viewed as both a whistle-blower and a traitor, reportedly remains in a transit area of the Moscow airport, unable to board an aircraft out of Russia because the US has revoked his US passport.
Rejection likely
Pål Lønseth, state secretary in Norway's justice ministry for the Labour Party, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) on Tuesday that Norway's embassy in Moscow had received an asylum application from Snowden. According to Norwegian law, however, refugees need to be physically present in Norway to seek asylum on their own.
"Normal procedures call for the asylum application of Edward Snowden to be rejected because Snowden was in Russia when he applied," Lønseth told NRK.
Reluctant to challenge Washington
Norway is a strong ally of the US and its Labour-led government already has shown that it's reluctant to challenge Washington in the Snowden case. It has accepted the US' explanation for its surveillance of ordinary citizens that would otherwise seem to violate rights to privacy, and ignored calls from some local attorneys and other politicians to protest the US' treatment of Snowden.
Andreas C Halse of the Socialist Left (SV) party's youth group told NRK that Snowden should be granted asylum in Norway, and that Norway should have offered it even before Snowden applied. "He's leaked information that addresses the privacy and rights of citizens all over the world in the fight against ever more surveillance by the authorities," Halse told NRK. By granting him asylum, Norway could show which side of the issue it supports, Halse said.
Snowden reportedly has also sought asylum in Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and Venezuela in addition to the application he filed with Russian authorities after landing in Moscow from Hong Kong.
newsinenglish.no staff
Filed Under: News Tagged With: asylum, government, politics, surveillance


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Artificial Light Deters Nocturnal Pollinators, Study Suggests
Published August 3, 2017 at 2:01 PM EDT
A streetlight illuminates a rural footpath.
Think of plant pollination and you probably think of bees, summer flowers and bright sunshine.
But nocturnal insects such as beetles and flies also play a key role in the process. A new study sheds light on a previously unknown problem for these lesser-known pollinators, namely artificial lighting.
Scientists working in Switzerland carried out an experiment in which they placed mobile streetlamps over plots of cabbage thistle.
Using night-vision goggles, they counted the visits of pollinating species to these experimental plots and compared them with plots left dark. What they found was that the lighted plots, compared with the dark ones, received far fewer visits from nocturnal pollinators (62 percent fewer) and that significantly fewer species were making the visits (29 percent fewer). Details of the study are in the latest issue of Nature,which writes:
"Illuminated thistles produced significantly fewer developed fruits than those in darkness. Plants covered in pollinator-proof bags, meanwhile, yielded the same relative number of fruits under artificial light and in the dark."
"Even though daytime pollinators are usually more numerous than night-time pollinators, they were unable to make up the difference in lost pollination of plants kept under artificial lighting. This [could] be because some studies have shown that night-time pollinators seem to be more effective at transferring pollen between plants than their diurnal counterparts, says Eva Knop, an ecologist at the University of Bern in Switzerland and first author of the study. 'Thus, it is not just the quantity but also the quality that counts.'"
The research spotlights a potentially new twist to the pollinator crisis. Bee populations have fallen alarmingly in recent years, prompting fears about harm to plant species that are reliant on pollinators. The suppression of nocturnal pollinators due to artificial lighting could add to the problem.
However, there are caveats. The Nature article quotes U.K. ecologist and biogeographer Jon Sadler who says the intensity, direction and duration of artificial light also could affect plants and animals differently. Sadler also notes the possibility that while nocturnal pollinators avoid lighted areas, they might then concentrate in darker areas, increasing pollination there.
Light pollution in general has been attracting more attention in recent years, highlighted, so to speak, by organizations such as the The IDA advocates for such measures as shielded light fixtures to cut down on sky glare.


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Musical biography of rock legend Jim Morrison, starring Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan and Kyle MacLachlan. California, 1965: 22-year-old Jim Morrison spends his time on the beach writing poetry and taking drugs. He drops out of college with fellow student Ray Manzarek, and with two other musicians they form a band called the Doors.
A star rating of 3 out of 5.
By David Parkinson
Although the title would have you believe that this is a biopic of the entire band, we learn next to nothing about Ray Manzarek, John Densmore or Robby Krieger here, as the emphasis is so firmly on the Doors's charismatic, enigmatic frontman Jim Morrison. Unfortunately, co-writer/director Oliver Stone is so preoccupied with exploring the native American influences on Morrison's music and re-creating the sights and sounds of the 1960s that we discover precious little about Morrison either. Val Kilmer does, however, pull off a remarkable impression of the troubled vocalist, although he's more convincing on stage than he is in his drunken, drug-fuelled reveries.
Jim Morrison Val Kilmer
Pamela Courson Meg Ryan
Ray Manzarek Kyle MacLachlan
John Densmore Kevin Dillon
Robby Krieger Frank Whaley
Cat Billy Idol
Dog Dennis Burkley
Bill Siddons Josh Evans
Tom Baker Michael Madsen
Patricia Kennealy Kathleen Quinlan
Engineer, last session John Densmore
Paul Rothchild Michael Wincott
Ed Sullivan Will Jordan
Nico Kristina Fulton
Andy Warhol Crispin Glover
Director Oliver Stone
Theatrical distributor
Guild Film Distribution Ltd
Contains violence, swearing, drug abuse, sex scenes and nudity.
video, DVD and Blu-ray