From the start, many have worried about the fate of the traditional parish system in the new kaleidoscope of church forms. Martyn Percy, principal of Ripon College, sees the initiative as "a form of collusion with a contemporary cultural obsession with newness, alternatives and novelty" over and against the "deep complexity of wisdom" represented by England's venerable parochial structures. Conversely, University of Birmingham professor John M. Hull, one of the earliest and sharpest critics of Fresh Expressions, argues that the movement remains beholden to the territorialism of a "land church" despite the collapse of Christendom. He thinks that the new groups merely fill gaps in the fractured edifice of a national church that would rather control the mission than be shaped by it.


The Yukon and Yukon XL are GMC's full-size SUVs. The Yukon XL has a longer wheelbase than the regular Yukon. Both Yukons are offered in SLE, SLT and Denali models. Each of these models is available in either rear- or 4-wheel drive. Both Yukons offer a standard 320-horsepower, 5.3L V8 engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Yukon Denalis come with a 6.2L flex-fuel-capable V8 with 403 horsepower and 417 ft-lb of torque. No matter the model, tow ratings are strong; the Yukon can tow up to 8,500 pounds, while the Yukon XL can handle trailers up to 8,100 pounds.
All Yukon models are built on a fully boxed frame, which gives them truck toughness and helps keep vibrations out of the cabin. A coil-over-shock front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering give the Yukon a surprisingly good ride and reasonably responsive handling. Denali models get a special Autoride suspension system that employs real-time, semi-active adjustable dampers to help reduce body motion. Yet in any of these models, the interior is plush and comfortable and the instrument panel is more like that of Chevrolet's passenger cars and modern crossovers than like Chevrolet and GMC's work-oriented pickup trims.
The Yukon comes with a strong set of safety features across the lineup. Each of the Yukon trims includes GM's StabiliTrak stability control, along with anti-lock brakes, seat-mounted front side airbags and head-curtain airbags for the first and second rows, as well as the OnStar suite of services, such as Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and Automatic Crash Response. Additionally, all Yukons include a backup camera and rear park assist, along with remote start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and power adjustable pedals. A side blind-zone alert system is optional.
Most Yukon models include seating for up to eight, with two buckets in front plus second and third-row bench seats good for three across, but a front bench is available on the Yukon XL to fit up to nine. Several upholsteries and styles are offered, and both the first and second rows can be heated. Top Denali models include upgraded wheels and chrome trim, a navigation system with XM satellite radio and XM NavTraffic, Bose Centerpoint surround sound system with ten speakers, heated and cooled front seats, perforated leather upholstery and extra power outlets, among many extra features. Among the noteworthy options on the Yukon and Yukon XL are navigation, DVD rear entertainment, tri-zone climate control and a power-folding second-row seat.
Ahead of a full redesign next year, the 2014 GMC Yukon features few significant changes. The Hybrid model and Yukon XL 2500 have been discontinued, as has the convenience package, though many of that package's options -- backup camera, rear park assist, remote start, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power adjustable pedals -- have become standard equipment on all Yukons.
The GMC Yukon is a sturdy full-size SUV, oriented toward carrying heavy loads of passengers or cargo and towing large trailers, such as those used for boats or horses. Both V8 engines provide strong performance, while the Yukon and its big brother, the Yukon XL, handle much better around town than their size might suggest. Ride quality and interior refinement are other high points.
Seats, front bucket with leather-appointed seating 10-way power driver and front passenger seat adjusters on SLT and 12-way power driver and front passenger seat adjuster on Denali, including power lumbar control, power recline, heated seat cushion and seatbacks, 2-position driver memory, adjustable head restraints, storage pockets and floor console.


Folks played hoaxes and jokes on those 'not in the know'. Sounds like fodder for a Dr. Seuss special!
Yet I am a fool for resurrection. I believe in it. I've experienced it – resurrected from a hopeless state of body, mind and spirit. It's taken some time and effort. In my thirties I was, at one point, ready to end my life. Now, almost thirty years later I have vast interest in living as well and long as I possibly can.
Mental and spiritual resurrections carry the greatest weight with me. I'll leave the debate over the body to others. I once did not believe, then believed, and now I absolutely believe I don't know and don't particularly care to know.
I do know I love April Fools Day. I do know I love the reality of resurrection.
I hope I play the fool well today! And I'll hope for many small resurrections throughout this blessed day!


Classic Christmas recipes can conjure up some of the fondest food memories, for sure, but it's fun every now and again to break with tradition. Here, I've put a twist on two holiday must-haves - the thumbprint and the gingersnap - by combining them into one doubly delectable cookie. Psst! This is quite possibly my favorite recipe from Cookie Swap!
Prep Talk: Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week. For crun-chewy outsides, enjoy within the first 3 days before the cookies soften through and through.
1 | Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper (or silicone baking mats).
2 | Make the cranberry-apricot filling. Place the jam in a small bowl. If there are any large apricot chunks (greater than 1/2 inch) in the jam, pull them out and chop them into small pieces. Stir the pieces back into the jam along with the chopped cranberries. Set aside for use in Step 6.
3 | Mix the thumbprint dough. Mix the dry ingredients and crystallized ginger together in a medium bowl. Break apart any ginger pieces that may be clinging together. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the molasses, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, and beat until well blended. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, blending until just incorporated.
4 | Place the chopped almonds in a large bowl to form a shallow layer; then lightly beat the egg whites. Set aside for use in Step 5.
5 | Portion the dough into 1-inch mounds using a level 1 3/8-inch (#70) scoop or 2 level teaspoons per mound; then roll between your palms into perfect balls. Work with one ball at a time from here. Lightly coat the ball with beaten egg white; then tumble in the almonds to evenly cover it. If needed, roll the ball between your palms again to fix the nuts firmly in place. Repeat with the remaining balls.
6 | Arrange the cookies about 1 to 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and gently press a deep cup-shaped indentation into the center of each ball using your thumb, or as I prefer, the handle-end of a wooden spoon. Bake the cookies 13 to 14 minutes or until the nuts are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and re-press the indentations; then fill each with 1 rounded 1/2 teaspoon filling. Bake another 3 to 4 minutes. (Note: I like to fill the cookies partway through baking to prevent the jam from bubbling over the cookie edges. Also, avoid over-filling the cookies, or you'll end up with overflow regardless of when you fill.) Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely before storing as described in Prep Talk.
Can the Gingersnap Thumbprints be frozen?
Hi, Karen. So sorry for the delayed response. For some reason, the site did not notify me of your comment. Always something!
Anyway, I don't often freeze my cookies, as I prefer everything freshly baked, but I see no reason why these cookies couldn't be frozen with success. There is always some change in flavor and texture with freezing, but I suspect it will be minimal.


text:
Lagrasse település Franciaországban, Aude megyében.

Népesség

A település népessége az elmúlt években az alábbi módon változott:

Kultúra

A Lagrasse-i Szent Mária apátságot 951-ben alapította II. Wilfred, Besalú grófja és II. Sunifred, Cerdanya grófja.

Jegyzetek

További információk

Aude megye települései
Bottal létrehozott francia település cikkek

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
import os
import sys
from .common import *

def state():
    return "Developing"

def state_pp():
    return "Developing"

def switch_pp():
    return "Developing"

def enable(is_local=False):
    return "Developing"

def disable(is_local=False):
    return "Developing"

def set_best_server(is_local=False):
    return "Developing"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The New Portals: It's the Bread, Not the Peanut Butter
This guest post is written by David Sacks, the founder and CEO of new startup Geni. Previously, he was COO of PayPal. He also produced the movie "Thank You For Smoking."
For the last several years, Yahoo, MSN and AOL have all suffered a declining share of pageviews, but that does not mean the portal is going out of style. Rather it has been redefined, first by Google, and now by Facebook in potentially even more profound ways.
The core question a portal needs to answer for a user is "How do I find the information I need?"
In the early days of the web, the answer was browsing, which made sense when there were a limited number of useful sites. (Remember when it was a big deal for Yahoo to put the "New!" or "Recommended" icon next to a website's name in their directory?) But as the number of websites became infinite, search replaced browsing as the dominant paradigm for finding new sites, and Yahoo's failure to keep up in this area allowed Google to take the lead.
Google has continued to leverage its lead in search to become a full-fledged portal. Once users have found what they are looking for, Google makes it easy, through their iGoogle product, to subscribe to that content through alerts, RSS feeds, or a huge selection of widgets, all of which are compacting more useful information onto fewer start pages than ever before. As a result, iGoogle has become Google's fastest-growing product. But iGoogle has a serious limitation: it doesn't involve sharing; each user has to make an individual investment in set-up and can't benefit from the work of others. It's not really a Web 2.0 product.
Facebook has a new answer to the portal question. The "social graph," or your network of relationships, will push information to you. You'll learn from your friends. Thanks to Facebook's new developer platform, the types of information being disseminated now include not just news, photos, events, and groups but also music, videos, books, movies, causes, political campaigns — and the list is rapidly growing into almost every conceivable category.
The advantage of this approach is that it makes it relatively effortless for users to access a world of information that is both increasingly comprehensive and personal to them. Even if all this information were available through search (and it's not), search actually requires work; the user must know what they're looking for and type it in. Then they must parse the results to determine which are valuable, labor which is not shared and reused by others. By contrast, Facebook requires no work once your network is set up. Your friends push information to you that is likely to be useful, and if not you can tune your preferences until it is. Facebook promises a kind of Socratic knowledge: it tells users things they didn't even think to ask.
While the process of structuring new kinds of information for the social graph to distribute is still sorting itself out, it is easy to object to the frivolity of information on Facebook. For example, Facebook is great at telling me what my friends just had for lunch, but how about hard news? Well, for starters, I'm waiting for the Digg application to not only display articles I've digged on my profile, but also to aggregate all the articles dugg by my friends. This could lead to the kind of social news site that MySpace promised but failed to deliver.
Not only Digg, but virtually all Web 2.0 applications which are based on the wisdom of crowds can be reconceived as Facebook apps based on the wisdom (or trust) of friends. To the extent that these services cater to publishers who seek a mass audience, such as YouTube or Flickr, the social graph will not threaten their business. But to the extent they publish content intended for friends, or if the value of their service increases with the participation of friends, these applications face only two choices: get each user to recreate his or her friendship network on their own site or migrate their service to the Facebook platform lest someone else does it first.
The potential for Facebook to layer on any feature whose value increases with the participation of friends is an incredibly broad canvas for a portal. Moreover, as each new application gains acceptance, it enriches the overall value of the network and makes it incrementally more likely that the next application will be tried. Much of what we know as "Web 2.0" will eventually be rebuilt on top of Facebook.
To be clear, the social graph will not replace search, in the same way that search did not replace browsing. And search may still be more easily monetized than the social graph. Still, as a basis for a portal, neither Google nor Yahoo has anything nearly as cohesive holding its properties together. Google can layer on any feature where search is paramount, which is hugely valuable, but as it expands beyond this core competency, it becomes increasingly hard to press its advantages into new areas. Yahoo already seems to have reached the limits of its far-flung empire, eliminating redundant operations such as Yahoo Photos.
In my view this is a misdiagnosis of what ails Yahoo. The problem is not too much peanut butter (i.e. that it's spread too thinly). The problem is the bread at the core. Browsing plus second-tier search is not sturdy enough to hold everything together. The new portals are defined by the quality of their bread, not their peanut butter.
Yahoo was right to focus on an acquisition of Facebook but not for the reason it thinks. In its view of the world, Facebook is just another media property, a particularly fast-growing and sticky one to be sure, but ultimately just more peanut butter. In reality, Facebook's social graph could have provided the bread to connect Yahoo's far-flung empire.
But what would be in such a deal for Facebook? They will have their own empire soon enough.
Find out more about Geni at the Techcrunch Database.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


ride with a healthy air con and clean cabin. Plus, pick up useful tips on checking your brakes.
your next appointment with us!
Our technicians only use grade A genuine parts to ensure your car is in the pink of health.
Are your brakes ok? Here are 5 sure signs they're not.
Experience our 60-minute guaranteed express services, or get 30% off your final bill!


The elegant continental wallet is new for Cruise 2019 in metallic nappa leather embellished with metal eyelets in different sizes and finishes. The wallet's flap has a scalloped edge and the centre panel is hand-woven in iconic intrecciato, adding to the textured statement. The nappa interior is fitted with eight card slots, a note slot and a zip coin purse.
Depth: 2 cm | 0.78"


Fluid's 2017 Challenge begins on Monday September 11th. I hope you can join us!
What: Month long self care program, with simple assignments you can do in less than ten minutes per day.
Where: Anywhere! Meet with me for your initial one on one in person, over the phone or via skype. The remainder of the challenge is conducted via email.
Why: Learn easy stress reduction techniques, and establish a self care routine so you head into winter and feeling your best!
Meet with me via skype or in person prior to September 8th to go over your goals, and craft your personalized movement, nutrition, and mindfulness plan. You receive weekly emails from me reminding you of that week's goals. You are welcome to send feedback about how you did that week, and let me know how I can help you be successful. Mark your calendar for your brunch/ wrap party Saturday October 14th. Payment is due by September 8th. $75 covers your phone call, skype, or in person meeting with me, your weekly emails, and wrap party.


text:
The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks
By Suzanne Slade
Illustrator	Cozbi A. Cabrera
Imprint: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Trim Size: 8 1⁄2 x 10 1⁄2
Illustrations: full-color illustrations throughout
A picture-book biography of celebrated poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000) is known for her poems about "real life." She wrote about love, loneliness, family, and poverty—showing readers how just about anything could become a beautiful poem. Exquisite follows Gwendolyn from early girlhood into her adult life, showcasing her desire to write poetry from a very young age. This picture-book biography explores the intersections of race, gender, and the ubiquitous poverty of the Great Depression—all with a lyrical touch worthy of the subject. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, receiving the award for poetry in 1950. And in 1958, she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. A bold artist who from a very young age dared to dream, Brooks will inspire young readers to create poetry from their own lives.
Suzanne Slade is the award-winning author of many books for children, including several about other groundbreaking women, such as Dangerous Jane and A Computer Called Katherine. Slade lives in Libertyville, Illinois. Cozbi A. Cabrera holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design. She has illustrated several books for children and is also well known for her handmade cloth dolls. Cabrera lives in Evanston, Illinois.
More Children's


text:
Nestlé Initiates Impactful Dialogue on Nutrition in B40 Community
Petaling Jaya,
Driving a robust dialogue on improving nutritional intake amongst the urban poor, Nestlé Malaysia today brought together key stakeholders across Government, academia and non-governmental organisations to cast a light on this topic and discuss potential solutions.
There is an evident need to address this issue, as nutrient deficiencies such as malnutrition and obesity are prevalent in Malaysia's B40 community. While there are various underlying factors, the Urban Child Poverty and Deprivation study by the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) indicates that approximately 97% of Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) households consider affordability of food products to be one of the key barriers in obtaining balanced meals.
To this end, the dialogue session was aimed at sharing diverse, relevant perspectives on the impact of insufficient nutrition amongst the urban poor and how this barrier can be overcome, in line with the theme, Happier & Healthier Families – Making Eating Well Accessible for the B40 Community.
YB Tuan Nik Nazmi Bin Nik Ahmad, Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa graced the event as keynote speaker. Present as panellists were Professor Dr Zalilah Mohd Shariff, Lecturer at Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University Putra Malaysia, Encik Muhammad Bin Kamarulazizi, Founder of Kindness Malaysia and Ms Nirmalah Thurai, Executive Director, Group Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Malaysia.
YB Tuan Nik Nazmi Bin Nik Ahmad commented, "The growing prevalence of malnutrition and obesity in Malaysia is indeed concerning. In fact, malnutrition for children in the B40 community fares worse than the national average. In PPR flats, it is reported that 15% of children are underweight, while 22% are stunted and 20% are wasting. This is certainly a timely discussion spearheaded by Nestlé to collectively tackle this issue, and is well aligned with the Government's aim to uplift the status of lower income groups as part of the Shared Prosperity Vision."
Ms Nirmalah Thurai, Executive Director, Group Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Malaysia said, "For over 100 years, Nestlé has nurtured generations of Malaysians and we strongly support the Government's aspirations in creating a healthier Malaysia. Our commitment to nutrition is reflected in our efforts to reduce sugar and sodium and towards ensuring micronutrient fortification in our products, on top of our various programmes to encourage healthier lifestyles. We continue to work hard to ensure that we are able to provide tasty and also nutritious high-quality products at affordable prices to all Malaysians, including to the B40 community."
"The food and beverages industry too has an important role to play and efforts in micro and macronutrient fortification of products is key in fighting silent hunger and stunting and wasting issues," she added.
Among the key insights shared during the dialogue was the fact that the lack of proper nutrients and minerals during crucial periods such as pregnancy, infancy and early childhood could lead to nutrient deficiencies, specifically malnutrition. Malnutrition, if not addressed early on, could have lasting effects in a child's life, impacting their development as well as potentially causing obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. Not addressing this could subsequently have a multiplier effect, in which generations of families remain undernourished.
It was also understood that the main concern for the B40 community when it comes to food, is the importance of consuming a meal which allows them to be full for longer. In most cases, the staple is always rice, along with some gravy and sometimes a side dish of eggs. While there also is a lack of awareness, consuming a healthy and nutritious meal is not necessarily a priority for the urban poor.
"We are conscious of the challenges faced by the urban poor, which has resulted in nutrient deficiencies in these communities, and that resolving this complex issue requires collaboration from all parties. It is our hope that by driving the conversation together with relevant stakeholders at today's dialogue session, we will be able to bring about meaningful and impactful change on a larger scale, to improve nutritional intake and ultimately help nurture a healthier Malaysia," concluded Nirmalah.
About Nestlé Malaysia
Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage manufacturer. Headquartered in Switzerland, Nestlé is present in 189 countries around the world, and our 328,000 employees are committed to Nestlé's purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. Our performance is driven by our Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Since 1912, we have been nourishing Malaysians through our quality brands and products, whilst maintaining our Halal excellence and integrity. This is in line with our promise of delivering GOOD FOOD, GOOD LIFE to all. To learn more about how we have been nourishing Malaysians for over a century, do visit www.nestle.com.my or our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NestleMalaysia
Maxine Lim
Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad
Kanjana Ilango or Alya Nurina
acorn communications
PDF press release:
Bahasa Malaysia (pdf, 418 Kb)


text:
Developments in the Greek government bond market: May 2010
Government bond prices rose and yields fell in international markets during the month of May, except for the Italian and Spanish markets, where government bond prices recorded losses. Overall sentiment in the relevant market improved after the announcement on May 9 and 10 by the European governments and the European Central Bank (ECB), respectively, of a package of extraordinary measures in order to enhance financial stability. These included interventions by the ECB in the euro area securities markets to ensure depth and liquidity in market segments considered to be dysfunctional. In addition, the ongoing uncertainty about the fiscal adjustments in Europe and its impact on economic growth, shifted demand towards highly rated sovereign debt whose prices recorded gains.
On the Greek electronic secondary securities market (HDAT), Greek government bond yields fell significantly during May with the exception of the 15-year and 30-year tenors. The biggest decline was recorded in the 3-year benchmark yield that plunged by 204 bps to 7.80% at the end of May, followed by the 10-year benchmark that declined by 118 bps to 7.74%. On the contrary the 15-year and the 30-year benchmark bond yields rose respectively by 59 bps, to 8.53%, and 124 bps, to 8.25% at the end of May. As a result, the yield curve resumed its positive slope, with the difference between the 30- and the 3-year yields reaching 45 bps at the end of May, compared to -283 bps at the end of April. In addition, the average monthly spread between the Greek and the German 10-year bond yields widened to 514 in May from 474 bps in April.
As for government benchmark bond prices, the 3-year bond price rose to 91.80 at the end of May from 86.72 at the end of April, the 10-year bond price rose to 89.70 from 82.50 while the 30-year bond price fell to 59.75 from 70.00.
Trading volume on HDAT in May declined significantly to EUR 1.4 billion worth of transactions, compared to EUR 10.6 billion in April and EUR 20.2 billion in May 2009. The daily average turnover was EUR 69.7 million compared with EUR 529 million during the previous month. Of the 1,040 orders executed on HDAT, 59.3% were "sell" orders and 40.7% "buy" orders.


Footballer turned professional boxer, Leon McKenzie, has his first title fight at York Hall, in London, on 14th March.
PFA TV's Leon Mann went to see how the former Norwich and Crystal Palace striker was preparing and discuss the importance of getting help to address mental health issues and depression.
Michael Bennett, PFA Head of Wellbeing, joined them to share what the union are doing in this area.


This group will meet Monday, April 29 at 2pm in the church office to write birthday cards, pray for those who are sick or homebound, and plan our pastoral visiting. If you can write, pray, or visit, you can be a part of this ministry!
Older PostParish Work Day: Thank you!


text:
India's fallen WWI soldiers ignored at home 100 years on
NEW DELHI - As Britain and her allies prepare to mark the end of World War I, former colony India will largely ignore commemorations despite losing tens of thousands of soldiers in the conflict.
Everyone from world leaders to school children are expected to take part in ceremonies on November 11 to remember the armistice for the Great War, whose centenary this year gives the occasion extra significance.
But the date next Tuesday will be largely overlooked in India where, for many, the war is an embarrassing reminder of the bloody sacrifices made for its formal colonial master.
"You can't call it sacrifice, it was surely not patriotism that made them fight," war expert Mridula Mukherjee said of the 70,000 Indian soldiers who died on the battlefields of Europe.
"It was mostly them looking for employment," Mukherjee, chief historian at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told AFP.
Mukherjee said 1.2 million Indian soldiers were also motivated to sign up for the war because of Britain's promises at the time of a greater role in the running of their own country if they fought.
Leading political figures in India, including independence hero and apostle of non-violence Mahatma Gandhi, then backed the effort, believing it would bolster the colony's claims for self-government.
Indian soldiers arrived on the Western Front in late September of 1914, equipped with just two machine guns per battalion and dressed in thin cotton uniforms that offered no protection against the bitter European winter.
Volunteer army
At a ceremony in New Delhi last week, British defence minister Michael Fallon, flanked by top military brass and politicians from both countries, paid tribute to India's soldiers.
"We must not and we will not ever forget the enormous service rendered by India's heroes," Fallon said after laying a wreath at the India Gate memorial, during a one-day visit to the country.
"Their courage is all the more remarkable for being entirely voluntary. Not a single Indian was conscripted."
Far from acknowledging their contribution, however, many in India, a British colony for 200 years, have chosen to ignore the past. Some are ashamed its soldiers volunteered to fight for a country that had long kept them in servitude, experts say.
"In those days, it was not considered heroic to be fighting for your 'masters'," said Vedica Kant who has written a book called "The Indian Heroes of WWI".
"Hence, many of those soldiers' voices went unheard, their stories unwritten," the London-based Kant told local media in Delhi last month.
Indian soldiers became the largest volunteer force in history when 2.5 million also fought for Britain during World War II, according to official figures, before the country finally gained independence in 1947.
Few reminders
On Tuesday, India's army is not planning anything special to commemorate the day, preferring to hold fire for Republic Day and Armed Forces Day.
"There may be some ceremonies here or there, but nothing that I know of," spokesman Rohan Anand told AFP.
The giant India Gate memorial in the capital is one of the few stark reminders of the country's world war past. The British-built sandstone arch is a notable landmark, drawing thousands of visitors every year.
But few snapping selfies at the monument recently could accurately describe its significance.
"Gandhi made it when we got independence from the British in 1947?" suggested 19-year-old Saksham Jain. Hawker Babu Ahmed, 35, who has been selling tea at the monument for 12 years, shrugged and said "who cares as long as you get visitors".
During last week's ceremony in Delhi, relatives of fallen soldiers beamed with pride as British embassy officials gifted them digitised war diaries of Indian troops who fought in France and Belgium's Flanders.
But some wondered why the soldiers had never been honoured in such a way by their own governments.
"Finally after 100 years a foreign country has recognised my grandfather's contribution to WWI, something the Indian government could never do," said 75-year-old Baljit Singh, a retired colonel.
"My grandfather and his fellow men sacrificed their lives in the hope of early independence from the British, but nobody saw that.
"No recognition, no books, nothing - only the families who sent their own know what they went through and for what." World leaders commemorated the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI on August 4 when they warned of lessons to be learned in the face of today's many crises. The four-year conflict left some 10 million dead and 20 million injured.
#World War I


text:
Tesla reports back-to-back profitable quarters
Tesla reported Wednesday a profit of $139 million, or $0.78 a share, and better-than-expected sales, yet failed to meet analysts' expectations for earnings in the fourth quarter. Shares fell after the markets closed and are down 1.7 percent as of 2:30 pm PT.
Tesla has managed to string together two profitable periods in a row thanks to sales of the Model 3 and despite several headwinds in the fourth quarter, including a non-cash charge of $54 million attributable to non-controlling interests, higher import duties on components from China, a price reduction for Model S and Model X in China and the introduction of a lower-priced mid-range version of Model 3.
In October, Tesla reported its first profit after seven consecutive quarters of losses. It was only the third time in its history that it had achieved this milestone.
Tesla's profitable fourth quarter lies in stark contrast to its financial position in the same period last year when it reported a loss of $675 million, or $1.75 a share.
Perhaps just as important as the automaker's income is its cash position. Tesla reported that its cash position improved by $1.45 billion despite the scheduled repayment of a $230 million convertible bond in the fourth quarter.
"We have sufficient cash on hand to comfortably settle in cash our convertible bond that will mature in March 2019," the shareholder letter to investors said.
Here are a few of the highlights:
Tesla's Q4 revenues were $7.2 billion, up from $6.8 billion in the third quarter
Tesla's Q4 operating cash flow less capital expenditures improved to $910 million
Cash and cash equivalents increased by $718 million to hit $3.7 billion at the end of the fourth quarter
Model 3 production volumes in Fremont should reach a sustained rate of 7,000 units per week by end of 2019
Analysts took a measured tone in reaction to Tesla's fourth-quarter earnings report, noting the company's accomplishments as well as the challenges that lie ahead.
"Things really aren't going to get any better for Tesla in the U.S. than they did at the end of 2018," Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis at Edmunds, said in an emailed statement. "Turning a profit, creatively addressing production challenges and getting the Model 3 to the masses were huge milestones, but keeping up this momentum is going to be virtually impossible. Tesla's product lineup is starting to get stale, and now thanks to the elimination of the federal tax credit, buying one has never been more expensive. While there's still a cool factor to owning a Tesla, it may not be enough to convince buyers to choose one over brand new models from Audi, Porsche and Jaguar. Tesla's in an awkward purgatory between being a startup and a mainstream automaker, and the biggest open question heading into 2019 is where the company really goes from here. Tesla is used to owning the spotlight, but for the next year we might see a lower-key Tesla as the company takes baby steps to keep things moving along while it plans for the future."
The challenges will be for Tesla to improve, or at least maintain, margins even as the federal tax credit continues to wind down.
Tesla is forecasting that Model 3 volumes will "grow substantially" in 2019 due to a full year of high production rates at its facility in Fremont, California.
Tesla said it plans to start producing Model 3 vehicles at its "gigafactory" in Shanghai by the end of the year. The automaker says they intend to slash the cost of producing Model 3s at the factory in China, a bold prediction that if successful will help boost margins.
"We expect the capital spend per unit of capacity for this factory to be less than half of that of our Model 3 line in Fremont," the company said.
Tesla is also targeting cost reductions in the U.S and expects operating expenses will grow by less than 10 percent in 2019. The automaker says that restructuring actions taken in the first quarter — which includes layoffs that occurred this month — will reduce costs by about $400 million annually.
Tesla's first-quarter financials will reflect a one-time restructuring cost, the company forecasted.
As a result, Tesla says it's remaining optimistic that it will post a small profit in the first quarter if it can successfully keep costs down and handle logistics and delivery challenges in Europe and China.
Tesla reported January 2 that it delivered 90,700 vehicles during the fourth quarter, just shy of what analysts expected. The company said at the time that it delivered 13,500 Model S sedans, 14,050 Model X SUVs and 63,150 Model 3s.
« Microsoft Azure revenue growth slows in Q2
The forthcoming WarnerMedia streaming service will be partially supported by ads »


A new German play that mixes occidental Western Urban apartment life with oriental Magic Realism a la Scherazade.
Starring | Philippa Domville, Michael Healey, David Jansen, Elisa Moolecherry & Zaib Shaikh.
Broke 14 years of Festival Box Office Records.


The Vic Firth T2 Cartwheel Timpani Mallet of the "American Custom" series is very soft. It's ideal for soft rolls' legato strokes and the richest of sounds. The head diameter is 1 3/4″ and the length is 14 1/2″.
All six models of the Vic Firth "American Custom" Timpani Mallet Series reflect Vic Firth's fifty years of experience as Solo Timpanist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Each mallet is turned from a single piece of rock maple, which eliminates a core that could rattle and the need for a screw-on washer to secure the head. Coupled with round seamless heads, they produce bigger and brighter sounds.


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The Facts: Chicago vs. Portland
MATCH INFO: Chicago Red Stars vs. Portland Thorns FC on Saturday, September 30, at 3 p.m. CT. Match will be broadcast live on Lifetime as the Game of the Week.
SERIES HISTORY: Portland dominates the win category over Chicago, as the Red Stars have been able to grab just one victory against the Thorns, while being outscored 15-22. In 2017, Chicago has dropped points in both matches, including a home loss on August 12. In nine matches against the Thorns, captain Christen Press has scored six goals for the Red Stars.
SCOUTING PORTLAND: The Portland roster never seizes to disappoint on paper. Entering the match at Providence Park, both Portland and Chicago have clinched a spot in the playoffs, with the Thorns earning a home semifinal match. Christine Sinclair leads the team with eight goals, while Nadia Nadim and Hayley Raso have added five goals and three assists each. The roster of Portland became even stronger last week when Tobin Heath made her 2017 NWSL debut. Meanwhile, Adrianna Franch just set an NWSL record, recording her 11th shutout of the season.
RED STARS MILESTONES: With her 11th goal of the season, Christen Press set a single season record for the Red Stars franchise. Press currently sits at 36 goals in just 61 appearances for Chicago.
USWNT CALL-UP: Sofia Huerta earned her first call from the U.S. Women's National Team and earned her first cap on September 15, when the U.S. took on New Zealand. Huerta, 24, had been called in to the previous camp, but did not dress for the games due to the U.S. WNT trying to gain the rights from Mexico, in which Huerta played five games for.
YOUNG & EXPERIENCED SQUAD: The Red Stars have one of the youngest rosters in the league, with a combined average age of 24.45, with seven players 23 years old or younger. However, a majority of the team has been together for three seasons, making it one of the most cohesive teams in the league.
RED CARD NAGASATO: Yuki Nagasato will be ineligible for action in the match between Chicago and Portland after receiving a red card in the 89th minute in the Red Stars game against the Dash. After entering in the 86th minute, Nagasato slid into Rachel Daly and was immediately shown a red by the center ref.
PLAYOFF RACE: The Red Stars currently hold third place in the NWSL league standings with 39 points. With North Carolina, Portland, Chicago and Orlando clinching the four coveted playoff positions, the Red Stars and the Pride are currently waiting to see if they match up with the Courage or the Thorns in the semifinals. North Carolina clinched the NWSL Shield on Wednesday in their match against the Houston Dash.


This time of year can bring up many things for us, and not all of them are positive.
If you are a single parent, you can feel alone, overwhelmed and simply unable to bring the kind of Christmas to your kids that you may have had when you were younger. The pressure to create a magical environment at home with a tree, stockings and lights everywhere, with the smell of sugar cookies baking in the oven and presents flowing out from under the tree, can be incredibly devastating to some parents – ESPECIALLY when you are single and an Entrepreneur and the pressures of running your business are even more magnified during the Holiday Season.
Stop pressuring yourself, stop lying awake at night with anxiety about how you are going to pull it all off and if you really can go without sleep for a week and survive. Just stop.
The amazing thing about Children is that they are thrilled just to be alive most of the time. They have a 'knowing' that many of us have lost as adults – they live life fully and take joy in the little things. It is the Adults who train these kids to have expectations on things and to require 'things' to have a false sense of happiness through the Holidays.
This year, how about you take a break – a REAL break and truly come home for the Holidays? Does that sound wonderful? Of course it does – but it will take some discipline on your part to LET GO of all the ideas you have of what Christmas SHOULD look like. You've picked these ideas up from advertising, marketing and the other brilliant mind infiltration of our consuming generated culture. I'd like you to take a trip with me back into your childhood to remember the little things that made Christmas to you.
There are many, many more memories you can dig up, I am sure. And did you take note that NONE of them had anything to do with THINGS? They all have to do with the true spirit of Christmas. The love, light, openness and gratitude for the blessings all around us.
To truly come HOME for the Holidays this year, it's time to go back to what really matters. Teach your children the importance of gratitude, graciousness and the joy that already lives and beats strongly within them. Presents, lights, trees and everything else doesn't bring us that happiness, they only serve as triggers. And let's not invest in creating negative triggers around the Holidays for our children by being stressed out, frazzled and otherwise less than enjoyable.
Let's create some positive triggers and powerful memories that have nothing to do with THINGS and everything to do with the HEART and love that lives within us all the whole year round.
Ok – sounds great you say – all Unicorns, and rainbows for sure – but in reality? How the HECK do I make that happen?
Well, it's actually quite easy, and simple – as all the wonderful things in the world are. Go back to what matters. Here are six ways to find your Happiness for the Holidays.
Six Tips on How to be Happy for the Holidays.
Turn off all News. This includes turning off your social platforms as well. All of it. Turn off that phone, shut the laptop and just walk away from it all. We have no idea how much this stuff infiltrates our daily lives until we actually allow ourselves to take a break from it.
Connect with Nature – when doesn't this just make your heart sing? It is grounding, it's healthy and it's the BEST way to bring your thoughts and energy back to the here and now.
Fall in love with life. Love everything and everyone around you. See the beauty that is right in front of you every day – REALLY see it. That sunrise you woke up to this morning, the adorable nose on your child's face. These are all miracles – appreciate them and treat them as such.
REMEMBER: The best gifts are not THINGS. Shopping, shopping, shopping will not bring you happiness, it will just bring you ulcers and a drained bank account – it is not where joy lives.
GIVE more than receive. There is nothing more powerful than the spirit of giving. Give of your time, your attention, your love and your happiness and watch those around you blossom.
Finally – take a break from EVERYTHING. Shut it all off and just live within yourself and around your loved ones without any interruption.


"Pardon me, sir," said a man with an enormous Afro and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, "would you care to take the Extreme Burstin' Berry Fruit Slammer Challenge?"
Joel had only planned to grab a few things from the supermarket on his way home from work, but the idea of a challenge intrigued him. "Tell me more," he said, setting down his bag of chives.
"On this table I have two cups," the man explained. "One contains the leading artificially flavored fruit drink. The other is filled with new Extreme Burstin' Berry Fruit Slammer. I challenge you to tell me which beverage is bursting with more fantastic, chugalicious fruit flavor!"
Joel could not resist. "Okay," he said, reaching for the closest cup. He drank down the fizzy, purplish liquid and found himself not entirely displeased by its vague taste of raspberries. Then he took a sip from the other cup. The murky, gray libation had a metallic tang, and almost immediately Joel felt a burning sensation in his throat.
The man who, moments earlier, had seemed like just another friendly promoter of fruit-flavored beverages now smiled devilishly as he removed his glasses and Afro wig. It was none other than the evil Doctor Sauce! Joel tried to scream, but the doctor's diabolical concoction had dissolved his vocal cords.
"Don't you wish you could talk right now?" Doctor Sauce whispered in his ear. "Don't you wish you could warn your fellow shoppers that Doctor Sauce no longer limits his dastardly acts to the world of condiments?"


Partner and co-head of commercial litigation, dispute resolution comments on disputes arising as a result of art sales.
Just this month, an auction at Christie's set a new record for a private collection, with pieces from the Rockefeller's collection raising $646m on the first night. It's clear the art world is booming, with auctions like this continuing to break records and push prices sky high.
Robert Ryall explores disputes over provenance and art loss claims in this piece in Wealth Briefing.
Click here to read the full article, please note in mind there is a paywall.
If you would like more information or advice relating to this article or a Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution law matter, please do not hesitate to contact Robert Ryall on 02071 835683 or 01727 798092.


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In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month L.A. Community Leaders Gathered to Celebrate Survivors and Agencies Working to End the Violence
When: October 1, 2016 at 4:00pm – 5:30pm
(Cocktail Reception Following Press Conference)
Where: SWEET! Hollywood
HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND CENTER
6801 Hollywood Blvd. #201
Ron Galperin, LA City Controller
Veera Mahajan, Author of "Unreported" #1 International Best Seller
Torrance Brannon Reese, Founder of FAMLI, Inc.
La Leona, #1 Hispanic Radio & TV Host for Univision
Actress Kim Hawthorne in OWN's hit new series GREENLEAF
Actor Christopher Sean in Days of our Lives & Hawaii Five O
What: Celebration of survivors, agencies & people that work to end domestic violence. Honoring Sergio Petrina and Michael Bernstein for their contribution.
Press Attending CBS2/KCAL9, KTLA5, Malibu Chronicle Magazine, Univision34, Media One Entertainment and celebrities to be confirmed.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) evolved from the "Day of Unity" held October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates across the nations who are working to end violence against woman and their children. The "Day of Unity" soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national level. Los Angeles leaders and community members are hard at work to stop the cycle of abuse, and are taking this opportunity to share the work in progress, successes, and to raise awareness.
Photo opportunities on Purple Carpet. Cocktails and Appetizers proceeding press conference.
Please contact trish@safepassageheals.org to be added to media list for press conference. Accepting donations for your attendance. Limited seating available.
Please RSVP to 818-232-7476 or www.safepassageheals.org
Safe Passage provides hope, opportunity, pride and empowerment to abused women and their children, leading them to a new and better life. Services include health and nutrition classes, counseling, medical checkups, reconstructive surgery, self defense classes, job and computer training, transportation, activities and mentorships for children, beauty counseling, and residential guidance and supplies. www.safepassageheals.org


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Good Morning Britain has been blasted by TV viewers for dropping the news of the Las Vegas shooting on Mariah Carey during a live interview.
On Sunday night (01Oct17), more than 20 people were killed and over a hundred injured after a gunman opened fire while concertgoers were enjoying Jason Aldean's set at the Route 91 Harvest outdoor country music festival near the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The We Belong Together singer had been due to appear on the British show via a video link from her Beverly Hills home to promote her upcoming Christmas tour on Monday morning U.K. time, when the shooting was still ongoing. However, instead of doing the planned promotional chat, she was asked by co-hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid for her reaction to the shooting, and it was clear by the shocked expression on her face that she had no idea about the unfolding situation.
Calling the tragedy "horrible", she said, "I pray for the victims" before asking if the shooter had been caught, while incongruously reclining in a red gown on a sofa with a Christmas tree visibly in the background.
After the hosts filled her in more about the situation, the singer, who recently finished her residency in Las Vegas, replied, "Wow, that's awful. Again, I pray for the victims and hope all these can stop as soon as possible. You know I have spent a lot of time in Vegas and this type of thing happening anywhere is a huge tragedy. I continue to pray for the victims. I hope we have an end to this as soon as possible."
Piers then interrupted the chat so they could go to an advert break and said they would be back with Mariah afterwards, but she never returned.
Viewers took to Twitter to blast the bizarre interview, with one writing, "So tasteless breaking the Vegas news to Mariah Carey live on TV, shame on you," and another added, "How could Mariah Carey or any of her team not know about Las Vegas b4 goin live on @GMB ?? Not fair on her or anyone to be told live on tv!"
Minutes later, Mariah posted her condolences on Twitter, writing, "Horrified to hear about the shooting in #LasVegas. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. Praying for everyone's safety."


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Attack on Titan's Live-Action Hanji Series Reveals Wagakki Band Song, Story Details
Satomi Ishihara stars in 3 30-minute episodes premiering on August 15
The official website for Shingeki no Kyojin ~Hangeki no Noroshi~ ( Attack on Titan : Counterattack's Beacon), the live-action series based on Hajime Isayama 's Attack on Titan manga and its live-action film adaptations, announced on Friday that Wagakki Band ( Sengoku Musou ) will perform the show's theme song "Hangeki no Ha" (Blade of Counterattack). The band created the song specifically for the series, and Matt Wallace (Maroon 5's Songs About Jane ) mixed the song in Los Angeles.
The series will have three 30-minute episodes. They will all stream on dTV — Docomo's revamped streaming video service — on August 15. The website also posted more screenshots:
The series will tell a new story about the everyday lives and secrets of soldiers (particularly Hanji's "Titan research" and the origin story of the 3D maneuver gear), and will tie in to the two live-action films. The series will star Satomi Ishihara , who is reprising her role as Hanji from the two live-action films.
The following cast will also reprise their roles:
Nanami Sakuraba as Sasha
Shu Watanabe as Fukushi
Rina Takeda as Lil
Ayame Misaki as Hiana
Additionally, Yūta Hiraoka (NANA, Mirai Nikki ANOTHER:WORLD) will join the cast as a new character "Izuru" for the show.
Isayama's original Attack on Titan manga has inspired four spinoff manga, a 25-episode television anime version that aired in 2013, and two compilation anime films, the second of which will open in June. Additionally, a second season of the television anime series is slated to air in 2016. Isayama launched the series in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in 2009.
The live-action film adaptation will span two films. Director Shinji Higuchi stated that, with the supervision of Attack on Titan manga creator Hajime Isayama , the story will be based on the world and characters of the manga, while incorporating new characters and new formidable enemies. Yuusuke Watanabe ( Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods , live-action Gantz , Gantz II: Perfect Answer , 20th Century Boys , Gatchaman ) is writing the script. Film critic Tomohiro Machiyama , who is also friends with Isayama, is working on the scripts together with Isayama and Watanabe.
The films will open in July and August. Wagakki Band will perform at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on July 4.
Source: Animate


I recently became an MOB. As in, Mother of the Bride. Annesley will wed Geoff, her high school sweetheart, next May. And we couldn't be more excited.
As soon as the news broke, I found myself on the receiving end of a tidal wave of congratulations (which was exciting), advice (which was welcome), and questions (stressful). Had we picked a date? A venue? A band? Did Annesley have a dress? Her bridesmaids? A signature color? What about the all-important china pattern? Had she registered for that?
If you're the kind of person who thinks pretty much every gathering could be improved with a dance floor, why not build your own? You'll have to shell out about $240 for the materials, but that's comparable to renting a 12'x12' floor, and when you factor in the possibilities for amortization (dinner parties, engagement parties, PTA meetings that could use a boost), it's well worth the cost. I can't promise this plan would pass muster at, say, Architectural Digest, but hopefully it will get you started.


We offer the facility to sell and locate items for our members. Click here to see our current, full machinery list in our Monthly Newsletter and other items that are wanted and for sale. If you'd like more details on what is available please contact the Ring office on 01622 815356.
We have a number of items wanted by RAMSAK Members; if you have any items of interest for sale please call us on 01622 815356.


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"From the Files of Abdul Q. Rosenblatt, Genie to the Stars," by Molly Lazer
Client #18: A.P.
Sometimes I don't understand people. He could have just asked to be king. Instead, he wished for super-strength to pull some sword out of some stone. So I hulked him out, and he got the metal out of the rock. Everyone oohed and aahed, and it was all very impressive. Still, it seemed like backwards logic to me. His next wish? A nice, circular table.
Client #32: G.K.
He said he wanted to be the supreme commander of the world. I told him that was a bit beyond even my abilities, so he said, and I quote, "Can't I at least conquer Khwarezmidia?" I told him he might need antibiotics for that. Mongols have no sense of humor. So I granted his wish, and he ran around slaughtering Khwarezmidians, yelling "K_____!" like it was a battle cry instead of his name. I figured, at least he's happy. He was nice enough to keep the blood spray off my lamp.
Client #77: W.S.
He wanted to get rid of his nagging wife, but I don't deal in uxoricide. Genies don't kill people, I said, people kill people. I suggested he move to the big city and leave her upon the Avon, which he did. One wish down, and I barely had to leave the lamp. Without A_____ on his back all the time, he became one of those high-maintenance actor types. Truth to tell, he wasn't very good. There was a lot of over-emoting and shouting loud enough that they could hear him in the bear-baiting arena across the river. He wished that the rabble would stop throwing tomatoes at him. I figured it wasn't my job to tell him he might need acting classes, so I suggested he start writing plays instead of acting in them. He thought that was a brilliant idea – now he could write himself roles he actually liked. Oh, well, I tried. I apologize in advance to the English stage. After a few weeks of writer's block, he wished for inspiration. I told him to go read some history books. Maybe he'd like the one about the hunchback.
Client #123: M.A.
I sat on her shelf for years before she let me out. Understandable. How was she supposed to know the lamp was enchanted when it was just one of many in her collection? I don't even have any jewels inlayed in my brass. Plain and simple, that's how I roll. So she accidentally rubbed my lamp, and to say she was surprised would be an understatement. She wished for a baby. I asked her a few questions and discovered that I had to sit her and her husband, L_____ down and explain about the birds and the bees. It was every bit as awkward as you'd imagine. I suppose they spent the last seven years just sitting around playing tiddlywinks.
She didn't make a second wish for years, being busy with children and being queen and the revolution and all. Someone said the peasants were starving. "Let them eat brioche," she said. Cake rained from the sky, but I don't suppose that ended up in the history books. I never get any credit. M_____ got her head chopped off, and the I.O.U. for a third wish I wrote to the French monarchy went missing during an auction at Versailles.
Client #159: A.L.
His third wish was for a quiet evening at the theater with his wife. Whoops.
Client #475: O.J.S.
His first wish was to be a successful athlete. Wish granted. Then he wanted to be an actor. Wish granted. His third wish was a bit baffling. He came to me in a panic with a glove and asked me to shrink it down a size. I told him I could just get him a new pair if his gloves were too big, but he insisted. Wish granted.
Molly Lazer is a MFA candidate in Creative Writing at Rosemont College. A former editor at Marvel Comics, she now teaches high school, acts, and directs plays outside of Philadelphia. Her work has appeared in The Pennsylvania Gazette, Gingerbread House, and FlashFiction.net.
Image Credit: © Kreatiw / Dollar Photo Club


Someone who is conventional has behaviour or opinions that are ordinary and normal.
...a respectable married woman with conventional opinions.
People still wore their hair short and dressed conventionally.
A conventional method or product is one that is usually used or that has been in use for a long time.
...the risks and drawbacks of conventional family planning methods.
This new memory stick holds twice as much information as a conventional pen drive.
The farmer was fined for passing off conventionally-produced food as organic.
We must reduce the danger of war by controlling nuclear, chemical and conventional arms.
Muy común. conventional es una de las 4000 palabras más usadas del Diccionario Collins.
Conventional people behave in a way that is accepted as normal in their society.
I've always been quite conventional; I work hard and behave properly.


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Only Being You
The Mahjong Line and Cultural Appropriation
Source: The Bizz USA
By Isabelle Sitchon; Edited by Haarika Kalahasti
For most of us, the talk of cultural appropriation has been prominent in our lives. For others, cultural appropriation hasn't reached their ears at all. Near the beginning of 2021, the Mahjong Line sparked controversy across the nation with its "respectful refresh." The company called for a modern, "stylish" redesign to the traditional Mahjong pieces, charging around $300-$400 for replacements of classic Chinese designs with bags of flour and cutesy thunderstorms.
The reasoning behind the need to redesign the classic Chinese set was company co-founder Kate LaGere's experience buying her first Mahjong set. She had felt that tiles, "while beautiful", "did not reflect the fun that was had when playing with her friends." LaGere saw "so much potential" in the game and was determined to give the game a refresh to "bring [it] to the stylish masses." Kate, along with her friends Annie and Bianca, thus launched the "modern makeover" of the Mahjong set in November 2020.
However, the new, chic "Mahjong Line" did not settle right with the public. All over social media, people criticized the company for their approach towards their redesign--and that backlash was justified. On the company's About Us page, the three women had made it seem as if their new version of Mahjong would be the version to ultimately reach the modern masses as "playable works of art." Rather than refining the staple designs, the company had gentrified it.
Why might this be dangerous? The "Mahjong Line" had culturally appropriated the game. Meaning to say, the company had adopted or improved the game to cater to their own style, without acknowledging the Chinese creators who made it. Kate noted that the game "came [nothing] close to mirroring her style and personality." As a result, many of the tiles were changed to appeal to a fresher audience. Many felt as though the redesign made it even harder for beginners to play the game. This was evidence that there was little to no cultural education invested in the company's projects.
"My culture is one of the oldest civilizations in the world," Twitter user Jeremy Lee (@JeremyLeeSF) wrote, "It is a product of thousands of years of tradition and history. My culture [is] not some cheap coloring book that can be filled in and be 'made pretty' by the standards of privileged teenyboppers."
On the company's About Us page, there is a short section about the "American vs. Chinese Mahjong." The company discussed how Mahjong had originally developed its popularity in the U.S. through American businessman Joseph Babcock, who had brought back a Mahjong set in the 1920s after working overseas in China. Joseph Babcock had published his book, Rules for Maj-Jongg: The Red Book of Rules, which earned Mahjong its distinct popularity throughout the years. The game of Mahjong had soon evolved into a game that was "distinctly American." While it's no doubt that a classic board game such as Mahjong would evolve over the years, the American approach towards a traditionally Chinese game is a clear example of cultural appropriation. With the addition of jokers into the game, the original Mahjong game would be altered into a way Americans could enjoy. This was just one instance in which Asian culture was culturally appropriated and ignored, with businessmen such as Joseph Babcock finding profit.
On January 5, 2021, the Mahjong line acknowledged their cultural mistakes and released a public statement:
"While our intent is to inspire and engage with a new generation of American mahjong players, we recognize our failure to pay proper homage to the game's Chinese heritage," the company said, "Using words like 'refresh' was hurtful to many and we are deeply sorry."
The company promised to "conduct conversations with those who can provide further insight to the game's traditions and roots in both Chinese and American cultures." However, it has not posted any updates or posts on its social media, but its Mahjong sets are still on its website for sale.
The "Mahjong Line" is one of many examples of cultural appropriation in today's society. It is extremely important to preserve the origins of other cultures. Taking a certain aspect of one culture and altering or wearing it to your heart's content without respect to the original creator would harm those whose culture is a part of their identity. A person of color may go through discriminatory experiences because of their background and heritage, but another person may wear box-braids or a gentrified kimono for "fashion" and be praised for it. Another person's culture is not your trend to jump on, but it is something to appreciate.
Pretty for a Brown Girl
Subtle Asian Talks (A Written Interview with Kilo, Cece, and Nelle)
A Special STEM Internship


What is one thing that always seems to get in the way of following through a good diet plan?
Constant hunger; or, to be more honest: always feeling hungry !
Just imagine how easy weight loss would be if you were never in the mood to eat. Unfortunately, hunger is hard not to feel.
Most people who need to go on a diet live where food is far from a scarce resource. Malls and streets are lined with food chains. Cafe , snack bars , and diners are scattered around schools and offices. Even just grocery shopping for non-food items becomes a real temptation to people in a food-obsessed culture. Market brands wrap the same junk in new packaging, or introduce a new flavor, and the tendency is to slide it into the basket on the way to checkout.
But let's return to the basic question: why do you always feel like eating?
Simply: You are bored. This is especially true for dieters who have either flexible or short working hours. You have all this free time, and you fill the space between work and actual mealtimes with snacks. Try keeping track of your activity when you have nothing left to do. Chances are, you drift towards the kitchen or the newest food chain.
If you've noticed that it's boredom that makes you eat when stuck at home, try Googling foods that require real time and preparation — and then serve the creation to your household. On the other hand, if you're tempted to try that Italian restaurant while you're alone downtown, steer yourself in another direction and treat yourself to a new outfit or book instead.
You may feel chronically hungry due to hormonal imbalance. If you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your blood sugar drops (hypoglycemia) and you will find yourself ravenous. Remember the food pyramid? Whole grains are at the bottom for a reason.
One cause of hypoglycemia is improper dieting. You may have been told to "avoid starchy foods," but your body still needs fuel. You don't have to avoid bread altogether. Whole-grain baked goods contain lots of fiber that keep you full for longer, forfeiting hunger pangs.
A sudden change in appetite (whether a loss or increase) is a symptom of depression. But we're not saying you're depressed; you're just using food to cope with a deeper problem. It may be heartbreak, built-up stress from work, or even just two straight "bad weeks," and you've found that two large fries or a big bar of milk chocolate every afternoon soothes you.
Observe what your mood is right before you reach for a snack. Whether it's sadness or burnout, there is one alternative that all keep calories off while producing feel-good hormones in your brain. It's called exercise.
You just began a new diet and it's time for you to have a healthful snack. At this point, you realize that all the sugary snacks and drinks you purchased weeks ago are still sitting around your home, waiting to be consumed. So you tell yourself that you are just going to empty your house of these temptations, then really start the diet.
When this happens, you're allowing junk food to ruin your fitness plan before you've even begun. Do not fall for your mind telling you that you simply need to rid the house of them. Instead of giving in and gorging on forbidden foods just because they are there, pack them into a box or a bunch of paper bags and donate them to the nearest shelter. You'll be helping humanity, as well as yourself.
5.This Most Important , you did not have a proper breakfast.
Remember all those people telling you, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" when you were younger? It is no joke. Breakfast provides your body with a morning energy boost, gets your metabolism up and burning for the next several hours, and eliminates random hunger pangs throughout the day.
Breakfast is the best time to consume healthy carbohydrates in a filling meal, so don't skip this fitness staple. A bowl of oatmeal in low-fat milk instead of white bread, a side of fresh fruits instead of jam and butter, and some green tea instead of hot chocolate will give you more energy and less calories.
A useful reminder: dieting is not a starvation rally. It's reform for your body.
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Is it News, or is it Gossip?
INSIDE OF A DEMOCRACY, it is the job of pundits and reporters to critique the actions and decisions of local … Continue reading Is it News, or is it Gossip?
Ashland: Are We Ready for a Movement?
IT IS TIME. Or, at least, it feels like it is time. On April 20, 2018, I earned my state's … Continue reading Ashland: Are We Ready for a Movement?


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Infinite Variety
Literary Invention, Theology, and the Disorder of Kinds, 1688-1730
By Wolfram Schmidgen
Published by University of Pennsylvania Press August 13, 2021
Unnerved by the upheavals of the seventeenth century, English writers including Thomas Hobbes, Richard Blackmore, John Locke, Jonathan Swift, and Daniel Defoe came to accept that disorder, rather than order, was the natural state of things. They were drawn to voluntarism, a theology that emphasized a willful creator and denied that nature embodied truth and beauty. Voluntarism, Wolfram Schmidgen contends, provided both theological framework and aesthetic license. In Infinite Variety, he reconstructs this voluntarist tradition of literary invention.
Once one accepted that creation was willful and order arbitrary, Schmidgen argues, existing hierarchies of kind lost their normative value. Literary invention could be radicalized as a result. Acknowledging that the will drives creation, such writers as Blackmore and Locke inverted the rules of composition and let energy dominate structure, matter create form, and parts be valued over the whole. In literary, religious, and philosophical works, voluntarism authorized the move beyond the natural toward the deformed, the infinite, and the counterfactual.
In reclaiming ontology as an explanatory context for literary invention, Infinite Variety offers a brilliantly learned analysis of an aesthetic framed not by the rise of secularism, but by its opposite. It is a book that articulates how religious belief shaped modern literary practices, including novelistic realism, and one that will be of interest to anyone who thinks seriously about the relationship between literature, religion, and philosophy.
Wolfram Schmidgen is Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis and author of Exquisite Mixture: The Virtues of Impurity in Early Modern England, also available from University of Pennsylvania Press.


text:
Starlink  je projekt američke tvrtke SpaceX kojemu je cilj omogućiti pristup internetu putem satelita u bilo kojem dijelu Zemlje.

Prvih 60 Starlink satelita lansirano je 23. svibnja 2019. godine na raketi Falcon 9. Lansiranje se dogodilo u Florida Cape Canaveral zračnoj postaji. Od tada SpaceX konstantno lansira nove satelite na visinu od 550 km u zemljinu orbitu. Njih bi, prema planu, trebalo u orbiti biti čak 42 tisuće. Prvim korisnima na sjeveru SAD-a i Kanade internet usluge su već dostupne, dok je globalno širenje planirano za 2021. godinu.

Karakteristike satelita

Svaki satelit teži oko 260 kg i ravnog je dizajna kako bi se smanjila veličina i maksimalno iskoristio kapacitet rakete Falcon 9 na kojoj su lansirani. Na svakom satelitu nalaze se 4 antene, solarni paneli i ionski potisnici pogonjeni kriptonom koji omogućavaju satelitima manevriranje u svemiru. Također svaki satelit u sebi sadrži senzore koji javljaju trenutnu poziciju te sadrži autonomni sustav za izbjegavanje sudara. Po završetku svog rada, sateliti će izgorjeti u Zemljinoj atmosferi u roku od 1-5 godina, što je znatno manje od stotina ili tisuća godina potrebnih satelitima na većim visinama.

Izvori

Astronautika u SAD-u
Internet


Please come worship with us at our Holy Thursday service where Jesus, celebrating his Last Supper with his disciples, taught them his new commandment of love before being betrayed and deserted. We enter into Jesus' suffering to better know the meaning of the Easter resurrection. Thursday, April 18th at 7PM. Childcare provided.


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How 'trauma is sort of the big bad' in the final season of Black Lightning
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By Chancellor Agard February 08, 2021 at 10:00 PM EST
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Show MoreAbout Black Lightning
Warning: This article contains spoilers from the season 4 premiere of Black Lightning on the CW.
Jefferson Pierce and his family squashed the Markovian invasion in season 3 of Black Lightning, but the cost of that war is at the heart of the CW superhero drama's fourth and final season, which premiered Monday.
Picking up a year after the season 3 finale, season opener "The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter One" found Jefferson (Cress Williams), who had given up being Black Lightning, mourning the death of his best friend, Chief Bill Henderson (Damon Gupton). Jefferson's grief not only created a rift between him and Lynn (Christine Adams), but also made him angry. He took his rage out on two police officers harassing an innocent Black kid, electrocuting them and destroying their car. Then after Jennifer, a.k.a. Lightning (China Anne McClain), was injured during a drug bust, he tracked down the gang member who shot her and put him in the hospital. In other words, our hero is in a dark place.
Meanwhile, Lynn started giving herself metahuman powers and going out on the town as a vigilante, unbeknowst to Jefferson. Unfortunately, her life became even more complicated once Tobias Whale (Marvin "Krondon" Jones III) — who knows the Pierce family's secret — emerged from the shadows as Freeland's new benefactor and started investing in Lynn's research.
Below, EW chats with Black Lightning showrunner Salim Akil about the show's final season premiere.
Credit: The CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Did you know Black Lightning was ending when you first started mapping out this season?
SALIM AKIL: Not really. I personally had maybe a slight feeling that it could be, but we didn't know right away. The CW, who I have a lot of love for, at least told us early enough so that we could construct the season in a way that would be satisfying to not only the fans, but us as well.
When you found out this would be the final season, what were the things you knew you wanted to do and see before the show ended?
I think I just wanted to go back to dealing with the family. We had ended on such a broad note of ending the Markovian war. I wanted to then go back to the family and see what trauma looks like and how do you go about healing yourself. If you remember, Jefferson is depressed because his daughters have killed people, his wife has killed in people in this war, and he feels like he's let them down and it's his responsibility. Trauma changes people. So I wanted to explore the idea of trauma, especially in African American families, because not all of us but far too many of us live in areas where gun violence and crime is prevalent on a daily basis, and nobody is really doing anything to try and solve it or report it anymore. So there's a lot of trauma out there, and I just wanted to say to the people watching, "Hey, in order to heal, you have to talk about things. You have to deal with them and you have to seek help." I think if there's a theme this year, someone said that "trauma is sort of the big bad this season."
Is Jefferson's biggest obstacle right now not fully seeking out help and not talking?
The scene with them in therapy: It's funny because we did it in a way where they really couldn't talk about their real issues in therapy because they're hiding the fact that he's Black Lightning. So yeah, that's a huge obstacle for him this season. He'll come around, I'm sure.
We've never seen Jefferson this low before. Is this the lowest we'll see him, or does he still have a ways to go before he can turn it around?
I don't want to do one episode where everything is cool and cured in one episode. But he still has that side of him that is concerned about his community and concerned about his family, but this is what depression looks like. We'll spend a few episodes on that. We won't linger on it too long.
It's not only that Jefferson is depressed, he's also angry in this episode. He takes his anger out on the cops and on the gang member. Can you talk a bit about exploring Jefferson's anger, especially in the wake of the social justice protests from last summer?
The opening was inspired by Elijah McClain, the young man who was killed in Colorado. It is a balance. There's almost a yin and yang. In one moment, you could feel righteous in the thing that you're doing with the cops, and then become almost a vigilante in dealing with this gang member because he wasn't trying to save anybody in that moment. He was seeking revenge. What I like about it is that you get to see the yin and the yang of that. And we're going to have to deal with that. It's fun. It's like when Batman turns evil or Superman turns evil.
What are the consequences of Jefferson harming the gang member and the cops? Does Black Lightning become public enemy No. 1 for the Freeland Police Department?
Well, that's what they think. Certainly the new chief of police, Anna Lopez [Melissa De Sousa], thinks that. But I think there's a really nice reveal of what happens when he gets loose, because he goes dark. He goes comic book dark in the series. So I'm really excited for people to see it.
What are the consequences of Jen spending so much time in the sky?
When we talked about trauma earlier, she's retreating. It's almost instead of retreating into depression or retreating into her room, or back to marijuana, she enjoys getting the thrill and retreating into the ionosphere, because it's such an energy charge up there. That's what makes her feel safe. That's what makes her feel good. And it also gives her a great deal of power. We set up last year that her powers are more powerful than anybody's in the family, so every time she goes up there she's getting more and more power, and we'll explore that even more and what the consequences of that [are].
Lynn is retreating into her work and testing out these metapowers. What appealed to you about exploring Lynn as a metahuman?
Lynn's always been an outsider. She was the super-smart person in school and college. She excelled in her field, but she's always been an outsider. I think for Lynn, she's trying to find a common ground with her family. When she used the powers in Markovia, that was a necessity to help save everyone. In this case, I think she is trying to actually learn more about her family and what powers are and what do they do. If they're not going to not have powers, then she's going to have powers. So I think that's her coping mechanism: "I'm going to be just like you guys, and I'll be part of the team."
Of course, Tobias re-enters her life at the end of the episode. What can you preview about their story line together?
You know, Tobias always has some kind of plan. [Laughs] But I think what's interesting about that story line is that, in all of this talk about trauma, [there's still] fun to me. To me, Tobias is that fun. He's going to be a thorn in the family's side the whole season, and it's going to be a lot of fun to watch because Marvin is doing an amazing job of reinventing the character into an upstanding person.
Since this is the final season, are we building to the long-awaited fight between Tobias and Black Lightning?
Yes indeed. [Laughs] You hit the nail on the head there.
Wayne Brady previously told EW that he wants to return as Gravedigger before the show ends. Have you started thinking of a way to bring him back?
Oh yeah, we're trying to think of a way to bring him back.
China Anne McClain says she was planning Black Lightning exit before cancellation
Black Lightning will end after upcoming fourth season
Black Lightning (finally!) ups Chantal Thuy to series regular for season 4
Black Lightning recap: No more Mr. Nice Guy
By Christian Holub
Black Lightning recap: Freeland after the Crisis
Black Lightning recap: How to start a revolution
The Book of the Apocalypse: Chapter Two: The Omega
Black Lightning season finale recap: Jennifer suits up
The Book of Secrets: Chapter Four: Original Sin
Black Lightning recap: Lala Land
The Book of Secrets: Chapter Three: Pillar of Fire
Black Lightning recap: Friend of the pods
The Book of Secrets: Chapter Two: Just and Unjust
Black Lightning recap: Gone but not forgotten
The Book of Secrets: Chapter One: Prodigal Son
Black Lightning recap: Death in the family
The Book of Rebellion: Chapter Three: Angelitos Negros
Black Lightning recap: Knightfall for Khalil
The Book of Rebellion: Chapter Two: Gift of the Magi
Black Lightning recap: One step behind
The Book of Rebellion: Chapter One: Exodus
Black Lightning recap: Born to run
Black Lightning recap: Saving South Freeland
Black Lightning recap: The strange world of South Freeland
The Book of Blood: Chapter One: Requiem
The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak
Black Lightning recap: The Tobias Whale innocence project
The Book of Consequences: Chapter Three: Master Lowry
Black Lightning recap: Meet the new boss
The Book of Consequences: Chapter Two: Black Jesus Blues
Black Lightning recap: Confronting those deep, dark truths
The Book of Consequences: Chapter One: Rise of the Green Light Babies
Black Lightning season premiere recap: Freeland is changing
Shadow of Death: The Book of War
Black Lightning finale recap: 'Shadow of Death: The Book of War'
The Resurrection and the Light: The Book of Pain
Black Lightning recap: 'The Resurrection and the Light: The Book of Pain'
Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion
Black Lightning recap: 'Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion'
Sins of the Father: The Book of Redemption
Black Lightning recap: 'Sins of the Father: The Book of Redemption'
The Book of Little Black Lies
Black Lightning recap: 'The Book of Little Black Lies'
Mara Brock-Akil
Salim Akil
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FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
Honorable Phil King, Chair, House Committee on Regulated Industries
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB730 by Ritter (relating to residential construction, including certain warranties, building and performance standards, and dispute resolution; providing an administrative penalty. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB730, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004 $0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Probable Savings/(Cost) from
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2003
2004 $1,932,185 ($1,932,185) 30.5
The bill would create the Texas Residential Construction Commission (RCC) to regulate homebuilders, which would meet at least quarterly and employ an executive director and state inspectors. The commission would adopt rules, but only after a ruling by the Attorney General as to their validity, and adopt fees to cover the cost of operations.
The provisions of the bill would apply to certain disputes between a builder and a homeowner related to construction defects. The RCC may charge an application filing fee for an original certificate of registration that could not exceed $500 and a renewal certificate fee of not more than $300. The bill would allow the RCC to assess a late penalty of up to $500 against a builder who failed to pay the registration fee. The RCC would establish a registration fee of not more than $125 based on the value of the improvements, and the fee would be charged at the sale of each home. The provisions of the bill allow conditional registration before June 20, 2005 pending a criminal history background check, which expires January 1, 2006.
It is assumed fee collection and most of the costs would occur beginning March 2004 when builders are required to be registered by the RCC.
The effective date of the bill is September 1, 2003.
This analysis assumes a total population of 7,500 (3,750 companies and 3,750 individuals) would be regulated. Although the number of builders would change from year to year, this analysis assumes the population of builders would remain the same through fiscal year 2008. According to the Comptroller's Texas Economic Detail, total housing starts (single and multi-family) are projected to be 155,300 in 2004, 154,100 in 2005, 157,900 in 2006, 167,800 in 2007 and 173,500 in 2008. An estimated 41,000 inspections would be needed in the first year and 61,000 in subsequent years. It is estimated that approximately 36,000 complaints would occur in the first fiscal year and 55,000 in subsequent fiscal years.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
While third parties would perform inspections, it is estimated the RCC would need approximately 30.5 full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) in fiscal year 2004 and 45 FTEs in fiscal year 2005. Positions include an Executive Director, a Deputy Executive Director and two Executive Assistants and a General Counsel. It's estimated the RCC would need six division Directors to manage the new agency. Personnel would also include customer service representatives, inspectors, licensing analysts, human resource specialists, and a legal assistant. Other positions include an accountant, purchaser and a position for program administration. In addition, it is anticipated the RCC would need hearing examiners to oversee an estimated 400 hearings annually. This analysis assumes approximately half of the costs would occur in fiscal year 2004
It is assumed the RCC would set the various fees established by the bill to offset the costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill.
It is estimated that RRC would need $56,190 in computer equipment for the additional full-time equivalents in fiscal year 2004 and $52,635 in fiscal year 2005. Costs above include $178,100 for networking hardware.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 452 Department of Licensing and Regulation
LBB Staff:
JK, JO, WP, JRO, RT, DE


Samoan elders and guests gathered on Oct. 2 to break ground for the church at 401 176th St. E., in Spanaway.
"It's been a dream for Samoan members to have a church home for community ministry," says Nevile Nevile, Tacoma (Wash.) Samoa Tokelau Church pastor.
Samoans value large family gatherings, and there are a limited number of locations in western Washington to hold these special occasions, according to Fred Toailoa, Southside Samoan Church pastor. With Southside Samoan's two-phase building project, church leaders plan to first build a multipurpose ministry center and then build a sanctuary. The facility will be open and in use seven days a week.
"This site will be a real jewel in this community," says Don Kirkman, architect.
The chief council of the Samoan community attended the groundbreaking to express the council's interest in utilizing the building in the near future. Right now, for example, the council hosts their meetings in a local fast-food restaurant.
The ceremony included prayers of dedication, a seven-shovel breaking of ground, a property tour, a luncheon, remarks and financial gifts from community leaders, plus a chief-to-chief response from the church.
"This is a momentous day for Samoan work in Washington Conference," Toailoa says.
Construction is expected to start in spring 2017.


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press-release article 2018-07-30 research-institute;medicine research
Press ReleaseJul | 30 | 2018
Nano-optic endoscope sees deep into tissue at high resolution
The diagnosis of diseases based in internal organs often relies on biopsy samples collected from affected regions. But collecting such samples is highly error-prone due to the inability of current endoscopic imaging techniques to accurately visualize sites of disease. The conventional optical elements in catheters used to access hard-to-reach areas of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract and pulmonary airways, are prone to aberrations that obstruct the full capabilities of optical imaging.
Now, experts in endoscopic imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and pioneers of flat metalens technology at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), have teamed up to develop a new class of endoscopic imaging catheters – termed nano-optic endoscopes – that overcome the limitations of current systems. The research is described in Nature Photonics.
"Clinical adoption of many cutting-edge endoscopic microscopy modalities has been hampered due to the difficulty of designing miniature catheters that achieve the same image quality as bulky desktop microscopes," says Melissa Suter, PhD, an assistant professor of Medicine at MGH and Harvard Medical School (HMS) and co-senior author of the paper. "The use of nano-optic catheters that incorporate metalenses into their design will likely change the landscape of optical catheter design, resulting in a dramatic increase in the quality, resolution, and functionality of endoscopic microscopy. This will ultimately increase clinical utility by enabling more sophisticated assessment of cell and tissue microstructure in living patients."
"Metalenses based on flat optics are a game-changing new technology because the control of image distortions necessary for high-resolution imaging is straightforward compared to conventional optics, which requires multiple complex shaped lenses," says Federico Capasso, PhD, the Robert L. Wallace Professor of Applied Physics and Vinton Hayes Senior Research Fellow in Electrical Engineering at SEAS and co-senior author of the paper. "I am confident that this will lead to a new class of optical systems and instruments with a broad range of applications in many areas of science and technology"
"The versatility and design flexibility of the nano-optic endoscope significantly elevates endoscopic imaging capabilities and will likely impact diagnostic imaging of internal organs," says Hamid Pahlevaninezhad, PhD, instructor in Medicine at MGH and HMS and co-first author of the paper. "We demonstrated an example of such capabilities to achieve high-resolution imaging at greatly extended depth of focus."
To demonstrate the imaging quality of the nano-optic endoscope, the researchers imaged fruit flesh, swine and sheep airways, and human lung tissue. The team showed that the nano-optic endoscope can image deep into the tissue with significantly higher resolution than provided by current imaging catheter designs.
The images captured by the nano-optic endoscope clearly show cellular structures in fruit flesh and tissue layers and fine glands in the bronchial mucosa of swine and sheep. In the human lung tissue, the researchers were able to clearly identify structures that correspond to fine, irregular glands indicating the presence of adenocarcinoma, the most prominent type of lung cancer.
"Currently, we are at the mercy of materials that we have no control over to design high-resolution lenses for imaging," says Yao-Wei Huang, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at SEAS and co-first author of the paper. "The main advantage of the metalens is that we can design and tailor its specifications to overcome spherical aberrations and astigmatism and achieve very fine focus of the light. As a result, we achieve very high resolution with extended depth of field without the need for complex optical components."
Next, researchers aim to explore other applications for the nano-optic endoscope, including a polarization-sensitive nano-optic endoscope, which could contrast between tissues that have highly-organized structures, such as smooth muscle, collagen and blood vessels.
This paper was co-authored by Mohammadreza Khorasaninejad, PhD, Vivien Ding, and Alexander Zhu, PhD, SEAS; Lida Hariri, MD, PhD, and David C. Adams, PhD, MGH; Zhujun Shi, Harvard University; and Cheng-Wei Qiu, PhD, National University of Singapore. The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the LUNGevity Foundation/Upstage Lung Cancer.


Attorney David Sloane recently appeared on Fox 4 DFW where he discussed the legalization of marijuana in Texas. He appeared on the show on behalf of the DFW National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
Attorney Sloane, a former police lieutenant, was asked about what happened in Colorado and if it has changed Texans' attitude towards legalizing marijuana. Sloane pointed out how when you look at the poll data in Texas in January when Colorado went full legalization, roughly 40 to 42% of Texas didn't want to see any changes in public policy, but now that number has drifted down to 23%.
Sloane told the interviewer on Fox 4 DFW News that Texans are looking to Colorado and wondering why we aren't doing it here. Colorado is anticipating a revenue of $100 million a year by legalizing marijuana.
According to Sloane, we're getting noise out of Austin already. He said that we're going to see some changes and he thinks that such changes will be seen in the 2015 legislature.
Attorney David Sloane, founder of the Law Offices of David Sloane is on the DFW NORML's 2014 Board of Directors and he is serving as the public information officer. DFW NORML is an educational organization that is dedicated to the legalization of marijuana in Texas. The organization supports the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, responsible adult use, and for the production of industrial hemp. DFW NORMAL is registered as a Texas non-profit organization. To watch the full interview with David Sloane on Fox 4 DFW News, click here.
If you have been arrested for possessing marijuana or for another drug-related offense, contact the Law Offices of David Sloane to schedule a free case evaluation at (817) 349-7118 today!


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text:
Stockstadt am Main er en købstad i Landkreis Aschaffenburg i det bayerske Regierungsbezirk Unterfranken i Tyskland.

Geografi
Stockstadt am Main grænser til den vestlige side af byen Aschaffenburg og ligger på den venstre bred af floden Main.
Vest og nordvest for Stockstadt går grænsen til delstaten Hessen og sydvest for Stockstadt ligger den historiske region Bachgau.

Nabokommuner
Mod syd ligger Großostheim og sydvest over grænsen til Hessen liger Babenhausen, og norvestligt, ligeledes i Hessen, Mainhausen og Seligenstadt.

Nord for byen ligger Kleinostheim og mod øst, på den anden side af Main, Mainaschaff.