A substantial new monograph on 'street' photographer Faurer, published with the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, this book brings to a modern audience his raw and emotionally powerful work. Faurer was a close friend of Robert Frank; his work reflects the film noir vocabulary that both found so compelling. Also gathered here are photographs made for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue during the 40s and 50s, not published since they first appeared in the original magazines.


Washington, DC (TADIAS) – As Ethiopia's elite long-distance runners prepare for their leg of the competition at the 2012 London Olympics starting later this week, a new film entitled Town of Runners is also introducing a small Ethiopian town called "Bekoji" to the world, where Ethiopia's greatest Olympians hail from. Four years ago, runners from Bekoji won all four gold medals in the long-distance track events.
The 86 minute documentary, co-produced by Dan Demissie and directed by noted filmmaker Jerry Rothwell, was screened at the World Bank Africa Film Series in Washington, D.C. last week to a sold-out audience of more than 300 people. The movie follows two girls over the course of three years as they try to become professional runners. It also spotlights their coach Mr. Sentayehu Eshetu, a former elementary school Physical Education teacher who discovered and trained several of the country's top runners, most significantly Derartu Tulu, the first African woman to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
Following the screening, a panel discussion with the filmmakers was held, which also featured other guests, including Donald Bundy of the Human Development Network at the World Bank, Greg Toulmin who is the World Bank Country Program Coordinator for Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan, and Patricia Ortman, Founder and Executive Director of Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF).
Below are photos from the event.
Can you please tell me how to get the DVD in US?


text:
About RD
Rural Data Gateway
Careers at Rural Development
BioPreferred Program
Community Facilities Programs
Electric Programs
Energy Programs
Multifamily Housing Programs
Single Family Housing Programs
Telecommunications Programs
Water & Environmental Programs
Cooperative Services
Stakeholder Announcements
Tribal Outreach
Federal Funding Opportunities
Publications for Cooperatives
USDA LINC Training & Resource Library
Loan Servicing
Field Accountants
USDA Service Centers
Electric GFR
ReConnect GFRs
Telecom GFR
Civil Rights Contacts
Our Lady of Lourdes Provides Foundational Skills and Oh So Much More
Tim Potts
It was a special day for the students at the Our Lady of Lourdes, OLL, K- 8th grade school in Porcupine, SD as it was their last day before Thanksgiving break and many of their parents had joined them for lunch. It was fun to see the students excited about the holidays and the change from their usual routine.
I was honored to eat Thanksgiving lunch with Father George Winzenburg, S.J, administrator, students and staff at the School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation; part of the Red Cloud Indian School system. Tim Potts, Rural Development's South Dakota's West River Area Director and I visited to celebrate the purchase of several USDA Rural Development funded school buses.
It was extra special for me because I live on and grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation and attended 4th through my 7th grades at Our Lady of Lourdes. I won't say how many years ago that was, but several historic events took place during that time. President Kennedy was assassinated and Billy Mills (also from Pine Ridge) won the Olympic Gold Medal in the 10,000 meter run in Tokyo.
Things have changed a bit at OLL since then. Gone are the dormitories. OLL had been a boarding school and now buses children from over a fifty mile radius. A two-story, multiple classroom building replaces two small buildings that housed the 4th - 8th graders and the 1st - 3rd. I noticed none of the students were wearing maroon uniforms (jump dresses) that we had to wear!
But the one thing that hasn't changed is the quality of education. OLL and Red Cloud Indian School system are still considered the premier schools on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I can honestly say the lessons I had during my time at OLL was foundational and no other school I attended after taught me more than I what I learned while there.
So, in honor of Native American month and in honor of Thanksgiving, thank you Our Lady of Lourdes for teaching me so many things and continuing to do the work you have done for so many years! USDA Rural Development is happy that we could be a part of this day and contribute to your future.
Obligation Amount:
$30,000 Community Facility Loan and a $25,000 Community Facility Grant
Date of Obligation:
Congressional District:
Noem, At Large
USDA RD Home
Architectural Barriers Act
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Flickr GovDelivery RSS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
People-powered technology: how to engage workers in the new, automation-driven workplace
Automation in the workplace is inevitable. However, engaging employees with the technology that is impacting on them is a practical way to mitigate disruption and make tangible gains right across your business. David Howell reports
The Open University Business School Space
A pioneer in flexible learning for over 30 years, The Open University Business School delivers transformational, high quality business and management education
As technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, bots and automation increasingly enter the workplace, it's critical that your business engages with your workforce to ensure the integration of these new technologies is not disruptive. Technologies can deliver many advantages, but the humans using these systems must not be forgotten.
The concern is that automation, in particular, will have a devastating impact on workforces across the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, some 1.5 million people in England alone are at a high risk of losing their jobs to automation. It analysed the jobs of 20 million people in 2017 and found 7.4% of these were at high risk of being replaced.
The rapid adoption of various technologies can be unsettling for employees. However, if the introduction of these technologies is managed sensibly, the benefits of these changes can be harnessed. Here, HR professionals have a pivotal role to play.
Showing employees how the new technology will support them in their role is essential in gaining support and a positive perception of new tech adoption. Leading by example is also crucial: business leaders must walk the walk in adhering to the latest technology themselves
Think about your business and how it currently uses technology. Now carefully look at the changes that the introduction of new technologies could bring. If implemented with each worker's needs, concerns, wellbeing and productivity firmly in mind, any new technology can be applied across your workforce. The key is to act today and lay your plans for a sensible introduction timetable that always places individual workers first.
Katharine Henley, workforce transformation expert at PA Consulting, says: "Our research found that AI/automation can increase wellbeing by providing more control, more freedom over where people work and increasingly more complex or interesting tasks. If HR teams work closely with IT to plan their future organisation in the right way, our future workforce could find the work more rewarding and enjoyable. Younger generations are looking at the workplace as somewhere to curate different experiences. Employers that focus on the creation of a better employee experience will attract the best talent."
Job transition, of course, is not new. HR professionals have been handling this across their workforces for decades. Technological change, however, could be more widespread and have a further profound impact on a workforce than merely a change of job description. These changes, though, can be managed to ensure that your business reaps the benefits and maintains an engaged workforce that can use the new tools with ease.
In its report, Creating South Africa's Future Workforce, Accenture succinctly states: "Instead of being replaced by machines, humans must learn to collaborate with machines to enhance their own productivity and ingenuity. We must learn to 'run with the machine'."
Mark Fenton O'Creevy, professor of organisational behaviour at Open University Business School, agrees, saying one of the keys to human success is our skill in adaptive reasoning.
"We are constantly prone to biases, rely on simplistic and flawed heuristics and, even when trained in statistics, we fail to apply even the most basic rules of probability effectively. Despite this, humans have been a remarkable evolutionary success story and have adapted to many different environments.
"Recent developments within the psychology discipline reveal that the human brain is capable of navigating highly complex and uncertain environments with a sophistication that is beyond more artificial forms of intelligence. This raises interesting and timely questions about the optimal balance between man and machine. The respective strengths of each may mean that, in complex fields, superior decision-making performance is best achieved through combining human and machine intelligence, rather than choosing between them."
The fear that machines will replace the human component of businesses has been growing for several years. The key is to place these new technologies into context and emphasise the advantages they can bring to a workforce.
HR, then, has a pivotal role to play to ensure that high levels of engagement are maintained throughout the implementation process. The anxiety that will be felt by a workforce must be clearly understood and answered with practical solutions.
Alexandra Levit, author of Humanity Works, which discusses how to ally humans with technology to develop an agile, future-proof and superpowered workforce, offers this practical advice: "Demonstrate how the new technology drives the overall purpose and vision of the organisation. Show people exactly how the new technology will make their jobs easier and more productive. Make the new technology easy to adopt and use."
Engagement for gain
Ensuring your employees are fully aware of your plans for new technology in your business will minimise anxiety and show them that the systems you want to implement can be beneficial. Says Daniel Pitchford, co-founder of content portal AI Business: "I have seen most success through being totally transparent, ensuring employees are clear on how these technologies will personally benefit them rather than highlighting the overall benefits for the business.
"Showing employees how the new technology will support them in their role is essential in gaining support and a positive perception of new tech adoption. Leading by example is also crucial: business leaders must walk the walk in adhering to the latest technology themselves."
McKinsey & Company has shown that 60% of occupations comprise at least 30% of activities that could be automated. For HR looking to develop its engagement strategies for the introduction of new technologies, illustrating how automated technologies could free workforces from these tasks is a powerful and practical approach to take. Indeed, your business can reinforce the roles of employees to enable them to use more of their creativity, imagination and the social intelligence they have. Here, technology becomes their enabling partner.
Eugenio Pirri, chief people and culture officer at Dorchester Collection, advises: "As with any type of employee engagement, it's about talking to people as adults. Being open and honest. Knowing where technology will have the greatest impact and what that means for the person in front of you.
"Fear and disengagement can only survive when it is allowed to run free. If we take a truly pro-active and positive stance, talking to our people, discussing their aspirations and options and communicating with them the vast opportunities available to them (for example upskilling, re-training, re-deploying), then there is no reason to be fearful of what is to come."
Martin Kirke, former group HR director at the Post Office and now an adviser to companies in digital and AI tech for the HR marketplace, agrees: "I think you need to start at the top. There are ways you can start to educate the leadership of the company so that this leadership really understands the technology and where it's going. And then, for it to be truly inclusive, you've got to look at the differential impacts because it will be different for different groups. It's really important that we're open and honest with people about it because it isn't going to feel inclusive if my job is at threat. If it's being invested in purely as automation to replace jobs and skills, then it's hard to see that as inclusive.
"But there are many cases where actually we'll be enhancing it's important that we look at what learning is required in order to leverage that technology. And the best people to do that are the people who are doing the jobs themselves. So it is about making sure that the people who do the jobs understand what the potential is of the technology and what they need to do to apply it effectively in their work."
Turning a view that technology – particularly automation – will negatively impact a worker into a positive attitude that enables them to see the benefits and embrace the technology is the core goal of HR across your business. CIPD, in its report into the impact of AI, concludes: "The research shows that AI and automation are bringing huge change to workplaces. However, it also found that employers are often not managing these significant changes with an effective people strategy. In particular, HR is missing from key conversations on the introduction of new technology."
Often, the overriding response that comes back from a workforce when HR raises the issue of change is, why is this happening? Employees do understand that businesses need to change and evolve, and today that will inevitably mean using more technology to achieve this. But as Isabel Naidoo, people strategy and analytics at FIS, pointed out at the recent PAFOW 2019 conference:
"As a non-technologist, I have a point of view on technology: in the real world, most of us are using a phone with lots and lots of different apps. We have absolutely no problem switching from one technology to another. You know why? Because it's easy. I tell my team, "If you're going to give me a technology that requires a job aid, I don't want to do it. It's too difficult." My point of view is that systems can cohabit and exist quite easily next to each other - the problems arise because we're making them too complicated, our processes are convoluted, they're not simple, and they're not fast enough."
Ultimately generating engagement with the new technologies your business wants to implement means understanding and then addressing with practical solutions the concerns of your workforce. As an HR professional, if you work with them, new technologies will be embraced and not feared. The key, though, is to start that engagement process today.
Your Technology Engagement checklist
Use this checklist to start your engagement process:
1. Assess, quantify and analyse
It's critical to understand the technology your company wants to implement. Assess how this could impact your workforce. Analyse their concerns to develop a rollout plan that has high levels of engagement as a foundation.
2. Engage and include
Businesses that failed to implement new technologies successfully invariably did not adequately communicate their goals to their workforces. HR should include workers in each stage of deployment to allay any fears and to identify worries and anxieties.
3. Don't delay, start today
Beginning your engagement process as soon as possible is vital to ensure full buy-in by your workforce. Digital transformation is a long process that must take a workforce along with it to avoid becoming adversarial.
4. Emphasise empowerment
Your implementation plan should focus on how new technologies can improve an employee's life from task-orientated work to their wellbeing. Technology can unlock the creative and social aspects of work, but as an HR professional, you need to communicate these advantages clearly.
5. Why is change happening?
This is the question employees will always initially ask. HR should clearly communicate what is motivating these changes. Once a workforce understands this and can see how these changes can enhance their jobs and lives, defining their implementation journey becomes an exercise with little friction.
01 How new technologies will have an impact on empowerment and the future of work
02 Shaping the future direction of empowerment, work and society
03 We're more machine now than man: HR and the digital journey
04 How computers and humans can work together most effectively: the psychology


The Hindu community is urging the Australian Government and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to mandate that food manufacturers state the source of gelatin, if used in a product.
Food regulator, Food Standard Australia and New Zealand has approved low-THC hemp seed products to be used as a food.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released a statement refuting an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald which claimed that supermarkets are the 'missing link' in egg-related Salmonella protection.
An independent review into food labelling has received hundreds of submissions and involved several rounds of consultation, including public meetings with the food industry.
FSANZ has called for submissions on an application to permit the sale and use of food from a genetically modified soybean line.
Australian and New Zealand government ministers will reconsider legalising hemp for food in the first quarter of 2016.
FSANZ has called for submissions on a proposal to address an inconsistency identified in the nutrition and health claims standard.
FSANZ has called for submissions on whether to permit a steviol glycoside, rebaudioside M (Reb M), as a new intense sweetener.
FSANZ has called for submissions on a new microbial source for asparaginase sourced from a GM strain of Bacillus subtilis.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand has called for submissions on an application to allow food derived from a GM corn line.
Food manufacturers have seven months to get to grips with new food labelling laws regarding nutrition and health claims.
FSANZ has called for submissions on proposed changes to the nutrition and health claims standard.
FSANZ is in the process of reviewing the Food Standards Code in relation to chemical migration from packaging into food.
FSANZ has reviewed the Food Standards Code to make the requirements clearer and to ensure it better meets stakeholder's needs.
Darling Downs Fresh Eggs and Mountain Range Eggs have been recalled in QLD, NSW and NT due to potential microbial contamination.
The Department of Agriculture is seeking assurances from China about the safety of further shipments of frozen berries.
Australian and New Zealand ministers have decided to maintain the ban on low THC hemp as food due to law enforcement concerns.
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum will tomorrow review the use of Cannabis sativa with low THC levels in food.


Haven't you heard? Stone Ridge is the place to be. Not only can prospective homebuyers in Virginia find one-of-a-kind, luxury single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums by Van Metre in Stone Ridge, but amenities galore. We're talking a state-of-the-art clubhouse, a fitness center, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and perhaps best of all: In Stone Ridge, you'll enjoy close proximity to the best shopping, dining, entertainment and lifestyle opportunities northern Virginia has to offer. Grab a bite to eat in Stone Ridge. Looking for a restaurant recommendation? Check out one of these great restaurants near Stone Ridge by Van Metre. Ciro Ristorante (at the Stone Ridge Village Center) 42015 Village Center Plaza, Suite 155 Aldie, Virginia 20105 The best part about Ciro Ristorante is its people, and that's saying a lot, because its pizza is the best around. Hailing from Naples, Italy, the collective brain behind this Stone Ridge operation makes it a mission to serve customers delicious, wholesome food reminiscent of the old country. Glory Days Grill (at the Stone Ridge Village Center) 42010 Village Center Plaza Stone Ridge, VA 20105 Come for the big game; stay for the award-winning menu of freshly prepared appetizers, desserts and entrees with entertainment that appeals to all ages. Glory Days Grill hangs more than 25 televisions, promising something suitable for the whole crew: Sports, news, cartoons, trivia, daytime television, and more! Indulge in a little retail therapy in Stone Ridge. Gas up your car. Drop off your dry cleaning. Get what you need to feed your family for the week, and stock up on the vitamins that help keep you healthy. And hey, grab a coffee while you're at it. Do all this, and more — without ever having to venture beyond the Stone Ridge Village Center. Or, just indulge. After a long hard day at work, or just because it's Saturday, visit: Luna Nails & Spa (at the Stone Ridge Village Center) 42010 Village Center Plaza Stone Ridge, VA 20105 Live, and love the life you deserve in Stone Ridge. Stone Ridge in Virginia's Loudoun County is centrally located so that it's convenient to day trip into Washington DC to see the sights; or into the heart of Loudoun County for a little wine tasting; you simply can't miss Middleburg: Cana Vineyards & Winery 38600 John Mosby Highway Middleburg, VA 20117 Chrysalis Vineyards 23876 Champe Ford Rd Middleburg, VA 20117 Wherever summer at Stone Ridge takes you, take a book along. The nearby Gum Spring Regional Library celebrates the joy of reading, and here you'll always find everything from the latest New York Times bestseller, to a Teen Film Competition, and free wireless Internet access. If you hadn't heard, you have now: Stone Ridge, in a home by Van Metre, is the place to be.


Home :: Beauty/Skin Care Products :: Lotion, Wild Oat & Honey 8 oz.
Lotion, Wild Oat & Honey 8 oz.
Our customers love this one! Even men rave about it. Oats and honey combine in this lotion to create an extremely soothing lotion for sensitive skin. Use as either a facial lotion or a body lotion, or both! Why not?
Directions for usage as facial lotion: This is great to use with our Wild Oat and Honey Cleanser. (Don't forget to tone with DMAE & MSM Toner, too.) Moisturize your face and neck with lotion every morning and/or night after you cleanse and tone. Always moisturize your face and neck in upward motions. Moisturizing is important for all skin types. In every step of skin care always use circular, upward motions with a gentle touch on your face. Don't help gravity by tugging down on your skin and remember that the skin on your face loves you so you should love it.
Notify me of updates to Lotion, Wild Oat & Honey 8 oz.


text:
Серге́й Ви́кторович Лито́вченко (; 30 января 1979, Николаев) — украинский футболист, защитник, затем тренер.

Биография
В сезоне 1996/97 выступал за команду «Гидролизник». С 1998 по 2001 год выступал в Латвии за команду «ЛУ/Даугава» (Рига). Позже выступал в клубах: «Колос» (Степовое), «Черкассы», «Нафком-Академия».

В 2004 году выступал за белорусскую команду «Торпедо-СКА» (Минск). С 2005 года по 2006 год играл за симферопольскую «Таврию», в команде дебютировал 1 марта 2005 года в матче против бориспольского «Борисфена» (2:1). С 2006 по 2010 год выступал за киевский «Арсенал».

23 декабря 2015 года был представлен в качестве главного тренера киевского «Арсенала». Летом 2018 года покинул «Арсенал».

В августе 2018 года назначен главным тренером белорусского клуба Высшей лиги — «Днепр» из Могилёва.

В 2020 году пожизненно дисквалифицирован Федерацией футбола Армении от любой деятельности, связанной с футболом, за участие в организации договорных матчей, однако уже в конце июля 2021 года он был оправдан Спортивным арбитражным судом в Лозанне.

С 24 июля 2021 года — главный тренер клуба «Олимпик» (Донецк). Соглашение рассчитано на один год.

Достижения
 Победитель Первой лиги Украины (1): 2017/18

Личная жизнь
Жена Ирина. Сын 2002 года рождения, занимается футболом в ДЮСШ киевского «Арсенала».

Статистика

Примечания

Ссылки
 Профиль на неофициальном сайте ФК «Арсенал» Киев

Футболисты Украины
Игроки ФК «Торпедо» Рига
Игроки ФК «Рига» (1999)
Игроки ФК «Днепр» Черкассы
Игроки ФК «Нафком»
Игроки ФК «Торпедо» Минск
Игроки ФК «Таврия»
Игроки ФК «Арсенал-Киев»
Игроки ФК «Волынь»
Игроки ФК «Локомотив» Ташкент
Игроки ФК «Гелиос»
Игроки ФК «Николаев» Николаевская область
Игроки ФК «Арсенал-Киевщина»
Футбольные тренеры Украины
Тренеры ФК «Арсенал-Киев»
Тренеры ФК «Днепр» Могилёв
Тренеры ФК «Локомотив» Ереван
Тренеры ФК «Рубикон»
Тренеры ФК «Олимпик» Донецк

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


With so many people focused on their health and outward physical appearances, staying fit is a primary issue for most. Eating right and exercising regularly are some of the things which help them accomplish that. Using the right equipment to work out is also an essential element. It is why recumbent bike purchases and their use has been spiking substantially. There are several of them which are very popular and render exceptional results. However, there are also others which can turn out to be a waste of time and money.
In a market that's over flooded with recumbent bikes, finding and choosing the right one can be a daunting task. Buying guides covering the most crucial factors to consider such as this one can be very helpful. This comprehensive review of those recumbent bikes will aid you in that quest. For the most part, it will point you in the right direction. Criteria such as knowing what to look for, dependability, actual customer opinions, features, and other matters, should be examined. Our recumbent bike review guide goes over all of those variables and more.
Why Recumbent Exercise Bikes Are Worth Buying?
Gyms and fitness clubs are full of different exercising equipment. One of those is recumbent bikes which are very popular. In part, it's because of all the great benefits they deliver users. They can help anyone warm up their bodies quickly. The recumbent bikes are also used for full workouts. Perhaps the best reason for purchasing a recumbent bike is due to the benefits. You can have an outdoor exercise tool, without ever stepping out. Indoors, you get to control the entire environment of your workout.
People who live in busy cities, will not have to worry about cycling outside. Exercise bikes are also safer and convenient. You can use them anytime, anywhere and don't have to worry about the weather. Top rated recumbent exercise bikes are also very technologically advanced. Some of them have display consoles which are very high-tech. Not only can you keep track of your progress and performance, but even your heart rate, RPM and distance. Plus owning one will save you time and money on gym memberships.
A good deal of the best recumbent bikes is made of high-quality materials and have ergonomic designs. For workouts, they provide one of the best and efficient low-impact cardiovascular exercises available. It's important to remember that features, dependability, and quality, depending on the price. As with most items, the pricier tend to be the best. However, finding a mixture of value and the elements above can also be done. The five best recumbent exercise bikes in this buying guide fall in that category. They include the top rated and best on the market today as well as the best overall value.
The 3-piece high-torque system with which the Exerpeutic 400XL Folding Recumbent Bike is engineered makes it exceptional. It helps to render users with a consistent, smooth and effective pedaling motion. To keep you comfortable, the unit comes with a well-cushioned seat. The seat's innovative design allows it to be used by different users. There's an easy to read LCD for keeping track of several important things. Your speed, distance, time spent on the bike, heart rate and calories are conveniently displayed.
One of the first things you will appreciate about the Exerpeutic 400XL exercise recumbent bike is the features. One of them is an 8-level magnetic tension control. For customizing your workouts, this is very useful. The larger footplates on the bike are great for preventing your feet from slipping as you work out. People who live in places with limited space will like that it is foldable and quiet. The unit can support a variety of users up to 300 pounds. The backrest and seat are large enough to allow most people to sit comfortably. The double-drive transmission system uses a V-belt which makes it efficient and less noisy than others.
Measures calories, distance, heart rate, time, and speed.
The flywheel is precision balanced for superior results.
The tension control system of 8 levels.
Cushioned seat and large backrest are comfortable.
Supports users up to 300 pounds.
Unit is foldable and quiet.
For easy entry, the bike has a great semi-recumbent design.
Useful 3-piece high torque crank system.
Large LCD which measures numerous activities.
People who are over 6 feet tall may not find it comfortable.
The front edge of the seat can sometimes be irritable to your thighs.
The screen has no backlight.
The Exerpeutic 400XL folding recumbent bike has many things going for it. People who used it mention how surprised they were at the great workout they were able to obtain by using it. They also celebrated how quiet, efficient and sturdy the unit was. Based on the quality, pricing, features and customer's review, this is one recumbent bike worth considering.
Individuals who are searching for an effortless and fast way to lose pounds will love the Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike with Resistance ME-709 unit. Anyone is capable of boosting their cardiovascular workouts and endurance with it. All the while, they will not have to give up too much space where they use it. Additionally, time and money can be saved. Losing weight and burning calories can be accomplished with the Marcy Recumbent Exercise bike. Furthermore, a person's cardiovascular body's endurance can be increased.
Those looking to tone, shape, and firm their physical physique will find their answers with the Marcy. The top rated recumbent exercise bike comes full of features. The LCD computer screen LCD readout is fully and ultra-functional. Information on your distance, time, calories burned and speed are available. For comfort, the seat and backrest are padded and large. Plus, the handles are foam-covered and contoured. People like the ergonomically saddle design on the unit. It provides additional support for a person's back.
Seat and backrest are designed ergonomically for maximum support.
Easy to read and use LCD computer screen display with large numbers.
Keep track of progress such as your speed, amount of calories burned, distance and time.
Made of heavy-duty construction and coated with a powder finish.
Makes mounting and dismounting a cinch with the step-through design.
Eight magnetic resistance levels for maximum workout control.
Innovative layout of unit aid considerably with proper form maintenance during workouts.
Pedals on the recumbent bike are counterbalanced for superior feet support.
Foot straps on pedals are adjustable to fit a variety of sizes.
Takes very little space when compared to other units.
Lack of tension settings which are higher in endurance.
Has no programming capability to use with the LCD monitor.
Individuals with big feet may find the straps on the pedals to be inadequate for them.
People who have bought the Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike With Resistance ME-709 model have something to say. According to them, it is by far one of the best all-around exercise bikes on the market. The majority are pleased and surprised by the level of features. Plus, the effectiveness with which the Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike renders results. For its aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically design, the unit also gets very high marks.
The Marcy Recumbent Exercise Bike with Resistance ME-709 has tons of positive reviews about it. The majority of users seemed all too please to tell others about their great experiences with this equipment. One person by the name of Andee stated "Great Exercise Bike" on his opinion of the Marcy recumbent bike. There were several who wrote "5 Stars" on their testimonial messages. All of them mentioned how useful and effective workout equipment has been.
Additionally, a verified purchaser by the name of Historyin summarized it best with his review. He wrote "Love This Bike. Best Workout Ever!" when referring to the Marcy Recumbent.
Capable of handling users up to 300 pounds, the Exerpeutic 900XL Extended Capacity Recumbent Bike still manages to be compact. The magnetic resistance provides workouts for anyone that are very challenging. With its many features, it makes for a fantastic piece of exercising equipment.
Once a person climbs onto the Exerpeutic 900XL, they will appreciate the wide seat and large backrest. Both combine to deliver a very comfortable seating experience. With eight levels in resistance, users will love the magnetic tension control system on the machine. They allow a person to control their exercising challenge and ride as they progress. The LCD on the unit is both broad and effortless to read. Not only can the calories burned, speed, time and distance be measured, but also the heart rate info.
The Exerpeutic 900XL has a PVC waterproof equipment mat included which is foldable. It helps bring the noise reduction levels down as well as protects the floors. Users will be pleased with its ergonomically and aesthetically pleasing innovative design.
Magnetic tension system up to 8 levels.
The large display on LCD computer screen.
Pulse sensors for the hands.
Back seat and backrest are large for extra comfort and support.
Renders excellent cardiovascular workouts with minimal noise.
It's equipped with a smooth torque cranking system.
The unit's large display makes reading your progress very easy.
Very well-assembled recumbent bike and sturdy.
Some find the instructions are not that easy to follow.
Tension can be hard to get used to for new users.
Seat not as comfortable as those in gyms.
Once you take the price, features and other factors into consideration, the Exerpeutic 900XL is easy to recommend. It delivers a great cardiovascular workout for a reasonable price. We also found countless positive testimonials about the piece. Some users voiced some concerns about the bike. They only gave it four stars or less. But, the majority were confident and went on to recommend it. Overall, anyone who is on a budget and looking for a great bike should consider the Exerpeutic 900XL.
Individuals looking to take their cycling experience to another level should think about the Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike. Packed with features that leave others in the dust, the recumbent bike provides results which are exceptional. The 25 levels of resistance are more than enough; especially for anyone who is serious about their workout regimen and choices. Each provides workout intensity options which are broad in range. The Schwinn is one of the most expensive recumbent bikes on this buying guide thus far though. But, most of that has to do with all of the extra features this bike has compared to those other models.
Until you set your eyes on this recumbent bike, you will not notice how many other characteristics it has. They are some of the things which set it apart from the rest. For instance, the Schwinn comes with Bluetooth capability. That lets it sync with other tracking fitness apps, as well as the Schwinn Trainer. The DualTrack LCD has built-in speakers. That makes it a media shelf with an MP4 input port. Plus, there are an adjustable fan and USB media charging port.
The unit also comes with 29 programs for extended workout capability. That includes nine heart rate control, 12 user profiles, four custom and much more. If that wasn't enough, you also have the flywheel mechanism to consider. The high-speed inertia drive system is too high drive. They render workouts which are smooth and effortless. Plus, they are also far more consistent. When it comes to seating, the contoured seat is also worth praising. The lumbar support backrest is ventilated for more comfortable and cooler workouts.
Bluetooth connectivity for synching with other fitness tracking apps capability.
The beautiful and durable design is sturdy.
LCD blows the competition away with its many extra features.
Grip heart rate is ergonomically placed.
The 25 levels of resistance provide intensity options for workouts, unlike most recumbent bikes with far fewer tension options.
The seat rail system has an aluminum slider for easy seat adjustment.
Seating is contoured and ventilated for cooler workouts.
Very quiet and efficient during exercise regimens.
Cost a few hundred dollars more than other recumbent bikes.
The seat is made out of plastic which can be uncomfortable for some after 30 minutes of using it.
The speakers on the unit are not that loud.
Cord for the A/C plug sticks out.
Although this is one of the most expensive recumbent bikes in this top 5 review, it is still worth pondering. The fact that the unit has so many different and extra features is one. Secondly, the 25 levels of resistance blow the competition away. Bluetooth connectivity capability and 29 programs are also other reasons. Any person who wants all these extras and can afford it can get them from the Schwinn 270 Recumbent Bike.
Those who have already purchased the Schwinn 270 Recumbent bike, attest to how much they love it. Most of the customer reviews we found painted a positive picture. Customers appeared to have a great experience such as a person named PajamaGuy. He wrote that "It is great for seniors. I highly recommend it to my friends" in his review. There was also a woman by the name of Twin Tiers Gal who stated "Nice exercise bike for the money." Lastly, there was a man by the name of Nick. He said "Bike while playing video games and watching Netflix!" which is helpful for those who need another reason to buy it.
Packed with tons of beneficial workout features, the Nautilus R614 Recumbent Bike easily makes it to the list as a top rated workout unit. The design and color are gorgeous and sturdy. There's an LCD console with a DualTrack multi-display capability. When it comes to quality and performance, you also get your money's worth. That includes up to 20 levels of resistance and high inertia and speed drive system.
The technologically advanced capability on this bike blows leaves other bikes in the dust – no pun intended. That includes 22 programs functionality. These will give the user access to 9 profiles, up to 8 heart rate control, two fitness test, two custom, and one quick start. The Goal Track function allows riders are exercising to set their own individual goals. When working out on a bike, users typically spend some time sitting on it. It is why the usability and comfort of the seat are crucial. The position and backrest on the unit are both ventilated. More relaxed and more comfortable rides are the result. To adjust the seat, the rail system slides and locks solidly.
Consistent and smooth workouts with the weighted flywheel.
Two LCD windows display workout detail statuses of up to 13 different items.
A USB port for charging and exporting data to myfitnesspal.com or Nautilusconnet.com.
Speakers are acoustically chambered for louder sound.
Twenty levels of resistance for greater choices in workouts.
Very easy to assemble and takes less than two hours for most.
Has a built-in fan which most people think is a must for recumbent bikes.
Efficient workouts that are also very quiet.
Media rack and speakers on the unit come in handy during workout regimens.
Capable of handling users of up to 300 pounds.
The seat can be uncomfortable for some people who are more substantial.
Insufficient info provided on how to use programs for the bike.
Directions are not that easy to follow.
Lacks heart rate telemetry enabled capability.
Out of the top 5 best recumbent bikes in this buying guide, the Nautilus R614 Recumbent Bike is second when it comes to price. It costs about two hundred dollars more than the other ones. That is because of the extra features and workout capabilities it has. The 22 programs, dual LCD, and 20 resistance levels. In addition to all of those, there's the quality of the bike and workout results. Based on the positive customer reviews, functions and other criteria, this unit delivers.
Purchasing a great recumbent bike can be confusing since there are so many to choose from. However, finding those which are top rated helps narrow down the choices. Once you take into consideration things such as features and capabilities, the list gets narrower. These top 5 best recumbent bikes all meet that criteria and then some. Anyone of them will be more than capable of aiding you in your quest to tone your body and get fit. Losing weight and staying in shape have been made a lot more comfortable with recumbent bikes. All you need to do is find the right one for you from this list to get started on that quest.
Please share and tag your friends who you think they'll like this post. I greatly appreciate your kindness!
What Are The Benefits Of An Inversion Table?
The PowerBlock Elite Dumbbells Will BUILD Loads Of Muscle, So Who Cares If They're UGLY?


How can you be sure PermaTrak's boardwalk product is more durable than others?
Start by comparing the fine print of warranties from PermaTrak vs. other wood or composite boardwalk products.
This free download details the PermaTrak boardwalk system's limited commercial product warranty. For commercial boardwalk projects- reading, understanding and evaluating different material supplier warranties is an important step in specifying the right long-term product for the project.
Is the product designed and produced primarily for residential or commercial applications?
Does the warranty protect against termite damage, fire, warping, rotting, splitting, or cracking?
What kind of replacement procedure is laid out?
Of course, how long is the warranty period?
Public agencies should be able to demand a long-term warranty from a reputable company that will stand by its products. The PermaTrak warranty is written to convey the system's durability and longevity.
Download now by filling out the form on the right.


text:
GOHERBALIFE!
Protein Meal Shakes
Protein Powder Boosters
Weight Loss Enhancers
Programs for Healthy Weight
Popular Combo (Healthy Weight)
Personalized Nutrition
Hydration (Energy & Fitness)
Power & Strength
Specialized Nutrition
Bone, Joint and Eye Health
Acne Solution
Enrichual
How to Make a Shake
Using Boosts
Contact Distributor
Thank you for shopping on our Site! Questions? Call or TEXT 214-957-8155
DAN WALDRON
PRICING IS SUGGESTED RETAIL - LOG IN FOR FULL DETAILS
Gerry Forman - Blog
/ Sports and Sponsorships
/ Gerry Forman
Sports and Sponsorships
Tag search: hide
No tags currently selected.
Gerry Forman
In his fifth decade as a competitor, Gerry Forman isn't slowing down.
Most of us look forward to spending our retirement taking it easy, with nothing more strenuous than the occasional round of golf. Then again, most of us aren't Gerry Forman.
At the age of 80 and in his fifth decade of competitive racing, Gerry is returning to his hometown to compete in the sprint event at the first annual Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles on June 2.
Gerry began competing in marathons and 10Ks during his long career with IBM, but it wasn't until after he retired that he competed in his first triathlon – at the age of 70.
"I decided on New Year's Day of that year that I was going to compete in the Mission Bay Triathlon," Gerry recalls. "It actually wasn't as hard as I expected. I had prepared well enough that I wasn't scared at all heading into the water. The last mile was exhilarating."
Gerry finished third in his age group at that event, and there was no looking back. He soon befriended Herbalife Nutrition sponsored triathlete Heather Jackson while volunteering together at an event, which in turn led to him meeting Sean "Wattie" Watkins. When Team Wattie Ink launched their triathlon team, Gerry was one of the first to apply for membership.
Gerry enjoys the team dynamic immensely. The younger members encourage Gerry and, in turn, he inspires them on a daily basis. His advice is straightforward and practical: Be consistent. Get plenty of sleep, get proper nutrition, and build up your functional strength. "Concentrate on swimming first," he advises. "You can't win a triathlon in the swimming leg, but you can certainly lose there."
Gerry also credits Herbalife24® products as having changed the game. "They keep me going," he says. "Herbalife24® Rebuild Strength Chocolate is tasty and effective. And I really enjoy the ACHIEVE Protein Bars." Herbalife24® Restore rounds out his daily nutrition routine. "As I get older, recovery is a big thing."
Gerry is particularly looking forward to the Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles, as the event will mark the first time he will compete in a triathlon in the city where he grew up. "That's the most exciting part for me," he says.
After so many years, what keeps Gerry running, swimming and biking in one of the most demanding races on Earth, against competitors who are 40, 50 and even 60 years younger than him? Gerry doesn't miss a beat. "I Tri for the exhilaration of competition."
Next Article Previous Article
en-US | 1/18/2021 2:33:10 PM | zuswpwssg00000B | MyHL | 1/18/2021 2:33:10 PM | 7.5.2
Have a question? Contact Your Distributor
Herbalife Privacy Policy
Distributor Privacy Policy
United States - English Estados Unidos - Español
Copyright © 2020 Herbalife International of America, Inc. Herbalife is a Proud Member of the Direct Selling Association and a Signatory to the DSA Code of Ethics Page layout and form content copyright© 2012 Herbalife. No reproduction in whole or in part without written permission. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks and product images exhibited on this site, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Herbalife International, Inc.


text:
Hillel to launch its own tents for Israel
By	David Baugher	 August 9, 2011 5:45 pm
Students preparing for the new school year participating in simulation exercises in areas such as Israel education, peer engagement and grass-roots organizing at Hillel's annual conference at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., August 2011. (Jonathan Pollack)
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (St. Louis Jewish Light) – The tent movement is spreading.
In Israel, tent cities are popping up throughout the country as part of a broad social protest against high housing prices in the Jewish state.
In America, Hillel just announced it is planning to set up tents at 20 campuses across the country this fall as places for respectful dialogue about Israel and Middle East issues.
"The purpose of the tent is to grapple with the challenges that Israel is facing and that will play out on college campuses," said Sharon Ashley, head of the recently formed Center for Israel Engagement, which operates under Hillel's auspices.
Ashley introduced the initiative, called Talk Israel, at Hillel's annual conference last week, held this year at Washington University in St. Louis.
The tents, set to go up for a full day sometime in late September, are part of Hillel's response to the expected vote on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September. The tents might involve a video link with speakers as well as other common resources, but each campus on its own will decide the crux of the tent's activities. Hillel has not yet chosen which campuses will get a tent.
"The tent has got flaps, but at the same time it's open," Wayne Firestone, Hillel's president, said in his plenary address at the conference. "It's open in the sense that we want to be open and inviting to students that want to engage in conversations about Israel that we are so passionate about, and we refuse to allow ourselves to be marginalized and polarized by those on the edges and outside the tent."
Ashley, a former journalist and longtime resident of Israel, said she hoped tent visitors would come away with a sense that the Jewish state is more than just the conflict. Other than the existence of Israel itself, she said any issue is up for discussion. Opinions can be offered freely as long as the bounds of civility are observed.
"You are welcome in this tent to ask questions, but you can't have all the answers," she said. "This is not a one-off event. This is hopefully something that can be replicated in the spring."
More than 400 students from U.S. Hillels came to St. Louis for the conference, and they were joined by about as many professionals from the Jewish campus group. Washington University was hosting the weeklong event for a second consecutive year.
In his speech, Firestone also spoke about using social networking to connect Jews, calling Hillel the "Facebook of the Jewish people" and talking about how the models for engaging young Jews increasingly are bottom-up rather than top down. They focus on students not as passive consumers, he said, but as active "prosumers" who bring content and meaning to the interaction.
Aaron Weil, a St. Louis native who now heads the Pittsburgh Hillel, said he thought the conference was valuable.
"It gives colleagues the opportunity to connect with one another," said Weil, who was honored with Hillel's Exemplar of Excellence Award. "One of the challenges of Hillel is that because we are so spread out around the world, it can be easy to get stuck in a silo mentality where all you know is what you see and experience on a day-to-day basis."
Arielle Weil, a 19-year-old art student at Elon University in North Carolina, said the conference allowed her to understand the best ways to interact with the few Jewish students on her small campus.
"We're learning new techniques to reach out to them initially at the beginning of the school year as well as to have more conversations that build relationships, not just to get them to come to Hillel but to get them to feel more comfortable at the university itself," she said.
Desiree Soleymani, a 21-year-old psychology major from UCLA, said she felt refreshed by the event and ready to return to her campus and accomplish new objectives.
"I feel like the staff has taken the opportunity to get to know us and ask us questions as students," she said. "It's nice to feel valued and like my opinions matter."


Dogs are probably one of the coolest creatures on the planet! I mean, how can you not love them?! They are intelligent, loyal, and can even be taught to do several tricks. Just take for example the pooch featured below!
This beautiful Shiba Inu has a special trick up his sleeve. I don't know how his owner managed to teach him that, but it is surely going to blow your mind!
The dog's bark is quite loud. But whenever his owner asks him to bark softly, the dog complies! You have got to see it to believe it!
Please SHARE this adorable clip to your family and friends!


Two days ago, China's Shenzhou-10 space mission took flight from the Jiuquan launch center in the Gobi desert. The mission's primary payload was its three astronauts ("taikonauts"), who were bound for the Tiangong-1 space station to perform tests, and to be the last inhabitants of China's first foray into semi-permanent space stations. As with early NASA missions, their primary goal was simply to go up and come down, testing the station's docking mechanisms and their still-new techniques in manned spaceflight. (We are still awaiting photos from the event; the photo above is from the Shenzhou-7 space-walk.) Powered by China's Long March 2F rocket, the current workhorse of its manned spaceflight program, it took just two days to reach the station.
Today the capsule docked successfully with Tiangong-1, and since it is the last planned to do so, it also marked the completion of both its own mission and that of the station. This mission was originally scheduled for late 2012, but an adjustment to the station's quickly decaying orbit extended that launch window by almost a year. Shenzhou-10 has been a major media event in China, with significant attention going to the China's second-ever female spacefarer, Wang Yaping. Yaping is the chief researcher on the mission and will remotely teach a physics lesson to students back on Earth.
This is just China's fifth manned mission to space, and its longest by two days. It is also its most ambitious technological achievement, featuring an automatic docking procedure that reportedly went off without a hitch. Though Shenzhou-9 already carried astronauts to the station in June of last year, its docking was controlled remotely from a ground station. While aboard Tiangong-1, the crew of Shenzhou-10 will practice manual docking and collect data for use in designing the next in the three planned Tiangong outposts.
The station is no permanent residence, but rather a proof of concept for many of the technologies such a station require. Docking, life support, and other intrinsic features of a space station are present, but the crew will be jammed into a space just 10.5 meters long and 4.5 wide; when sleeping, two will inhabit the station, while a third will have to remain in the capsule. China wants to begin construction of a permanent station by the end of the decade, and if its lightning-quick progress so far is any indication, China might well be able to achieve that goal.
On June 11, 2013, the Chinese Long March 2F rocket carried Shenzhou-10 into orbit.
There is certainly no lack of enthusiasm in the Chinese space agency, a sort of optimism not seen at NASA in some time. Perhaps that's the be expected, since China's economic fortunes have been less disheartening than America's, of late; looking back to the golden age of the North American space effort, there are parallels in terms of the public's willingness to believe in their unlimited potential. Though it might seem absurd from an agency that only put a man in space in 2003, there is a genuine belief they they can put a man on Mars — and perhaps even beat NASA to the punch.
Such a threat might just be necessary to galvanize the American public behind such huge efforts as a manned mission to Mars. If the possible benefits of the mission itself aren't enough, China's threat to cross the finish line first might just be. NASA's lead in space is still great indeed, but it is shrinking, and the Chinese have the benefit of learning from NASA's decades of hard work. Economic tides have kept Russia from being a real competitor in recent times; in the future, it may be taikonauts, not cosmonauts, who engage our competitive streak, and truly challenge us to excel.


text:
Q: CSS - font style: Italic - Slant to left I have this simple HTML and I made it italic using CSS.
Is it possible to reverse the slant position of the text from right to left?
HTML

hello world

CSS
.italic {
    font-style: italic;
}

A: hmmm, as I correct understand, just try this:
.italic {
    -moz-transform: scale(1) rotate(0deg) translate(0px, 0px) skew(30deg, 0deg);
    -webkit-transform: scale(1) rotate(0deg) translate(0px, 0px) skew(30deg, 0deg);
    -o-transform: scale(1) rotate(0deg) translate(0px, 0px) skew(30deg, 0deg);
    -ms-transform: scale(1) rotate(0deg) translate(0px, 0px) skew(30deg, 0deg);
    transform: scale(1) rotate(0deg) translate(0px, 0px) skew(30deg, 0deg);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Here's everything you need to know about the different siding types and how to connect ... a classic look in the form of clapboard, lap siding, shakes, or shingles.
Jun 19, 2018 ... Siding Type, Materials, Installation, Total Cost per sq.ft. ... Shake & Shingle Polymer Vinyl Siding Cedar Shake Impressions via CertainTeed.
What are the Different Types of Siding and Which is Best?
Because the color is throughout the material, nicks and scratches don't show up. ... fine job of mimicking wood-grain lap siding, wood shingles and even stone.


ON THE BLOCKCHAIN - Toward a New Era in Precision Medicine.
Most global healthcare systems are broken. Healthcare provision must change and insurers, healthcare providers, governments, pharmaceutical companies, and patient support groups, must be prepared to respond and lead. We can use innovative, transformational technology to build a new and improved precision health ecosystem, combining accurate diagnosis and rule-based therapies. One of these is blockchain.
2017 A. Schumacher (2017) Blockchain & Healthcare. 2017 Strategy Guide for the Pharmaceutical Industry, Insurers & Healthcare Providers.
The healthcare industry needs a revolution – and it is here now. Trusted and open R&D processes, auditable & secure transactions between parties, authenticated by mass collaboration and powered by collective self-interest, rather than by fewer and fewer pharmaceutical giants motivated by profit alone. This healthcare ecosystem is immune to exorbitant drug prices, tampering, fraud, or political control. The name of the technology that makes all this happen is blockchain, a tool that will fundamentally change the healthcare sector. Blockchain will prove to be indispensable in building a global precision-medicine ecosystem that optimally connects patients, clinicians, researchers, insurers and clinical laboratories to one another. Blockchain will improve data security, data sharing, interoperability, patient engagement, big data analytics, health information exchange, fighting counterfeit drugs, R&D processes, AI-based diagnostics and fostering vertical business models. Compared to the financial markets, the healthcare industry's participation with the technology remains in its infancy – but this can change now. This strategy guide may direct you in starting this process to transform ideas into profitable and ethical business models.
Handbook of Epigenetics: The New Molecular and Medical Genetics, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive analysis of epigenetics, from basic biology, to clinical application. Epigenetics is considered by many to be the new genetics in that many biological phenomena are controlled, not through gene mutations, but rather through reversible and heritable epigenetic processes. These epigenetic processes range from DNA methylation to prions. The biological processes impacted by epigenetics are vast and encompass effects in lower organisms and humans that include tissue and organ regeneration, X-chromosome inactivation, stem cell differentiation, genomic imprinting, and aging.
Epigenetics of Aging and Longevity provides an in-depth analysis of the epigenetic nature of aging and the role of epigenetic factors in mediating the link between early-life experiences and life-course health and aging. Chapters from leading international contributors explore the effect of adverse conditions in early-life that may result in disrupted epigenetic pathways, as well as the potential to correct these disrupted pathways via targeted therapeutic interventions. Intergenerational epigenetic inheritance, epigenetic drug discovery, and the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating specific age-associated illnesses—including cancer and cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases—are explored in detail.
Note: The presented method addresses the problems of cell heterogeneity in epigenetics research; avoiding complicated microfluidic systems and offers the opportunity for high-throughput screening in a clinical/diagnostics laboratory, as many single cells can be screened in parallel.
Schumacher, Syed Bihaqi & Nasser H. Zawia (2011). Epigenetics and late-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Epigenetic aspects of chronic disease. Springer.
2010 Schumacher (2010) Aging Epigenetics. Handbook of Epigenetics: The New Molecular and Medical Genetics. Elsevier.
Note: A new unifying model of aging and the development of complex diseases was proposed, incorporating classical aging theories.
Schumacher (2010) Nutrition, epigenetic drift and the emerging epigenetic paradigm: Lessons from neurobehavioral disorders. Nutrition, Epigenetics Mechanisms & Human Disease. Taylor & Francis.
Note : Worldwide the first proof of whole genome epigenetic abnormalities in late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Featured in many newspaper articles around the globe. Paper has been selected by the Alzheimer Research Foundation as an "ARF Recommends" paper. Selected by the Faculty of 1000 Medicine as landmark must read paper.
J. Mill, T. Tang, Z. Kaminsky, T. Khare, S. Yazdanpanah, L. Bouchard, P. Jia, A. Assadzadeh, J. Flanagan, A. Schumacher, S.-C. Wang & A. Petronis (2008). Epigenomic Profiling Reveals DNA Methylation Changes Associated with Major Psychosis. Am J Hum Genet; Mar; 82(3): 696-711. (IF: 12.63).
Note: Cover story, which was featured in many newspaper articles around the globe. This was the worldwide the first proof of whole genome epigenetic changes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Paper has been selected by the NARSAD Schizophrenia Research Forum as "Recommended" paper.
Schumacher, A. Weinhäusl & A. Petronis (2008). Design and application of microarrays in DNA methylation profiling. Methods Mol Biol. 439: 109-29.
Schumacher (2007) Online tutorial: Schumacher's Guide #1: Bisulfite conversion of DNA for methylation fine-mapping.
Schumacher (2007) Online tutorial: Schumacher's Guide #2: Design and application of microarrays for identifying of DNA methylation.
2006 Schumacher, P. Friedrich, et al. (2006). No association of chromatin-modifying protein 2B with sporadic frontotemporal dementia. Neurobiology of Aging, Sept 14; (IF: 5.60).
Note : First introduction of 'epigenetic' SNPs.
J. Flanagan, V. Popendikyte, N. Pozdniakovaite, M. Sobolev, A. Assadzadeh, A. Schumacher, M. Zangeneh, L. Lau, C. Virtanen, S-C. Wang & A. Petronis (2006). Intra- and Inter- Individual Epigenetic Variation in Human Germ Cells. American Journal of Human Genetics; 79: 67-84 (IF: 12.63).
Note: A Nature Reviews Genetics Research Highlight for 2006!
Note: On NAR top hot papers list 2006. Highly cited, cover story of this issue. Described technology was patented and licensed to Pharma-Company.
2001 Schumacher (2001). Mechanisms and brain specific consequences of genomic imprinting in Prader-Willi and Angelman syndrome. Gene Funct. Dis., 2: No.1, 1-19.


Christiane Kubrick was born in Germany in 1932 into a theatrical family. She initially trained as a dancer and actress but always had ambitions to be a painter. Her career in performing led her to be cast in the film "Paths of Glory" where she met her future husband, Stanley Kubrick.
Before moving to England in the late sixties, the Kubrick family spent time in America and Christiane embarked on her new career as a painter, studying art in California and New York.
International success followed with exhibitions in New York, Rome and London and later in her career, when Christiane and her family finally settled in Hertfordshire, the joy of bringing art to people was opened up to her when she exhibited at "Art in Action" at Waterperry, Oxfordshire.
The spirit of artists working and demonstrating their techniques, interacting with people and sharing their art without barriers appealed to Christiane and she was soon taking part in "Open Studios" where visitors were able to see her at work in her own environment.
A natural progression from "Open Studios" was for Christiane to utilise the beautiful grounds of the Childwickbury estate, where she moved to with Stanley in 1978, and to create her own arts fair. In the summer of 2003 the first "Childwickbury Arts Fair" was held and was an instant success.
The fair has grown steadily over the years and represents everything that is important to Christiane about art, music and the act of involving people in the creative process. The Summer Arts fair is now in its fifteenth year and the Christmas Market celebrates ten years!


text:
Articles Tagged with: Elymas
Under : fantasy excerpt, fiction, general fiction, science fiction, fantasy, Uncategorized
Elymas Takes a New Role
Rizla, another view
She was beside him again. He looked at the jewel, the breasts, then back at the jewel.
"What is it?" he found himself asking.
They were equal in height, while he sat on the throne. She looked directly into his eyes.
"I will tell you this, Elymas, only this. Your entire soul would not even be a speck within its walls. It is that large and that strong." She dangled the crystal inches from his nose. "And mine by right. Those who have been chosen may select their powers. Would you like to try it on?" He shook his head no. She reached out and touched his medallion, which had, until this moment, shown like tiny sun. It dimmed.
"A shiny bauble. Nothing more." Rizla stepped back, the crystal settling between her breasts.
"My necklace must be around the boy's neck the second his spirit re-enters his body. He must open his eyes to our reality, though all of his power must remain his. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
Elymas nodded.
"You are now my servant, my lowly servant. I will be in different guises, but you will always recognize me and obey my commands. By the by, where is the Hunter?"
"In the dungeons."
Oren in dungeon
"Alive?"
"Good. Keep him that way. We have need of the power of the blue stone he wears. I will attend to him tomorrow, but right now I'd like to see for myself that little room you spend so much time in."
"How did you–" Elymas began, but Rizla cut him off with a wave of her hand.
He was stepping down from the throne, but whether it was at his own volition or Rizla's, he did not know. Quickly, quietly, he followed that sultry woman, come from the shadows, to his most private chambers in the castle's depths. He'd never been silenced by a woman before, and he'd certainly never been led.
Under : Excerpts from e book, fantasy ebook excerpts, fantasy excerpt, fiction, general fiction, science fiction, fantasy, Uncategorized
Elymas Shamed
Tuel in the Nevers
"Very well. Taunt me. But how was I to know that the King's death would offend the Tuel? Indeed, why should I? I move at my own volition. I have no contact with him."
"No contact? At your own violation?" She laughed again, and this time the sound was most unpleasant. She wiped her eyes with the edge of her gossamer sleeve. "Surely, you don't think you've acted alone all these years. Without the Tuel, you'd have been found out after the first earth child."
The first earth child? That had been. . . .Elymas was finding it hard to breathe.
"The crude hacking of the tree? The feeble Skylls you've erected? The homunculus?" She paused to watch him wince. "You've done nothing on your own. You've long been a servant, nay, a slave of the Tuel, but only now does he see fit to acknowledge you as such. Consider it an honor that you breathe." She paused again, saying clearly. "The attempted murder of the King was the act of a spiteful fool. From this moment on, you will be treated as such."
Elymas found himself nodding yes.
Chaos, a favorite weapon.
"Chaos is one of our favorite weapons, but in this case it obscures what we seek to find. The prophecy was two-fold, and as to your successor, he is alive and close by." She tilted back her head and looked at Elymas through slitted eyes. "He will remain alive. We need this particular child, and because he is only days old, months at most, the Tuel believes he can be molded to fit his purposes. My job is to find him and I will. He is within the gates. I sense a mother's concern, a babe born different, and a secret that must be kept." She rose from the dais, quick as a hungry cat. The gown that hung about her seemed to have been breathed from every pore. "The Axis, the one who will earn the Third Stripe, is another matter. I have no intuition about him at all. Tell me of the acolytes. Is there no one special?"
Only a split second of hesitation, yet it was enough. Elymas tried, but failed to keep the image of the redheaded youth from his mind.
"Would you rather I peeled back your mind?"
"There is one who beat me at rulla," Elymas admitted. "He out-rolled me three times in consecutive order. It has never happened before. It should not have happened at all because my own dice are charmed. But so far he is the only one of this remarkably pitiful group who should be noticed."
"What did he roll?"
"An eleven, a four . . . and a twenty-eight."
"Hmm. And what were your rolls?"
"Eight, two . . . and a sixteen. But rulla itself means nothing. It is a game of chance, as you well know Exalted One."
"Let me tell you what those rolls mean. With each cast of the dice, you are projecting in the Deep. This acolyte covered you in the middle, covered you in the depths, and you can't reach him in the highest realm."
He plucked nervously at his sleeve.
"You will test him first thing in the morning. Forget the rest. If he is the one, and I'm sure he is, the Tuel's orders are this: allow him to reach all three levels without interference. Strict orders about this. We know what you've been doing all these years, but this one must be left alone. The Tuel wants him returned slowly in full power yet under control. I will be standing by your side and before he can open his eyes, I will slip this on him." She lifted a pear shaped crystal from between her breasts.
"Would you really like to know?"
Under : Excerpts from e book, fantasy ebook excerpts, fantasy excerpt, science fiction, fantasy, Uncategorized
"Who are you?" he repeated.
"Excuse the restraints," the woman replied, ignoring his question. "I've never accurately predicted the reactions of the frightened or stupid, and you appear to be both. And please don't scream. I'm sensitive to noise."
Elymas tried to protest, but a cold pressure applied to each side of his throat took his breath away. He managed a guttural assent. The pressure eased.
"The shadow mists will be gone in a moment," she continued. "I don't allow anyone to see me come or go. By the way, you're free to move now."
She whispered something under her breath, and the remaining link was gone. He slumped forward in his chair like a used wine bladder.
"You are beautiful," he muttered. A strange response, but still the foremost in his head. "What is your name?"
"I am many people and have many personalities to go with them. At least one of them you've seen before. The present one is my favorite for traveling and closest to my natural self." She was sitting on the edge of the dais, legs crossed, wide eyed as a child. Abruptly, the childlike demeanor vanished and she narrowed her eyes. "You asked my name? Ask for the moon. My real name is no concern to you. I am called Rizla the Red Witch. Perhaps you have heard of me?"
He thought the question vain.
"Your name is not unknown." Elymas tried but couldn't suppress his amusement. He threw back his head and laughed at the girl pretending to be one of the most powerful denizens of the underworld. She was good, very good, and suddenly he ached to break her. Her resistance would be sweet, the spillage from her body leaking treasures. Could courage be found in such blood?
If so, he would drink it.
"You are incredible." He flung out the compliment without meeting her eyes, nor did he dwell on the lines of her body. Truly, he had no more time to waste. It was growing late, and although the work on the homunculus wasn't extensive, it must be exact. "Before I go, I must know. What is the name of the third knot?"
"Sorry." Her teeth flashed a smile. "The third link is one of my own making and can't be revealed."
The woman calling herself Rizla said this without the slightest trace of apology or fear. Elymas felt his amusement flee. She really didn't intend to tell him what he'd asked.
"Enough playacting," he said, sternly. "You cannot be Rizla."
"Because I am Elymas!" He flung out his arms in exasperation. "And I would know!"
"Very well. Watch this."
Instantly, the room was plunged into darkness. Not a shadow remained; Elymas couldn't see a finger before his face. The next moment the rushes were blazing with a light that, even in the huge room, hurt his eyes. A few more minutes of this, and the room was as before.
"I could do that," Elymas retorted, unimpressed.
Under : Excerpts from e book, fantasy ebook excerpts, fantasy excerpt, Uncategorized
Rizla and Elymas
It was only a woman, and a small woman at that. A serving girl come to clean only to find herself caught within a pall of smoke, her gown whipping about her as she stood in the last of the grotesque, flickering shadows. The dark hair was loose and down about her shoulders.
A girl.
One moment Elymas was screaming for his life and the next in pure rage at the figure who stood before him.
"You sneaking bitch," he shouted. "I'll have you flayed alive for surprising me like this!"
The woman stepped closer, touching the last shadow as if she were pulling off a veil, and now there was nothing between them.
Elymas gasped in shock.
Standing before him was no servant, but a dark sensuous beauty with kohl-lined eyes. Elymas clutched the goblet he still held, and wondered if he was going insane. Clearly, she was not a Casorian; Casorian women tended to be tall and fair, light-skinned. Those that were tall were large as beef. This woman was olive-skinned, delicately formed, and carried an air of refinement. She wore a gossamer gown that made no attempt to hide the richness of her body. Memory nudged him, causing him to wonder if he'd seen her before. That wasn't possible, he assured himself. He'd treat her like a servant until he found out who she really was.
"If you've come for the bottles, he told her. "take them and get out. And the floor . . . I spilled some wine. Wipe it up."
He pointed to a puddle beneath the first bottle, which lay on its side.
The woman did not deign to answer, but blinked lazily as if she'd just awakened.
"You were a fool to try and kill the King," she said. Her voice was low and without accent. He couldn't place where she was from; not local, not from the lower classes. "Fortunately, I arrived in time to neutralize the drink."
"Woman, you are speaking treason." His voice was low as well. Underlings cringed when it dropped to this pitch. "Do you know the infinite number of ways traitors die?"
Elymas questions Rizla
She laughed and stepped closer. Her laughter wasn't unpleasant. Indeed, it sounded like bells as it echoed in the vastness of the empty room.
"Tell me," she said, "Tell me the number of ways that traitors can die. Head on a block? Flayed alive? Sliced?" She looked pointedly at the region below his mid-section. "Or would you rather see me stripped and bound, straining against knots, bared for the whip?" She made a crude gesture and laughed again. "For you? I think not."
Elymas made a groan because words failed him. Clearly, she was insane; the insane were known to have unusual strength. He'd have to be careful. He had drunk quite a bit. Elymas decided to wave her way, let the matter go.
Then he realized his hand wouldn't move.
"What is this?" he roared.
Furious, he strained against cords now made visible. Elymas was no longer afraid; he knew exactly what was going on. This was a small-time practitioner in the Black Arts, a village witch, who had somehow learned of his plans and wished to be included in the coming change. It wasn't hard to guess how she'd gained access to the castle; her beauty would open doors. Nor would it be difficult to learn which of his Sacred Servants had proven vulnerable.
He concentrated his powers in an effort to undo the cords that bound him.
The first was simple and not a knot at all; more like slipping off a too-tight ring.
The second proved looser, yet more resilient. Easy to undo, but the effort came in not allowing the loop to tie itself again. And now the third. He strained against it. When it didn't give, he muttered, cursed, and threw enough spells to shatter rock. The knot remained firm.
He looked up. The woman was watching him with the same sort of detachment with which he too had watched the struggles of the weak. Flushing, Elymas realized how predictable he'd been.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Under : Excerpts from e book, fantasy ebook excerpts, fantasy excerpt
Challenge and Insult
"The dice are weighted," repeated Elymas.
A collective gasp. Durrin uttered an oath.
"I didn't . . . I haven't . . ." Though he stammered, Quellen's mind was clear. This, he knew, was the beginning of a nightmare. "I have not loaded the dice."'
Quellen protests the dice
"No excuses," barked Elymas. "Where did you get them?"
"From you, sir, they were–"
"From me?" The tone was incredulous. "I gave you these dice?"
Quellen flushed. "Not directly sir, that's not what I meant. The dice were in a pouch, in the pocket of this robe." Shaking now, he turned out both pockets. "I received it from a Sacred Servant like all the rest. That one there. "
He pointed at Strout. The silence was deafening.
"Are you implying that my loyal servant Strout placed weighted dice in your rulla pouch?" Elymas's voice was a weapon, a lash.
"But the dice are not weighted!"
"I say they are."
It was a battle he was destined to lose. With a snarl, Elymas flung the dice on the ground at his feet.
Quellen stood still for indeterminate minutes, staring at the ground. When he looked up, the others were gone.
He thought he was completely alone until he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. A short, barefoot man clad in a dirty, patched tunic stood behind a wheelbarrow, staring. Quellen recognized him at once as a Dabber, one of the race of people inhabiting the bogs around the Salt Marsh Sea. Darker and two heads shorter than the average Casorian, they were viewed with suspicion and dislike by the city dwellers, their colony relegated to the lower-caste quarter, where the most downtrodden lived. There, it was rumored, they performed strange midnight rites in their own language, which to the unfamiliar ear sounded like a series of explosive, animal-like grunts and squeals.
Why they'd ever been permitted in the city was anyone's guess, but Elymas brought them from the Salt Marsh in wagonloads. Those not working in the fields were employed by Elymas himself at the castle. They seemed to run the halls at all hours of the night. This one had been wheeling a barrow of potatoes but had stopped to give Quellen a sympathetic stare.
He wanted none of it; indeed, the man's concern unleashed a tide of anger and he shouted, "Why are you staring, bog man? Get back to work!"
Then, in the same manner as Elymas, he turned on his heel and left.
He'd spent the rest of the day and that night too in the stable, hunger at last forcing him to face the others in the dining hall. No one acknowledged his presence and from that point on, it was as if he didn't exist. He'd find stones and shit, once even a snake, in his bedding. If he dared walk beneath the galleries, he'd be covered with spit.
What caused him to stay? What caused him to endure shunning, ridicule, and even danger, when everything inside him urged him to flee?
Pride, maybe. A stubbornness rooted in the knowledge that he'd been wronged. A wild hope that somehow, some way, he'd be cleared of the lie. But most of all, a desire to shield his father, not from the knowledge that he'd failed (for though the old man had been flattered by Jessum's prophecy, Quellen wasn't sure he believed it), but that he'd failed so soon.
The wind whipped the tears from his eyes. He'd been a disappointment to his father since he was small. It had started at pig slaughter. A blow to the head of a boar had caused him to cry out in pain, and after the beating, his father cried privately in shame. Which only made Quellen to wish to be beaten more. But his father had denied him that relief, giving him only silence and a measured distance over the years.
Until these last three months when slowly, very slowly, the wound between them had begun to heal.
To The Stables
I am not a dog to command, Quellen wanted to say but he swallowed his anger, saying in a voice not entirely his own. "Jessum, the blind seer dedicated to the God Who Sees All, chose me. Jessum is highly regarded for his wisdom and insight. Perhaps you know him?"
Quellen hadn't intended to the question as a challenge, yet that was how it was received. For the merest second, a look of shock and anger ripped apart the Earth Skyll's composure, only to vanish. But Quellen had seen it — and Elymas knew he'd seen it, too.
Strout chuckled.
"The answer is yes and no," Elymas replied, "depending on who you mean by him. We in Casoria seldom use the primitive "God Who Sees All," preferring instead to use his correct title, Elyon. And yes, I do have some connections with the Deep, having served as Earth Skyll for most of my life." Elymas spoke dryly, and Strout, who'd never been known to smile, chuckled. "As for Jessum of Larnes? I haven't had the pleasure."
Laughter broke out among the boys; a few craned their necks to stare. El Roi, Jessum also called the God Who Sees All , El Roi. How could he have forgotten? Quellen sat hunched and reddened, half listening as Elymas, apparently satisfied with his anger, proceeded to explain his role in the Journey Room, how their spirits would be anchored to his while they were tested in the Deep. And all the while Elymas talked, Quellen kept turning the words, Jessum of Larnes, Jessum of Larnes, over in his head.
But he hadn't said Larnes, only Jessum.
Elymas knew the blind seer but refused to acknowledge him.
What did that mean?
Over the next few weeks, he found little time to ponder the question. The acolytes were kept busy learning the castle, learning protocol, adjusting to the personalities of those Sacred Servants assigned to them, and doing chores. They were expected to earn their keep.
Mucking stalls
Quellen had been assigned to the stables, where he cleaned the stalls and shoveled muck without relief. The others rotated in their position — messengers, attendants, kitchen boys — but Quellen remained with Thierry, the head groom. He noticed the slight, but refused to comment; he liked being out of doors. The others, distant since the incident in the Throne Room, began to warm up. A few had even teased him about his red hair. They seldom saw Elymas and then only at a distance as he swept through the halls with the energy of one on a mission, the torchlights bringing out the rich hues of his robe.
Days flew by in a pattern of exhaustion and routine. They fell into bed at night, bone weary, only to be awakened at dawn. They broke their fast still shivering from the effects of a cold water sponging, then dispersed to their various jobs. As the incident in the Throne Room faded, Quellen began to believe he'd imagined the Earth Skyll's dislike. Perhaps his own tone had been presumptuous, or perhaps he had indeed said "Larnes."
Then came the incident with the rulla dice.
Quellen sat on the ledge of the opened window, oblivious to the bang of the shutter and the blackness of the morning sky. Thirteen and with tears in his eyes, he blinked rapidly. No way to act at his great age, but his first real failure hurt everywhere. He was going home
He was going home because there was no reason to stay. He'd return to his village of Larnes and seek out Jessum, the seer dedicated to El Roi, the God Who Sees All, and declare he'd been wrongfully chosen. There was no journey mapped out for him in the Deep, no challenge put before him that he wouldn't fail. And if Jessum still insisted he was the chosen, Quellen would take the blind seer's palm and rub it over his smooth, unscarred arm. He wanted nothing more to do with the all-encompassing god or his carping prophet. He and his family were of common stock, having always worshipped the humbler household god, Drask. They'd been fools to believe in anything more.
Jessum, the blind seer
Drask. Now there was a god he could understand. A god of the belly, a god who listened to everyday worries and cares. Bothered with a painful toothache? Leave a generous portion of sweet cake on the altar and all would be well. Problems in the marriage bed? Confide in Drask and they'd disappear. Once Quellen had actually seen a mouse carry off a potion of an offering, but it hadn't affected his belief. It was well known the gods took many disguises.
Quellen leaned further out the window and looked up at the swirling, blue/black sky. Rain was coming, and rather than submit to a few hours of tortured sleep, he'd decided to watch the storm roll in. Soon, it would be dawn, but the sky remained as black as it had been at second watch. He'd be foolish to leave now. Five miles out and he'd be soaked to the skin, hunkered down in a cave or hugging a tree. He'd leave early tomorrow, slipping into a niche as the others filed their way toward the Journey Room. The rain would be over by then. This storm was unnatural, blown in on a freakish wind, and its momentum wouldn't last.
Behind him the others lay sleeping, eleven acolytes from divers regions sprawled in their narrow beds. There was no one among them he could count as friend; they'd shunned him without exception. Tomorrow, after the surprise of his absence, he knew there'd be a shared sense of relief. The Earth Skyll had created a barrier between him and those who should have been his brethren. For reasons unknown, Elymas had hated him on sight.
At the thought of the Earth Skyll, Quellen hawked and spat.
It had been torturous watching Blatico humiliate the peasant woman. She'd reminded him of Sunanne, a simple old woman who lived in his home village whom he'd known since a child. She, too, kept pigs, and raised a garden, satisfying her few wants by bartering in the village square. Had Sunanne come before the village elders of Larnes, her complaint would have been received with compassion, not contempt. The elders of his village might have lacked Blatico's fine cloak and leathers, but they possessed justice. All of them, even the greedy innkeeper Calor, knew the importance of a peasant's pig. The only value Blatico had seen in the situation was the attention he gained from the court.
And the woman? Quellen recalled the tired eyes that had blinked back fear in the hope of justice only to have fear return. All the while he'd been baiting her, Blatico's eyes had returned to his mentor, but Elymas had stared stoically into the crowd. With a word, no, only a look, Elymas could have stopped the humiliation, but he'd remained still.
In a crude attempt to relieve himself of feelings, Quellen spat again. It didn't help. Nothing ever did.
It still hurt that he'd been rejected by the others for he'd come to they city expecting to make friends. No matter how they'd been chosen, whether by blind seers like Jessum or a series of imposed tests, the acolytes all reflected the same doubts and fears, hopes and desires. As they'd stood outside the Great Throne Room waiting to be presented to the legendary Elymas, Quellen had seen himself reflected again and again. Same faded blue robe, same fresh, bowl haircut, same expression of fear. The fattest of the lot, a boy called Arnel, had been sweating profusely, great dark stains under his robe, while another relieved himself publicly of a private itch.
Then, the doors had swung open and their desperate kinship had come to an end.
Homunculous
The homunculous must be pumped full. Durrin and Strout, who took great relish in finding appropriate prey, had poured fresh blood into the vat this morning, but since the King had agreed with A'Sing – that his probing would commence in a day and a half – their hunting time had been reduced. Just as well, Elymas reflected, for too many had already disappeared from the Nawab population.
Nawabs were contemptuously called "Dabbers" as they came from the swamps and, though living in a city of wood and stone, still preferred mud huts. They lived on the delta created by the Seektree River and worked as laborers. Summertime and harvest, they were used in the fields. A silent, ubiquitous population, pickings from their community had been easy, and doubtless, Durrin and Strout had gone too far. In the shadows this evening, he'd noticed one of their number, an angry and surprisingly clean male, who looked as though he wished to speak. Elymas had instantly known what it was about, and had signaled for one of the guards to shuffle him out the door. Let the Dabber complain next session.
In the meantime, he'd direct Durrin and Strout to other prey. Urchins were everywhere.
Also, he must send out a squad of Sacred Servants to find and kill the new earth child. Of course, Oren Whitehair had been telling the truth. That he'd missed the signs normally signaling the birth of his successor — the budding of the tree, the flare of a star, a new shoot — were concerns he'd deal with later. Now, the child must be found. He toyed with the idea of sending Durrin and Stout to find it. They were best, for they hunted not just from a sense of duty but for the pure enjoyment of capture and kill. That would, however, leave him entirely responsible for the filling of the blood vat. Better to send a different batch of Sacred Servants, and if they were clumsy and had to kill every infant child from here to the Nevers, so be it. He would not hunt for prey in hovels.
There was another matter which he meant to attend to — something to do with Durrin and Strout — but for now the matter escaped him. The more powerful effects of the Frennin White had worn off, and he was left with a pleasurable sense of well-being. Elymas felt warm inside. He had nothing left now but to sit back and enjoy the last of the wine.
Truth be told, he really wasn't bothered that the probing would come sooner than customary, only with the fact that it had been ordered. He did not take orders. But as for the Skylls, no question they could ask him would expose him because they weren't dealing with a real man. They were dealing with his homunculus, as they had been for well over two hundred years.
He'd hit upon the idea of a double shortly after his initial probing, a process which he'd found tedious, intrusive, and humiliating — and one at which he'd failed miserably.
Strange Shapes; Strange Sights
Woman sporting boar's head
Elymas poured out the last of the wine, then dropped the bottle, kicking it. He wanted to hear it crash against the stones. However, for all his force, the bottle rolled only a few inches from his foot and stopped. He simply stared, blaming the wine and a sudden onset of fatigue. Only finish this last glass and surely the Frennin White would relax the muscles that tensed like cords in his neck. He leaned his head against the back of the throne and closed his eyes.
He may have slept. He may have thought he did. Whatever the case, he was awakened by the sound of shadows. Shadows with form and substance, lacking only blood. Shadows skittered across the ceiling, swam the floor, pounded the walls. Hideous shadows: grotesque faces, half men, dripping babes, fierce beasts the like of which he'd never seen.
Transfixed in horror, Elymas watched as they flattened themselves against the walls, hoping they'd leave, because every time they came forward, they were worse, joined in hideous ways.
A tightness began in his chest and his vision blurred. Elymas set aside the goblet of wine and rubbed his eyes with both fists. He knew himself to be a rational man, not given to fancy and confident in his pursuit of the immutable mysteries, yet he'd just seen a shadowy group of women sporting boar's heads at the far door.
Dementia often occurred in the final stages of Lud Sellum poisoning, and Elymas wondered if this were happening now. With a mind clarified by fear, he once again saw himself in the workroom mixing the poison with especial care and, no, no, there was nothing. Not a drop had been spilled.
Elymas hunkered down on the throne. There was no chance of simply walking out. The gentle pool of shadows was now a raging sea; the gliding shadows he'd likened to small fishes were massed and frenzied, waiting to feed. A gar lifted it head, exposed one tooth and snapped.
Elymas could only open his mouth, too scared to scream.
He watched as a long dark shape took precedence over the rest, coiling and uncoiling with uncanny speed. A conarudda was down there, he realized with terror, what the fisherman called a striker eel. They were fast and deadly with teeth that sliced like blades and what, by all the gods foul and fair, was it doing here?
A movement at the far door caused him to look up. The women with the boar's heads were beckoning again, and now the one in the middle, the tallest, stepped toward him.
He screamed, a high, mewling sound.
The woman vanished into air.
As did the others.
The room was vacant again. There was no movement, save for the flickering caused by the torches and the howl of the wind.
Elymas reached for the bottle and turned it up. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, wiped again. He'd just suffered some sort of hallucination, but what had brought it on, he couldn't say. When he reached his secret chamber, his first act would be to mix a rejuvenating drink. He'd pushed himself to the limit, and now his body and mind were breaking under his superior will. He'd never tested his limits before but if poisoning the King and his councilor, deceiving all the Skylls, and imprisoning a messenger from the Shautu — Oren Whitehair, no less — were his limits, so be it. This night had been hard on his soul, or what was left of it, but he'd allow nothing to stop his plans from coming to fruition.
The homunculous must be fed.


text:
Q: Populating a dropdown based on the first dropdown selection using funcion on React JS I have a function which gets a data from an API using axios. I've created a custom axios functional component to call which only work inside a function (it throws an Invalid hook call error when used on class).
I've searched several questions on this site but all seems to be using a class. So, is it possible to populate a second dropdown based on the selection?
PS. I'm using react-bootstrap. I tried to implement it but the second dropdown does not update.
Here is my code: (Please bear with the code. It's dirty )
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Container, Row, Col, Button, Form } from 'react-bootstrap';
import Loader from '../Components/Loader';
import Err404 from '../Views/Err404';
import { GetRequest } from '../Hooks/GetRequest';

function Profile() {

    let divs = GetRequest('/divisions')
    let subs = GetRequest('/subjects')

    const [selectedDiv, setSelectedDiv] = useState("")
    const [selectedSub, setSelectedSub] = useState("")

    let content = null
    let subOptions = null
    let divOptions = null
    let subArr = null
    let subFilter = null
    let disabled = true

    if (divs.error || subs.error) {
        return (<Err404 />)
    }

    if (divs.loading || subs.loading) {
        content = <Loader />
    }

    if (divs.data && subs.data) {
        content = null

        divOptions =
            divs.data.map((div) => (
                <option key={div._id}>{div.name}</option>
            ))

        subArr =
            subs.data.map((sub) => (
                {
                    key: sub._id,
                    courseCode: sub.courseCode,
                    division: sub.division
                }
            ))

        subOptions =
            subArr.map((sub) => (
                <option key={sub.key}>{sub.courseCode}</option>
            ))
    }

    const handleDiv = (e) => {
        disabled = false
        setSelectedDiv(e.target.value);

        console.log("selDiv: ", selectedDiv)

        console.log("subArr: ", subArr)

        subFilter =
            subArr.filter((sub) => (
                sub.division === selectedDiv
            ))

        subOptions =
            subFilter.map((sub) => (
                <option key={sub.key}>{sub.courseCode}</option>
            ))

        console.log("subOps: ", subOptions, "\nsubfil: ", subFilter)

    }

    const handleSub = (e) => {
        console.log("selSub: ", e.target.value);
        setSelectedSub(e.target.value);
    }

    return (
        <Container fluid="sm" className="p-2">
            {content ? content :
                <Form>
                    <Row>
                        <Col>
                            <Form.Group controlId="exampleForm.ControlSelect1">
                                <Form.Label>Divison</Form.Label>
                                <Form.Control
                                    as="select"
                                    onChange={(e) => handleDiv(e)}
                                    defaultValue="Choose ..."
                                >
                                    <option disabled>Choose ...</option>
                                    {divOptions}
                                </Form.Control>
                            </Form.Group>
                        </Col>
                        <Col>
                            <Form.Group controlId="exampleForm.ControlSelect1">
                                <Form.Label>Subject</Form.Label>
                                <Form.Control
                                    as="select"
                                    onChange={(e) => handleSub}
                                    defaultValue="Choose ..."
                                    disabled={disabled}
                                >
                                    <option disabled>Choose ...</option>
                                    {subOptions}
                                </Form.Control>
                            </Form.Group>
                        </Col>
                    </Row>
                </Form>
            }

        </Container>
    )
}

export default Profile

A: Managed to make it work
const handleDiv = (e) => {
        disabled = false
        setSelectedDiv(e.target.value);
    }

if (subArr) {
console.log("selDiv: ", selectedDiv)

        console.log("subArr: ", subArr)

        subFilter =
            subArr.filter((sub) => (
                sub.division === selectedDiv
            ))

        subOptions =
            subFilter.map((sub) => (
                <option key={sub.key}>{sub.courseCode}</option>
            ))

        console.log("subOps: ", subOptions, "\nsubfil: ", subFilter)
}