Fluorescent light bulbs get a bad, and badly outdated, rap. Technological advances in the last twenty years have introduced the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) with electronic ballast and, in the process, have eliminated three of the four most common objections to fluorescent lights.
Yep, they used to. Modern CFLs, with their electronic ballasts, do not flicker.
While CFLs don't start at full intensity like incandescent bulbs, nearly all CFLs turn on (without flicker) instantly and reach full illumination very quickly. Of the nearly thirty different types we've tested, all come on instantly at close to full illumination. Only the flood light styles start at noticeably less than full illumination, but within 20 to 30 seconds they are at over 80% illumination. Interestingly, we've come to prefer softer initial illumination. When we enter a room the slightly softer initial illumination is more welcoming, and the CFL is easily at full illumination by the time we begin any light-dependent tasks.
Older, standard, long fluorescent tubes do emit a cool (bluish) light (4,500+ Kelvin, see Kelvin definition below), but today there are CFLs in a complete range of hues, and many CFLs are available that produce exactly the same warm white light (2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin) as traditional incandescent bulbs.
Myth 4: Fluorescent lights won't fit in my fixtures, candelabra, or recessed lights.
We agree that this can still be a problem in certain situations. A CFL is often not an exact size substitute for an existing incandescent bulb, but a far greater range of sizes is available than is generally realized. We've already successfully substituted standard, globe, flood, candelabra, three-way and dimmable bulbs. To get the widest range of shapes, it is often necessary to shop online or at a lighting store.
The EPA's Energy Star rating, when applied to CFLs, insures the buyer of a CFL that it comes on instantly, comes quickly to full illumination, is a warm/soft white hue (unless marked otherwise on the package) and renders colors with excellent accuracy. Are CFLs the same as the traditional incandescent bulbs with which we are familiar? No. But as discussed below, they are significantly cheaper to operate in the long run, are much better for the environment, and enjoy a number of other advantages.
In recent years, as the quality of CFLs has risen, their price has dropped. Today, high quality 60-watt equivalent CFLs can be purchased for under $2 in many stores or online. High quality recessed flood lamp style CFLs run between $5 and $10. Even though the cost of a CFL is 1.5 to 4 times more than a standard incandescent bulb, CFLs are a substantially cheaper source of light. A typical CFL uses less than a quarter the electricity of an incandescent bulb with similar bright- ness, and it lasts 6 to 12 times longer, meaning less time and effort is spent buying and replacing light bulbs. There are many online calculators attainable to estimate the savings available with CFLs.
The reason that standard incandescent (and halogen) lights are so energy inefficient is that they produce their light as an incidental result of generating heat. In fact, 90% of the electricity consumed by an incandescent bulb is used to generate heat, while only 10% is used to generate light. (Don't get excited—incandescent bulbs are NOT an efficient way to heat an area; conventional heating is much more energy efficient.) Therefore, in warmer seasons or locations, incandescent lights make a space warmer than necessary and may drive us to turn on the air conditioning, thus leading to even more energy consumption. By contrast, CFLs (and all fluorescents) generate their light more directly. 70% of the electricity a CFL consumes is used to generate light and only 30% goes to generate heat.
Below, we attempt to present a realistic picture of what a household can save in energy costs and labor. The following table gives the details of the bulbs that were compared. We compared two bulb styles: a standard light bulb (called an A- 19 by the lighting industry) and a reflective recessed flood light (the R30, a mid-sized flood light). Each of these is com- pared to a commonly available GE™ light bulb. In this comparison we assumed that flood lights are in hard-to-reach locations and incandescent buyers would prefer the long-life version of the GE™ flood light.
First, we considered two types of bulbs, a standard A-19 and a recessed flood light, and assumed a 70%/30% mix, respectively, of the two types.
Second, we used two electricity cost rates, the national average cost ($0.11 per kilowatt hour) and a high cost rate ($0.18 per kilowatt hour).
Third, we considered two residence sizes, an apartment or very small house (20 bulbs) and a medium sized home (50 bulbs).
Fourth, we assumed that changing a light bulb and remembering to buy replacement bulbs takes, on average, 3 minutes per bulb.
The results are truly compelling and are shown on the bottom line of the following table. The cost savings in the table include the savings in electricity used and the bulb replacement savings, i.e. since CFLs have such longer lives than incandescents, their replacement costs (over the life of the CFL) are usually cheaper. For an apartment resident living in an average cost electric market, converting just 20 bulbs could save, over the life of the CFLs, $1,400 and 10.5 hours in bulb maintenance and shopping. For an owner of a medium sized home in an expensive electric market (NY, CT, MA, HI, AL and parts of CA and NJ), converting 50 bulbs could save nearly $5,200 and 26.3 hours of bulb maintenance. We estimated the labor savings from using CFLs because we wanted to show that the initial time required to convert a house to CFLs is easily offset by the labor savings from not repeatedly changing the incandescent bulbs.
CFLs last between 5 and 10 years depending on average daily usage. Over the coming 5 to 10 years, electricity rates will surely rise on average. As electricity costs rise above the static rates used here, the savings will grow accordingly.
The above analysis shows the savings that can come from converting to CFLs. Using CFLs can also lower pollution generally and greenhouse gases specifically. The beauty and curse of electricity is that its costs are usually invisible to us. It arrives effortlessly in our homes, and we seldom directly experience the pollution that results from the burning of fossil fuels (mostly coal) to generate it. Coal is used to generate 51% of the electricity used in the US. Most generation from coal produces enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and significant amounts of other pernicious pollutants.
The table below shows the reduction in atmospheric pollutants and carbon dioxide that results from converting to CFLs. Again we show the results for an apartment (20 bulbs) and a medium-sized home (50 bulbs).
Converting to CFLs can help to decrease the amount of released atmospheric carbon dioxide, the most prevalent human- made greenhouse gas. Converting just 20 incandescent bulbs to CFLs can help eliminate 12.7 tons of carbon dioxide and converting 50 bulbs can help eliminate the production of nearly 32 tons of carbon dioxide over an assumed 7.3 year life of the CFL.
Sulphur dioxide and the various nitrogen oxides contribute to acid rain and visible smog. Converting 20 bulbs to CFLs can help reduce around 70 lbs. of each of these types of pollutants, and converting 50 bulbs can help reduce over 170 lbs. of each, over the 7.3 year life of the CFL.
Mercury, another dreadful pollutant, is a necessary, but minute, component of each fluorescent light. The amount of mercury in a typical CFL bulb is about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen or 5 mg. This is one-fifth the amount found in a watch battery and one-one hundredth the amount in found in dental amalgams or older household thermostats. But mercury is also released when coal and other fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity.
To protect the environment, we want to produce the least amount of atmospheric and landfill waste mercury. While incan- descent bulbs contain no mercury, their excessive consumption of electricity, compared to CFLs, results in greater mercury waste. Even if burned-out CFL bulbs are just tossed in the trash and their mercury is released, the result is less environ- mental mercury than using incandescent bulbs for 3 or more years, due to the mercury released in burning the additional fossil fuel needed to power the less efficient incandescent bulb. Therefore, since CFLs typically last six or more years, using CFLs generates less than half as much mercury as using incandescent light bulbs - even without recycling.
Currently, federal law for hazardous materials does permit including CFLs in household trash. However, as with all haz- ardous waste, we encourage appropriate recycling. This can be done by contacting your local recycling center or, in some instances, returning the used CFLs to the store where they were purchased.
Color: Light color has been the biggest impediment to our own conversion to CFLs. (Size and fit were the other major ones.) We understood little when we started, and so had to learn a lot by experimenting with different products. However, in the past year, CFL labeling has improved, which helps new users with their initial purchases. There are two general metrics used in rating the color of the light emitted by bulbs: color correlative temperature (CCT) (stated in Kelvin) and the color-rendering index (CRI). The CCT or Kelvin number (ranging from 2,700 to 6,500) is a simplified measurement that indicates the general color emitted by a bulb, whereas the CRI (ranging from 0 to 100) indicates how accurately the emitted light renders the color of illuminated objects.
Kelvin numbers derive from the temperature (in Kelvin) of a theoretical black body (made of carbon) as it emits different colors of light when heated to different temperatures. For our purposes, the following table gives the three main Kelvin ranges, with their characteristics and general uses.
For home use, most individuals prefer soft- or warm-white (~2,700 Kelvin) in the living areas and bedrooms and cool white (3,500 to 4,000, Kelvin) in the kitchen and in work and reading areas. The CCT of an Energy Star rated bulb will be between 2,700 and 3,000 Kelvin unless otherwise marked on the package.
Less than 1 second to start-up, less than 30 seconds to run-up to at least 80% maximum lumen output. Greater than 6,000 hours average life (5 1/2 years at 3 hours). CCT must be 2,700 to 3,000 K (warm/soft white) unless marked on package. CRI must be 80% or greater.
Sizes and Shapes. While there are many color options for each prospective bulb replacement, the size and shape of the current fixtures or locations may limit the available replacements. A key to avoiding frustration is to know the style and dimensions of each bulb you wish to replace. Most stores carry the most common sizes and shapes of bulbs. If you need to replace a wide range of sizes and shapes, you should consult various online lighting websites since they frequently show images of the styles of bulbs and list the color and wattage options within each category. A brief background on sizes and shapes can help orient the consumer.
The archetypal light bulb shape is what the industry calls a standard A-19 bulb. It usually comes with the common screw base called a medium Edison base.
Standard Bulbs. Within limits, different wattages can be placed in the standard A-19 shape. What makes a CFL compact is that a tiny fluorescent tube has been wound into a spiral to be able to fit in the shape and space of a traditional incan- descent light bulb. Not surprisingly, therefore, CFLs are sometimes called spirals, mini-spirals, or spring bulbs. The coiled tube can take the place of the standard bulb glass, or it can be placed inside a glass shell of a standard looking bulb to make it appear more conventional, in which case there is a modest loss of luminance. In most cases, the coiled tube of a CFL takes up more space than the bulb of a conventional bulb. So knowing the available space where the bulb is to be used is important. However, the mini-spiral 14-watt CFL, the replacement CFL for the common 60-watt conventional bulb, takes up less space than the conventional bulb.
Globe Bulbs. Most conventional globe bulbs are standard bulbs with an enlarged, globe-shaped glass. Since the glass is already enlarged in these conventional globe bulbs, the replacement CFL globe is usually exactly the same size. In fact, most globe bulbs (incandescent and CFLs) are sold by the diameter of the glass globe.
Floodlight or Spotlight Bulbs. Many homes today have recessed or built-in lighting that use a range of reflector bulbs. Reflector bulbs come in three primary sizes, R20, R30, and R40, small, medium and large, respectively. Within each size it is possible to get a range of different wattages. When other letters are prefixed to a reflector bulb's designation, they refer to special aspects of the glass face or reflector shape. Common prefixes include BR (bulbous reflector) and PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector). The PAR bulb represents the high end of reflector lights and is designed both to provide a focused light (with little light spread) and to be used in damp locations (like showers or outdoors).
Candelabra and Tulip Bulbs. Candelabras, sconces and smaller lamps often require a flame- or tulip-shaped bulb. Conventional versions of these bulbs come with either frosted or clear glass bulbs, with the latter meant to suggest a more flame-like appearance. Also, these bulbs come with both the small candelabra screw base and the medium Edison screw base. Presently, it is difficult for comparable wattage CFLs to match the small size of these bulbs. Three-way Bulbs. Standard CFLs do not work properly when used in a three-way socket. A special, enhanced electronic ballast is built in to three-way CFL bulbs to make them work properly in three-way sockets. CFLs are now available in a full range of three-way wattages and colors. These are most frequently available as spiral or spring bulbs. They work precisely like conventional three-ways, but are somewhat larger. Higher wattage three-way CFLs are usually sold with extension clamps to raise the lamp shade slightly in order to make more room for the larger CFL bulb.
Dimmable Bulbs. Many wattages and styles of dimmable CFLs are now available. Even though dimmable CFLs gener- ally work well, most dimmable CFLs will not dim to as low an illumination as a conventional incandescent bulb. If you'd like a comprehensive review of many types of CFLs available through a wide range of suppliers, visit this web site: http://www.execulink.com/~impact/fluorescent_lights.htm.
Other limitations and benefits. One limitation, which was not mentioned above, relates to the use of CFLs with timing devices. CFLs usually work best with mechanical timers. Often, though not always, electronic timers lower the voltage supplied to a CFL.
In addition to cost savings, labor savings and environmental savings, we find three other benefits to CFLs. First, thanks to their lower heat production, CFLs are far gentler to shades and fixtures than the persistently hot incandescent bulbs. This helps to protect fabric shades from showing burn spots or becoming fragile over time. Similarly, CFLs are much less likely to cause browning or flaking on the decorative frosting or coating of glass shades.
Second, unlike incandescent lights, at the end of their useful life, CFLs don't fail suddenly when the light switch is turned on. Rather, they may take longer to reach full illumination, the level of full illumination may become inconsistent or the ballast may start to buzz. This is an advantage because CFL bulbs give us some warning instead of suddenly leaving us in the dark.
Third, the slight delay-to-full illumination of CFLs is also a benefit. While this did take some getting used to, we now appreciate not being blasted with full illumination upon entering a room. The initial, near-full illumination, is easily sufficient to move about in a room. By the time we have set to any light-dependent task, the room is fully lit.
In the first week of 2007, we attempted to convert all the incandescent bulbs in Hal's Deer Valley, Utah, home to CFLs. The house was completed about four years ago, two years prior to Hal's conversion to "green," and included recessed lighting in nearly every room. When we began we had no idea of the number or types of bulbs used in the house.
We preferred the 2,700 to 2,850K (warm white) light in all locations except over the main kitchen island where we used a 3,500K (cool white) light.
We could live with—and actually preferred—the modestly delayed start-up time of most CFLs.
We could and would replace all incandescent bulbs that had size suitable replacements. This meant that only the three interior chandeliers, several lamps and the (occasionally used) halogen art lights would not be replaced.
Next, we inventoried all the lights to tally those targeted for replacement. To our utter shock, we had 220 incandescent (non-art) lights. Of these 220 bulbs we targeted 193 (88%) for conversion. Only the small chandelier and tulip bulbs were not convertible, as the fabric shades would not accommodate the larger CFLs.
In our experimental run, we compared a number of bulbs from different providers with similar specifications. This allowed us to observe and then fuss over the mix of relatively small differences in bulb size, color, and start-up times with equivalent incandescent wattage (i.e. light out in lumens). From the preferred bulb options, to keep things simple, we reduced our providers to two: the local Home Depot and the online lighting store 1000bulbs.com. Home Depot is, of course, a well- known retailer. Of all the online lighting stores we inspected, 1000bulbs.com had the most user-friendly website, as well as competent sales staff and a low-price guarantee.
The result of our research resulted in the following selections, shown with their targeted replacements. Due to the broad selection range of 1000bulbs.com, the majority of our bulbs were bought online. However, Home Depot had several very pleasing high-quality CFL bulbs, which as replacements represented an immediate upgrade in lighting quality over the older incandescent bulbs. These were the 60-watt equivalent soft white mini-spiral and the 40-watt soft white fan bulb (used for make-up mirror lighting), both carrying the Commercial Electric™ label.
Several points of learning are worth sharing. First, during the pilot test, several bulbs buzzed audibly when installed. When this happened we tested the same bulb in a different location and a different CFL in the same location to determine whether it was the bulb or socket. In one instance, we determined it was the socket. In another instance we determined that the bulb was the problem and eliminated that bulb from our list of candidates.
Second, several rooms had very high recessed lights that we misjudged to be R40 when they in fact were the smaller sized R30s. Given the height above the floor of these recessed lights, we preferred higher wattage R30 CFLs, i.e. 85-90 watt equivalent, in those lights. Since higher wattage R30 bulbs (CFL or incandescent) are uncommon, this left us with only one option, which we got through 1000bulbs.com.
Third, a CFL's speed to reach full illumination is temperature dependent. In mountain climes (where the Deer Valley house is), it is not unusual for top-floor ceilings to be cold, and therefore CFLs in such locations reach full brightness more slowly than in other rooms. So, if you need near full illumination quickly and your room ceiling is under a cold or snow- covered roof, you should consider standard straight tube fluorescent or keep your existing incandescent bulbs. We admit the experimentation and investigation phases required organization and discipline to complete. However, when the time came to install the CFL bulbs, the process was easy and left us with great satisfaction. Overall, we are pleased with the financial and environmental benefits of using CFLs, and the family seems quite happy with the lighting results. We now look forward to years of beautiful light with minimal maintenance.


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Q: Is splitting unit tests from integration test with mocks worth the effort (in nodejs)? Well consider a relative simple server for a SPA application. Written in nodejs with express and knex as backends.
Now if we do it properly each function will have unit tests (as they are always all visible to the end user). But besides of the choice of what function to create unit test for, is abstracting away the database actually worth the effort?
A simple function might look like:
function doSomething(request_object, response_object) {
    request_data = analyze_request();
    db_data = grabFromDatabase(request_data); //this is often just a knex query.
    result = reformatDBQuery(db_data);
    response_object.give_response(result);
}

Now to do it properly one would create mocks/stubs that either mock knex library. Or mock the interface methods we use ourselves.
Both cases require a lot of writing, often so much as almost recreating the library ourselves.
The other option is to create only stubs for the exact function arguments required: but this would make tests quite brittle and the most common error I experience (by a large margin) wouldn't really be catched with this: Unexpected argument values in some function that do work but give nonsensical results that fail at another place.
So a tertiary option is possible: actually just use a database for testing. However this means the unit test is no longer a unit test. And it's really just an integration test. As this is about the only "complexity" that isn't trivial code it hence makes little sense to even have unit tests (the other tests are so trivial they can easily be added to the integration tests).
Especially since "launching" a real database connection in javascript is quite fast anyways. And writing mocks for every possible function in a library very, very time consuming.
So what do others do, especially with regards to "simple servers" where complexity is only found in database calls?
EDIT, to clarify, I understand the need for a unit test above integration tests. I wonder however what people do in practice given time constraints typically visible. And wonder how in reality people sidestep the problem of very very time consuming mocks.
EDIT2: to give some practicality:
Say I have a function that has as purpose "insert a new line with current session user id + some other data into a table". Which would look like:
async function createSheet(uId: number, data: number) {
    await express.locals.dbObject.insert({user: uId, data: data}).into("sheets");
}

Now a mocking library (I found) would do something like:
expect(knexDB).toHaveQueried(<exact query string here>).

But that query string (result from knex' query builder) will insert the data objects in "some" order generating a string, but it means I have to check into the implementation of knex itself in which order - very much an implementation detail.
While I'm basically only interested that I have inserted "something" for a given user-id, and that I can retrieve it later. -- So a proper "mock" would not only create stubs and let me query the exact query results, I'd also create an in memory database mimicking all functionality. So the tests can be descriptive.

A: The usual requirements for using a DBMS in automated testing are

*

*isolated testing by different developers, each one with their local db

*individual, stable test data for each test

*easy to maintain test data

*easy to maintain data for the expected outcome of a test, especially in case the system evolves and the data has to adapted to changed requirements

*test data which can be versioned in your SCCS

*spinning up the database and a connection quickly, regardless if one runs only one test or hundreds

*and of course, certain performance requirements, even if there are several hundred tests.
To my experience, fulfilling all these requirements is possible when one can use a very lightweight DB, ideally a single-file DB like SQLite. That lets you start with an individual defined test db for each test (just copy a template DB file into a working folder), connect instantly and run the tests pretty fast (usually much faster than on a heavyweight multi-user DB like Postgresql or MySql).
Using this approach can indeed give you "the most bang for the buck", and it can sometimes be more efficient than completely abstracting all database calls away. If it really is in your specific situation is something you have to measure by yourself, there is no hard-and-fast rule which approach is "better".
If you cannot go that route, since SQLite is not powerful or compatible enough for your case, you can try to get the requirements fulfilled with some Client/Server DBMS, but this will usually require a higher effort, and you need to try out (or estimate) if you think the effort is worth it in your case.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Application of a CHILD WITH A DISABILITY, by his parent, for review of a determination of a hearing officer relating to the provision of educational services by the Board of Education of the Hempstead Union Free School District
Frank X. Kilgannon, P.C., attorney for petitioner, Frank X. Kilgannon, Esq., of counsel
Lamb & Barnosky, L.L.P., attorney for respondent, Frank H. Cohen, Esq., of counsel
Petitioner appeals from the decision of an impartial hearing officer which denied her request to be reimbursed for her son's tuition costs at the Vincent Smith School (VSS) for the 2005-06 school year. The appeal must be dismissed.
Respondent asserts as an affirmative defense in its answer that the petition for review was untimely served. Petitioner does not allege good cause for untimely service (see 8 NYCRR 279.13), nor has she filed a reply to respondent's affirmative defense (see 8 NYCRR 279.6).
A petition for review by a State Review Officer must comply with the timelines specified in the state regulations (see 8 NYCRR 279.2). The petition must be served upon the respondent within 35 days from the date of the impartial hearing officer's decision sought to be reviewed (8 NYCRR 279.2[c]). If the impartial hearing officer's decision has been served by mail upon petitioner, the date of mailing and the four days subsequent thereto shall be excluded in computing the period (id.). A State Review Officer, in his or her sole discretion, may excuse a failure to timely seek review within the time specified for good cause shown (8 NYCRR 279.13). The good cause for the failure to timely seek review must be set forth in the petition (id.).
Here, the impartial hearing officer's decision is dated June 26, 2006 (IHO Decision, p. 23). Assuming the decision was mailed, the last day to serve the petition was August 7, 2006.1 Petitioner's affidavit of service shows that the date of service was August 29, 2006. Therefore, the petition for review was not timely served. In the absence of good cause stated, I will dismiss the appeal as untimely (Application of a Child with a Disability, Appeal No. 04-067).
In addition, the petition does not comport with section 279.4(a) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (8 NYCRR 279.4[a]). Section 279.4(a) provides, in pertinent part: "[t]he petition for review shall clearly indicate the reasons for challenging the impartial hearing officer's decision, identifying the findings, conclusions and orders to which exceptions are taken, and shall briefly indicate what relief should be granted by the State Review Officer to the petitioner." In this appeal, petitioner is represented by counsel. The statements in the petition are unduly vague and ambiguous as to preclude respondent from effectively formulating a responsive answer. Other than asserting in general terms that challenge the impartial hearing officer's decision and request reversal, petitioner does not provide any particulars as to the reasons why she challenges the impartial hearing officer's decision. For example, one of petitioner's four general statements merely asserts that the impartial hearing officer "failed to comply with the rules and regulations of the Department of Education," without any further specification (Pet. ¶ 11[D]). The petition for review is required to "clearly indicate the reasons for challenging the impartial hearing officer's decision" (8 NYCRR 279.4[a]). The petition in this case fails to meet this requirement (Application of a Child with A Disability, Appeal No.06-096).
Although I will dismiss the petition as untimely, I have reviewed the hearing record and the merits of petitioner's appeal. Based upon my careful review of the record as a whole, and the decision of the impartial hearing officer, I agree with the conclusion of the impartial hearing officer that the individualized education program created by respondent's CSE was reasonably calculated to provide petitioner's son educational benefit. I further agree that the procedural inadequacies found by the impartial hearing officer did not impede the child's right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE); significantly impede the petitioner's opportunity to participate in the decision making process regarding the provision of a FAPE for her son; or cause a deprivation of educational benefit to petitioner's son (20 U.S.C. § 1415 [f][3][E][ii]2; see Grim v. Rhinebeck Cent. Sch. Dist., 346 F.3d 377 [2d Cir. 2003]; 34 C.F.R. § 300.513 [a][2]3).
1 Calculating 35 days from the date of the decision, excluding the date of mailing and subsequent 4 days thereto, leads to an August 5, 2006 service due date. However, because August 5, 2006 was a Saturday, service on Monday, August 7, 2006, would have been permitted as the final day for timely service (8 NYCRR 279.11).
2 On December 3, 2004, Congress amended the IDEA, however, the amendments did not take effect until July 1, 2005 (see Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 [2004], Pub. L. No. 108-446, 118 Stat. 2647). The relevant events in the instant appeal took place prior to the effective date of the 2004 amendments to the IDEA. Therefore, the provisions of the IDEA 2004 do not apply. However, for convenience, citations herein refer to the statute as amended.
3 The Code of Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R Parts 300 and 301) has been amended to implement changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The amended regulations became effective October 13, 2006. In this case, none of the new provisions contained in the amended regulations are applicable because all relevant events occurred prior to the effective date of the new regulations. However, for convenience, citations herein refer to the regulations as amended because the regulations have been reorganized and renumbered.
Preliminary Matters›Pleadings›Compliance with Form
Preliminary Matters›Pleadings›Timeliness of Petition

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Columbia University Study Finds VAERS Deaths Undercounted By Factor Of 20
By Olivia Cavallaro Dec 16, 2021 04:58 AM EST
(Photo : FRANK MERIÑO / Pexels)
Health authorities in the U.S., especially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long touted the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines. In its latest guidance for America, it even recommends COVID shots for "everyone ages 5 years and older." The agency outlines several "adverse events of interest" such as anaphylaxis, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), myocarditis and pericarditis, and even death, all of which they claim to be "rare."
But just how rare are these "adverse events of interest" really?
Researchers at Columbia University sought to answer the question as to how many people experience adverse events from the COVID vaccine. Using the CDC's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is a "national vaccine safety monitoring system that accepts reports of adverse events after vaccination," researchers took a closer look at the data to find out just how many people are experiencing adverse events or are even dying after receiving a COVID vaccine, NOQ Report revealed.
The study by Dr. Spiro P. Pantazatos, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurobiology (Psychiatry) at Columbia University, was titled "COVID vaccination and age-stratified all-cause mortality risk." The study, which was co-authored by researcher Herve Seligmann, was published in ResearchGate.
Dr. Robert Malone, who contributed to mRNA vaccines and is now a staunch opposer of the vaccine technology took to Twitter on Wednesday to share the study, highlighting how researchers wrote that the results from the study "suggests the risks of COVID vaccines and boosters outweigh the benefits in children, young adults and older adults with low occupational risk or previous coronavirus exposure."
According to the study, "accurate estimates" of the adverse events and deaths linked to the COVID vaccine is "critical" in determining the risk-benefit ratio of the shots and its boosters. Researchers argued that current surveillance studies are simply unsuitable for estimating life-threatening events or vaccine-induced fatality rates (VFR). Researchers wrote that in the study, "regional variation in vaccination rates was used to predict all-cause mortality and non-COVID deaths in subsequent time periods using two independent, publicly available datasets from the US and Europe."
Researchers found that "Vaccination correlated negatively with mortality 6-20 weeks post-injection, while vaccination predicted all-cause mortality 0-5 weeks post-injection in almost all age groups and with an age-related temporal pattern consistent with the US vaccine rollout."
They also found a U.S. national average vaccine-induced fatality rates or VFR of 0.04% and higher VFR with age. For those aged 0 to 17, they had a VFR of 0.004%, while those aged 75 and above had a VFR of 0.06%. Data showed that there were over 146,000 to 187,000 vaccine-related deaths in the U.S. alone between February to August 2021. The researchers wrote, "Notably, adult vaccination increased ulterior mortality of unvaccinated young."
In addition, researchers pointed out how their VFR estimates were higher than CDC's reported VFR of 0.002%, which "suggests VAERS deaths are underreported by a factor of 20, consistent with known VAERS under-ascertainment bias."
This led researchers to conclude that "the risks of COVID vaccines and boosters outweigh the benefits in children, young adults and older adults with low occupational risk or previous coronavirus exposure."
Researchers highly suggest reviewing public health policies with regards to COVID vaccine boosters and workplace and school mandates that have proliferated across America today.
COVID vaccination and age-stratified all-cause mortality risk
... suggests the risks of COVID vaccines and boosters outweigh the benefits in children, young adults and older adults with low occupational risk or previous coronavirus exposure.https://t.co/eiGoHVzrqE
— Robert W Malone, MD (@RWMaloneMD) December 15, 2021
Omicron Fatality Rate 91% Lower Than Delta, CDC Data Reveals
Conservative Father Who Gave His Son Ivermectin For COVID Now Fighting Government For Custody Of His Childen
State Leaders Urged To Focus On 'Crucial Priorities' For Dobbs Pending SCOTUS Decision
Judge Orders Loudoun County Schools Juvenile Sex Offender To Stay In Locked Treatment Facility Until He Turns 18


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Mirza Džomba, född 28 februari 1977 i Rijeka i dåvarande SFR Jugoslavien, är en kroatisk före detta handbollsspelare (högersexa). Han anses som en av tidernas bästa på sin position. År 2013 utsågs han till den bästa högersexan i EHF Champions Leagues 20-åriga historia. Džombas styrkor var hans höga skotteffektivitet och sitt straffskytte. Han är Kroatiens herrlandslags bästa målskytt genom tiderna, med 719 mål på 185 landskamper.

Džomba spelade final i Champions League totalt sex gånger, med klubbarna Badel 1862 Zagreb (1997, 1998 och 1999), Fotex KC Veszprém (2002) och BM Ciudad Real (2005 och 2006) men vann titeln endast en gång, 2006 med Ciudad Real.

Vid EM 2004 i Slovenien blev han turneringens bästa målskytt med 46 mål på åtta matcher. Kroatien slutade på fjärde plats. Främsta landslagsmeriterna är VM-guld 2003, OS-guld 2004, VM-silver 2005 och EM-silver 2008.

Efter spelarkarriären har han varit verksam som handbollsexpert på den kroatiska tv-kanalen RTL Televizija, ofta tillsammans med den tidigare lagkamraten Goran Šprem.

Meriter i urval

Klubblag
 Champions League-mästare 2006 med BM Ciudad Real
 Kroatisk mästare åtta gånger (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009 och 2010) med Badel 1862 Zagreb/RK Croatia Osiguranje Zagreb
 Ungersk mästare tre gånger (2002, 2003 och 2004) med Fotex KC Veszprém
 Spansk mästare 2007 med BM Ciudad Real

Landslag
 VM 1997 i Japan: 13:e
 Medelhavsspelen 1997 i Italien:  Guld
 EM 1998 i Italien: 8:a
 VM 1999 i Egypten: 10:a
 EM 2000 i Kroatien: 6:a
 VM 2001 i Frankrike: 9:a
 Medelhavsspelen 2001 i Tunisien:  Guld
 EM 2002 i Sverige: 16:e
 VM 2003 i Portugal:  Guld (all star-team, högersexa)
 EM 2004 i Slovenien: 4:a (all star-team, högersexa)
 OS 2004 i Aten:  Guld (all star-team, högersexa)
 VM 2005 i Tunisien:  Silver (all star-team, högersexa)
 EM 2006 i Schweiz: 4:a
 VM 2007 i Tyskland: 5:a
 EM 2008 i Norge:  Silver
 OS 2008 i Peking: 4:a

Referenser

Noter

Externa länkar

Kroatiska handbollsspelare
Tävlande vid olympiska sommarspelen 2008 från Kroatien
Tävlande i handboll vid olympiska sommarspelen 2008
Tävlande vid olympiska sommarspelen 2004 från Kroatien
Tävlande i handboll vid olympiska sommarspelen 2004
Olympiska guldmedaljörer 2004
Kroatiska olympiska guldmedaljörer
Män
Födda 1977
Levande personer
Personer från Rijeka
Världsmästare i handboll
Spelare i MKB Veszprém KC
Spelare i BM Ciudad Real
Spelare i RK Zagreb
Spelare i Vive Kielce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Molds can produce a variety of allergenic substances, odorous chemicals, and toxic metabolites. When it multiplies and spreads indoors, high levels of mold can cause a spectrum of health effects.
Tolerance/susceptibility to molds varies in the population. Health impacts can vary greatly from person to person.
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing, Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases potentially toxic substances (mycotocins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis).
Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.
Research on mold and health effects is ongoing. This page provides a brief overview; it does not describe all the potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional. You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.
Prudent public health practice then indicates removal from exposure through clean up or remediation, and public education about the potential for harm. Not all species within these genera are toxigenic, but it is prudent to assume that when these molds are found in excess indoors that they are treated as though they are toxin producing. It is not always cost effective to measure toxicity, so cautious practice regards the potential for toxicity as serious, aside from other health effects associated with excessive exposure to molds and their products. It is unwise to wait to take action until toxicity is determined after laboratory culture, especially since molds that are toxic in their normal environment may lose their toxicity in laboratory monoculture over time and therefore may not be identified as toxic. While testing for toxins is useful for establishing etiology of disease, and adds to knowledge about mold toxicity in the indoor environment, prudent public health practice might advise speedy clean-up, or removal of a heavily exposed populations from exposure as a first resort.


How can I add more Karaoke songs to vanBasco's Karaoke Player?
With many songs I play, the lyrics are not displayed in the Karaoke Window. Why?
When I make changes to the tempo or key of a song, how can I save the changes back to the MIDI file?
I want to add lyrics to an existing MIDI file - how can I do this?
Where can I find lyrics?
Can I print the words of a song using your player?
How can I print a playlist?
Where can I download more skins?
Can you add support for ST3 files to the next version?
Does your player play Karaoke (CD+G) discs?
How can I burn MIDI Karaoke files on an audio CD?
Can I add my website to your search engine?
Question: How can I add more Karaoke songs to vanBasco's Karaoke Player?
Answer: One way to add more songs to vanBasco's Karaoke Player is to download some from the Internet. Karaoke files can be found using our MIDI search engine, for instance.
When you have found a website offering Karaoke songs, you need to download the Karaoke files to a directory on your hard disk first. This is done by right-clicking the linked Karaoke file in you web browser and selecting "Save as...". Once the download is completed successfully, inside vanBasco's Karaoke Player, you need to add the Karaoke file to a playlist. You do this by switching in the list on the right hand side of the Playlist window to the folder where you saved the downloaded Karaoke files. Select the ones you want to play and press "add".
Alternatively you can just double-click the Karaoke files from within a file manager such as Windows Explorer.
Question: With many songs I play, the lyrics are not displayed in the Karaoke Window. Why?
Answer: First of all, vanBasco's Karaoke Player will only display the words if the song file you are playing includes them.
Files with the .mid extension generally do not contain words. Files that do include lyrics are usually renamed to have a .kar extension. Use our MIDI search engine and look for results with .
Question: How can I record my voice?
Answer: Unfortunately, vanBasco's Karaoke Player does not directly support voice recording. However you can use any sound recording application to record your voice. There is no automatic synchronization though, so you need to start recording in the sound recorder first, and then click play inside vanBasco's Karaoke Player.
to switch from the playback to the recording settings. Make again sure that both the microphone and MIDI synthesizer are selected for recording. If you cannot select more than one source, you can try to find a channel that lets you record all you can hear, i.e. from all devices. Such a device is sometimes called "stereo output" or "what you hear", or something similar.
Question: When I make changes to the tempo or key of a song, how can I save the changes back to the MIDI file?
However, if you merely want to retain your playback settings for a particular file, you can store this information in the playlist. This is done by clicking "Save to List" in the control window inside vanBasco's Karaoke Player. Your settings will be remembered the next time you load the song from the same playlist provided that "Use from List" is enabled (also in the control window).
To get more information about using playlists, please consult the respective section in the online help system which is available by clicking the question mark button in the main program window of vanBasco's Karaoke Player.
Question: I want to add lyrics to an existing MIDI file - how can I do this?
Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot add or modify lyrics with vanBasco's Karaoke Player. However, there are dedicated Karaoke editors available, such as WinKaraoke Creator (freeware).
Question: Where can I find lyrics?
Question: Can I print the words of a song using your player?
Answer: You can copy the words to the Windows clipboard by choosing "Copy" from the Karaoke Window's context menu (right-click inside the Karaoke Window to get to the context menu). Then you can paste the lyrics into an empty document in your word processor and print from there.
Question: How can I print a playlist?
Start your spreadsheet program. From the File menu, choose "Open..." or "Import...". As file type, select "text file" or "comma-separated values (csv) file" or something similar, as available. Open the playlist file you wish to print, e.g. "Sample Playlist.vpl". All playlist files are located in the installation directory of the player, e.g. C:\Program Files\vanBasco's Karaoke Player. When prompted, specify that all fields in the file are separated by semicolons. After importing you can delete the columns that you don't want to print. That's all you need to do.
Question: Where can I download more skins?
Answer: A few additional skins submitted by users of vanBasco's Karaoke Player are available for download here. You can also use our skin editor to modify existing skins or to create an entirely new skin.
Question: Can you add support for ST3 files to the next version?
Question: Does your player play Karaoke (CD+G) discs?
Answer: No, it doesn't - vanBasco's Karaoke Player plays MIDI Karaoke files only. However there are a number of CD+G software players available (try any search engine).
Question: How can I burn MIDI Karaoke files on an audio CD?
Use a dedicated MIDI to WAVE converter. The one that is perhaps easiest to use is WinGroove.
First of all, you need to select your MIDI synthesizer as recording source: open your sound card's mixer device by double-clicking the speaker icon at the far right end of the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Make sure you are adjusting the recording controls and not the playback volume controls (select "Properties... " from the "Options" menu and activate "Adjust Volume for Recording"). Because you want to record the MIDI sound, and only the MIDI sound, you need to make sure that the MIDI synthesizer is the only category with a tick in its respective "Select" checkbox.
Now open your favorite audio recording application. (If you don't have one, just use Audio Recorder which is part of the Windows Accessories.) Start recording there and then press "play" in vanBasco's Karaoke Player. Wait until the song is finished and press "stop" in Audio Recorder. Save the sound file.
Now you have a .wav file from which you can create an audio CD using your CD burning application.
Question: Can I add my website to your search engine?
Answer: At the moment, there is no facility for submitting URLs for inclusion in our search engine, unfortunately.
What you can do is make sure that your site is linked on as many MIDI-related sites as possible, by contacting their web masters. This will increase the chances that our search robot (and others, too) will find your site automatically on the next update.


text:
Horda-Kåre Aslaksson (nórdico antiguo: Hǫrða-Kára, n. 870? – m. 920?) fue un caudillo vikingo y hersir de Hordaland y patriarca de la dinastía noruega Giskeätten. Uno de sus descendientes fue el rey rugio Erling Skjalgsson y también otra figura histórica, Tora Mosterstong, que sería concubina de Harald I de Noruega y madre de Haakon el Bueno. Fue uno de los más antiguos aliados del rey Harald y uno de sus lugartenientes en la Batalla de Hafrsfjord.

Con Horda-Kåre finaliza la estirpe real de los Hordaætta. Con el enlace matrimonial de su hijo Ogmund y una hija de Gyrd Haraldsson, se inicia una nueva etapa de poder absoluto en Rogaland y sus descendientes serían conocidos como miembros de la dinastía Solaætta.

Descendencia
De las sagas nórdicas se conocen siete hijos, dos hembras y cinco varones:

 Tora Karadatter.
 Torleiv Spake, el Sabio.
 Olmod (n. 897), el Viejo, abuelo de Aslak Fitjaskalle.
 Ogmund aslak Kåreson, padre de Torolv skjalg Ogmundson y abuelo de Erling Skjalgsson.
 Þórður hreða Kåreson, es el personaje principal de Þórðar saga hreðu.
 Ketill (n. 902).
 Vilgerð Karadatter (n. 904), madre de Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson.

Referencias

Bibliografía
 Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway, trad. Lee M. Hollander. Reprinted. University of Texas Press, Austin, 1992. ISBN 0-292-73061-6

Enlaces externos
 Genealogía de Horda-Kåre

Nobles de Noruega del siglo X
Vikingos de Noruega


text:
The objections to the in-house tax audit report are accepted in full
The "Varshavskiy and Partners" law firm protected the taxpayer rights within the tax surveillance, and the judgement was rendered on refusal to bring to responsibility for committing a tax violation.
The case: The taxpaying organization has transferred from the general taxation system to the simplified taxation system. According to the tax inspection opinion, the VAT was not restored by the taxpayer during the transfer to the simplified taxation system .
Case complexity: The in-house tax audit was conducted in respect of the taxpayer, and the tax audit report was issued, according to which the non-payment of VAT to the tax authorities according to the requirements of the subclause 2 of clause 3 of article 170 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, was identified. The explanations of the taxpayer under the in-house tax audit were not accepted. Upon receipt of the report from the tax authority, the taxpayer made a decision on the appeal to the tax lawyers.
The work performed: The tax lawyers, in the first instance, assessed the legitimacy of the tax claim, and then analyzed the financial statements and tax returns submitted to the tax authority with the primary documents. On the basis of the study, the firm's lawyers prepared the legal position and assessed the legal prospects of the dispute. On the basis of the analysis, the objections to the tax audit report were prepared. The firm's lawyers took part in preparing a set of primary documents. The documents on the recommendation of our firm's tax practitioners were attached as supporting documentation to the objections. On our part, the preparation of documents and their submission to the tax authority were held.
The result: According to the results of the work done, the decision was taken on the refusal to bring the taxpayer to tax responsibility under article 122 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation for committing a tax violation, expressed in failure to restore VAT at the transfer to the simplified taxation system.
The customs dispute on classification of goods was completed in favour of our client


text:
RR School Of Nursing
» Parkinson Disease
The Neuropsychiatry Of The Basal Ganglia
Fri, 30 Mar 2018 | Parkinson Disease
The Parkinson's-Reversing Breakthrough
The basal ganglia are involved in two major brain systems associated with the regulation of emotions, mood, and behavior: (a) the "limbic" structures with widely distributed brainstem, striatal, and paralimbic sites, with rich reciprocal connections to the basal ganglia, in particular between the amygdalae and caudate (17); and (b) five frontosubcortical circuits, linking frontal lobe regions to subcortical structures, including the basal ganglia, and back to frontal lobe areas (18). These circuits receive input from brainstem nuclei, including dopaminergic input from substantia nigra and pars compacta. In addition to motor and eye movement control, the frontosubcortical circuits subserve key behaviors including executive functioning, motivated behavior, and integration of emotional information into contextually appropriate behavior. Thus, the basal ganglia are interpositioned as an interface between internal personal drives (mood and motivation) and behavioral responses to external stimuli.
On the other hand, imaging studies have revealed that the basal ganglia are involved in "functional" psychiatric disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies report reductions in caudate and putamen volume in unipolar and bipolar depression in addition to the prefrontal cortex, and positron emission tomography (PET) studies reveal hypermetabolism of globus pallidus in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression (19). Similarly, in obsessive compulsive disorder (20); changes in caudate activity have been reported. Thus, it is not surprising that diseases of the basal ganglia are associated with a wide range of neuropsychiatry disturbances. Furthermore, since the three frontosubcortical circuits mediating cognitive and emotional control transverse different regions of the basal ganglia, it is likely that the differential involvement of the basal ganglia in different diseases results in different patterns of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Since parkinsonian disorders usually involve several subcortical structures, particularly at more advanced disease stages, focal lesions may provide a better opportunity to unravel the relationship between different basal ganglia regions and neuropsychiatry symptoms. In a literature review, Bhatia and Marsden reported the motor and behavioral changes in 240 patients with lesions affecting the basal ganglia (2). Although publication bias and wide variations in the assessment of neuropsychiatry symptoms employed limit the generalizability of the findings, some interesting results emerged. First, "behavioral disturbances" were reported in 46% of the cases. Second, such disturbances occurred nearly exclusively in patients with lesions involving the caudate nucleus, whereas lesions confined to the putamen or globus pallidus, or the combination of these, rarely were associated with neuropsychi-atric changes. Finally, in lesions involving the caudate nucleus, apathy (28%), disinhibition (11%), and depression (29%) were the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms. Notably, neuropsychiatric symptoms were more common than motor disturbances after such lesions (2). Thus, lesions involving the caudate nucleus or other aspects of the three frontosubcortical circuits mediating behavior are associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Apathy, disinhibition, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are common behavioral correlates of such disturbances. Further empirical support for the involvement of basal ganglia in cognition and emotion was reported in a study of 143 patients with bilateral basal ganglia mineralization, which was associated with an increased risk for affective and paranoid disorders (21).
Cummings proposed an integrating hypothesis linking observations from molecular biologic, neu-ropathologic, and neurochemical studies in neurodegenerative disorders to neuropsychiatric manifestations of these disorders. According to this model, proteinopathies, such as tauopathies and alpha-synucleinopathies, are associated with a distinct anatomic pattern of degeneration. Cell death in specific brain nuclei responsible for transmitter synthesis leads to deficits in a variety of transmitter systems. Specifically, a-synuclein disturbances, such as PD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), mainly involve substantia nigra, brainstem, and limbic system neurons, whereas frontal and basal ganglionic neurons are predominantly affected in tau metabolism disturbances, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), resulting in frontal and subcortical abnormalities (22). These differential regional and transmitter involvements may result in differential patterns of motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric changes.
Unraveling Alzheimers Disease
I leave absolutely nothing out! Everything that I learned about Alzheimer's I share with you. This is the most comprehensive report on Alzheimer's you will ever read. No stone is left unturned in this comprehensive report.
Diets for Parkinson Disease
Panic Attack Treatments
Natural Dementia Treatment Ebook
Metabolic Causes Of Parkinsonism
Test Stimuli For Audiotaped Samples
Functional Limitations - Parkinson Disease
Multiple System Atrophy - Parkinson Disease
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
5 Steps to Reverse Dementia, The Parkinson's-reversing Breakthrough, Microstimulation of the Human Substantia Nigra in Parkinson , Parkinsonian Tremor Herbal Medication, Overcoming Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Eye Movement Control


text:
Ascoparia neglecta är en plattmaskart som beskrevs av Wolfgang Sterrer 1998. Ascoparia neglecta ingår i släktet Ascoparia och familjen Ascopariidae. Arten är reproducerande i Sverige. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Plattmaskar
neglecta


As a professional your health and especially mobility is your biggest asset. Since you can own a company, and pay a lower rate of tax, we believe it makes sense to use some of those tax savings to adequately fund your insurance.
Our unique approach to Life Insurance is that we view it as a multipurpose asset therefore, it's of more value rather than a lump sum or money at death.
Disability Insurance – Many overlook the need for disability insurance because they do not realize the likelihood of becoming disabled throughout their career is quite high. We show our clients the importance of disability insurance and complete a needs analysis to determine the amount needed if they were not able to work for an extended period of time.
Ask us about our no medical, simplified and easy to obtain long term care insurance program with Blue Cross!


text:
Latvia profile
Latvijas Republika (Republic of Latvia)
Form of government:
unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (Parliament, or Saeima [100])
Head of state:
President: Egils Levits
Head of government:
Prime Minister: Krišjānis Kariņš
Official language:
Official religion:
Monetary unit:
(2018 est.) 1,919,000
Population rank:
Population projection 2030:
Total area (sq mi):
Total area (sq km):
Density: persons per sq mi:
Density: persons per sq km:
(2018) 29.7
Urban-rural population:
Life expectancy at birth:
Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate:
Male: (2015) 99.8%
Female: (2015) 99.8%
GNI (U.S.$ '000,000):
(2017) 28,604
GNI per capita (U.S.$):
(1) The euro (€) replaced the lats (Ls) on January 1, 2014, at an exchange rate of €1 = Ls 0.70.
National anthem of LatviaThe eastern European country of Latvia lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. For much of its history Latvia has been controlled by foreign powers. In 1991 it achieved independence from the Soviet Union. The capital is Riga.


text:
BREAKING: Nova Mentis Life Science Signs Amalgamation Agreement to Acquire 100% of Pilz BioScience Corp.
Financial Press1 hour ago
Market Snapshot: Dow futures try to add to record climb in first full day of Biden administration
Market Snapshot Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2021 at 10:04 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 21, 2021 at 7:26 a.m. ET A woman walks past...
: Yellen says job losses from raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour would be 'very minimal'
Published: Jan. 21, 2021 at 9:34 a.m. ET Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour would 'really help' struggling Americans make ends meet,...
: Disney closes Hall of Presidents attraction to add Joe Biden animatronic — some say it's time to end it
Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2021 at 9:33 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 20, 2021 at 1:57 p.m. ET Some are calling for the attraction...
: Avocado price drop drives down Mission Produce revenue
Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2021 at 9:26 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 20, 2021 at 1:28 p.m. ET Avocado prices are down now, but...
Economic Report: Jobless claims drop to still-high 900,000 in last full week of Trump presidency
Economic Report Last Updated: Jan. 21, 2021 at 9:19 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 21, 2021 at 8:46 a.m. ET Emergency tape blocks off...
The Wall Street Journal: Democrats weigh timing of impeachment trial: Full steam ahead, or pause to build case and confirm Biden cabinet?
The Wall Street Journal Published: Jan. 14, 2021 at 10:28 p.m. ET Biden pandemic relief plan, unveiled late Thursday, also commands lawmakers' attention Laborers...
Financial Press6 days ago
: Biden calls for extending national eviction moratorium through September 2021 as part of $1.9 trillion stimulus
President-elect Joe Biden is calling on lawmakers to extend the national eviction moratorium for another eight months — one of the many housing-related proposals...
Capitol Report: Biden calls for $1,400 checks in $1.9 trillion relief plan
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday rolled out a coronavirus relief plan with a price tag of $1.9 trillion, a sweeping measure that includes cash...
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac can keep future earnings, per agreement between Treasury and regulators
Published: Jan. 14, 2021 at 7:04 p.m. ET 'Until the Enterprises can raise private capital, they are at risk of failing in the next...
Key Words: For some, Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue plan is a 'lifeline' — and wouldn't come a moment too soon
On Thursday evening, President-elect Joe Biden said he will call for $1,400 stimulus checks and more vaccine funds as part of a $1.9 trillion...
Dispatches from a Pandemic: 'We're asking that people be patient': Booking a COVID-19 vaccine appointment is a shot in the dark for many
Linda Briggs' husband was born in 1943, which meant that she had to click more than 930 times to enter her husband's date of...
The Moneyist: My wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I fear my father-in-law wants to take over her care, our home — and our finances
The Moneyist Published: Jan. 15, 2021 at 12:03 a.m. ET 'Her father abandoned her as a young child, never returning in any meaningful way...
The Wall Street Journal: Jaime Harrison of South Carolina tapped by Biden team to lead DNC
Four Biden allies picked as DNC vice chairs: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Rep....
The Wall Street Journal: Vice President Mike Pence says the American people deserve a safe presidential inauguration and a smooth transfer of power
The Wall Street Journal Published: Jan. 14, 2021 at 10:43 p.m. ET Trump's No. 2 met with leaders of agencies in charge of security...
Futures Movers: Oil weakens, but U.S. prices continue to hold above $50 a barrel
Futures Movers Last Updated: Jan. 14, 2021 at 10:56 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 14, 2021 at 8:25 a.m. ET OPEC 2021 forecasts still...
Financial PressJanuary 14, 2021
: Why Indonesia is vaccinating its working-age adults before the elderly
Last Updated: Jan. 14, 2021 at 10:54 a.m. ET First Published: Jan. 13, 2021 at 3:44 p.m. ET Experts give their opinion on Indonesia's...
Where Should I Retire?: I want to move to the South, I want the beach — and a liberal mindset. Where should I retire?
I'm 74, and my wife and I are looking to retire to a place full-time where it is warm all year long (over 60...
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CAD/USD


Following weeks of building expectation, the National Basketball Association on Monday night announced that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook had earned the MVP award for the 2016-17 season.
Westbrook had a season to remember, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961 to average a triple-double. In 2012, at the London Olympics, Westbrook averaged 8.5 points, 1.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds for the U.S.as the team captured its second straight gold medal.
Mike D'Antoni won the Coach of the Year for leading Houston to 55 wins in his first season with the team.
Earlier in the awards show, Malcolm Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks was named the Rookie of the Year.
Dirk Nowitzki won Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, and Charlotte's Kemba Walker's the NBA Sportsmanship Award as voted by his peers.
Taylor Swift has been pretty quiet as of late, but the pop star made a point to come out of social media hiding to congratulate Russell Westbrook on his NBA Awards win. The award was presented to Spurs executive Monty Williams for the way he has persevered through the grief of his wife, Ingrid, dying in a auto crash a year ago.
Celtics legend Bill Russell received the first lifetime achievement award, responding with some trash talk and then praise for the big men who honored him. The ability of a player to achieve that record with modern defenses in the National Basketball Association being what they are is impressive, even if you want to argue that many teams allowed Westbrook to operate while concentrating on his lesser teammates.
D'Antoni won the Coach of the Year Award. Finishing third was San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard with 9 first place votes and an even 500 points. "You make sure I'm on the right track and I'm so appreciative of you because so sacrifice so, so much for me every single day and I can't thank you enough".
The second team guards were Tony Allen of Memphis and Danny Green of the Spurs. "You guys have been riding with me through good games and bad games and have always been lifting me up".
Saric, Brogdon and Embiid were the three finalists for Rookie of the Year award.


The British Retail Consortium released their annual Retail Crime Survey results last month, revealing an evident uprise in violence against staff across the sector.
Due to the nature of their roles, retail staff are often confronted with difficult and often violent situations with the general public. Violence and abuse continues to be one of the main concerns highlighted from the survey, as stats continue to rise year on year. In 2018, roughly 42,000 violent or threatening incidents were reported.
There is also an increasing trend 'towards incidents becoming more violent and frightening, with an increasing willingness to use weapons to intimidate even for relatively small amounts' (BRC). As well as having the potential to cause injury, such incidents have a huge impact on an employees mental well being with many victims suffering from emotional harm, PTSD and anxiety and depression following an attack.
Why are the statistics so high?
The most violent crimes tend to be related to armed robberies. However, verbal abuse is incredibly common and rarely reported as shoppers regularly take out their frustration on staff.
Shopowner Ravi Katharkamar was recently murdered during an armed robbery in Pinner, North-West London. The victim collapsed inside the shop at 6:00am and was sadly pronounced dead just 45 minutes later.
In 2016, Imtiaz ul Haq was brutally attacked by Matthew Wheelan in what was described as a "cowardly and frenzied" attack. The incident occurred around 6:30pm at a Costcutter store in Flintsbury, when Imtiaz ul Haq was stabbed repeatedly by the attacker after he had attempted to rob the shop, sustaining serious injuries to his neck and head.
Doctors who treated the victim afterwards commented that they had never seen someone survive injuries as serious as Mr Haq's. The suspect was said to have been high off of alcohol and drugs when the incident happened.
Two female shopkeepers were left traumatized following two seperate violent robberies in Lanarkshire.
Woman threw bleach at a shop worker in Scotland when asked to leave, having attacked two other shopkeepers the following year.
A member of staff was attacked with a tv aerial in Burton Menswear during an attempted robbery.
Shopworker attacked with pepper spray and assaulted in unprovoked attack.
With these shocking new findings employees have a huge responsibility to ensure their retail workers are kept safe during threatening incidents. By law, employers need to frequently assess employee safety policies and act on any areas that are recognised as dangerous.
Lone workers can be particularly vulnerable to violence and armed robberies due to being seen as an easier target. In fact, assailants have often admitted targeting certain shops due to them being single manned. The ability to focus on a single employee means that they are more likely to be successful in getting away before the emergency services are alerted.
StaySafe offer an easy to use solution for the retail sector that ensures lone workers always have a way to signal for help in an emergency. A panic button can be triggered discreetly at any time, while beginning a session spanning the length of a work shift, ensures that employee safety is monitored throughout the day. Missing a check-in during a shift or failing to end a session, will send an alert to an employer or monitoring centre.
If confronted by an attacked, the lone worker can enter a duress PIN which will appear as if the app has been disabled when in actual fact an alert has been raised in the Hub.
Monitors are able to listen in on the situation when an alert is triggered, and the appropriate services will be dispatched to the employee to ensure their safety.


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BOWL WITH THE ICEHOGS
Rockford, Ill. – It's that time of year again! The Rockford IceHogs will be taking the lanes with fans for the 7th Annual Bowl-A-Thon on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Cherry Bowl.
IceHogs players, coaches, and other team personnel will be at Cherry Bowl from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 21 to bowl with fans and raise money for charity. A portion of the afternoon's proceeds will go to benefit the Huntington's Disease Society of America - Wisconsin Chapter.
All 32 bowling lanes are sold-out for the event, however fans that are still interested in attending can purchase a $10 viewing ticket that will include access for autographs and photographs with the team along with a raffle ticket to win some great prizes. Viewing tickets can be purchased at any IceHogs home game leading up to the event date, by calling (815) 986-6465, or at the door on Feb. 21 at Cherry Bowl.
Admission is $50 per bowler or $175 for a team of four, which includes two games of bowling, shoe and ball rental, and a raffle ticket for a chance to win some great prizes, for each participant. Groups of four may pick the player they wish to bowl with on a first-come, first-serve basis, for an additional $50. Otherwise, all players and team personnel will be randomly assigned to a lane, but fans are highly encouraged to mingle throughout the event, and take pictures and get autographs from the entire team throughout the afternoon.
Huntington's disease is a fatal, incurable genetic disorder that progressively breaks down the nerve cells in the brain, deteriorating a person's physical and mental ability. This disease is passed genetically, with children of affected parents having a 50/50 chance of receiving the faulty gene that causes the devastating disease. IceHogs forward Jake Dowell lost his father to Huntington's disease and has a brother who currently suffers from it. Recently, Dowell received news from doctors that he does not carry the gene.
Beginning today, Jan. 13, fans can register for the IceHogs Bowl-A-Thon at any IceHogs home game at the Fan Zone, by calling the IceHogs Office at (815) 986-6465, or by downloading the entry form here and emailing their registration form to [email protected] or have it faxed to (815) 380-6431. The deadline to register is Friday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m.
Along with bowling, participants and viewers can participate in the 50/50 and premium raffle. Premium raffle tickets will be sold for $5 each or $20 for five, featuring prizes courtesy of the IceHogs and sponsors. Some of the prizes include: Blackhawks tickets, game-worn IceHogs jerseys, a suite for an IceHogs game, club lounge tickets, an IceHogs team-signed stick, and much more.
About the Huntington's Disease Society of America (www.hdsa.org/wi)
The Huntington's Disease Society of America is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington's disease. From community services and education to advocacy and research, HDSA is the world's leader in providing help for today and hope for tomorrow for people with Huntington's disease and their families.
HDSA's network of chapters, affiliates, HDSA Centers of Excellence, social workers and support groups provides a seamless connection for help, education and outreach to HD families and health care professionals across the United States.
• Mission: To improve the lives of everyone affected by Huntington's disease
• Vision: A world free of Huntington's disease


12-in x 13-in x 8mm Anthracite GeoHex Stone and Glass Mosaic Wall Tile is a subtle mix of gray glass and classic grey and white marble to offer updated fashion. Super durable and time tested design of larger hexagon honeycomb design.
We wanted a blend in grey shade for our basement bar and kitchen. this is a great product. blends well with cherry cabinets and dark floors.


Director of Marlborough Contemporary art gallery & professor of Curating at Goldsmiths College, Andrew Renton, will be in conversation with exhibiting artist Clare Price for Artist of the Day.
Flowers Gallery is pleased to announce the 24th edition of Artist of the Day, a vital West End exhibition programme selected by leading contemporary artists since 1983. The unique exhibition format, consisting of a revolving two-week exhibition schedule provides a platform for selected artists to present a one-day solo exhibition at Flowers Gallery's Mayfair location on 21 Cork Street, accompanied by a programme of events taking place each day.
For 'day two' of this 12-day exhibition, Clare Price has been selected to exhibit by Hannah Perry. A one-day exhibition will be held at Flowers Gallery, 21 Cork Street London, W1S 3LZ - from 11am - 7pm.
To coincide with the exhibition an 'In Conversation' event, with Clare Price and Andrew Renton will take place from 12-2pm. Please contact rsvp@flowersgallery.com to confirm your attendance.


What have I been doing all my life? I'm ashamed to say that I've lived 23 years of my life in total, blind ignorance by not reading two really great books that were published way back in the days. The Once and Future King by T.H. White, and The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck.
But how is it that nobody, and I mean NOBODY ever recommended these to me? Book lists that I'd religiously haunted failed me in this respect. I'm miffed that Top 50 lists prioritize literature such as Sound the the Fury and Grapes of Wrath, but they don't shed enough light on marvelous books such as The Once and Future King? Not to imply that Sound the the Fury and Grapes of Wrath aren't important, but I think that these two are examples of books that have become rather over-hyped in our culture lately.
I mean, when recommending books, one should consider the difference between "academically valuable" and "enjoyable." Yet so many people rank certain literature above others just for the sake of being politically correct. But what's the use of hero-worshipping something that doesn't spark enthusiasm in a reader, nor urge them to read it over and over again? What's the use of respecting something that doesn't challenge you in a stimulating way?
Bah, sorry for this really random rant. Without further ado, on with the reviews!
I wouldn't say that Steinbeck cast nearly as personable a light on King Arthur as T.H. White's version (he also makes Merlin out to be a bit of mischievous rogue), but I do think that Steinbeck's portrayal of King Arthur was more impartial, if that makes any sense. Arthur is magnanimous, empathetic, and noble for the period that he is living in, but he does have flaws that are characteristic of his era, and Steinbeck to his credit doesn't shy away from them. He documents Arthur's character as a historian might–detached, but with a respect and consideration, without bias or judgment.
And that's not to say that there isn't heart in this book. One clear scene shows Arthur's vulnerable side via second-hand eyewitness account. When one of the Knights of the Round Table confesses his wonder that he once came across Arthur crying, but doing his best to muffle his sobs so as not to be heard by others, Steinbeck suggests that yes, his version of King Arthur is just that, a distant portrayal of a distant king. But there is a burdened human being behind that facade, and I really loved that huge burst of heart in that scene.
There is wretched despair in Lancelot's longing for Guinevere, which is coupled with his sense of emptiness despite being one of the greatest knights in the world. And it makes me wonder: are some people just born with an innate tendency for loneliness? It seemed to me that Lancelot was too honest and sensitive a soul to be able to ignore even the vaguest hints of unworthiness within himself, and he suffered for it.
Therefore, when he finally broke his abstinence, I have to admit that I almost cheered him on. No, adultery's not something to be encouraged, but I almost went mad watching Lacnelot break down in his loneliness that I probably would've been hooked him up with a porcupine. In conclusion, I think that Steinbeck might have done an even better job than T.H. White in his portrayal of Lancelot. All debatable of course, but that's what made this version worth reading. Granted, Steinbeck's portrayal of King Arthur might appear more detached and distant on the whole, but the use of subtlety and implication to flesh Arthur's humanity truly did make a great impact in its own way, and I realized that only after reading it through a second time.
This book is a GREAT introduction to the tales of King Arthur, and I highly recommend it.
This book is witty and warm. Silly yet endearing. Academic and brooding, yet wholly human and charged with heart-wrenching emotion. I am still crying and laughing over certain passages that have been ingrained in my brain these last few days since I finished this book, and I doubt that there are many more books out there that could make me care so much about a historical-fantasy world.
I smiled in fondness over Arthur's warm nature. T.H. White, while tending to idealize Arthur's magnanimous nature, did bring his own take on realism by making the character conflicts so complex and personable that Arthur's perfection isn't so far-fetched anymore. Yes, Arthur is almost too good to be true, but his empathetic nature is wholly justified by the fact that he is a diligent and unbiased thinker. By constantly challenging his own values of right and wrong, Arthur stays true to what he set out to do, and I as a reader became invested in his innocence and warmth. I absolutely LOVED Arther.
I laughed hysterically too. Like when a recently crowned Arthur climbs 208 stairs up to Merlin's tower for advice, but Merlin shoos him away "like a chicken" for not behaving in the manner of a king and not sending a page with a summons. Then Arthur retaliates by takes away Merlin's chair the next time he sees him, saying that a subject shouldn't sit in presence of a king, and the two proceed to bicker. Oh, the funny dynamics between these two is warm and hilarious and an absolute pleasure to read.
I sobbed like the end of the world. The brief mention of the funny and bumbling Pellinore's death, Gawaine's redemption, Lancelot and Guinevere's struggle for love, the character conflicts, and the changes, changes…the passage of time through King Arthur's eyes is a difficult one. I felt his pain of not being able to prevent a civil war, and it was devastatingly sad to watch this lovable teddy bear of a king to shoulder all those problems.
The last pages are wet and wrinkled with tears, but I loved every moment of it. The final knighting of Sir Thomas Mallory on the eve of battle, the torch being passed on, Arthur dreaming of Merlin before finally coming to the solution of his life's questions, and coming to peace with his imminent death….Ack, I can't even talk about it.
What a masterpiece, a vessel packed with heart and soul. This book has made me laugh and cry to an extent that only few others have achieved over the past years, and I will truly treasure this read.


February 19, 2018 | It's time we start hacking clinical trials, and Shwen Gwee, head of digital strategy and global clinical operations at Biogen, kicked off last week's Summit for Clinical Ops Executives (SCOPE) in Orlando, FL by describing the MIT Hacking Medicine approach: break it down, build it up, and put it back together.
It's a fitting model for clinical trials as well. Gwee encouraged the SCOPE community to shoot for the "minimum viable product", not wait for what we consider a final product. The problem with the clinical trials industry is that we tend to launch and wait, he said. Instead we need to think in iterative cycles.
It is a push to move faster. Roslyn Schneider, global patient affairs lead at Pfizer, warns: the patient isn't waiting anymore. Digital engagement is happening whether or not we have a plan figured out, Schneider said. And digital engagement isn't limited to connections between sponsors and patients, she reminded, but patients are engaged with each other, and their healthcare providers as well.
In fact, patients connecting to each other is crucial, said Terrie Livingston, senior director of real world outcomes at Biogen. Livingston has multiple sclerosis. Her own diagnostic journey was not straightforward, and she shared some of the frustration, anger, and fear that she's experienced along the way. She mentioned PatientsLikeMe and MyHealthTeams as examples of strong patient communities. Livingston is a member of MyMSTeam, the multiple sclerosis community run by MyHealthTeams. The most impactful and useful conversation she's had about her disease, she said, has been with other patients.
The strength of such communities relies on the power of the network, said Gilles Frydman, founder of Smart Patients, an online community for patients and families affected by a variety of illnesses. Strong patient networks are full of what Frydman calls "micro experts"—not doctors, but people who know a lot about their own disease. There's power in that kind of expertise, Frydman said. He even challenged the idea that it is the doctor's responsibility to educate their patients on their disease. Maybe we are asking too much of them, he said. A network of well-educated patients would be better able to do that.
Bonnie Brescia, founding principal of BBK Worldwide, noted an even more worrisome trend: maybe doctors don't have time to educate themselves.
For Livingston, part of the value of the patient communities has been in accessing the tips and tricks that can only really come from other patients living with the disease. Chris O'Brien, VP of strategic partnerships at MyHealthTeams agrees. Patients are sharing "lifehacks" that they aren't getting shared at the doctor's office, he said.
O'Brien believes that the MyHealthTeams model is so compelling because it is so very specialized. MyHealthTeams lets users input as much about their disease and medication history as they want, but the reward for sharing more is that the system matches them with others in the most similar situations.
MyHealthTeams does partner with sponsors for patient recruitment, but the litmus test, O'Brien said, is always, "Can we be fully transparent? Will this empower our patients?" If a project fits both of those criteria, he said, we are happy to partner for recruitment.
Biogen worked with MyHealthTeams to identify what matters most to MS patients. Fatigue, mobility, and balance were the top three issues that most impacted the lives of MS patients. However, when patients defined "disability progression," balance and fatigue fell further down the list. For patients, disability progression was measured in lack of mobility, not being able to do normal life tasks like caring for their children and running errands, and other losses of independence. Patients don't measure disability progression by MRI scans, Livingston emphasized, but rather in changes to their daily living.
The findings were not exactly what the researchers would have predicted. Capturing patients' true needs, preferences, and value drivers requires systematic investigation, Livingston said. In this way, patient communities can be just as valuable to researchers as they are to patients.


It is looking like DH may be working some extra weeks in the next month or two. If he can get a total of two full weeks extra, that would be an extra $7200. If I dropped the EF down to $2000, that would pay off the mortgage in the next few months. Then our focus would be rebuilding the EF. If he ends up getting 3 extra weeks total that would be enough to pay it off without touching savings. I'm not sure why I have such a strong urge to pay it off, but I do. It's like the closer we get to it, the more I want it gone. It's not a logical feeling at all. Very much a psychological one.


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« Dogs in Tutus
If death were a color »
Elizabeth Leslie BY Esther Bradley-DeTally
It makes sense, Elizabeth, my twin, would have come down the pike first. I bet when she hit earth, she did so with a determined plop of a baby bottom. In fact, I think she had printed instructions for her life, balled up in a chubby fist. I think these instructions read: "This baby has spunk, courage, and a capacity to endure." I also think she had some capital letter instructions which might have read "Increase Capacity for Endurance." And you know, just to go further out on a limb with "I betcha," I betcha some random angel threw in Determination and Service but also added Loves Sports." Life is indeed not all work and no play.
But, what do I know, because I was on the Welcome to Earth conveyor belt, 12 minutes behind her. Me, Elizabeth Bradley's twin. Elizabeth Deagan Bradley, born August 28, 1938, in Boston. She went home first, and I stayed to put weight on a four pound body, and clutching my own fistful of instructions and a note "Dear Baby, As you go through life, you will experience the phenomena of skin stretching. Do not be alarmed."
We went home to parents Don and Mary, a sister a year older, Mary Ellen, whom we called "Meb," a brother John a year older than that," and a housekeeper Rita who had the talent of keeping the household together, all the while with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
We preceded: the Great Hurricane of 1938 a month later, sweeping into the New England Landscape like Attila the Hun on a bad day. We preceded whooping cough in the next few months, which Children's Hospital of Boston took care of, because my father was out of work with 4 kids, all 3 and under.
Margarine hadn't been invented, and our jumping on tin cans to save them for the War Effort and our saving lard, and tobacco shortages were just around the corner as was War with Germany and Japan and blackout curtains at night.
Descriptions followed: One became blonde and curly haired with big blue eyes. The other looked wizened, wrinkled, a baby squirrel kicked out her nest with a solid hind foot of Mother Squirrel." "The Twins didn't sit up until 7 months because they had each other." "In the winter, we'd dress you girls up in snow suits which took a good half hour a piece, and put you outside. You stood motionless, not moving; until we gave up and hauled you back inside."
After kindergarten they separated us because one twin was more dependent than the other. Only last week did I find out the cause. Liz said, "I copied your yellow wooden shoe drawing."
I read and Elizabeth hated reading. But one day in third grade, a miracle happened in the form of Eddie and His Fire Engine, a short story which Liz read at school. Guess what, you couldn't stop her from reading then. She also threw herself into Red Rover games, jump rope, sledding, ice skating at the local field, a form of squash which you hit with a tightened fist. Liz was the best. She'd sit right close to our dad and listen to the Baseball Game with him. She wanted to be a boy, and she was the next best thing for our dad.
Radio programs were a big item. We passed on over Baby Snooks and Jack Benny. By the time Elizabeth was 10, my mom would come out to the back porch, look due east and up into a thickly leaved maple tree, and say, "Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Bobby Benson and the B-Bar B is on." A rustle would be heard, and Liz would slide down that tree and disappear into the worlds of Bobby Benson, Sergeant Preston and His Dog King (of the Yukon), Red Rider, and the Lone Ranger.
Harry Raymond's Ballroom Dancing School beckoned us at age twelve, and Liz would climb down her tree and we'd put on identical red satin dresses with Peter Pan Color dresses that my mom mad. We'd be driven to Harry Raymond's Ballroom Dancing School. We had to wear stockings and garter belts. I felt like a cat on the way to the public bath. Liz was more popular with the boys and had no trouble being asked to dance. When we sat on the sidelines on long benches, she sat with her legs wide apart as if ready to spring on a horse, sat that way, that is, until Old Harry who was like an Opaque Crow, tapped her ankles with a long black walking stick and said, "Ladies always sit with their legs closed."
There's a dark side, like big splashes of thick red and black paint, assaulting a Pollack canvass. Alcoholism, a mom taken away for shock treatments, a dad besides himself with anguish, 4 kids in disarray. Elizabeth also told me last year, "When I was 10, I stood in the graveled driveway and thought, "I have to take care of myself now."
My father didn't leave us, and my mother eventually died when we were 17. We had moved to downtown Boston along the Charles River, and Liz went home from school first and found her. Our mom died that night of a massive stroke.
Did I mention we fought a lot, and that she'd wait until I'd left the house and then fill my shoes with Kleenex and wear them for the evening? Did I mention all those Saturday night dances, and lots of guys thinking she was the cutest thing that side of the Mississippi, and dances where ushers went around tapping couples locked in Siamese embrace, saying "6 inches from the Holy Ghost"?
She also faked playing the clarinet with Janet Cleary and myself in the St. Theresa's Marching Band, and we marched on the floor of Fenway Park and in the St. Patty's Day Parade in New York.
She was the good student. She published a short story in the Tattler, a High School newsletter. We both thought we were stupid (my father was in Harvard at age 16), and we felt like Prince Valiant trolls. We loved dogs, independent ways and a 12 room house with 8 bedrooms and lots of fireplaces. Still, we shared a bedroom, and I was sloppy beyond measure. My father used to say "No man will ever marry you with a room like that." Liz drew a line down the middle of our room, and I couldn't cross over to her side.
Neatness aside, she went on to nursing school, but came home one night in hysterics, determined to quit, quit that is, until the next day Dad said, "Get up, you're going to look for a job". That night Liz was back in school. She finished, graduated to a standing ovation because an accident bruised her brain badly, left her with a slight limp, and her brain stem was injured. She came away from this sharp as a tack and it made her the most compassionate nurse in ICU and CCU units around!
She married a man whose chapter could be called "Psychotic and Dangerous," and fortunately he died. I had my son Nicholas at 31, and felt badly she had no children. So we did what twins do, like Parcheesi Games and gifts for birthdays, we shared. I included her in many of Baby Nick's adventures, and we were always there for each other.
Another chapter began meeting James Leslie. They were a match. Her wedding was the happiest of days, and then she became pregnant at around 42. Surprise! The day Matthew was born, blue eyed, blonde hair (where have we heard that), was a huge, huge day of joy. Jim and Liz then took care of foster children, and animals began to gather in their house looking for a potential Arc. Another incredible day happened when Joey arrived over the threshold, dark, puddle-warm brown eyes, a half-smile that would twist and melt your heart, and then Liz and Jim adopted him. After a few foster children came and went, shored up, readier to face the world, Matt said to his Mom, "When do I get a new mom and dad?" But that wasn't the case.
Other than Her Lord, Jesus, these two fine sons were and are the cause of Elizabeth's Greatest Happiness. Jim died, of agonizing bone cancer, and it was a blow. But somehow a spoon was in their pudding, which means, the Hand of God was gently guiding this little family. They moved to Idaho, and the rest is Matt's story.
One final comment, she was always grateful: for every leaf on a tree, for a roof over her head, for every blessing and trial that came her way, and she tread the path of service and selflessness with her patients and her family with fortitude, endurance, empathy, courage, and tads of laughter, well throw in "How about them Red Sox" too!
We were both happy to be twins!
Categories Memories, Twins, Writing