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home > constituencies > st. james > gerard allard
Gerard Allard
Political Party: Liberal
Questionnaire: Read Gerard's Response
News that Mentions Gerard Allard
The conscience of the core
Winnipeg Free Press - Gerard Allard worked as a Winnipeg police constable for more than two decades patrolling the inner city, before retiring last month. "Elaine offers an island of safety," Allard says. "She's more productive than a platoon of police officers.
Carman Valley Leader - Liberal candidate Gerard Allard got 685 votes and Trevor Vandale of the Green Party received 377. Although Gillingham said he's disappointed in the outcome, he's very happy with the campaign ran by the St. James Tories. ...
Liberals give Gerrard time to plan leadership transition
Winnipeg Free Press - Some Liberal provincial election candidates, such as police officer Gerard Allard in St. James and water activist Kevin Freedman in Fort Garry-Riverview, were widely viewed as solid. Others were marginal, even kooky, and many did not have offices or ...
Gerrard vows to track children with FASD
Brandon Sun - Gerrard, flanked by St. James Liberal candidate and Winnipeg police officer Gerard Allard, said the NDP and the Tories "talk a big game" on tackling crime, but have sidestepped action on FASD. Studies in the United States and in Manitoba's jails ...
Winnipeg Free Press - Gerrard, flanked by St. James Liberal candidate and Winnipeg police officer Gerard Allard, said the NDP and the Tories "talk a big game" on tackling crime, but have sidestepped action on FASD. Studies in the United States and in Manitoba's jails ...
Two fighters, one riding
Winnipeg Free Press - But Gillingham, who's been door-knocking for well over a year, said he hasn't noticed a chillier response at the doors there. "We're getting good reception all through the riding," said the ordained minister. Police officer Gerard Allard is running for ...
Have pamphlets, will travel
Winnipeg Free Press (blog) - ... including PC Leader Hugh McFadyen, who is running in Fort Whyte, Fort Richmond PC candidate Shaun McCaffrey, Kildonan Liberal candidate Sagriotis Dimitrius, Southdale Tory candidate Judy Eastman and St. James Liberal candidate Gerard Allard. ...
Gerard Allard - St. James
I have spent the past 24 years as a City of Winnipeg Police Officer and have witnessed firsthand the challenges that both adults and children face each day. I feel that many Government programs are simply missing the mark when it comes to giving people the tools and support they need to improve their lives long term. I want to work in the Manitoba Legislature to not only assist the residents of St. James with their individual needs but to develop working solutions to large provincial issues like poverty, crime and education. I plan on being a politician who operates with 100% honesty at all times and with a focus on solving issues once and for all.
I know that St. James is a great neighbourhood but I feel that the area and residents were really neglected by their last MLA. Through my work as a Police Officer and as a single dad, I know that life can be tough at some point for all of us. I want to make sure that people know they can turn to me as their MLA when they need help. I'm committed to being a fulltime MLA and I'm ready to work long hours to meet with constituents on their terms. I can also promise the residents of St. James that as their MLA, I will always remember that I'm working as public servant and that means doing more than cutting ribbons and smiling for photo opportunities.
The people I'm meeting in St. James are concerned about crime followed by health care and proper supports for seniors. I am also hearing from young parents that they are experiencing a shortage of affordable child care. I don't want parents of young children to have to worry about where they are going to find quality childcare for when they need it. In St. james I am also concerned about the quality of our roads. At a provincial level, I am committed to the prevention of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). I feel that FASD is one of the major issues that is impacting our ability to prevent and manage crime. I also believe that we have to concentrate on our education system as that is the key to solving so many of today's societal problems and establishing positive building blocks for the future.
What is one thing you stand for that is not a part of your political party's platform?
I believe our government must figure out how they can hold parents accountable for repeated anti-social behaviour by their children. There is no expectation placed on parents for how they parent their children and there is no accountability for parents on how their children behave in the community. This all starts at the Hospital when we first take our kids home with us. We need to inform the parent(s) about their social responsibility and accountability is in raising their child to adulthood and how their actions or non-action will play a role in the childs positive or negative development.
Do you have any other comments regarding your candidacy?
I'm very excited to be running for MLA of St. James. I've just about made it out to every home in the constituency and I can honestly say that St. James residents are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. I think whether I win or not I'll be able to look back and be glad I but my name forward as as candidate for such a great neighbourhood. I am also proud that we ran this campaign from a shoestring budget that focused on door knocking and didn't simply rely an expensive commercial campaign. I am disappointed that no other candidate in St James agreed to a debate. After contacting each of my opponents they both declined my suggestions that we should organize a debate. I believe that the residents of St James or any other electoral division should have that opportunity to see the candidates in action. Elections should be about background, ideas and passion and not just money to run a commercial campaign.
What is your favourite location in the electoral division you are currently a candidate for?
I really enjoy stopping in and grabbing an ice cream at Sargent Sundae then taking a stroll over the Assiniboine Park footbridge. I also like the Red Boot Drive-in next to my campaign office: great burgers!


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Cardiovascular Health & Anti-inflammatory Benefits: Review
Association Between Berries Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Luís A, Domingues F, Pereira L
Food Funct. 2018 Feb 21;9(2):740-757. doi: 10.1039/c7fo01551h.
The main goal of this work was to clarify the effects of the consumption of berries on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors by performing a systematic review according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) statement, followed by a meta-analysis and a trial sequential analysis (TSA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, Web of Science and Cochrane Library between April and June 2016. To be included, RCTs had to report 1 or more of the following outcomes: total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL), LDL-cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG), blood pressure (BP), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM), glucose, insulin, apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I) or apolipoprotein B (Apo B). It was observed that the intake of berries reduces TC, LDL, TG, and BP while increasing the level of HDL, suggesting a beneficial effect on the control of CVDs' risk factors. Thus, the intake of berries as nutraceuticals or functional foods could be suggested for the prevention and control of CVDs.
Medicinal Plants with Multiple Effects on Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review.
Rouhi-Boroujeni H; Heidarian E; Rouhi-Boroujeni H; Deris F; Rafieian-Kopaei M.
Current Pharmaceutical Design. 23(7):999-1015
INTRODUCTION: Hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this systematic review article is to introduce the medicinal plants that exert significant clinical effects on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. METHODS: In this review article, the international research databases including MEDLINE, Google scholar, EBSCO, Academic Search, Web of Science, SciVerse, Scopus (SCOPUS), EBSCO, Academic Search, Cochrane, Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and a Chinese database (China Network Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) were searched using the key words hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, herbal, obesity, and phytomedicine, matched by MESH, from their respective inceptions up to March, 2016. The plants that were effective on one, two, three, or all of four diseases were determined. The doses, side effects, the most important pharmaceutically effective compounds, the used organs, and important points regarding usage were separately recorded. Also known clinically significant interactions were presented. RESULTS: 1023 articles were found to be about medicinal plants and hypertension, 1912 articles about medicinal plants and hyperlipidemia, 810 articles about medicinal plants and obesity, 1174 articles about medicinal plants and diabetes. Of 144 plants included in the analysis, 83 were found to be effective on hyperlipidemia, 100 on hypertension, 66 on obesity, and 72 on diabetes. 43 plants were found to be effective on two diseases, 14 on three diseases, and 34 on all four diseases. Three plants (Tomato, Cranberry and Pomegranate), in food and therapeutic doses, were found to be used to treat cardiovascular diseases especially in pre-eclampsia and hyperlipidemia in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Regarding the findings of this study, we can argue that the medicinal plants, other than monotherapy, can be used as poly-therapy, to treat cardiovascular diseases.
Berry (poly)phenols and Cardiovascular Health
Rodriguez-Mateos A, Heiss C, Borges G, Crozier A
J Agric Food Chem 62(18):3842-51
Berries are a rich source of (poly)phenols, including anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, procyanidins, flavonols, ellagitannins, and hydroxycinnamates. Epidemiological evidence indicates that the cardiovascular health benefits of diets rich in berries are related to their (poly)phenol content. These findings are supported by small-scale randomized controlled studies (RCTs) that have shown improvements in several surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk such as blood pressure, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and blood lipids after acute and short-term consumption of blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, or purified anthocyanin extracts in healthy or diseased individuals. However, firm conclusions regarding the preventive value of berry (poly)phenols cannot be drawn due to the small number of existing studies and limitations that apply to the available data, such as lack of controls or failure to assess the absorption and metabolism of (poly)phenols. Although the current evidence is promising, more long-term RCTs are needed to establish the role of berry (poly)phenols to support cardiovascular health.
Cranberries and Their Bioactive Constituents in Human Health
Jeffrey B. Blumberg, Terri A. Camesano, Aedin Cassidy, Penny Kris-Etherton, Amy Howell, Claudine Manach, Luisa M. Ostertag, Helmut Sies, Ann Skulas-Ray, and Joseph A. Vita
Adv. Nutr. 4: 618–632, 2013
Recent observational and clinical studies have raised interest in the
potential health effects of cranberry consumption, an association that
appearsto be due to the phytochemical content of this fruit. The profile of
cranberry bioactives is distinct from that of other berry fruit, being
rich in A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs) in contrast to the B-type PACs present
in most other fruit. Basic research has suggested a number of potential
mechanisms of action of cranberry bioactives, although further molecular
studies are necessary. Human studies on the health effects of cranberry
products have focused principally on urinary tract and cardiovascular
health, with some attention also directed to oral health and
gastrointestinal epithelia. Evidence suggesting that cranberries may decrease the
recurrence of urinary tract infections is important because a nutritional
approach to this condition could lower the use of antibiotic treatment
and the consequent development of resistance to these drugs. There is
encouraging, but limited, evidence of a cardioprotective effect of
cranberries mediated via actions on antioxidant capacity and lipoprotein
profiles. The mixed outcomes from clinical studies with cranberry
products could result from interventions testing a variety of products,
often uncharacterized in their composition of bioactives, using different
doses and regimens, as well as the absence of a biomarker for compliance
to the protocol. Daily consumption of a variety of fruit is necessary to
achieve a healthy dietary pattern, meet recommendations for micronutrient
intake, and promote the intake of a diversity of phytochemicals. Berry
fruit, including cranberries, represent a rich source of phenolic bioactives
that may contribute to human health.
Strawberries, Blueberries, and Cranberries in the Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical
Basu A, Lyons TJ
J Agric Food Chem Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]
Emerging science supports therapeutic roles of strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries in metabolic syndrome, a prediabetic state characterized by several cardiovascular risk factors. Interventional studies reported by our group and others have demonstrated the following effects: strawberries lowering total and LDL-cholesterol, but not triglycerides, and decreasing surrogate biomarkers of atherosclerosis (malondialdehyde and adhesion molecules); blueberries lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure and lipid oxidation and improving insulin resistance; and low-calorie cranberry juice selectively decreasing biomarkers of lipid oxidation (oxidized LDL) and inflammation (adhesion molecules) in metabolic syndrome. Mechanistic studies further explain these observations as up-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, reduction in renal oxidative damage, and inhibition of the activity of carbohydrate digestive enzymes or angiotensin-converting enzyme by these berries. These findings need confirmation in future studies with a focus on the effects of strawberry, blueberry, or cranberry intervention in clinical biomarkers and molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolic syndrome.
Berries: emerging impact on cardiovascular health.
Basu A, Rhone M, Lyons TJ.
Nutr Rev 68(3):168-77
Berries are a good source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, micronutrients, and fiber. In epidemiological and clinical studies, these constituents have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles. Human intervention studies using chokeberries, cranberries, blueberries, and strawberries (either fresh, or as juice, or freeze-dried), or purified anthocyanin extracts have demonstrated significant improvements in LDL oxidation, lipid peroxidation, total plasma antioxidant capacity, dyslipidemia, and glucose metabolism. Benefits were seen in healthy subjects and in those with existing metabolic risk factors. Underlying mechanisms for these beneficial effects are believed to include upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, decreased activities of carbohydrate digestive enzymes, decreased oxidative stress, and inhibition of inflammatory gene expression and foam cell formation. Though limited, these data support the recommendation of berries as an essential fruit group in a heart-healthy diet.
Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and cardiovascular disease risk factors
McKay DL, Blumberg JB.
Nutr Rev 65(11):490-502
The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is one of the three commercially important fruits native to North America. Cranberries are a particularly rich source of phenolic phytochemicals, including phenolic acids (benzoic, hydroxycinnamic, and ellagic acids) and flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols). A growing body of evidence suggests that polyphenols, including those found in cranberries, may contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by increasing the resistance of LDL to oxidation, inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing blood pressure, and via other anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Research regarding the bioactivity of cranberries and their constituents on risk factors for CVD is reviewed.
Cranberry and blueberry: evidence for protective effects against cancer and vascular diseases.
Neto CC
Mol Nutr Food Res 51(6):652-64
Growing evidence from tissue culture, animal, and clinical models suggests that the flavonoid-rich fruits of the North American cranberry and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) have the potential ability to limit the development and severity of certain cancers and vascular diseases including atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases of aging. The fruits contain a variety of phytochemicals that could contribute to these protective effects, including flavonoids such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins; substituted cinnamic acids and stilbenes; and triterpenoids such as ursolic acid and its esters. Cranberry and blueberry constituents are likely to act by mechanisms that counteract oxidative stress, decrease inflammation, and modulate macromolecular interactions and expression of genes associated with disease processes. The evidence suggests a potential role for dietary cranberry and blueberry in the prevention of cancer and vascular diseases, justifying further research to determine how the bioavailability and metabolism of berry phytonutrients influence their activity in vivo.
Cranberry flavonoids, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular health
Reed J
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 42(3 Suppl):301-16
Atherosclerosis is the deposition of plaques containing cholesterol and lipids in arterial walls. Atherosclerosis causes cardiovascular disease that lead to heart attacks and stroke. Mortality from these diseases is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Atherogenisis starts with the uptake of oxidized LDL by endothelial macrophages, the accumulation of foam cells in the intima of the artery and the formation of fatty streaks. Research indicates that consumption of flavonoids in foods and beverages may decrease the risk of atherosclerosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments with flavonoids demonstrate that flavonoids are dietary antioxidants and inhibit LDL oxidation, inhibit platelet aggregation and adhesion, inhibit enzymes involved in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism that affect the immune response to oxidized LDL and their uptake by endothelial macrophages, may induce endothelium-dependent vassorelaxation, and may increase reverse cholesterol transport and decrease total and LDL cholesterol. Cranberries contain both hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids. The cranberry flavonoids belong to three groups: anthocyanins, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. This article reviews the literature on the effects of flavonoids on atherosclerosis with an emphasis on the potential effects of the flavonols and proanthocyanidins in cranberries.
Evidences of the cardioprotective potential of fruits: the case of cranberries.
Ruel G, Couillard C
Mol Nutr Food Res 51(6):692-701
Eating a healthy balanced diet, is one of the most important and relevant ways to delay and prevent various health complications including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among the nutritional factors that have been investigated in recent years, dietary fat intake may be the one that has been most targeted. However, there is also clear epidemiological evidence that increased fruits and vegetables intake can significantly reduce the risk of CVD, an effect that has been suggested to be resulting to a significant extent, from the high polyphenol content of these foods. Numerous polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids have been identified as having strong antioxidant properties. Most interesting is the fact that, in addition to being one of the largest groups of antioxidant phytochemicals, flavonoids are also an integral part of the human diet as they are found in most fruits and vegetables. Cranberries are one of the most important sources of flavonoids that have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Thus, consumption of cranberries or their related products could be of importance not only in the maintenance of health but also in preventing CVD. The following review will present evidences supported for the most part by clinical observations that cranberries can exert potentially healthy effects for your heart.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Normande sauce, also referred to as Normandy sauce and sauce Normande, is a culinary sauce prepared with velouté, fish velouté or fish stock, cream, butter and egg yolk as primary ingredients. Some versions may be prepared using both fish velouté and fish stock. Some may be prepared simply using a velouté base and the addition of cream, which are cooked together. Cider or dry white wine may also be used as primary ingredients.

Some versions may use mushrooms or mushroom ketchup in its preparation.  Additional ingredients may include fish liquor (fish sauce), oyster liquor, mushroom liquor and lemon juice. Seasonings may include cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Some versions may be strained prior to use. The sauce may be used with seafood dishes, fettuccine dishes and on vegetables.

Dishes with Normande sauce
It may be served with seafood dishes such as those prepared with shellfish and fish. A 1911 recipe from Minneapolis, Minnesota uses the sauce as a garnish upon a molded fish dish. Sole Normande is a dish prepared using sole that is topped with Normande sauce.

It is sometimes used with fettuccine dishes, such as chicken fettuccine. It may also be served on vegetables to add flavor, such as asparagus, cauliflower, green peas, carrots and celery.

See also
 List of sauces
 Normandy

References

Sauces

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A Christmas gift for all the people who wish to change everything into money.
1) Down load the BANKSY STENCIL SVG source code.
2) Use Inkscape, Gimp, or any other free software to resize or customize.
3) Print the image on a card bord.
4) Cut out the gray area.
6) Report it to the gallery owner or curators.
Banksy stencil appreciated my home's value in no time! Thanks FFFFFFFFFAT!


Article: Blake Garrett Rosenthal Visits KCAL 9 News And Gives A Sneak Peek To The Next 'Mom' Episode!
Kelli Berglund And Eric Unger Have Fun With Rescue Dogs From Love That Dog Hollywood!
Article: Disney Stars Give You A Behind The Scenes Look At Their Holiday Inspired Dressing Room Doors!
Article: Spencer Boldman Bakes Delicious Brownies With ClevverTV!


ILSI Mesoamerica through its Nutrition and Food Technology Committee had the pleasure of sponsoring two groups of students of the Food Engineering career of the University of Costa Rica (academic partner) who participated representing Costa Rica in the contest " Food Science Students Fighting Hunger "that took place within the World Congress of Food Science and Technology last August in Dublin, Ireland.
The objective of the projects called Naji and Choco Crocos was to create innovative products that help fight malnutrition in the area they represented, in this case Central America. It was the first time that Costa Rica participated in an event of this level.
Both teams received recognition in the competition, for example Naji won the prize for the most marketable idea and the first general place of the competition and Choco Crocos a special mention as Best Display.
ILSI Mesoamerica signs a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce of Costa Rica for the Strengthening of the National Codex Committee of Costa Rica.
This month's bulletin has the full information of this new alliance, which will be very important for the country.
ILSI branches in Latin America hold their first meeting in Bogotá, Colombia. The objective of the meeting was to generate more opportunities for cooperation and collaboration in the region, optimize human and financial resources and update the strategic planning of ILSI in the region.
On October 25, the Symposium – Food Labeling and Public Health Workshop, promoted by the Nutrition and Food Technology Committee, took place in Panama City.
It was attended by representatives of the Government of Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Panama; as well as academics and industrialists.
ILSI Mesoamerica, through its Risk Analysis, Biotechnology and Pharmacovigilance Committee, had the pleasure of sponsoring a group of students from the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC) who participated representing Costa Rica in the "International Genetically Engineered Machine (IGEM)" competition. 2016 "organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last October in Boston, United States.
The TEC team won the silver medal with its Prostal project, which is a diagnostic system for the detection of prostate cancer. It is important to mention that the boys were the only representatives of Costa Rica and Central America.


The Pentagon has issued an official statement saying Iran has conducted air strikes against the Islamic State, but Iran denies this. The minister says this is "psychological warfare intended to antagonize Muslims in the region. We support the people of Iraq and Syria in their fight against the Islamic State by offering organizational and advisory assistance. And we do this openly. Why? Because these are extremist and criminal groups operating against the people of Iraq and Syria. We oppose them and consider them to be a threat to the entire region. But air strikes can't be effective, and we don't conduct them. He also denies any problems with Iran's sunnis. [...] We don't trust the Americans. We think it's the US that helps breed these extremist groups in the region. They arm, finance and train them. That's why we feel that this US-led coalition is a puppet show that won't yield any results. The Islamic State fights a guerrilla war on a vast territory in desert terrain, that's why air strikes are a non-starter. We think that the only way is to mobilize the people, and we've seen some good progress when the militants were forced to retreat and leave the cities they previously captured." (Article's original source is "Iran interior minister: US bred ISIS, now tries to fight them with useless airstrikes" on SophieCo, RT.
Sophie Shevarnadze: Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Interior Minister of Iran. Thank you very much for joining us.
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli: You are welcome.
SS: Iranian government news agency IRNA reported last fall that there were clashes between Islamists and locals in the southeast of the country. Does it mean that the Islamic State now operates in Iran as well?
AF: We don't confirm this report. We haven't had any clashes in any part of the country – in the southeast, or in the east, or in the west. All these regions are safe. Of course, there are drug traffickers who take advantage of the poor security situation and the weakness of law enforcement in neighboring states, and we take this threat very seriously, but we don't have Islamic State militants in our country.
SS: Still, this region has a substantial Sunni population. Don't you think the Islamic State may have quite a few supporters among those Sunnis?
AF: Actually, we don't have any serious issues with our Sunnis. They perceive the Islamic Republic of Iran as a democracy created by the people, and its leaders and other high-ranking officials are elected by the people. Sunnis take part in elections; they vote, so we don't have any separatist sentiment.
SS: Just to clarify, Mr Minister. Does it mean that the Islamic State poses no threat to Iran?
AF: This group doesn't pose any threat to Iran. In fact, it is our Sunnis who guard our southeastern and western borders. Young Sunnis join the Basij, our volunteer militia, and help guard our borders together with the Revolutionary Guards.
SS: But still Iran has launched air strikes against the Islamic State. Does it mean that you have joined the war against them?
AF: There were no air strikes. In fact, we don't believe you can defeat insurgency with air strikes. Otherwise, the US-led coalition would win. We believe that the local population has to mobilize and learn to fight. Only the people themselves can defeat those sectarian factions.
SS: But the Pentagon issued an official statement saying Iran has conducted air strikes against the Islamic State.
AF: We don't confirm this report by the Pentagon. This is psychological warfare intended to antagonize Muslims in the region. We support the people of Iraq and Syria in their fight against the Islamic State by offering organizational and advisory assistance. And we do this openly. Why? Because these are extremist and criminal groups operating against the people of Iraq and Syria. We oppose them and consider them to be a threat to the entire region. But air strikes can't be effective, and we don't conduct them.
SS: Why does Iran refuse to cooperate with the US-led campaign against the Islamic State? Apparently, you are facing a common threat here? And why do you think the US is reluctant to work with Iran on this issue?
AF: We don't trust the Americans. We think it's the US that helps breed these extremist groups in the region. They arm, finance and train them. That's why we feel that this US-led coalition is a puppet show that won't yield any results. The Islamic State fights a guerrilla war on a vast territory in desert terrain, that's why air strikes are a non-starter. We think that the only way is to mobilize the people, and we've seen some good progress when the militants were forced to retreat and leave the cities they previously captured.
SS: The Iranian government has sent military advisers to Iraqi Kurdistan to help them fight against the Islamic State. Will Iran offer the same kind of support to Baghdad?
AF: We provide this kind of support to Iraq based on a request from the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurdistan authorities. They make no secret of this, and they are very grateful to us for responding to their request and providing this advisory, moral and technical support.
SS: Okay, let's look at the bigger picture. You have Talibs in Afghanistan, Pakistan is unstable, too; in the West, you have trouble in Iraq. Aren't you worried that extremism might spill over to Iran? Does your ministry provide support to security forces in neighboring states?
AF: Like I just said, we support all these countries in their fight against terrorists and extremists, especially if we receive a request from a legitimate government elected by the people. Extremism breeds where there is poverty and ignorance, when the people are not represented in the government, and when there are outside forces at play, like the US or reactionary governments in the region. In Iran, the people are represented in the government. That's why we don't have extremism in our country. We are an independent nation, and we are constantly beefing up our defense capabilities.
SS: Extremists operating in the countries neighboring Iran are financed through drug trafficking, among other things. Your border with Afghanistan spans thousands of kilometers in mountainous terrain. Does Iran have the capability to seal the border?
AF: You see, we are dealing with a state which is the world's biggest narcotics producer. We are neighbors, and this has been under the influence of the US for decades. The growth of drug production has been astonishing since the time of the Taliban. One of the export routes lies through Iran. We had to deploy checkpoints along the entire border, which is two thousand kilometers long. This helped minimize the flow of drugs through our territory. Over the past two years, we equipped our guards with the latest communication technology, so we hope this will help us further reduce the amount of drugs coming in. Anyway, this is a rough mountainous region and traffickers use those routes, but we take this threat very seriously and fight them. We are very much concerned with the use of money from selling drugs to sponsor extremism. We have intelligence from our sources confirming the connection between drug traffickers and extremist groups. That's why all the countries in the region must do their part to prevent extremists from receiving financial support from the illegal drug trade.
SS: Does the international community help you in your fight with drug traffickers? Or is it limited to moral support?
AF: The international community doesn't support our efforts sufficiently. We spearhead the war against drugs and criminals, spending a lot of human and financial resources. More than 3,800 Iranians gave their lives fighting this curse. The international community encourages us and praises our efforts but doesn't provide any practical help. For example, because of Western sanctions we can't get special X-ray equipment we need to fight drug trafficking. If the international community is really serious about the issue, they should provide us with equipment, share their intelligence and conduct joint operations to block transit routes. We must be serious about fighting this smuggling network.
SS: Did the NATO operation in Afghanistan have any impact Iran's woes related to drug trafficking? What do you expect after the withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan?
AF: After the US took control of the country, poppy cultivation spiked, and today Afghanistan produces 6,500 tons of opium a year. If Americans really pull with their troops from Afghanistan and allow the people of Afghanistan to have control of their country and elect a government they want, then countries like Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Turkmenistan and other Central Asian nations can engage in some serious cooperation with Afghanistan on fighting poppy cultivation and drug trafficking groups. Our countries have a common vision on this issue and can work together closely to resolve this issue.
SS: The number of drug addicts in Iran is quite high despite tough measures like the death penalty for drug-related crimes. Most of the people executed in Iran today are drug traffickers. But the problem is still there.
AF: Actually, the level of drug abuse in Iran is lower than the world's average, it's 1.5 percent at the maximum who have used drugs or tried them. It's an extremely low figure compared with Russia and other countries. Our government has placed this issue on top of the agenda. We have a lot of preventive and treatment programs. We are very tough on drug traffickers. Last year, we identified many more criminals, and achieved quite high levels in treatment and prevention. These trends are very effective in helping that 1.5 percent of the population.
SS: Yes but even though this percentage is low, these people are addicted mainly to heroin, opium and meth. Why are these drugs most wide-spread in Iran?
AF: Yes, opium, the traditional drug, is number one. Then heroin, which is made from opium, and hashish and synthetic drugs in the third place. Production and consumption of synthetic drugs did not further increase in Iran, and our police take this issue very seriously. We had a lot of labs inside the country that produced these drugs, but last year and in the first six months of this year we destroyed them. We count on our people helping us with this. We hope to see a low level of drug abuse in Iran because our people suffer from this terrible global problem too.
SS: Let's change the subject now and talk about the latest round of talks on Iran's nuclear program, which failed to produce results. I know this is a foreign policy issue, but it's closely connected to Iran's domestic problems. I would like your opinion on the subject. Are Iranians disappointed that the talks failed?
AF: You see, we're defending our legitimate rights. In the 36 years since the Iranian Revolution our people showed unwavering fortitude under all sort of pressure. It is our legitimate right to have nuclear energy. We are a full member of the IAEA, we have signed all the documents. The IAEA monitors our activities. IAEA inspections have confirmed that Iran complies with all the requirements. So we will do whatever is necessary to exercise our legitimate right, including talks. I think we've been negotiating with the West for over ten years now, going through different stages in our talks, through ups and downs. Our stance is that we need to show the world that we comply with all the legitimate requirements. It's the US that's not willing to respect the rights of other nations. The recent round of negotiations showed a positive trend but at the very last moment the US delegation turned down the proposed agreement and the talks failed because of the Americans. At any rate, we are willing to engage in talks in order to exercise our right. Iran's economy depends very little on the global economic situation, so it doesn't experience all the turbulence the global economy goes through. Our economy has been performing very well in the past ten years in spite of all the sanctions imposed on us.
SS: I want to clarify something. You said that the negotiations have been going on for ten years, with ups and downs. But I was asking about the way people responded to the latest round of talks. It seemed like the atmosphere at the talks was more friendly this time, but they still brought no results. How did the Iranian people react to that?
AF: Our government conducts talks on behalf of our people, and when Iran insists on pursuing its legitimate right, the people of Iran totally support this demand. There were dozens of rallies across Iran where people demanded an opportunity for Iran to pursue its legitimate rights. The negotiators have the full support of our Supreme Leader and our people. People are determined to exercise their right even if it means facing more difficulties along the way.
SS: Americans say they won't lift the sanctions anyway. You mentioned earlier that because of sanctions you are unable to get certain technology that would help you secure the border. So, apart from the effect sanctions have on the economy, even your work is affected. Can the fact that the US is not willing to lift sanctions jeopardize the potential agreement?
AF: I didn't say we lack the technology. I said they imposed sanctions on this equipment. We manufacture this equipment ourselves now. For example, we produce our own scanners and train sniffer dogs. In this respect, we even benefitted from sanctions. When they impose sanctions on certain types of equipment, we start manufacturing it ourselves. So I'd say the pressure that the US has been putting on us for 36 years proved to be ineffective. We fought a war for 8 years, a real war, and not only against Iraq, but against all countries who supported Iraq. We've been living under sanctions for years. We faced psychological warfare, propaganda and political pressure from the international community, but the Iranian people pulled through.
I'm not saying sanctions have no effect on our country. Of course, sanctions take their toll on Iran. But we're not giving up our rights because of that. We will put up with these little hardships in order to achieve bigger goals and advance our interests.
SS: Are these hardships really little? According to a Gallup poll, 85% of Iranians say these sanctions do affect their living standards in a significant way.
AF: I have no idea where this statistics come from. We have our own polls, and over 80% of Iranians want the government to pursue nuclear energy. Iranian people are wise, and they are willing to accept lower living standards. But we are now taking action to develop our regional potential, build new economic ties, increase productivity and reduce production costs.
Americans understand that Iran is strong not only as a nation but also as a regional player. That's why they seek regional cooperation with us. But they should be aware that Iran will firmly maintain its position.
Right now many nations and governments in the region are highly suspicious of the US. The people and the governments of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen don't trust the US and oppose its policies.
Yes, indeed, the US probably has a lot of information, political and media clout. But there is not much Americans can do in our region. We've seen this during the 33-day war in Lebanon, the 22-day war in Gaza, in Iraq, and in Syria. These nations determine their future on their own. Of course the US has to retreat and withdraw; it simply has no other options.
SS: Still, last year US-Iranian relations saw substantial improvement for the first time in many years. How do Iranians feel about America now? Is the anti-American sentiment on the ebb?
AF: You see, Iranians are pragmatic and realistic, so they can tell the difference between their enemies and those who seek cooperation. Our relations with the US had their ups and downs from 1954 to 1979, and since 1979 up until now. The US has always wanted to meddle into our affairs and control Iran. The people will certainly not accept this. If the US respects the Iranian people's rights, officially recognizes its interests, refrains from interfering into Iran's domestic affairs and putting pressure on Iran, we will have a trouble-free relationship. Our spiritual leader has made this very clear on numerous occasions. We don't hold any deep-rooted grievances against the American people. The only country in the region that we've had long-standing issues with is Israel.
SS: Very often you hear this sentence, "There is a number of unanswered questions regarding Iran's nuclear program". It seems like there is much secrecy around the program. What is really going on at the nuclear facility in Arak? Iran claims it is intended to produce isotopes for cancer patients, but some find it hard to believe that. Why is that?
AF: There are no more unanswered questions. IAEA inspections have confirmed that Arak and Fordow plants are entirely peaceful. The inspections have been conducted in full compliance with all the rules and regulations. Iran does not engage in any undeclared activities in Arak, Fordow or elsewhere.
SS: I have a question that is directly related to your ministry. Is Iran concerned about the security of its nuclear facilities? Do they have special protection? Because we all remember the Stuxnet virus attacks, for instance.
AF: We are fully in control of the situation at our nuclear plants and other sensitive facilities. And yes, we have been able to ensure their complete security. Our country has been in a political confrontation with the US for 36 years now and is constantly under threat from Israel, so Iran is well-prepared for all kinds of attacks. So of course cybersecurity is also on our agenda.
SS: One more question. Under President Rouhani, Massoumeh Parandvar became the first woman ever in Iranian history to be appointed governor. This came as a surprise for the international public opinion, which did not expect to see a female governor. Has the situation been changing? How do Iranians feel about working with a female governor?
AF: Have you ever been to Iran?
AF: Then I invite you to come to my country and see for yourself. Women have lots of opportunities in our country. There are more women than men among university students. We also have female members of parliament now, as well as ministers, vice-presidents, and presidential advisors. The percentage of women is also very high in municipal and rural councils. Women are also governors and heads of local governments in Iran. There is no ideological or legal discrimination of women – except, of course, the jobs that are physically too difficult for women to do. On the contrary, women play a big role in political parties, NGOs and other affairs. Once again, you are very welcome to come to Iran and see it with your own eyes.
SS: And yet we've recently heard about the incident involving Ghoncheh Ghavami, who was arrested for attending a volleyball match. Apparently, women are not allowed to attend certain sports events in Iran. So how do you explain this? On the one hand, you have a woman appointed governor, but on the other hand another woman is arrested for attending a volleyball match.
AF: First, women are not banned from attending sports events. This is not true. But some of the sports events are really overcrowded, and there is a lot of excitement, so female spectators can only add to the dangerous atmosphere. For instance, this holds true for football matches. Ms. Ghavami was not arrested for attending a volleyball match. There were many female spectators present at that game. If we followed this logic, we would have to arrest all of them. Ms. Ghavami's case is being dealt with in court. They've repeatedly said that at press conferences. It's not like she was arrested for attending a sports event.
SS: Thank you very much for this interview. I wish you the best of success.
AF: If you have any more questions, Sophie, please don't hesitate to ask them. I will answer any question you like.
SS: That's it for today. Thank you very much, Mr. Fazli. Good luck.


text:
QP CEO: Thanks for the boycott, it has made Qatar stronger
Shabina S. Khatri
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
The ongoing political and economic isolation of Qatar has only made the country and its people stronger, the president and CEO of Qatar Petroleum has said.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Saad Sherida Al Kaabi said the Gulf crisis has not affected Qatar's LNG exports.
Listing 18 countries that rely on Doha's reserves, including Japan, China, Germany and the UK, he added, "There is not a buyer of LNG that does not call on Qatar to supply it."
Now online: my @TalktoAlJazeera discussion with the CEO of @qatarpetroleum #GulfCrisis https://t.co/iepePESygf
— Kamahl Santamaria (@KamahlOnTV) July 22, 2017
Al Kaabi even expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE for taking action against his country.
"I would like to thank the four countries for their blockade, because it has made Qatar stronger, the people of Qatar stronger, their businesses stronger. We will come out of this much stronger than before," he said.
Economic cost
Despite Al Kaabi's remarks, Qatari officials have previously conceded that the boycott has raised expenses for the government.
For example, earlier this month Qatar's foreign minister said it costs 10 times as much money to import food and medicine since the blockade started.
Turkish dairy products
The government is footing most of that bill to keep prices down for residents, he added at the time.
This is not great news for Qatar, which before the crisis had been slashing budgets amid lower global oil prices.
But officials have stressed that they have the resources to handle the challenge.
And some analysts have previously forecast that the country could ride out an economic embargo from its neighbors for months or even years.
Financial toll aside, the blockade has helped bolster Qatar's image abroad, in that many nations have not sided with the quartet on their action.
Also yesterday, Al Kaabi affirmed that Qatar has no plans to cut off gas to the UAE, which depends heavily on Qatar's gas to power its nation.
Legally, QP has that option, but "if you stop the gas, the biggest harm is to the people of the UAE. The people of the UAE are cousins, relatives, and friends … and we have nothing against them," the CEO said.
Still, that doesn't mean Qatar will forgive and forget everything that has transpired over the past seven weeks.
"The trust that we have built over the years has been broken overnight," Al Kaabi told Al Jazeera.
Qatar expert shares five myths about children who are drowning
Five things to do in Qatar this weekend (July 19-22)


text:
Q: Can glGetError block a thread? I develop a safety critical application which must work at 30 frame per second.
In case it is not able to provide the 30fps or any other error happens we draw black screen instead.
I'd like to query the error flag by a glGetError call as often as it is feasible, but I afraid it can block the drawing thread for a longer time (for a few ms).
Can the glGetError call block the thread until the latest opengl command has not been processed?
If no, how do I know if there was an error during the execution of the the latest opengl command?
Technical parameters:
- Linux 2.6.20-1.21
- Nvidia Quadro NVS 285
- libGL.so.100.14.19

A: Nothing in the GL specification guarantees anything regarding blocking (or performance characteristics for that matter).
Now, glGetError for most implementations I've seen actually works without any interaction with the GPU hardware, just the API part of the driver side. In short, it ought not to block (caveat: implementation detail).
As a side note, the various places where a GL error ought to be generated and checked on the GPU, the specification pretty much says the behavior is undefined as opposed to error-generating, specifically to not have this issue.
Finally, glxSwapBuffer will more likely be a place where you'll see blocking happen, because your GPU is still busy drawing previous frames (so the drivers usually pick that point to make sure the CPU does not get too far ahead).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


1) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, yeast and zest. Whisk together. Add dried cranberries and almonds, stir. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.
2) Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 – 18 hours (mine sat for about 30 hours). Overnight works great.
3) Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.
5) Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes (20ish, in my case).
6) Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
For some one who rarely eats bread and bakes it even less, I was pleasantly surprised at how edible this turned out. Win! There's really nothing quite like the smell of baking bread to make for a cozy-feeling house, though. I have enjoyed a whole week of toasted bread with greek yogurt and lox for breakfast (plus pepper). Nom nom nom.
I'll need another excuse from a friend to bake bread.. although, I do have a big bag of non-whole wheat flour now that I have to find some use for..
Lesson learned: I could have mixed the ingredients a tiny bit more at the start, since I did get a few pockets of dry raw flour in the middle of the bread. Next time I'd like to try using actual orange rind and also soaking dried cranberries in apple juice for moisture (then cutting the water content some).
What, were you still wondering about the upo? Don't worry, I've ambushed a few friends with some squash and have more plans to try other recipes out..stay tuned!


At LadyQs.com, we aim to provide a safe community where you can seek the best answers to your concerns and curiosity. No question is too small or too embarrassing. We want people to connect, learn, and solve problems using LadyQs.com. Let's work together with women everywhere to achieve this goal!
Regular and guest writers contribute their expertise and insight to answer your questions on a range of topics.


CLOSE OUT WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. THIS ITEM IS NOT RETURNABLE. These brown ribbon stickers are 3 inches tall by 1 1/2 inches wide and are great for putting on letters, envelopes, cards, gift bags and more. Each roll has 250 stickers.


Anyone who's even taken a passing glace through my archives will probably know that my conversion to Christianity has involved few big emotional experiences. I'm not a very touchy-feely kind of person, to say the least. (I recently had a formal Birkman personality inventory done and it showed that I have this rare personality type where numbers are actually more real to me than reality — go figure.) So I've always been a bit jealous of people who have a real emotional connection to God, the type of people who consider Jesus a friend, someone they know. Though I know that big emotions are not necessary for having faith and being a good Christian, since converting I always yearned for a more personal understanding of Jesus; I wished that I could feel an emotional connection to the events described in the Gospels; I wanted more than to just know…I wanted to feel.
A while back I was driving around and turned on Relevant Radio. I immediately recognized the smooth, calming voice of Fr. Benedict Groeschel saying something about Jesus' crown of thorns. After listening for a couple seconds, in a moment of saint-like spiritual maturity, I thought, "Oh, no! Not the Sorrowful Mysteries!" and turned off the radio. I realized that I was listening to one of his recordings of the Rosary that Relevant Radio plays every evening, and I'd learned the hard way that if I didn't have on waterproof mascara I'd better change the dial post haste on the nights of the Sorrowful Mysteries, because more than about five seconds would leave me sobbing. Not just crying, not teary-eyed, but sobbing.
A quick aside before I go on for those of you not familiar with praying the Rosary: the beads on that necklace-looking thing are mnemonic devices for prayer. There are five sets of ten beads, and for each set you meditate on a certain mystery while you pray. So, for example, if it's the day for meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries, you'll meditate on one of the five mysteries (the agony in the garden, the scourging at the pillar, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of the cross, and the crucifixion) for each of your five sets of prayers.
Anyway, a couple months ago it began to nag at me that I never pray the Rosary anymore. I used to do it every night, and was surprised at wonderful results I saw in my life. I'm so chronically tired and busy and easily distracted these days that being able to muster up the focus to get through an entire Rosary on any sort of regular basis seemed impossible, so I turned to prayer. I asked God to show me how to get it done.
And God quickly gave me the answer. The thought suddenly popped into my head: "Duh. I need to go get a copy of Fr. Groeschel's recording of the Rosary." Rather than ignoring it because it made me feel too emotional, perhaps that's exactly what I needed. Saying the prayers along with someone else would help me focus and get through it, and Fr. Groeschel's brief reflections on each mystery were obviously very effective at conveying the momentousness of these events. So I went to the St. Philomena Foundation website and ordered a copy of The Rosary Is a Place (available for free, though I did make a donation).
And it was, indeed, exactly what I needed. Fr. Groeschel's thoughts on the mysteries are not overly emotional, he doesn't try to manipulate the listener through overly graphic images or long descriptions. He doesn't need to. Those events that transpired so long ago in the Middle East need no embellishment. He simply describes what happened, and reminds us what it all means for the rest of us mortals.
And, for me, it made the events real. It made them come to life. Over the past few weeks when I've put on my headphones in the quiet of the night to pray and meditate on the Joyful, Sorrowful, or Glorious Mysteries with Fr. Groeschel, I've felt closer to Jesus than almost any other time before. Perhaps it's because the Rosary, a devotion to Mary, encourages us to see the life of Jesus through his mother's eyes. I may not yet be spiritually mature enough to have a full appreciation of the magnitude of what Christ did for us; but, as a mother myself, to imagine what his Mother must have felt upon seeing all these events of her Child's life unfold, especially that she knew Who he was, somehow makes it more real, more heart-wrenching, more joyful for me than imagining the events in isolation.
Anyway, all of this is a long way of saying that I love Fr. Groeschel's CD, The Rosary is a Place, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to deepened their appreciation of the Holy Rosary.
Thanks for this recommendation, Jen!! I have similarly had few big emotional experiences (though the ones I have had left me longing for more) and I'm also not a real touchy-feely person (immediate family–that is, husband and my younger children–notwithstanding). I'm sure I could add more disclaimers. But this sounds like just what I need!
Along those same lines, I love "Praying the Rosary with St. Therese of Lisieux". The quotations sink in deeply and actually keep me thinking about what I'm praying.
Maybe I should get a copy of that CD. I've been trying to say a rosary in the car on the way to work and I've found I get very distracted. Something like this would definetly help.
This is exactly what I've been looking for. I'm off to make a purchase right now, Jen. Thank you.


text:
About Maven
Jan 30 -edited
Maven is a coalition of mavens operating on a shared digital platform.
WHAT IS MAVEN?
Maven is a media coalition of professional content destinations ("mavens"), operating exclusively on a shared digital publishing, advertising and distribution platform, providing a major media scale alternative to news and information distributed on social platforms.
Just as Hulu created the largest premium video alternative to YouTube, Maven's coalition of studio-quality content owners, has created a sustainable business platform for "mavens" to operate, viewers to consume and for major brand advertisers to market on a unified, pristine, high scale environment on a single brand.
Brands such as History, Maxim, Yoga Journal, SKI Magazine, Oxygen, Cupcakes & Cashmere, The Intellectualist, CancerConnect, The Weed Blog, Biography, and over 300 other mavens with millions of existing viewers have accepted our invitation to join Maven's growing coalition, reaching over 100M consumers monthly; growing monetization from $0 in Q4 of 2017 to over $8.5M one year later in Q4 of 2018 through both advertising and membership fees.
Our CEO, James Heckman, designed Maven as the sixth generation of his original NFL-Exclusive business model (premium coalition on a single platform), all profitable and ultimately acquired and operated by major media companies.
COALITION OF CURATED INDEPENDENT CONTENT
Maven brings all this content together on a unified, shared digital publishing, advertising, data management and distribution platform, architected and managed exclusively by Maven, and designed to engage audiences with community and cross-brand distribution tools.
Maven provides consumers a unified network, offering access to multiple channels of content through a single brand – all on a single tech platform so marketers can reach these highly-engaged consumers in a pristine efficient environment.
Maven's many household media brands, and hundreds of professional journalists and content creators ("mavens") are now part of our invite-only, curated coalition, where they retain their own data, content and asset sovereignty (unlike open-Social platforms), yet still leverage our major media scale.
RUNNING A PROFITABLE PUBLIC COMPANY
Maven was founded and is led by a veteran team involved in the formation of several profitable, major media digital platforms, such as Hulu, NFL Exclusive, Rivals, Accuen, Scout, 5to1/YAM, Hubpages, MSN and Say Media. The executive leadership team -- James Heckman (CEO, Founder), Josh Jacobs (President), Paul Edmondson (COO), Andrew Kraft (Chief Revenue Officer), Ben Trott (Chief Product Officer), Bill Sornsin (Co-Founder), and Ben Joldersma (Chief Technology Officer) -- have held senior executive and engineering positions at Yahoo!, AppNexus, News Corp, Omnicom, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.
Maven was brought public, to provide its partners sustainable liquidity during and after our growth -- offering all partners an opportunity to participate in our shared financial success.
A SUSTAINABLE AND PROVEN BUSINESS MODEL
The high-scale, unified platform offers operating leverage to all participants of Maven's efficient ecosystem. Ad agencies are more in control, and their marketing more successful operating within a single, pristine environment. Consumers enjoy single log-in and navigation, as well as consistent quality. Publisher "mavens" are finally offered a fair, sustainable business model with free distribution and world-class technology and investors can count on a profitable business model that doesn't require material increases in costs to scale revenue. This formula has proven profitable and sustainable since its first version created for the NFL in 1991 ("NFL Exclusive"), is still providing tens of millions of perpetual revenue for Yahoo!(Rivals.com) since the mid-nineties, as the exact same premium coalition playbook continues be successful for Scout.com and Hulu.
Keeping true to its winning formula, Maven's business model eliminates all non-content operating expenses for its coalition equity partners, and its distributed operating leverage enables its entire suite of services to be provided on a revenue share basis, which creates lower (non-fixed) operating costs than if a media company was forced to create and run its own platform and digital ad sales team. Partners also receive a much higher level of technical and relationship proficiency, given Maven's platform focus and years of experience operating and leading multi-billion-user digital media platforms.
Maven provides coalition partners a complete suite of digital services and assets, along with equity. Those services include:
distribution across 100 million+ monthly users
integral social/community features
native mobile apps for iOS and Android
user notifications via email and apps
advanced CMS (content management system)
ad serving and data technology stack
integrated subscription and membership services
partner support team
The unified coalition brings massive scale and tech expertise, to ensure the same level of access as major media to premium brand advertising budgets.
Maven is a coalition of Mavens, operating on a shared digital publishing, advertising, and distribution platform, unified under a single media brand. Based in Seattle, Maven is publicly traded under the ticker symbol MVEN.
Maven (noun | ma·ven | ˈmā-vən): Independent professional media, authentic authority, evangelist and recognized community leader for a specific topic, cause or organization.
CONTACTING MAVEN
Investor inquiries: IR@maven.io
Copyright and DMCA notices: see Terms page for contact information
Other inquiries: info@maven.io or (775) 600-2765
Mailing Address: 1500 4th Ave, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98101


Thank you for registering! I look forward to seeing you in class.
In this improv and commercial workshop for ages 7-11, we will develop and craft your child's improvisation skill for auditions!
create and perform (music, drama, or verse) spontaneously or without preparation.
Are you missing the key to unlock the perfect audition? Learn ways to book your next commercial with this two hour, intensive improv class.
Hello! My name is Morgan Peterson. I am one of the booking agents at Dynasty, I have also done a decent amount of acting and modeling. I have been featured in many TV Shows and Feature Films, The Originals, StepUP, The Quad, Patriots Day, Altar Rock, Summer '03, etc. starred as the main character in a Boston based TV Pilot. I have walked in fashion shows for FjallRaven, Soodee Boutique, Reiss, Ascis Shoes, Boston Best Dressed, etc. I have also modeled for Moroccan Oil, Ember Wolves and many local Boston photographers.
After working on both sides of the camera, I know exactly what clients are looking for. In this two hour commercial improv class, we will go over basic audition techniques, line delivery, character development and how to book the job.
Physical & Vocal Warm up!
How to Land the Job/What makes you unique?
Session includes Interactive Ongoing Q and A.


text:
Taliban-Afghan Government Peace Process Needs Regional Support To Succeed
Feb 15, 2021 Afghanistan, Editorial, Pakistan
Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist, says the government political, security, and economic predicaments in Afghanistan and Pakistan are coming to a head as the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden reviews its policies in the two countries.
The author of several best-sellers chronicling the cycles of war in Afghanistan and their impact on neighbouring countries sits down with Gandhara to talk about whether there's hope for a quick turnaround and if a fresh U.S. approach could steady and eventually resolve the crises in the two countries.
Rashid says the Biden administration needs to adopt a regional approach to pressure the Taliban to fulfil its commitments on partnering with the Afghan government for peace.
"We need an international alliance that will place the Taliban at the table and keep them there till there is an agreement," he said. "It looks very likely that the [U.S.] policy is now going to be based on what the Americans call the conditions-based policy."
He says Pakistan and Afghanistan's other neighbours must be on board for this new approach to work.
"The Taliban are getting away with far too much at the moment without having any consequences," he noted. "There has been no conditionality imposed on the Taliban, and the Taliban have got away with murder in the way that they have treated the Afghan government and the civil society with all these killings."
In his view, the Taliban's reliance on violence prevents it from achieving its goal of being a national movement. He cites the Taliban's recent diplomatic outreach to several countries including Turkmenistan, Afghanistan's neutral Central Asian neighbour.
In the mid-1990s, Rashid reported on Turkmenistan's efforts to export its massive gas reserves through a transnational gas pipeline across Afghanistan and Pakistan. Today he still thinks the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline is unlikely to materialize despite the Taliban's recent assurances of protecting it.
"In the 1990s, when Ashgabat pushed for building the TAPI pipeline, it became impossible because the Taliban began executing women in football stadiums," he recalled of what hindered the large-scale energy project a quarter-century ago. "You can't be killing fellow Afghans the way the Taliban are doing now and at the same time ask for investments from Turkmenistan."
Rashid is the author of The Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, the first best-seller on the hard-line Islamist group that swept Afghanistan in the 1990s. He says concrete measures are needed to gauge the Taliban's commitment to a negotiated settlement with the Afghan government.
"They [the Taliban] make fools of the interlocutors, which includes the Americans, NATO, and other partners, and they go off on a grand tour to Russia, Pakistan, to Turkmenistan, and Iran and pretend as though they are a legitimate government, which they are not," he said, referring to the Taliban's recent diplomatic blitz. "We should remember the Taliban are still mentioned as terrorists in the UN list of terrorist groups," he added. "The fact is that the Taliban are avoiding the main issue, which is a peace settlement in Afghanistan and the creation of an interim or coalition government."
Pakistan Government
Rashid, 72, lives in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. His country is mired in multiple crises, and he says there's no easy or immediate way out; Prime Minister Imran Khan's government is unlikely to fall in the face of an opposition movement bent on toppling it.
"Governments fall when there is a shift in the power equation in Islamabad between the military, the civilians, and the international community," he noted. "The problem is that I don't see any basic shift in the military's support for Khan. Until there is a shift in the military coupled with similar shifts in the political and civil society arenas, nothing is going to change."
Rashid acknowledged that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an opposition alliance of 11 political parties, has attracted considerable public support to its noisy protests. "But these are not going to be sufficient to bring down the government," he noted.
The Muslim country of 220 million people continues to struggle with a multifaced crisis that successive governments in Islamabad have failed to fully address.
"There is a smouldering crisis in the state, which is hardly being acknowledged either by the civilian government, the military, or the opposition," he said. "It is a very dire, serious crisis because it includes possibilities of an economic collapse, a sectarian conflict, extremist attacks. It is a multidimensional crisis we are facing. Not to speak of COVID-19, of course."
Rashid says his fellow Pakistanis are suffering from economic stagnation and inflation.
"The economic pain is reaching its maximum," he said, noting the increase in public protests against high inflation, low wages, and mounting utility bills. Islamabad was the scene of fierce clashes this week after Khan's administration attempted to crush a protest demanding higher salaries for federal government workers.
"Any kind of leadership of a movement that wants to highlight the economic pain has to take a very conscientious decision to downplay the political dimensions of this crisis and instead stress the economic pressure that the people are facing," he said of the dwindling trust that Pakistanis have in their political leaders.
"Our political elite, unfortunately, is obsessed with itself so all we are getting is the daily accounts of who is joining the opposition, who is leaving the alliance," he explained. "That is not sufficient to really give expression to the public's demand for a movement that must restore some kind of economic balance."
Rashid's critical reporting for international newspapers and magazines over the past four decades has won him few friends in Islamabad's corridors of power. He says he's not optimistic about Washington's ability to urge Islamabad to halt its crackdown against civil and political activists or allow greater press freedom.
"The new U.S. administration is going to be bogged down in so many issues, and the state of the global economy is going to take priority before anything else," he noted.
Coutresy: Gandhara
'Electables' looking for new targets for upcoming elections?
What Happened When The Taliban Visited Turkmenistan?


text:
Trainbands or Trained Bands were companies of militia in England or the Americas, first organized in the 16th century and dissolved in the 18th. The term was used after this time to describe the London militia.  In the early American colonies the trainband was the most basic tactical unit. However, no standard company size existed and variations were wide.  As population grew these companies were organized into regiments to allow better management.  But trainbands were not combat units.  Generally, upon reaching a certain age a man was required to join the local trainband in which he received periodic training for the next couple of decades.  In wartime, military forces were formed by selecting men from trainbands on an individual basis and then forming them into a fighting unit.

The exact derivation and usage is not clear.  A nineteenth-century dictionary says, under "Train":

The issue is whether the men "received training" in the modern sense, or whether they were "in the train" or retinue or were otherwise organized around a military "train" as in horse-drawn artillery.

In 17th Century New England colonial militia units were usually referred to as "train bands" or, sometimes, "trained bands".  Typically, each town would elect three officers to lead its train band with the ranks of captain, lieutenant and ensign.  As the populations of towns varied widely, larger towns usually had more than one train band.  In the middle 1600s train bands began to be referred to as companies.

On December 13, 1636 the Massachusetts Militia was organized into three regiments - North, South and East.  As there are National Guard units descendants of these regiments, this date is used as the "birthday" of the National Guard, despite the fact that citizen militias in the American Colonies date back to the Jamestown settlement in 1607.

References

External links

Infantry units and formations
Militia in the United States
Militia of the United Kingdom


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Financial Profile
Treskon
Treskon primarily serves as an implementation researcher for several of MDRC's evaluations of programs serving populations with barriers to employment, particularly disconnected young adults. In this role, she designs data-collection tools and procedures and analyzes implementation data to understand how interventions and programs are implemented in real-world conditions. Her current work includes evaluations of the PACE Center for Girls, the Children's Institute, Inc., and YouthBuild. Treskon is also leading the implementation research for the National Institute of Justice's Demonstration Field Experiment and the Strengthening the Link into College and Careers projects. Treskon holds an MA in international affairs from The George Washington University and an MS in applied social research from Hunter College. Prior to working at MDRC, Treskon worked in program development for several nonprofit organizations serving low-income populations.
MDRC Publications
Focusing on Girls' Futures
Results from the Evaluation of PACE Center for Girls
Megan Millenky, Louisa Treskon, Lily Freedman, Caroline Mage
PACE provides academic and extensive social services in a gender-responsive environment to girls at risk of juvenile justice system involvement. Over a one-year period, PACE increased school enrollment and attendance, as well as girls' likelihood of being "on track" academically.
Implementing the Next Generation of Parole Supervision
Findings from the Changing Attitudes and Motivation in Parolees Pilot Study
Erin Jacobs Valentine, Louisa Treskon, Cindy Redcross
A training program for parole officers in Dallas, Denver, and Des Moines sought to address the persistently high recidivism rates among individuals leaving prison. This study's results show that officers generally already knew many of the curriculum's concepts, and changes to their practices were limited.
Understanding Program Culture
Insights from Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of the PACE Center for Girls
Louisa Treskon
Researchers recognize the importance of program culture, but how can it be measured? The Implementation Research Incubator provides an example of a mixed-methods approach that evaluated the experiences of both participants and staff members at a youth program's multiple sites.
Helping Girls Get Back on Track
An Implementation Study of the PACE Center for Girls
Louisa Treskon, Megan Millenky, Lily Freedman
To serve at-risk girls, PACE provides academic and social services in a gender-responsive environment, focusing on safety, relationships, and girls' individual strengths while accounting for the effects of trauma. The program offers low staff-to-student ratios, counseling and case management, and a life skills curriculum targeted to girls.
Understanding the Use of Evidence-Based Practices in Multiservice Organizations
Michelle S. Manno, Louisa Treskon
The integration of evidence-based treatment with usual-care practices can pose challenges for organizations that deliver many services. The Implementation Research Incubator reports on a study of the Children's Institute, Inc., whose staff has worked to employ such treatment in its services for low-income children and families.
Bringing Gender-Responsive Principles into Practice
Evidence from the Evaluation of the PACE Center for Girls
Louisa Treskon, Charlotte Lyn Bright
Born out of research showing that girls and boys have different risk factors and pathways into the justice system, gender-responsive programs focus on girls' unique needs and strengths. This brief summarizes the developing research on their effectiveness and describes how one program enacts the principles in its service delivery.
Improving Service Delivery for Children Affected by Trauma
An Implementation Study of Children's Institute, Inc.
Children's Institute, Inc., combines clinical mental health and other supportive services to meet the holistic needs of children affected by trauma. This report describes the implementation of the service model and includes an in-depth fidelity study of its Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy services.
What Works for Disconnected Young People
A Scan of the Evidence
Disconnected young people are the focus of several recent national initiatives to improve their life prospects. Drawing on interviews and available research, this MDRC Working Paper scans the current state of policy and evidence regarding what works in helping young people reconnect to work or school.
Adapting to Local Context
Findings from the YouthBuild Evaluation Implementation Study
Andrew Wiegand, Michelle S. Manno, Sengsouvanh (Sukey) Leshnick, Louisa Treskon, Christian Geckeler, Heather Lewis-Charp, Castle Sinicrope, Mika Clark, Brandon Nicholson
YouthBuild is a federally and privately funded program providing construction and other training, educational services, counseling, and leadership development opportunities to low-income, out-of-school young adults ages 16 to 24. This first report from a Department of Labor-supported evaluation focuses on the implementation of YouthBuild in 75 sites across the nation.
Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP)
Louisa Treskon, John Martinez, Michelle S. Manno, Chloe Anderson, Lauren Cates, Gary Reynolds
The Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) project is a three-year nationwide program that provides education and employment services to young people ages 14-25 who are homeless or "systems-involved" — that is, young people who are aging out of the foster care system or who are otherwise involved in the child welfare, criminal justice, or...
View Project »
Procedural Justice-Informed Alternatives to Contempt
Cindy Redcross, Dan Bloom, Peter Baird, Dina A. R. Israel, Louisa Treskon, Melanie Skemer, Douglas Phillips, Rebecca Behrmann, Caroline Mage, Yana Kusayeva, Danielle Cummings
The Office of Child Support Enforcement launched the Procedural Justice-Informed Alternatives to Contempt (PJAC) demonstration to test the efficacy of incorporating procedural justice principles into child support practices...
GED Bridge: Strengthening the Link into College and Careers
Dan Bloom, Christine Johnston, Louisa Treskon, Yana Kusayeva
Some 25 million working-age adults in the United States lack a high school diploma or equivalent, barring them from most colleges and many training programs. When high school dropouts seek to continue their education, it is typically via the General Educational Development (GED) exam, and although a GED certificate is...
Changing Attitudes and Motivation in Parolees (CHAMPS) Evaluation
Cindy Redcross, Dan Bloom, Louisa Treskon
With 750,000 people released from prisons each year, there is a pressing need for rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of reentry strategies. Former prisoners face a range of challenges to successful reentry into the community, including low levels of employment and substance abuse problems, all of which impact recidivism rates. Although the prisoner reentry issue...
PACE Center for Girls
Megan Millenky, Jean Grossman, Louisa Treskon, Melanie Skemer, Sally Dai, Lily Freedman, Caroline Mage
Young girls and women make up an increasing share of the youth in the juvenile justice system, despite a national decline in the overall rate of juvenile incarceration in this country. In 2011, girls made up nearly 30 percent of all juvenile arrests, up from 20 percent in 1980. However, girls account for a very small share of the juvenile arrests for violent crimes and...
Children's Institute, Inc.
John Martinez, Michelle S. Manno, Louisa Treskon
Youth in the child welfare system tend to have been exposed to multiple traumatic events over time. Between one-half and three-fourths of these youth exhibit behavioral or social issues that are severe enough to warrant mental health treatment — a rate up to five times greater than mental health needs among their peers in the community who are not involved in the child...
YouthBuild Evaluation
Cynthia Miller, Dan Bloom, Dina A. R. Israel, Michelle S. Manno, John Martinez, Megan Millenky, Sharon Rowser, Louisa Treskon, Sally Dai, Danielle Cummings, Caroline Mage
Making the successful transition to adulthood had become increasingly challenging for disadvantaged young people. Two changes in the labor market have contributed to this trend. First, the rise in demand for higher skilled workers, while increasing the payoff to college, has resulted in declining real wages for less-educated workers. On top of this, youth are finding...
Social Innovation Fund Project with the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
Kate Gualtieri, Dan Bloom, Melissa Boynton, William Corrin, Fred Doolittle, John Martinez, Cindy Redcross, Louisa Treskon, Jean Grossman, Leigh Parise, Marie-Andrée Somers, Michelle S. Manno, Rebecca Unterman, Megan Millenky, Rashida Welbeck, Mary Bambino
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF), an initiative enacted under the Edward Kennedy Serve America Act, targets millions of dollars in public-private funds to expand effective solutions across three issue areas: economic opportunity, healthy futures, and youth development and school support.


The Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) has presented a National Priority Budget of N30,704,674.051 (Thirty Billion, Seven Hundred and Four Million, Six Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand and fifty one Kobo) to the Senate Committee on the FCT.
Reports say that the presentation was made by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello when he led a delegation of senior FCTA officials to the National Assembly complex.
According to the Minister, the sum is based on the National Priority Budget Capital Envelop for the 2019 fiscal year for the FCT.
He revealed that a total of 30 projects which include provision of engineering infrastructure to several districts, payment of counterpart funds, construction of the Abuja rail mass Transit (LOT1B), Abuja Rail Mass transit (LOT 1and 3), completion of the International Technical and Vocational Institute Utako and four comprehensive science and technical colleges in Abaji, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Karshi as well as the provision of primary infrastructure (road, water, sewage and power supply) to mass housing districts amongst others.
He however attributed this to the non-release of funds to the FCTA, a situation which he said was not peculiar to the FCT alone.
While expressing dissatisfaction at the inadequate release of funds to the FCT, the Chairman, Senate Committee on the FCT, Senator Dino Melaye appealed to the Federal Government to treat the FCT as a national priority project and release adequate funds for the development of the FCT.
He stated that Abuja city hosts the seat of the Federal Government along with about 90% of the embassies in the country and is the first port of call of all foreign dignitaries that visit Nigeria.
Bello mentioned that it would be a national embarrassment if facilities and utilities of the FCT are not functioning properly.
Senator Melaye commended the FCT Minister for his transparent approach to governance and prudent management of resources.


For Sale & Wanted Items USMLE Items for sale and USMLE Items wanted.
Anyone has uwoffline? I need offline uworld2010.
Please post link or send it! thanks!
can u send it to me, plz?
You are wasting time with this, pay for USMLE World and do the Questions online. Its truly important and many get low scores or FAIL because they do not spend less then 150 USD on the best money you will spend on study.
Also if you can win the Q bank here for a month its worth it too.
Also if you win the Q bank here for a month its worth it too.
Yes. I know online qbank is better but am planning to give step 1 in late 2011 or early 2012 so I think I should buy the latest subscription of uworld then. If I do it now then I won't have money for another subscription.
yes.i know online qbank is better but i m planning to give step 1 in late 2011 or early 2012 so i think i should buy the latest subscription of uworld then. if i do it now then i wont have money for another subscription.
once you have seen a question the help it gives you to answer it right is now greatly diminished. You see the main reason to do answers is to learn how to think through a question in less then 2 minutes.
You "poison" your mind once you have seen the questions. USMLE old downloaded questions are about 75% to 80% of what they have now. Buying after seeing them is a waste of money. Get the Kaplan offline do them and buy USMLE world then.
i didnt know that they repeat 80% questions.
BTW can u tell me hw to get that kaplan offline??
This is the same advice i was given by my seniors and it makes complete sense. If you want to try some questions, try some question books. Also there are some websites where you can try free questions, there is a thread for those links.
You can try this thread.
to all those who misunderstood me, sorry about that, i dont hv 2010 version, will defenately share if i have.
but have something older given to me by a forum member.
HI there, can you please let us know which year is this qbank from? Furthermore, are you sure these are USMLE World questions? (because these docs seem to have a lot more questions than what the online UW offers)...please verify this info and let us know....thanks!
this is not uworld. it is something i had as usmle_easy_qbank. Although it is good q but looking for real uworld. I did uw before 4 months online, took break from study for some time, so wanted revision only. I have seen all q so there is no q of poisoning mind.
thanks kabutar, at least u tried to help!!
Yeah I recommend wikitestprep too... good qbank, free and current. The questions may be a bit direct sometimes but they have some tough questions in there too.
could u please it too me ?
Those links work but do not look at the Questions just sign up, its free, and do the bank. It will take you at least a week or two to do it.
Well i did UWORLD qbank offline of 2008-2009 to get a feel of qs type in USMLE.do u think there will be repeat of 80% in the new Qbank of 2011 from 2008??actually am just going to subscribe for it from 4th february .feels tensed now!!have i 'poisoned' myself it starts to freak me out Xams is on 2nd april.have decided to do kaplan qbank too from march as a practise tool and UWORLD online as learning tool .seems so confused now.
This thread was from 2010 so DRFP might not be able to answer... Anyway! Don't be too bothered that you have seen the offline uworld.
Although, one downside is that your performance graph/statistics in uworld (bec you've already seen the questions) may overestimate your current status, you still have the nbmes to give you a correct evaluation.
Furthermore, there are those who got high scores (240+) even though they ran through the offline uworld or kaplan qbank first (i.e. look for Bassatom's step 1 experience in this forum). So, a successful step 1 is still a result of multitude of factors.
I don't recommend offline qbanks but don't beat yourself up. Everyone has "I wish I had done this instead" moment in studying for the usmle.


Bedbugs cannot stand hot alum water; indeed, alum seems to be death to them in any form. Take two pounds of alum, reduce it to a powder — the finer the better — and dissolve it in about four quarts of boiling water. Keep the water hot till the alum is all dissolved; then apply it hot to every joint, crevice and place about the bedstead, floor, skirting or washboard around the room, and every place where the bugs are likely to congregate, by means of a brush. A common syringe is an excellent thing to use in applying it to the bedstead. Apply the water as hot as you can. Apply it freely, and you will hardly be troubled any more that season with bugs. Whitewash the ceiling with plenty of dissolved alum in the wash, and there will be an end to their dropping down from thence on to your bed.


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Chanel's Newest Flagship Features Exclusive Merchandise and a 60-Foot-Tall Pearl Necklace
It's as much an art exhibition as it is a boutique.
Chanel, Dior Store Designer Peter Marino on $3 Million Art Commissions and the Expanding Luxury Boutique
He may not be a household name, but renowned architect Peter Marino has played a key role in shaping the image of some of the world's top luxury brands, designing stores for the most elite names in the business. He's the man behind any Louis Vuitton, Dior, or Chanel boutique that you've ever visited. So it makes perfect sense that the Financial Times invited Marino to speak at the dinner portion of last week's FT Business of Luxury Summit at the Plaza Hotel. There, clad in his signature all-leather duds, he sat down in discussion with the paper's fashion editor Vanessa Freidman to speak about the notable artwork he's commissioned for his bespoke boutiques. "I think luxury brands want people to equate anything exquisite in life with their product," Marino said of the reasoning behind his design hallmark.
By Misty White Sidell


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