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in: Candidates for Revision, Terminology, Universe and Terminology, Technology
"Chaged into Immortal Object!... Wait... something is not right here..."
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Artificial Intelligence (or A.I.), in the field of gaming and computer science, refers to the intelligence of the machines and the effort to re-create human-like intelligence in Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
In Sword Art Online, the system is generally known for having a mixture of NPCs with very advanced A.I. and NPCs with very poor A.I.
1 Sword Art Online Universe
1.1 «Top-Down AI»
1.2 «Bottom-Up AI»
2 List of known AIs/NPCs
2.1 Non-Canon
Sword Art Online Universe[]
«Top-Down AI»[]
In the Sword Art Online Universe, a Top-Down AI refers to artificial intelligence built from a program atop an existing computer architecture. NPCs in SAO have top-down AI, meaning they are scripted to act in an exact certain way in response to a very specific stimulus.[1][2]
When speaking to Top-Down NPCs in a quest, a player must listen to the NPC through the entire duration of the speech. If not, the quest does not proceed, as the Top-Down AI is scripted in a very basic, simplistic fashion.[3]
Top-Down AIs work from an answer, and wait to respond to a question.[4] Some AI can even be scripted and modeled to mimic human behavior, to almost be indistinguishable from a human. These AI simply have more data to process, and have learned to mimic behavior, to fit a personality. Yui is a prime example of a very advanced Top-Down AI.
Kirito receiving an NPC Harassment Warning for picking up Ruru.
If a player tries to touch an NPC in any way, they will momentarily receive a warning message for harassing the NPC and will get shocked. This is to prevent players from moving them to a player's desired location or sexually harassing the NPC. This, however, does not happen to Yui, as her position in-game is not fixed to any specific location.[5]
In Sword Art Online, NPCs can be killed much like players, but unlike players, NPCs will respawn after twenty-four hours.[6] However, there are two exceptions. First, «Tamed Monsters», such as Pina, turn into a «Heart» upon their death and can only be resurrected with the «Pneuma Flower», but this can only be done within three days after its death, otherwise the heart becomes «Remains», in which case, it cannot be revived at all, effectively making the Tamed Monster permanently dead.[7] Second, Yui is classified as an «Immortal Object» and therefore cannot be harmed at all.[8]
«Bottom-Up AI»[]
Bottom-Up AI are AI that work in the opposite manner of a Top-Down AI, as they compute an answer when a question is given, rather than having a preset answer to a desired question. Unlike Top-Down AI, who learn by the "Ask A, so answer with B" method, Bottom-Up AI learn through "Learn B, and answer when asked A". According to Kirito, this is what a true artificial intelligence should be like.[1]
In the Sword Art Online Universe, the only known way to create a Bottom-Up AI is through the cloning of a human Fluctlight - creating an Artificial Fluctlight. An Artificial Fluctlight is the cloned quantum field (soul) of a newborn baby, which is later nurtured in a VR world.[9]
List of known AIs/NPCs[]
Angel - Quest NPC for the Angel's Ring quest.
Kizmel - A Dark Elf knight on the 3rd Floor and original questgiver for the Dark Elf path of the Elf War campaign.
Leviathan the Sea Lord - Quest NPC that interferes with the fight between the players and Kraken the Abyss Lord at the end of the Deep Sea Plunderers Quest.
Leyshren Zed Yofilis - Head of Yofel Castle on the 4th Floor.
Nerakk - Quest NPC that gives players the Deep Sea Plunderers quest, requesting players to retrieve a pearl stolen from him by thieves that hid in the Undersea Temple. If players discover that the "pearl" is actually an egg and refuse to give it to Nerakk, he transforms into Kraken the Abyss Lord and fights the players.
NPC Orchestra - NPCs providing background music in Aincrad.
Pina - Silica's Feathered Little Dragon companion.
Romolo - A former shipwright on the 4th Floor and questgiver for the Shipwright of Yore quest.
Ruru - An NPC on the 56th Floor who provides the secret of defeating the Field Boss.
Skuld - Quest NPC for The Holy Sword of the Ice Palace quest.
Thor - Quest NPC for The Holy Sword of the Ice Palace quest.
Thrym - Quest NPC for The Holy Sword of the Ice Palace quest.
Tonky - A Beast-type evil-god monster in Jötunheimr, which later turns into an NPC capable of transporting players on its back.
Urðr - Quest NPC for The Holy Sword of the Ice Palace quest.
Some Vendors on streets.
Underworld Residents (excluding Kirito).
Verðandi - Quest NPC.
Yui - In-game foster daughter of Kirito and Asuna and a former Mental Health Counseling Program.
YUNA - An augmented reality AI idol.
Non-Canon[]
Afasys - Game adaptation-exclusive AI companion of the Protagonist.
Daisy - Game adaptation-exclusive AI companion of Zeliska.
Lievre - A game adaptation-exclusive AI companion of Subtilizer.
Persona Vabel - Game adaptation-exclusive alternate future version of Yui.
Premiere - One of the game adaptation-exclusive NPC twins originally designed as part of the Ground Quest of Sword Art: Origin.
Tia - One of the game adaptation-exclusive NPC twins originally designed as part of the Ground Quest of Sword Art: Origin.
Strea - A game adaptation-exclusive former Mental Health Counseling Program.
↑ 1.0 1.1 Volume 10, Chapter 2, Part 1
↑ Material Edition 3
↑ Volume 8, First Day
↑ Volume 8, Calibur, Part 4
↑ Volume 2, Morning Dew Girl, Part 1
↑ Volume 2, The Black Swordsman, Part 2
↑ Volume 10, Chapter 2, Part 2
Candidates for Revision
Universe and Terminology


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ADVOCACYNET 391 January 9, 2023
Community Campaigns Vaccinate Against COVID, Improve Access to Health Care
Vaccinating tribal people in Odisha State, India
Community campaigners in the Global South have secured 5,393 vaccinations for vulnerable people in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Bangladesh, and India, ensuring that the beneficiaries will not just be protected against COVID-19 but also receive better government health care in the future.
The campaigns have been managed by partners of The Advocacy Project (AP) since the summer of 2021, at a cost of $6,318.
A sixth campaign, by Backward Society Education (BASE), an advocate for the Tharu people in Nepal, opened the way to thousands more vaccinations in 60 villages.
Click here for photos from the six campaigns.
The most recent campaign concluded last month in the Indian state of Odisha after fully vaccinating 876 tribal people in two villages, Baberi and Mitukuli. Before the pandemic, both villages were inaccessible by road and were rarely visited by government health workers.
"If the services won't go to the people, then people must go to the services," said Dr Manoramjan Mishra, describing the approach of his organization Jeevan Rekha Parisad ('Lifeline'), which led the campaign in Odisha.
The threat to tribal people in Odisha is a classic case of "vaccine inequity," in which marginalized communities are unable to secure vaccinations even in countries that otherwise have stellar vaccination records.
Around 70% of all Indians have been fully vaccinated – higher than the global average (66%). But Dr Mishra said that vaccines have hardly penetrated into many tribal areas in Odisha state, which recognizes 62 different tribes and has the third largest tribal population in India.
Vaccine inequity has also affected River Gypsies who live on the rivers of Bangladesh, another community supported by AP that struggles with isolation and poverty. AP's partner, the Subornogram Foundation, works with Gypsies on an island (Mayadip) which has no health center.
The 60 villages where BASE worked in Nepal are also remote and are served by just three government health centers.
Dr Mishra in India said that such isolation leads to a dangerous lack of knowledge. When his organization started to work in the two tribal villages, he said, pregnant women were unaware that they were entitled to a month of rest at a government health center before delivery. As a result, many women delayed the trip until they went into labor and some even had to be carried in wheelbarrows through the woods. Others opted for delivery in their homes, which can be dangerous for the mother and child.
The vaccine imbalance between affluent neighborhoods and under-served communities is also pronounced in Africa, where vaccination levels remain far below the global average.
The first vaccination campaign supported by AP was launched in June 2021 by women in the informal settlement of Kangemi in Nairobi, where the health center was not equipped to store vaccines. In Gulu District, northern Uganda, people with a physical disability had no way to reach health centers during the frequent lock-downs.
All six campaigns supported by AP have relied heavily on motivated leaders and volunteers. Those in Kenya, Uganda and Nepal were led by women who had a close shave with COVID-19 and emerged fiercely determined to protect others. Emma Ajok, who led the campaign by the Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) in Uganda, described her ordeal in a blog.
The vaccination drive in India was spearheaded by four women, known as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who live in the villages and receive a small government stipend but have no formal medical training. In Nepal, BASE selected and trained a volunteer from each of the 60 villages to serve as point persons for the campaign.
Subornogram's campaign on Mayadip island in Bangladesh was led by student volunteers and enthusiastically endorsed by Mohammad Anisur Rahman, the island's religious leader.
Each campaign began with intensive education. The team in India used performances of the Pala, a local tribal dance, to spread the word. The campaigners in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh designed tee-shirts that carried the same message ("Be Brave – Get Vaccinated!") and proved popular with volunteers and health workers.
The next stage was accompaniment. In India, the four health activists (ASHAs) walked with villagers to four vaccination camps at health centers near the villages, where jabs were administered by nurses and doctors. In Kangemi, Nairobi, 30 women formed an advocacy group and persuaded health workers from the affluent Westlands neighborhood to conduct vaccination camps in their settlement. They then went door to door in Kangemi to get people out.
In Bangladesh, the students ferried River Gypsies from Mayadip island to a government hospital on the mainland and back. In Uganda, an ageing GDPU vehicle took a total of 200 people with a disability to the Anaya health center. Transport accounted for over half the cost of both campaigns.
In Nepal, BASE recruited a doctor to visit all 60 villages and administer antigen tests. Villagers who tested positive were helped to self-isolate by their village volunteer, while more serious cases were taken to government health centers.
All six campaigns have relied on partnership between civil society and local government, and organizers said this will help the government to improve health services in villages in the future. BASE and AP purchased oximeters and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for the three government health centers covered by the campaign in Nepal.
The campaigns have also shown the power of information. Pinky Dangi, who managed the BASE campaign in Nepal, explained that the rate of infection fell sharply in the 60 villages after BASE's initial outreach, and that most villagers have now been fully vaccinated.
In India, Dr Mishra said that more pregnant women from the two tribal villages are now visiting the health centers to await delivery well before they give birth, while home deliveries have fallen. He also expressed the hope that lessons learned from COVID-19 can be used to combat future health threats.
Emma Ajok noted one final benefit from GDPU's successful vaccination drive in Uganda – a strengthening of GDPU's credibility with its members. "They wanted to see us act," she said during a recent phone discussion. "They were very appreciative of what we achieved."
Next: Tribal people in India take on malaria
Learn how partners responded to the pandemic in our 2020 and 2021 annual reports
Making the case for vaccinations in the village of Baberi, Odisha
Pala dancers promote vaccinations in Odisha
JRP's campaign in Odisha appealed to all ages
Pinky Dangi, left, coordinated the campaign in 60 Nepali villages
Students and religious leaders promoted vaccinations in Bangladesh
Emma Ajok secured vaccinations for persons with disability in Uganda
Abigael's design launched the Kangemi campaign
The virus hangs over River Gypsies in Bangladesh
Girls used this design in Inner City Harare

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Georgia Runoff Matters Little to Year-End Rally
Stocks are trading firmly higher as we head into what is seasonally a good time of the year to be long in the market.
Black Friday specials started last weekend. I went to Home Depot (NYSE:HD) and picked up a pressure washer on sale to clean my deck on what was a warm weekend in Virginia.
For some, power washing is a very fulfilling experience. Seeing the dirt and grime go away feels a lot like when millions of voters probably took a long hot shower after the polls closed on Nov. 3.
The final recounts look to be in, but there are legal cases pending that are looking more like a pretty good movie in the making. Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic voting machines are the targets of allegations of widespread election integrity issues, and whether former federal prosecutor and ex-Trump attorney Sidney Powell can prove ballot tampering is yet to be seen.
Powell's team will file for evidentiary hearings in all the swing states where she will present her findings. She is taking on a tall task where momentum is clearly not in her favor.
In addition, Powell went through absolute hell for three years defending General Michael Flynn to where his case was dismissed, and he was exonerated. Powell's close friends describe her as smart, fearless and intensely driven to expose the deep state for its domestic and global corruption.
She claims, "sophisticated election rigging has been going on all around the world to keep tyrants and global interests that have just lined their pockets while they've raped their own countries and treated their people horribly." That's a bold statement coming from a lawyer that beat back the FBI and won.
For what it's worth, this past weekend, Dominion has shut down and moved its offices in Denver and Toronto, where they shared space with a Soros entity, and over 100 of their employees have taken their names off of LinkedIn, eliminating any affiliation with either company. Powell said she's hoping a lawsuit will be filed "by next week," which will officially begin the court process to prove voter fraud was rampant earlier this month.
Conspiracy or just conspiracy theory, that is the question. My guess is that there is some corroborating evidence among those who have signed affidavits and are willing to testify in whatever court proceedings might materialize, but this election process is like a train that has left the station and is moving down the track for Joe Biden.
It would take a quantum legal path straight to the Supreme Court before the nation or the market would seriously embrace this course of action by Ms. Powell. Time is not on her side. She has until Dec. 3 to file her case, per electoral rules, and many reputations are on the line if nothing comes of these actions. So, short of a legal miracle unfolding and possibly the greatest crime in American history being unveiled, it looks like Joe Biden will have the keys to the White House starting on Inauguration Day, Wednesday, Jan. 20.
A win by Democrats in the Jan. 5 run-off election for both of Georgia's Senate seats would be a game-changer for sure. If that happens to give Democrats control of the U.S. Senate, investors are keenly aware of a higher corporate income tax becoming a done deal. For everything else that is on the Biden platform, and the list is long, this is the most important one for the stock market.
Biden's plan to raise the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28% will likely bring about a period of volatility. How much? Maybe not much. The inertia of money flowing into U.S. stocks of well-run companies is tremendous. And a short-term pullback to adjust earnings to reflect a higher tax rate likely will occur.
However, those same well-run companies in industries enjoying secular growth trends will still experience top-and-bottom-line growth that will invariably move good stocks higher. This election process has shown that there are willing investors stepping in to buy during the dips of each market decline. The world is awash in liquidity and investors are buying equities.
Back to Georgia. There is clearly election fatigue that is only surpassed by COVID-19 fatigue. This runoff election is attracting money that will run well over $100 million in ad campaigns. But voter turnout in runoff elections in Georgia — and across the country — is typically lower than in the preceding general election. It is always a challenge for candidates to convince voters who are tired of politics to go back to the polls so soon after a long, divisive general election season.
In 2008, 2.1 million people voted in Georgia's Senate runoff election between then-Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the Republican incumbent, and Democrat Jim Martin. That represented a nearly 50 percent drop in the turnout rate from the general election. (source: www.pbs.org). But this is no ordinary in-state Senate election — it's an election to determine whether a very progressive agenda is green-lighted in Washington.
One other factoid that could sway the vote count in either direction is that there is not a length of residency requirement for voters in Georgia, so anyone who moves into the state can register to vote on day one. However, moving to Georgia with the express purposes of voting without any intent to remain a resident is illegal and can result in prosecution.
How the state would prove these cases is a puzzle in itself and I have doubt about whether government officials would prosecute thousands of new residents if they tried to exploit the system just to vote. States are strapped for cash from the pandemic and this would be a high-cost endeavor.
I just want to express that powerful market fundamentals support higher stock prices even if Congress goes blue. And if people don't like what comes of it, they'll vote them out of the House of Representatives in 2022. It's just that simple.
The post Georgia Runoff Matters Little to Year-End Rally appeared first on Stock Investor.


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Q: map over list, get item name and content my_dfs <- list(
  mtcars = mtcars,
  diamonds = diamonds
)
map(.x = my_dfs, ~ print(.x %>% str)) # OK

But if I also want to access the name of the item in the list being printed, how can I do that?
map(.x = my_dfs, ~ print(.id)) # found a reference to .id in the docs.
Error in print(.id) : object '.id' not found

Better yet, I would like both in one call to map, e.g.
map(.x = my_dfs, ~ print('About to print str of ' [somehow get list item name here] .x %>% str))

A: Use imap(). The contents will be referenced by .x, the name by .y.
z <- list(x = "whats in x",
          y = "whats in y")

imap(z, ~ paste(.y, "has contents:", .x))
# $x
# [1] "x has contents: whats in x"
#
# $y
# [1] "y has contents: whats in y"

A: In base R, this can be done with Map
Map(function(x, y) paste(y, "has contents:", x), z, names(z))
#$x
#[1] "x has contents: whats in x"

#$y
#[1] "y has contents: whats in y"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Unable to start a task on Amazon ECS - EC2 Launch Type with Windows Server 2019 I have been trying to deploy a .NET Framework 4.8 application on an Amazon ECS cluster with Windows Server 2019 instances. However, the task does not start up. Upon RDPing into the ECS instance and looking at the Event Viewer, I saw the following errors.

It appears that the start container API timed out due to a syscall timeout. I am not sure what is the exact problem though. To rule out an issue with the docker image, I manually issued a docker run command using the same image on the same ECS instance and the container started as expected. Has anyone faced a similar issue? Is there a solution/workaround for this issue?
Also, the same application docker image when launched using fargate launch type (with a compatible task definition) runs correctly on Windows Server 2019 proving that there are no issues with the application's image as such.


Start thinking of your Halloween costumes and board the 2015 Halloween Club Crawl 2015 ON Halloween Night. Starting at 8pm-3am in downtown Toronto. Join thousands of party goers as we club crawl to 3 of Downtown Toronto's hottest venues downtown. Why party at 1 downtown location this Halloween when you can party 3? Advance early bird tickets on sale now. Prices will increase. Limited LIMO Party bus tickets available for this wild party on wheels, don't delay.
How does it work:Easy and simple. The Halloween Club Crawl gives you full VIP Access to 3 of Toronto's hottest nightclubs this Halloween. Experience 3 different nightclubs, 3different themes with thousands of party goers joining together for one crazy party. With your ticket purchase you will receive a VIP Wristband which will give you and your guests no cover/no line at the venues part of the Halloween Club Crawl. Show your wristband, get in FREE, its that simple. If you have a VIP Admission ticket you will follow our hosts to each destination starting at 10pm. Limo Bus ticket holders will jump into the luxurious Limo Buses and will be taken to each destination in style starting at 10pm from TRYST NIGHTCLUB! Buses will depart at 10pm for all ticket holders who have a VIP Bus Ticket. Exclusive giveaways and contest in the limo bus with live music & entertainment. Each limo bus will have a professional photographer so don't forget to smile!
*ticket includes: VIP Wristbands, no cover, 4 downtown nightclubs, no line, drink specials at select destinations.
*tickets include: VIP Gold Wristbands, Limo Party bus transportation between venues, no cover, no line, drink specials at select destinations, live music & entertainment on the bus & more.
Wristband Policy & Pick up Locations: Wristbands will be available starting at 8pm-9pm at REVIVAL.
A- 9pm from REVIVAL for all VIP Party bus ticket holders from REVIVAL Arrive early as buses will depart at 9pm sharp.
Q- Do party bus and limo bus tickets include Admission to each venue?
A- Yes. If you purchase a VIP Party bus ticket it will include a VIP GOLD WRISTBAND which gives you VIP ACCESS, NO COVER, NO LINE & VIP TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN VENUES!
A- For VIP General admission tickets you may crawl, stomp, run, walk by following our VIP hosts, all venues will be walking distance so don't worry about walking far. If you have a VIP Limo/Party bus ticket, you will have VIP transportation between venues starting . Arrive in style at each venue. Limo Buses/Party Buses will have music, poles & live entertainment.


Apparently I am the victim of an enormous, constitutionally prohibited outrage. I have never received a single art subsidy. In days of yore this complaint might have been rejected by galleries, granting organizations and the general public who would apply to my oeuvre the antiquated technical critical term "bad." And I concede that my still lifes have a zombie-like quality of inanimate mobility while my stick men resemble neither sticks nor men, my abstracts are concrete and my concrete is behind the shed. As for my music, remember the old ads about how "They laughed when I sat down to play"? Well, I assure you I soon had them in tears.
On those grounds I would at one time have had a better chance of breaking into the art world as an easel than as a participant, while even Picasso would have rejected me as a model. But I am pleased to say that as progress levels everything worth having, an indignant editorial in the Globe and Mail this week denounced the federal Conservative government's decision to cancel some art subsidies because "To control access to those grants on the basis of ideology or centrally determined notions of good taste is censorship, plain and simple." I'm old enough to remember when people knew the difference between free speech and free money. But that was in the dark days, before the Charter.
Thus the NDP "Critic for Digital Culture," in an indignant press release that regrettably misspelled the word "disdain," declared that "Canadian artists shouldn't be vetted by the PMO and his pointy-headed staff of Rush Limbaugh-style ideologues." Uh, shouldn't that be "its" staff? Meanwhile a press release from the Office of the Leader of the Opposition called the decision "arbitrary" and included the sentence, "During the Conservative tenure, arts and culture have again and again seen their importance diminish and marginalized by cuts or ideological attacks" -- a sentence that does for the English language what Cubism did for landscape painting, while incorporating the distorted notion that anything not subsidized is marginalized. Impressive.
Let me say, and spray-paint it on a wall for good measure (an expression here meaning "in the hope of getting money for it"), that if you cannot make a living in the arts through sales of your work, or voluntary grants from private organizations, you are probably in the wrong trade. And people who don't like the way politicians and bureaucrats judge art might reasonably oppose state funding for culture. But if we are going to have such grants surely public authorities need some criteria for sorting applicants at least into "Yes" and "No" piles even if they don't publicly admit to also having a "Whoa Nelly, no!!!" pile. Unless you accept the views of the neofinancial critical school that in cultural matters the state should just be a conveyor belt onto one end of which tax money is dropped and from the other end of which anyone who calls himself an artist is entitled to pick it up in whatever quantities seem appropriate.
The Globe editorial deplored "a fundamental misunderstanding by the government of the nature of free speech in a democracy." I seem to be having the same problem myself. But maybe a Titian or Michelangelo could do us a suitably massive, tortured Hercules straining to carry enough money to the front end of the conveyor to satisfy the demands at the back end if we were to take seriously the concept that the government cannot have criteria for who receives art funding. Meanwhile, it would take Hieronymus Bosch to depict a smart set irate at these tiny cuts (one percent of the feds' $3.5 billion annual culture funding according to libertarian author Pierre Lemieux, who adds that such spending previously rose 15 per cent under the Tories) but unperturbed that genuine censorship is permitted under our abstract impressionist 1982 Constitution that guarantees rights "subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society." And by justified they don't mean to us, the hapless citizens, any more than we are meant to be able to do anything about public subsidies to artistic productions we wouldn't like if we had the misfortune to encounter them. Ask Ezra Levant, who has spent 900 days and $100,000, so far, defending his right to reprint cartoons as part of a news story, what he thinks of artists who cry censorship when they aren't given public cash.
As for the allegedly creative souls for whom loss of subsidies means loss of livelihood, permit me a small excursion into the genre known as folk art, specifically the derisive chant: "Cut your hair, take a bath, get a job."
Rustic, yet forceful. Now where's my grant?


text:
MONASH BDI
Rossjohn Laboratory
Understanding immune function and dysfunction.
Laboratory Group
Research Team Hugh
Research Team Jerome
Research Team Julian
Research Team Martin
Research Team Adam
Research Team Jan
Research Team Ben
Monash Sensory Science
Monash BDI researchers make Highly Cited list for the fourth consecutive year
November 30, 2021 /in News /by Jennifer Huynh
Two Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) researchers have been recognised for their exceptional research performance, determined by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top one per cent by citations for a field and year.
Professor Jamie Rossjohn and Professor Charles Mackay have each been ranked as a 2021 Highly Cited Researcher in the prestigious list released in November by Clarivate Analytics.
Professor Rossjohn's research focus is on understanding, at the molecular level, how the T cell receptor specifically recognises polymorphic Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) molecules in the context of protective immunity, autoimmunity and other adverse T cell reactivities. Further, he has pioneered the molecular understanding of lipid and metabolite based immunity by T cells that recognise HLA class-I like molecules, CD1 and MR1, respectively. This is the fourth consecutive year that Professor Rossjohn has appeared on the Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher list.
Professor Mackay has forged a new understanding of the gut microbiome and the important role it plays in immune responses including allergies and in a number of diseases including type 1 diabetes. His research into how immune responses can be manipulated using 'medicinal foods', as well as novel gut microbial species, is attracting both clinical and public interest, with the latest research findings moving to clinical trials.
Professor Mackay was highly cited from 2005 to 2010 under what was then the Institute for Scientific Information citation, and has remained on the Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher list since 2017.
The Highly Cited Researcher list, now in its eighth year, determines the 'who's who' of influential researchers, drawing on data and analysis to identify the world's leading researchers who have demonstrated significant and broad influence. See the full list of researchers on the Web of Science: Nineteen researchers from Monash University were recognised this year.
Image: Professor Jamie Rossjohn and Professor Charles Mackay
Tags: clarivate, highly cited, rossjohn
https://rossjohnlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Mackay_Rossjohn_690x425px-1.jpg 425 690 Jennifer Huynh //rossjohnlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/monash.png Jennifer Huynh2021-11-30 10:41:182021-12-01 10:44:34Monash BDI researchers make Highly Cited list for the fourth consecutive year
How T Cells recognise infection or disease
The interplay between diet, the microbiota and immunity
Congrats Jamie: Highly Cited researcher again!
BDI researchers honoured in annual Dean's Awards
How T Cells recognise infection or diseaseDecember 1, 2021 - 10:33 am
Monash BDI researchers make Highly Cited list for the fourth consecutive yearNovember 30, 2021 - 10:41 am
The interplay between diet, the microbiota and immunityNovember 16, 2021 - 12:07 pm
© Copyright - Rossjohn Lab
The interplay between diet, the microbiota and immunity How T Cells recognise infection or disease


All camps are open to campers from any of the three supporting Area Ministries: North Texas Area, Northeast Area, Trinity-Brazos Area. Registration is on line and handled by Disciples Crossing. See Disciples Crossing website (www.disciplescrossing.org) for more details. Registration will open after CYF Mid-Winter in February.
For registration go to the Disciples Crossing website or your minister.


text:
HomeGistsKatie Price: My challenge in 'outer Scotland' was tougher than jungle
Katie Price: My challenge in 'outer Scotland' was tougher than jungle
The former model also said the I'm a Celebrity jungle was a "holiday camp" by comparison to the Channel 4 show, which will see her and other celebrities being put through their paces by chief instructor Ant Middleton and his staff. A total of 12 celebrities faced a gruelling course in the challenging terrain of Scotland's rugged west coast to see if they have what it takes to pass SAS selection.
Price, 41, said: "I knew I was in trouble from the minute we arrived 'somewhere in outer Scotland'. I hate the cold, I have a phobia of water.
"It was equally the most terrifying and exhilarating thing that I have ever done. It was like being in the jungle but the military, SAS-version."
Also taking part in the show are TV presenter Anthea Turner, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole, reality star Joey Essex, TV presenter Helen Skelton and ex- Wimbledon footballer John Fashanu.
Price said she had been surprised by the "extreme conditions, the cold", adding that it had served as a "real eye opener to the real-life training they do go through. Well, we had the holiday-camp version compared to what they really do go through in training – we didn't get waterboarded!"
She is no stranger to reality TV shows, having met her now ex-husband, the singer Peter Andre, in 2004 while competing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.
Asked how the SAS experience compared with the jungle, Price said: "The jungle was a holiday camp in comparison – there was definitely no time for any romance. I think Ant should be the next Bond – I would gladly put my life in his hands to protect me. I have never felt so safe, which is bonkers but true."
The businesswoman said she had bonded most with former Blue Peter presenter Turner.
"I admire her control, her ability to let go and be OK with showing her feelings – mainly fear and panic," she said.
Download Hollywood movie The Laureate free now


text:
Dramatic Differences Found in American and European Teenage Substance Use
June 6, 2012 by Partnership News Service Staff
Surveys of American and European teenagers have found dramatic differences between the two groups' substance use. While American teens smoke and drink less than their European peers, they are more likely to use illegal drugs.
The results come from coordinated school surveys about substance use that include more than 100,000 students around Europe. They are largely modeled on the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future survey in the United States, making comparisons possible between the American and European results.
The United States had the second lowest proportion of students who used alcohol and tobacco, compared with teens in 36 European countries, HealthCanal reports. Among American students, 27 percent drank alcohol in the month before the survey. The average rate in Europe was 57 percent. Twelve percent of American students smoked cigarettes in the month before the survey, compared with an average of 28 percent in Europe.
Eighteen percent of American teens reported using marijuana or hashish in the previous month, compared with an average of 7 percent among European teens. American teens reported the highest level of marijuana availability. The U.S. had the lowest proportion of teens who associated use of marijuana with great risk, according to Lloyd Johnston, the principal investigator of the American surveys.
American teens were more likely than European students to have tried any illicit drugs other than marijuana, including hallucinogens, Ecstasy and amphetamines.
"Clearly the U.S. has attained relatively low rates of use for cigarettes and alcohol, though not as low as we would like," Johnston said in a news release. "But the level of illicit drug use by adolescents is still exceptional here."
Tags Alcohol & Alcoholism Smoking Underage Substance Use
Many Teens Who Survive Opioid Overdose Don't Receive Timely Treatment
A new study finds more than two-thirds of teens and young adults who survive an opioid overdose don't receive treatment for their addiction within 30 days.
Number of Alcohol-Related Deaths More Than Doubled From 1999 to 2017
The number of alcohol-related deaths in the United States more than doubled between 1999 and 2017, according to new research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Sales of Tobacco Products to Anyone Under 21 Now Illegal
The Food and Drug Administration has raised the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, USA Today reports.
Study Finds Striking Rise in Number of Teens Overdosing on Anxiety Medication
A new study finds a striking rise in the number of teens overdosing on common anxiety medications including Xanax, Valium and Ativan, according to HealthDay.
Leave your Response
interesting read. can anyone tell me what the differences between european and american exctasy are?
Marijuana and hashish are indeed less risky in the United States than in Europe, due to the fact that in Europe youngsters are likely to be handed a "joint" with addictive tobacco mixed in– and that may be a major reason why fewer teens in America are hooked on cigarettes than in Europe. Derek Williams, on the UKCIA website, claims that two-thirds of British cannabis users today are using the "mixed" joint format. The Dutch language Wikipedia "joint" article used to mention a theory widespread in Europe that the word "joint" (from French "joindre") actually refers to a joining of cannabis with tobacco.


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What It's Like To Be An Entrepreneur
Ross Kimbarovsky
on Mar 2, 2011 | 1 Nov 1, 2012
We're thrilled to be part of a new web/TV reality series – Trep Life – giving audiences a unique, 360-degree view of what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur.
Each episode will focus on one company or organization. The first episode is about our friends Matt Maloney and Mike Evans at Grub Hub – a terrific place to find every restaurant that will deliver to you.
Categories InterviewsSmall businessVideos
Tags entrepreneurhusslesmall businessstartups
Ross is founder and CEO of crowdspring. There's a rumor that Ross started crowdspring because he wanted to wear shorts and sandals to work (which he could not do while working as an attorney). The rumor is true.


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Child 1 Page
Bridge Trek
Dedicated to Walking (and Driving) over High, Long, and Otherwise Scary Bridges
Chil Cat1
Chain Bridge
Sunday, March 18, 2012 | Posted by Bridgetrekker Mark
Yesterday was a beautiful March Saturday in Washington, DC, perfect for a walk across a bridge, and we chose the Chain Bridge. This quarter-mile bridge crosses the Potomac River, connecting the far north parts of Arlington,Virginia with Washington, DC. It was the site of the very first bridge crossing the Potomac between DC and Virginia, a wooden covered bridge built around 1800. Time and floods have required several replacements over the years, including three chain suspension bridges in the first half of the 1800s from which the current one gets its name, and others built on stone piers in the mid 1800s that are still used for the current bridge, which was completed in 1939. Just north is Little Falls and, further up, Great Falls, areas with rapids popular with kayakers. The river remains rather rocky at Chain Bridge, and it is only recommended for small craft with knowledge of the narrow and shallow channel.
We could park on the DC side of the bridge, where there were a small number of parking spots on the Clara Barton Parkway. The ground slopes steeply down to the river. Some intrepid people trekked down there and were either fishing or just hanging out on the rocks. The area is relatively natural; for example, we could see a number of turtles on this 65 degree day sunning on the rocks and horizontal branches below. There are also steps down to the C&O Canal towpath, which is next to the Potomac River on the DC side of the bridge.
The views from the bridge were of the natural scenic variety--no national monuments here. Lots of rocks below, lots of nature. The sidewalk on the bridge is moderately wide, with a side railing at about neck level for me, very safe for walking you'll be glad to know. The ground slopes quickly downward, so while the bridge is level, what starts out as just a few feet above the ground eventually becomes a bit of distance to the water below--I've seen it written that the bridge is 50 feet above the river.
Of course, as with most pedestrian bridges on roadways, the cars are somewhat distracting. It is an urban bridge, so speeds aren't all that high, but nonetheless the cars are but a short railing away from the sidewalk. Nonetheless, the bridge is a nice addition our series of DC bridge walks, given the natural beauty of the area below. If you like that sort of thing, you should definitely head a little further north to the Falls, on either the DC or Virginia sides, where there are parks to hike and see the big falls and kayakers navigating them.
As for the scariness of Chain Bridge, the cars seemed scarier than anything, in some cases speeding across the bridge, though the short railing provided needed protection. The steep drop-off of the bridge as it gets to the river does provide some excitement and certainly a nice view of the area. The bridge is very short, though, and the river part shorter yet. We'll give the bridge a scariness rating of 7, with a 1.5 for length, 2.5 for height, and 3 for width (the main issue being not enough distance from the cars, not our usual issue). That makes it one of the calmer walks we've undertaken. Following the previous walk over the George Washington Bridge, this was quite mellow.
BRIDGE TREK WALKS (scary rating)
Golden Gate Bridge (29)
Geo Washington Bridge, upper (23)
New River Gorge Bridge (21)
Geo Washington Bridge, lower (18)
Manhattan Bridge (14)
Brooklyn Bridge (13)
Teddy Roosevelt Bridge (12)
Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge (12)
14th Street Bridge, DC (10.5)
Key Bridge (south path) (10)
Harvard Bridge (9)
Douglass Memorial Bridge (9)
Bridges of London (8, 5.5)
Longfellow Bridge (8)
Chain Bridge (7)
Case Memorial Bridge (6.5)
Bridges of Paris (6.5, 5.5, 5.5)
BRIDGE TREK DRIVES
Newark Bay Bridge (12)
My very brief profile
Bridgetrekker Mark
Theme by Dannci | Bloggerized by Dhampire


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The Dream comes alive with multimedia
Moriah Howell
(From left:) Students -Dan Freeman, Ben Berkebile and Ty Quillon practice their lines under direction of John Teacher.
Ashley Emanuel, Copy Editor
The Pitt-Johnstown Theatre Department is to embark on a new adventure by putting on a multimedia play, "The Dream Play."
The original play was written by August Strindberg and was adapted by theater arts instructor John Teacher. The play is to run Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and 2, as well as Nov. 7-9.
Teacher said that there is a 14 people cast and 43 working on the production.
Teacher said that he basically took the play and edited it down 50 percent. It's a multimedia play with moving images and projections. There will be integrated technology one computer with a slip screen, with one person controlling it. The play will run about 80 to 90 minutes.
Teacher said he kept the quintessence of the piece.
The play follows a girl named Angus and her relationship with three people: a guided friend, a lover and an adviser.
"Editing has been an on going process," Teacher said.
He said the actors had to take a leap of faith with him. They sometimes didn't know how things were going to work out.
Senior Kevin Keen agreed. Keen said that, at one point, he wasn't sure how a certain scene he is in was going to play out.
The characters are not stereotypical, according to Teacher.
Teacher said audience members are going to be able to relate to the characters and say, "yeah that's me," or, "That's that other guy."
"Audience members will be emerged in (the play) and then thrust back into the world," Keen said.
Teacher said that some audience members might need time to comprehend it. "The Dream Play" requires thought. Teacher also said that it's like a dream.
"(The set is) definitely not in one location," Keen said.
Keen said that it was the first time he had never done anything like this and that he enjoyed it.
"(This will be) the first time a Pitt audience will be exposed to this," Teacher said.
Keen said no one is to be allowed in late. Both Keen and Teacher said that, if people were to come in late that it would interrupt the flow of the play. They also mentioned that there is to be no intermission.
"(It has) been a long time since I've been this excited (for a production)," Teacher said.
Tickets for "The Dream Play" are on sale now at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center box office. Student price is $5 and $10 for non-students.
The Advocate: Twitter
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Students can still have fun safely
Spectar addresses campus closure
Police chief bids campus farewell
Proposed budget is to be unveiled
Murtha scholarship is established
Club budgets to go online
No one in line at counseling center
Academic trouble in lives of 1 in 4
Some early engineers struggling
Some from Pitt-Johnstown march
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's student newspaper


At On Q Smokehouse Grill, diners could build an actual food pyramid representing all five food groups with menu items such as the fried green tomatoes, pulled pork sandwich, walnut chicken salad, and mac and cheese. Combo dinners plate two or three meats next to a pair of sides, such as coleslaw and sweet potato fries, while the smoked mullet dinner refuels brain tanks with healthy omega-3s that power the lightbulb above your head. The drink list quenches thirst and loosens ties with premium and domestic beers on draft and by the bottle, as well as wine by the glass.


I am interested in learning more about Zeus and FMC related services, products and offers.
Zeus® herbicide strikes hard against key broadleaf weeds and sedges including yellow nutsedge, nightshade, pigweed, field bindweed and many more. Zeus provides striking preemergence residual performance against weeds in strawberries. Without a doubt, when Zeus herbicide delivers the lightning, you'll have results that bring the thunder.


In many micro-moments, they're turning to mobile to get all the information and guidance they need. We've boiled this fragmented consumer journey down to three major phases—from that initial spark to preparation to the actual cooking. And we'll serve up some key takeaways for brands that want to reach millennials at the important moments leading up to mealtime.
While nearly one-third of millennials say they don't enjoy choosing what to cook, it certainly doesn't deter them from being creative. Our research shows that, for a quarter of online millennials, the most important part of cooking is adding a personal touch to make a recipe unique.6 Take food hacks, kitchen tricks that make cooking easier and more fun, for instance. Forty-one percent of the millennials we surveyed are interested in them.6 Popular examples range from coffee hacks to Oreo hacks6. YouTube creator CrazyRussianHacker is a master of the food hack genre. His "Food Life Hacks" playlist—where he teaches his fans how to do everything from cook eggs in the microwave to awesome ways to cut a watermelon—has more than 545K views (at the time of writing).
For brands: Tap into millennials' curiosity—and their broad recipe searches—with specific cooking ideas. Perhaps a hackable salmon recipe in response to a "healthy recipes" search. Turn the stressful experience of deciding what to make for dinner into a fun exploration.
Once the evening's menu is set, the how-do-I-actually-make-it moment strikes, and millennials look for help on Google Search or YouTube. Millennials havesubscribed en masse to food channels on YouTube, and 75% of the growth in viewership is coming from mobile devices.9 How-to content related to food on YouTube is incredibly popular, with 419M views in 2014.10 "How to Cook That" is one of the ten most popular how-to searches on YouTube (behind "how to draw," "how to kiss," and "how to tie a tie").11 It's also the name of a popularYouTube food channel, where Ann Reardon dishes out whimsical desserts weekly to more than 1.6M fans (at the time of writing).
For brands: Be there during the discovery and consideration stages. It's not just about your product, but what millennials can do with that ingredient or tool. Help them develop the techniques required to make interesting meals with your product.
In the kitchen, the am-I-making-this-right moments strike, and millennials search for guidance. Questions like "What temperature to bake chicken?" are increasingly asked from mobile devices (see chart), and 68% of millennial moms said that they also watch videos while cooking.9 And if hands are occupied, voice search becomes indispensable: Twenty-three percent of adultsuse it while cooking.
Now, where are the dinner guests? More than likely, they're in the kitchen, too. Millennials aren't cooking alone; 27% said they were likely to be sharing the experience with a spouse, friend, or child.1 This is helping millennials see cooking as an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, not as a chore—something Kraft has seen. "For Kraft, we believe it's about not only asking what we can do to help consumers create a better dish—but what we can do to help consumers achieve a better experience across the board," says mcgarrybowen's Conroy.
4 Google Search Data, January–December 2014, United States.
5 Google Trends, January–May 2014 and January–May 2015, United States.
10 YouTube Data, 2014, United States. Classification as a "how to" video was based on public data such as headlines, tags, etc., and may not account for every "how to" instructional video available on YouTube.
11 YouTube Data, 2015, United States.
12 Google Trends, January 2013–May 2015, United States.


The final draft of the Village Green Park Plan design was presented and approved at the regular Village Board meeting on February 11. The plan incorporates input from the public workshop held on September 16 and other feedback received over the course of the revision process.
Modernized, age-specific playground areas with a community gathering node.
Continuous pathway with wooded section.
Restructured parking to eliminate extra driveways and to maximize park space.
Community shelter for picnics and events.
The Parks & Facilities Committee will be working on an implementation and budgeting plan for proceeding with the park projects in a fiscally conservative manner. The plan design can be viewed at the Village Office or by clicking on the graphic to the right.
We are pleased to announce that 2016 lighthouse tower climb tours will take on the first Sunday of the month from June to October - June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4 and October 2. At this time, we are seeking volunteers to assist with greeting and directing tour-goers, taking tickets and helping ensure a high-quality tour experience!
Volunteers can work either half-day shifts or the for the full day (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). If you are interested, please contact the Village Office at (262) 639-3524 or info@windpointwi.us. More information about the tours is available at windpointlighthouse.org.
A statewide primary election was held on Tuesday, February 16. The only race on the ballot in Wind Point was for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. According to the final local results, there was a 23.8% turnout of registered voters in Wind Point. Rebecca Bradley received 171 votes, JoAnne Kloppenburg received 113 votes and Joe Donald received 33 votes.
The Spring Election and Presidential Primary will be held on Tuesday, April 5. If you can't make it to the polls on election day, absentee voting is available at Wind Point Office between Monday, March 21 through Friday, April 1, during normal business hours (please note the Village will be closed on March 25 for Good Friday). You can request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you by submitting a request in writing to the Village Office along with a copy of a valid Photo ID.
If you need to register or re-register to vote, you may do so in-person at the Village Office, by mail or in-person at the polls on election day. A valid proof of residence will be required. You can check your registration status online at myvote.wi.gov.
April 1 is the deadline for renewing dog licenses. A dog license application , along with license fee and copy of rabies certificate, should be submitted for each dog to the Village Office by mail, dropbox or in-person. If submitting an application by mail, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the tag and receipt to be returned to you. If you do not include a self-addressed stamped envelope, your license will be kept at the Village Office to be picked up.
Applications can still be submitted after April 1, however a $10.00 late fee will be assessed. If you recently adopted a dog, or plan to soon, please keep in mind dog owners need to obtain a license within 30 days of ownership.
Associated Appraisal is preparing to complete a revaluation of all properties of the Village in 2016. It was announced in the February E-News that inspections were expected to take place in late June. However, appraisers are ahead of schedule and Associated now expects inspections to begin in late May. As the date gets closer, A ssociated will send letters to all property owners with information about when exactly appraisers will be in their neighborhood to conduct inspections.
The revaluation involves an interior and exterior inspection to ensure properties are assessed at 100% market value in a uniform and equitable fashion. Some in-depth information about the revaluation process was provided in the insert that was mailed with the tax bills in December. That information is also available on the Village website at http://windpointwi.us/2016-revaluation. If you have any questions, please contact village administrator Mike Hawes at 639-3524 or administrator@windpointwi.us.
The topic of coyote sightings continues to be on the minds of many in southeastern Wisconsin. As discussed in our February E-News, there have been sightings reported in Wind Point. The Village has taken the approach of trying to co-exist with our wild neighbors while endeavoring to keep residents informed of any tips or helpful information.
On February 24, the Wisconsin DNR held an online chat session where they answered a wide range of questions dealing with coyotes. You can view an archived version of the chat session by clicking here. Some of questions related to coyotes in urban areas, including methods for keeping small pets safe and ways to discourage coyotes from your yard.
Wind Point maintenance is in the final stretch of the water meter replacement program. Out of the 771 residential meters, 661 have been replaced, leaving just the northern section of the Village to be completed. If you have received a water meter change notice, please contact our office today at 639-3524 to get your appointment scheduled!
At the time of completing the meter change, we are also required to complete a cross-connection survey. This means we are checking for any potential cross-connections where water could get siphoned back into the water system, causing contamination. The most common residential cross-connection issue is hose connections (inside and outside) not having a type of vacuum breaker (like the example of the faucet on the right that is pictured).
After we complete the cross-connection survey, a report is generated with any corrective actions needed. Please note that we are following up to make sure corrective steps have been taken. Click here to download the Residential Cross-Connection Hazards brochure for more information.
Racine County Tax Inquiry - Search for a parcel and use the "Select Detail" dropdown menu to lookup taxes, assessment info and other information.
Mapbook - An interactive mapping tool you can use to lookup parcels, view property lines, right-of-way lines, measure distances and more. The layer list offers a spring 2015 aerial map.
Landshark - Retrieve historical land records for a given property. Users first need to register a login and there is a fee to download records. Assistance from an attorney or title company professional is often needed for more exhaustive document searches.
To view a full menu of online tools available, click here.
Accepted the Village Green Park concept plan as presented and referred it to staff and the Parks & Facilities Committee to develop the implementation plan.
Approved proceeding with the roof and chimney replacement project at the lighthouse main building in 2016.
Agreed to proceed with developing a Landlord Registration Program and referred it to the Public Safety Committee.
Approved Resolution 16-04, a resolution to adopt the Wind Point Watershed Restoration Plan.
Agreed to cancel the April Village Board meeting (unless a special meeting needs to be scheduled).
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the Village Hall (lighthouse).


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GUEST EDITORIAL: Improve I-75 to prevent more tragedies
Six months after a fiery crash on Interstate 75 killed seven people, including five children on a church trip to Disney World, little has changed in improving safety on the interstate.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers are patrolling more through the use of special details, as The Gainesville Sun recently reported. But as anyone who has driven recently on the stretch of I-75 passing through Alachua and Marion counties knows, drivers are still speeding, traffic still gets congested regularly and the potential for deadly crashes is still high.
As tragic as the deaths in the Jan. 3 crash were, they should have come as no surprise. After all, congestion and safety issues on I-75 were the focus of a task force of area officials formed nearly four years ago to study the problems and develop solutions.
In 2016, the group issued common-sense recommendations on ways to improve safety and the flow of travelers and goods. They included adding truck-only lanes, improving and expanding nearby roadways to keep vehicles off the interstate, providing more long-distance travel options such as intercity bus services and passenger rail, and expanding freight rail capacity and connectivity.
The group rejected a Florida Department of Transportation plan for a new highway. And yet during this past session of the state Legislature, lawmakers ignored the task force's recommendations and instead approved a plan for three new toll roads through rural parts of Florida.
Residents of Alachua and Marion counties received good news recently that one of the roads, an extension of the Suncoast Parkway 150 miles north to the Georgia border, isn't planned to pass through either county. But the project's impact on some of the most extensive green spaces left in Florida should still concern everyone, especially its potential to harm springs, wetlands and the aquifer.
The cost of the toll roads is another concern. The Legislature committed, and Gov. Ron DeSantis agreed, to spending hundreds of millions of dollars just for planning purposes over the next few years. The overall price tag is estimated at more than $1 billion, but no one really knows for sure and there are no assurances that tolls will cover the tab.
The money would be better spent making improvements to existing roads and other more immediate measures to improve safety. The FHP patrols are a good start, but Alachua County commissioners should find a way to fund Sheriff Sadie Darnell's request for a traffic unit dedicated to I-75.
Other fixes might include the use of technology to monitor speeds and carpool lanes to reduce congestion. Improvements to mass transit and area roads that provide an alternative to the interstate would help. Truck-only lanes would make sense if done in a way to accommodate an expected shift to autonomous trucks in the years ahead.
January's high-profile crash should have shocked officials into taking new steps to improve safety. Officials need to work to prevent similar tragedies by improving conditions on I-75 as soon as possible, rather than wasting time and money on a toll-roads boondoggle.
This editorial originally appeared in the Gainesville Sun.


Handmade earrings with red rolled paper beads accented by aventurine round bead and tan seed bead on hypoallergenic stainless steel lever backs. The rolled paper beads are from Bead For Life which creates sustainable opportunities for women to lift their families out of poverty. These women get first-hand experience with business concepts like accounting and quality control, by rolling paper beads and creating fashionable fair trade products. You can purchase these products online and help transform lives. A purchase from BeadforLife helps over 12,000 people in 1,400 households each year.


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St. Petersburg museum exhibit highlights gay rodeo life
By FOX 13 News Staff
Photos from gay rodeo on display
A new photography exhibit in St. Petersburg features life on the gay rodeo circuit.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Blake Little has photographed actors Steve Carell, Charlie Hunnam and Chris Pine. His work has been featured in magazines and museums all over the world; and now, one of his exhibits is here in St. Petersburg.
Little is sought after in the entertainment and advertising world for his keen photographer's eye, but one project he shot in the late 80s truly captured his heart.
"In the 80s he attended a gay rodeo and he just got hooked on the culture," shared Emily Kapes.
Kapes is the curator of art at the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg.
The museum is hosting a special exhibit 'Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo'.
"These black and white photographs have been traveling around the country for the last few years highlighting the gay rodeo community," said Kapes, "As a photographer, he also became a competitor in the rodeo."
The photographs give a look inside the very active life of the rodeo, as well as the refuge that it provided for competitors that were cast out from the traditional western rodeo circuit.
"Traditional rodeo didn't always welcome gay rodeo participants, and so these competitors started their own," Kapes explained. "They have an amazing community that still is active today."
The James Museum will feature the exhibit through February 14, 2021.
Click here for more information about the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art.
Learn more about the Blake Little exhibit here.
To plan a visit to the museum go to https://jamesmuseum.org/visit/ and follow the instructions for purchasing tickets and reserving time for your visit.


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Bernard Ramanantsoa (1948- ), président d'HEC ;
 Gabriel Ramanantsoa (1906-1979), militaire et homme politique malgache ;
Harilala Ramanantsoa, femme d'affaires et femme politique malgache ;
 Jean Rodolphe Ramanantsoa (1951-2016), ingénieur hydrogéologue malgache ;
Marc Ramanantsoa (1981- ), homme d'affaires français.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Step 3: Prepare for the Journey and Execute!
New Year's is the time when most people set goals. . . and when most people stop pursuing goals. Some of us make it a few days, or weeks, while some people have given up before they've sobered up!
But, a key to achieving goals, and ultimately, lifelong success, is to give yourself a break. When an aircraft pilot is off course, they don't just turn around and go home. They take a minute to figure out where they are at, and then correct their course. Sometimes they may even have to land, or take a few hours or days before they take off again, but they ultimately continue the journey.
If you find yourself off course, even if it's the second or third day, or week, reset, figure out the problem, then continue moving forward.
Success in goal achievement is about preparation. If we follow our Amundsen leadership principles, after you figure out what you've wanted (and established why you want it), and figured out the jobs that have to be done (i.e. the benchmarks), and set up your accountability measures, then make sure you prepare for the journey.
Do you have everything in place to move forward on the goal? Do you have the resources you need? Do you have the money (or at least a plan for financing the goal if necessary); do you have the equipment you need? If you need to delay a few days before you get started, that's fine, as long as you have a start-date in mind, and you're using your time prior to that date, to do the prep. In some cases, the goal may need to be delayed due to other more pressing goals. That's okay too, just be realistic with your timelines.
The devil truly is in the details. If you're planning on starting a new workout program, do your homework ahead of time to determine the best plan for you. If you've ordered a DVD series of some sort, watch the intro and the first few workouts, get their timelines down and be sure you have everything you need before you start. If you've hired a personal trainer – well, first you should have interviewed a few, and then determined when you will meet and that it will fit into your schedule. Too often people move forward without a plan in place, and it only leads to frustration as they try to do too much.
The latter part of last year, I was in the middle of trying to finish another book, but I was also pursuing some doctorate coursework, along with a few other goals. I had to put those aside in order to finish the book. It took a couple of months, so understand that life and other priorities will sometimes interfere. Just like a pilot that encounters some unexpected weather and has to put down for a while, you may have to stop for similar (metaphorical) delays. If that happens, learn from the delay. Why did it occur? Could it have been avoided? Could it have been lessened? In some cases, it's just the way life works. In others, you'll find things you could have done to reduce or eliminate the delay or issue.
In the case of Amundsen and Scott, and their race to the South Pole, it was Amundsen's team that were better prepared – they paid attention to details. They were realistic about their timelines, their existing capabilities and the toll the trip would take on everyone. They adjusted; they used proven processes and equipment; they prepared and they gave themselves some flexibility in their timelines. Do the same for yourself.
Remember to track your progress and if you get off course, assess what went wrong, fix it, and then get back on track. The key to absolutely achieving every goal is persistence. Just keep at it.


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Prices & Register
Sponsor the Forum
The Biosimilars LatAm – Colombia 2023
The forum's goal this year is to deepen the Search for public-private partnerships between government and pharmaceutical companies for the production of biosimilars focusing on the efforts that have been made by the National Government at the head of the public sector and private industries; aimed at exploring alliances in search of technology transfers that allow the production of vaccines, biosimilars, development of technology for cancer among others.
These alliances are not new in the region, they are well known in Brazil as Partnerships for Productive Development (PPD) and recently in Mexico they have been implemented for the production of Covid vaccines; which suggests a trend in the region in search of expansion, development and investment that will ultimately benefit patients with the introduction of therapeutic options that can help to overcome the access disparities that our region and Colombia currently has.
Who will
you meet?
More than:
Industry Executives from Latam
From these areas:
Biobetters
Analytical science
Regulatory Updates (INVIMA)
Regulatory and Market Facts to Ingress into the Local Market
Local Research Initiatives
Round table. INVIMA & Local Producers.
Health Authorities Success in LatAm
Full programme in the PDF Agenda
Photo Gallery from Previous Events
"It was an excellent opportunity to hear what the authorities industry, even sometimes what our competitors or other providers have to say about the topic."
Alison Bascou, Sr. Regulatory Director at BD, France
"I think it's being an interesting event. Wherever there's discussion at top level, wherever there's respect. wherever there's an open forum, science can advance. It's very important to keep patient's well-being in mind and I think this forum allows that."
Jaime Uribe, CEO At PROBIOMED
"The strength of the biosimilar industry in our region is very encouraging. It seems to me this event is the propitious forum to share experiences and it is great."
Tammy Boggiano Ayo, Process Development Director at CIM, Cuba
"It showed a broad picture, from a highly technical perspective up to a commercial viewpoint. It is not easy to get that in such a short period of time."
Santiago Salguero, Executive Director at Pharmaceutical Association of Ecuador
"For companies like those I work for, i.e. suppliers to the pharmaceutical industry, this has been a great opportunity to see our clients' perspective and above all to identify the major trends determining the future of biosimilars."
Mauricio Roberto Hernández Morales, Key Account and Business Developer Manager at BD Mexico
LatAm 2020
How to attend?
Now you will be updated!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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MBASA conference focuses on change management
By Lerner College • March 23, 2018
In today's constantly evolving business environment, change seems to be the only constant.
This was the theme of the second annual conference of the MBA Student Association (MBASA) of the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, held on Friday, Feb. 23 at Gore Recital Hall.
"We decided to focus on change this year," said Alex Brooks, an MBA student and MBASA's Conference Committee co-chair (pictured above). "Disruptive technologies, election results and other random stimuli have the power to alter the business landscape in an instant. We want to equip our colleagues with the practical tools to recognize opportunities for change, and to view change as an opportunity for immense personal growth that adds value to any organization."
Conference attendees heard from leaders in a broad range of industries as they shared their stories about managing change, from recognizing opportunities to implementing strategies that embrace transformation.
The conference opened with remarks from the Conference Committee and Lerner College Senior Associate Dean Jack Baroudi.
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Kurt Norder, associate professor of management. Senior professionals from diverse industries explained how their organizations identify critical trends, plan and strategize for change, and how these changes impact the future of their respective industries.
"Today's conference attendees are getting firsthand insights from top executives into the ways leading companies assess the need for change and implement challenging solutions," Norder said. "MBA students who can adopt that mindset will likely succeed as they set lofty goals and leverage the many opportunities at Lerner to push beyond their limits."
N. Scott Phillips, mid-Atlantic director for MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center – Baltimore (pictured below), delivered the conference's keynote address, entitled "Personal Perspective: Preparing for Change." The address encouraged attendees to keep open minds in today's ever-changing business environment.
"Staying open to advice means you gain opportunities that others see that you might not," Phillips said.
After a networking lunch with alumni and regional employers, participants attended several sessions on a range of topical business issues, including a workshop on key economic trends led by Jeffrey Tobacman, associate professor of economics, and a panel discussion on women in business moderated by Wendy Smith, associate professor of management.
"Women can be tremendous contributors to an organization's strategy and leadership, but often feel left out and left behind," Smith said about the event. "Men seek to engage women's leadership, but feel stumped or challenged to do so."
"This panel sought to break down some of those challenges," Smith continued. "Gender equity is not a women's issue – it's a people issue, and I was particularly thrilled that the audience for this panel included both men and women."
MBASA also presented a session on presentation and case competition skills delivered by Brooks and Sarah Meadows, two-time winners of the Carol Ammon Case Competition.
"We wanted to provide a varied set of opportunities to help our diverse participants build their toolkit," said Arjun Kasi, MBASA's executive vice president and Brooks' co-chair. "Our sessions focused on understanding how organizations identify and manage critical trends while further exploring creative and innovative techniques that are evolving the entrepreneurial landscape."
The student-led conference drew 128 attendees, including 14 Lerner alumni and a handful of undergraduate students.
"The conference was a great learning and networking experience," said MBA student Anyelo Correa. "The panelists and guest speakers were very informative. I was interested to hear what is changing in the current business landscape and how we can adapt ourselves to be successful in the future."
"We delivered an experience that went beyond the classroom to provide tangible examples of how we can operationalize so much of what we have been learning," Brooks said. "We got great feedback, and the Lerner community is still talking about the ideas they heard at the conference."
More information on all of Lerner's MBA and master's programs will be available at the Lerner College's next open house on Thursday, April 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Trabant Center. Register for the April open house here.


text:
package com.intellij.ide.ui;

import com.intellij.openapi.application.Application;
import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil;
import sun.swing.SwingUtilities2;

import java.awt.*;

public enum AntialiasingType {
  SUBPIXEL("Subpixel", RenderingHints.VALUE_TEXT_ANTIALIAS_LCD_HRGB, true),
  GREYSCALE("Greyscale", RenderingHints.VALUE_TEXT_ANTIALIAS_ON, true),
  OFF("No antialiasing", RenderingHints.VALUE_TEXT_ANTIALIAS_OFF, false);

  public static Object getAAHintForSwingComponent() {
    Application application = ApplicationManager.getApplication();
    if (application != null) {
      AntialiasingType type = UISettings.getInstance().IDE_AA_TYPE;
      if (type != null) {
        return type.getTextInfo();
      }
    }
    return GREYSCALE.getTextInfo();
  }

  public static Object getKeyForCurrentScope(boolean inEditor) {
    UISettings uiSettings = UISettings.getInstance();
    if (uiSettings != null) {
      AntialiasingType type = inEditor ? uiSettings.EDITOR_AA_TYPE : uiSettings.IDE_AA_TYPE;
      if (type != null) return type.myHint;
    }
    return RenderingHints.VALUE_TEXT_ANTIALIAS_ON;
  }

  private final String myName;
  private final Object myHint;
  private final boolean isEnabled;

  AntialiasingType(String name, Object hint, boolean enabled) {
    myName = name;
    myHint = hint;
    isEnabled = enabled;
  }

  public SwingUtilities2.AATextInfo getTextInfo() {
    return !isEnabled ? null : new SwingUtilities2.AATextInfo(myHint, UIUtil.getLcdContrastValue());
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return myName;
  }
 }


Grand Citihub Hotel @Kartini - Lampung is a new budget hotel in Lampung. The modern building located at a strategic spot and it was just opened in June 2015. We are at the center of the town, just a walk away from the shopping mall and many shops.
With competitive price range, Citihub Hotels offers clean, comfortable King Koil mattress, private bathroom with hot shower, ACs, free Wi-Fi internet connection, and 32" LED TV with international channels in each room. The welcoming friendly staffs will serve the guests well.


text:
Palestinian Chicago
Manal Jamal
Assistant Professor of Political Science, James Madison University
Dr. Manal A. Jamal is Assistant Professor of Political Science at James Madison University. She received her Ph.D. in political science from McGill University in 2006, specializing in the comparative politics of developing areas. She also holds a B.A. and M.A. in International Relations from the University of California, Davis, and San Francisco State University, respectively. Prior to joining the faculty of JMU she was a Sultan post-doctoral fellow at UC Berkeley's Center for Middle Eastern Studies, a research fellow at the Dubai School of Government, and a visiting scholar at Harvard University's Dubai Initiative at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She previously taught at McGill University, University of California: Berkeley, and Mills College. Dr. Jamal currently serves as a member of the Middle East Studies Association's Committee for Academic Freedom.
Her research and teaching interests include democratization, war-to-peace transitions, and the politics of the Middle East, including the Arab-Israeli conflict. She is currently working on a book manuscript, Democracy Promotion in Troubled Times: the Limits of Western Donor Assistance to Civil Society, which examines the impact of donor assistance to civil society in the Palestinian territories and El Salvador. This manuscript draws from fieldwork for which the author was a winner of the best fieldwork award of the Comparative Democratization section of the American Political Science Association.


The newfound in the communication field. Imagining this system in every type of shop window, the multimedial window allows a direct images visualization on the shop window itself (a commercial or an information message for istance) and also a complete see-through window; in the latter case, the system allows you to see what's inside the shop window.
The multimedial shop windows can be interactive through the innovating touch screen system, thanks to wich the whole space is transformed into an interactive environment where the users can access information with their simple hand touch. The interactive windows can be realized with the use of either projectors or LCD or plasma monitors.
The multimedial window gives you great advantages!!


Douglas Fir beams soar up and around the three-story, glass-walled atrium, drenched in sunlight and filled with folks brainstorming about new ideas while lounging amidst booth seating and genius bars that encourage conversation and collaboration. A gratitude wall made of local reclaimed barn wood gives thanks to capital campaign donors with their names forever singed in recognition. Classrooms feature transparent glass walls with integrated technology. And, retention ponds keep storm water on the site to protect the wetlands—just one of many elements that earned the expansive property with a compact footprint a LEED Silver certification.
No, it's not Google. And, it's not even a college campus. It's Alexandria Area High School in Alexandria, Minnesota, and it will make you wish you could go back in time and relive those awkward teenage years.


text:
Paul's Corner
Franciscan Kitchens
Children's Initiative
Social Service Ministry
Spiritual Ministry
Home/Jennifer
So far Jennifer has created 46 blog entries.
Teen Volunteer Brings Innovative Solution for Girls to Soup Kitchen
This July, our Soup Kitchen welcomed back long-time volunteer Olivia, a rising senior at Verona High School. Olivia has been coming to the kitchen for many years, volunteering for a variety of our programs. Now a teenager, she wanted to take on a more independent role and focused her attention on our Literacy Program. By doing so, she formed a [...]
Jennifer2016-07-29T18:42:07+00:00July 29th, 2016|
Save the Date! FC's 6th Annual Charity Golf Outing
The Franciscan Charities 6th Annual Charity Golf Outing is coming soon! When: Monday, September 19, 2016 Where: Essex County Country Club, West Orange, NJ Event Times: Registration and Continental Breakfast - 10:00 AM Shotgun Start -- 12:00 PM Lunch on the Course Cocktails and Fabulous Food -- 5:00 - 7:00 PM Awards -- 6:00 PM [...]
A Special Guy, A Special Birthday, and A Very Special Gift
Michael Ricciardi, a long-time supporter of Franciscan Charities, recently celebrated his 60th birthday and, because he requested no gifts, his friends and family surprised him with donations to the soup kitchen. In the photo above, Michael's brother Carmine presents him with a check symbolizing the initial donations, totaling $25,000. By the end of the evening, the [...]
Jennifer2016-06-23T09:23:01+00:00June 23rd, 2016|
Business Supporter Spotlight — Brownie Points
Brownie Points in Summit has been supporting St. Ann's Soup Kitchen with delicious donations of bakery items for the past seven years. These treats are a favorite among our soup kitchen clients and volunteers—and help to bring smiles to our guests every week. In addition to the donations, the bakery's owner, Bob Conway, was an [...]
Jennifer2016-06-21T09:41:04+00:00June 21st, 2016|
Soup Kitchen receives grant from The Hyde & Watson Foundation
Franciscan Charities is happy to announce the receipt of a $9,000 grant from The Hyde and Watson Foundation of Warren, NJ. The funds will be used to improve the soup kitchen's security system and provide lockers for the volunteers to store their personal belongings. Over the years, The Hyde and Watson Foundation has been a [...]
Jennifer2016-06-03T08:43:58+00:00June 3rd, 2016|
Community Spotlight: The G.I.F.T. Program at the Summit Farmer's Market
Franciscan Charities has been involved with the G.I.F.T. Program since 2012. Bob Conway—owner of Brownie Points bakery in Summit and Board Member of Summit Downtown, Inc., the organization that operates the Farmer's Market—recently told us about the history of the program. What is the G.I.F.T. Program? The G.I.F.T. Program stands for Give it Fresh Today. [...]
Jennifer2016-05-16T13:09:16+00:00May 16th, 2016|
Business Supporter Spotlight: The Beautylounge
Illyne Ganley, owner of the Beautylounge in Summit, has been a dedicated supporter of Franciscan Charities since 2008. Illyne became acquainted with the charity after meeting Gina Ricciardi, whom Illyne describes as "beautiful in every way and exceptionally inspiring." At the time, Gina was the charity's Board President (and currently continues to fundraise and volunteer) [...]
Jennifer2016-05-02T08:25:39+00:00May 1st, 2016|
Business Supporter Spotlight: Jerry Rose Floral and Event Design
Franciscan Charities has been blessed over the years with the support of many local businesses. This week, we'd like to focus on Jerry Rose Floral and Event Design, a business that has continued to support our efforts to help the poor since the very beginning. Jerry Rose, the owner of Jerry Rose Floral and Event [...]
Jennifer2016-04-20T19:13:48+00:00April 20th, 2016|
Client Spotlight: James Jones
Hi, James! When did you first start coming to the soup kitchen? Six years ago How has Franciscan Charities been able to help you? Franciscan Charities helped me the moment I walked in the soup kitchen doors. Initially I walked in for a meal, however, I found more than just food. Shortly after arriving I [...]
Jennifer2016-04-04T09:53:37+00:00April 4th, 2016|
Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration
The New Jersey Center of Divine Mercy 11th Bi-Lingual Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration St. Rocco's Church 212 Hunterdon Street, Newark, NJ 07103 Sunday, April 3rd 2016 at 10:30am Event Schedule: 9:00am CHURCH OPENS Confession Available Veneration of First Class Saint Faustina Relic & Divine Mercy Icon 10:30am DIVINE MERCY MASS Guest Celebrant: Most Rev. Bernard [...]
Jennifer2016-03-29T10:21:38+00:00March 29th, 2016|
Business Supporter
NJ Center of Divine Mercy
Special Donations
Toy and Coat Drives
Franciscan Charities, Inc.
Tweets by @FCharities
JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/franciscancharitiesinc/
https://youtu.be/MfEShqbrHPk
Franciscan Charities YouTube Channel
The New Jersey Center for Divine Mercy
The Healing Ministry of Divine Mercy
Franciscan Enterprises
Georgetown Alumni Profile — featuring Gina Ricciardi
Edible Jersey Magazine — Local Heroes of 2014 — featuring our own Chef Jon
NJ.com article "Season of Service"
The mission of Franciscan Charities is to tend to the critical needs of the poor, provide tools to rise above poverty and support physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
Franciscan Charities, Inc. was incorporated in August 13, 2004 and received its 501 (c) (3) determination as a Federal income tax exempt charitable organization in February 2005. It is registered as a charity with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (CH2685200).
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Franciscan Charities Inc.
Please send donations to:
55 Union Place, Suite 217
Copyright © 2012-2019 Franciscan Charities, Inc.
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text:
T-Pain made a seriously NSFW joke about Taylor Swift last night and she did not appreciate it
by: Michelle Hambiliki
The iHeartRadio Music Awards, now in its sixth year, were held last night in Los Angeles, and Taylor Swift was one of the biggest talking points of the star-studded event.
But it wasn't for the touching speech she made while accepting the award for iHeartRadio Tour of the Year, or for teasing brand new music for her adoring fans or even for the stunning purple sequined Rosa Bloom romper she wore to the event.
Nope - it was all because of the way she reacted to one ill-considered joke (according to fans of 29-year-old hitmaker) made by rapper T-Pain.
This is the moment T-Pain made a joke about headbutting Taylor Swift's boobs. (As you can see from her reaction, she really wasn't too happy about it):
What made the joke all the more awkward was that in the last few years, the 29-year-old Gorgeous singer has been using her platform to address her firsthand experience with sexual assault.
In fact, back in 2017, she was involved in a high-profile court case after claiming radio DJ David Mueller had reached under her skirt and grabbed her bum during a pre-concert meet and greet.
The incident occurred four years earlier in 2013 and was made public when Mueller lost his job after it was reported to his radio station by Swift's team.
The radio personality took action by filing a defamation lawsuit against Swift, and the former country starlet responded by filing a countersuit alleging sexual assault. She won the case in August 2017.
Credit: Getty
With regards to her relationship with T-Pain following the gaffe, well we're sure they'll be able to patch things up without too much drama.
But if the reaction from Swift's fans is anything to go by, T-Pain's joke was incredibly insensitive:
Yep, it's pretty much unanimous - T-Pain did go overboard with his NSFW remark, but hopefully he and Swift will work things out.
After all, the pair did work together in the past on a rap parody of her 2008 hit Love Story, aptly named Thug Story. I can't be the only one who thinks a follow-up tune is in order?


text:
module RadioArray
  module FormHelper
    def self.included(arg)
      ActionView::Helpers::FormBuilder.send(:include, RadioArray::FormBuilder)
    end

    def radio_array(object_name, object, fields = [], field_options = [], rails_options = {}, html_options = {})
      column_width = 100/(field_options.count+1)
      table = "

	"
      field_options.each do |option|
        table += ""+option+"	"
      end
      table +="

"
      fields.each do |field|
        table += "
"
        table += ""+label(object_name, field)+"	"
        field_options.each do |option|
          table += ""+radio_button(object_name, field, option, html_options)+"	"
        end
        table += "
"
      end
      (table +="

").html_safe
    end
  end

  module FormBuilder
    def radio_array(fields = [], field_options = [], rails_options = {}, html_options = {})
      @template.radio_array(@object_name, @object, fields, field_options, rails_options, html_options)
    end
  end
end

ActionView::Base.send(:include, RadioArray::FormHelper)


More or Less, Dan Mangan's fifth full-length album, reflects the evolution in the Vancouver-based musician's personal and musical journey. He's simplifying things, and learning to appreciate what may have seemed imperfect or unfinished. The result is a warm, intimate and sometimes sparse sound that remains classic Dan Mangan.
Watch as Mangan performs songs from More or Less plus a couple of older tunes from his catalogue. He even gets the Studio 211 audience to not only act as his backing choir, but also do the harmonies!


text:
ABQ bus ridership plunges again; 25% decline since 2012
The long free-fall of bus ridership in Albuquerque continued in 2017 as boardings fell by 10.6 percent from the previous year.
And since 2012, when bus ridership peaked, yearly boardings have fallen by nearly 3.26 million, or an astonishing 25 percent.
According to the Federal Transit Administration, bus boardings in Albuquerque totaled 9.7 million in 2017, down from 10.9 million in 2016, and from 11.8 million in 2015.
Officials for the city's bus system, ABQ Ride, have previously blamed the dramatic fall in ridership on lower oil and gas prices. But, as you can see from the graph below, ridership began declining in 2013. Oil prices didn't start plunging until mid-2014.
It's hard to say exactly why ridership has fallen off so dramatically. The $135 million Albuquerque Rapid Transit project down a nine-mile stretch of Central Avenue could be a factor. Central is the city's busiest route and accounts for 32 percent of the bus system's total ridership. And an ABQ Ride spokesperson didn't respond to an ABQReport email asking about the most recent ridership data for specific routes.
Construction on ART began in October of 2016, and traffic along the route was greatly disrupted. Ridership data for individual bus routes for the city's fiscal year that ended June 30, 2017, aren't yet posted on the city's website.
Nationally, public transportation ridership was down by 3.1 percent for the first nine months of 2017 compared to the previous year, according to the American Public Transportation Association. Through the first nine months of 2017, there were 7.6 billion boardings, or unlinked passenger trips. That compares to 7.8 billion boardings through the first nine months of 2016.
Heavy rail ridership was down by 2.24 percent; light rail was down by 0.17 percent; and commuter rail was down by 0.15 percent for the first nine months of 2017.
And during the first three quarters of 2017, bus ridership declined in 34 of the 37 largest bus systems in the U.S., according to APTA.
Here's a look at bus ridership declines at some of the nation's largest bus systems:
Atlanta: -3.39%
Boston: -8.14%
Chicago: -4.3%
Cleveland: -8.15%
Detroit: -13.4%
Denver: -4.8%
Milwaukee: -5.4%
Pittsburgh: -1.66%
Portland: - 1.83%
Seattle: -0.03%
St. Louis: -6.47%
New York: -5.6%
Washington, D.C.: -4.76%
Albuquerque bus ridership
Albuquerque Rapid Transit


text:
Prof. Charanjit Singh Shah
An eminent architect, planner and infrastructure expert with experience of five decades of practice. He has served as Director Academics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Visiting Professor at School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi and Professor Vastu Kala Academy of Architecture, New Delhi. He has been Chairman, Indian Institute of Architects (Northern Chapter), Chairman, SAARCH, and Founder Secretary General- Guide of Practicing Architects. He is Fellow of Indian Institute of Architects, and Institutes of Valuers. His milestone projects include Chennai Airport, Raipur Airport, Goa Airport, Vadodara Airport, Bhubaneswar Airport, Charbagh Railway Station, Kota Railway Station, IIM Ranchi, IIT Jodhpur and Kartarpur Landport Terminal at Dera Baba Nanak. Prof. Shah has successfully initiated "Smart Habitat Foundation", New Delhi. Prof. Shah extends his valuable services as "Recognized Professor" at the Gautam Buddha University.


text:
THE RUBENS HOUSE RENEWS
Rubens House, palazzo on the Scheldt
Welcome to Peter Paul Rubens's house! His work has inspired artists and art aficionados for over four hundred years. A lot of his work was created in this house.
He renovated this house in the early seventeenth century after his design and ideas.
"He bought a large house in Antwerp, renovated it in the "Roman style" and decorated and refurbished the interior in such a way that it could accommodate a prominent painter and collector of beautiful objects." (Roger de Piles, 1681)
It is here, in the centre of Antwerp, that Rubens lived with his family and worked with his colleagues and assistants in his studio. Here he received important patrons and cherished his unique art collection. Here he also enjoyed the splendour of his garden.
The Rubens House is a unique experience for visitors thanks to its amazing collection of masterpieces by Rubens, his colleagues and contemporaries. This unique museum, the master's house, is the only place in the world where Rubens's presence is so tangible. And you are here as his guest.
During this tour you will learn more about the famous painter and Antwerp in his time.
The tour is based on Rubens's life and the Rubens House's permanent collection. During the tour you will pass through the exhibition "Rubens in private" but it will not be covered in detail during your visit.
Price for the guide: € 75 + € 5 administration fee
Maximum 15 people per guide.
Suitable for general and arts students in secondary education
Tour for young people aged 14 years or over
Admission Rubens House: free for classes under the supervision of a teacher.
15, Grote Markt
phone + 32 3 232 01 03
visit@antwerpen.be
The offices are open from Monday until Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Rubenshuis © 2015 - 2023 All rights reserved
Museum Antwerpen


Amanda Bynes is officially under the legal control of her mother. A judge granted the 27-year-old actress' mom Lynn, a temporary conservatorship on Friday, Aug. 9, Us Weekly has learned.
Though she was initially ordered to appear in court on Friday, Bynes did not attend the hearing after a judge granted doctors' request to extend her psychiatric hold for 30 more days, as reported by TMZ.
The conservatorship gives Bynes' parents control over their daughter's care and finances. The Easy A star's lawyer told the judge that the actress doesn't believe the conservatorship is necessary.
Judge Glen. M. Reiser said the conservatorship gives Lynn the "right to control placement and right to determine medical care." Reiser added, "Provisionally does not have ability to contract other than minor conservatory matters. Essentially you're the boss."
Bynes was placed on an involuntary 5150 psychiatric hold on July 22, after allegedly starting a fire in a stranger's driveway in her hometown of Thousand Oaks, Calif. After an initial extension of two weeks, a judge granted doctors' request to further extend Bynes' mental health evaluation by an additional 30 days. The order requires a patient to be "gravely disabled as a result of a mental disorder."
The former Nickelodeon star's mother filed for conservatorship on July 25, but a judge prolonged the hearing to have face-to-face time with Bynes. The temporary conservatorship will last through Sept. 30, when another hearing will be held.
Tamar Arminack, the lawyer representing Bynes' parents Rick and Lynn, said Friday, "My clients are just interested in getting their daughter well."


Our Peppermint & Mini Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Spoon Assortment comes with 16 spoons created with chocolate and cocoa powder, 8 topped with mini marshmallows and 8 topped with crushed peppermint, on wooden spoon handles. Each spoon makes 1 glass of hot cocoa; simply place in hot water or milk and stir until dissolved. Perfect enjoying a simple and mess-free hot cocoa experience! Each spoon is hand-made to order; slight variations will occur.