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Comment: Love can bring out the best of us in new year
For one to love — to follow God's unconditional commandment — one needs the help of the Holy Spirit, writes Glen Argan. Photo courtesy of Man vyi, Wikimedia Commons
By Glen Argan
It's that time of year again. For Christians, the time from Christmas day until the Baptism of the Lord is the true Christmas season. It is, however, also the time for New Year's resolutions.
Most of us are notoriously unsuccessful in fulfilling those resolutions — whether we set out to lose weight, stop smoking or boost our physical fitness at the gym. By the end of January, a large majority have abandoned their resolutions and settled back into habitual routine.
Yet, this effort at self-improvement shouldn't be mocked. The desire of people to better themselves is a sign of our higher nature. It shows our yearning to be more than what we are.
Change is difficult. It takes a plan, perseverance and positive reinforcement. It also takes the Holy Spirit.
This past year, Pope Francis gave us the best possible New Year's resolution as well as a plan for bringing it to fruition. It's called The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia).
Amoris Laetitia, eight months after its release, is still drawing headlines. Those headlines, however, emanate from the conflict over whether divorced and civilly remarried Catholics should receive Holy Communion.
That's a valid news story, one which affects hundreds of thousands of Catholics, if not more.
However, in the focus on the news, another crucial section of Amoris Laetitia is ignored, the chapter on "Love in Marriage." Indeed, the Pope's tips on how to love better don't just apply to marriage, but to all human relationships.
In our culture the word "love" is thrown about with abandon. But that love is a vague concept without definition. Who would ever know that love is the core of the Christian vocation?
Love, for the Christian, is not simply a good idea, a suggestion or a feeling. It is a command.
How impertinent for God to command us to love! Too many people have hurt me and others. They don't deserve my love. However, whether they deserve it is beside the point. We must love even our enemies. Love them, not with a scowl, but with a face brimming with joy.
Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar put it this way: "If we do not love, we have so completely failed to fulfill our calling that we are dead even though our bodies are still alive."
Dead, hunh? That's why it is appropriate that Pope Francis called his apostolic exhortation The Joy of Love. What's the opposite of death? Life? Yes, but even more, it is joy. Joy is the clearest evidence of a person fully alive. And joy only comes from the Holy Spirit.
In his chapter "Love in Marriage," Pope Francis examines St. Paul's hymn to love in 1 Corinthians 13 and makes it practical. Here are a few points the Pope offers:
"Unless we cultivate patience, we will always find excuses for responding angrily" (AL 92).
"Love has no room for discomfiture at another person's good fortune. . . . True love values the other person's achievements" (95).
"To be open to a genuine encounter with others, 'a kind look' is essential" (100).
"The opposite of resentment is forgiveness, which is rooted in a positive attitude that seeks to understand other people's weaknesses and to excuse them" (105).
"Take time, quality time. This means being ready to listen patiently and attentively to everything the other person wants to say" (137).
These represent only a small sample of the counsels Pope Francis provides. Indeed, living according to these "tips" is difficult. Fallen human nature seems to want to wallow in high-minded anger, jealousy, resentment and impatience.
Yet, really we don't. Our so-called better angels urge us to rise beyond small-minded self-centredness. We are happiest when we give of ourselves to those who, in our minds, deserve love the least.
However, to rise beyond self-love is most often beyond our human powers. For one to love — to follow God's unconditional commandment — one needs the help of the Holy Spirit. Without prayer, love falters. Without the Spirit, one is stuck in hell.
Check it out. On Jan. 1, the World Day of Peace, make your resolution to love as God commands you to love. Then, beg the Holy Spirit to help you love each day with greater intensity than ever before.
(Glen Argan writes from Edmonton. See www.glenargan.com.)
Love in Marriage
Francis Campbell: Doing your best is 2020's best resolution
Charles Lewis: Make this a year to put words into action
Christmas says, 'You are loved,' Pope Francis says at Midnight Mass
Jesus' birthday is a hit
Christ's birth sheds light on reconciliation
More in this category: « Easter Contest 2011	Comment: Church must reach out on gender issues »


text:
namespace blink {

class AffineTransform;
class FloatRect;
class LayoutRect;
class LayoutUnit;
class TransformPaintPropertyNode;

class PLATFORM_EXPORT CullRect {
  DISALLOW_NEW();

 public:
  CullRect() = default;
  explicit CullRect(const IntRect& rect) : rect_(rect) {}

  static CullRect Infinite() { return CullRect(LayoutRect::InfiniteIntRect()); }

  bool IsInfinite() const { return rect_ == LayoutRect::InfiniteIntRect(); }

  bool Intersects(const IntRect&) const;
  bool Intersects(const LayoutRect&) const;
  bool Intersects(const LayoutRect&, const LayoutPoint& offset) const;
  bool IntersectsTransformed(const AffineTransform&, const FloatRect&) const;
  bool IntersectsHorizontalRange(LayoutUnit lo, LayoutUnit hi) const;
  bool IntersectsVerticalRange(LayoutUnit lo, LayoutUnit hi) const;

  void MoveBy(const IntPoint& offset);
  void Move(const IntSize& offset);

  // Applies one transform to the cull rect. Before this function is called,
  // the cull rect is in the space of the parent the transform node.
  // For CompositeAfterPaint, when the transform is a scroll translation, the
  // cull rect is converted in the following steps:
  // 1. it's clipped by the container rect if |clip_to_scroll_container| is
  //    true,
  // 2. transformed by inverse of the scroll translation,
  // 3. expanded by thousands of pixels for composited scrolling.
  void ApplyTransform(const TransformPaintPropertyNode& transform) {
    ApplyTransformInternal(transform);
  }

  // For CompositeAfterPaint only. Applies transforms from |source| (not
  // included) to |destination| (included). For each scroll translation, the
  // cull rect is converted as described in ApplyTransform(). If |old_cull_rect|
  // is provided, and the cull rect converted by the last scroll translation
  // doesn't cover the whole scrolling contents, and the new cull rect doesn't
  // change enough (by hundreds of pixels) from |old_cull_rect|, the cull rect
  // will be set to |old_cull_rect| to avoid repaint on each composited scroll.
  void ApplyTransforms(const TransformPaintPropertyNode& source,
                       const TransformPaintPropertyNode& destination,
                       const base::Optional<CullRect>& old_cull_rect,
                       bool clip_to_scroll_container = true);

  const IntRect& Rect() const { return rect_; }

  String ToString() const { return rect_.ToString(); }

 private:
  friend class CullRectTest;

  enum ApplyTransformResult {
    // The cull rect is transformed into the target transform space (by mapping
    // the cull rect with the inverse of the transform) without expansion.
    // In SlimmingPaintV1, the functions always return this value.
    kNotExpanded,
    // The cull rect is converted by a scroll translation (in the steps
    // described in ApplyTransform(), and the result covers the whole scrolling
    // contents.
    kExpandedForWholeScrollingContents,
    // The cull rect is converted by a scroll translation, and the result
    // doesn't cover the whole scrolling contents.
    kExpandedForPartialScrollingContents,
  };
  ApplyTransformResult ApplyTransformInternal(
      const TransformPaintPropertyNode&,
      bool clip_to_scroll_container = true);

  bool ChangedEnough(const CullRect& old_cull_rect) const;

  IntRect rect_;
};

inline bool operator==(const CullRect& a, const CullRect& b) {
  return a.Rect() == b.Rect();
}
inline bool operator!=(const CullRect& a, const CullRect& b) {
  return !(a == b);
}

inline std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const CullRect& cull_rect) {
  return os << cull_rect.Rect();
}

}  // namespace blink

#endif  // THIRD_PARTY_BLINK_RENDERER_PLATFORM_GRAPHICS_PAINT_CULL_RECT_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The government wants to invest crores to put Nandi Hills on the international tourism map, starting with the Nandi Habba in September.
It is a Wednesday morning and Renuka M is streaming a Kannada daily soap on her phone. Her restaurant at the foot of Nandi Hills is among the oldest in the area. Business here is slow except on weekends.
The 42-year-old mother of two finds herself in a Catch-22 situation these days. She cannot understand if the rampant commercialisation in Nandi Hills is good or bad. For her, more people means more money . But uncontrolled tourism activities are stressing out the village's resources.The need for water, for instance, is only increasing.
The rain-dependent farming community is struggling to make ends meet. "Many are putting up small shops on their land to cater to tourists. What to do? Even they have to survive, no?" The Bengaluru woman -a lab technician married into the Nandi village in 1997 -misses the times when fancy hotels and coffee shops were unheard of in the salubrious Nandi Valley. After all, during the 10th century Chola rule, her home was actually called Anandagiri -the hill of happiness.
As people inhabiting the foot of Nandi Hills -around 5,000 of them -resign to their changing fate, the government has grand plans up its sleeve. This includes developing the area as a tourism circuit and acquiring over 1,000 acres of land for a Disneyland-like theme park. "We are trying to notify land. There is already 500 acres of government land at the foothills. For the rest, we are trying to get acquisition consent from landholding farmers. Some of them are unwilling to let go," said K Sudhakar, MLA of Chikkaballapur.
Apart from potential livelihood loss that might come with land acquisition for these multi-crore projects, acute water shortage is a major concern. Historically , six rivers originated from the Nandi Hills range -Arkavathi, Chitravathi, Papagni, Uttara Pinakini, Dakshina Pinakini and Palar. The abundance of natural resources resulted in the growth of unique vegetation around the area.There was ornamental wilderness akin the Western Ghats and fine colourful flowers usually found in hill gardens. These rivers and evergreen forests attracted numerous birds, including the puff-throated babbler, blue-capped rock thrush, Indian Pitta, Indian Blue Robin and the Tickell's Blue Flycatcher.At 4,581 feet above sea level, 'Nundydroog', as the British called it, was considered impregnable.That is, until it was stormed by the British army led by Lord Cornwallis in the Third AngloMysore war of 1791.
What makes Nandi Hills a treasure trove are traces of micro histories scattered throughout the area.While structures including the 9th century Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, a 15-feet high Nandi monolith, Sir M Visvesvaraya's samadhi and museum (in Muddenahalli) and Tipu Sultan's summer palace are protected, others like the centuryold Nandi Halt railway station and numerous old temples continue to be vulnerable.
Among tourists and residents alike, there is a lack of heritage awareness and inclination to know.For instance, in Sultanpet there is a 200-year-old cemetery containing mortal remains of 12 British officers killed during the siege of Nandidurga. For residents, it is just "some graves". The site was a garbage dump until a private organisation, Discovery Village, undertook its preservation. All the while, the archaeological department and local administration remained indifferent.
Iyer pointed out that unlike urban heritage structures, which bring outsiders who do `touristy research' before visiting, Nandi Hills is visited mostly by Bengalureans who do not read up. So awareness becomes that much more important.
Lesser-known stories of Nandi Hills are already fading away . For instance, ask anyone about Omkarnath Swamy and they will look askance at you. Swamy , whose name was Neelakanta Brahmachari, apparently assassinated Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli) district collector Robert Ashe before settling in Nandi Hills as an ascetic.The ashram and Brahmachari's grave (which proclaims his `revolutionary' credentials) at the foothills are all but erased.
Officials said that they have solutions up their sleeve. Tourism minister Priyank Kharge said that the Nandi Hills master plan will have concentrated efforts in preserving the ecosystem, with community awareness and involvement.


text:
Cloud Emerging Tech
How to build a better website
Corinne Radake
Published: January 31st, 2001
We're in the midst of an electronic revolution. Businesses are scrambling to deliver more content to greater audiences and at a faster rate than ever. Futurologist Alvin Toffler says we are entering the Third Wave – one in which we will witness a true global information society. The Internet is at the heart of this revolution and we have yet to realize its potential. In fact, Jean Monty, president and CEO of BCE Inc., has said that "the Internet is still an embryonic medium."
Despite these early days, companies are forging ahead with bigger and better websites. From the early days of website development, we have witnessed electronic media at its worst and its finest – everything from corporate collateral regurgitation to complex multi-source content integration. We've transitioned our websites from first to second generation – and have learned along the way some of the pitfalls to be avoided when developing a website. For instance, it is estimated that at one time companies allocated 15 per cent of their IT budgets to website maintenance. We know now that it not only requires a greater percentage of budget from IT, but that it also demands some allocation from Sales & Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Investor Relations, as well as Human Resources departments to fully realize the greatest strengths of a website.
DEVELOP A PLAN
Of all the elements that work in tandem to create a website, the most important is The Plan. We're starting to see more meaningful sites – ones that have been carefully planned and built with the flexibility to grow with the businesses they support. Below are lessons learned from these experiences:
(BOLD) Encourage ownership – A website cannot be maintained by one or even two company departments. Empower individuals within each department with content ownership. Your website will be best served by the knowledge that company employees bring to the table.
(BOLD) Establish hierarchy/Build a masthead – Depending on the size of your company and website, ensure that website workflow is well understood by all those who have a stake in the website. At some point, decisions will have to be taken that will affect the website. Who has the ultimate authority? In many cases, website maintenance is managed by a masthead – similar to magazines and newspapers. The publisher of a masthead has the final decision-making power. However, consideration is given to managing editors, creative directors and marketing personnel.
(BOLD) Build company relationships – Building a website requires a variety of departmental resources. Network administrators, programmers, graphic designers, human resources personnel and communications officers all have a stake in the website. By nature, they all have different methodologies, workflow processes and reasons for wanting the website. Be flexible. Communications officers have as much to teach about corporate messages, as programmers do about project management and process.
(BOLD) Have clear objectives – Don't overlook the obvious. Ensure that the site's objectives are clearly stated and understood. If the objectives were clearly developed by all website stakeholders, don't let temporary corporate changes cloud these objectives.
(BOLD)Treat it is a separate communications vehicle – "…the Internet is where media intersect; increasingly it's what broadcasting, print and communications have in common," says Monty. Understand that a website is a communications vehicle. It may have more functionality than traditional vehicles, but it is still a method of communicating with customers or potential customers.
(BOLD) Establish an executive champion – A successful website is managed in real-time. Traditionally, communications works closely with executive so that media, shareholders and customers can be alerted to corporate news of any kind as quickly as possible. The same can be said for a website. Establish a key executive who will be able to provide decisions when needed.
Content is king, and today's website managers are jesters and servants serving up as much content as quickly as possible. In this competitive environment, it's critical that company information is current, meaningful and accurate. If it's not, it could mean lost credibility, even lost sales. The key to successful content management is to make it easy for content providers to deliver the goods. Content management solutions help establish workflow patterns, document retrieval process and approval routing.
Before choosing your content management solution, consider:
How many languages and time zones will you be developing content in?
How will you control versions as your site changes?
How many authors, and how does their physical location affect their use of the content manager?
Do you have internal resources to manage it from a technical standpoint?
How does the content manager interoperate with other company platforms?
Can the content be published to other sites – not just the Internet website?
Is content authorization automated?
Is there a central repository for site images and graphics?
MONITOR ACTIVITY
Knowing why your website viewers come to your site and what they actually do is critical to the continued success of the site. Monitor site performance and establish regular checks and balances with your audience. Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can help in this area – not only because they can monitor the performance of your website 24/7, but also because they can assist in identifying back end and front end trouble spots, and suggest ways to address them.
Your website may not be completely outsourced, but chances are that you will need to choose a vendor with skills specific to your website needs. For instance, there are companies that specialize in content management, investor relations, careers and job postings, and webcasting (using the Web to deliver live or delayed versions of sound or video broadcasts). It's important to choose a partner that is right for your site, and your company. According to "Trends and Directions in IT Outsourcing" by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, only 55% of executives surveyed described their outsourcing relationships as "successful". The top difficulties they encountered were managing scope, managing vendor operations, obtaining adequate skills and agreeing on standards of excellence.
When choosing and managing a vendor:
(BULLET) plan to develop guidelines for different components of the partnership — RFP development, scope, transition, evaluation.
(BULLET) draft a Service Level Agreement that will include metrics that will measure the vendor's performance.
(BULLET) identify Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that will assist in understanding what is expected of the vendor.
(BULLET) develop a hierarchy of committees with representation from both the vendor and the company.
(BULLET) to acquire adequate skills, ask for a brief curriculum vitae from each of the key personnel that will work on the account.
(BULLET) measure your vendor's success across three dimensions — technical performance, quality of service and customer satisfaction.
Most importantly, be flexible when developing your corporate site. There are currently 475 million Internet users on the planet and we know that the Internet's rate of growth is two-fold compared to the growth that television witnessed. Plan to develop your site from a software perspective as openly as possible. It is estimated that within a few years there will be one billion wireless phones. As we enter the Third Wave, the demand for wireless applications is growing and industry consortiums, such as BlueTooth, are preparing to deliver. Develop your site for the lowest common denominator, but prepare it for infinity.
Corinne Radake is director of Online Services at Stylus Strategic Communications, a 'next generation' communications company with offices in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. www.stylus.ca .
Knowing why your website viewers come to your site and what they actually do is critical to the continued success of the site.
CUTLINE
Be flexible when developing your corporate site, advises Corinne Radake, director of Online Services at Stylus Strategic Communications.
Cloud, Emerging Tech outsourcing, vendor
CLECs struggle to gain footing
Project Prospects: The business management of IT projects
Executive talent risks in the Government of Canada
Trump's choice for AG may push more tech talent to Canada
Sharpening Your Competitive Edge with B2B Managed Services

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One's skin can naturally shed billions of cells each day. However, when this shedding process slows down the negative impact can include skin problems such as: dry skin, flakiness, clogged pores, bumps, redness, oily skin, wrinkles, pigmentations and the list goes on.
Restoring skin to a brighter and healthier looking appearance can be achieved by simply encouraging cellular turnover. This process, referred to as exfoliation, can be done in a variety of ways, both at home and in a medical spa, professional or spa environment.
Physical exfoliation generally incorporates a tool, cloth, sponge or the use of products that contain some type of rough or grainy material that is rubbed against the skin. All of these are intended to buff away dead cells and help reveal fresher looking skin. What can be a problem with scrubs is that the texture of some ingredients can tear the skin, creating tiny injuries that damage the skin's barriers.
Exfoliating can be as simple as using a face cloth with one's cleanser to encourage dead cell removal. As a general rule, exercise caution and watch for signs of over exfoliation. For those completely new to the process, it is prudent to patch test any new product for skin sensitivities.
Physical exfoliating processes can vary in their ability to deliver depending on the method or the ingredients used in the formulations.
Included in this category is "Gommage", a french word for "scrub". Gommage appears as a paste or cream that is thinly applied to the skin and removed once it dries by rubbing in circular motions. This massaging action picks up the outermost dead cells to reveal a smoother layer. There was once a time when the gommage facial was a preferred method; however, with advancements in skin-care and the introduction of chemical peels, it is not used as often in facial treatments.
Chemical exfoliation can include a variety of ingredients such as fruit enzymes (Papain, Bromelain), AHA's & BHA's (lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid) or vitamin A (retinol or retinoids). These work to break the bonds between skin cells to loosen dead cells & reveal fresher looking skin. While AHa's and BHA's are both brilliant options to reduce wrinkles and stimulate collagen, each has special properties that should be considered depending on the condition of the skin being treated.
Chantal Ward, RN and owner of Clarity Medspa in Toronto recommends that one seek the advice of a trained professional to ensure safety and effectiveness with all skincare, including exfoliants.


text:
My Second Year in College
Home/films 2019/My Second Year in College
Original name: (Sal-e Dovvom-e Danehkadeh-ye Man/ سال دوم دانشگاه من)
Drama, 99 min, 2019, Iran
Director: Rasoul Sadrameli
Writer: Parviz Shahbazi
Producer: Masood Radaei
Cast: Soha Niasti (Mahtab), Fereshteh Arastouie (Ava), Ali Mosaffa (Ava's Father), Pedram Sharifi (Ali), Babak Hamidian (Mansour), Vishka Asayesh (Ms. Nozad), Shaghayegh Farahani (Mahtab's Mother).
There are two close friends, two university girls, going on an excursion to Isfahan. After an accident one of them falls into a coma, for the other one, any confrontation turns to be a new challenge. Confrontations with her own mother, sister, and fiancé, her sleeping friend, her parents and most of all her best friend's boyfriend who she has been getting closer and closer with.
Director's Profile:
Born in Isfahan in 1953, Rasoul Sadrameli began his career as a journalist and then won the scholarship for studying sociology in France. He returned to Iran and produced Amir Ghavidel's RAIN of BLOOD in 1981. One year later, Sadrameli directed his debut feature, THE RELEASE, which was followed by some of the box- office hits of the Iranian film industry – including THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS (an award-winning melodrama at Fajr and Pyongyang) and PAIZAN. His international breakthrough came with highly-acclaimed THE GIRL IN THE SNEAKERS which won many awards in prestigious film festivals as Berlin and Cairo. With the triumph of I'M TARANEH, 15 in Locarno and Rennes, he gained much more recognition in world cinema. Sadrameli has also served as a jury member in numerous international and national film festivals.
Filmography: 1982- The Release; 1983-The Chrysanthemums, 1987-Paizan; 1991- The Victim; 1992- Tehran Symphony; 1999- The Girl in the Sneakers; 2002- I'm Taraneh, 15; 2005- Last Night I Saw Your Dad, Aida!; 2008- The Night; 2008- Every Night, Loneliness; 2011- Living With The Closed Eyes; 2012- Waiting For Miracle; 2019- My Second Year in College.
Winner Best Actress (Soha Niasti). Moscow International Film 2019
Shanghai International Film Festival 2019
Singapore South Asian International Film Festival 2019
Fajr National Film Festival 2019
iffa	2019-10-25T08:52:18+00:00


text:
S.W.A.T.'s Shemar Moore Reveals COVID Diagnosis, Says 'I Will Be OK'
S.W.A.T. star Shemar Moore has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Thursday via social media. READ MORE
TV Ratings: Goldbergs and S.W.A.T. Eye Lows, For Life Returns Down
By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 19 2020, 10:32 AM PST
In the latest TV show ratings, ABC's The Goldbergs drew 3.6 million total viewers and a 0.6 rating, slipping two tenths READ MORE
Performer of the Week: Jessie Buckley
By Team TVLine / November 14 2020, 7:00 AM PST
THE PERFORMER | Jessie Buckley
THE SHOW | Fargo
THE EPISODE | "The Nadir" (Nov. 8, 2020) READ MORE
Ratings: Masked Singer Tops Tumbling CMA Awards, Med Has Biggest Crowd
By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 12 2020, 8:32 AM PST
In the latest TV show ratings, Fox's The Masked Singer drew 6.1 million total viewers and a 1.6 rating per Nielsen finals READ MORE
S.W.A.T. EP Previews Season 4's Personal Battles, Gives Update on Vow to Better Explore Race and Policing
By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 9 2020, 7:32 AM PST
CBS' S.W.A.T. is ready to swing back into action, with a two-hour Season 4 premiere airing this Wednesday starting at 9/8c. READ MORE
S.W.A.T. Season 4 Premiere Sneak Peek: Hondo's Pop Calls Him Out for Being 'Naive' About Racial Unrest
By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 8 2020, 2:00 PM PST
Tensions run high between the Harrelson men in a powerful sneak peek from the return of CBS' S.W.A.T. READ MORE & WATCH VIDEO
Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Titans, Virgin River, Supernatural, S.W.A.T., Chicago Fire, Dark Shadows and More
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Is it time for Titans' Starfire to shine? Has a S.W.A.T. team member gone missing? Is a #OneChicago romance ready for the next step? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows! READ MORE
S.W.A.T.: Postponed L.A. Riots Flashback Episode to Open Season 4 — Who Will Play a Young Hondo?
By Matt Webb Mitovich / September 28 2020, 10:22 AM PDT
CBS' S.W.A.T. will kick off its fourth season with a postponed — yet more relevant-than-ever — episode that flashes back to the 1992 Los Angeles riots READ MORE
S.W.A.T. Starts Production on Season 4, With an Eye on a Fall Premiere
By Matt Webb Mitovich / August 4 2020, 5:09 PM PDT
Stay liquid, because CBS' S.W.A.T. team is officially rolling with Season 4. READ MORE
S.W.A.T. Moves Up to Fall, Survivor Bumped as CBS Shakes Up Schedule
The tribe has spoken, and the S.W.A.T. team is moving up: S.W.A.T. will now return for Season 4 this fall on CBS as Survivor is delayed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. READ MORE
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BLU is out to change the playing field again, introducing the gorgeous Dark Blue color that brings the C4 to another design level. Elegant and a smooth curved glass touch panel gives the smartphone a super sleek image that is sure to please.
The C4 is powered by a 1.3GHz Quad Core processor, enough processing power to breeze through all task. Paired with a Mali-400 GPU, you can enjoy gaming and movie on the go.
The C4 showcases an impressive 4" display that brings realistic images to life. Enjoy your movies or play the latest game downloaded from the PlayStore, the 400 x 800 resolution with 224ppi vivid display will sure to impress.
Incorporating the highest grade material such as curved glass touch panel ensure the C4 has excellent feedback and feel, as well as a smooth liquid form factor.
Life is full of surprises, why not capture them forever. C4's 5 Megapixel main camera can take images that is clear and vivid that you can store in memory forever.
C4's 5 Megapixel front camera ensures all your selfies are glamorous. Share all your special moments with friends and family at the touch of your finger.
Globally Connected. Unlocked & Dual Sim.
Stay connected with friends and family while traveling the world. The C4 comes with most popular 3G bands 850/1900 or 850/2100 to ensure you always have access to worldwide carrier while you're on the go!


It's easy to get really annoyed at big events like CES 2016 because vendors are constantly pitching you to write about products that just aren't very good. However, this doesn't mean that CES is totally worthless but rather that you have to filter out the truly promising products from the products that are just a waste of your time. 10 products announced at CES 2016 really caught my eye this year and I think they have the potential to really go somewhere in the coming years. Let's check them out.
OK, so this isn't really a product so much as a wireless standard. However it's also the most potentially important long-term announcement of the show since it will enable better communications between all of the different devices we have in our homes. 802.11ah is a new Wi-Fi standard announced at CES 2016 that promises to double the reach of current Wi-Fi radios while also using even less power. In short, this standard will be the glue that holds the smart home of the future together.
Although Tesla is by far the most hyped electric car manufacturer, General Motors generated some buzz of its own at CES 2016 with the unveiling the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt 2017. The car can get an estimated 200 miles per charge and, even more importantly, is affordably priced at $30,000 after government incentives.
LG turned a lot of heads at CES 2016 this year with the unveiling of an 18-inch flexible display that the company says can be rolled up like a newspaper. Devices like last year's Samsung Galaxy S6 edge showed us just some of the potential of curved displays but displays that can actually be rolled up or folded are taking these innovations to a whole new level and I can't wait to see the applications LG comes up with for this technology going forward.
Drones were a big hit at CES 2016 this year and one of the most impressive came from manufacturer Parrot, which unveiled its new Disco drone. Unlike most drones on the market, the Disco is a full fixed-wing aircraft and it can fly at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and can stay in the air for up to 45 minutes at a time. Parrot says the drone is also able to intelligently fly itself and avoid crashing into objects that may be in its path. It has no release date or price yet but you can bet it will be high on many hobbyists' lists of things to buy this year.
This is a brilliant idea for a PC gaming rig that can also serve as your everyday laptop. Essentially, Razer's Blade Stealth laptop is designed to be sleek ultrabook that you can bring with you wherever you go. When you feel like turning into a powerful gaming PC, you can then plug it into the Core dock that will give you all the processing power you need to play your favorite PC games on max settings.
I… I can't believe I'm including this here either. Yes, it's a refrigerator that costs $5,000… but it's just so awesome. This fridge has a gigantic touchscreen and built-in stereo speakers so you can streaming your favorite music or watching your favorite Netflix shows via a connection with your Samsung smart TV. It also lets you shop for food directly from its touchscreen thanks to a partnership with MasterCard that will let you order food from multiple retailers. While this fridge certainly isn't for everyone, it's also the first kitchen appliance ever unveiled at CES that has ever even remotely intrigued me. And that is quite an achievement.
Unmanned aerial drones are so last year. This year at CES, a Chinese company called EHang unveiled the first aerial drone that's large enough for you to ride inside. The EHang 184 is loaded with sensors that are designed to help it avoid any potential dangers while in the air and the device can be controlled manually from inside using a simple tablet interface. While this drone looks incredible, I imagine it's going to be a while before we see it go on sale in the U.S. as the FAA will likely not be eager to have everyone flying around in their own personal mini-helicopters.
Samsung really, really does TVs well. Samsung at CES 2016 unveiled its new flagship SUHD TV line that will begin rolling out later this year and will be available in sizes ranging from 49 inches to 88 inches. What makes these TVs really distinctive is their curved bezel-free displays that will offer you beautiful 4K resolution. The new SUHD TVs will come loaded with Samsung's Tizen operating system that includes several key features such as the SmartHub that is your access point to all the content you watch, whether its on Netflix and Hulu or on regular network TV. The new TVs will start shipping in March.
Samsung is really bringing the heat when it comes to SSD technology and its new Portable SSD T3 offers up to 2TB of storage encased in a device that's the size of your palm and that weighs less than two ounces. The Portable SSD T3 is compatible with USB 3.1 and USB 2.0, it has a sequential transfer speed of up to 450Mbps, and it includes AES 256-bit hardware encryption.
How much thinner can our TVs get? LG is trying to answer that question with its new LG Signature OLED TV that measures in at just 2.5 millimeters thick, or the same thickness as four stacked credit cards. The TV runs on webOS, the long-dead smartphone operating system that LG acquired from HP to use on its own home appliance and entertainment products. LG says that the new TV will start rolling out in March, although no pricing information has been revealed yet.


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From the Head: 11/21
News and Information: 11/21
Calendar: 11/21
Kudos: 11/21
Accept and Give Praise
One of the 25 rules of considerate conduct in Forni's book Choosing Civility is to "accept and give praise." This is not as easy as it first appears. The following extract from Forni's book (p70) is worth quoting in full.
Here are a few good reasons to engage in the generous form of attention that is praise.
By sharing with others how we feel about them, we let them know something about ourselves and strengthen the bonds between us in the process.
By saying, "What you are doing is wonderful," we encourage those who are doing the wonderful thing to keep doing it. Maybe in a small way, we become responsible for the continued existence of something wonderful.
Many are unaware of their own gifts or may not realize how outstanding those gifts are. Through our praise we reveal to people who they are.
Giving praise we nurture others' self-esteem, a crucial factor in their emotional well-being.
Experts on manners across the centuries have provided instruction on how to handle praise. They actually prefer to speak of "compliments," a category in which they include all kinds of praise, from the serious to the mundane. A compliment, they tell us, is a gift, one we are expected to acknowledge with the simple courtesy of a firm and felt "Thank you." All too often, instead, we add self-deprecating remarks (Oh, I'm not sure I was that good").
That reaction to praise is almost like returning a gift we didn't like. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we should never solicit more praise than we were given or expand on a compliment we received (I was good wasn't I, and you know what? I am getting better every day!"). Of course, should we receive by mistake compliments that belong to others we will give credit where it is due."
My hope is that each of us can get away this Thanksgiving for a few days with family or friends to reflect and recharge. There may be persons we catch up who we really value but never tell them so or individuals whose gifts we really appreciate but do not explicitly acknowledge. Be generous (and genuine) with your praise this week.
External Review of ENE - Site Visit
Periodically each school in the college is reviewed, and it is our turn. This Monday/Tuesday (Nov 21/22), a committee of external experts who are charged with reviewing the School of Engineering Education will be on campus conducting the site visit phase of this review. This External Review Committee is chaired by Professor Michael Corradini from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The other members are Professor David Darmofal from MIT, Professor Emeritus Thomas Harris from Vanderbilt University, and Professor Bevlee Watford from Virginia Tech. Many of you will be meeting with them on Monday.
The purpose of the review is to provide an overview of all the elements in the School of Engineering Education. This includes its recent past, current state and future directions, its strengths, weaknesses and comparatives with peer departments. The review covers all elements of ENE, including, but not limited to, undergraduate education, graduate education, research, scholarship, entrepreneurship and engagement activities, students, faculty and administration. The review also places attention on our significant future challenges and opportunities in education, research and engagement and how we plan to address these challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
We expect to have the results of the review by early spring 2012. The report will provide us with valuable feedback on our performance - our accomplishments and areas for improvement. It should also provide helpful advice on our challenges and opportunities going forward. There will be an ENE Advance in the latter part of the spring semester at which we will reflect on this feedback and plan the final two years of the current strategic plan (2009-14) and also make preparations to develop the next plan for 2014-19.
From the ENE Graduate Student Association
The ENEGSA will be hosting a Research Collaboration Brown Bag in January rather than later this November, following a vote in last Thursday's seminar. Also, thank you to the ASEE student chapter for hosting a very relaxing stress-management panel discussion last week. One key takeaway from the panel discussion: Some stress is necessary for us to get anything done, but too much stress has its consequences. Be sure to have a relaxing, near-stress-free Thanksgiving break with friends and family. And as always, contact the ENGSA with questions at enegsa.purdue@gmail.com.
Independence and National Days around the World
Nov 22 - Lebanon - Independence Day
Nov 25 - Bosnia and Herzegovina - National day
Nov 25 - Suriname - Independence Day
Mon/Tues, Nov. 21-22: Site Visit by External Review Committee
Thurs/Fri, Nov. 24-25: Purdue holiday
Thurs, Dec. 1: ENE seminar: Dr. Larry Shuman. (FRNY G124)
Fri/Mon, Dec. 23, 26: Purdue holiday
Fri/Mon, Dec 30, Jan 2: Purdue holiday
Mon-Fri, Feb. 19-25: National Engineers Week
Wednesday, Feb. 22: ENE Outstanding Alumni Awards
....to Julie Russell, from our visitor last week, Jenni Case, who asked that we give "a big shout-out to Julie for her excellent and caring organizational skills!"
...to David Radcliffe, for surviving a radio interview with WIBC reporter Joe Ulery about ENE's colloquium "It Takes a Team: Reflections at the 50th Anniversary of Human Spaceflight," after flying in from Australia just hours before. WIBC, an Indianapolis station, aired the interview last Saturday. You can listen to it here. (A video recording of the colloquium will be posted on Purdue's YouTube channel within a week or so.)
Shortcut URL: http://eng.purdue.edu/jump/8aa5e5


text:
Q: How to automatically load function in PHP I use this code to load classes
 function __autoload($className)
 {
      $files = dirname(__FILE__).'/public/class/'.$className.'.php';

      if(file_exists($files))
      {
           include_once($files);
      }
 }

does anyone know how to retrieve the function automatically, too? Thank you.

A: Autoloader function registered spl_autoload_register() can be used to load classes, but not functions. Wrap your functions in class or classes to utilize autoloading, i.e.
class Utils {
  static function foo() {
    ..
  }
}

then call it static way:
Utils::foo();

and you can have it autoloaded when needed. See more infromation on autoloading in PHP manual.

A: Yes, you can automatically load classes using the autoload feature, but no, you can't do the same for functions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The News Portal News Blog
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Lebanon's journalists suffer abuse, threats covering unrest
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Esper sees no immediate need to send more US troops to Gulf
Home World Argyle teen to make big screen debut
Argyle teen to make big screen debut
Slade Monroe of Argyle will seem within the upcoming function movie "12 Mighty Orphans" starring Luke Wilson and Martin Sheen.
"The name Slade Monroe just sounds like an actor, doesn't it," mentioned Kathleen "Kat" Monroe, mom of the North Texas actor at the moment filming the most important movement image, "12 Mighty Orphans," starring Luke Wilson and Martin Sheen.
This April, simply prior to his commencement from Argyle High School, Monroe obtained an invite to audition for "12 Mighty Orphans" by means of his agent from the Kim Dawson Acting Agency in Dallas.
Following a few auditions for the movie, then commencement, he moved from Texas to start his freshman yr towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts diploma in Acting for Screen on a scholarship to California's Chapman University.
Monroe obtained one other callback audition for the movie. In September, he was forged as "Wheatie," the quarterback for the historic soccer workforce of orphans from Fort Worth throughout the Depression Era decade of 1930-40.
The movie is predicated on the true story as recounted within the e book, "Twelve Mighty Orphans" by creator Jim Dent.
Monroe took a go away of absence from college and started filming on Oct. 7 in Fort Worth and the encompassing space.
"Even though I have been warned, I never fully appreciated the words of caution that were explained to me by more experienced actors– that the schedule would change quite often," Monroe mentioned about being a working actor. "We have already had a few, but there is something very exciting about it, though, so I can't really complain."
Making his movie debut, Monroe, 19, loved performing from a younger age.
"Being a performer of any type has always been a feeling of comfort to me," mentioned Monroe. "Even though it is risky, it has always made me feel like I have a true sense of worth."
Monroe is picked up from his resort every morning at 6:45 a.m. and pushed to the each day movie location. He goes to hair– minimize within the model from the 1930s– and make-up; then to his trailer to placed on his costume for rehearsal and filming.
In getting ready for his function, Monroe attended a soccer camp for 2 weeks in Ft. Worth, studying performs and watching archive 1930-1940 soccer movie.
In 1899, a faculty was constructed in Fort Worth to home and educate the orphans of Texas Freemasons; the idea for "12 Mighty Orphans."
A World War 1 veteran– with a troubled previous– accepts a job as head soccer coach on the Masonic Home Orphanage. The coach, Rusty Russell– portrayed by Dallas-native Luke Wilson– places collectively a scrawny, underfed soccer workforce. This group of twelve boys have been certain collectively by hardship and demise. They started with nothing, not even a soccer.
Football introduced life and objective to the group of orphans. It constructed character, workforce values and a way of household. Martin Sheen is forged as the varsity's physician, "Doc Hall."
Coach Russell molded the children into unlikely athletes and he lead the workforce of orphans to the State Championship; and, conjures up a damaged nation alongside the way in which.
In a promotional picture shoot, a photographer from the long-lasting "Life Magazine," photographed the film forged recreating Life's unique historic picture shoot from the 1940s.
Unlike many individuals within the highlight, notoriety isn't what motivates Monroe.
"The most satisfying things to me were the first time I heard 'action' and the first time my director (Ty Roberts) said, 'it was a good shot," he mentioned. "Those are the 2 issues I've all the time wished to hear.
"My favorite genre is drama, because dramas have the ability to tell a story with greater depth. The characters present in dramatic stories catch my interest, because they generally seem to create a more interesting plot. But that is my personal opinion."
"12 Mighty Orphans" actually fulfills that requirement. It tells the story of America's love for the underdog. It's a tribute to a brave band of children from a time when America desperately wanted contemporary hope and big desires. It is heartwarming and tells the real-life tales of those orphans and the person who coached them.
"As a first-time actor in a feature film, I typically have many questions from the day-to-day shootings and Jake Austin Walker (who plays Hardy Brown) has been an actor for all of his life and he's got the answers," mentioned Monroe. "This is definitely not his first rodeo."
And, though this can be Monroe's first skilled movie "rodeo," he has a future course and focus.
"I would never close my mind off to an opportunity to act or perform," he mentioned when requested about theater performing. "But, the pace at which film and TV go fits better with who I am. My area of focus, after acting, will eventually be being a producer. It is very important to understand the business side of film, as much as the on-camera side."
Back in Argyle, his dad and mom, Bruce and Kathleen, plus his older brothers, Hunter and Jett, kind a assist base for the budding actor with the distinctive title.
Kat Monroe mentioned: "I wanted each of my sons to have a distinct name; something that would stand out in a crowd. I looked through thousands of names before coming up with the perfect ones. I was watching TV one evening and the name of a Senator from Washington State popped up on the screen– 'Slade Gorton.' I had never heard of the name Slade and knew that was it."
Monroe is at the moment targeted on the current.
"I love what I do and I am very thankful for the opportunity I have been given," he mentioned. "There's a lot of motivation in being proud of what you do. Finishing this movie and doing it to the best I can is my top priority. If college is my best opportunity afterwards, then I will go back, but I am keeping my options open."
"12 Mighty Orphans" will probably be launched nationwide in fall 2020, throughout soccer season. Get updates in regards to the movie at www.12mightyorphans.com.
The publish Argyle teen to make big screen debut appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.
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Last Update 18:2
Three killed at US giant Freeport's Indonesia mine
AFP , Friday 2 Jan 2015
Indonesia vows 'all-out effort' in search for AirAsia victims
Indonesia believes it has found AirAsia plane on sea bed
Three security personnel were found dead with bullet and machete wounds at a US-owned Freeport-McMoRan copper and gold mine in eastern Indonesia, local police said Friday.
The three -- one security employee and two police officers on duty at the mine -- were on patrol at the huge Grasberg complex in Papua province before they were found dead late Thursday.
Police found deep gashes on the three bodies as well as bullet wounds on one of them, Papua police spokesman Patrick Renwarin said.
"We still don't know the cause of the deaths yet as we are still waiting for the full report," Renwarin said.
Freeport Indonesia said the area where the patrol vehicle was found had been sealed for police investigation.
Pro-independence militants have waged a low-level insurgency against Indonesian rule in Papua, which is off-limits to foreign journalists without special permission.
Grasberg, one of the biggest copper and gold mines in the world, has been plagued by accidents and production problems in recent years.
In May 2013, a training tunnel collapsed killing 28 miners as they took part in a safety course in one of Indonesia's worst-ever mining accidents.
In 2011 a three-month strike crippled production at the mine, and workers only halted the industrial action once Freeport agreed to a huge pay rise.


The Minister of National Defence, Mircea Duşa, met with the German Chief of Staff, General Volker Wieker, at the defence ministry on Thursday, April 16. The German military leader came in Romania at the invitation of the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Nicolae Ciucă.
Minister Duşa and General Wieker discussed the developments in the security situation in the extended Black Sea region and the implementation of the assurance measures in bilateral but also allied context.
As to the two NATO command structures that will operate on Romanian territory, the defence minister said: "We created the legal framework necessary to establish the integration of the NATO Force Integration Units (NFIU) and the Multinational Division-Southeast Command (MND-SE) in Bucharest, in the spaces of some existing commands, which meet the conditions required by NATO".
The agenda included talks on the development of NATO capabilities and preparations for the Foreign Affairs Council meeting of the European Union in defence ministers format, scheduled in May, and the meeting of the European Council on security and defence, to take place in June.
"The process of implementing the Framework Nations Concept, launched by your country, registers significant progress. The great number of participants from among the allies proves the viability of this initiative," Minister Dusa said.
Lieutenant General Nicolae Ciuca presented his German counterpart the priorities of the Romanian Armed Forces for the coming period, the commitment of the Romanian troops to "Resolute Support" mission in Afghanistan, the stage of implementing the tasks resulting from the Action Plan of the Alliance in terms of increasing the operational capability according to the schedule.
The two military leaders also discussed intensifying bilateral collaboration as well as identifying new fields of cooperation.


Do you own a Shell Commercial Card? If yes, then you can access the online card account that helps you pay your bill online, view the unbilled activity and more. Signing in to the online account is really simple and fast. The website is updated recently for a better user experience. They have redesigned their website to help the account holders customize their account preferences and to set up alerts. If you are using the online account services for long, then you will find the new changes the next time you visit this website. This website offers you all the tools that you need to manage your account remotely and securely. In this post, you will learn how to sign in to your online account on your personal computer.
To be able to use the tools available through this online account, you must be registered on their official website. If you are not yet registered, then you should visit their website and register for the online account. For account registration, you need to use your Shell account number, card expiration date, billing Zip, business email address, fleet manager name, and other information. You also need to choose your unique user ID and password. You will also be asked to create security questions that you can use to retrieve your account username or password later on. Now, let's see how one can log in to this online account.
Turn on your internet connected computer and launch an internet browser. Open the link: www.shellfleetcard.accountonline.com to access the official login page.
When the login page opens, you should see the "Secure Sign-On" form on the left-hand side of the computer screen. There, enter your user ID and password and click the "Sign-on" button. Now, you will be signed into your online account.
If you are not yet registered, then you should click "Register Now" button on the right-hand side of the same login page, and then create your account. After that, you can log in the way we have discussed above.


text:
Jack Welch was a greedy monster
QUICK READ: Jack Welsh was no genius by any means. He was the first person to put shareholders above everything else resulting in thousands of layoffs and his strategic direction away from G.E.s core business caused the company's downfall from which it's still trying to recover.
According to the Washington Post, "Welch popularized the concept known as "shareholder value," the idea that the primary duty of a company's management is to increase its stock price for the benefit of shareholders. In pursuit of this goal, he bought and sold companies, shedding huge numbers of employees along the way. GE's share prices soared".
Never mind the fact Welch routinely closed GE's Rust Belt factories and moved the jobs to Third World locales, where workers labored for less — much, much less — than the former GE employees. Never mind the fact that he cut funding for research and development, something that can undermine a company's long-term health. And never mind the fact that the humane postwar arrangement between corporations and their employees — give us your loyalty and we'll take care of you as best we can — ended in part because of Welch. He made money for shareholders, and that was the important thing.
Helaine Olen Washington Post
Welch, like many a corporate honcho, believed in accountability for everyone but himself. When it came to his perceived needs, cost was not a concern. His compensation was outsize — he earned millions and millions of dollars annually. (In 1997, he earned 1,400 times more than the typical American factory worker). The pattern continued even after he exited GE: It came out during his 2002 divorce that the company had continued to pay for everything in his life, from his use of the corporate jet to meals at four-star New York restaurant Jean Georges. GE even settled the bill for the flowers in his apartment. By the time Welch exited his position in 2001, GE earned a large chunk of its profits not from its traditional industrial strengths but as a financial services company. This turned out to be a major cause of the company's undoing — it all but blew up in 2008, and Welch's successors are still trying to put the company back together again. A share of GE is worth an astonishing 80 percent less than it was valued 20 years ago. So much for shareholder value.
I know we're not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but his effect on American capitalism was too profound — and too destructive — to go unmentioned. Welch turned the focus of the company to its stock price. Everything became secondary to that including employees.
Because Welch was so idolized, the path he trod became the path every other CEO trod as well. They all began focusing on shareholder value. That became the basis on which they were judged and paid. And it warped the business culture, causing companies to put employees, vendors and even customers behind the primacy of shareholders. If you want to see what happens when you take maximizing shareholder value to its logical extreme, I give you Facebook. Or, for that matter, Enron.
Joe Nocera, Bloomberg
Now that he is gone the media, for the most part, wants to sing his praises. How many lives did he destroy in the process of putting shareholders first? How much money did he spend when, after he left GE, he still was able to use the corporate jet free?
Right now the pharma industry is very much following the Welch model. Shareholders are king while people decide if they can afford prescription medications and CEOs rake in millions of dollars of compensation based on share price.
I'm sorry Mr. Welch is gone but please don't make him out to be a business leader when he was strictly a greedy monster.
Originally published at https://www.newmediaandmarketing.com on March 4, 2020.
Why Startups Shouldn't Bet Big On Trends Like Videoconferencing


The Sunshine Foundation of Canada makes dreams come true for children living with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. Our vision is that every Sunshine child lives their dream.
Sunshine's Dream Programs give the children we serve the opportunity to experience freedom from their daily regimens and challenges by having their dreams transformed into reality, impacting them with a sense of independence, confidence, and empowerment that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
A Sunshine Dream is an individual experience, dreamed by a child and brought to life by our dedicated team of dream makers. These experiences are as unique as the kids who dream them and can include family members to join in on a customized adventure. From meeting a hero to custom-tailored sports equipment, we encourage kids to dream big and dream bold.
A Sunshine DreamLift is a day of "Yes!" and a whirlwind adventure that transports a plane full of Sunshine Children to a Disney theme park and back home in just one day! Sunshine DreamLift is an unforgettable adventure with new friends, a first plane ride, and a taste of independence away from parents.
Since 1987, Sunshine has created more than 8,000 life-changing experiences for children across Canada and coordinated 62 Sunshine DreamLifts.
Please note if you chose to be anonymous, your contact information will not be shared with Sunshine. If you decide to be anonymous, please know we really appreciate your gift, but will be unable to thank you directly.


Born: February 14, 1900, Vietlava pag.
1917-1918 - technical draftsman for the Moscow-Ventspils railway workshop.
Summer 1918 - returns to Latvia.
June 17, 1919 - called into the Latvian army, initially assigned to the Valmiera infantry, later transferred to the 6th Riga Infantry.
Autumn, 1919 - enrols in military college, but for the time being remains on the front lines. Takes part in the liberation of Pardaugava and the battles along the Iecava River.
November 5, 1919 - distinguished himself in a particularly dangerous reconnaissance mission which led to an exchange of fire with the enemy (Noted in his Lacplesis Order citation).
1920 - graduates (in the first graduating class) of the Latvian military college.
Serves in the 9th Rezeknes Infantry.
When the Aviation Division received its first new aircraft, only select pilots were permitted to fly them. Dzenitis, a new pilot, was given permission to fly the SVA-10.
Promoted to the rank of Lt.Colonel.
January 31, 1929 - sent to Czechoslovakia to test fly the Avio B-H-33 (being considered for purchase) and then to England to fly the Bristol Bulldog.
March 10, 1930 - Replaced by Bulmanis as Commander of the Aviation Regiment's Fighter Section.
1932 - Completes the instrument flying course and starts making occasional night flights in June.
1935 - Was honored with the "Best Latvian Aviator of the Year" award from the International League of Aviators.
July 1, 1935 - test flies and accepts Udet Flamingo #95, built by Arsenals.
September 8, 1935 - Dzenitis flies the KOD-1 in public for its first time, at the Riga air show.
March 1937 - November 1940 - Commander of the Fighter Division, consisting of three Squadrons.
October, 1938 - Member of the 1st Squadron.
May 21, 1939 - Participated in the Aviation Festival at Daugavpils.
1939 - logs a total of 69 flight hours.
April - June, 1941 - University of Latvia - Assistant Chair in the Military Studies Faculty.
June, 1941 - (German Occupation) Commander of the Jekabpils civil defense unit.
1941 - 1943 - Commander of the Jekabpils, Bauska and Jelgava civil defense region.
1944 - Assigned as Commander of the re-constituted National Guard.
December 1946 - (Soviet Occupation) Arrested by the Soviets.
June 1947 - Sentenced to labour camp in Siberia for a term of 20 years.
1958 - paroled from Siberia, but forbidden to return to Latvia so he settles in Pitalov.
Died - June 10, 1963 in Pitalov. Laid to rest in Riga, Bralu Kapi.


Aayla Secura is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, played by Amy Allen. Her name is pronounced as one word, Aayl'asecura in her native tongue. She was a Jedi Knight who appeared in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. She was an empathic and highly intelligent Jedi with impressive fighting skills. However, she never sat on the Jedi High Council.
Aayla is a female Twi'lek who was always strong with the Force. When she was training as a Padawan, her master was Quinlan Vos, a Kiffar who had recently lost his memories but maintained his Jedi ways.
The character was originally created for the Expanded Universe by artist Jan Duursema and writer John Ostrander, but after a piece of striking artwork by artist Jon Foster caught George Lucas's eye, the character was placed in the film.
Aayla Secura is a master of Ataru (Form IV Lightsaber Combat) according to her co-creater Jan Duursema.
Aayla was known to have an especially close friendship with Master Kit Fisto, a friendship that would probably have become more if neither had been a Jedi.
Although Aalya was only in Episodes II and III for a short time, she has a large following among fans. When the Clone Wars began, Aayla became a general in charge of a garrison of clone troopers. She was hospitalized after the attack by General Grievous during the Battle of Hypori, but eventually returned to the battlefield.