text:
Finger-pointing over Venetian Festival's demise
Posted: Sep 27, 2011 11:32 PM EST | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 10:02 AM EST
SAINT JOSEPH, Mich. -- Passions are running high over the news that the Venetian Festival won't be around next summer. Monday night the Venetian's board voted to retire the festival after 33 years.
"I think people did realize St Joe was here and it is a little jewel," says Connie Yore, the founder of the Venetian Festival. She is working in her shop Tuesday, Days of Yore Antique Shop on State Street.
Yore says three decades ago, when she and her late-husband started the festival, Saint Joseph wasn't a tourist destination at all. Yore realized manufacturing was leaving the city and it needed tourism. "A lot of people came into town that realized what a wonderful city it was and they came back later in the year," says Yore.
It started as a family-oriented event with log-rolls, a swimming competition and boat races. Yore admits it has changed. Its popularity became so big it led to the festivals demise.
"The only thing I'm going to miss is (the Venetian Fest is) one of the weeks we shut down, so I had vacation during that time," says Chuck Brinkman, owner of The Natural Gem jewelry store three-doors-down from Yore. "The two times we were open, we had stuff stolen out of here, out of the shop. We decided it wasn't worthwhile to have open," says Brinkman.
Brinkman was one of the business owners who returned a survey to the city in August about the festival's impact on Saint Joseph. He voted no. "Bigger festivals like that hurt the downtown. The tourists stay away and people who are actually spending money in town are just not here," says Brinkman.
Two-thirds of the surveys returned to the city didn't show support for the festival. Last month the Saint Joseph City Commission voted to pull about $25,000 in funding for the Venetian Festival.
A series of closed-door meetings between the city and festival leaders began. The most recent was Monday night when leaders voted to retire the festival. According to Laurie Draper, President of the Venetian Festival, the city wanted to see a smaller festival with fewer days and fewer attendees. Draper said meeting the city's demands would not have been financially viable.
Ralph Kitron, a 33-year veteran and former president of the festival, says the city drove the festival out of town. "They didn't show both sides of the story," says Kitron. He says the survey was skewed to highlight the negatives of the festival. "$25,000 is nothing to bring in $350,000 of moveable money," says Kitron.
Kitron explains that the festival has a $350,000 budget that pays for numerous local services and businesses."You don't know what you got until it's gone," he says. "Next year people's bottom line is not going to look as good as this year's and the year's before."
Yore says the Venetian Festival is one of the reasons Saint Joseph is the way it is today and it shouldn't be taken lightly. "I still think this coming year we're going to have a lot of people coming into town that third weekend of July expecting that Venetian Festival and being very surprised that it isn't here anymore," she says.


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Christie Ivan Cruz
Christie Ivan Cruz, age 47, husband of Annette E. (Esposito) Cruz, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, passed away on Monday, April 12, 2021. Born on June 28, 1973 in Newark, New Jersey, he was the son of Telesforo Cruz, of Temecula, CA and the late Joseria (Dionisio) Cruz. Chris had been employed as a computer analyst in the Information Technology department at The Vanguard Group for over 20 years, where he was recognized by his co-workers as a valued team member and known as a "go to" and a problem solver. Chris was a gentle, quiet and warm hearted man. He always brought love and laughter everywhere he went and had a close-knit group of "life-long" buddies from his early years. Chris had a love of table tennis and spending time with family. Most importantly, he was a devoted father who always looked forward to Daddy and Bella time. In addition to his loving wife and father, Chris is survived by his daughter: Isabella C. Cruz, of Phoenixville; sister: Emilie, wife of Jim Morgan, of Pottstown; nephew: Everett James; and a large loving extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service at the Campbell-Ennis-Klotzbach Funeral Home, Inc, Main Street at Fifth Avenue, Phoenixville, on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 11:00 am. Friends will be received from 10:00 am - 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Chris's name to the National Kidney Foundation. Arrangements are being handled by the Campbell - Ennis - Klotzbach Funeral Home, Inc., Phoenixville. Condolences may be offered online at www.PhoenixvilleFuneralHome.com.
Christie Ivan Cruz, age 47, husband of Annette E. (Esposito) Cruz, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, passed away on Monday, April 12, 2021. Born on June 28, 1973 in Newark, New Jersey, he was the son of Telesforo Cruz, of Temecula, CA and the... View Obituary & Service Information
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Make Paid Family Leave a Guarantee for ALL Working Families
10,286 signatures toward our 30,000 Goal
34.29% Complete
Sponsor: The Hunger Site
The United States is one of the few first-world countries without a national policy for paid family leave. That must change.
Tell the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus that we need a national policy for paid family leave that covers all workers.
Paid family leave refers largely to paid maternity or paternity leave, but it also includes the ability for employees to take significant portions of paid time off to care for a seriously ill loved one or to welcome a non-biological child into the family. Paid leave lasts several weeks, and employees taking it are paid a portion of their typical income.
The United States, however, is way behind other countries, as it does not have a national policy for this kind of benefit. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 14 percent of U.S. employees had access to paid family leave in 2016.[1]
While the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act was supposed to allow workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, about 41 percent of employees went uncovered in 2012. [2] And even those to whom it does apply may not be able to afford to take it.
That is why a national policy for paid family leave is so necessary. In addition to that, mothers need to recover from childbirth, and families need to take time together to bond with the baby. Research has even shown that paid family leave is linked to the survival of newborns; it is believed that providing 10 weeks of paid family leave could reduce the United States' higher-than-average infant mortality rate by up to 10 percent. [3] Emerging research also suggests that paid family leave reduces parents' stress and increases the likelihood that babies are breastfed — both of which could improve the children's outcomes.
But paid family leave isn't just good for employees and their families. It can even have a positive impact on employers, as they have increased employee satisfaction and reduced turnover rate — which, in turn, results in less money and time spent hiring and training new workers.
Yet paid family leave is often treated as a privilege — one that is mostly granted to elite, corporate workers — than it is as a right for everyone who needs it.
Programs for paid family leave are being implemented in states like California, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. The results for both workers and employees have so far been positive or at least neutral. If they can do it successfully, so can the rest of this country.
The time has come; we need to take action. With a national policy for paid family leave, we could give families the opportunity they need to not just survive, but to also thrive.
[1] DeSilver, D. (2017, March 23). Access to paid family leave varies widely across employers, industries. Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/23/access-to-paid-family-leave-varies-widely-across-employers-industries/
[2] Isaacs, J., Healy, O., & Peters, H. E. (2017, May). Paid Family Leave in the United States: Time for a New National Policy. Retrieved November 6, 2017, from https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/90201/paid_family_leave.pdf
[3] May, A. (2017, May 18). Paid family leave is an elite benefit in the U.S. Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/17/paid-maternity-leave-elite-benefit-u-s/325075001/
The Petition:
Dear Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus,
Paid family leave, including paid maternity and paternity leave, is an issue that deserves to be placed at the forefront of our public attention.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2016, only 14 percent of American civilian workers had access to paid family leave. Considering that allowing employees to take paid family leave could benefit families and employers alike, as well as potentially even reduce infant mortality rates, it is a veritable shame that this number is so dismally low.
American employees may have access to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave thanks to the Family Medical Leave Act, but a significant number of workers are not covered by it, and even those that are may not be able to benefit from it due to financial constraints.
The idea of a national policy for paid family leave for all workers is one that has gained widespread, bipartisan support. It is time to turn this well-received idea into something solid.
We therefore ask you to create a national policy for paid family leave, one that covers all employees regardless of where they work or what they do. With your help, millions of Americans and their families could benefit and get the leave they truly need and deserve.
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Electricity consumption curbs take effect across Ukraine
As of 11.00 a.m. (0900GMT), power shortage in Ukraine's energy system amounts to 20%, says national energy operator.
27 Kasım 2022 Pazar 17:17
Ukraine on Sunday introduced countrywide curbs on energy consumption as it continues to grapple with extensive damage to its infrastructure amid the war with Russia.
"In all regions of Ukraine, there is a regime of restriction of electricity consumption," the country's national energy operator Ukrenergo said in a statement, adding that as of 11.00 a.m. (0900GMT), the power deficit in the country's energy system was at 20%.
Ukrenergo further noted that the schemes and schedules of the outages were planned and applied by the regional systems in place.
The statement comes amid the deployment of "Points of Invincibility" across the country to provide basic services during power outages inflicted by Russian strikes, according to a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early on Thursday.
In the past week, Russian strikes have hit infrastructure in multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv.
In response to the attacks, Ukrenergo announced emergency shutdowns in all regions "to protect power grids from additional technological accidents and support the operation of the power system."
Zelenskyy also said late on Friday that repair work on energy infrastructure facilities damaged by Russian attacks earlier this week would be a key task.
In an address to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow was launching strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, as well as other infrastructure, to prevent their use in supplying Ukraine with weapons, "primarily of Western origin."
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that Russia was carrying out strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been the target of Russian airstrikes since the start of the war in February, stepped up after an explosion damaged the key Kerch Bridge to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.


and on Friday; August 31st, at Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke from 12pm to 4pm.
Students are encouraged to arrive on time, as supplies are limited. CCT will remain active and involved in the community supporting the BVI in the rebuilding process along with tackling issues that affect the territory. To learn more about CCT BVI, visit www.cctbvi.com or CCT BVI Facebook page.


THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- A man who survived the deadly mass shooting last year in Las Vegas also miraculously came out of a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks alive Wednesday.
Brendan Kelly said he is a regular at Borderline Bar and Grill, frequenting the venue two or three times a week. Kelly was there when shots rang out Wednesday night around 11:20 p.m.
By the time the shots stopped, 12 people were dead, including the shooter. A Ventura County sheriff's sergeant who responded to the shooting died later at a hospital after being shot multiple times.
Kelly said he had been at the bar for about an hour dancing when he heard the first shots. "Pop, pop," said Kelly, describing the sound he heard. "Being in the military, being in the Marine Corps, I'm aware of what that sounds like, especially in an enclosed area."
Kelly said he immediately sprang into action, grabbing people around him and throwing them to the ground for cover.
Kelly said he and the others he rescued were able to make it out a back exit to safety.
Kelly said after surviving the Las Vegas massacre a little more than a year ago, it is difficult to cope with a shooting just down the street from where he lives.
In the minutes after his narrow escape, Kelly made the call to his family members that he hoped he would never again have to make after Las Vegas. He could still hear gunshots in the background.
As injured victims began emerging from the bar, Kelly rushed to help, removing his belt to apply a tourniquet to a friend's arm. "I wanted to help as best I could," said Kelly. "If we could be the first level of first responders before they got there, then you do all you can do instead of standing around not doing much."
Kelly said he has not yet been able to wrap his mind around his survival of a second mass shooting in a little more than a year's time.
"Only thing I can attribute it to is God," said Kelly. "His protective hand over me that night, on Oct. 1, and last night."
See more stories, photos, and videos on Thousand Oaks mass shooting.


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Q: How to Define a One-Side-Optional One-to-One Relationship in SQL Server and LINQ-to-SQL? I am trying to create a one-to-one relationship that is optional on one side between a User table and a UserInfo table.  The specifications are that a UserInfo must have exactly one User, while a User can have one or zero UserInfos.  Also we require that the foreign key exist in the UserInfo table so that the columns of the User table are not modified.  We would like to use the relationship in C# LINQ-to-SQL, e.g., user.UserInfo.Email = "test@test.com",userInfo.User`, etc.
The T-SQL for the tables and the foreign key from UserInfos to Users is (roughly):
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Users](
    [UserId] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    [Username] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
    CONSTRAINT [PK_dbo.Users] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ( [UserId] ASC ),
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[UserInfos](
    [UserInfoId] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
    [UserId] [int] NOT NULL,
    [Email] [varchar](250) NOT NULL,
    CONSTRAINT [PK_UserInfo] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ( [UserInfoId] ASC ),
    CONSTRAINT [UQ_UserId] UNIQUE NONCLUSTERED ( [UserId] ASC )
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[UserInfos]  WITH CHECK
    ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_UserInfos.UserID_Users.UserId] FOREIGN KEY([UserId])
    REFERENCES [dbo].[Users] ([UserId])
GO

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[UserInfos] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_UserInfos.UserID_Users.UserId]
GO

The problem is that if I define a foreign key from Users.UserId (the primary key) to UserInfos.UserId (which is, I understand, the correct way to define a non-optional one-to-one relationship) then performing the LINQ-to-SQL code user.UserInfo = null also sets the user.UserId to default(int).
Here is the T-SQL I use to define the foreign key between Users and UserInfos:
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Users]  WITH CHECK
    ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Users.UserId_UserInfos.UserId] FOREIGN KEY([UserId])
    REFERENCES [dbo].[UserInfos] ([UserId])
GO

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Users] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Users.UserId_UserInfos.UserId]
GO

If I do not define this foreign key, then I get no LINQ-to-SQL property on a User allowing me to access the UserInfo.  How can I have a relationship between the table Users and UserInfos that is traversable with LINQ-to-SQL, while at the same time allowing this relationship to be null from the User side?  Thank you.

A: You can do this but you're approaching it from the wrong side.
When you call
user.UserInfo = null;

the exception states that

An attempt was made to remove a relationship between a User and a UserInfo. However, one of the relationship's foreign keys (UserInfo.UserId) cannot be set to null.

LINQ-to-SQL thinks you are trying to remove the relationship between the two items; and in an indirect way you are. But the exception is just a reiteration of what you've stated yourself - a UserInfo must have a User. You're unlinking the two objects but you aren't removing the UserInfo - you're leaving an orphaned UserInfo in your context which cannot be persisted to the database (due to the foreign key constraint).
The answer? Delete the UserInfo.
var user = context.Users.First();
var userinfo = user.UserInfos;
user.UserInfos = null;
context.UserInfos.DeleteOnSubmit(userinfo);
context.SubmitChanges();

// or, even simpler:
var user = context.Users.First();
context.UserInfos.DeleteOnSubmit(user.UserInfos);
context.SubmitChanges();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Health Minister Greg Hunt has highlighted new medicines listed on the PBS as of December 1
Australians living with psoriasis, severe asthma and urea cycle disorder will enjoy financial relief as breakthrough medicines are added and expanded on the PBS, the Minister says.
"Patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis will have access to the new psoriasis drug Skyrizi (risankizumab)," he said.
"Without the subsidy, around 9,300 patients would pay up to $32,000 a year for treatment. With the Government's investment, they will now only pay a maximum of $40.30 per script, with concessional people paying just $6.50.
"More patients with severe eosinophilic asthma will have access to the currently listed asthma medicines Fasenra (benralizumab) and Nucala (mepolizumab), after the access criteria was expanded.
"As a result, an additional 1,000 patients each year will have access to these medicines, saving them up to $23,000 per year."
The Minister noted that in 2017–18, around 2.7 million Australians, or 11.2% of the population, had asthma.
Also, around 125 Australians with urea cycle disorder are set to save up to $19,000 a year, following the new listing of Pheburane (sodium phenylbutyrate).
This genetic disorder leads to the accumulation of nitrogen in the blood, resulting in elevated blood ammonia levels.
Each of these listings has been recommended by the PBAC, which since 2013, has approved more than 2,200 new or amended listings on the PBS.
"This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month – or one each day – at an overall investment by the Government of $10.7 billion," the Minister said.
"The Morrison Government's commitment to ensuring Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid."
Previous 'Unviable' situation leaves town with no pharmacy
Next TGA moves on EpiPen shortage


Bill and Hillary Clinton are off saving the world, he through his global foundation and she via the State Department. But their presence looms over the health care debate as surely as if they were running the White House. Their epic failure to pass reform in 1994 has become the defining object lesson in how to botch health care legislation--a lesson President Obama has obviously taken to heart. Push for reform right away; let Congress hash out the details; and, above all, don't threaten people's current insurance arrangements. You can sum up Obama's strategy for health reform as "WWCD": What Wouldn't the Clintons Do.
And it's working well so far. Notwithstanding the predictable fits-and-starts of the legislative process, it seems likely that Obama will have a bill to sign by year's end, thereby accomplishing what the Clintons famously could not. But then what? Having crafted a bill that can pass Congress, will Obama be signing a bill that people actually like? It's a question best answered by examining another episode of the past--one that, although a mere footnote in political history, is fraught with warnings for today's reformers.
Or at least that's what the law was supposed to do. After the bill passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support, a backlash developed, memorably culminating in a "riot" of angry seniors who chased a beleaguered Dan Rostenkowski--then chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee--into his car after a Chicago meeting. Less than two years after passage, before the bill's implementation, Congress voted to repeal the act, again with sweeping margins.
What had soured the public? As political scientist Jonathan Oberlander recounts in The Political Life of Medicare, a major factor was the sense among seniors--the program's intended beneficiaries--that the program's limited upside wasn't worth the cost they were paying. Medicare's lack of catastrophic care was a real problem, for sure, but not necessarily its biggest and certainly not its most visible, since only a tiny percentage of seniors ever ended up with those extended hospital stays. (Nursing home costs were a much bigger problem.) The other benefits, like the partial prescription drug coverage, would have helped more people. But few seniors understood that and the affluent among them already had supplemental coverage for many of those needs anyway.
These are not small concessions. Consider the proposed reduction in subsidies. In the original schemes, families of four making up to $88,000 a year would get at least some assistance; under the alternatives under discussion, only families making up to $66,000 could get subsidies. Yet families making between $66,000 and $88,000 are precisely the sort of families who could use help--not a lot of help, but a little--paying for insurance. And that's assuming subsidies really end up at $66,000. Lawmakers could easily bid the number down more before reaching a final compromise.
Put aside, for a moment, the policy merits of these moves. The politics are lousy. Obama would be in danger of producing legislation that seems to offer little up-front benefit, particularly for the electorally vital middle class. And if some of these people end up paying even modestly higher taxes to help finance reform they're not likely to be happy about it. It's hard to imagine such legislation provoking a backlash that could produce total repeal. It's not so hard to imagine such legislation creating bad political feelings, the kind that linger around until the next Election Day and pave the way for legislative retrenchment later on.
Of course, holding out for more generous subsidies, a robust public plan, or other reform elements that deliver clear, short-term benefits would obviously carry its own set of political risks. To get something through Congress, Obama probably needs some centrist support--or, at the very least, he needs to make a good show of courting it. But Obama must be wary of conceding too much. Even in strictly political terms, a good bill that passes with a narrow margin may preferable to a weak bill that carries huge majorities.
The lesson of the Clinton health care fight is that Congress won't embrace reform if there aren't some compromises. The lesson of the Medicare Catastrophic Care Act is that the public won't embrace reform if it has too many compromises. We know that Obama has mastered the first one. For his own sake, as well as ours, he'd better master the second.


What many in the market worry about isn't that high earners may pay more in taxes if Obama is re-elected. It's gridlock in Washington come January, when more than $600 billion in spending cuts and tax hikes could kick in just as the country smacks into its borrowing limit again.
There is reason to expect a deal. If Obama wins, the Republican fight to make him a one-term president will be lost. With the elections over, there will be little reason or room for political posturing. House Republicans could finally decide to be more cooperative.
But investors remember the budget battle in the summer of last year, which ended with the country losing its top credit rating and panicked investors fleeing the stock market. Investors are fearful of a repeat. In a second term, Obama would likely again be pitted against a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The next fight could get just as messy, but most on Wall Street think Congress and Obama would eventually manage to postpone some of the $600-billion-plus "fiscal cliff" before the year is out and avoid tipping the economy into a recession.
The Congressional Budget Office recently laid out the grim consequences of dropping off the fiscal cliff. Starting Jan. 1, tax cuts signed by President George W. Bush expire as do Obama's cuts to payroll taxes. Federal spending on defense and other domestic programs will drop, while emergency unemployment benefits run out.
The combined effect off all these changes would shrink the economy nearly 3 percent at an annual rate in the first half of next year, the CBO estimates, and push unemployment up to 9.1 percent by the fall. Recent surveys of businesses suggest the threat is already weighing on the minds of executives when they're making hiring and spending plans.
Democrats are far less likely to take the House from Republicans, who hold a 50-seat majority. Intrade markets put the chance that Republicans will control the House at 74 percent.
What troubles investors is that the same cast of characters who fought over raising the debt ceiling last year could be taking up the same task again while debating how best to maneuver around the fiscal cliff.
"I'm sure it's going to go just like it did last time — very messy," Lyngen says.
The widespread belief on Wall Street is that Congress and Obama will start negotiations over raising the debt limit and pushing back the fiscal cliff when they return in late November — the so-called lame-duck session, because newly elected members of Congress will not have taken their seats.
In a report out this week, analysts at Goldman Sachs tried to estimate just how painful the process will be. Goldman expects the stock market will start sinking after the elections as people realize the fiscal cliff "will not be solved in a smooth fashion."
That's the reason Goldman forecasts that one broad measure of the stock market, the Standard & Poor's 500 index, will end this year at 1,250 — a 13 percent drop from where it closed Thursday.
But all of that mayhem sounds better than the alternative: another recession caused by letting the $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts through. It's also why many take solace in the idea that, whatever their political party, nobody wants the economy to shrink.


text:
October 6, 2017 by cholliman1
"The Girl Who Drank The Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
coming-of-age, fantasy, growing up, magic, mothers and daughters, Newberry Award
The Plot In Five Sentences Or Less: Every year the members of the Proctectorate have taken an infant and left it in the woods as a sacrifice to the witch. Unbeknownst to them, the witch, who name is Xan, has shepherded each baby to another town so that it can be raised by a loving family. One year, however, Xan accidentally feeds a baby with moonlight, thereby enmagicking it. She names the girl Luna and raises her by her side. As Luna's powers develop, her past comes calling in the form of two women: one that has gone insane and another that feeds on sorrow and prowls with a tiger's heart.
My Take: This was an engrossing read and worthy of its winning the Newberry Medal. Barnhill has the ability to create a fantasy world that is convincing but not indulgent. Her writing moves the narrative along at a good clip while also taking the time to build the characters. I particularly appreciated that so much of the story revolves around, in several forms, a mother's attachment – or lack thereof -for her child. You can tell that Barnhill enjoys exploring this subject from several different angles, ultimately arriving at a positive answer.
One Interesting Note About The Author: On her website, Barnhill describes herself as a "former teacher, former bartender, former waitress, former activist, former park ranger, former secretary, former janitor and former church-guitar-player."
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Hi, I am a nice Lady! I like to have fun and meet new people here! I am very active and cheerful! I like to give you a hot and naughty show! I am shy but I would love to satisfy all your desires and fantasies! Join me in my pvt room and lets have fun with each other and make me forget my shyness! I am sure YOU can do it! Kisses!


text:
Dr Angelique Coetzee: Don't look at daily cases, see how many people are in ICUs
Pt Birju Maharaj, storyteller who blurred gender norms to become one of the foremost masters of Kathak, dies
'Not desperate in Goa…open to Cong alliance just to defeat BJP': Mahua Moitra
How Indian barbers cut a monopoly for themselves in faraway Brunei
Euthanasia: Why the right to die remains a debate across the world
Jasprit Bumrah also ready to become India captain
Spike in Omicron variant cases puts Europe on edge
With cases of the Omicron variant rising in Europe, there are worries that even tougher restrictions are looming over a holiday period that many had hoped would be a return to some normalcy.
By: New York Times |
December 6, 2021 10:19:24 am
A passenger at the international check-in counters at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Dec. 2, 2021. (Joao Silva/The New York Times)
Written by Megan Specia and Isabella Kwai
Dozens of new cases of the omicron variant were reported in Britain and Denmark on Sunday, adding to increases across Europe and fueling fears that the virus has already spread widely.
The coronavirus variant has spread to at least 45 nations worldwide, with the United States and much of Europe reporting a number of new cases in recent days. And while much uncertainty remains about what effect the omicron variant will have on the pandemic, many nations have scrambled to impose travel restrictions — or in some cases introduced more serious measures.
With cases of omicron now growing worldwide, the prospects of even more stringent restrictions are looming over a holiday period that many had hoped would be a return to some normalcy. In Europe, already the epicenter of a surge in the pandemic in recent weeks, the uncertainties raised by omicron have ignited fears that the winter ahead will be more difficult than anticipated.
On Sunday, Britain's health security agency confirmed 86 additional cases of the omicron variant, bringing the total nationally to 246, while authorities in Denmark reported 183 cases of the variant. Both nations are widely seen as leaders in genomic sequencing and testing, giving them an edge in tracking the spread of the virus and its mutations.
That the number of omicron cases is rising quickly was clear. What it might mean was less so.
"We're going to see lots of big numbers over the course of the next several weeks in countries around the world," said Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. "And this shouldn't be a surprise. This virus is just acting like a highly transmissible respiratory virus."
Part of the increase may be explained by the new laser focus of public health officials on the variant, which early evidence suggests may spread more quickly than the delta variant.
"Once you find someone who is infected," Osterholm said, "and you start looking at their contacts or the environment they're in, you're just going to find a lot more."
Explained |Could the Omicron variant bring milder illness?
Dr. Peter J. Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said that the known numbers were so small that it was hard to know how much to make of the increase. A few hundred cases is still a "tiny fraction" of around 44,000 new coronavirus cases on average that Britain experiences daily, he said.
"I think the question people want to know is whether omicron is going to outcompete delta, and it's a possibility," he said.
A person wears a face mask while crossing a road in Piccadilly Circus, in London, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (AP)
At the moment, Hotez said, there is not enough data to conclude that. If at the end of next week omicron represents "even 10% of the delta cases, then I'll be more concerned," he said.
But even before the discovery of the new variant, some public health experts were raising the alarm that the travel restrictions in place in much of Europe were not enough to stem the surge in coronavirus cases already taking place.
Some lamented what they said was the cost of nations letting their guard down, criticizing the failure to reimpose restrictions like indoor mask wearing and social distancing, and to remind people to isolate if they have been exposed to the virus.
Explained |Govt answers questions on Omicron
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and a former member of the British government's scientific advisory body, wrote in The Observer that the rise of omicron was a signal that the "staggering progress" made since the start of the pandemic "is being squandered." Richer nations, he argued, had a "blinkered" focus and were "lulled into thinking that the worst of the pandemic was behind us."
"This variant reminds us all that we remain closer to the start of the pandemic than the end," he said.
A woman receives a dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at Swaminarayan School vaccination centre, in London, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (AP)
In parts of the United States, health officials have also seen a steady climb in the number of omicron cases. The variant has been detected in at least 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
Some Americans, too, are becoming more nervous.
"We're paying closer attention, which we haven't probably for a little while," said Rory Bakke, who lives in Marin County, California. "It's upped our attentiveness to the reports of symptoms and how contagious it is and the science reports."
Also Read |Omicron variant found in nearly one-third of U.S. states
Bakke expressed frustration over the latest threat.
"I feel like if everyone had just followed the guidelines, we wouldn't be in this situation," she said. "So that's disheartening."
The omicron variant was first identified in southern Africa in late November. On Saturday, Zambia became the latest African country — alongside South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria and Ghana — to report cases.
International check-in counters stand empty as several airlines stopped flying out of South Africa, amidst the spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron, at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, November 28, 2021. (Reuters)
Since its emergence, a number of travel restrictions have been imposed to try to slow its spread, including in the United States and Europe.
Still, some European governments have been hesitant to impose sweeping new domestic restrictions ahead of a highly anticipated period of travel and big gatherings, especially given the lockdown in much of Europe last winter. Many have instead opted to focus on restricting travel from abroad or requiring more testing for travelers.
But some fear the travel restrictions are a case of too little, too late.
Also Read |US chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci says early reports encouraging about Omicron variant
"I think that might be a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted," Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh who advises the government, told the BBC.
He said it was "too late to make a material difference to the course of the omicron wave."
People queue at a popup Covid-19 testing site in New York, U.S., December 3, 2021. (Reuters)
So far, the British government has told the public to proceed as usual with their holiday plans, though it has urged people to get booster shots. Dominic Raab, Britain's deputy prime minister, called that the "surest defense" in a BBC interview Sunday.
"Our message is this: Enjoy Christmas this year," he said. "The vaccine rollout means we're in a position to do so."
In Denmark, health authorities announced Sunday that 183 people had confirmed cases of the omicron variant, a "worrying increase," said Henrik Ullum, head of the Statens Serum Institut, Denmark's public health agency.
Also Read |More cases of Omicron from Pune, Jaipur and Delhi; 21 detected so far
"There are now ongoing infection chains," he said in a statement, in which the infection is seen among people who have not been traveling or had connections with travelers.
European countries have taken steps to curb social contacts in recent days amid an overall surge in cases.
Belgium is requiring people to work from home and ordered schools closed a week earlier for Christmas; Italy banned unvaccinated people from certain leisure activities; and Ireland has shuttered nightclubs and restricted gatherings.
Demonstrators protest against the Belgian government's restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Brussels, Belgium December 5, 2021. (Reuters)
Germany has banned the unvaccinated from much of public life. And in an indication of the severity of the situation, the German government, which had been hesitant to put in place government mandates around the pandemic because of the country's history with authoritarianism, has plans to make vaccination compulsory next year.
Some nations have already seen pushback to the restrictions. In Austria, tens of thousands marched in protest Saturday for the second weekend in a row over the government's decision to impose a tough new lockdown and its plans for a vaccine mandate.
Experts had time and again warned that not enough had been done to combat the delta variant across Europe. Last week, they reiterated those warnings and call for action.
Michael Ryan, head of the emergencies program at the World Health Organization, speaking last week at a news conference, said European countries should have taken more precautions this autumn to protect their populations.
"We will have to be a little patient in order to understand the implications of the omicron variant," he said, "but, certainly we are dealing with a crisis now. And that crisis is in Europe, and it is being driven by the delta variant."
Now, he said, it is time for "everyone to recommit ourselves to controlling the pandemic of multiple strains or multiple variants of the same virus."
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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Please join us for a lunch-time series of talks by ASU faculty on the theme of Empire, the Postcolonial, and the Decolonial. During this event, we will hear from Françoise Mirguet, James Rush, and Mark van Hagen.
Can an emotion help a minority negotiate its subordinate position in an imperial context? This paper deals with pity and compassion in Jewish literature written in Greek, from the late Hellenistic, early imperial period (200 BCE to 200 CE). I suggest that pity and compassion, as a discourse but also as emotional practices, allow Jewish elites to voice—and experience—the uniqueness of their identity. Jewish elites reassert a concern ubiquitous in the Hebrew scriptures; at the same time, their discourse conforms to dominant intellectual standards, twisted into hybrid constructions. Hellenistic Jews feel back: to the cultural hegemony of Rome, they oppose a "gentle emotion" constructed as their own heritage.
Françoise Mirguet is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University. She teaches at the School of International Letters and Cultures and in Jewish Studies. Her research interests include ancient Jewish literature and the history of emotions. Her newest book is entitled An Early History of Compassion: Emotion and Imagination in Hellenistic Judaism, published by Cambridge University Press (2017).
Between 1600 and 1900, Holland built a massive tropical colony in Southeast Asia, the Dutch East Indies. To Holland's millions of Muslim subjects, colonization by Christian foreigners was anathema. But having failed to thwart the Western onslaught militarily, Muslim leaders of the early 20th century shrewdly seized upon the reality of the huge colony to advance modern visions of Islam within it, pressing their new organizations and publications into its far-flung territories. In this way, the unwelcome colony became a hopeful vessel that could be filled with visions of a new Islam-infused society, a vessel that would eventually be theirs in the hoped-for nation-to-be of Indonesia.
James Rush is a historian of Southeast Asia and a Professor at ASU's School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. His work explores issues of colonialism and religion in 19th and 20th century Indonesia and includes the books Opium to Java: Revenue Farming and Chinese Enterprise in Colonial Indonesia, 1860-1910 (Cornell University Press, 1990/1907) and Hamka's Great Story: A Master Writer's Vision of Islam for Modern Indonesia (University of Wisconsin Press, 2016). His Southeast Asia: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press) is forthcoming.
Mark von Hagen teaches and writes about the history of soldiers, armies, and war in Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia at Arizona State University in two Schools, International Letters and Cultures and Politics and Global Studies. He recently (2016-2017) served as Interim Director of ASU's Melikian Center and is founding Director of the Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement. Von Hagen also teaches and serves as Dean of the Philosophy Faculty, Ukrainian Free University (Munich, Germany). He is head of the International Advisory Board to the German-Ukrainian Historians' Commission.


Products that are biodegradable and not tested on animals are very important to us. Protecting not only our environment but also our own health is something we think about every single day, and we strongly recommend others to do the same. Besides that, we are also lovers of simplicity which means we only buy what we really cannot live without. Luckily we live in an area with many health food stores. New Morning Market in Woodbury, CT is our favorite. It's a little more expensive, but we can shop without worrying about what ends up in our shopping basket.
This lotion has a very pleasant smell and also feels fantastic. It's very moisturizing but not greasy and soaks right into your skin.
I enjoy trying different hand lotions, but this is my current one.
Hand Wash: Soaps from Goatboy or Bars from Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.
We try to buy local as often as possible, but we mostly have one big problem – there are always too many beautiful and nicely scented soaps to choose from!
We regularly switch between the different scents but our ultimate favorite is Peppermint. Why? We love inhaling the oils during the shower and the tingling on our skin afterwards.
The freshest and coolest looking peeling I have ever used. I mainly use it for my face, but sometimes I also apply it to my hands, just because I love how soft they feel afterwards.
A natural spray with only six ingredients (alcohol, water, lemon peel oil, and three other obscure-sounding essential oils).
I absolutely love the smell of fresh strawberries which lasts even hours after shaving!
Aloe, Aloe, nothing but Aloe!
I have used these two products for more than 10 years. This speaks for itself, doesn't it?
I love berries, Shawn loves mint… and so we love the very berry mint toothpaste from Jason! We try to vary what we use and so we also buy Whole Care from Tom's of Maine or Toothy Tabs from Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. The latter comes with a very special bonus – no plastic waste!
Yes, even our dental floss is vegan and cruelty-free.
I had to get used to the taste but it's a fairly good mouthwash!
A plant based, very gentle shampoo. Once this bottle is empty I will try washing my hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar – can't wait, wish me luck!
Oh my gosh, what a heavenly smell. I can't describe in words how obsessed I am with this conditioner. Unfortunately it's very light so I have to apply a lot which is why I use it as a special treatment and not every day.
A natural, light-weight color supplement that I mix with my face lotion whenever I feel like I want to even out my facial color.
Vinegar is a multi-talent which even my German parents used when I grew up. I will have to test around a little bit more before I can make better suggestions.
Does its job, although I have to use a lot to clean some really oily dishes.
I can't tell you how relieving it is to wash my clothes with a natural detergent. Why? Our skin is our body's most important protection, right? It absorbs everything we touch like a sponge. So, if you wash your clothes with chemicals they will inevitably stick to your clothes, and now just imagine what is rubbing against your skin while you are working, relaxing, eating and sleeping… Yikes!
I have just started using them. They work quite nicely, you can even compost them, but my clothes are still a little static when they come out of the dryer. However, since I prefer to hang dry all my clothes in the spring, summer and fall I don't worry too much about this problem.
I have used it only three times within the last year and the results were pretty disappointing to me. Well, I'm sure I did something wrong, most customer reviews praise this product. I'll try again!
It works fine, that's all I care about. Some people complain about the smell but it's really not that bad. By the way, Seventh Generation also offers Shower Cleaner, Toilet Cleaner (not that we will need it), Bathroom Tissues and so on.
There's not much to say about this product. It works, and guess what – one of the ingredients is vinegar!
Works and makes the floor smell fresh and clean!
Ok, you will probably think this is totally weird, but actually this product is absolutely fantastic. My only regret is that I have not stumbled upon it earlier. It's a cup you reuse so you don't produce any waste and, more importantly, you do not insert any chemicals into your body. I have to admit, it takes some practice, but the result is worth the patience!
This is the only product I have not been able to replace yet, but I haven't really looked for a natural replacement, to be honest. I use rigid gas permeable contact lenses which makes it harder to find the right solution.


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Today Sony has officially confirmed the release date of PlayStation 5 and a multitude of details, such as a new DualShock with haptic response, modern interface and 100GB discs with a 4K Blu-ray reader.
Sony officially confirms the release date of PS5, which will arrive in stores at Christmas 2020 and reveals a multitude of new details about the console, which also will not have any surprises in its name: it will be called PlayStation 5.
PS5 specifications and backward compatibility
Wired reveals new console information, which, like Xbox Scarlett – the next Microsoft console – will use a third-generation AMD Ryzen CPU with eight cores of the Zen 2 7nm architecture, with a GPU belonging to the Radeon Navi family, and take advantage of the speed of the new SSD memory to reduce loading times.
As we saw in a demonstration last May with the successful Spider-Man, if the game in PS4 Pro took 8 seconds to load, in PS5 thanks to the SSD memory, the load becomes almost instantaneous: 83 tenths of a second. It is also important to note, as already announced months ago, that PS5 will be fully backward compatible with PS4 games.
Mark Cerny has commented that the compatibility with ray-tracing technology at the hardware level – with GPU acceleration -, which will facilitate more complex and sophisticated lighting, a technique that is giving much to talk about in recent times.
The 3D sound will also be prominent on PS5, something that stood out in the first details of the console in April, since it will have a custom 3D audio unit that Cerny believes will "redefine the sound that can be made in a video game." Regarding the resolution and graphics quality that will support the new PS5, it has been confirmed that it will be compatible with resolutions up to 8K.
New 100 GB discs for games
As it has been known, the SSD disk not only reduces waiting times, it also offers more efficiency and the example of the Spider-Man game by Insomniac Games. There is content that doubled up to 400 times on the disks so that the data search was faster. The SSD eliminates this need, so it not only loads before, it saves space.
In any case, PS5 will use 100GB optical discs and a 4K Blu-ray reader. The installations will be mandatory, as in PS4, but this time they will work a little differently, with the option of installing only part of the game – such as multiplayer, or the campaign – or all at once. Once the campaign is completed, the user could delete that part and leave the multiplayer.
New Remote, the Dualshock 5
PS5 will use a new version of Dualshock, although Cerny does not call it DualShock 5, it will have adaptive triggers, with various resistance levels to simulate, for example, an arc and the tension that exists when a trigger is pressed, or feel resistance to accelerate with an SUV on a rocky surface. Also, the new command will feature haptic vibration, which will replace the traditional wave, being more complex and more nuanced.
In the demos that Wired has tried, they showed different textures that they felt in the tactile experience: the mud was slow, the ice gives quick response, when you jump into the water you feel resistance, in the wood of a bridge there is a certain movement, etc.
The pad's speaker has also been improved, and there is another series of novelties such as the USB Type-C, a larger capacity battery and, due to the new haptic engines, weighs a little more than the DualShock 4, but will be lighter than the Xbox pad with batteries.
New interface
The interface will be renewed compared to the current PS4, although with the same philosophy of quickly starting the games. The game servers will report multiplayer activities on the console menu, and games without this mode will give information on the missions you could do and the rewards directly from the console interface – no need to enter the console. game-.
Custom game installation
Until now, one of the things that the players complained about most in PS4 was the obligation to install on the hard disk any video game we wanted to play, something that according to the latest confirmations, will no longer be a problem in PS5.
In Cerny's own words, " With PlayStation 5, instead of treating games as a big block of data, we are allowing more precise access to them," what does this mean? That although we will have to continue installing the games on the hard disk, on PS5, we will have the option to individually install differentiated elements of a game such as the campaign or its multiplayer mode, something that many players will certainly appreciate.
Gran Turismo Sport on PS5
Gran Turismo Sport has taken the PS5 kit – a kit that is as it had leaked -. Driving on different surfaces thanks to the new haptic vibration conveys sensations that the DualShock 4 could not. According to the tests, the classic vibration tires the player when it is always used in games that use it a lot – for example, driving titles.
Sony has worked on this haptic response since the DualShock 4 was developed, and they say they could include it in mid-generation, but it would have divided the user experience between those who had it and those who didn't, so it has been reserved for PS5.
Bluepoint works on PS5
The studios are working on the console, but none are cited at the moment. Bluepoint, who developed the remake of Shadow of the Colossus, it does confirm that they are working on a game for PS5: "I'll leave the rest to your imagination." Rumours say it is a remake of Demon's Souls.
The prestigious Kotaku journalist, Jason Schreier, has said on his Twitter account following this information, that he has spoken with some third-party developers who have told him that PS5 hardware is excellent and that the development tools arrived time.


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Joint Statement on HUD Proposal That Would Allow Discrimination Against Transgender People Seeking Shelter
Washington, DC - Earlier today, Ben Carson, Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a new proposed rule that would allow discrimination against transgender people seeking access to shelter through HUD-funded services. As they have done in scores of proposed and final regulations over the past three years, with this rule the Administration is attempting to degrade the civil rights of transgender people and empower those who wish to do harm. Discrimination is never okay, but this proposal is particularly dangerous as our nation continues to struggle to suppress the coronavirus pandemic. Shelters are often a person's best access-point to programs that provide safe, individual housing, a critical need during a global pandemic that endangers anyone who is forced to share living spaces with others, whether outdoors or elsewhere.
As it is, one in three transgender Americans has been homeless at some point in their lives, and this proposal would have them sleep on the street rather than get help. The difference between being sheltered and unsheltered is especially dangerous for transgender homeless persons, particularly transgender persons of color, who face harassment and threats from private individuals, as well as elevated rates of policing and violence within police custody. When combined with President Trump's recent policy proposals to increase the criminalization of homelessness, while cutting HUD's affordable housing budget and rolling back support for Housing First, it is clear that getting transgender persons off the street and out of harm's way is a matter of life and death.
HUD's proposal to allow agencies to deny shelter or services to an individual because they are transgender is promoting discrimination, pure and simple. Fortunately, most service providers agree - in fact, over 300 anti-sexual violence and anti-domestic violence organizations, many of whom operate shelters, signed a joint statement in 2016 supporting nondiscrimination protections like the current Equal Access Rule and opposing proposals that would allow discrimination against transgender people in need. Although most service providers remain committed to serving everyone without discrimination, the unfortunate consequence of this regulation is likely to be that thousands of vulnerable people will be turned away from help when they needed it most, simply because of who they are. The below organizations have joined together to denounce this mean-spirited proposal.
Take action now: https://housingsaveslives.org/
"While our country is focused on racial injustices and navigating through the untold harm of a pandemic, Secretary Carson is advancing more of this administration's hateful anti-trans policy," said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). "Secretary Carson's proposal is abhorrent and unconscionable. Transgender people, especially trans women and trans people of color, are at extraordinarily high risk of violence. Access to shelter during and after COVID-19 is a public health necessity and, for trans people experiencing homelessness, always a matter of life or death. NLIHC will work with partners across the country and in Congress to kill this cruel proposal."
"This proposed rule is the latest salvo in the Trump administration's cruel, ongoing attack on LGBTQ rights," said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "Federal courts have consistently found that gender identity and sexual orientation are covered under the Fair Housing Act, and Secretary Carson has an obligation to uphold the law. Everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has a right to safe housing. Shelters, particularly those receiving taxpayer funds, should not engage in government-sanctioned discrimination against LGBTQ people during their time of need."
"This proposal is yet another strike from the Trump administration at the safety of the most vulnerable members of our community," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Displacement and criminalization have left countless transgender people, particularly transgender people of color, exposed to violence and abuse, all while family rejection can leave transgender youth with nowhere to turn. Secretary Carson is contradicting the very mission of his department by trying to make shelters less safe for those who need them and further endangering the lives of marginalized people. We will fight this rule like trans lives depend on it because trans lives do depend on it."
"Housing is a human right. The Trump Administration's proposal to weaken the Equal Access Rule threatens the rights of transgender Americans and would make shelters less safe for those most impacted by homelessness," said Gregory Lewis, executive director & CEO of Cyndi Lauper's True Colors United. "LGBTQ youth are more than twice as likely to experience homelessness than their straight and cisgender peers. Transgender youth are at especially high risk and face unique types of discrimination and trauma while experiencing homelessness. We cannot fail them by rolling back the very policies meant to protect them."
"In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising levels of unsheltered homelessness, it is unconscionable that the Administration would allow publicly-funded shelters to deny access to life-saving assistance to people who need it most," said Nan Roman, president and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. "Our nation cannot protect its citizens and residents or end homelessness if federal agencies allow nonprofit shelters to refuse to use public funds to help people in need simply because of their gender identities. The National Alliance to End Homelessness calls on the Trump Administration to abandon this discriminatory proposal."
"Funders Together to End Homelessness prioritizes and values racial and LGBTQ equity in the work to prevent and end homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's weakening of the Equal Access Rule is in direct conflict with these values and is an attack on individuals, especially LGBTQ youth and young adults of color, who already disproportionally experience homelessness and discrimination when seeking supportive services. By moving forward with this proposal, HUD is demonstrating not only a lack of compassion, but also a lack of awareness and true understanding of what is needed to end homelessness across our country," said Amanda Andere, CEO of Funders Together to End Homelessness. "The enactment of the proposed rule will require redirecting investments within the community to provide safe and accessible alternatives for these individuals, which private philanthropy cannot solely shoulder as it would divert vital funds that are already committed for housing solutions and supportive services. We strongly oppose removing the crucial protections the Equal Access Rule provides and will continue to fight to ensure these protections remain intact."
"Everyone who needs shelter should have access. Discrimination, especially against the most marginalized in our society, is immoral, and that is why we oppose the Trump administration's attempts to undermine the law through rulemaking," said Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. "Housing providers that receive federal funding - including organizations that operate shelters - have a legal obligation to serve transgender people. They also have a moral obligation to serve everyone who seeks their services with dignity and respect. Because courts have agreed again and again that transgender people are protected under existing law, the Trump administration is using this rule to communicate to shelter operators that if they want to discriminate, this administration will look the other way. We appreciate the hundreds of shelter services that have made an affirmative commitment to serving transgender and nonbinary people regardless of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's actions, and we will continue to fight to ensure that all services for people experiencing homelessness meet the needs of our community."
"When transgender older people need to access homeless shelters paid for with taxpayer dollars, they have every right to know that they will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, said Michael Adams, CEO of SAGE. "SAGE condemns the Trump administration for yet another attack on the most basic rights and the dignity of transgender people. The administration cannot and should not make discrimination against transgender people optional, especially concerning housing. One in four transgender elders already experience discrimination when seeking housing, and they face disproportionate rates of social isolation, poverty, and a lack of access to critical aging services and supports. Now is the time to strengthen, not weaken, non-discrimination protections."
"Eliminating protections and barring access to health care and homeless services for transgender people would have a devastating impact," said Marc Dones, Executive Director of the National Innovation Service. "Limiting social and health services based on an individual's identity is cruel. Making this move during a pandemic is reprehensible. In my years of working in homeless services, I've never seen an administration focus so much on harming the LGBTQ community—and specifically transgender men and women. In this critical time, we must bolster, our policies to protect transgender people and facilitate access to life-saving services, particularly for those who are experiencing homelessness. As a nation, our only path to ending homelessness is implementing equitable policies that enable historically marginalized populations to thrive. Any changes that weaken the protections built into the Equal Access Rule will put people at further risk of violence and exacerbate their housing instability."
"At a time when we are working hard to ensure everyone who needs it has access to housing, HUD is proposing a rule change that will weaken fair housing rights and result in nothing less than discrimination against people who have historically been treated unfairly and shut out," said Deborah De Santis, president and CEO of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). "We are particularly concerned about the negative impact this will have on our youth identifying as LGBTQ, who will undoubtedly see this as another attempt to take away the opportunities they have for securing a safe space and better futures."
"The Campion Foundation strongly objects to HUD's proposed changes to the Equal Access Rule. These changes are in direct conflict with our values around LGBTQ+ equity. Weakening this rule will deny shelter to a significant number of people experiencing homelessness and create more opportunities for discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people. Approximately 3.5 % of Seattle's homeless population identifies as transgender or gender non-conforming. If shelters are allowed to turn away transgender people, this will put increased demand on providers such as the Downtown Emergency Services Center who provide equitable services for anyone who needs them. With shelter demand continuing to rise in our community, this puts an extreme burden on providers upholding equitable policies," says Sheila Babb Anderson, Homelessness Program Director, The Campion Foundation.
"The Houston community is deeply concerned about the changes to the Equal Access Rule and knows from past experience that these rule changes will absolutely harm transgender people, people from diverse backgrounds and beliefs, and others. This ultimately will negatively impact all people experiencing homelessness and their ability to access services in a safe and supportive environment. The Simmons Foundation strongly opposes removing critical protections from the rule and in partnership with our community is dedicated to working on a systems-level to maintain the important progress we have made in protecting all people experiencing homelessness," says Amanda Cloud, president & CEO, The Simmons Foundation.
"Emergency shelters exist to keep people safe and housed when they have nowhere else to turn. It's beyond cruel for this administration to target transgender people who are already in urgent need of a safe place to go and tell shelters to turn us away because of who we are," said Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center. "With this proposal, Trump is once again encouraging illegal discrimination against transgender people and attacking our ability to survive and thrive. No matter what the administration says, shelters and housing programs should continue to follow the law and welcome transgender people into the places we'll be safest."
"The Trump Administration is poised to willfully defy the Supreme Court and deny fundamental human rights by allowing federally-funded shelters to discriminate against transgender Americans. This is the latest in a long line of actions this Administration has taken to undermine the rights and safety of our nation's most vulnerable people," said Lisa Rice, president & CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. "The Trump Administration has halted implementation of the Fair Housing Act's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requirements, which is intended to eliminate discrimination and connect people to important opportunities. It is trying to keep survivors of domestic violence from being able to successfully challenge rental leases that hold them responsible for the abuse they suffer in their apartments by attempting to change the Disparate Impact rule. It is trying to put 55,000 children at risk of homelessness because they live with an undocumented family member. And now it is about to put the lives of transgender Americans at risk. We will not stand for this, and we will fight for the right of everyone to have access to safe and decent housing."
"The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence ("NCADV") envisions a culture in which all people are safe, empowered, and free from domestic violence. Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness. Excluding survivors from accessing a safe place to live when escaping increases barriers to leaving abusive relationships," says Ruth Glenn, president and CEO at NCADV. "We stand in strong support of LGBTQ survivors, and we oppose any actions that discriminate against them and put them and everyone at further risk for ongoing violence and homicide. In an era when hate crimes and sexual assault are both on the rise, it is unconscionable that the federal government plans to actively increase the danger to already vulnerable survivors."
"The domestic and sexual violence field has been at the forefront of championing non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ survivors," said Deborah J. Vagins, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. "We resoundingly reject the false narrative that safety is undermined for survivors by inclusive programming and housing transgender survivors. In fact, the opposite is true, as transgender and non-binary individuals face disproportionate rates of violence and countless barriers to safety. Domestic violence programs welcome and serve all survivors, as all individuals need a safe and inclusive place to go to heal from interpersonal violence."
"Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals face significant discrimination and are too often victims of violence. HUD has a mandate to protect all of us from discrimination in housing and shelter but instead is seeking to enshrine discrimination into federal regulations," said Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project. "This is unconscionable at any time, and especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this proposed rule, HUD continues its aggressive campaign to undermine civil rights, targeting marginalized communities and undermining housing protections and civil rights for everyone in the United States."
"HUD's proposed rule is an affront to the humanity, dignity and fundamental rights of transgender people experiencing homelessness and to basic principles of equity and fairness. By allowing federally funded shelters to turn them away, the proposed rule pushes this vulnerable population onto the street, exposed to violence from private actors and criminalization of their basic life-sustaining activities, such as sleeping and sheltering themselves, by law enforcement," said Maria Foscarinis, executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. "This proposal from the Trump administration would put transgender people directly in harm's way, flying in the face of HUD's purpose and further setting back our work to end homelessness. Housing is a human right, and that must mean for all people, regardless of gender identity."
"The National Youth Forum on Homelessness (NYFH) strongly condemns the rollback of transgender protections and equal access to shelter previously promoted by HUD," says Amanda Clifford, NYFH member and spokesperson. "Nearly one-third of transgender and gender non-binary people have experienced homelessness at some point in their life. Safe and equal access to shelter is often one of the only safeguards that stand between transgender Americans and the violence transgender people experience at alarmingly high rates. HUD has made tremendous progress in ensuring EVERYONE has access to shelter where they feel comfortable. The proposed regulation is a huge step back from the progress that has been made."
"Make no mistake, this proposed rule risks the lives and safety of people who are transgender or gender nonconforming. For them, accessing life-saving housing services in the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis will be up to the whims and biases of individual providers," said Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president, External Affairs, Center for American Progress. "While countless shelter providers recognize and actively affirm the dignity of transgender people, this proposed rule opens the door for discrimination to go unchecked and worsen the already dire situation for transgender and gender-nonconforming people seeking shelter. The Fair Housing Act and Equal Access Rule are important tools in the fight to ensure equitable access to safe and secure housing. HUD cannot abandon its enforcement of gender identity protections and still claim it is meeting its responsibility to protect all people from discrimination."
"Federal agencies have a responsibility to ensure programs are accessible to everyone who is eligible, but the Trump-Pence administration is cynically finding ways to facilitate discrimination against vulnerable communities, particularly transgender women of color," said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "This is yet another instance of the administration's blatant attacking on LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, while needlessly putting lives at risk. They should reverse this proposal immediately."
About Housing Saves Lives: a Coalition of 35 local, state, and national organizations taking action against a harmful proposal to allow discrimination against transgender people experiencing homelessness.
Statement from NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel on the COVID Relief Bill with Emergency Relief for Renters Signed into Law by President Trump
WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump signed last night, December 27, the coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress last week that will provide immediate and essential relief to millions of struggling…
Statement from NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel on the COVID Relief Bill and Emergency Relief for Renters
WASHINGTON, DC – Congress is about to vote on a bill that will provide immediate and essential relief to millions of struggling renters, preventing tens of millions of people from losing their homes…
Statement from NLIHC on Bipartisan Agreement on Emergency Relief for Renters and Urgency of Bill Passage
WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan group of senators and representatives will soon release a compromise coronavirus relief package, including $25 billion in emergency rental assistance and a one-month…


For centuries, the Ageless Oracle has been reborn at the peak of conflict to serve as the voice of the gods and share her visions with the mortals, but to never interfere.
Reborn after the Beast Bone Years as Tarot, a fortune teller who travels with her caravan of gypsies through the ravaged Forests of Caldavar, she foresaw the downfall of Maliken Grimm and the opening of The Scar but was powerless to stop it.
Now Tarot has visions of the destruction of the World Tree, and with full awareness of the doomed future of Newerth she cannot continue with mere divination. She must join the fight against the Hellbourne and tip fate, wavering on the precarious tip of destruction, toward life.
Tarot bounces a special shielded explosive projectile off her target, slowing them and then dealing extra damage to nearby enemies as the projectile bounces around.
Target an enemy unit to fire a bolt that deals 40/60/80/100 Magic Damage to each target it hits.
Creeps take 70/100/130/160 Magic Damage per bounce.
Diamond chest, here I come.
Projectile will bounce to a random unit within 650 radius.
Can hit the main target up to 5 times and another target up to 4 times.
Tooltip error: Deals Magic Damage.
Tarot can tunnel vision on one enemy, being able to hit them from far range and doing bonus damage.
Activate to gain 100 Attack Speed for the next 2/3/4/5 attacks.
Now I know how a goldfish feels.
Bounced attacks will apply Attack Modifiers. It also counts as a second autoattack (Ex. reduces the Thunderclaw attack count twice).
Target an enemy unit to Reveal, apply a 30% Movement Speed Slow and Bind it to the closest enemy unit (prioritizes heroes) for 6 seconds.
If the two Bound units move further than 675 units apart, the Bind snaps and pulls them together, applying a 1.6/1.9/2.2/2.5 second Stun and dealing 80/160/240/320 Magic Damage.
Deals 1 Physical Damage to bound units.
On impact, bound units are initially pushed towards each other over 0.2 seconds based on their distance from each other.
Both units are pushed min((Distance-20),200)*0.4 units towards each other, to a maximum of 80 units at >220 units apart.
Bound units pull the other unit at varying force depending on what they are bound to.
When a hero is pulling another hero, the other hero is pulled with a force of 200 if it moves more than 350 units away.
When a non-hero unit is pulling a hero, the other hero is pulled with a force of 100 if it moves more than 475 units away.
When 1 of the bound unit dies, the tether will be bound to the bound unit's corpse.
Once the distance limit is reached, both units become Immobilized and are pushed towards each other over 0.3 seconds.
Heroes are pulled at 900 speed, while non-hero units are pulled at 700 speed.
Does not pull over impassable terrain.
Both units will stop close the the median distance between the two.
If a bound unit moves more than 1200 units from the other bound unit (only possible with movement abilities), both units become unbound with no effect.
The main target is slowed for 5 seconds even if it was not bound to any unit.
Tarot is accurate with her shots, often hitting critical weak points. As she learns more, she hits harder and harder.
Passively grants a 20% chance to perform a 2/3.25/4.5x Critical Hit on attack.
When 1 of the bound unit dies, the tether no longer automatically snaps.
Instead, the tether will be bound to the bound unit's corpse.
The remaining tethered unit has to break the leash range to break the tether.
Stun duration increased from 1.25/1.5/1.75/2 seconds to 1.6/1.9/2.2/2.5 seconds.
Magic Damage increased from 75/150/225/300 to 80/160/240/320.
Cast effect type changed from Physical to Magic.
Starting Strength increased from 16 to 18.
Strength gain per level increased from 2 to 2.4.
Stun duration reduced from 2 seconds to 1.25/1.5/1.75/2 seconds.
Previously, the stun duration was mistakenly displayed as 2.25 seconds on the detailed tooltip, when in reality it was actually stunning for 2 seconds.
Critical Strike damage multiplier reduced from 2/3.5/5x to 2/3.25/4.5x.
Physical Damage increased from 35/50/65/80 to 40/60/80/100.
Still deals 2x damage to non-hero units.
Strength gain per level increased from 1.6 to 2.0.
Base Strength decreased from 17 to 16.
Base Agility decreased from 21 to 20.
Agility gain increased from 2.8 to 3.0.
No longer deals Physical Damage in an area.
No longer applies a Movement Speed Slow in an area.
Now deals 35/50/65/80 Physical Damage to the main target and to every enemy it bounces to.
Deals double damage to creeps.
Bounce count increased from 2/4/6/8 to a static 8.
No longer has a chance to crit with Luck of the Draw.
Duration increased from 8/10/12/14 to 15 seconds.
Now grants Tarot 100 Attack Speed upon use.
Attack speed and bounce effects only apply to the first 2/3/4/5 attacks.
Once 2/3/4/5 attacks have been made, your attacks will no longer bounce (or have bonus attack speed).
Bounces to the closest enemy hero in 800 range.
No longer grants True Strike or Armor Penetration against the target.
Movement Speed Slow on main target increased to 30%.
Movement Speed Slow removed from secondary target.
Duration reduced from 5/6/7/8 to 5 seconds.
Critical Strike mechanic changed to the following: Passively grants a 20% chance to deal a 2/3.5/5x Critical Hit on attack.
No other effects are present on Luck of the Draw.
Bounces now prioritize targets affected by your Bound by Fate.
Can be cast on Magic Immune targets.
If a unit dies while tethered to another, the other unit is pulled towards them, and has the regular damage and stun applied to them.
Marks the target for 8/10/12/14 seconds.
While Marked, your attacks will bounce to the Marked target if it's within 800 units of your main target, penetrate 20/30/40/50% of the Marked target's Armor, and gain True Strike on the Marked target. The Marked target is also Sighted and Revealed for the duration.
If Luck of the Draw is leveled, you gain a flat +12% Critical Chance against the Marked target.
Armor penetration and True Strike will apply to all allied units.
Bounced attacks will apply Attack Modifiers to the Marked target as well. It also counts as two attacks (Ex. reduces the Thunderclaw attack count twice).
The Armor reduction is considered Armor Penetration, and has no effect against units with zero or negative Armor.
Tarot's base hero was redesigned on Version 4.2.2.


Meals have always been a crucial element of the business class equation, with airlines relying on feted chefs to deliver more than just "chicken or beef?" experience.
Neil Perry has been Qantas' high-flying foodie for 21 years, while Virgin Australia signed up Luke Mangan as their culinary counterpart in 2011.
What's next for business travel in 2018?
In that time, both Perry and Mangan have witnessed a change in the inflight dining preferences of business travellers.
"In the last few years there's been a bigger emphasis on nutritious dishes, which is in line with the broader Australian focus on healthy living," Perry tells High Flyer.
"More and more customers are wanting lighter and healthier meals, so our menus include dishes such as fresh salads, soups, pressed juices, egg white omelettes and breakfast bowls."
Qantas says there's been a noticeable uptick in requests for egg white omelettes, while the healthy 'breakfast bowl' developed for its non-stop Perth-London flights – containing poached eggs avocado, kale, feta cheese, pepitas and tahini dressing – is also served in the airline's domestic business class lounges.
Yes, that does sound like hipster overload. But trust me, it's quite delicious and has become go-to whenever it's served.
Happily, travellers aren't force-led kale, quinoa and kombucha juice – comfort food remains on the menu.
"It's nice to be a bit indulgent when travelling," Perry admits. "So we still serve dishes like crumbed pork cutlet and braised beef cheeks" alongside the humble and always-popular breakfast toasties of bacon, egg and gruyere cheese served on east-west flights.
Likewise, Virgin chef Mangan has observed that "customers, especially on long-haul flights, are after lighter, healthier options."
"I remember when the hot meal was more popular," Mangan reflects.
"But nowadays more and more people, especially on long flights to LA and Hong Kong, are looking for a salad or a nice light soup or something like that. When I travel, I find I go the soup or the salad."
I tell Mangan that I avoid soups when flying as I'm always concerned about splashes landing on my nice clean business shirt, especially in turbulence.
Mangan jokes that his offerings are simply too good to spill. Judging by the delicious pork & shrimp wonton soup with bok choy and bamboo shoots which I risked on the airline's Melbourne-Hong Kong flight, he has a point. In the air, just as on the ground, the right soup always hits the spot.
Virgin Australia is about to roll out a new business class menu for domestic and international flights, with the new Melbourne-Hong Kong soup being another of Mangan's favourites: beef wonton soup with Szechuan pepper and bok choy.
One of the new standouts on domestic routes, Mangan says, will be a falafel with roasted mushrooms.
"It's got bacon, labneh and dukkah on it, it's like a Middle Eastern twist on a big classic breakfast if you know what I mean, but it's a bit healthier."
On Qantas flights, as with Qantas lounges, passengers have their own favourite dishes. The moussaka and green prawn curry can't be left off the menu for too long for fear of a riot in the aisles.
At the same time, travellers don't want to be faced with the same menu over and over again.
Qantas and Virgin Australia both rotate their menus through a complicated matrix to ensure that even the most frequent flyer regularly travel the same domestic route will be served plenty of variety.
"There are more than 220 meal options flying around the domestic network at any one time, which means even our most frequent flyers could potentially never get the same meal twice," Perry explains.
"The menu planning schedule is managed centrally to move menus around the network every week, making sure to avoid directly switching them between ports on common commuter routes such as Sydney-Melbourne."


text:
Badger were a British rock band from the early 1970s. The band was founded by keyboardist Tony Kaye after he left Yes, along with bassist and vocalist David Foster.

Background
David Foster had been in the Warriors with Jon Anderson before Anderson co-founded Yes. Foster later worked with the band on their second album Time and a Word (1970). Kaye had worked on a solo project by Foster that was never released.

The pair found drummer Roy Dyke, formerly of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke, and Dyke suggested guitarist and vocalist Brian Parrish formerly of Parrish & Gurvitz  which later became Frampton's Camel (after Parrish left P&G) on guitar. The new band began rehearsing in September 1972 and signed to Atlantic Records.

One Live Badger (1973)
Badger's first release was the live album, One Live Badger, produced by Jon Anderson and Geoffrey Haslam, and was taken from a show opening for Yes at London's Rainbow Theatre. Five of the songs were co-written by the whole band, with a sixth by Parrish (initially written for Parrish & Gurvitz). The cover art was done by Roger Dean, the artist responsible for many of Yes's album covers, although Kaye left Yes before their partnership with Roger Dean.

 One live Badger
 Tony Kaye ; Hammond organ, piano, Minimoog, mellotron
 Brian Parrish : Guitar
 David Foster : Bass guitar
 Roy Dyke ; Drums

Content of the album
 Wheel Of Fortune 7:40
 Fountain 7:12
 Wind Of Change 7:00
 River 7:00
 The Preacher 3:35
 On The Way home 7:10

White Lady (1974)
By 1974, the band had been reduced to Kaye and Dyke. They recruited bassist Kim Gardner, who had worked with Dyke in Ashton, Gardner and Dyke. Paul Pilnick, formerly of Stealers Wheel, joined on guitar, as did singer Jackie Lomax.

Lomax proceeded to turn them into the type of R&B/soul band he had used on his solo albums. The band became a vehicle for Lomax's songs and singing. During this period, they released one album, White Lady, on Epic Records, produced by Allen Toussaint. All ten songs were written or co-written by Lomax. Guests on the album included Jeff Beck (contributing a guitar solo to the title track).

However, before the album's release, the band had split into two factions, with Lomax and Gardner leading a short-lived band called White Lady, before Lomax returned to a solo career.

"White Lady" b/w "Don't Pull the Trigger" was released as a single in May 1974.

 White Lady
 Tony Kaye : Keyboards, Minimoog, mellotron
 Jackie Lomax : Vocals, rhythm guitar
 Paul Pilnick : Lead guitar
 Kim Gardner : Bass guitar
 Roy Dyke : Drums

 Additional musicians
 Jeff Beck : Lead Guitar on White Lady
 Barry Bailey : Slide Guitar on Don't pull the trigger, White Lady, Be with you and 	Lord Who Give Me Life
 Allen Toussaint : Horns, congas, piano, organ, background vocals
 Carl Blouin : Baritone saxophone, flute
 Alvin Thomas : Tenor saxophone
 Lester Caliste : Trumpet
 John Lango : Trombone
 Joan Harmon, Mercedes Davis, Teresipa Henry : Background vocals
 Jessie Smith and Bobby Montgomery : Background vocals on Everybody Nobody and One More Dream To Hold

Content of the album
 A dream of you 4:15
 Everybody Nobody 3'26
 Listen to me 4:57
 Don't pull the trigger 4:06
 Just the way it goes 4:41
 White Lady 4:46
 Be with you 3:47
 Lord Who Give Me Life 3:04
 One More Dream To Hold 4:04
 The hole thing 6:10

See also
 British rock

References

External links
 Badger biography, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
 Badger discography, album releases & credits at Discogs.com
 Badger biography at eMusic
 David Foster - Open Road album releases & credits at Discogs.com
 Badger - One Live Badger (1973) album credits at Yescography entry

English progressive rock groups
Musical groups established in 1973
Atco Records artists

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A Little Love for Books as Valentine's Day Gifts.
Well, Valentine's Day is little more than a week away and some of my friends are scrambling and wracking their gray cells for gift ideas. This blog is for them. Here's some books that I have and want to have and will be sending this blog to my significant other to give him some ideas. Here we go! For the book artists out there I have two favorites: Doug Beube: Breaking the Codex, and Bookwork: Medium to Object to Concept to Art by Garrett Stewart. Doug Beube's monograph is a beautiful book showcasing the artist's work from book installations to book sculptures. I just received this and I'm trying to keep my drool marks to a minimum. The second listing includes work by Buzz Spector and many other book artists who use the book in installation, performance and more! For the photography book lovers, try Larry Fink: The Vanities: Hollywood Parties 2000-2009...this is a sumptuous celebration of black and white photography from a contemporary master. Sure to please everyone who loves Hollywood icons and photography. For the purist in landscape and pastels and painting, try Wolf Kahn by Justin Spring. Wolf Kahn's work is lyrical and exquisite in its essence of capturing light and atmosphere in a contemporary mode. Just beautiful. For the contemporary art lover and portrait painter, try Unprecedented Ego: Self Portraits of Lucas Samara by Marla Prather. Also, check out Pinnochio by Carlo Collodi. This catalog of the prints by Jim Dine of Pinnochio is a great gift for the printmaker and contemporary art lover...Enjoy and here's sending some love your way! Happy V Day!
That's it for now...and Happy Valentine's Day as well!


text:
Longy Vs Longy in Split Decision
January 7, 2011 January 7, 2011 by Lee Eiseman
In a decision dated January 4th in United States District Court, Judge Patti B. Saris has ordered the reinstatement of eight fired members of the Longy faculty (who were eligible for union membership) whom she believes were terminated without proper process in a manner that caused them harm and also damaged the Longy Faculty Union during the period of its formation. She also has ordered Longy to bargain over certain consequences of its ongoing restructuring, but declined to order Longy to reverse other changes which the Union claims were made without required bargaining. She further declined to require Longy to restore the eight to their former teaching assignments but is nevertheless requiring Longy to pay them what they would have made had they not been terminated. She also declined to require the restoration of Longy's Community Programs chairs. Her remedies remain in force until the complete case of NLRB vs Longy School of Music is heard. Hearings begin on January 24 though a decision will be many months in the future.
The following are the main points of Judge Saris's decision:
There was a likelihood of success on the merits that Longy had committed at least one unfair labor practice.
Longy did not have a duty to bargain over whether to move to a core faculty structure or pursue a merger with Bard.
However, Longy did have to bargain over the effects of that structural decision, for example, how many teachers to dismiss or reassign; and how affected teachers would be handled within the new structure, for example by giving them an opportunity to commit to more hours.
There was insufficient evidence that Longy's statements about joining the union were coercive, though further evidence could be produced at the later hearing.
There was no irreparable harm done to employees by the changes Longy made to its health benefits, but there was irreparable harm in the terminations and reassignments, justifying a reinstatement order.
However, Longy is not required to reassign teachers to the same student assignments they had, since much of the year has already passed. The order therefore is limited to reinstatement and return of the terminated employees to the bargaining unit.
In conclusion the judge writes:
"The Longy School of Music must be free to cultivate itself as an improved institution that better serves its students and the community, but it cannot pursue this transformation without regard to the bargaining rights of its employees.
"The Court orders that Longy engage in bargaining over the effects of its decision to restructure the faculty. The Court also orders Longy to reinstate with pay the eight members of the bargaining unit who were notified of their terminations in March 2010. The Court denies without prejudice any relief with respect to former CP chairs."
The entire 38 page injunction may be read here.
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At Lingfield Primary, our planning for writing is flexible to meet the needs of the children. Where appropriate, Contexts for Learning provide the content for written work, however the interests of the children or other inspiring ideas are also used. Units of work are based on quality models and follow the Pie Corbett theory of Immersion and then Application. The children elicit success criteria from models of excellence, learn the structure of the text and then apply their new knowledge to their own writing. Teachers use modelling, shared writing and guided teaching to promote progress. Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary are the key skills from the curriculum that underpin our teaching and provide specific targets for our children. Children are encouraged to be reflective learners by peer and self-assessing their writing against the success criteria and their own differentiated targets. Teachers assess and mark the children's work using a clear marking code and then children are given time to respond to the feedback to improve their writing further.
Reading is promoted across the curriculum, however, Reading Workshop forms the key method of teaching reading. Reading Workshop is made up of lessons throughout the week that provide children with the opportunity to discuss texts with adults and their peers, infer meaning using their comprehension of the text, use reading strategies and practice their fluency and expression. In Key Stage 1, Oxford PM levels are used to benchmark children and ensure they are reading texts at an instructional level.
In Key Stage 1, phonics is taught using the Read, Write Inc. programme. Read Write Inc. phonics is a comprehensive synthetic phonics programme that teaches reading, writing and spelling. The children start by learning 44 speed sounds and how to sound blend for reading. At the same time they develop skills for handwriting and spelling. Through lively storybooks that contain words that the children can decode the children progress to read and achieve early success.
As children enter Year 2 and Key Stage 2, the principles underpinning Read, Write Inc. phonics is continued with the use of the Read, Write Inc. Spelling Programme. Children continue to develop their understanding of the spelling system, practise and apply spelling rules within their own writing and learn to consolidate their knowledge of spelling.