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2023 Chevy Captiva Engine, Interior, Price
2023 Chevy Captiva Engine, Interior, Price – The next model will be the vehicle you will need to Pacific Asian countries and will also be included into Thailand. The 2023 Chevy Captiva will not be an entirely new GM version. Instead it could be a rebadged version that is associated to Baojun 530, an Oriental style. As opposed to the previous version of Captiva that was an SUV that was mid-sized, The new version is much more compact. However, there is the capacity for seats in the cabin.
The business isn't giving out too much information. In 2023, the Chevy Captiva was a hit with the elite event in Bangkok and immediately attracted a lot of attention. The first version of technology from the crossover SUV came out in 2006 and produced a swift impact on Parts of Asia, Melbourne as well as Melbourne, and the Midst Eastern side. The Captiva will not be returning to Melbourne and exactly where it was previously known as Holden Captiva. Holden is an Aussie firm that provides Chevrolet automobiles. In this period and with Captiva as an unbranded version of Baojun 530, there's no way to travel to Sydney.
2023 Chevy Captiva Redesign
The company chose to discontinue the old Captiva because of a variety of reasons. A gradual decline in revenue, older designs, extremely low performance. The majority of these sectors require changes and updates. The 2023 model of the Chevy Captiva is dependant on the Baojun 530. It is a similar appearance, features as well as a range of drivetrains that can fix the issues that the vehicle had previously encountered.
2023 Chevy Captiva Exterior
These changes contribute to an improved environment inside the SUV. In addition, the new Captiva is more spacious than the previous. However, it will continue to be a crossover that is portable, even though there was an intermediate-dimensions model at the time it was released in the year 2006. How exactly did it do that? In reality, all courses are evolving and the size of each industry changes frequently. However, let's return to our Captiva which is 2 " above just before. That's enough for a an a couple of rows design and offer more space for everyone.
2023 Chevy Captiva Interior
The New 2023 Chevy Captiva total entire completely new crossover SUV usually at 183 inches. The 5 different seating configuration comes with enough space for five passengers and their baggage. Six-seaters aren't ideal. However, it's an ideal option for larger individuals. Outdoors, we'll get new front lights, which are the similar ones Baojun has been using in its model. Jogging lights for daytime are normal.
2023 Chevy Captiva Engine
It is the New 2023 Chevy Captiva can effectively utilize the drivetrain of the China cousin, Baojun 530. The crossover SUV that follows has an 1.8-liter model , which is the sole option. The engine might not be seen in operation. It's capable of blasting into 135 horsepower as well as 140 pounds of torque. Additionally an exclusive handbook gearbox provides the power to the tires.
Another engine that was first introduced is one that is a 2.-liter 4-banger that has 170 hp as well as the torque of 260 lb-feet. The next engine is expected to be accessible only in India. The previous model was excellent for 150 horsepower and an impressive 235 lb-ft of torque. In both cases the handbook gearbox with a 6-pace might be the best choice.
2023 Chevy Captiva Release Date And Price
The earlier version of this Captiva SUV was accessible only to a handful of trading markets. With Holden absent from the video game as the vehicle is dependent on the Chinese people's system, the territory that the 2023 Chevy Captiva is likely to be available is restricted so that it can be used in Pacifica Parts of Asia only.
In all likelihood, the US firm will certainly try to broaden the market for its other SUV, especially if it comes with an electric drivetrain. The most recent Captiva received a prestigious rating. It is only a matter the time before it'll be accessible for purchase in India along with the other Pacific Oriental nations. Its price could depend on the market, engine product, and clip levels.
Gallery of 2023 Chevy Captiva Engine, Interior, Price
Categories SUV Tags 2023 Chevy Captiva Dimensions, 2023 Chevy Captiva Engine, 2023 Chevy Captiva Interior, 2023 Chevy Captiva Price, 2023 Chevy Captiva Towing Capacity Post navigation
2023 Chevy Blazer Review, Price, Interior


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Hypnose Senses Lancome for women 1.7 OZ (50 ML).
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Welcome to 2019! Let us welcome the New Year by reflecting anew on the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught to his disciples. "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10 ESV).


text:
Q: Pandas. Разделить DataFrame по нескольким условиям Помогите пожалуйста! Есть DF
import pandas as pd
    df = pd.DataFrame({"Code":["001","002","002","003","001","001","003"],
                       "Products":["Name1","Name2","Name2","Name3","Name1","Name1","Name3"],
                       "Qty":["1","1","1","1","1","1","1"],
                       "Person":["Mr_X","Mr_X","Mr_X","Mr_Y","Mr_X","Mr_Y","Mr_Y"],
                       "Price":["50","100","100","75","50","50","75"]})

  Code Products Qty Person Price
0  001    Name1   1   Mr_X    50
1  002    Name2   1   Mr_X   100
2  002    Name2   1   Mr_X   100
3  003    Name3   1   Mr_Y    75
4  001    Name1   1   Mr_X    50
5  001    Name1   1   Mr_Y    50
6  003    Name3   1   Mr_Y    75

Имеющийся DF нужно разделить на несколько, по условиям: для каждой Person, не может быть больше 2х  единиц QTY, одного Code и общая сумма не должна превышать 200.
в данном примере, что хотелось бы получить
df1
  Code Products Qty Person Price
0  001    Name1   2   Mr_X   100
1  002    Name2   1   Mr_X   100

df2
  Code Products Qty Person Price
0  002    Name2   1   Mr_X   100

df3
  Code Products Qty Person Price
0  001    Name1   1   Mr_Y    50
1  003    Name3   2   Mr_Y   150

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Planning Commission to Consider Design Guidelines Update for Accessory Dwelling Units
Feb. 10, 5:30 pm. Planning Commission, City Hall
The Planning Commission and City Council will soon consider changes to bring the City's regulations regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) into conformance with new state laws.
On February 10, 2020, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider amendments to the Piedmont Design Guidelines to establish objective architectural and landscape standards for ADUs and JADUs. AGENDA >February 2020 PC Agenda
The City Council is tentatively scheduled to review the proposed amendments to the Piedmont Design Guidelines at a public hearing on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
The proposed changes to the Piedmont Design Guidelines are intended to do the following:
to ensure that new ADUs and JADUs match the architecture of the primary residence;
to protect street trees and the public right-of-way; and
to ensure that the architectural design of ADUs and JADUs preserve privacy between neighboring properties.
Per state requirements, the new design standards for ADUs and JADUs in the proposed amendments to the Design Guidelines are objective, measurable, and prescriptive.
The staff report and agenda for the February 10, 2020 Planning Commission meeting can be read > Planning-ADU-Report-2020-02-10.
Background On January 21, 2020, the City Council introduced the first reading of a proposed ordinance to establish a ministerial review process for ADUs and JADUs in compliance with state law.
The City Council will hold a public hearing to adopt the proposed ordinance on February 3, 2020. On January 1, 2020, new state laws came into effect which limit a local jurisdiction's ability to regulate ADUs and JADUs.
The provisions affected by the changes to state law include, but are not limited to:
ministerial review of all ADU permit applications,
off street parking requirements eliminated,
unit size limitations,
application approval timelines,
owner occupancy,
the allowance for junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs), ADUs on multi-family properties
ADUs that must be approved by-right.
Local laws which do not conform to these new state standards are preempted and cannot be enforced. City staff has developed a proposed ordinance and amendments to the Design Guidelines which will be considered by the Planning Commission and the City Council to conform Piedmont's ADU and JADU regulations to the new state law.
Public Engagement: The opportunity for public input is available throughout this process. Interested members of the public are encouraged to attend the public meetings:
The Planning Commission meeting is on February 10, 2020
The City Council meetings are on February 3, 2020 and February 18, 2020
These meetings will be televised live on KCOM-TV, the City's government access TV station and available through streaming video on the KCOM meeting video page.
Written comments regarding the proposed ordinance may be sent to the City Council and Planning Commission via email to: citycouncil@piedmont.ca.gov.
Comments intended for the Planning Commission's consideration should be submitted by 5 p.m., Thursday, February 6, 2020.
To send comments via U.S. Mail, please use the following address: Piedmont City Council c/o City Clerk, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA 94611.
If you have questions about the proposed ordinance, please contact Planning & Building Director Kevin Jackson by email at kjackson@piedmont.ca.gov. Any correspondence sent to the City will be considered a public record.
Filed under:	*All News, City Charter, News - Planning/Environ.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Price Transparency In Medicine Faces Stiff Opposition — From Hospitals And Doctors
By Rachel Bluth	 July 25, 2017
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two years after it passed unanimously in Ohio's state Legislature, a law meant to inform patients what health care procedures will cost is in a state of suspended animation.
One of the most stringent in a group of similar state laws being proposed across the country, Ohio's Healthcare Price Transparency Law stipulated that providers had to give patients a "good faith" estimate of what non-emergency services would cost individuals after insurance before they commenced treatment.
But the law didn't go into force on Jan. 1 as scheduled. And its troubled odyssey illustrates the political and business forces opposing a common-sense but controversial solution to rein in high health care costs for patients: Let patients see prices.
Many patient advocates say such transparency would be helpful for patients, allowing them to shop around for some services to hold down out-of-pocket costs, as well as adjust their household budgets for upcoming health-related outlays at a time of high-deductible plans.
At the Ohio Statehouse, the law's greatest champion in state government has been Rep. Jim Butler, a Republican and former Navy fighter pilot whose wife is a physician. He authored the legislation and has beat the drum for it since he got the idea in 2013, as he waited for a garage mechanic to repair his car and absorbed the shop's posted rates for brake jobs, oil changes and tuneups.
This KHN story also ran in The Cincinnati Enquirer. It can be republished for free (details).
Opposition has been formidable, led by the goliath Ohio Hospital Association. It has filed a court injunction that is currently delaying enactment, peppered local news media with editorials, and lobbied Republican Gov. John Kasich, who has eliminated funding that would allow implementation from the latest state budget.
Joining the hospital association in its legal action are a wide range of provider groups including the Ohio State Medical Association, the Ohio Psychological Association, the Ohio Physical Therapy Association, and the Ohio chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons, and the American Osteopathic Association.
These groups say that the law, which applies only to elective procedures, is too broad and that forcing providers to create estimates before procedures would slow down patient care. "The only way to even try to comply with the law is to delay care to patients in order to track down information from insurance companies, who may or may not provide the requested information," wrote Mike Abrams, the president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association, in an op-ed in The Columbus Dispatch in January.
But Jerry Friedman, a retired health policy adviser for the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said the opposition doesn't stem from genuine concern about patients but from a desire to keep the secret rates that providers have negotiated with insurers under wraps. Transparency would mean explaining to consumers why the hospital charged them $1,000 for a test, he said, adding that providers "don't want to expose this house of cards they've built between hospital physician industry and the insurance industry."
Ohio State Rep. Jim Butler (Chris Stewart/Courtesy of the Dayton Daily News)
Said Butler on his quest to see the law enacted: "The health care industry has a lot of political power and lots of money. It's hard to fight on behalf of people against this kind of force."
The law's next test will come in August, when the first court hearing on the association's lawsuit is scheduled. The Kasich administration said it couldn't comment on the law because of the pending litigation.
Greater price transparency has been a popular policy prescription for America's high health costs, especially at a time when many patients have high-deductible insurance plans and face larger copayments. Upfront estimates exist in other countries, such as Australia and, for patients facing out-of-pocket expenses, in France.
In Massachusetts, patients can get an estimate within two days of admission if they ask for it. Nebraska requires hospitals and surgical centers to provide a list of the average charges for services. New Hampshire has a website where consumers can compare costs.
Hospitals and doctors often oppose such measures. The American Hospital Association's position is that health plans — not hospitals — are responsible for telling insured patients about their out-of-pocket costs, according to its website.
Aimee Winteregg, 35, of Troy, Ohio, said she would have liked such information before five miscarriages in four years left her buried in unexpected medical bills. She and her husband became first-time parents in November. Though they are well insured, tests and treatment cost the couple $4,000 out-of-pocket, demanded in bills that were sometimes no more descriptive than for "medical service."
"We don't want to deal with this, especially when the doctor tells you stress is bad for the pregnancy," her husband, J.D., said. But imposing greater transparency has been controversial in both the medical industry and among some health care researchers, who say it puts patients in an untenable position.
The transparency law "was written by someone thinking about health care as a TV, and not as health care," said Sandra Tanenbaum, a professor of health services management and policy at The Ohio State University College of Public Health.
She said people could not shop for procedures as they would for a TV or car repairs, since they often lack information on the quality of doctors and hospitals, and make health care decisions based on much more than cost.
Consumers are more likely to base their decisions on their doctors' advice, not on cost alone, according to a report from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
Only around 10 percent of health care costs are even "shoppable" expenses — procedures that can be scheduled in advance, like an MRI or elective surgery — according to the HPIO.
Regardless, Butler maintains, the health care industry can give consumers better information upfront. "If you really want patients to be empowered, they really need the information," he said.
In support of such access, Butler has written letters to the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio attorney general and the Dayton Daily News, all in defense of the transparency law.
The Ohio Hospital Association, along with seven other Ohio health organizations, went to court last December to block the law, a month before it was supposed to take effect.
Butler said Gov. Kasich's administration is helping the hospital association stall by not writing regulations, eliminating funding for the law in the state budget, and declining to meet with Butler to discuss it.
State Rep. Michael Henne, also a Republican, has worked with Butler in the Ohio General Assembly on the transparency law. He called Butler a "driver" on the law, noting: "It's frustrating. You don't realize how much [influence] special interests have in the process."
Rachel Bluth: rbluth@kff.org,	@RachelHBluth
Cost and Quality Health Care Costs Health Industry Insurance	Cost Transparency Ohio
Rachel Bluth, Kaiser Health News


text:
Jerusalem: 1948-2008
By Riman Barakat
Riman Barakat
Riman Barakat is the co-CEO of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI). She holds graduate degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and International Affairs, and her current research focuses on democratization in the Middle East, U.S.-Middle Eastern relations and the interaction of religion with politics.
Last year Israel celebrated the 40th anniversary of its so-called re-unification of Jerusalem, and this year the celebrations have extended to the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence. The blue logos of "Jerusalem 40" and "Israel 60" decorate the streets of Jerusalem. 1948 and 1967 are two historical moments that symbolize the victory of one nation over another, the national fulfillment for one identity, and the simultaneous disappearance of another. Today, decades after those historical moments, we witness a unilateral control of the city of Jerusalem and a continuously shrinking Palestinian Jerusalemite population. Jerusalem's urban space is being swallowed up by the expanding illegal settlements, and the Palestinian Jerusalemite population continues to struggle to maintain its residency rights in the city.
This article examines the significance of the years 1948 and 1967 as important markers in Palestinian history which prescribed the beginning of a continuous legacy of displacement for the Palestinian Jerusalemite population from their land, property and home. While examining refugee and migration trends in Jerusalem, it is important to consider the new forms of displacement that occur daily - gradually but systematically. It is no longer sufficient to speak about the 1948 and 1967 Palestinian refugees: home demolitions, illegal land appropriations, transfers and de facto exile policies that uproot people have been ongoing throughout the last six decades.
The Jerusalemite Refugee Experience
The onset of the process of Palestinian displacement from Jerusalem dates to the 1948 Nakba and the expulsion of its inhabitants from eight Arab neighborhoods in the western area of Jerusalem, and from 39 other surrounding villages. The Palestinians who fled from their homes during the war were not able to return, due to the partition and the subsequent declaration of the Absentee Property Law.1
The second wave of displacement occurred in 1967 with the relocation of Palestinians from the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to the Shu'fat refugee camp, or to other areas on the northern edges of Jerusalem.2 Having witnessed two overwhelming events of displacement, many Palestinians were largely unaware of the subtle policies employed since 1967 to limit the number of Palestinians living in Jerusalem. Housing and urban policies, the price of land and the processes of land registry played an important role in pushing Palestinians to the surrounding suburbs of Jerusalem.
During the early 1960s, East Jerusalem began to expand further to the north. Internal migration into areas such as Abu Tor and Shu'fat began to occur. The main determinant of migration trends at that time was the price of land. Real estate prices outside the Jerusalem city center were equal to 10% of those in the city center.3
Creating Facts on the Ground
On June 28, 1967, the Israeli Knesset passed a law formally extending Israeli laws, jurisdiction and civil administration over Arab East Jerusalem. The Israeli Ministry of the Interior issued a special decree dissolving the Jordanian municipality council and extending the jurisdiction of the Jewish municipality over the entire annexed area.4 In addition to these formal political-legal acts, Israel also set in motion a series of policies designed to "create facts on the ground." A two-pronged strategy was adopted and implemented with great speed and energy. First, in order to establish a strong Jewish physical presence in East Jerusalem, a massive program of Jewish settlement was carried out beyond the pre-1967 dividing line. Second, the Israeli authorities sought to maintain and, if possible, even enlarge the Jewish demographic majority by encouraging Jews to settle in Jerusalem, while at the same time limiting the migration of Arabs from the West Bank into the newly annexed areas of East Jerusalem.5
Following the geopolitical act of annexing East Jerusalem, the Israeli government confiscated more than 30,000 dunums (34% of East Jerusalem territories) of Palestinian land for the building of new Jewish neighborhoods or settlements. Between 1982 and 1992, only 270,000 of the 5,000,000 square meters built up in Jerusalem were designated for Palestinian use.6 Large tracts of Palestinian land were designated as "green areas" through zoning ordinances. These later became areas on which building and construction was prohibited.7
Redrawing the Boundaries of East Jerusalem
These regulations caused many Jerusalemites to migrate from the city center to the suburbs and to the West Bank areas. After the annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967 and the expansion of the municipal boundaries, the suburbs of Jerusalem began to expand further. Scott Bollens rightly asserts that one of the effects of boundary-drawing post-1967 was an "exclusionary one, where it was possible to exclude the Arab population from the greatly expanded new "Jerusalem." He refers to the new map that was redrawn, clarifying further that the "new border was intentionally drawn to exclude several Arab nodes of population well within the urban sphere.8 The combination of demographic-political planning, combined with an ethnic definition of citizenship, has had a critical effect on the long- term devolution of the relationship of Palestinians to their city. In particular, it has restricted population growth through migration to the city and encouraged residents to relocate outside the city.
A clear decision was made by the Knesset in 1980 to allow the boundaries of Jerusalem permanent flexibility. This unilateral law deleted an item from the Basic Law that stated that the "the integrity and unity of Greater Jerusalem and its boundaries after the Six Day War shall not be violated."9 The omission of this law meant that the Knesset can draw as many arbitrary, unilaterally established, dynamic lines and divisions as is desired, and that no law deters it from doing so. Since this decision, many Jewish settlements have been declared extensions of Jerusalem, thus expanding the reach of this octopus. New areas were added to the municipal borders of the city, while other neighborhoods were excluded.10 Later maps of metropolitan and Greater Jerusalem designed by the Israeli municipality marked a dramatic increase in settlement expansion. The settlements that were established post-1967 in East Jerusalem have swallowed the possibility of Palestinian neighborhoods expanding.11
Among these communities excluded from Jerusalem with the redrawing of maps is A-Ram in the north, and Azariyya and Abu Dis to the east.12 Israeli fears that the Jerusalemite Palestinian population will outnumber the Jewish population has created a system of demographic and territorial control through the various municipal policies implemented in the Palestinian neighborhoods. The process of emptying the Jewish Quarter in East Jerusalem of its Palestinian Arab residents began a few years before the 1967 war. Many were transferred to the Shu'fat refugee camp, which was established on land that was offered by the Jordanians and later was under the care of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Some other Palestinian residents of the Jewish Quarter moved to the northern Jerusalem suburbs such as A-Ram. Other major changes were taking place in and around the Jewish Quarter, heralded in 1968 by the wholesale destruction of the Moroccan Quarter - to allow for the building of the Western Wall Plaza.13
"The Center of Life"
The Oslo Accords in the early 1990s imposed the beginning of a well- planned strategy to isolate Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland. Military roadblocks and checkpoints were used to implement this isolation policy. Unfortunately, although the Jerusalemites had hoped that the Oslo Accords would create some kind of improvement in the general situation, Jerusalem was uniquely denied the benefits of Oslo. Many shop owners moved their businesses to Ramallah, and non-governmental organizations and international organizations were mostly established in the West Bank. As Jerusalem was losing its economic livelihood, Ramallah was flourishing as the main Palestinian center. Many businessmen moved their work to Ramallah, and many residents of Jerusalem relocated to Ramallah.14 A-Ram checkpoint in the north and the Bethlehem checkpoint in the south were the first of the checkpoints that were established around Jerusalem.
Until 1993, the Palestinian Jerusalemites were largely unaware of the implications of the Israeli policies implemented in the areas of East Jerusalem. With the closure policies in the West Bank and Gaza in 1993, and the Israeli "Center of Life Policy" in 1996, they began to recognize the imminent threat of losing their Jerusalem IDs.15 Earlier on, Jerusalemites had envisioned the boundaries of Jerusalem quite differently. The metropolitan vision of Jerusalem had included the towns of Ramallah in the north and Bethlehem in the south. Having had no previous physical border separating areas of Jerusalem from the West Bank, the Palestinians did not envision the possibility of ever being barred from entering Jerusalem. Sadly, the boundaries of Jerusalem were continuously shrinking in the Palestinian areas, while Israeli Jerusalem was expanding with the extensive construction of settlements.
A return migration flow back to Jerusalem occurred in 1996 with the introduction of the Center of Life Policy, whereby Palestinians needed to prove that their center of life, work, education and place of residence was in Jerusalem. This policy resulted in the confiscation of Jerusalem IDs and the inability of many Jerusalemites to return to Jerusalem. People who could afford to keep a second address in Jerusalem did so in order to prove their right to reside in and enter the city. During the years 1996-1997, for example, a net positive relocation by Palestinian identification card holders from suburban communities to the city was recorded in response to the threat of losing their IDs. For the first time in more than a decade, the number of Arabs exceeded that of Jews in the eastern part of the city.
With the outbreak of the al-Aqsa intifada in 2000, Israel increased its military checkpoints around the city, and the plan to erect the separation wall began to be implemented. Today's separation wall, which is close to completion, has created an envelope around Jerusalem, separating Palestinian neighborhoods from other Palestinian neighborhoods, completely and physically barring West Bank inhabitants from Jerusalem.16 Furthermore, the separation wall has excluded areas of Jerusalem that were pushed out of the municipal borders in 1967. Most of the residents living in these areas possess a Jerusalem ID, and are dependent on Jerusalem for their livelihoods. The second intifada did attract many businesses back into Jerusalem; however, the total closure of the West Bank from Jerusalem and the beginning of the construction of the separation wall killed the life of the city that used to attract thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
Restricted by Zoning
Another factor that pushed Jerusalemites out of the city was the restriction on building permits for Palestinian Jerusalemites and excessive taxation policies imposed by the Israeli municipality. Municipal officials continuously withheld building permits and demolished many Palestinian homes which were claimed to have been built illegally. These illegal building activities were carried out in response to the strict Israeli municipal system which followed a system of zoning and unofficial government quotas. This system defined the spaces where Palestinians could or could not build. According to Sarah Kaminker, an urban planner and a former member of the Jerusalem City Council, Palestinians are prevented from using 87% of the land area in Arab Jerusalem to expand their residential needs. This restricted land has been zoned either for public utilities and green areas, or was expropriated for the exclusive use of Jewish residents.17
The municipal tax, or arnona, is another aspect viewed as threatening to every Jerusalemite.18 Arnona is defined as "the municipal tax which is levied on buildings by the Israeli municipality in which the property is located."19 Any resident of Jerusalem who lives within the municipal boundaries of the city and owns a house or any other building property is required to pay this tax. Rates of arnona vary between the different neighborhoods in the municipality or area of local authority. These rates are calculated in accordance with the size of the property.20
Palestinian Jerusalemites have avoided paying the arnona tax over the years, mostly through building or living outside of the Jerusalem municipal boundaries. Reasons for escaping these taxes vary, and may be related to an individual's inability to pay, or as an attempt to avoid strict property surveillance. Certain sites, like A- Ram and Shu'fat refugee camp, have partially exempted residents or made it easier for them to avoid paying this tax. These sites lack the strict surveillance that other areas in Jerusalem are under, and therefore allow for more informal construction and economic activities. However, failing to pay the arnona tax has recently resulted in consequences. Since the 1996 Center of Life Policy was implemented, making the arnona an important factor in retaining one's Jerusalem ID, many Jerusalem ID holders have lost their IDs as a result of not paying the tax.
The numbers of settlers and settlements have been increasing drastically in the Old City, as well as in areas that are referred to as the Holy Basin, which include Silwan, Abu Dis, Ras al-Amud, Jabal al-Mukkaber, Walajeh, Beit Safafa, and also in Jerusalem's immediate environs, such as Sheikh Jarrah and Wadi el-Joz. The continuously expanding settlements of Har Homa and Ma'ale Adumim have not stopped despite the current peace negotiations and international pressures.
In Permanent Refugee Mode
Sixty years ago, the appropriation of Palestinian lands and homes in Jerusalem occurred in a moment of organized and declared warfare and, since 1967, the unconventional methods of warfare through municipal policies and continued settlement-building have aimed at limiting the number of Palestinians in Jerusalem. The building of the separation wall was a unilateral action by the Israeli government that has excluded a large number of Palestinian Jerusalemites from the city. Today, Jerusalemite Palestinian identity is barely surviving the harsh municipal policies, the building regulations and the high taxations.
Jerusalemites fear the threat of losing their Jerusalem IDs, which means being denied free access to the city where their relatives reside and where they have their property and businesses. This fear has rendered them passive and acquiescent to the status quo. With the death of Palestinian PLO representative in Jerusalem Faisal al-Husseini and the closing down of Orient House, Palestinian Jerusalemite political life was completely frozen. A continuation of the Israeli Ministry of the Interior's current policies of ethnic cleansing through the cancellation of Jerusalem IDs according to the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law, and the municipal policies of restricting Arab building licenses in the city, and demolishing Arab houses, Israel has revoked the Jerusalemites' residency rights, and created a new category of Palestinian refugees in their own country
The Palestinian Jerusalemites today live in an ever-changing environment that necessitates a constant revision of upcoming threats. For many Jerusalemites, a daily exercise of "redefining home," "flight from danger," and "fear of displacement," "fear of losing their IDs" govern their thinking. Unlike the 1948 and 1967 Palestinian experiences, which occurred more or less in a moment of declared war and, simultaneously, created populations that fit the legal definitions of refugees, the current political situation and the slower process of displacement has created a permanent refugee mode of behavior. It is one that contains all the psychological components of refugee behavior and is much more internalized, yet does not figure in the legal definition of refugees.
1. The Absentee Property Law of 1950 formally denied refugees and internal refugees any right to their property in the newly established state of Israel (see Bishara below).
2. Bishara, Amal. "House and Homeland: Examining Sentiments about Claims to Jerusalem and Its Houses." Social Text 75, Vol.21, No.2, 2003, p. 144.
3. Zilberman, Ifrah. "Migration from Hebron: Development in the Area of Jerusalem" (unpublished article in Arabic).
4. Benvenisti, Meron. The Peace of Jerusalem. Tel Aviv: HaKibbutz HaMeuchad (Hebrew),1981. Nasrallah, Rami. Rassem Khamaisi, and Michael Younan. Jerusalem on the Map. Jerusalem: Jerusalem International Peace and Cooperation Center, 2003.
5. Romann, Michael. and Alex Weingrod. Living Together Separately: Arabs and Jews in Contemporary Jerusalem. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991. Nasrallah, Rami, et. al.
6. Amirav, Moshe. Israel's Policy in Jerusalem since 1967. Working Paper Series, No.102. Palo Alto: Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation, 1992.
7. Nasrallah, Rami." Jerusalem between the Utopia of an Open City and the Reality of Separation," in Friedman, Abraham and Rami Nasrallah, eds. Divided Cities in Transition. Jerusalem: Jerusalem International Peace and Cooperation Center, 2003.
8. Bollens, Scott A. On Narrow Ground: Urban Policy and Ethnic Conflict in Jerusalem and Belfast. New York: State University of New York, 2000, p. 72
9. Lustick, Ian S. "Yerushalyim and al-Quds: Political Catechism and Political Realities." Journal of Palestine Studies 30.1: 5-21, 2000.
10. Tamari, Salim. "A Contested City in a Sacred Geography," in Friedman and Nasrallah, eds. Divided Cities in Transition, p.120. This is an expanded version of an earlier article that appeared in Shami, Seteney, ed. Capital Cities and Globalization in the Middle East. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002.
11. de Jong, Jan. "Israel's Greater Jerusalem Engulfs the West Bank's Core." Jerusalem Quarterly File, Issue 10, 2000.
12. Bollens, p. 60.
13. Rashid Khalidi. Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997, p. 8.
14. Nasrallah et al., p. 228.
15. Center of Life Policy: Under this policy Palestinian Jerusalemites can have their Jerusalem residency rights revoked if they cannot prove that municipal Jerusalem is their center of life. They must prove that they work and live within the municipal boundaries and send their children to schools in Jerusalem. Since 1996, this policy has been applied not only to those who live abroad for more than seven years, but also to those who live in the suburbs of Jerusalem within the West Bank. In Nasrallah et al., pp.15, 34-35.
16. Nasrallah, Rami. Environmental Policies as a Double-Standard Planning Method: The Case of Jerusalem. 2005. A paper presented at the Middle East Environment Futures Project Conference.
17. Kaminker, Sarah. "East Jerusalem: A Case Study in Political Planning." Palestine-Israel Journal Vol. 2, No. 2, 1995, pp. 59-66.
18. Khamaisi, Rassem and Rami Nasrallah. The Jerusalem Urban Fabric: Demography, Infrastructure, and Institutions. Jerusalem: Jerusalem International Peace and Cooperation Center, 2003.
19. Capital Property Consultants. "Taxation." http://www.property.co.il/information/taxation.htm
20. Khamaisi and Nasrallah, p. 35.


We deliver a couple more harsh noise walls courtesy of Moon Eclipse from our friends at Wall Noise Action in Russia. Much like the effectiveness of Sleep Column's artwork for their Colleen Dawn Adams release, we now find a similar photo for Moon Eclipse's Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold.
Like our previous review of Sleep Column, Moon Eclipse delivers a pair of harsh noise walls clocking in at 30 minutes each. I can appreciate again the fact they are untitled and when taken in with the product as a whole, the tracks can be seen in stark contrast to the beauty of the photo but in tandem with the harshness of the loss of a loved-one.
Sonically, each wall is abrasive and solid from beginning to end. Track 2, however is exceedingly cut-up, gurgling and low-end. It's like putting an object in a blender that would not necessarily belong there.
Well, once again we prove that Wall Noise Action is at the forefront right there with Harsh Noise Movement. Solid, Uncomfortable and Abrasive. Great stuff.
Dorothy Harriet Camille Arnold is available as a digital-only release via Wall Noise Action's Bandcamp page.


Leadership For A Future provides an opportunity for leaders from diverse groups and backgrounds to forge relationships and networks that will be of benefit to themselves and their organizations throughout their lives. In addition to learning about Rhode Island's history, culture, economics and politics, and skills such as grass roots organizing, using the media, and public speaking, participants share their experiences and learn from the experiences of others in the group.
This process creates a powerful, committed, and diverse network of graduates who have taken the time to understand one another. This network is critical and necessary if the shared goals of economic and social justice for all Rhode Islanders is to be achieved.
The program begins with a an over-night retreat, and continues with sessions that are held on Monday's from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Throughout the program, participants examine the process and impact of social influence and leadership on the many issues facing Rhode Island's communities while focusing on relationship building, institutional reflection, power analysis and initial studies on a variety of societal topics.
Individually, and as a group, the class implements a strategic analysis and planning process to address individual goals for working in community, religious and/or labor organizations.
To become a participant, individuals must have experience working in community, labor or religious organizations and must attend 8 of the 9 sessions.
Organizations must nominate individuals, support their participation and accommodate work schedules so individuals can attend all aspects of the program.
Participation in the retreat and the orientation, and the graduation ceremony is mandatory.
Application deadline is January 16, 2018. Space is limited. Apply early.
Call Desiree Leclair at 401-463-9900 or email: dleclair@riilsr.org for additional information.


Home › Children's Books › Why does Amina use a white cane?
Why does Amina use a white cane?
Amina cannot see like other people, but she can do many things. Find out how her white cane helps her. Read an important message about blindness at the back of the book.


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2018: Dare to Consider
Albert Keys recounts his personal story as an example of what patience can achieve in even the most dire situations. Albert was on his way to get his grandmother a hamburger when he suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a car accident. He was not expected to move or even breathe on his own again.
Dr. Belfi shares her research on the length of time it takes for an individual to accurately determine if they will like a piece of music. Dr. Amy Belfi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at Missouri S&T. She received her B.A. in Psychology from St.
Dr. Westenberg demonstrates in a friendly way, how microbes are all around (and inside) us and why we should care. Dr. Dave Westenberg is Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology. He earned his PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dajae Williams goes from college athlete to NASA scientist and uses music to inspire others. As a scholar, athlete, musician, and engineer Dajae "Moe" Williams prides herself in the ability to design her own life. Not fazed by the notion that "You can't have it all," Dajae doesn't allow anyone or anything to box her in.
Student Jacob Huxol uses juggling to demonstrate that barriers are meant to be broken. Hi, my name is Jacob Huxol and I am a Junior at Missouri S&T, I'm majoring in Metallurgical Engineering. Over seven years, juggling has become one of my major passions; everyone can do it, it's easy to learn and it helps pass the time.
Counselor David Duncan approaches the topic of trauma and the methods he uses to help his community move through the healing process. David has spent the last 30 years studying the intersection between psychotherapy and Christian spirituality. He has a masters in counseling psychology. He is licensed as a professional counselor in Missouri.
Dr. Yan educates the world on the dangers of tornado alley and the wide ranging benefits of making it a safer and better place to call home. Dr. Grace Yan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering of Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Comedian Nick Nichols talks about pushing against your walls to find a new you. St. Louis native, Cornell "Nick" Nichols III is a technical consultant by day and standup comedian by night in the Kansas City area. He graduated from Missouri S&T in May 2015 with a degree in Engineering Management and emphasis in Management of Technology.
Dr. Petroy discusses how positive psychology can play a role in the business world. Petroy's research interests include ethical leadership and positive psychology in leadership that explores how to focus on the positive aspects of leadership. He authored several publications, including a trademarked lecture series titled "Inspiration Through Knowledge" and has given numerous presentations.
A choir director gets assigned to lunch detention and something miraculous happens. Daniel Gutierrez is the vocal music director at Reed Academy Middle School, Daniel is an award winning educator, active conductor, All-State choir clinician, and speaker throughout the country. In 2012 Daniel was hired, as the only applicant, to be the choir director at Reed Academy Middle School.


Nothing better than a simple black tee and this is our best one yet. The title piece of the HIT HARD Collection! This design embodies exactly what it means to HIT HARD. Inspired by a clean cut style for the front and detailed artwork concept on the back. A piece you can easily match with and keep simple with a jacket over it or stand out in a crowd and rock it all on it's own showcasing the eye catching back design.


Who Are California's Energy Heroes?
Get to know these extraordinary residents and small business owners. Each one is doing their part to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint for California and the planet.
Straus Family Creamery is using cow power to run their farms and produce 100% organic milk. Literally.
See how Sierra Nevada Brewing has become nearly independent from the grid, operating with clean and renewable energy sources.
Sacramento Eco Fitness is harnessing human power. Learn how energy you spend at the gym could be used to power the gym itself—or other things.
From sourcing beans to roasting them, Equator Coffees & Teas is reducing energy consumption and making an excellent product.
The man behind Who Killed The Electric Car? shares his thoughts and practices on living energy efficient.
See how a simple energy assessment turned Stephanie's home into an energy-efficient, money-saving abode.
Because every action counts, everything Ahmad does to save energy also means saving a lot of money.
Green Certification can do more for your business than you think. Learn why it's a great business model.
Grace Yang and her family save energy and hope to inspire others in Berkeley, California.
See how GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit, helps underserved communities save money by saving energy.
Pilar's floral design studio in Oakland, California, proves that business can be eco-friendly, energy efficient and exceptionally elegant.
How do you save energy while running the AC to maintain a lab at exactly 68°F?
Sadie, a small business owner, shows us how personalized events can also be kind to the environment.
Guillermo is a film editor, full-time dad and Energy Hero living in Whittier, California.
Fabian is the owner of Bella Pasta, a real estate agent and an Energy Hero, living and running his small business in Fresno, California.
Brandon is an award-winning business strategist, leadership coach and college instructor, living with his wife in Pasadena, California.
The city of Lancaster, California, and Mayor R. Rex Parris, combating climate change and providing residents with clean energy.


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Gilles Le Breton (died 1553) was a French architect and master-mason during the Renaissance. He is best known as the mastermind of much of the present-day Château de Fontainebleau.

In 1526, Le Breton was working at the Château de Chambord under Pierre Nepveu. In 1527, he was appointed "maître général des oeuvres de Maçonnerie du roi," or master-mason. It was around this time that Francis I started renovations on Fontainebleau, the former medieval hunting lodge of the French monarchs, just to the southeast of Paris. On April 28, 1528, Le Breton signed a contract with the king to pull down the old entrance tower and erect another, along with several smaller towers and galleries. Le Breton was next contracted to construct the Chapel of St. Saturnin and renovate a staircase in August 1531. He was promised 18,000 livres for work on the grand staircase, per a contract in March 1540. Philibert de l'Orme, the architect of Francis I, acknowledged and verified Le Breton's works later in 1540. Though de l'Orme became the lead architect of Fontainebleau in 1548, it is believed that Le Breton remained on the project until his death.

Surviving works of Le Breton's at Fontainebleau include the Porte Dorée and loggia, the Cour Ovale, the Cour du Cheval Blanc, and the chapel of La Trinité.

Le Breton died in the village of Avon, Seine-et-Marne, Fontainebleau, in 1553.

References

External links
Vanaise, P. (1966). "Gilles Le Breton, maître-maçon, entrepreneur ou architecte parisien du XVIe siècle", Gazette des Beaux-Arts (November 1966), pp. 241–264.
"Le Breton, Gilles ca. 1500-1553", WorldCat identity

1553 deaths
16th-century French architects
Renaissance architects
Year of birth unknown

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Excellent job opportunity available in a wholesale horticultural business based in Cornwall. Our client is seeking a highly motivated, professional manager of business and people to come and join their dynamic team, within a successful and well respected young plant company.
The ultimate goal for the successful candidate will be to continue to build on the solid foundations laid within the company, helping to set and drive forward production, operational and strategic goals, keeping our client as a leader in their field.
The role will be at senior management level, working alongside upper management to agree budgets, standards and policies. The successful candidate will collaborate, support, direct and allocate resources, including personnel to the existing middle management team. Experience in directing operations, implementing technical developments and championing new ideas will be invaluable.
Knowledge of the ornamental young plant sector and/ or surrounding industries is essential.
Growing/horticultural experience, within the young plant, or finished plant sector, or similar would be highly advantageous.
Salary will be very competitive depending on the individual competencies.


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Target Hosts "Party for Good: Making Meals to Feed Young Minds" at the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service
MINNEAPOLIS - June 29, 2010
More than 5,000 Conference attendees and celebrity friends to assemble 150,000 meals for New York City families in need
To celebrate volunteerism and help combat hunger facing many children and families across New York City, today Target is hosting a one-of-a-kind service event, "Party for Good: Making Meals to Feed Young Minds." More than 5,000 attendees from the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service are expected to attend the service event and help assemble 150,000 meals that will be donated to the Food Bank For New York City at Basketball City (Pier 36 @ South Street).
"The 'Party for Good' allows Target to expand our commitment to combat hunger and its impact on children's academic achievement," said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. "We're proud to partner with the National Conference on Volunteering and Service and the Food Bank For New York City on this unique service project."
As part of its title sponsorship of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, convened by Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service, with local conveners NYC Service and New Yorkers Volunteer, Target is reinforcing its larger commitment to supporting education, service and reducing hunger. The event's emcee, "The Insider" host Lara Spencer, along with Conference attendees, including leaders in the nonprofit, government and corporate sectors across the country, will roll up their sleeves to meet the 150,000 meal goal, which translates to more than 4,000 meal kits. Each kit provides a family of four with three meals a day for three days, and includes items from Target's Archer Farms and Market Pantry owned brands, such as oatmeal, multigrain pasta and canned chunk white tuna.
Throughout the evening there also will be celebrity appearances, including a special performance by Katharine McPhee, "American Idol" Season Five runner-up.
"The Food Bank For New York City is honored to be the recipient of Target's extraordinary Party for Good which will allow thousands of New York City children and their families to come together and share a meal. As a long-time partner, Target has taken a multi-faceted approach to food poverty by supporting the Food Bank financially, with product donations and through volunteerism. We are very grateful for that support," said Lucy Cabrera, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Food Bank For New York City. "The current economic crises has had a critical affect on the Food Bank's ability to meet the demand for food and services, but with generous partners like Target, we will be able to continue doing what we know how to do best… feed the hungry while seeking out long-term solutions to food poverty throughout New York City."
In support of the event, Target teamed up with Procter & Gamble and Coke/Glaceau, for donations to make the event possible. Procter &Gamble provided additional hygiene essentials that will be given to Food Bank For New York City, and Coke/Glaceau provided water and other beverages for the event attendees.
"Party for Good" is an extension of the Target Meals for Minds initiative. Launched in May 2010, the innovative partnership with Feeding America and local food banks will bring food to schools to feed students and families most in need. This fall, Target will expand Meals for Minds into more schools across the country to help nourish young minds and ease the impact of hunger on academic achievement. Target also is working with Feeding America to develop a toolkit to help hunger organizations expand these types of programs to assist more kids and families in need. In 2010, Target has committed $3.5 million, through Target Meals for Minds and other school-based food programs, to combat the impact of hunger on a child's learning, and the company is projected to donate more than 20 million pounds of food to children and families in need.
"Feeding America is excited to partner with Target on 'Meals for Minds' to address the stark reality of the escalating number of families turning to America's food banks," said Vicki Escarra, President & CEO, Feeding America. "Target's heritage of giving back is unique and distinctive as evidenced by the overwhelming response to 'Party for Good', which serves to ignite change and involvement in America that will benefit the 17 million children who struggle with hunger each year."
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.
Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem solving. We are organized to innovate, incubate and activate new ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference. Points of Light Institute operates three dynamic business units that share our mission: HandsOn Network, generationOn, AmeriCorps Alums, MissionFish and the Civic Incubator. For more information, visit PointsofLight.org.
About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
About the Food Bank For New York City
Food Bank For New York City recognizes 27 years as the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs. As the city's hub for integrated food poverty assistance, the Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts — emergency food distribution, income support and nutrition education — all strategically guided by its research. Through its network of approximately 1,000 food assistance programs citywide, the Food Bank helps provide 300,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. The Food Bank's hands-on nutrition education program in the public schools reaches thousands of children, teens and adults. Income support services including food stamps, free tax assistance for the working poor and the Earned Income Tax Credit put millions of dollars back in the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, helping them to achieve greater dignity and independence. Every dollar donated to the Food Bank helps provide five meals to New Yorkers in need. Learn how you can help at foodbanknyc.org.
About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.


I know most of you are already fed up with alternative ending ideas, but I just feel like I have to get this off my chest - you're welcome to skip it.
Everything happens the way it did by the canon story all the way to the final choice.
When you get to the final decision, you're offered a third option, something like: "I can't live with the consequences of sacrificing either Chloe or Arcadia Bay". To be able to select this option you would be required to have kissed either Chloe or Warren, as to do something as "stupid" as this, one has to be emotionally supercharged.
Max tells Chloe that it has to have a reason and a meaning that she got these powers. She tells her that she (Chloe) is wrong as it's not her destiny to die in that bathroom... but it's her own (Max's) destiny to save everyone, that's why she got the powers in the first place.
After Chloe understands and accepts (not without a fight!) what Max's suggesting they confess their love to each other one last time (not in a very straightforward way, it's still up to the player to decide whether their love is based on friendship or something more intimate).
Max turns to face the storm, as resolute as ever, and starts using her power, channeling it at the hurricane, freezing time in it's core and slowly breaking down it's momentum with that. It's a very vile scene where Max really pushes herself way over her boundaries, her nose starts bleeding, then at the apex of her fight with the hurricane her eyes and ears as well.
The hurricane diminishes, but at the same time Max collapses. She's not dead yet, but dieing, oblivious to her surroundings and Chloe.
It's Max's funeral now. Very similar to the funeral scene we got for Chloe. Everyone is there whom Max ever helped to, or befriended. We also get to see Max's parents for the first time.
Chloe shows up, late as usual, but unusually elegant. There are many emotions on her face, but sadness and anger are the most dominant ones. Rebellious as ever, she visibly cannot accept that Max is gone, although doesn't make a scene of it.
Chloe looks up in the distance and sees the doe spirit for the first time, shocked, then smiling faintly.
All the decisions you've made and all the **** that Max and Chloe went through would still make sense and stay valid. Without them happening Max and Chloe would not be at the Lighthouse together, and Max would not be in a state of mind required to do what she does. Instead of every event being erased, every event would be leading up to and fueling what happens here.
The official ending options are bad. Not because of inconsistency or anything else that was thrown at them, but because both of those decisions are something that our protagonists could not live with.
They're too good and they've fought too much for each other and Arcadia Bay. Letting Arcadia Bay get destroyed is just not like them, if the writers ever listened to the characters that they've created they should know that nor Max nor Chloe could ever accept the perish of a whole town for their lives. They just don't work like that.
Also I can't imagine Max living on knowing she sacrificed her best friend (optionally the love of her life). She's just too good hearted for that, regardless of Chloe asking for it. It's just not how love works when you have the ability to time travel.
Out of these two Chloe was the rebellious and feisty one, that's for sure, but it was always Max who made the hard decisions and sacrifices. It would just make more sense have it stay that way.
If you would argue that I've just said above Max would not ever accept Chloe's death, so why would Chloe accept Max's death, please note that Chloe would have no choice this way. Max has the option, the ability to keep trying to save Chloe, she could for example show herself in the bathroom scene (think of the movie Edge of Tomorrow). Chloe is powerless to change things, she's not offered a decision.
It would be bad just get over it...the game is ended both end its make sense.
"I could hear the sound. The sound was me breaking. I cried because she had lived, because she had died. I was shattered."
If you really really love someone and you're offered a choice about which one of you will have to suffer - or in this case make the ultimate sacrifice - you will always choose yourself. Love is the only emotion known to humankind that at times can be strong enough to even overcome our most basic and primal instincts, survival included.
Okay maybe Max isn't supposed to be able to fight the storm as I imagined, but I'll be damned if I ever believe that she would settle for any of the two options Dontnod offered. She could continue trying to alter timelines so that finally everything works out. There are still a lot of options she missed, so assuming that any of those sacrifices is the only way is way too early at episode 5.
I do understand LiS ended this way and that I cannot do anything to change it, but I also can't be forced to accept it - and I'm not alone with feeling this way.
"then at the apex of her fight with the hurricane her eyes and ears as well." ... Really?
getting heavier, different timelines showing up in the tornado etcetera.
But I can work with this ending not sure, but not that much sure to get as an ending.
A third option would be okay but not really important I guess though?
For the eyes and ears bleeding part, well, I'm not really intent on having it, it was just an idea to show Max is doing too much. We already saw her nose bleed a lot and she didn't die of that, only had shorter concussions... so the display of nosebleed no longer seemed rough enough to indicate she's dieing... still only a small detail, not essential for the main idea.
Btw if the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending was explained and detailed a lot more (similar to the level of Sacrifice Chloe ending), maybe I could live with that. Actually a few seconds cutscene showing that although Arcadia Bay is destroyed, but most of the residents survived (e.g.: moved to shelters like the Dark Room), I would be already happy with that ending.
But currently it suggests that Chloe and Max can carry on knowing that a whole town of people died for them, which is bull****. They couldn't accept that.
I mean nosebleeds are okay, maybe she vomits some blood either? But ears and eyes bleeding?
Also the Life is Strange itself turned out so dark by ep5 that having a scene so graphic wouldn't feel out of place anymore, at least for me. Anyhow, it's just a smaller detail, can be excluded.
My original point was that the person I got to know Max to be would not accept the 2 canon endings (as they're currently are), and would very possibly go with something as extreme as this to avoid them.
Yes thats true, episode 5 is really dark but it was clearly that it would turned out that way, I guess?
My Max wouldn't accept it either if it were possible she would go with a other option to avoid that too.
So Sacrifice Chloe, Sacrifice Arcadia Bay or Sacrifice Max.
This is what I was thinking during on my first playtrough when episode 5 came out.
So if that were possible I would go for that ending.
Some leaked files showed something called hospital_end or something. But it seems to have been cut.
Now THAT would be really hard choice for me. I would never have Max die but at the same time she would have probably done that. When I was thinking about possible choices months ago, the "kill Chloe" or "kill people in Arcadia Bay" was easy for me. But if I had to choose whether Max sacrifices herself or kills Chloe? Aargh!
True, but to be honest this is what the game has been showing ME. Maybe it was also just a wish thinking moment during the game but I got hints, they I had read and misundterstood them during my explore.
Yes, I really like this ending idea. It makes sense and also preserves your choices better than the current two endings. I would have chosen it.
If it were me, I would definitely want to try stopping the tornado some other way, and if that didn't work, then I would make an effort to use the time powers again to warn people in advance and try to get the warning to be taken seriously enough that it actually saves a decent number of people. Also I would have been constantly taking new photos as 'save points' just in case.
Having photos of different times or timelines could compromise Max. I think she would want to hide her ability, to avoid turning out as a lab rat.
On the other hand the idea of warning the town could work, I think. Yeah sure if she just started running around like crazy yelling at everyone to leave town because a Hurricane is coming, it would just get her to an asylum... BUT if she previously uses her powers to save Kate and uncover Jefferson's secret, she becomes the Hero of Arcadia Bay as this actually happened in one of the timelines she visited.
Now if the Hero of Arcadia Bay started suggesting people to leave town, that could work... Sure they would still ask why, but they wouldn't just dismiss her.
...sooooo not having that option was a dumb decision from Dontnod.
True, but to be honest this is what the game has been showing ME.
You're not alone with that, and to be honest I don't think we got the signs wrong. Max really is of the martyr type. That's my problem with all this, and that's how I got to this ending idea. Knowing her character it was somehow so obvious that she would do this if it came down to it, that I was actually surprised there is no such option.


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Young People & Families Service Worker - North West, England
Young People & Families Service Worker – North West, England
Location (UK): Homebased
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Benefits: Read more about the excellent benefits we offer
Travel: Regular weekly travel to Manchester Children's Hospital also around the North West region and occasional travel around England and UK.
Closing date: 23:59, Wednesday 15 February 2023
Download the job description and person specification for the Young People & Families Service Worker – North West. (Word, 56KB)
Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.
Versus Arthritis is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process Versus Arthritis will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to ensure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Passionate about improving the lives of children, young people and their families
Experienced at creating inspiring programmes and offering life-changing one-to-one support?
Committed to putting children and young people at the heart of decision-making?
If so, then come join our team!
We are looking for dynamic, creative, innovative team players to join our Young People and Families Service in England. This role will be based in North West, but will support service delivery across England and the UK.
As a Young People & Families Worker you will work with colleagues, partners, healthcare professionals, schools, volunteers, families and - most importantly - young people to plan, deliver and evaluate a quality support offer locally and nationally.
You will help young people living with arthritis to build their confidence, make friends and achieve their personal goals. This will be achieved by providing one-to-one support, creating peer networks and working with volunteers to deliver self-management activities on a variety of topics from sleep management to self-advocacy.
You'll also co-design an exciting programme of social events, youth voice opportunities, digital content and residential events. You will act as the bridge between young people, their families and professionals - especially in healthcare settings where you will play a unique role working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams. You will support young people during the pivotal transition from paediatric to adult services and life, making sure it is a time of empowerment and growth.
Key requirements
Experience of working within the third and/or public sector, preferably within the fields of youth/community development work and/or health and social care - with a passion for improving the lives of young people.
Understanding the importance of self-management and experience of delivering interventions to people living with long-term conditions. Experience of taking a person-centred approach when providing support.
Experience of using a community development/youth work approach to co-design and deliver a quality project that is inclusive, inspiring and makes a difference. Engaging colleagues, funders, supporters and partners to make it happen.
Knowledge and experience of safeguarding and safe working policies and procedures.
Experience of basic project skills, including supporting evaluation work, writing reports, developing project proposals and managing activity budgets.
Desirable:
Knowledge and understanding of arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.
Understanding of the 'Social model of disability.'
To apply you MUST submit:
a concise up-to-date CV
a completed application form (Word, 42 KB) demonstrating how you meet the key requirements set out in the Download the job description and person specification for the Young People & Families Service Worker – North West. (Word, 56KB). All sections must be completed.
Email both documents as Word or PDF attachments by 23:59 on Wednesday 15 February 2023 to recruitment@versusarthritis.org. If you have a health condition that prevents you from following the steps above, please email us regarding alternative ways to apply.
Application deadline and shortlisting
We advise candidates to apply early as we reserve the right to close applications ahead of the advertised date.
We do not wish to receive contact from agencies or media sales.
First interviews: Dates to be confirmed and to be held in Manchester.
There are 20.3 million people living with arthritis and MSK conditions in the UK. That's one in three people, many who live in pain every single day. The impact is huge as the condition intrudes on everyday life – affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of aging or shrugged off as 'just a bit of arthritis'. We don't think that this is ok. Versus Arthritis is here to change that.
Join us and use your skills, knowledge, passion and energy to help us defy arthritis.
Read more about working for us.
Happy to Talk Flexible Working
Promoting equality in the workplace.
"Our Flex ways of working enables our employees to have flexibility about how they work, whilst ensuring the needs of the charity are met."
Promoting and supporting diversity in the workplace.
Versus Arthritis is a Registered Charity No: 207711 and in Scotland No. SC041156.


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Florida universities spend millions on diversity, equity, inclusion
WUWF | By Ryan Dailey - News Service of Florida
Some Florida universities are spending millions of dollars on programs and other expenses related to diversity, equity and inclusion — as Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration target "trendy ideology" on campuses.
Chris Spencer, director of DeSantis' Office of Policy and Budget, in a Dec. 28 memo directed leaders of the state college and university systems to require institutions to "provide a comprehensive list of all staff, programs and campus activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory."
The News Service of Florida reviewed a list of information submitted by universities, including descriptions of spending and how much of the money comes from the state.
The University of Florida, the state's flagship university, reported spending $5.3 million on diversity-related programs and expenses, with nearly $3.4 million coming from the state. The university listed 43 staff positions connected to the efforts.
For example, the university's Office of the Chief Diversity Officer includes four staff positions and costs the school $1,085,485, with about $785,000 coming from the state. A description of the office said it "develops (an) inclusive excellence strategy for the university and coordinates inclusive excellence initiatives across the colleges and business units."
The diversity office also "supports compliance with federal Affirmative Action regulations," the university noted.
The University of Central Florida, meanwhile, spent nearly $4.5 million on programs and expenses, with about $2.3 million of that amount flowing from the state.
UCF listed eight courses, all of which the school described as "optional," that involve diversity, equity and inclusion concepts. "Gender issues in communication," "cultural diversity in criminal justice," "third wave feminism" and "politics and civil rights" were listed among the classes.
The University of South Florida reported spending that included about $1.2 million for its Diversity and Inclusion Office, with $1.13 million of that amount coming from the state.
Spencer in his Dec. 28 memo said college and university expenses will be reviewed as lawmakers gear up to craft a budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
"As the Executive Office of the Governor prepares policy and budget proposals ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session, it is important that we have a full understanding of the operational expenses of state institutions," Spencer wrote.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, also requested information last week from colleges and universities about diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programs. Renner sent letters to school presidents with lists of information that the House wants.
In a prepared statement, Renner said he looks "forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature to establish proper guardrails that ensure these institutions provide our students with an inclusive, well-rounded education that prepares them for the future without promoting an aggressively ideological agenda under the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion."
DeSantis, who is widely considered a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has drawn widespread attention for his vows to fight "wokeness," including on college and university campuses. But the administration's Dec. 28 directive drew criticism from the United Faculty of Florida union.
Andrew Gothard, the union's president, called the request for information "yet another attack on the freedoms" of students, faculty and staff at higher-education institutions.
"Once again, Governor DeSantis has shown that he would rather outlaw ideas he disagrees with than disprove them. Our belief is that all ideas, regardless of their ideological basis and irrespective of whether we agree with them, deserve the protections of the First Amendment," Gothard said in a statement to the News Service when the administration's request was made public Jan. 4.
In the information reviewed by the News Service, Florida A&M University, the state's only historically Black public university, reported spending $4.4 million for diversity, equity and inclusion programs and efforts, with nearly $4.2 million coming from the state.
The largest expenditure listed by FAMU was for its Center for Environmental Equity and Justice.
"The mission of the Center for Environmental Equity and Justice is to conduct and facilitate research, develop policies, engage in education, training, and community outreach activities with respect to environmental equity and justice issues for the state of Florida," the school's description of the center said.
Among other universities, Florida Atlantic University reported spending about $904,000 on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and expenses, with roughly $643,000 coming from the state. The university also listed several classes that include concepts under scrutiny by DeSantis' office.
A course called "Gender and Climate Change" uses $10,000 in state funding.
"This course explores how gender inequality across the globe is related to environmental damage and climate change and examines feminist, indigenous and LGBTQ climate justice movements alongside the gendered implications of global policy and practices related to the environment," a description of the course said.
Meanwhile, the state college system, which is made up of 28 schools, is preparing to eliminate funding for programs that could draw fire from the DeSantis administration.
John Avendano, president of Florida State College at Jacksonville, read a statement on behalf of the college system's Council of Presidents during a Wednesday meeting of the State Board of Education.
The college system "will ensure that all initiatives, instruction and activities do not promote any ideology that suppresses intellectual and academic freedom, freedom of expression, viewpoint diversity and the pursuit of truth in teaching and learning," Avendano said.
"As such, our institutions will not fund or support any institutional practice, policy or academic requirement that compels belief in critical race theory or related concepts such as intersectionality, or the idea that systems of oppression should be the primary lens through which teaching and learning are analyzed and-or improved upon," Avendano told the board, which oversees the college system.
Ryan Dailey - News Service of Florida


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Home » Posts » Other health conditions » cancer » Cancer screening disparities in people with mental illness
Cancer screening disparities in people with mental illness
Emily Peckham
People with mental illness die earlier than those in the general population and the main reason for these early deaths is due to physical health conditions (Brown et al, 2010). Instead of decreasing over time, this life expectancy gap is actually increasing (Hayes et al, 2017).
Although the incidence of cancer is the same between people with mental ill health and the general population (Kisely et al, 2008), people with mental illness have been found more likely to die from cancer than those without (Nordentoft et al, 2013). There are several possible reasons to explain this finding. Firstly, people with mental ill health may be less likely to have surgical interventions, radiotherapy and receive fewer chemotherapy sessions. They may also be less tolerant of intensive treatment programmes with significant side effects (Baillargeon et al, 2011). Finally they may be less likely to undergo cancer screening resulting in a poorer prognosis when cancer is diagnosed due to diagnosis being at a later stage (Firth et al, 2019).
To explore whether people with mental illness are less likely to undergo cancer screening, Solmi et al. (2019) published a systematic review and meta-analysis on exploring differences in cancer screening in people with mental illness across the world compared to the general population. The authors hypothesised that people with mental illness are disadvantaged in cancer screening compared with the general population and that people with schizophrenia are the most disadvantaged. They also hypothesised that this would be regardless of the type of cancer or where the person was living.
Health inequalities for people with mental health illness compared to the general population is not a myth – how likely are they to be screened and diagnosed with cancer?
The authors searched for observational studies of cancer screening. The studies needed to include people with mental illness and report the prevalence of cancer screening in people with mental illness or a comparative measure between people with mental illness and the general population. The study could involve any type of mental illness and any type of cancer.
Two databases were searched from inception to May 2019. No language restrictions were applied and the study could be in any country. The database search used terms relating to mental health and terms related to cancer and cancer screening. Reference lists were also searched.
The authors extracted data from the included studies which they used to carry out a meta-analyses of any cancer screening in people with mental illness compared to the general population and specific cancer screening compared to the general population. A sensitivity analysis was conducted limiting the meta-analysis to studies where mental illness had been defined by any version of the DSM-5 or ICD-10 criteria. Subgroup analyses were conducted comparing a) patients with schizophrenia to patients with mood disorders, b) studies from different regions and c) studies that on cancer screening programmes to studies on opportunistic screening. Finally the authors carried out a meta-regression to test whether any screening gap between people with mental illness and the general population increased with increased screening rates in the general population.
The authors identified 3,710 studies and screened 145 full-texts, 46 studies were eligible for inclusion (reported in 47 publications). The included studies involved 4,717,839 participants (501,559 patients with mental illness, and 4,216,280 controls) of which about 70% were female. All continents except for Africa were included and age ranged from 18-79 years. Types of cancers included were; breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, gastric, prostate and ovarian. Four studies focused on depression, six on schizophrenia, 14 on mixed mental disorders that reported results by diagnosis, and 12 on mixed mental disorders without reporting results by diagnosis.
Results from meta-analyses indicated that people with mental illness are less likely to undergo screening for cancer than the general population and this is particularly true of women and people with schizophrenia.
Sub-group analyses showed that whilst people with mental illness were less likely to receive screening than the general population in any part of the world, the difference was greatest in Asia and the least difference was found in Australia.
Differences in screening by type of cancer showed that colorectal cancer screening did not differ between people with mental illness and the general population. However, disparities in screening were greatest where there was a good uptake of screening in the general population, and in colorectal cancer the uptake in the general population is also low.
This review found that compared to the general population, people with mental illness are less likely to undergo cancer screening, particularly women and people with schizophrenia.
New findings by Solmi et al. (2019) indicated that people with mental illnesses were less likely to receive screening for cancer compared to the general population. This was more evident among women and people diagnosed with schizophrenia. The authors concluded that action needs to be taken to promote cancer screening among these sub-groups. Cancer screening programmes that work for the general population do not appear to work as effectively for people with mental illness. Therefore, these programmes may need tailoring to ensure better uptake amongst people with mental illness.
New findings focusing on disparities in cancer screening highlight the need to promote screening programmes that are effective for people with mental illness.
The strengths of this study are; it includes a large number of people (4·5 million) from all continents except Africa, and that it includes different types of cancer and different types of mental illness. Providing information on disparities in cancer screening across a variety of cancers and mental illness allows the authors to draw conclusions about cancer screening in people with mental illness more generally rather than drawing conclusions on disparities in screening for a single type of cancer or individual mental illness.
One of the limitations of this study is that the screening guidelines and follow-up periods varied across the different countries which led to the results being heterogeneous. This means that the findings should be interpreted with caution, especially where the differences were small. In addition, some regions were under-represented and none of the studies included Africa, which means that we cannot generalise the results of this study to Africa as it may be that there are significant differences in screening procedures in Africa that could affect how people with mental illness are screened. Finally, only published data was included in the review, which meant that not all forms of cancer were represented and that it was not possible to compare unipolar and bipolar disorders.
This review provides information on disparities in cancer screening for people with mental illness, but these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Implications for practice
Cancer screening programmes that have proved to be effective in the general population do not appear to be as effective for people with mental illness.
The implications from the findings by Solmi et al. (2019) are that action is needed to promote cancer screening in people with mental illness.
People with mental illness may need specific tailored interventions and these need to be developed and evaluated in order to determine which interventions are the most effective.
People with mental illness die earlier than those in the general population and one of the ways this disparity may be reduced is through developing effective cancer screening programmes tailored to people with mental illness.
People with mental illness need tailored interventions and this study opens a new path to the development and evaluation of effective interventions.
Primary Paper
Solmi, M., Firth, J., Miola, A., Fornaro, M., Frison, E., & Fusar-Poli, P. et al. (2019). Disparities in cancer screening in people with mental illness across the world versus the general population: prevalence and comparative meta-analysis including 4 717 839 people. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(1), 52-63. doi: 10.1016/s2215-0366(19)30414-6
Brown S, Kim M, Mitchell C, Inskip H. (2010) Twenty-five year mortality of a community cohort with schizophrenia. 2010;196(2):116-121.
Hayes JF ML, Walters K, King MB, Osborn DPJ. (2017) Mortality gap for people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: UK-based cohort study 2000-2014. 2017;211(3):175-181.
Kisely S, Sadek, J., MacKenzie, A., Lawrence, D., & Campbell, L. A. (2008) Excess Cancer Mortality in Psychiatric Patients. 2008;53(11):753-761.
Nordentoft M WK, Hällgren J, Westman J, Osby U, Alinaghizadeh H, Gissler M, Laursen T,. (2013) Excess mortality, causes of death and life expectancy in 270,770 patients with recent onset of mental disorders in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. 2013;8(1).
Baillargeon J KY, Lin YL, Raji MA, Singh A, Goodwin JS. (2011) Effect of mental disorders on diagnosis, treatment, and survival of older adults with colon cancer. 2011;59(7):1268-1273.
Firth J, Siddiqi N, Koyanagi A, et al. The Lancet Psychiatry Commission: a blueprint for protecting physical health in people with mental illness. Lancet Psychiatry. 2019 Aug;6(8):675-712. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30132-4. Epub 2019 Jul 16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30132-4
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
Photo by Curtis MacNewton on Unsplash
Photo by Joe Roberts on Unsplash
Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
Tagged with: cancer, cancer screening, health inequalities, meta-analysis, mortality gap, schizophrenia, systematic review, The Lancet Psychiatry
Emily is as a research chemist and has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Bath. In 2009 she was awarded a three-year full-time School of Healthcare scholarship at the University of Leeds. Her PhD research involved exploring whether any effectiveness of homeopathic treatment is due to the time spent with a caring and empathetic person. After gaining her PhD she joined the Mental Health and Addiction Research Group at the University of York where she worked on a number of randomised controlled trials including SCIMITAR and SCIMITAR+. She is currently the manager for the Closing the Gap Network+ which aims to address the physical health gap for people with severe mental ill health. Emily is also the study manager for the SCIMITAR+ trial which is looking at the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a bespoke smoking cessation for people with severe mental ill health. Please see the link to her profile on the University of York website and publications: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/our-staff/emily-peckham/
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Daniel and Catherine have one of the most interesting love stories we have ever heard. This couple has seen the world together, and have many adventures ahead. Because of their unique story, we asked them to share their story in their own words!
"Daniel a diplomat, from New Zealand, met Catherine, an American, who was in Cairo on a business trip, at an Oktoberfest Party at the US Embassy. Catherine only had a week left on her business trip but they spent every day together. After she returned to Washington, DC, they emailed, skyped, and messaged each other constantly. They visited each other and went on romantic trips around Europe and the Middle East. In July 2016, in front of an ancient house covered in beautiful flowers in a cliff-side village in Tunisia overlooking the Mediterranean, Daniel proposed. People came to the wedding in Galloway, Ohio from all over the world including New Zealand, France, England, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Turkey. The two will make their home in Wellington, New Zealand and continue to travel the world as a family with the New Zealand foreign service."


Many successful executives swear by meditation for its proven physical and mental benefits.
Ray Dalio, who manages the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has built many of the principles of meditation into his firm's culture, including the "belief that a person's main obstacle to improvement [is] his own fragile ego."
And while Dalio may be on the more dedicated end of the spectrum, there are many different ways to meditate.
"A lot of people get discouraged about meditation because they like the idea of it, but then feel like they're 'failing' at it because they just come face to face with the quality of distraction," says Arden Pennell, Business Insider's program director. "But that's just the quality of the mind."
Indeed, one of the most important benefits of a meditation practice is a more focused mind. So here are some tips on incorporating a lightweight, dogma-free meditation system into your daily routine.
1. Set aside the time every day. Psychiatrist Dr. Charles Raison told CNN that meditating for even five minutes a day can lead to major benefits. "What you should begin to notice if you're doing it correctly [is that] you'll feel like things are a little bit more slowed down, you'll feel a little bit less stressed out, you'll have a larger perspective on things," he says. "So rather than getting sort of stuck on little irritating details, you'll find it easier to take a look at the whole picture and stay calmer in dealing with all the things you have to deal with every day."
Raison says that while meditating, "Some people find it useful to have a little clock that they can put in front of them where they can just glance at it so they know [how much time] has passed."
On the other hand, Business Insider's Pennell—who meditates for 45 minutes every morning—uses an iPhone app called a "Zen Timer" because "it stills feels like a distraction having to worry about time," she says.
2. Create a specific space to meditate. Just like going to the gym or the office, having a designated space to perform a task is psychologically motivating. This could be as simple as having a cushion at the end of your bed, or a corner of a room decorated in a way that calms your mind.
"There have been times when I've had a really busy week and a lot has been going on and I'll sit down on the cushion and then I'll just start crying and I'll realize that I'm so sad about this one thing, but I had no space to grieve, no space to think about it; I was zipping from one thing to the other all week," says Pennell, who has studied at Insight Meditation Society, one of the top meditation centers in the country. "One of my meditation teachers likened it to a washing machine. You put the laundry in, maybe all the water comes out gray and the laundry comes out clean. It gives you space to experience what is happening, too."
3. Focus on your breathing. The key to any meditation practice is focusing on the breath. Controlled breathing stabilizes blood pressure and increases oxygen flow, thereby increasing alertness, reports Pooja Biraia at medimanage.com. She says to "stay silent and focus. Inhale and exhale in controlled and deep breaths ... your stomach should rise as you inhale; and you need to draw your navel in as you exhale." This is known as mindful breathing or pranayama.
"Meditation is a word like 'exercise,'" says Pennell. "If someone says 'exercise,' there are 3,000 ways you could do it. A very simple type of meditation for beginners is mindfulness, which is watching your breath. Find your own way and what works for you."
Pennell also says that, even after a few years of practicing, "I get distracted, too, but one of the things that meditation teaches is muscle memory, repetition. You sit on the cushion so many times, your body and nervous system start to learn the practice. It trains the brain to notice when you're getting distracted. Meditation creates more decision space around everyday tasks."
4. Read about meditation. To develop a truly successful meditation practice, it's important to understand the philosophy behind it. Pennell recommends reading "Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom," by Rick Hanson, and books by the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh.
But there's a lot of literature out there. Browse the bookstore aisles to find something that resonates and infuses your spirit. Even reading a few simple passages from a daily meditation guide can dramatically improve your perspective.
5. Be patient with yourself. Meditation, as simple as it sounds, is not easy. It's difficult to be alone with our thoughts.
"One of the things that's happening in meditation is that you're literally conditioning your brain, so you can think of it as a workout," Pennell says. "You know how you go to the gym and lift weights to work on your biceps or thighs? When you meditate, you actually work on strengthening the front parts of your brain. You're getting the parts of your brain to talk to each other and communicate better. It increases your ability to concentrate when there is a lot of noise around."