text:
Trends in New Jersey Employment Law
September 2014 Read Time 15 mins
Joseph C. O'Keefe
Lawrence R. Sandak
John P. Barry
Third Circuit Renders Important Decisions on FMLA and FLSA
In recent weeks, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit rendered a trio of significant employment law decisions.
Lupyan v. Corinthian Colleges Inc., No. 13-1843, 2014 WL 3824309 (3d Cir. Aug. 5, 2014): The court held that, to establish that an employee received the written notice of rights required under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the employer could not merely furnish affidavits from mailroom or HR personnel attesting that the notice had been mailed several years earlier.
Budhun v. Reading Hospital and Medical Center, No. 11–4625, 2014 WL 4211116 (3d Cir. Aug. 27, 2014): The court for the first time addressed what "constitutes invocation of one's right to return to work" under the FMLA and, in so doing, denied the employer's motion for summary judgment where H.R. "seemingly overruled" a physician's conclusion that the plaintiff could return to work without restrictions.
Davis v. Abington Memorial Hospital, Nos. 12-3512, 12-3514, 12-3515, 12-3521, 12-3522, 2014 WL 4198903 (3d Cir. Aug. 26, 2014): The court clarified the "level of detail" necessary to plead a claim for unpaid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), adopting the "middle-ground approach taken by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit" that "a plaintiff must sufficiently allege forty hours of work in a given workweek as well as some uncompensated time in excess of forty hours."
This newsletter summarizes these three decisions and discusses their implications for New Jersey employers.
Lupyan v. Corinthian Colleges Inc.
The plaintiff, Lisa Lupyan, worked for the defendant, Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI) as an instructor. In late 2007, Lupyan requested "personal leave." Lupyan subsequently met with her doctor and received a standard certification of a medical condition. Based on this documentation, CCI's HR department found Lupyan eligible for leave under the FMLA, not personal leave.
CCI's supervisor of administration allegedly informed Lupyan that she should initial the box marked "Family Medical Leave" on her request for leave form. Although it is undisputed that her FMLA rights were not discussed during the meeting, CCI allegedly mailed Lupyan a letter that: (i) stated the company had designated her request for leave as FMLA and (ii) further explained her rights under the statute (hereinafter, "Letter"). Lupyan claimed, however, that she did not receive the Letter.
When she attempted to return to CCI in April 2008, Lupyan was informed that her employment had been terminated due to low student enrollment and for her failure to return to work before the 12 weeks of FMLA-allotted leave expired. Lupyan maintained that this was the first she had heard of being placed on FMLA leave.
Lupyan later filed suit, alleging, among other things, that CCI interfered with her FMLA rights by purportedly failing to provide her with notice that her leave fell under the statute. The district court granted CCI's motion for summary judgment but, for the reasons set forth below, the Third Circuit reversed.
Regulations require that employers provide employees with individual written notice that an absence falls under the FMLA.[1] 29 C.F.R. 825.208. To show that Lupyan received such notice (i.e., the Letter), CCI relied on the "mailbox rule" that if a letter "properly directed is proved to have been either put into the post-office or delivered to the postman, it is presumed . . . that it reached its destination at the regular time, and was received by the person to whom it was addressed." CCI submitted affidavits from its mailroom supervisor and HR coordinator to help establish the presumption that the Letter had been placed in the outgoing mail bin.
The Third Circuit stressed, however, that "CCI provided no corroborating evidence that Lupyan received the Letter." It specifically emphasized that "[t]he Letter was not sent by registered or certified mail, nor did CCI request a return receipt or use any of the now common ways of assigning a tracking number to the Letter." The court held that, on summary judgment, "evidence sufficient to nullify the presumption of receipt under the mailbox rule may consist solely of the addressee's positive denial of receipt," and that "self-serving affidavits signed nearly four years after the alleged mailing date" could not overcome Lupyan's denial of receipt.
The court went on to conclude that "[i]n this age of computerized communications and handheld devices, it is certainly not expecting too much to require businesses that wish to avoid a material dispute about the receipt of a letter to use some form of mailing that includes verifiable receipt when mailing something as important as a legally mandated notice."
Given the Third Circuit's decision, employers should make every effort to establish receipt when mailing employees a notice of rights required under the FMLA. Absent definitive guidance from the court, ways that employers can demonstrate proof of receipt include requiring signature through certified mail, by means of a delivery service with tracking numbers (such as overnight or two-day delivery services), and/or by an electronic medium with electronic receipt. Moreover, in light of the Third Circuit's view that the "mailbox rule" is "simply an evidentiary presumption," not an "immutable legal command," employers should take the necessary steps to establish an employee's receipt of any other notices required under federal employment laws.
Budhun v. Reading Hospital and Medical Center
In 2008, the plaintiff, Vanessa Budhun, was hired as a credentialing assistant by Berkshire Health Partners (BHP), an affiliate of the defendant Reading Hospital and Medical Center. Reading requires employees to submit a leave certification from a healthcare professional prior to approving any FMLA leave, as well as a "fitness-for-duty" certification that confirms that the employee can work "without restriction" upon his or her return. If an employee does not contact Reading's H.R. department upon expiration of his or her FMLA leave period, as a matter of company policy, the employee has "voluntarily resigned."
On July 30, 2010, Budhun broke a bone in her hand, but still arrived at work on August 2, 2010 with a metal splint. That day, she received an email from Stacey Spinka, a Reading H.R. employee, stating "[y]our supervisor has made us aware that you have an injury that prevents you from working full duty," and providing Budhun with FMLA leave forms. Budhun then left work and saw a physician assistant that same day (and in the coming days).
On August 12, 2010, Budhun emailed Spinka that she intended to return to work on August 16, attaching a note from her treating physician stating that she could return to work on that date with "no restrictions." In response, Spinka allegedly (i) questioned the doctor's assessment that she could return to work and (ii) informed her that she could not return until she had full use of all ten fingers. Subsequently (and somewhat inconsistently), on August 16, Budhun sent anothernote from her physician stating that she should be excused from work until September 8.
Budhun sent yet another doctor's note dated September 10, 2010 that she would be out of work until her next doctor's appointment in November. Spinka subsequently extended Budhun's FMLA leave until September 23, 2010 (the date at which her twelve weeks of allotted FMLA leave expired),[2] and approved non-FMLA leave through November 9, 2010. When Budhun did not return by the end of her FMLA leave, however, BHP offered the position to another employee on September 25, 2010. (Budhun was not eligible to transfer to another position within the hospital because of her prior written discipline).
Budhun remained on leave through November 9, 2010 (and continued to be eligible for fringe benefits). At the expiration of her leave, she did not contact Reading and, as a result, the company considered her to have voluntarily resigned. On November 19, 2010, Budhun filed suit alleging FMLA interference and retaliation. The lower court dismissed her claims on summary judgment, but the Third Circuit reversed.
In reaching its decision, the Third Circuit looked to the FMLA regulation that provides the "employer may not delay the employee's return to work while contact with the health care provider is being made." 29 C.F.R. 825.312(b). According to the court, instead of following the regulations, Spinka (who is not a doctor) seemingly overruled Budhun's physician's conclusion by telling Budhun that if she was "truly unrestricted," she "would have full use of all of [her] digits." The Third Circuit accordingly determined that the record allowed a reasonable jury to conclude that Budhun attempted to invoke her right to return to work on August 12, 2010, and that Reading interfered with this right when it told Budhun she could not return (despite the subsequent correspondence from Budhun's doctor that she needed more leave time).
Even assuming Budhun attempted to return to work on August 16, 2010, Reading still argued that it was entitled to summary judgment on the grounds that she could not perform an "essential function" of her job (typing). Although had that been the case Reading could have lawfully prevented Budhun from returning to work, the Third Circuit determined that Budhun adduced enough evidence that she could, in fact, perform this essential function. That is, even though Budhun admitted that it was not likely she could type as quickly with seven fingers as she formerly could with ten, the court stressed that (i) "there was no minimum words per minute requirement in [Budhun's] job description," (ii) other employees with equivalent positions utilized only one finger on each hand to type, and (iii) with the use of ten fingers, Budhun had been able to complete deadlines far in advance.
Finally, the court dismissed Reading's argument that it could not have interfered with Budhun's right to restoration on August 16, 2010 because it did not approve her FMLA leave until August 17. The court emphasized, rather, that Budhun (i) notified Reading she was seeking FMLA leave as early as August 2 and (ii) submitted her papers by August 16. The court reasoned that "[a] reading of the statute that denies all rights that the FMLA guarantees until the time that an employer designates the employee's leave as FMLA would be illogical and unfair." [3]
Given the Third Circuit's decision, employers should make every effort not to "interfere" with an employee's right to return to work following FMLA leave, particularly where a physician has certified that the employee can work without restrictions. As part of this effort, employers should increase their HR training to make certain that all FMLA practices and procedures are followed in accordance with the law and company policy.
Davis v. Abington Memorial Hospital
A federal district court dismissed on the pleadings several similar putative collective and class action stemming from the plaintiffs' allegations that their employers, defendant health care systems and affiliates (collectively, the "defendants"), implemented timekeeping and pay policies that failed to compensate them for all hours worked in violation of the FLSA and Pennsylvania state law.[4] For the reasons set forth below, the Third Circuit affirmed the lower court's dismissal.
In rendering its decision, the Third Circuit first looked to other courts to gauge the proper standard of pleading for an FLSA overtime claim. A "difficult question" that has "divided courts across the country," "some courts have required plaintiffs to allege approximately the number of hours worked for which wages were not received" (e.g., Southern District of Iowa). On the other end of the spectrum, some "courts have adopted a more lenient approach" that "a FLSA complaint will survive dismissal so long as it alleges that the employee worked more than forty hours in a week and did not receive overtime compensation" (e.g., District of Maryland).
The Third Circuit ultimately "agree[d] with the middle-ground approach taken by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit" that "to state a plausible FLSA overtime claim, a plaintiff must sufficiently allege forty hours of work in a given workweek as well as some uncompensated time in excess of forty hours." According to the Third Circuit, the plaintiffs here failed to meet this pleading standard, stressing that each named plaintiff merely pled that he or she "typically" worked shifts between 32 and 40 hours per week and that he or she "frequently" worked extra time. Indeed, "none of the named plaintiffs alleged a single workweek in which he or she worked at least forty hours and also worked uncompensated time in excess of forty hours."[5]
Employers should take note of the pleading standard as clarified by the Third Circuit when deciding whether to move to dismiss unpaid FLSA overtime claims on the pleadings. Although the Third Circuit embraced a more moderate standard, it was careful to note that a plaintiff need not identify the exact dates and times that she worked overtime to survive a motion to dismiss. For instance, the court postulated that "a plaintiff's claim that she 'typically' worked forty hours per week, worked extra hours during such a forty-hour week, and was not compensated for extra hours beyond forty hours he or she worked during one or more of those forty-hour weeks, would suffice." Given this roadmap for employees to avoid dismissal on the pleadings, employers may come to face more unpaid overtime claims on summary judgment and beyond.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these recent cases, please contact your Proskauer lawyer.
[1] The Third Circuit noted that the provision in CCI's employee handbook regarding FMLA rights only constituted "general notice," not individual notice to Lupyan.
[2] Prior to taking the FMLA leave that is the subject of this case, Budhun took approximately four weeks of FMLA leave in two separate segments between March 31, 2010 and May 7, 2010.
[3] The Third Circuit also refused to dismiss Budhun's FMLA retaliation claim on summary judgment on the grounds that (i) although Budhun may not have been formally "terminated" and continued to receive benefits from Reading, that did not mean that the actions that the company took short of termination were not "adverse employment actions," and (ii) the temporal proximity of her "termination" (which occurred only within a few days of Budhun having taken leave) was sufficient to show causation.
[4] Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the defendants did not compensate them for hours worked in excess of forty hours per week during meal breaks, at training programs, and outside of their scheduled shifts.
[5] With respect to the plaintiffs' "pure gap time claims" (straight time wages for unpaid work during pay periods without overtime), the Third Circuit "agree[d] with the clear weight of authority" that such claims "are not cognizable under the FLSA, which requires payment of minimum wages and overtime wages only." Given that the plaintiffs did not plausibly allege that they worked overtime in any given week, the Third Circuit did not resolve whether the plaintiffs' gap time claims might constitute claims for "overtime gap time."
Authors of this newsletter:
Joseph C. O'Keefe and Daniel L. Saperstein.


text:
The Bootleggers
No single law ever spawned greater violence than the law enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1920 banning the sale and manufacture of alcohol. By Kenneth Allsop.
The Bootleggers quantity
SKU: 798-The Bootleggers Categories: Books, Crime Classics, True Crime Library Paperbacks
No single law ever spawned greater violence than the law enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1920 banning the sale and manufacture of alcohol.
For the next thirteen years, when the disastrous folly of Prohibition was at last repealed, illegal drinks' rackets created an entirely new breed of ruthless criminal, men like Al Capone, Johnny Torrio, Dion O'banion and Big Jim Colosimo. They were Bootleggers. They centred on Chicago and their horrific gang warfare caused a total breakdown in the legal and moral standard of that city, which they ruled without fear of punishment.
This is their story, told with dexterity, expertise and vigour by master writer Kenneth Allsop.
Be the first to review "The Bootleggers" Cancel reply
Love of Blood
The true story of notorious serial killer Joanne Dennehy
Hanged At Pentonville
Infamous criminals hanged at Pentonville Prison
Yorkshire Ripper – The Secret Murders
The true story of how Peter Sutcliffe's terrible reign of terror claimed at least twenty-two more lives
London Murder & Crime
Murder and Crime is caused by greed, need, jealousy, desperation and insanity. London, the financial and capital city of england, is no stranger to the excesses of its turbelent citizens – their past misdemeanours enrich the fabric of this great city.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Florida > Tampa Bay
Why were Devil Rays renamed to just Rays? (Tampa, Jay: stadium, ticket)
Tampa Bay Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater
Reivax
Location: Kingwood, Texas
I just realized that the team is officially Rays now
Was Devil in the name too disturbing to some people?
Dodger4881
Some people didn't like the "Devil" in the name, there were a few complaints but that's not the reason why they changed it. New Owners took over recently and thought the name to be corny (which it kinda was) so they wanted a change. Also with new uniforms and colors and most likely a new stadium coming the team changed the name too. Now they are the Rays as in Sun Rays (shown in one of their logos) and also the fish (their now secondary logo).
Kemba
I follow the team, and personally I think "Tampa Bay Rays" sounds plain and terrible. Bring back the Devil Rays. They were always called the Rays for short. They can keep the new uniforms with the Devil Rays name.
scorp200
I will always call them the Devil Rays!
Originally Posted by scorp200
LoneStarJerry
I didn't think Devil Rays sounded corny at all, it sounded cool and original.
The Rays sounds very plain and just doesn't roll off the tongue the way Devil Rays did. By the way I hope you guys take the A.L. East this year.
AnotherDayInParadise
Location: SWFL
I for one am a Rays fan and I like (nay, LOVE) the new branding. It's wonderful to be at a game and see all of the fans in their NEW Rays gear! It has a fresh and youthful feel to it... much like our AWESOME team!
PS Please vote for Evan to be named Clutch Player of the Month!
I say we start a petition to change the name back to Devil Rays. They can keep the same uniforms they are using now. After all, the old grren uniforms said only "Rays" on the front. Also, the sunburst logo wouldn't look bad because other teams have different regional symbols in their logos and uniforms.
Part of the name change was Stu and Company, better known as the 3 big businessmen that are trying to dupe us into building them a new stadium, somehow felt that changing the name would somehow coincide with the team starting to have winning seasons. This, in effect, would give the illusion that the now successful "Rays" have totally distanced themselves from those perrenial losers known as the "Devil Rays." It is nothing more than a ploy to make more $$$$$$$. By the way, IMO the stadium they play in now is great. I love going out there!
I agree, I love going to the Trop myself... it's a wonderful respite on a hot summer's day. BUT... baseball, and professional sports in general, has (for whatever reason) moved beyond "fandom" and has become a major economic driver. The City of St. Pete would do well to have a contemporary stadium on the waterfront that feels more "outdoorsy". It would certainly be the crown jewel of a up-and-coming downtown area. I just want our guys to play well now and into the future, and if a new stadium is part of that equation, so be it.
Whenever I talk to "northerners" (I used to be one, you know) about what it feels like to see a Bucs game at RayJay... they don't believe me until they go. Being a past Bengals season ticket holder... give me RayJay and a party on the pirate ship anyday. Maybe the new Rays stadium will be the same way. Only Florida can do it the way Florida do!
Rays or Yankees?, Tampa Bay, 95 replies
The Rays, Tampa Bay, 26 replies
How 'bout then Rays?!, Tampa Bay, 12 replies
How about those Rays!, Tampa Bay, 22 replies
Rays take game 2, Tampa Bay, 17 replies
Rays take game 1, Tampa Bay, 5 replies


Create responsive WordPress sliders from your existing content ( posts, pages, custom post types & images).
Featured Articles is a WordPress slider plugin that allows you to create sliders in your blog pages directly from your already written content, be it posts, custom posts, pages or WordPress Gallery images.
– automatic placement in any page just above the page loop.


text:
TV / Movies
Excerpt of Long Shot
Posted by Alex Perry	on Dec 17, 2018	in Articles	| No Comments
I have had many names, but as a sniper I went by Azad, which means "free" or "freedom" in Kurdish. I had been fighting for sixteen months in Kurdish territory in northern Syria when in April 2015 I was asked to leave my position on the eastern front, close to the Turkish border, and join an advance on our southwestern one. Eight months earlier, we had been down to our last few hundred yards, and, outnumbered five to one, had made a last stand in Kobanî. In January, after more than four months of fighting street-to-street and room-by-room, we recaptured the town and reversed what was, until then, an unstoppable jihadi tide. In the battles since, we had pushed ISIS far enough in every direction that crossing our territory was no longer a short dash through the streets but a five-hour drive across open country. As we set out to the north, I could make out the snowy peaks in southern Turkey where they say Noah once beached his ark. Below them, rolling toward us, were the wide, grassy valleys and pine forests of Mesopotamia, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris where our people have lived for twelve thousand years.
The story of my people is filled with bitter ironies. The Kurds are one of the world's oldest peoples and, as pioneers of agriculture, were once among its most advanced. Though the rest of the world now largely overlooks that it was Kurds who were among the first to create a civilization, the evidence is there. In 1995, German archaeologists began excavating a temple at Göbekli Tepe in northern Kurdistan. They found a structure flanked by stone pillars carved with bulls, foxes, and cranes, which they dated to around 10,000 bce. At the end of the last Ice Age, and seven thousand years before the erection of Stonehenge or the pyramids at Giza, my ancestors were living together as shamans, artists, farmers, and engineers.
If the great strength of the Kurds was their resilience, their great blight has been the greed and laziness of others who, as far back as anyone can remember, have wanted our farms and markets for themselves. For the last few millennia, our people have been conquered by a succession of outsiders including Persians, Romans, and Ottomans. The first Kurdish uprising happened in 838; there have been dozens since. Despite possessing our own language and culture, and a population of an estimated 45 million—ranking us, alongside Argentina and Uganda, as the thirtieth most populous nation in the world—today our people and nation still pass unrecognized as either a people or a nation, split between what others call southern Turkey, northern Syria, northern Iraq, and northwestern Iran. In each of these misnamed, amputated limbs, Kurds are oppressed. Intermittent bans outlaw our language, dress, folklore, names, and, in Turkey, even the words "Kurd," "Kurdistan," and "Kurdish." (We are, instead, "mountain Turks.")
The old farmer's pickup in which I was traveling was in terrible condition—no suspension or lights or much tread on its tires—and the roads were rutted and slippery. I am not sure we managed more than twenty miles an hour the entire journey. At one point, we came across a group of our female comrades sitting around a fire and stopped for a glass of black tea. Finally, at eleven at night, we arrived at a small settlement of fifty mud-walled houses, some of them bearing the familiar signs of invasion: bullet holes, RPG splashes, and the jihadis' black graffiti. There I was asked to a briefing with the Commanding Comrade, General Medya.
Medya was in her thirties and a veteran of more than a decade of fighting. She went into battle with her long black hair tied back in a ponytail and a green scarf tugged down above her one working blue eye. One thing that outsiders always find surprising about the Kurdish resistance movement is our insistence that women and men are equal in all things, including war. We believe in the teachings of Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, who wrote, "A country can't be free unless the women are free." He also wrote that "the 5,000-year-old history of civilization is essentially the history of the enslavement of women." He believed that all the inequality, despotism, fascism, and militarism since Neolithic times, when society was matriarchal, stemmed from the moment that man used his physical strength to usurp and denigrate woman. Man violently replaced notions of collective welfare and common ownership with private enterprise and exclusive property. Shamans and religious leaders entrenched this misogyny with faiths based on divinely ordained male dominance. Soon, Öcalan believed, religion was based around a single male God, states were structured around a male-dominated hierarchy, and economies were built on men's ability to earn. Sexism and power, at least as humanity has known them for five thousand years, have been more or less the same thing. What Öcalan called "housewifization" was, he said, the oldest form of slavery and "the vilest counterrevolution ever carried out." For the same reason, he counseled, "The solutions to all social problems in the Middle East should have women's position as their focus."
In our People's Protection Units, a volunteer has to be eighteen to pick up a gun, but otherwise all that matters to us is whether you are sharp and useful, not where you are from and certainly not the accident of your gender. Men and women fight alongside each other in separate entities: the YPJ, or Yekîneyên Parastina Jin, for women, and the YPG, or Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, for men. And the women fight, kill, and die as hard as the men, as ISIS can attest. We often talked about how confused the Islamists must have been to find a woman standing over them in their last moments. If they left this earth in doubt, then it made us doubly sure that we were the perfect army to defeat them.
Medya began by saying that the day of our liberation was at hand. The moment we took back the last yard of our homeland would be the one in which we saved our people. It would also be the day that civilization and progress triumphed over the medieval backwardness of the jihadis. Though they would never admit it, we would be achieving what the great nations of Europe and the Americas could not. And with our victory, we would finally bring due attention and support to our cause of an autonomous Kurdistan. For that great day to arrive, said Medya, these last advances had to succeed. Our next immediate objective was a fortified ISIS base on a hill outside the northern Syrian city of Sarrin. Taking it would be best done at night, and that would require a sniper with a thermal scope to lead the attack. "The hill you are to capture is about two kilometers in this direction," Medya told me, pointing to the south. "To take it, you must first climb another one next to it from where you can fire across at them."
Medya led me over to meet the small team I would be taking. Leaning up against a wall holding a Kalashnikov was Xabat, perhaps twenty-one, who spoke clearly and with great enthusiasm and who earlier that day had scouted the hills we were to attack. There was a second man with a Kalashnikov—dark and skinny—who said nothing. There was a short, strong woman with a round face, called Havin, who carried an RPG launcher. She had a loader, a nineteen-year-old man who carried her spare rockets and radio. Completing the squad was an older guy, Shiro, twenty-eight or twenty-nine, skinny, tall, and unshaven with long thinning hair, who carried the BKC, a 7.62-caliber machine gun. It felt like a good team.
Any competent soldier can learn the basics of sniping in an hour. The scope of a standard sniper rifle has a crosshair in the center and, to the left, a curved graph with distance on the vertical axis and a flat line representing the ground on the horizontal one. The marks in the horizontal crosshair are for wind. We carried pocket tables into battle on which we could read off how far to shoot to the left or right according to the wind's strength, its angle, and the range.
Every rifle has its own character and power, and a sniper must learn each one's temperament. Different tools are also suited for different tasks. M16s, for which we had a handful of thermal scopes, were for nighttime and close-quarters fighting. Dragunovs were for daytime and longer distances. Zagros rifles, which were as tall as a man and mostly built from spare parts, were for day shots of a kilometer away or more.
You also need to know each gun's firing mechanism. Any weapon can jam, and since turning on a light at night is a good way to be shot, we were taught to take apart and reassemble each gun in the dark. Practicing with rifle parts, disassembling and putting the mechanism together again over and over, had the added advantage of teaching you why touch is a sniper's most important sense after sight. It is through your trigger finger that you communicate with your rifle. It is through it, too, that you learn the different action of each weapon. The trigger of an M16 fires quickly. A Dragunov has two parts to its pull—a long, slow draw to the firing position, then a short final squeeze. A Zagros has a hair trigger. The importance of the trigger finger is why snipers go to such lengths to keep their forefingers shrouded and unbruised, and why so many cut the finger off a glove to better connect with their weapon. After a while, I learned to recognize other snipers by their whiter, cleaner, smoother forefinger.
Since each gun takes a different caliber of round, a sniper needs to be familiar with their different impacts. Because M16 rounds are much smaller, they often pass right through a target without much immediate effect. Days later, however, an M16 round can prove to be the deadliest of any, since a tight, narrow bullet hole is hardest to clean. The larger Dragunov bullet is often fatal on impact, but if a target survives, his chances of recovery are often better. Zagros rifles fire .50-caliber rounds the size of a fountain pens that can pass through several walls and still kill you. If you are hit by a .50, survival is unlikely and is generally achieved only after the amputation of an arm or a leg. Snipers generally consider Zagros rifles and Dragunovs more honorable weapons than the M16. The first two are designed for clean kills. The M16 is designed to wound and trap the enemy in a dilemma: rescue a fallen soldier and risk being shot, or stay hidden and let a friend bleed to death.
I honed my craft in northern Syria. For eight months, I shot long-distance, alternating between a Dragunov and a Zagros. We had two front lines, one facing south of Qamishli, the other confronting the east and the border with Iraq. On both fronts, the fighting was sporadic and conducted across open no-man's-land. Initially, I was stationed at al-Yarubiyah, the name we gave our eastern front in the stony desert and dried-up riverbanks that lay in the shadow of the Sinjar Mountains. We were billeted in a new five-story administrative building. I built a hide in a toilet on the roof, hanging my Zagros from the ceiling by a strap so that it was suspended in the air and pointed through the window at the ISIS position about a kilometer and a half away.
During my first few days on the front, the constant fzzz of bullets overhead made me tense up and blink. Every now and then ISIS would start up a mortar barrage, and I would grab my rifle and run down a floor inside the building. Even when I had time to fire, I mostly missed. If I was startled during my shot, as often happened, the bullet would veer wide to the left. A rushed shot meant it skewed right.
I soon learned not to blink or flinch. But mastering my breathing took longer. As you prepare to shoot, your breathing must be almost like meditation. You start with a chest full of air. You breathe out half of it as you line up your sights on your target. At that point, you pause for up to six seconds. Too much air and you'll shoot high. Too little and you'll tip forward, and the bullet will go low. The idea is to slow your heart and blood so that nothing, not even your pulse, shakes your aim. For the same reason, you hold the rifle to your bones, not your flesh. Through these five or six long, deep, calm seconds, you stay focused on the target, squeezing your trigger. You fire almost without realizing. The slower and stiller you are, the truer the bullet leaves the barrel.
I started hitting the enemy after a week or so. From my position on the roof, I could see a hospital building inside Iraq where ISIS had placed a tripod-mounted Dushka heavy machine gun. A Dushka could shoot through several buildings and still kill one of ours. If my overall mission was to stop the ISIS attacks, my daily preoccupation was taking down the Dushka operator. Each morning, I would wait for the Dushka to open up, after which I would return fire and shut it down. I fired at that gun for weeks. I must have hit more than a dozen men behind it.
I had other targets, too. One time, during an ISIS advance, I fired more than twenty times at a pickup that was dashing back and forth along a road more than a kilometer away, only for an American jet to sweep in, fire a rocket, and send the vehicle flying through the air. That was the first I knew that the United States was supporting us with air strikes.
As I became more experienced, I realized that sniping was as much about human observation as shooting skill. Through the scope, I learned to be able to size up my enemy at a glance: the way he held himself, the way he walked, whether he was confident with his rifle, whether he was careful with his approach, how long his beard was. If I caught a glimpse of someone walking loosely, with his hands hanging down by his knees and his shoulders collapsed—someone who was weak and without purpose or hope—I knew that was someone who was going to make a mistake, and that our advancing team should direct their initial attack at their position. On the other hand, a jihadi who had real purpose, who moved like a mouse, popping up and down, and checking all around himself—he was going to be much harder to shoot but was also more likely to be someone of stature, and therefore a more important target.
When I was going after a truly high-value target, such as another sniper or a high-ranking officer, I would try to create a portrait of my target: who he was, how he behaved, how old he was, what time he woke up, whether he preferred the cold of the morning or the heat of the day. From these studies, it was possible to make some predictions about where and when my enemy would show himself and how to position myself to take advantage. It required total concentration. I had to observe all the information I could, analyze it in an instant, and draw a conclusion about where to aim and when.
My enemy, who knew I was watching them, often tried to frustrate my observations. They would stay hidden, erect curtains, and build corridors through homes, firing through holes in the walls. It was like boxing. You sized up your opponent, waited for your opportunity, and eventually took your shot. Many times, I had to go by what I heard, not what I could see. On more than one occasion, my target looked right at me and even waved. Some played games, running into view, then stopping for a split second, then running again.
Often the idea of these games was to tempt me into giving away my position by firing. Another ISIS tactic was to try to spook us by enforcing a silence. At those times, every sound the wind made—blowing through my hole, shaking the corrugated roof, causing the clothes on the washing line to sway—would become so loud. The idea was to give us too much time to think. What were they doing? How come I couldn't hear them? Were they going to attack?
Since our enemy was also watching us, we practiced our own manipulations and deceptions. We dug holes in walls through which to shoot, then dug new ones in less likely positions—close to the ceiling or hidden by a shadow—to fool ISIS into targeting the unmanned ones. We dampened our holes with water so that our shots didn't kick up dust and reveal our positions. We switched lights on and off in places we didn't use. We left signs of movement in corridors through which we never passed. We even used mannequins to confuse the enemy. Often I found I had success in lining up a shot, then persuading my enemy to walk into it by pretending I was somewhere else. I'd take down one man, then wait for his friend to run out, too.
After a few months, I found that my instincts had augmented and sharpened. I acquired the ability to judge distances to within a few meters without the aid of a scope. I learned to distinguish the various sounds, sights, and trajectories of different bullets. I found enemies with my eyes, my ears, and even my nose. I also developed my own technique for scanning an area, standing square onto the range and closing my eyes, then opening them again, then closing, then opening. Repeated three or four times, I found this camera-shutter technique would print an image onto my mind that I could then examine at leisure for anything unusual, almost as though I were looking at a picture in my hands.
For a daytime assault, a sniper picks a high place such as a building or a hill and covers the advancing soldiers from behind. At night, however, a sniper with night vision leads the attack because only he can see the target. The night we captured the ISIS base on the hill outside of Sarrin, the moon was just a thin crescent. Everyone on my team would be blind, except me.
To advance to the first hill, we followed an established procedure. I walked ahead two or three hundred meters, checked that it was clear, and, after finding cover, signaled for the others to join me. We repeated this maneuver seven or eight times and were around five hundred meters from the first hill when we came under fire. I could hear the sharp, hollow sound of gunshots in the distance, then fzzz! fzzz!, like the sound of a honeybee, as the bullets passed overhead. Though the incoming fire forced us to drop to a crawl, in other ways it was useful. We had been quiet on our approach, which meant that ISIS had to have night vision to have been alerted to our advance. If their bullets were passing over our heads, it suggested that the jihadis didn't have night scopes on their weapons but just a pair of binoculars. The sound of the fire also indicated only a handful of men, ten at the most, which meant we were evenly matched.
At 1:30 am, still under fire, we reached the top of the first hill. I could see there was a cairn at the summit where farmers had stacked the stones they cleared from their fields. I stopped about fifty or sixty meters before the rock pile and called Xabat to join me. "It's probably booby-trapped," he said as he crawled up to me.
Leaving the team behind a boulder, I stood up, quite openly, and in full view of the ISIS fighters, walked briskly toward the cairn. When I reached it, I stopped for a moment to make sure they had seen me. Then I dropped down as though I were taking cover and crawled back the way I had come. Back behind a rock I waited. If ISIS had mined the cairn, they would wait for all six of us to assemble next to it before they detonated it. In the end, the jihadis waited seven full minutes.
An explosion up close initially feels like your inner ears are being peeled. A split second later, you suffer a mini blackout as the blast wave hits your brain. You must keep your mouth open to allow the pressure to travel through you. If the detonation is nearby, you will probably reboot to discover that you're flying through the air like a rag doll, your nose, eyes, and mouth filled with dust. If you are farther away, it will be the earth that you feel bouncing. Next comes a shower of pebbles. Through all of it, there is nothing to do but close your eyes and trust your luck. If you are going to die, it will be quick, since you will have been caught by the blast or hit by debris or smashed up against a wall or a rock. If you find yourself conscious and hugging the ground, unless something heavy lands on you, you're going to live.
Through the dust, I could see Xabat grinning. "I told you it was a booby trap," he said.
The team came up behind me and, as one, all six of us moved forward to what was left of the cairn.
At our new position, I told the others to place a few stones in front of them for cover. I took three rocks, arranged them under my rifle, and pulled my scarf tightly around my head to hide the light from the night scope. Once I was satisfied it was concealed, I turned it on.
I saw them immediately. I could make out a rock-walled base on a slope near the top of the hill opposite us, about 550 meters away. A skinny figure was standing a few meters below the base, and three more men—one tall, one medium in height, and a stocky man dressed in a long flowing shirt—were grouped together a few feet away. The skinny man was talking. The other three were listening. All four were out in the open.
The skinny one is the commander, I thought. He is giving instructions. He is in charge.
Five hundred and fifty meters is close range for a sniper. There was no need to adjust for wind. With a bullet traveling at 762 meters per second, the round would hit Skinny three quarters of a second after it left my barrel. I went for Skinny's head.
Through my scope, I saw Skinny's head jerk and his legs fall open. Then he slumped limply against a rock, his head on his chest.
I turned to the other three jihadis. Tall was trying to take cover behind some stones to the right. Medium Size and Long Shirt were running back up the hill toward the base. Medium Size stopped for a second. I aimed for his chest and fired. Medium Size went down.
Long Shirt was still running away up the hill. I followed him in my sights. When he stopped to pick up a large machine gun, I aimed for his body. The sound of my shots echoed off the rocks as Long Shirt went down.
I looked for Tall. He was over to the right, jumping from one boulder to another. He fired back at me, but his aim was wild. Behind the rocks, I could see part of his head and chest and one of his legs. I went for the leg. Tall fell to the ground, then started dragging himself to cover.
Now I could see a fifth man, short and fat, inside the base. Every now and then Big Man would peek out over the wall, his round head appearing for a second, then he would disappear. I shot at him twice but he kept vanishing. He would show himself, fire a burst, disappear, then reappear at another place and fire once more.
I shifted my view back to Tall. He was crawling in the dirt. He might have been trying to flank us. I told Havin, our RPG gunner, to move forward so that she would have a clear line of fire down the hill should he try to come up at us. I waited several minutes until Tall's head appeared between two rocks, then fired. His head tore away, pulling his body into a somersault and flipping him on his back. Tall was finished.
To the left, I could see that Long Shirt was moving again, trying to hide behind a boulder. I switched my M16 to rapid-fire to scare him into the open. I fired a burst, then another, then a third. But when I went to shoot a fourth time, my weapon jammed.
I removed the magazine, took my cleaning rod from my pack, lowered it into the gun, pushed the bullet out, put the mag back in, and pulled the mechanism back to a firing position. Once again, it failed to load.
I turned off the scope, sat back on my knees, took off my head scarf, and smoothed the material on the ground in front of me. Then I closed my eyes and exhaled. Keeping my eyes closed as we had been trained, I picked up the gun, removed the magazine, detached the stock, trigger, and pistol grip from the barrel, then separated the charging handle and finally the bolt carrier. I laid everything in order on the scarf. Then I reversed the order—bolt carrier, charging handle, stock, trigger, and barrel—until I had put the gun back together again. As I was finishing, Big Man seemed to see me. He began shooting, his rounds slapping the rocks around me, sending burning needles of stone into my left leg.
The disassembly and reassembly took me two minutes. I opened my eyes and pulled back the release. There was nothing wrong with this gun. I put the magazine back in, and through the noise of Big Man's assault, heard the faint twang of a loose wire coil. That was the problem. If the magazine's internal spring had come loose, it wouldn't be pushing cartridges into the breech. I released the faulty mag, put it to one side, picked up a fresh one, slid it in, and pulled back the release. Shtick! The exquisite sound of a round being securely chambered.
My pause had given Big Man and Long Shirt time to breathe. Their bullets were coming in regularly now. A rocket grenade roared over our heads and exploded just behind us, the blast rinsing us with dirt and shingle. Xabat stood up and returned fire. Shiro started firing the BKC. I shrouded myself with my scarf once more and turned my scope back on.
Long Shirt had moved twenty to thirty meters down the hill. I fired the moment I saw him. He went down clutching his head and crying out: "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" This was their battle cry. But Long Shirt's voice was weak, and I guessed he was bleeding out.
To the left, I saw some movement from Skinny. He was on his back. One leg was lying flat on the ground, but the other was moving up and down. I fired at the still leg. The other one kept moving, then dropped abruptly to the ground. Skinny was finished.
We had been in combat for fifty minutes. Four enemy were down. Only Big Man remained. I asked Havin to fire at the walls behind which he was sheltering. With her first rocket, she hit the corner. The next went over. The third just below. I told Shiro to advance fifty meters down the hill and open fire. Then Big Man would return fire and show himself, and I would have him.
Shiro did as I asked, Big Man stood up, and I fired—but again he was too quick, ducking back down before I could get off my shot. Big Man was defending himself well. He fascinated me, in a way. His comrades were all dead. But he was not leaving his position.
Xabat suggested that he and Shiro crawl around behind the base and attack it with grenades. It took them twenty minutes to reach the bottom of the hill. I kept firing so that Big Man stayed low and did not spot them. But he guessed the plan anyway. When Xabat and Shiro were a hundred meters in front of him, he detonated another mine. From my position, the explosion appeared to go off underneath them. But when the smoke cleared, I could see them crawling uphill, still unharmed.
When our men began circling around behind him, Big Man heard them. It sent him into a panic. He kept sprinting outside, trying to spot them in the dark, then running back. I was following him and harassing him with short bursts, trying to make it impossible for him to shoot. When Xabat and Shiro were less than thirty meters behind the base, they called to me to fire more.
As I shot several bursts, Xabat and Shiro ran toward the base and threw two grenades inside. There were two explosions. We waited for a minute. Silence.
I picked up my rifle, walked down the hill and up to the ISIS positions. Skinny, whom I had taken to be the commander, turned out to be the youngest. I had shot him in the head and the leg. Tall, Medium Size, and Long Shirt were all in their late thirties. I had hit Tall three times: in the leg, the chest, and the head. Medium Size had bullet wounds in his shoulder, kidney, stomach, and knee. I had hit Long Shirt in the head and chest. What remained of Big Man after two grenades suggested that he was the oldest, perhaps fifty, and probably in charge. He had died a captain's death, going down with his men.
Medya released me from duty, and I walked alone back over the hills, through the boulders and thorn scrub that filled the valleys, until I arrived back at the village where I had left the pickup. I packed up my gear, and we drove the five hours back to the eastern front. The sky was brightening, and through the morning fog I could see Sarrin in the distance. In the still of the dawn, with the battle ebbing, there was a tranquility to the way these southern flatlands rolled gently down to the Euphrates.
In our movement, we trust each other to do the right thing. I knew it was my duty to fight on. I also knew my experience was needed. Over the past year, fighting had become so easy for me. Night after night, day after day, month after month, I had lain behind my rifle. Through scorching summers, chilling autumns, endless winters, and wet, numbing springs, I had kept the enemy in my crosshairs. I had burned my eyes with looking. I had survived other snipers, gun attacks, suicide bombers, tanks, mortars, rocket grenades, booby traps, trip wires, stray air strikes, artillery strikes, heavy machine guns, and remote-controlled mines. On a diet of scavenged cheese, jam, the occasional yogurt, and biscuits, I had wasted down to the weight of a thirteen-year-old boy. Without sleep, I lurked in the abyss between adrenaline and exhaustion. So many of my friends had died that I had acquired a new, unwanted duty: to survive, to keep their memories alive. Observing, waiting, shooting—I packed all of life into that tight existence. If you had seen me back then, carrying my trigger finger through the sharp edges of war as though it were a baby, you would have understood that human beings can survive almost anything if they have purpose.
But lately I had begun to think that I had nothing left. I felt as though I had used up thirty or forty years of life in months. I was losing the ability to feel the passing of days. One misjudgment, one push too far, and the darkness would consume me. Climbing up to the ISIS base outside Sarrin, I felt myself falling asleep on my feet. Twice my team had called over to me as I drifted off to the side. At one point, Xabat had challenged me with his gun raised, suspicious of this wandering figure way off among the stones.
I had been back in my old position on the eastern front for a few days when General Tolin came to visit. "It's good that you are here," she told me. "We need you here. How are you doing?"
"Coping," I said.
Tolin nodded and sucked at her teeth. She looked off to the horizon. After a while, she said, "Coping's not enough, Azad."
I tried to reassure her. "I can stay here," I said. "Here is okay for me."
Tolin regarded me for a moment. She had made up her mind.
"You go back to Kobanî," she said. "I will see you there." And like that, my war was over.
@PerryAlexJ
@CatherineBelton Such an important battle you and HC were forced to fight for all of us. Huge gratitude and respect to all.
Two years ago today. Incredibly, the helicopter pilots who flew into a live volcano to save people are now being pr… https://t.co/XgbUPfpDaE
@KneeDeepMedia @outsidemagazine Ohhh, thank you, Mike. I've yet to see the hard copy.
@AndrewWJHarding A friend from Western Cape govt explained that this keeps happening because SA has world-class med… https://t.co/nGoyyblWfO
© 2022 Alex Perry All Rights Reserved.


text:
Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat at the opening reception for Julian Schnabel
at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1987
© George Hirose
Melbourne • Art & Culture
Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat
A monumental exhibition stands as a testament to two monumental legacies in the art world, as Haring and Basquiat are celebrated in style...
Lisa Davidson • 30 January, 2020
With a distinctive visual language that included signs, symbology and wording, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat changed the art world forever. The artists, two of the the very best to emerge from New York City in the 1980s, being able to convey social and political messages in an unconventional manner, their idiosyncratic imagery and radical ideas cementing a legacy that makes them not only two of the most influential artists of the '80s, but of all time.
Installation view of Keith Haring's Prophets of Rage, 1988 inside Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines at NGV International © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York
© Keith Haring Foundation. Photo, Tom Ross
Profiling their short yet fruitful careers, this exhaustive exhibition at Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria—Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines—features in excess of 200 artworks, including works created in public spaces; painting; sculpture; objects and ephemera; works on paper; and photographs. The unprecedented, world premiere exhibition offering a staggering new insight into the duo's unique aesthetics and the intersections between both their personal lives and artistic practices.
Curated by art historian Dr Dieter Buchhart, the exhibition is on show until 13 April 2020, and begins with examples of Haring's and Basquiat's work from the streets and subway stations of New York City; highlighting early collaborations and documenting each artist's breakthrough gallery shows, alongside their most acclaimed works, such as Haring's iconic 'radiant baby' and dancing figures, alongside Basquiat's inimitable crown and head motifs.
"While Basquiat anticipated today's 'always-on' culture of communication and contemporary knowledge spaces, Haring foreshadowed emojis with his image-word alphabet," explains Buchhart. "This universal system of communication remains a positive, humanistic meme in the collective struggle against ignorance, fear and silence."
More relevant today than ever, particularly so given the pair's powerful battles against prejudice and oppression, Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines collates the work of, and portrays the effervescent personalities of two of the art world's all time greats; a monumental exhibition testament to monumental legacies.
@ngvmelbourne
Installation view of Jean-Michel Basquiat's Self Portrait, 1985 inside Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines at NGV International © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York © Keith Haring Foundation. Photo, Tom Ross.
Installation view of Keith Haring's Malcolm X, 1988 inside Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines at NGV International © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York © Keith Haring Foundation. Photo, Tom Ross.
Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled 1980
red and black marker on paper, 96.5 x 127.0 cm
Private collection © Keith Haring Foundation
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York
Grace Jones, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol at Paradise Garage, New York, 1983. Photo, Tseng Kwong Chi © Muna Tseng Dance Projects.
Jean-Michel Basquiat in his studio at the Annina Nosei Gallery, May, 1982. Photo © Marion Busch
Keith Haring preparing an artwork on the Waterwall at the NGV, 1984
Photographs, Geoffrey Burke
Keith Haring in New York City Subway, New York, 1984
Photograph: Tseng Kwong Chi © Muna Tseng Dance Projects
Art © Keith Haring Foundation
Grace Jones body painted by Keith Haring, New York, 1985
Installation view of Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines at NGV International,
© Keith Haring Foundation. Photo, Sean Fennessy.
Installation views of Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines at NGV International,
© Keith Haring Foundation. Photography, Tom Ross.
Keith Haring, Prophets of Rage 1988
synthetic polymer paint on canvas 304.8 x 457.2 cm
The Keith Haring Foundation, New York © Keith Haring Foundation
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Irony of a Negro Policeman 1981
synthetic polymer paint and oilstick on wood, 183.0 x 122.0 cm
Private collection © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Licensed by Artestar, New York
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled 1982
acrylic and oilstick on wood panel, 183.0 x 122.5 cm
© Keith Haring Foundation. Photo, Sean Fennessy
Madonna, Keith Haring, New York, 1985
Keith Haring, Malcolm X 1988
synthetic polymer paint, enamel and collage on canvas
152.4 x 152.4 cm, Private collection
© Keith Haring Foundation
Keith Haring, Untitled 1982
acrylic on vinyl tarpaulin with metal grommets
Galleries, Street Art, Icons, Art, Australia, Melbourne, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring
Hitting pause on daily life and leaping into the unknown, a six-month Iberian adventure is now an indispensable visual travel guide...
New Barcelona breakfast to bedtime eatery La Esquina corners the market on cosmopolitan honesty...
Coming of age: the photographer who reminds us that numbers don't make a damn bit of difference...
With a distinctive visual language that included signs, symbology and wording, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat changed the art world forever. The artists, two of the the very best to emerge from New York City in the 1980s, being able to convey...
Polly Borland continues a brilliant career drenched in unsettling disquiet and rare humour at new homecoming exhibition...
Polly Borland has enjoyed a colourful career to date. From portrait photographer in her native Australia to shooting for esteemed publications (think The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Independent or Dazed), bagging a few awards along the way,...
Jess Johnson invites us to dive deep into her psychedelic visions with immersive VR element at new show...
The desired effect of visiting an art exhibition: get lost, escape from reality ... whatever the final destination, whatever the journey can lead to. Jess Johnson's latest show completely disturbs its visitors' senses through a stunning immersion...
Gallery transforms into fake museum – complete with gift shop – to raise cash...
How many of you get sucked in to the gift shop on your way out of a museum or attraction? Don't feel bad – a lot of thought has gone into herding you towards the tills, and at least you know that your souvenir tea-towel is helping to keep the...


text:
"""
This module adds the "connect" command.

This command abstracts the logic of connecting to a device
via telnet or ssh. The connection protocol is defined in an
inventory file so the user simple has to issue the connect command
instead of remembering what normal command to use.
"""
from __future__ import print_function
from os import getlogin
import re
import rh.common as common

def _connect_cmd(config, args):
    # - Connect to a device using a name as specified in the inventory file
    # Syntax: connect [username@]deviceName|address
    try:
        inv_file = open(config.get('connect', 'inventory'), 'r')
    except IOError as excp:
        print("An error occured reading the inventory file")
        raise common.RhSilentException(str(excp))

    if args == '':
        print("What device should I connect to?")
        return

    username = config.rh_get_data('username')
    parts = args.split('@', 1)
    if len(parts) == 2:
        if config.getboolean('connect', 'allowSwitchUser'):
            username = parts[0]
        else:
            print("SSHing as another user is not allowed, using username:", username)

        args = parts[1]

    args = re.escape(args)
    reg = re.compile('\\b' + args + '\\b', re.IGNORECASE)
    matched_device = []
    for line in inv_file:
        # Strip off the protocol for search
        search_line = line.rsplit(' ', 1)[0]
        if reg.search(search_line):
            matched_device = line.strip().split(' ')
            break

    if matched_device == []:
        print("No device found with name", args)
        return

    if len(matched_device) < 3:
        print("Incorrect line format for device", args)
        return

    print("Connecting to {}({})".format(matched_device[0], matched_device[1]))
    if config.getboolean('connect', 'useProxy'):
        _connect_proxy(config, matched_device, username)
    else:
        _connect(config, matched_device, username)

def _connect(config, device, username):
    if device[2] == 'ssh':
        common.call_cmd('ssh', config, username + '@' + device[1])
    elif device[2] == 'telnet':
        common.call_cmd('telnet', config, device[1])
    else:
        print("Unknown connection type", device[2])

def _connect_proxy(config, device, username):
    # ssh proxyUser@proxyAddress -tt ssh username@address
    # Build proxy ssh command
    proxy_user = getlogin()
    if config.get('connect', 'proxyUser') != '':
        proxy_user = config.get('connect', 'proxyUser')
    command = "{}@{} -tt ".format(proxy_user,
                                  config.get('connect', 'proxyAddress'))
    # Add on the specific ssh/telnet command
    if device[2] == 'ssh':
        command += "ssh {}@".format(username)
    elif device[2] == 'telnet':
        command += "telnet "
    else:
        print("Unknown connection type " + device[2])
    # Add the device's address
    command += device[1]
    common.call_cmd('ssh', config, command)

def _list_cmd(config, args):
    # - Search for and list devices by a pattern
    # Syntax: list [pattern]
    try:
        inv_file = open(config.get('connect', 'inventory'), 'r')
    except IOError:
        print("An error occured reading the inventory file")
        return

    if args == '':
        # Match a line that doesn't start with a # and has at least one character
        args = '^[^#].*'
    else:
        args = re.escape(args)

    reg = re.compile(args, re.IGNORECASE)
    matched_devices = []
    for line in inv_file:
        # Strip off the protocol for search
        search_line = line.rsplit(' ', 1)[0]
        if reg.search(search_line):
            matched_devices.append(line.strip().split(' '))

    print("Matched Devices:")
    if not matched_devices:
        print("\tNo matches")
    else:
        for val in matched_devices:
            print("\t{} {} {}".format(val[0], val[1], val[2]))

        print()

# Register commands
common.register_cmd(
    'connect', _connect_cmd, "Connect to a device by name or IP")
common.register_cmd(
    'list', _list_cmd, "Search the inventory for devices or IP addresses that start with [pattern]")

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Q: What methods do you use for carpet cleaning?
A: Depending on the type of textile your carpet is made of, steam cleaning or dry cleaning will be implemented. Also, there are different cleaning solutions for wet and dry cleaning which are suitable for the different types of textiles and the different types of stains too. The cleaners will inspect and test the carpet before proceeding with the deep cleaning.
Q: How long does the carpet cleaning take for two rooms?
A: Steam cleaning two bedroom carpets will take about 40 minutes. If you want two sofa's steam cleaned, it will take about 1.40 to 2 hours.
Q: Do you move furniture, or do we need to move it off of the carpet beforehand?
A: The cleaner is usually alone, so he/she cannot move heavy furniture like beds, wardrobes, pianos, etc. but can move lighter furniture and items, such as chairs, coffee tables, etc. Still, to save time it is preferable that you remove whatever you can from the carpet before the cleaning appointment. If you can't move something, the cleaner will place protective padding to keep it from being damaged.
Q: How does applying Scotchgard protection on the carpet benefit me?
A: The completely safe and yet efficient protective solution will help the carpet (or upholstery) resist further staining or soiling for a longer time. The protective layer keeps the spilled liquid or dirt from quickly becoming absorbed by the textile, so you have time to dab it up and prevent it from staining.
Q: How long will it take for my carpets to dry after the cleaning?
A: depending on the type of carpet, the humidity, the temperature and the ventilation, the full drying can take as little as 3 hours to a bit more. Drying after steam cleaning is relatively quick, because the modern water extraction machines used to wash the carpets extract up to 95% of the water used during the process. If you want Scotchgard protection applied, the drying will take 4 hours if 2 layers are applied. Upon request, the cleaner can use a specialized air moving system to speed up the drying process.
Q: When I clean my carpet by myself, it seems to get soiled faster. Will this happen after you clean it too?
A: No, this is often the case when the carpet is washed with soap which isn't completely rinsed off and attracts the dirt and residue. The cleaning solutions and the tools used for carpet cleaning by (Company name) do not allow for any residue to be left in the carpet after the cleaning.
Q: Can you guarantee me that you will remove all stains from my carpet?
A: The Company cannot give a 100% guarantee that each and every stain will be removed. Some stains are very old and some stains are caused by substances which permanently discolour the carpet fibres. The cleaner will perform an inspection before pre-treating the stains and will give you an estimation of which ones he thinks can be cleaned and which ones are impossible to remove.
Q: How often do manufacturers recommend that professional cleaning for carpets?
A: The general rule of the thumb is at least once a year, but if you have small children, pets, smokers or people with allergies and respiratory problems, you should resort to the services of professional carpet cleaners at least once in every 6 months.
Q: My family is very environmentally conscious, so we were wondering whether you provide an eco-friendly carpet cleaning service?
A: All cleaning services provided by the company are eco-friendly. The solutions are Prochem certified and are safe and natural. The machines used are also energy efficient and eco-friendly.
Q: Who and when should I call if I have further questions?
A: The customer care service hotline 02034045107 is waiting for you. Call at any time or day, and your questions will be addressed promptly and adequately.


An absolutely amazing exhibition of photos of various aboriginal cave art finds, primarily along the Cumberland Plateau in KY, TN, AL and GA. This exhibit was on display at the Archives of the University of the South (Sewanee) in the fall of 2013. To learn more, read this article. To see more images, visit the photographer's website.


Notice is hereby given pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:65-25(d)(1) that the Regular Meeting of the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission scheduled for September 9, 2015 will be held at the Roxbury Recreation Office, 72 Eyland Avenue, Succasunna, New Jersey 07876. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm. Formal action may be taken.
The following members were absent: Fred Hall, Larry Millus and Steven Sadow.
Chris Rogers read - This meeting has been advertised and is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L. 1975, c. 231.
Chairperson Craig Heard asked that Resolution 2015-7 be presented and discussed as it would impact the voting of the remainder of the evening.
2015-7 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission approves alternate commission members to participate in all commission activities except for the final vote to recommend or not recommend consolidation.
Know when you plan to present the vote to the public. Schedule backwards from that point.
Gene Paradiso asked about the dissemination of preliminary reports? Anton said that after they were approved in committee, they posted right away. Anton also stated that they creation of a baseline report is crucial before starting anything else.
Craig Heard asked if there should be a flow of information? Anton stated that you should tell the public what you know when you know it.
Jerry Frisco asked about how you handle the bad press? Anton said to work through the process and keep and open mind. Does the data support what you are doing?
Vincent Reilly asked about the differences between what we are doing – Citizens Petition and what Princeton did – Municipal Resolution? Anton explained how the Princeton commission was formed. The mayors of each town asked for applications.
Chris Raths spoke about his dealings in Massachusetts with efficiencies and quality of service. He asked how the differences in identity were addressed? Anton spoke about how they tried to bring differences together when possible.
Anthony Fernandez asked about Anton's quote – If the effort failed, I failed. He asked Anton what he meant? Anton replied that the effort was sanctions by both towns and the towns cooperated. The goal was not to consolidate, but to see the process through. The goal was to consolidate once the information showed this was the right way to go.
Laurel Whitney asked where the funding came from? Anton said that 36K came from the state. 120K came from both communities. There was no outside fundraising. Discussion continued about funding sources from multiple commissioners.
Craig Heard asked about the cost of the consultant and the overall savings. Anton said the consultant cost 76K and the overall annual savings was 3.1 million dollars.
Nancy Absalon asked if the towns were happy now? Anton said generally.
Chris Rogers asked if the commission came across any confidential information during the process? Anton said they never reviewed any confidential information from the towns. They never held an executive session. You are not looking at people, you are looking at data.
Laurel Whitney asked how alternate commission members were handled? Anton said any vote needed at least 3 votes from each town. The alternate filled in when the town representative was not present.
Gina Genovese stated that the Princeton's already had 13 shared services and trash collection was public in one town and private in the other. The final result was a benefit to the taxpayers not originally in the budget.
Gina Genovese stated there is pending legislation to change the process of the commission continuing to work after the public vote. Also tax equalization is an issue addressed in the legislation. The new legislation would give the towns latitude to allow both towns to "win" during the process.
Gina Genovese presented the commission with a check for $5000.00 from the Courage to Connect Board.
Chris Raths made a motion to accept the donation. Gene Paradiso made a second.
Chris Rogers made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Laurel Whitney made a second.
Gene Paradiso commented that he spoke with Steven Sadow about meeting at the Mount Arlington Library. The request was denied by the library board due to politics.
Gene Paradiso spoke about the value of the meetings being recorded.
Chris Rogers clarified that the commission is not recording the meetings. The request was made from a member of the public.
Chris Raths suggested that the bank account should have two signatures for every expenditure. It was agreed that the chairperson would receive an email every time an expense was to be paid.
Chris Raths made a motion to approve the donations. Maureen Castriotta made a second.
Gene Paradiso made a motion to approve the donations. Maureen Castriotta made a second.
Chairperson Craig Heard created an Agenda, Information & Data Collection Committee . The members are Craig Heard, Gene Paradiso, Laurel Whitney and Chris Rogers. At a future committee meeting, they will discuss the following months agenda and bring recommendations to the full commission.
Chairperson Craig Heard created a Fundraising Committee. Members included Jerry Frisco and Laurel Whitney.
Laurel Whitney brought up the need for a dissemination of information policy. Members of the commission debated the issue. Chris Raths suggested amended wording.
2015-15 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission approves the chairperson or his designee to act as spokesperson and point of contact for the dissemination and requests for information, until such time that the bylaws address the issue further.
ChrisRaths made a motion to approve the donations. Laurel Whitney made a second.
2015-1 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission approve the 2015 meeting schedule and location. See exhibit A.
Gene Paradiso made a motion to approve the resolution. Paula Danchuk made a second.
2015-2 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission approve the 2015 commissioner information roster. See exhibit B.
Gene Paradiso made a motion to approve the resolution. Maureen Castriotta made a second.
2015-3 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Secretary / Treasurer to place legal notices with the Roxbury Register and Daily Record notifying the public about regular meetings of the commission. The approved cost of the legal notices is up to $50.00 per month. See exhibit C.
2015-4 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Treasurer to open a bank account with Highlands State Bank.
Gene Paradiso made a motion to approve resolution 2015-3 and 2015-4. Maureen Castriotta made a second.
2015-5 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Technology Committee to create a website with GoDaddy and Blogger, and email accounts with Network Solutions. The approved annual cost of the website and email service is up to $150.00 per year.
Chris Rogers made a motion to approve the resolution. Laurel Whitney made a second.
Chris Raths commented that he would like to keep his own personal email address. Anthony Fernandez stated that he and Steven Sadow have a personal email account they have been corresponding with. Chris Rogers stated that personal email addresses should be debated further, but should not stop this resolution from being passed.
2015-6 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Chairperson to inquire about the scope of volunteer services offered at by Walter M. Luers, Esq. See exhibit D.
Chris Rogers made a motion to approve the resolution. Gene Paradiso made a second.
2015-8 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Technology Committee to create a Facebook page. Use policies shall be discussed at the next Technology Committee meeting and presented to the commission for approval.
2015-9 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Technology Committee to create a Twitter page. Use policies shall be discussed at the next Technology Committee meeting and presented to the commission for approval.
2015-10 RESOLVED, that the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission directs the Technology Committee to create a Go Fund Me account.
Chris Rogers made a motion to approve resolutions 2015-8, 2015-9, 2015-10. Gene Paradiso made a second.
After discussion by commission, it was agreed to table 2015-8 and 2015-9 and send them back to the technology committee for further clarification of the use policy. Chris Raths was concerned about voting to create social media accounts without a use policy in place first. A vote took place on 2015-10 only.
Gene Paradiso reported on questions the committee had before presenting a draft of the proposed bylaws. He asked the commission about issues pertaining to confidentiality, vacancies and commissioner removal. George Haeuber suggested to keep any policies specific to something measurable and not subjective. Nancy Absalon suggested following Roberts Rules of Order. The committee will present a draft of the bylaws to the commissioners at the next meeting.
Jerry Frisco made a motion to approve the resolution. Chris Raths made a second.
Rosalie Lamonte presented an impact report which was created by her office. She stated the report only looks at what would happen if the existing districts were merged. It does not take into account any duplication of efforts.
Gene Paradiso asked about any further reports that would be provided. Rosalie Lamonte explained there was no money for any further reports. Gene Paradiso asked about the merging of union contracts. Rosalie Lamonte explained that the higher of the two contracts would prevail.
Chris Raths asked if the report included the payment to Roxbury from Mount Arlington for the sending receiving relationship. Rosalie Lamonte said that it did not break that payment out.
Chris Rogers clarified that the higher of the two contracts would prevail, being Mount Arlington. Rosalie Lamonte verified it would be the higher of the two contracts.
Gene Paradiso spoke about the need for the consolidation commission to obtain insurance. Chris Raths stated that he would check with a few of his contacts about pricing.
Craig Heard said that he was going to postpone his areas of study workshop as it was getting late. He asked that all commissioners send him an email regarding their thoughts on committee appointments, volunteers and study timeframe.
Rosalie Lamonte requested that we OPRA the Mount Arlington School Study that was completed by the Mount Arlington School District.
Notice is hereby given pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:65-25(d)(1) that the Regular Meeting of the Roxbury Mount Arlington Consolidation Study Commission scheduled for August 12, 2015 will be held at the Roxbury Recreation Office, 72 Eyland Avenue, Succasunna, New Jersey 07876. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm. Formal action may be taken.


text:
Q: Error when loading .xib into a UIView I am having issues trying to load my .xib into a UIView. I have created a xib file and subclassed UIView as the same name. I have changed the class of the xib file to the ProfileBarView class.  In my UIView code I have:
import UIKit
import EDStarRating

class ProfileBarView: UIView {

    @IBOutlet weak var profileImageView: UIImageView!
    @IBOutlet weak var studentNameLabel: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet weak var universityNameLabel: UILabel!
    @IBOutlet weak var starRatingView: EDStarRating!

    override init(frame: CGRect) {

        super.init(frame: frame)
        NSBundle.mainBundle().loadNibNamed("ProfileBarView", owner: self, options: nil)
        addSubview(self.view)

    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {

        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
        NSBundle.mainBundle().loadNibNamed("ProfileBarView", owner: self, options: nil)
        addSubview(self.view)

    }

}

However I am getting the error:  Value of type ProfileBarView has no member 'view. What could I be doing wrong here?

A: This will do the job.
  override init(frame: CGRect) {

        super.init(frame: frame)
        let view = NSBundle.mainBundle().loadNibNamed("ProfileBarView", owner: self, options: nil)[0]
        addSubview(view as! UIView)
    }

    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {

        super.init(coder: aDecoder)
        let view = NSBundle.mainBundle().loadNibNamed("ProfileBarView", owner: self, options: nil)[0]
        addSubview(view as! UIView)
    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Key to Employee Comfort: Choice!
Arc-rated flame resistant (FR) clothing works as "the last line of defense" in the event of an arc flash or flash fire, there to protect you from injury when all other safety measures and precautions have been unsuccessful in preventing an incident.
Dedicated to continually raising the bar on worker safety, comfort, and convenience, Tyndale is proud to partner with GORE® FR Apparel to bring the new TARGO FR foul weather outerwear with GORE-TEX® PYRAD® fabric to the oil and gas market.
Think FRC is all Tyndale has to offer? Think again!
Tyndale is much more than a flame resistant clothing (FRC) supplier. We've partnered with Stauffer Glove and Safety to offer a simple PPE purchasing option. Now you can expand your Tyndale FRC program by consolidating your PPE safety purchases with Tyndale.
Does my Rainwear Protect Against Flash Fire Exposures?
ASTM F2733, Standard Specification for Flame Resistant Rainwear for Protection Against Flame Hazards, contains minimum performance specifications and other requirements for rainwear used to protect workers from hydrocarbon or petrochemical flash fires in wet conditions.
What Standard Governs Arc Flash Protective Rainwear?
ASTM F1891, Standard Specification for Arc and Flame Resistant Rainwear, establishes minimum performance specifications, test methods, and other suggested information – including a sizing guide and purchasing specification – for rainwear used to protect workers from momentary exposures to arc flashes or flame.
Tired of Headaches Around Buying and Distributing FR Rainwear?
How to Save on FRC During an Industry Downturn – and Beyond!
How Can I Protect Myself from Zika Virus?
If you've tuned into the news recently, chances are you've heard about growing international concern about the mosquito-transmitted Zika virus. Here's what you need to know, and how outdoor workers like you can use Tyndale's exclusive line of FRMC® garments with Perimeter Insect Guard™ for protection.
Frustrated with FRC Rental? Hybrid to the Rescue!
The problem: Workers frustrated with industrial laundry no longer turn-in their garments each week — but you're still paying the same weekly price for the service. You still need industrial laundry because some workgroups are exposed to heavy soils or flammable contaminants that are difficult to remove in home laundry.
While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, housekeeping plays a crucial role in workplace safety. The National Safety Council (NSC) Safety + Health Magazine recently published an article, highlighting the importance of housekeeping in a work environment and offered tips for effective housekeeping practices.
Although many utility employers began providing arc-rated clothing well before the new OSHA 1910.269, those who are now installing arc-rated clothing programs may face questions and sometimes friction from workers who are accustomed to wearing non-FR on the job.
Feeling the heat this summer? Tyndale is pleased to introduce our newest, lightest jean: the inherently flame resistant Lightweight Dungaree (M234T).
With biting insects most active this time of year and cases of Lyme Disease at an all-time high, protect yourself from disease-carrying ticks, mosquitos and other annoying insects with Tyndale's exclusive line of FRMC® garments with durable Perimeter Insect Guard™.
Tyndale's Layer 1™ Performance T-Shirt (M010T) was recently featured in an e-Hazard Arc Flash Safety Minute video featuring Hugh Hoagland. Check out the "Arc Rated Shirts" video below – can you spot Layer 1™ in the footage?
Layer for Spring With Tyndale's FR Microfleece Vest!
Looking for a versatile item to add to your flame resistant clothing (FRC) selection this year? Choose Tyndale's new Premium Microfleece Vest (M695T) this Spring and use it all year long!
Is Your FR Clothing as Ready for Spring as You Are?
Tyndale's Pipersville, PA Locations Now Landfill Free!
Tyndale is pleased to announce that our headquarters and distribution center in Pipersville, PA are now Landfill Free facilities, as certified by Sustainable Waste Solutions (SWS). SWS is the leading provider of environmentally-friendly commercial and industrial waste handling solutions throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley and Delaware.
Tyndale to Celebrate Small Business Saturday Nov 29th!
Tyndale Introduces Logoed Fan Gear!
Stop disease-carrying ticks and mosquitos and other annoying insects in their tracks with Perimeter Insect Guard™-treated flame resistant clothing (FRC) — now available on select Tyndale FR garments made from our exclusive FRMC® fabrics!
ILR 2014: Register to Win a Tyndale FRMC® Microfleece™ Jacket!
The International Lineman's Rodeo & Expo is an exciting event where electric utility linemen have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a competitive environment. During this event, linemen compete in timed events based on what they do every day to keep electricity flowing to homes and businesses.
Proud to Protect: Tyndale Company's Blog Turns One!
Tyndale is pleased to add NFPA 2112-certified garments to our complete catalog of clothing offering flash fire protection. For companies facing flash fire hazards in their workplaces, Tyndale offers a dynamic mix of products that meet manufacturing and testing criteria for flash fire protection.
Tyndale is pleased to introduce the lightweight and breathable Tattersall Work Shirt (M125T) available in White and Red. Tattersall describes the checked/plaid pattern that is actually woven into the cloth. The pattern is composed of regularly-spaced thin, even vertical warp stripes, repeated horizontally in the weft, thereby forming squares.
Proper protection starts with a flame resistant clothing supplier that has the industry knowledge and experience to provide you the correct quality products. However, what to look for in a FR clothing supplier is based on a number of additional factors, including: price, quality, performance and overall value.
Tyndale's 3 Season Henley (F067T) is Now Available in Brown!
Tyndale's popular heavyweight cotton Henley (F067T) is now available in Brown. Henley style shirts have a vintage look that never goes out of style, and are functional yet flexible for everyday wear. This all-purpose work shirt is perfect for cooler days or as a layering piece during winter months.
Prepare yourself for spring with Tyndale's FR Hooded Windbreaker (K660T). Inspired by a popular LL Bean jacket, the Hooded Windbreaker was recently redesigned; it now features a new, athletic fit, and a contemporary, stylish design.
When women feel good about their appearance, their performance in the workplace reflects this confidence. Tyndale's women's line of FRC gives ladies stylish options with a comfortable fit, helping women look and feel good and ultimately improving overall job satisfaction.
FRMC® (flame resistant modacrylic cotton) is Tyndale's exclusive brand of flame resistant modacrylic/cotton blended fabric. Modacrylic blended fabrics have been used extensively throughout the arc/flame industry for over 25 years.
Does Clothing Brand Matter to FRC Wearers?
What is the Most Protective FR Clothing?
We often get questions on or recommendations for the "most protective" FRC clothing. However, as you'll see in this blog post, parity in protection points to the growing importance of other garment qualities leading to employee-level choice.
Does Fabric Manufacturing Affect FR Clothing Protection?
Tyndale's new Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt (M708T) combines comfort, arc flash and flash fire protection into one sweatshirt workers want to wear. Use this sweatshirt as a layering piece in winter conditions or wear it alone as a casual outer layer.
Now Open: Tyndale Factory Store and Service Center in Midland, TX!
What Pricing and Costs Will You Uncover in Your FRC Laundry Rental Program?
Home Laundering or Industrial Laundering: Which is Best for FR Clothing?
Direct Buy or Laundry Rental – Which Offers Best Employee Sizing for FRC?
For 30 years, the International Lineman's Rodeo and Expo has proven to be the industry's most valued premier event of its kind for the electric utility industry. This event attracts the world's top electric utility linemen, foremen, superintendents, and training, safety and management personnel.
"Tomorrow is right around the corner!" Tyndale is exhibiting at the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition. ICUEE attracts utility contractors and municipalities involved in the electric, telecom, water/wastewater and gas industries. The show features networking opportunities with more than 20,000 of your peers.
Using Fabric Softener with FRC Clothing: Should You or Shouldn't You?
Laundering Myths: Is Lint Contamination Really a Threat to FR Clothing?
Are PBDEs in My FR Clothing?
Summer can be a dangerous time of year for employees in many professions – particularly those that work in jobs outside in the heat for extended periods of time. Knowing how to work safely in hot weather can help prevent heat stress and heat stroke, among other heat-related health issues.
Introducing the Freedom™ Field Coat (K659T) bringing a classic, patriotic style known for its form and function to the FR clothing marketplace. Adapted from the classic field coats worn by the U.S. military during World War II, our version has the added protection you expect from your FR garments.
Welcome to the Tyndale Company Blog!


JRC provides early education to and nurtures the children of our community. At the Learning Center, children ages 6 weeks - 12 years old receive 5 Star "Step Up To Quality" care and take their first steps on the path to success. We are committed to preparing local children to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Your gift provides high-quality early education to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers! This essential early education builds a firm foundation so children can be successful in school and break out of the systemic cycle of poverty. The before and after school programs ensure children are safe, engaged and active while their parents work/attend school.
Ages 6 weeks to 5 years: Why is early education important?
A child's first 2,000 days are the most critical time in the child's development. The brain is the only organ not fully developed at birth and 90 of critical brain development happens in the first 5 years of life. That's why it is so important to provide as much educational and environmental stimuli during this growing period.
Children living in homes at or below the poverty level have less opportunity to be kindergarten ready which may destine them to a cycle of poverty, homelessness, hunger and low-paying jobs - EARLY EDUCATION IS A PROVEN PATH OUT OF POVERTY.
JRC's Creative Curriculum also allows teachers to create lesson plans to target identified assessment needs. It offers suggested strategies for teachers to try with a child who may be struggling with a certain objective. Teachers work with parents to identify individual goals and develop an action plan to achieve goals. When necessary, teachers also follow up with additional screenings to ensure any child who may need additional services is referred prior to their first 90 days of enrollment. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled with each parent twice yearly to ensure they are receiving updates pertaining to their child's development.
Ages 6 to 12 years: Why are the before and after school and summer programs important?
The JRC School Age Program encourages families to be involved in their child's education through the Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC) "Strengthening Families" program, which encourages family participation and provides parenting education through training and referrals for assistance.
As children are enrolled, teachers create lesson plans based on the individual interests of the children in his/her classroom. Those plans include goals parents have set for their child during orientation. Often, parents want to work on goals in the home. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled twice per year to discuss each child's performance. JRC's Creative Curriculum allows teachers to create lesson plans to target identified asset needs/interests. Through this, teachers can begin to understand the why and how of what a child is demonstrating and work with the parent/family to offer support.
JRC's school-age children's program centers on nurturing the 40 Developmental Assets. Children receive homework assistance, access to technology, structured play, and culturally competent role models. JRC's "Healthy Habits for a Lifetime" program has reduced 90% of processed food served at the center, helping fight obesity and helping children make healthy life choices. One lunch consisted of limeade chicken, rice with carrots, oranges, and milk. Another day's afternoon snack was bananas and graham crackers. To include family participation, a copy of every month's menu is available and encouraged for each family to take home. Physical activity is also incorporated into the curriculum.