text:
Belarus: Concerns about the violation of the principles of the Olympic Charter and the human rights due diligence of the Olympic Movement
Berlin, December 3. In support of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) and the Belarusian athletes, Athleten Deutschland sent an open letter to the IOC on December 2, 2020. In our letter we ask the IOC and the Olympic Movement to fulfil their human rights responsibilities. These arise from the obligations of the principles of the Olympic Charter and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP).
Maximilian Klein, Representative for International Sport Policy: "The negative impact on the human rights of Belarusian athletes is closely linked to the Belarusian National Olympic Committee and the IOC. The IOC could have contributed to the negative impacts on the athletes' human rights by tolerating that Alyaksandr Lukashenka serves as President of the Belarusian NOC while acting as President of Belarus. Irrespective of this possibility, it is now the duty of the Olympic Movement to use its leverage and scope for action to mitigate these."
Athleten Deutschland welcomes the formal procedure initiated by the IOC on November 25 against the Belarusian National Olympic Committee. About 1,200 athletes and individuals associated with Belarusian sport had joined an open letter in August expressing protest against the result of the presidential elections and the political regime. This led to systematic reprisals against athletes and individuals of the Belarusian sports community, ranging from imprisonment and the use of violence to suspensions from sports and national teams.
By signing the open letter, the athletes made use of their right to freedom of expression as provided in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Art. 19) – a right that the IOC in principle fully supports. The consequences that athletes were confronted with after signing the open letter are not to be considered as isolated cases. Rather, they represent elementary as well as systematic human rights violations. These also contradict the "universal fundamental ethical principles" of the Olympic Charter.
This is particularly problematic because of the direct organizational connection of Olympic sport to the repressive state leadership. Belarusian Olympic sport is under the control of the dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who is also president of the Belarusian National Olympic Committee. His son, Viktar Lukashenka, also serves as Vice-President of the NOC and is a member of the National Security Council. Both are political leaders and sporting officials of the Olympic Movement at the same time.
The Olympic Movement should at least
1) examine the effects and consequences of the close intertwining of state and sport in Belarus and review the lawful use of Olympic symbols and terms,
2) evaluate conflicts of interest in the Belarusian NOC according to the rules of good governance,
3) ensure that funds designated for athletes from the budgets of international sport organizations are paid directly to eligible athletes,
4) investigate the financial relations of the Olympic Movement with the Belarusian NOC and the National Federations,
5) and ensure the qualification and preparation for and participation in the Olympic Games for Belarusian athletes affected by reprisals by providing training and competition opportunities including livelihood.
We hope that our suggestions will be considered in the IOC's deliberations on the procedure already initiated. We would like to express our sincere appreciation that the IOC is giving the Belarusian athletes a chance to be heard and possible consequences are already taken into account.
Our letter is also addressed to Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein, who develops and accompanies the human rights strategy of the IOC as former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.[1] His joint report with Rachel Davis was released yesterday by the IOC. Their detailed "Recommendations for an IOC Human Rights Strategy" state, among others, that the IOC human rights strategy will need to be anchored[2] in the UNGP. According to the IOC press release, the IOC sees its "role to advance respect for human rights as the leader of the Olympic Movement".
However, the Olympic Movement has not yet made a coherent and consistent commitment to respect and implement human rights in its sphere of influence. Yesterday's releases so far only represent external recommendations. There is therefore still much work to be done. We will gladly participate in the upcoming process of developing and implementing a possible IOC human rights strategy.
Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only


JNN 18 July 2014 Islamabad : The Pakistani military said its jets killed 35 suspected militants on Wednesday as part of an anti-Taliban offensive hours after U.S. drones attacked another area nearby and killed up to 20 people.
On Wednesday, Pakistani jets killed 35 suspected militants in the Shawal valley, a remote stronghold on the Pakistani side of the border opposite Afghanistan's Paktika, Pakistani military officials said.
Hours earlier, U.S. drone aircraft attacked fighters in Datta Khel, a town in North Waziristan region near the border. Resident Malik Wakil Khan, said 18 bodies had been recovered from the rubble of a compound.
Pakistani security officials gave tolls of from 15 to 20 killed.
Pakistani military officials said there was no connection between their air strikes in the Shawal Valley and the U.S. attack in North Waziristan.
Within days of the resumption of U.S. drone strikes, Pakistan announced a military offensive designed to push the Pakistani Taliban out of North Waziristan.
More than half a million civilians were ordered to leave their homes before ground operations started.
Pakistani Taliban reportedly confirmed Wednesday the arrest by security forces of their senior commander, Adnan Rashid, who was convicted of trying to assassinate former president Pervez Musharraf and was also one of the many inmates who escaped from a prison in 2012.
Reports earlier suggested that Rashid was arrested by the Pakistani army in Shakai area of South Waziristan this week. He was reportedly injured in an earlier strike in North Waziristan and was arrested after fleeing the ongoing airstrikes in the region, Xinhua reported.
The army has not yet confirmed the arrest, but section of the Pakistani media has reported the arrest.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has confirmed that Adnan Rashid was arrested, Geo television reported.
The TTP accused a splinter Taliban group in South Waziristan of passing the information to the security forces, which eventually led to the arrest of Rashid.
Sources said that Rashid was shifted to an undisclosed location through a helicopter.
The TTP has distributed a pamphlet in parts of South Waziristan, saying they would take revenge of the arrest of their leader.
This entry was posted in Asia Pacific, Pakistan News and tagged North Waziristan, Pakistani military, Pakistani Taliban, taliban. Bookmark the permalink.


'Survivor research' has expanded significantly in the UK in recent years, most recently connecting with the discipline of 'Mad Studies'. Both are concerned with challenging the basis of mainstream mental health knowledge, although Mad Studies has a more explicitly cross-disciplinary knowledge base where survivor research in the UK has tended to be associated more closely with mental health services. Nevertheless the roots of both lie in the experiential knowledge of service users engaged in grassroots activism and peer support.
In this paper I will explore the nature of experiential knowledge and its challenges to mainstream mental health knowledge and evidence, drawing upon the work of survivor researchers and students of the emerging discipline of Mad Studies. I will explore the roots of experiential knowledge in peer support and grassroots activism, foundations which are increasingly threatened by professional co-optation and neo-liberalism. These threats particularly affect service users and user groups from marginalised and racialised communities, many of whom have traditionally relied upon the strength emerging from forms of community development and self-help.
Experiential knowledge has the potential to have a transformational impact on mental health knowledge. Significant barriers remain, in the form of the evidence hierarchy, academic elitism, co-optation and neoliberal conceptions of mental distress. The need to remain accountable and true to our roots across our diverse service user/survivor communities is greater than ever.
Alison Faulkner is a freelance survivor researcher and trainer in mental health with over 25 years' experience of working in mental health research and consultancy. She has worked for most of the major UK mental health charities, including the Mental Health Foundation, NSUN (the National Survivor User Network), Mind, Rethink Mental Illness and Together for Mental Wellbeing. She managed the user-led 'Strategies for Living' programme from 1997 to 2002, one of the first user-led research projects in the UK. Alison has personal experience of using mental health services, including inpatient care, medication, psychotherapy and crisis services. She is currently studying for her PhD at City, University of London on the role and value of experiential knowledge in mental health research.
Lunch will be provided from 12:45.
The research seminar will commence at 13:00.


text:
Former CofC Standout Named New Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals
Former College of Charleston baseball standout Oliver 'Oli' Marmol (right, with family) has been named the 51st manager of the St. Louis Cardinals after serving as the team's bench coach for the past two seasons announced club officials at an introductory press conference on Monday morning.
Marmol becomes the youngest manager in Major League Baseball beating out current Minnesota Twins skipper Rocco Baldelli by nearly five years. He is also several years younger than two of the franchise's cornerstone players – starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (40) and catcher Yadier Molina (39).
"This is an exciting day," Marmol said. "I am honored to sit here and be presented with this opportunity. The DeWitt family have built a winning tradition and a rich history here that is absolutely remarkable. For them to trust me as a caretaker of that legacy is incredibly humbling."
A native of Orlando, Fla., Marmol arrived at the College prior to the 2005 campaign and quickly put his stamp on the program batting .327 with 11 home runs, 49 doubles, eight triples and 102 RBI in three seasons with the Cougars. The speedy shortstop put together easily his best season at CofC in 2007 batting .345 with 20 doubles, seven home runs, 45 RBI and 28 stolen bases to earn a spot on the All-SoCon First Team. His 84 runs scored that spring rank third on the program's single-season list. He ranks eighth all-time in doubles, triples and stolen bases, and is ninth in runs scored (171).
"Everyone here at the College is ecstatic for Oli," head coach Chad Holbrook said. "When a former player and representative of our baseball program becomes a manager in the Major Leagues, all you can say is wow! It just goes to show you that character, work ethic and persistence often get rewarded. Everyone associated with our program could not be happier for him and we know he will do an incredible job."
Marmol was drafted by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2007 draft and spent three years in the Red Birds' minor league system before making the transition into coaching as the hitting coach for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals in 2011. The very next season, Marmol landed his first managerial role with the Johnson City Cardinals, St. Louis' rookie-level affiliate, and led the team to a 39-28 mark.
He spent the next four seasons as the manager for two of the Cardinals' Single-A affiliates before receiving his call-up to the majors as the club's first base coach in 2017. In five seasons as a minor league manager, Marmol compiled a 268-225 overall record. Following two seasons as the team's first base coach he was promoted to bench coach, a position he held until being named the club's manager on Monday.
He will take over a team that won a club-record 17 straight games in September – a streak capped by a 6-2 win over Milwaukee on September 28 to clinch the second and final National League Wild Card spot.
Related Topics:college of charlestoncollege of charleston baseballOli Marmol
Steeplechase of Charleston Returns on November 14th
Battery Succumb to Pressure in Pittsburgh
Pingback: Former CofC Standout Named New Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals – Holy City Sinner - South Carolina Online News

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Rye Reflections: Who controls flood control at Eel and Burke Ponds?
Who controls flood control at Eel and Burke Ponds?
The Event: The Selectmen's Meeting attended by about 45 citizens.
The Major Problem up for its first discussion: Control of water levels on both Burke pond and Eel pond, low enough to prevent flooding but high enough to allow recreational activities.
The Setting: Burke Pond is next to Abenaqui Country Club, and a dam at the east end controls the run-off under Central Road over to and under the first bridge on Red Mill Lane, turning east and under the second bridge and finally into Eel pond which also has a dam at the east end and a run-off to the ocean.
The Players: Abutters who own part of Burke Pond, abutters who do not; abutters who own part of Eel Pond, abutters who do not; Sea Road flooding residents, Red Mill Lane flooding residents and other people living near either pond.
Interested parties: Town of Rye, Emergency Management Director of Rye (Alan Gould), State of NH - Route 1A , DOT, Federal Government, Abenaqui Country Club, the owner of the dam on Burke Pond.
Suggested procedures to control flooding: Remove certain stop logs (4 feet by 7 inches and part of Burke Pond dam) to let more water flow from Burke Pond into Eel Pond. This would be done three days or so prior to an anticipated storm. The logs would then be replaced to use Burke Pond as a reservoir to control excess water. This would not help for ocean surges into Eel pond.
Related problems and concerns: Who decides to lower which dam and by how much? Currently, Abenaqui may lower the water in Burke Pond for its own needs. DOT is hesitant to change water levels in Eel Pond due to possible legal liability. State and Town responsibilities are not crystal clear during a flooding event. The State in the 1990's granted the Town the right to remove stop logs in the event of flooding. Weather forecasting is not perfect, so how will we know if such a major storm is coming? The bridge on Red Mill Lane quickly becomes filled up with debris washed down from above which creates flooding in that area. What state and federal grant money is available? What is the current water quality of both ponds? What problems arise if the government is "let in" on the problem? Remember Mothers' Day flood two years ago? Who has the right to lower either pond in the off-season? One resident has a letter received in the 1990's indicating that the state controls the water level in Eel pond. Low water level can lead to stagnation. Abutters also raised the issue of possible economic impact, liability questions, health issues, and possible impact on fish and wildlife. One of the final comments was: Should we consider converting Eel Pond into a salt marsh as it was in 1905?
Eel Pond photo by Peter Moynahan,Rye's-Guy-in-the-Sky with Route 1A running lower left to right, Burke Pond in the upper left, and showing the large amount of vegetation in Eel Pond.
The next step: The Selectmen have decided to undertake a study that will look at long and short term issues to cover how to control storm flooding in both ponds, water quality, vegetation and sedimentation increase in the ponds, and beaver damage. The scope will be negotiated between the Town and the State.


text:
Unstrung Heroes es una película cómica-dramática estadounidense de 1995 dirigida por Diane Keaton. El guion escrito por Richard LaGravenese está basado en la novela autobiográfica escrita por Franz Lidz.

Argumento
Cuando a Selma, la madre del joven Steven, le diagnostican cáncer y comienza a estar más y más enferma, su excéntrico padre, Sid, le permite irse a vivir con sus disfuncionales tíos, Arthur y Danny, en su abarrotado apartamento del decrépito Hotel King Edward. Ambos tíos, que llevan una vida al estilo hermanos Collyer, rebautizan al joven con un nombre más colorido, Franz, y lo ayudan a sobrellevar sus empociones enseñándole a valorar los aspectos únicos de su personalidad. Aprendiendo de este par de extraños que aunque la esperanza y la ciencia pueden fallarnos... el arte siempre sobrevive, Franz comienza de forma secreta a crear un conmemorativo para su madre antes de que muera, llenando una caja con momentos personales: un tubo de lápiz labial, una botella vacía de Chanel, un encendedor y cosas similares.

Reparto
 Andie MacDowell ..... Selma Lidz
 John Turturro ..... Sid Lidz
 Michael Richards ..... Danny Lidz
 Maury Chaykin ..... Arthur Lidz
 Nathan Watt .....  Steven/Franz
 Celia Weston ..... Amelia
 Candice Azzara ..... Joanie
 Jack McGee ..... Lindquist

Enlaces externos

Películas dramáticas
Películas cómicas
Películas sobre judíos y judaísmo

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Evan was a member of 'J' Force transported from Singapore to Japan to a POW Camp at Kobe mid 1943. Some of the details of Kobe House are found at the story Kobe House, Japan.
Evan was employed as a bank clerk, and living in West Perth when he enlisted January 1941 at Claremont. He recorded his father as his NOK.
It is not known whether he returned to live in WA or went to Victoria.
Evan, a retired Bank Manager passed away aged 84 yrs, December 16 2001, at Mt Waverley, Victoria. His wife Lena died 13 August 2018, aged 93 years.


This mid-engined hybrid sports car boasts 573 horsepower and a top speed of 191 mph.
While we wait for Acura's long-gestating 2017 NSX to hurtle to market in spring 2016 at its claimed 191-mph top speed, the company has released new information about the sports car and its technologically impressive, hybrid-electric drivetrain.
At the rear, the NSX is propelled by a twin-turbocharged 500-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 whose cylinders are laid out with a 75-degree angle between the banks. This is to help lower the car's center of gravity compared to a taller engine with a typical 60-degree vee angle. A racing-style dry sump oil pan lets the engine sit lower in the car, further contributing to a lower center of gravity.
At 3.803 lbs., the NSX is no lightweight, but Honda has always been a master of mass centralization in both its cars and its motorcycles, so they usually feel lighter than the scale says they are.
That gas motor is supported by a 47-horsepower electric motor, and together they send power through a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels. Power to the front wheels comes from a pair of 36-horsepower electric motors in the nose of the car. Total maximum power of all the NSX's powerplants totals more than the rated 573 horsepower because the gas and electric motors make peak power at different speeds, so they don't all make maximum power at the same time.
While some car manufacturers make a big deal of their latest models being entirely constructed of some zoomy new space-age material, the NSX is built using a canny mixture of ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum and carbon fiber, with each deployed where it is best suited.
The steel, for example, provides crash safety in the car's A-pillars around the windshield that support the roof. Meanwhile, the floorpan is carbon fiber, because computer analysis showed that if it were aluminum like most of the rest of the frame, it would need additional support for when people climb into and out of the car.
The NSX will be popular with the neighbors of sports car owners, who surely tire of the early morning roar announcing their startup and departure. Its pair of front electric motors let it creep out of your block on electric-only power unless you step hard on the accelerator pedal.
Then it clamps down on engine noise with all the electronic gadgets at its disposal and limits engine speed to 4,000 rpm, so that the car is 25 decibels quieter in quiet mode than in track mode.
If all that sounds good and you're willing to fork over the $170,000 estimated price, you may want to take the Acura NSX for a spin.
For the latest car news, follow @MaximRides and Dan Carney on Twitter.
Photos by American Honda Motor Co.


Have you ever wondered why your coffee maker that use to quickly make a pot coffee now seems to take forever? Well you are not imagining things. The problems is with lime and other water deposit build ups that slow down the heating process and flow of water.
The solutions is to buy a special coffee pot solvent at your local merchandise store. Wal-Mart sells Brew Rite Cleaner for a about $4 and it will last you for about three cleanings. Just follow the directions and flush out the coffee maker with water. You need to clean your coffee maker anytime you see it starts to slow down or every 4 months depending on how often you use it.
Your coffee maker will be brewing again like new. The most important part is that your fresh gourmet coffee will then start to taste better than before.


With 3 diamonds and a UK 750km diploma, he has a total of 4900 hours gliding including about 1500 hours in the French Alps gathered over 22 previous visits to Sisteron. In the UK he flies his LS6c as far as he can from Gransden and occasionally makes it back. He isn't particularly interested in competitions but has been unable to provide a convincing reason for this, although it might just be that he isn't quite as good a pilot as he would like to be.
Finally managed to get her 3 diamonds in 2002 and now has 1900 hours flying with around 800 in the French Alps. Benefited from 2 courses at St. Auban and 2 courses with Jacques Noel at Gap. She flies an LS6c (122). Most of you will have heard her over the last 12 years somewhere in the UK; you are unlikely to miss her French accent! You may be surprised at how far she goes and the sheer enthusiasm she brings to English pilots for French mountain flying. She is much in demand for her talks on her flying both by UK clubs and organisations outside gliding. She is married to John Bridge.
Clare flies an ASW27 (FF) from Gransden Lodge and has joined many expeditions to Spain and France.
Little is known about Robert except that he instructs at Gransden Lodge and he flies an LS8 (W8) for pleasure. Occasionally seen at competitions.
Despite having 1000 gliding hours, 3 diamonds, being a full cat instructor and regional examiner, most of Andy's friends don't think that he flies far enough away from his normal club site of Gransden. Andy is making his sixth visit to Sisteron and is reported as "beginning to get the hang of it". He recently exchanged his beloved PIK20 for a brand new ASW27 but still can't believe that gliders can stay up in rain or when there are bugs, so plans a summer of structured under-achievement.
Wendy has 800 hours and a Gold Distance/Diamond Goal. She instructs at the CGC and flies an ASW27 that she shares with Andy Walford. She also has interests in most of the private fleet at Gransden.
(q.v.) never bothered with Gold C paperwork but that doesn't stop him from flying long distances. Three years ago he spent a week flying in the mountains with Jacques Noel, learning how to do it better and more safely, which he describes as "...an invaluable experience which I highly recommend". He is looking forward to this his seventh visit to Sisteron, the challenging and very rewarding flying to be had in the spectacular surroundings of the Southern Alps, as well as the good company, both in the air and on the ground."
With 2000 hours gliding and 500 hours power Andrew Johnston is just coming to terms with being an insouciant pilot. He has a Gold C and 2 diamonds, the 500km flight proving to be elusive. Currently flying with the Cambridge club at Gransden he owns a DG200 and has shares in a Janus, based at HusBos, and an Oly2b, based at Thurleigh. He also owns a share in an Auster. The goal for Sisteron this year is to explore further north than the Barre des Ecrin and ideally into the Modane valley. Other calls on his time include house DIY, fighting a losing battle in the garden and model engineering.
Silver C and 1500 hrs gliding, too lazy to do paperwork for Gold but did accidentally achieve Diamond height some years ago! Did Comp flying in the 60's but not really interested these days. Recently retired and treated myself to an ASW27B - T99. Really enjoy flying in the Alps out of Sisteron, a great place for flying with the added bonus of excellent local restaurants and places to stay but most of all a chance to meet up with our many very good friends on a regular basis.
Went Solo at LGC and Sisteron approx 5 years ago, did several solo flights at both sites. Now enjoy flying 2 seaters and polishing T99!! (Terry's wife!). Have enjoyed running Control at Dunstable Regionals with Mary Craig for the last 5 years. 2003 will be my 6th annual visit to Sisteron, I enjoy the company of good friends, the beautiful Alpine scenery and of course the excellent restaurants.
Martin will be joining the party with an as-yet unspecified glider. He has visited Sisteron before and, while he has flown 2-seaters in the past, this year will be his first attempt on his own.


text:
Chapter 31 - Narrow-minded Picture
Chapter 31: Narrow-minded Picture
Lin Chuhan was drained after working hard the entire day. There were signs of exhaustion on her exquisite face.
Her forehead was covered with sweat, and her hair was slightly messy because of this.
But, this couldn't hide her beauty.
Lin Chuhan worked part-time at a bubble tea shop. Indeed, it was the milk tea shop called Er Dian Dian!
Undoubtedly, her presence added a touch of color to the shop.
The boss of the bubble tea shop felt that his decision in the past was brilliant. Whenever Lin Chuhan was present, the business at his shop would be better than usual.
Unfortunately, Lin Chuhan could only work during the weekends.
The boss was married and had a fierce wife at home, so he didn't have any other thoughts towards Lin Chuhan.
However, the two male workers in his shop were drooling over the pretty girl. They would either send her breakfast in the morning or treat her for lunch. They were extremely attentive to her.
The boss saw everything and wanted to say a thing or two. However, it wasn't appropriate for him to interfere with his workers' private life. He could only set a rule to prevent them from dating during working hours.
The rule had its effect.
But once work ended, the boss couldn't control them anymore.
Currently, the workers were all packing up and preparing to get off work. At that moment, a tall, big, and modest-looking young man walked over and smiled at Lin Chuhan.
"Chuhan, it's already very late. Let me send you back later."
The other young man was fresh and clean-looking with a tin foil perm. When he noticed that he was a step slower, he got anxious and said, "Chuhan, your house is on the way to mine. Why don't I send you home?"
A young lady teased him from the side. "Seriously? Your 'on the way' is approximately ten kilometers away from Chuhan's house."
"At least my house is closer to hers than Qian Weibo's. One of them lives in the west and one in the east. They are at least 20 km apart," the man with tin foil perm replied.
The lofty man, Qian Weibo, frowned. Then, he smiled and said, "Normally, I exercise at night. If I send Chuhan home and then go back later, the amount of exercise is just perfect for the day."
"Hmph, your excuse is really high-sounding." The other young man scoffed.
"Alright, stop fighting. I don't need you guys to send me back. I can go home myself," Lin Chuhan said coldly. As always, she rejected them outright.
The two young men felt helpless. They got rejected all the time. Actually, they didn't even know where Lin Chuhan lived.
Lin Chuhan had only told them the general district…
After all, a young lady needed to protect herself outside. She must not tell other men her address casually.
The two young men still wanted to try their luck, but a voice was heard at this moment.
"Pretty lady, can I have a cup of bubble tea!"
Lin Chuhan found the frivolous and haughty tone very familiar.
"I'm sorry. We're closed."
The moment Qian Weibo finished speaking, Lin Chuhan turned around and saw the person who had walked in. She was surprised as she asked, "Why are you here?"
"Look at what you are saying? Why can't I be here?" Wang Teng smiled and replied.
Qian Weibo and the young man with tin foil perm felt a strong sense of danger when they listened to these two people's familiar interaction.
Also, this man was a little handsome!
Hmmm… Just a little!
Qian Weibo asked, "Chuhan, who is this?"
"Chuhan?"
"Hmph." Wang Teng squinted and gave him a meaningful gaze.
"He's my table buddy," Lin Chuhan replied.
"Table buddy!"
The gazes of Qian Weibo and the young man with tin foil perm froze. Then, they looked at each other.
They could tell from each other's gaze that this was a strong opponent who required them to join hands.
"Since he's Little Lin's table buddy, let's make him one last cup of bubble tea," the boss nodded at Wang Teng and said.
Qian Weibo asked, "So, classmate, what do you want to drink?"
"Do you have Xiang Piao Piao?" Wang Teng asked.
Qian Weibo: …
What do you mean by Xiang Piao Piao!
This is a bubble tea shop, not the supermarket!
If you want to drink Xiang Piao Piao, go to the supermarket to buy a cup and brew it yourself at home!
Qian Weibo screamed in his heart.
The boss of the bubble tea shop and the other workers were also left speechless. They didn't know what to say.
On the other hand, Lin Chuhan had already started moving. She made the easiest recipe, milk tea with black pearls. She prepared the biggest cup for Wang Teng and finished it quickly. Then, she placed it in front of him.
"12 RMB!"
"So expensive!" Wang Teng didn't care what kind of bubble tea it was. He complained for a moment and took out his phone to pay for his drink.
Lin Chuhan ignored Wang Teng. After packing up, she bid farewell to the boss and walked out of the bubble tea stall.
She pushed a pink scooter out of the parking lot at the side.
Then, she put on a round Hello Kitty helmet and was just about to mount her scooter.
"Chuhan, wait for me."
Qian Weibo and the man with tin foil perm hurriedly packed up their stuff and chased after her. Each of them was pushing one scooter.
Wang Teng's appearance had given them a sense of urgency. Tonight, whether Lin Chuhan rejected them or not, they planned to shamelessly send her home either way.
Lin Chuhan frowned unhappily when she saw the two of them pestering her like Chinese medicine plaster.
"Miss class monitor, let me send you home." Wang Teng walked over while carrying his milk tea.
"No need!" Lin Chuhan said coldly.
"We are classmates. You don't have to be polite with me."
Wang Teng snatched Lin Chuhan's little scooter and carried it up with one hand.
"Oh my god, his strength!"
The two young men's expressions changed for the worse. When Wang Teng walked to the sports car parked beside the road, their eyes widened even more.
"Beep!"
The boot of the car opened, and Wang Teng stuffed the scooter into the car. However, the lid couldn't close properly.
The pink scooter was half-exposed in the air. It was glaring to the eye.
" This is really amazing!"
"Stuffing a scooter in a sports car. I have never seen anything like this!"
This series of actions stunned the boss of the bubble tea shop and the other workers.
"Is this the distance between us?"
Qian Weibo and the other young man started questioning their lives.
Wang Teng opened the car door and urged Lin Chuhan, who was rooted on the spot.
"Let's go. What are you waiting for?"
Lin Chuhan hit her lips and stomped her foot. In the end, she still sat in the car.
You could almost hear the sound of glass shattering.
Their hearts hurt!
The two young men clutched their chests.
Wang Teng helped close the car door. Just as he was about to get in the car, he remembered something and walked towards Qian Weibo and the other young man.
"Misters, are you very close to my class monitor?" he smiled and asked.
The two of them wanted to nod. Wang Teng placed his hands on their shoulder and exerted some force…
The next moment, excruciating pain was felt!
"Since you're not familiar with her, remember to call her by her full name the next time."
I, Wang Teng!
Am really narrow-minded!
Wang Teng snorted and released his hand. Qian Weibo and the other young man's faces were red from holding their breath.
Pain~
They felt as if their bones were crushing.
This guy's strength was astonishing. Could he be practicing martial arts?
Also, he was driving a sports car. That meant that he was wealthy!
They couldn't afford to provoke him! They couldn't!
Shivers~
The two of them hurriedly nodded. Lin Chuhan? Who was she? Was she very pretty? What did it have to do with them?
Nothing was important anymore.
Rather, the most important thing now was to send this devil away.
Wang Teng drove his car and charged into the night with his loud engine. Qian Weibo and the young man with tin foil perm stared at the sports car's rear lights in a daze.
As well as the little scooter exposed outside…
They felt an unprecedented sense of humiliation!


We offer renowned brands that meet the highest standards in the industry to provide the best quality of equipment available.
the expertise for residential air conditioning.
Our safe and reliable delivery service will keep you warm all winter long, at competitive prices!
Eligibility for Hydro-Québec's preferential rate, which translates into big savings!
Eligible for the Heating with Green Power program and for the RénoVert tax credit.
Rental of propane tanks and delivery service at competitive rates.
When it comes to offering promotions, we have you covered on all bases: Rebates on equipment, propane, Air Miles and more!


Is generation "evo" better than generation 4?
Actually DIALux evo is much more faster with better rendering, better handling of complex model and has different concept of construction, applying material, light and making the calculation.
Is DIALux evo ready to replace the current generation 4?
i can do it on dialux evo or i got to use the regular dialux??
I tried to import a .sat file as an object in my Dialux evo 5 project but after 5 hours downloading, the program didn't respond. The .sat file is very heavy (283 000 KB). It is an architect file with buildings, and landscape. I need to work on this base to focus my work only on the light design instead of architecture design.
Would it be better if I import a .3ds file?
How can I convert a .sat file to .3ds file without using 3DSMAX?
Also, I have imported the same file in 3D dwg as a drawing but it display only a Wireframe model instead of a shaded model.
I just downloaded Dialux Evo 5.2 (64-bit) because I received a .dlx file but it won't open the file. Could you tell me what I am doing wrong? Did I download the wrong version and if I did which one should I have downloaded? Thanks.
Dialux 4.13 was issued this week with minor updates.


The PROFESSIONAL Series gas hob is loaded with 6 high-powered gas burners, empowers home-chef to cook at the professional chef level. The multiple burners enables cooking different dishes simultaneously while having different level of flame output.
Accessories: cast iron griddle plate.
Full stainless steel finish professional cook top.
Auto ignition system with flame failure safety valve.
Heavy duty cast iron grates and trivets.


There's an effective way to unlock creative potential, research finds. Employers should incentivize workers to produce an abundance of ideas — even mediocre ones — and then have them step away from the project for an "incubation period."
"Even when you're doing something else, your subconscious mind works in the background. Then, all of a sudden, you may get this epiphany," says study coauthor Steven Kachelmeier, chair in accounting at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. "It happens to all of us."
The researchers found that people who got a reward simply for churning out ideas, whether good or bad, ultimately ended up producing more creative ideas than people who did not receive pay incentives or those whose pay incentives were based on the quality of their ideas instead of the quantity. All the study participants stepped away from the initial task for a time and returned to it later.
"Creativity is not instantaneous, but if incentives promote enough ideas as seeds for thought, creativity eventually emerges," says Kachelmeier.
Past studies have established that an incubation period enhances creative performance, but this research looked at a new question: What happens when you add incentives for idea generation to the equation?
Kachelmeier and his coauthors, Laura Wang, a McCombs alum, and Michael Williamson, of the University of Illinois, conducted two experiments. In the first, they asked study participants to create rebus puzzles — riddles where a combination of images and letters represent words, phrases, or sayings.
Initially, none of the incentivized groups outperformed the fixed-wage group in measures of creativity, as judged by an independent panel. Creativity incentives, it would seem, do not work instantly. But in a subsequent return to the creativity task 10 days later, those who had originally been paid to come up with as many ideas as they could had "a distinct creativity advantage," outperforming the other groups in both the quantity and quality of ideas, Kachelmeier says.
Having an incubation period after participants put their minds to work was key to their success, the researchers say. Combining mass idea generation with a rest period results in much more creative productivity than when either of the two strategies is used in isolation.
That's the question the researchers tackled in a second experiment, paying half the participants a fixed amount and half for the number of ideas they produced. As before, the pay-for-quantity participants yielded more, but not better, initial ideas than the fixed-pay group.
"You need to rest, take a break, and detach yourself — even if that detachment is just 20 minutes," Kachelmeier says. "The recipe for creativity is try — and get frustrated because it's not going to happen. Relax, sit back, and then it happens."
The study appears in Accounting Review.
Want a tiny book full of big inspiration? Check out "Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative" by Austin Kleon. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like. If you choose to make a purchase, Curiosity will get a share of the sale.


text:
Musial Moments
Stifel Theatre
Stan Musial Moments
Search Musial Awards
Aleksandra Mackiewicz
Sports do not always present black and white scenarios. There is not always a winner and a loser. Sometimes, athletes just want to be part of a team. Wins and losses become a concern only after they get the chance to compete. Senior Charlotte Rose and sophomore Aleksandra (Ola) Mackiewicz of Brown University were trying to be part of a team. Throughout the year, both switched back and forth between the third and fourth starter position on the fencing team. The end of the regular season came and Brown had a problem. Four women's sabers had qualified for the NCAA regional tournament, but only three athletes per team are allowed to attend and compete in the event. Mackiewicz clinched the third starter spot in the final regular season competition. This left Rose on the outside looking in. Mackiewicz was excited, but didn't feel quite right about the opportunity. Rose had been a dedicated member of the team during her time at Brown and had never had the chance to compete in an NCAA regional. Mackiewicz went to the coaching staff and proposed that Rose take the third starter position in her place. "This is the epitome of putting the team and teammates before oneself, which I believe to be the essence of a great athlete," Rose said. According to her teammates, Mackiewicz always maintains a positive attitude no matter the situation. She is a calming influence on her team. Instead of allowing her teammates to get frustrated with a loss, Mackiewicz tells them how to fix their mistakes. Brown coach Atilio Tass said, "Just by asking to give her very precious spot to the regional championship to a senior teammate demonstrates an immense amount of respect and caring for the team over the individual. The depth of her honesty and integrity manifests itself infinitely."
Aleksandra Mackiewicz is the recipient of the NCAA's Sportsmanship Award.
© 2021 Musial Awards, All rights reserved.
| Privacy Policy | Site by Matchbox Design Group


I oversee the administration of the Trust Account on a daily basis and enjoy the challenge of working in busy environment with two other team members. I joined Cooney Lees Morgan in 2006 after working for another local law firm where I learned about Trust Accounting and gained secretarial experience. I'm originally from Auckland and have come from a banking background.
I enjoy the lifestyle in Tauranga and the lovely beaches. I love travel and am interested in archaeology.


text:
Freedom Centers Fuel/Energy Freedom
A 'Green New Deal' Would Cut the Military in Half, End 87 Percent of U.S. Energy, and Ban Cars
By Jim Geraghty • National Review
Take some time to peruse the "Green New Deal" in writing.
The deal includes a plan to "cut military spending by at least half" and withdraw U.S. troops from overseas.
The United States military currently has 1.3 million active-duty troops, with another 865,000 in reserve, and 680,000 civilian employees. Green New Deal advocates haven't laid out exactly how many fewer personnel the U.S. military would have if spending was cut in half, but a military that was half the size of the current one would leave about 1.4 million personnel out of work. And remember, advocates of the Green New Deal pledged to cut military spending in "at least half."
When there are no U.S. forces stationed in Europe, South Korea, Japan, or the Middle East, how much safer do you think those places get? Do you think conflict is more likely or less likely once all U.S. military personnel leave? Do you think China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia become more aggressive or less aggressive? Continue reading →
Tags: Energy Policy, Green Energy, Liberalism
The Antithesis of Green
By Robert Bryce • National Review
The energetic chatter of the moment is dominated by talk about the Green New Deal — a collection of proposals that would require running the entire American economy on renewable electricity within a decade or so.
The Green New Deal has been endorsed by scads of liberal politicians including New York governor Andrew Cuomo, former California state senator Kevin de León, media darling and newly sworn-in Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and anti-hydrocarbon activist Josh Fox. The goals of the Green New Deal are nothing short of radical. As the website for the left-wing think tank Data for Progress explains, the Green New Deal aims to "transform the economy and the environment in ways that achieve sustainability, equity, justice, freedom, and happiness." Achieving happiness has never been easy. Even harder will be the Green New Deal's aim of completely eliminating the use of coal, oil, and natural gas by 2050. Continue reading →
Don't extend the electric vehicle tax break; end it
by Peter Roff • Washington Examiner
Only in Washington would a congressional committee recommend a one-year extension of the tax credit for electric vehicles (in this case motorcycles) the day after General Motors announces it's pulling the plug on the all-electric Chevy Volt.
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, the outgoing chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, generally opposes these kinds of special provisions. They're bad policy because they distort activities in the marketplace. Nonetheless, it's right there in the bill he has proposed.
What's even stranger is that Congress signed off on phasing out this credit in its entirety in the 2018 tax bill. It's an expensive write-off that mostly benefits the uber-wealthy, who buy electric cars as status symbols and tokens of environmental consciousness. Continue reading →
Tags: Energy Policy, Energy Taxes, Green Energy
How Environmentalists Keep Heating Bills High
By Stephen Moore • Investor's Business Daily
This has been a colder-than-usual winter in the Midwest and Northeast, so many Americans are facing high home heating and electric bills. In some areas, these bills can reach $1,000 a month.
Liberals, of course, charge that Donald Trump is the culprit. An AP story last week screamed: "Trump Once Again Wants to Cut Energy Assistance to the Poor." Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders charged that if Trump has his way and eliminates the Low Income Heating Assistance Program, people might "freeze to death."
But wait. Donald Trump is pro-American energy development. He isn't the one who is making energy bills more expensive in the Northeast and the mountain states. It's the liberal green groups and politicians such as Bernie Sanders, who accede to their anti-fossil fuel demands.
In my book Fueling Freedom, my co-author Kathleen Hartnett White and I discovered that the shale gas revolution lowered the price of natural gas by about Continue reading →
Tags: Liberal Hypocrisy, Liberal Tactics, Liberalism
A Clean Energy's Dirty Little Secret
by Julie Kelly • National Review
A new study by Environmental Progress (EP) warns that toxic waste from used solar panels now poses a global environmental threat. The Berkeley-based group found that solar panels create 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy than nuclear power plants. Discarded solar panels, which contain dangerous elements such as lead, chromium, and cadmium, are piling up around the world, and there's been little done to mitigate their potential danger to the environment.
"We talk a lot about the dangers of nuclear waste, but that waste is carefully monitored, regulated, and disposed of," says Michael Shellenberger, founder of Environmental Progress, a nonprofit that advocates for the use of nuclear energy. "But we had no idea there would be so many panels — an enormous amount — that could cause this much ecological damage."
Solar panels are considered a form of toxic, hazardous electronic or "e-waste," and according to EP researchers Jemin Desai and Mark Nelson, scavengers in developing countries like India and China often "burn the e-waste in order to salvage the valuable copper wires for resale. Since this process requires burning off plastic, the resulting smoke contains toxic fumes that are carcinogenic and teratogenic (birth defect-causing) when inhaled." Continue reading →
Tags: Energy Policy, EPA, Green Energy
The EPA's Chicanery Harms Americans
The EPA announced that it will disregard the current law and rush new mandates into place before Obama leaves office.
By George Landrith • Frontiers of Freedom
In 2012, the Obama Administration pushed through a dramatic increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards — jumping the fleet average mileage mandates to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2015. At the time, it was agreed there would be a mid-term review before 2018 to determine if the new CAFE standards were feasibly possibly in the time frame required. However, now the Obama Administration and the EPA just announced that there will be no midterm review and that intends to impose the 54.5 miles per gallon mandate regardless of the feasibility or impact. Continue reading →
Tags: CAFE, Corporate Average Fuel Economy, EPA, Lawlessness
Dem AGs mounting Big Tobacco-style probe of oil companies, industry fights back
By Jennifer G. Hickey • Fox News
Democratic officials' campaign against fossil fuel companies is entering a new phase as state attorneys general launch investigations that mirror the Justice Department's landmark case against "Big Tobacco," probing claims that oil companies misled the public about the risks of global warming — a charge industry representatives adamantly reject.
Massachusetts and the U.S. Virgin Islands are the latest to announce probes, specifically into whether ExxonMobil was up-front regarding what it knew about climate change.
"Fossil fuel companies that deceived investors and consumers about the dangers of climate change should be held accountable. That's why we have joined in investigating ExxonMobil," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in announcing the inquiry. Continue reading →
Tags: Government Intimidation, Liberal Tactics, Liberalism
Group of Senators Let America Down
Add "Green Energy" Pork Barrel Tax Extenders to Unrelated FAA Bill
On April 7, 2016, Frontiers of Freedom President, George Landrith made the following statement:
Millions of Americans are deeply disappointed that Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) worked to insert sweetheart tax benefits for special interests in the so-called renewable energy industry. Simply stated, hard working Americans who are struggling to make ends meet may now end up paying hundreds of millions of dollars to well-healed "green energy" companies — like wind and geothermal energy — who can afford the best lobbyists money can buy. Continue reading →
Obama Administration: Pumpkins Causing Climate Change
By Jennifer Pompi • Washington Times
How scary are your jack-o'-lanterns? Scarier than you think, according to the Energy Department, which claims the holiday squash is responsible for unleashing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Most of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the U.S. end up in the trash, says the Energy Department's website, becoming part of the "more than 254 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced in the United States every year."
Municipal solid waste decomposes into methane, "a harmful greenhouse gas that plays a part in climate change, with more than 20 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide," Energy says. Continue reading →
Tags: Climate Change, Global Warming, Pumpkins
Obama, Clinton Foundation Donors Sold 'Green' Fuel to Military for $149 per Gallon
San Francisco's Solazyme also received millions in stimulus funds from DOE
by Ali Meyer • Washington Free Beacon
Strains of algae are shown in the strain room of Solazyme in South San Francisco, Calif. / AP
The CEO and Board of Directors of Solazyme, a company the military paid $149 per gallon for "alternative" fuel, have donated more than $300,000 to Democratic candidates and committees, according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis.
Recipients of significant donations included the Obama Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee. Additionally, Solazyme donated between $100,000 and $250,000 to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report found that the Department of Defense (DOD) paid Solazyme $149 per gallon for fuel made of algal oil, costing taxpayers a total of $223,500 in 2009. The group also received a $21 million stimulus grant from Department of Energy in 2009.
"Based in South San Francisco, Solazyme's mission is to improve our lives and our planet by producing sustainable, high-performance oils and ingredients derived from microalgae," the company states. Solazyme claims that their process serves as a better alternative to limited resources such as petroleum, vegetable oils, and animal fats. Continue reading →
Tags: Bill Clinton, clinton, Corruption, Green Energy, Hillary Clinton, Liberal Hypocrisy, Obama
Obama's New Energy Plan Could Cost $2.5 Trillion in Lost Economic Growth
by Nicolas Loris • Daily Signal
The Obama administration unveiled its climate change regulations for new and existing power plants, calling the plan "the biggest, most important step we've ever taken to combat climate change."
It may be the most "important" from a top-down, regulatory mandate for high energy prices, but it won't accomplish much, if anything, in terms of combating climate change.
Even though electricity generation accounts for the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, the estimated reduction is minuscule compared to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Climatologists estimate that the administration's climate regulations will avert less than two hundredths of a degree Celsius by 2100. Continue reading →
Tags: Economic growth, Economic Opportunity, Energy, Energy Policy, Obama, Obamanomics
Oil Export Momentum
Support is growing to repeal a Nixon-era ban that Iran and Russia love.
The Washington news isn't all bad these days: Republicans and some Democrats are working hard to gather enough votes to repeal the 40-year ban on exporting crude oil. With gasoline prices hitting new lows, now is the right political moment to do something right for the economy and national security.
The ban is a relic from the Nixon era when oil prices spiked and OPEC began. America's unconventional oil boom has changed everything. U.S. crude production bottomed in 2008 at about seven million barrels per day and is now more than 11 million. The Energy Information Administration estimates that U.S. output could hit 18 million barrels a day by 2040. Crude inventories are at an 80-year high, and imports declined nearly 30% between 2005 and 2013.
The export ban is, paradoxically, one of the biggest threats to this U.S. production boom. The decline in oil prices over the past year has forced U.S. producers to slash investment and cancel projects. The U.S. rig count has dropped 50% since last autumn, and the industry has cut more than 125,000 jobs. Lifting the ban would offer new markets for U.S. oil and mean fewer layoffs. Continue reading →
Tags: Iran, Obama, oil, The Iran Nuclear Deal
Vermont Struggles With Renewables
By William Tucker • RealClearEnergy
When the Green Mountain power company, Vermont's largest utility, announced earlier this year it will be buying nuclear power from New Hampshire's Seabrook reactor, many environmentalists felt betrayed.
"This is exactly why we closed Vermont Yankee, because we didn't want any nuclear power," they complained. But consumer demands left Green Mountain with no other choice. Nuclear is the ultimate reliable source of power – reactors operate more than 90 percent of the time – and Green Mountain needs back-up in case other sources stop working or if demand exceeds supply on a hot summer day. Vermont is struggling with its desire to be clean and green. The state closed down Vermont Yankee, which provided 600 megawatts of power, when public opinion against it became overwhelming. The state only consumers 1100 megawatts on the hottest day.
Along with the shuttering of the state's largest generating station came dreams of windmills, solar collectors, and other "clean and green" options that would soon be taking its place. Like many other states and nations, Vermont has assumed that passing laws mandating renewable energy quotas will solve the problem. The state has set a goal for itself of 55 percent renewables by 2017, 75 percent by 2032 and 90 percent by 2050. The figure now is 17 percent. Continue reading →
Tags: Energy, Green Energy, Junk Science, Politically motivated science
America's Most Advanced Climate Station Data Shows US in a 10-Year Cooling Trend
by Michael Bastasch • Daily Caller
Data from America's most advanced climate monitoring system shows the U.S. has undergone a cooling trend over the last decade, despite recent claims by government scientists that warming has accelerated worldwide during that time.
The U.S. Climate Reference Network was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide "high-quality" climate data. The network consists of 114 stations across the U.S. in areas NOAA expects no development for the next 50 to 100 years.
The climate stations use three independent measurements of temperature and precipitation to provide "continuity of record and maintenance of well-calibrated and highly accurate observations," NOAA states on its website. "The stations are placed in pristine environments expected to be free of development for many decades." In essence, NOAA chose locations so they don't need to be adjusted for "biases" in the temperature record. Continue reading →
Tags: Climate Change, Political Lies
Oregon to test pay-per-mile idea as replacement for gas tax
By Gosia Wozniaka • My Way News
Oregon is about to embark on a first-in-the-nation program that aims to charge car owners not for the fuel they use, but for the miles they drive.
The program is meant to help the state raise more revenue to pay for road and bridge projects at a time when money generated from gasoline taxes are declining across the country, in part, because of greater fuel efficiency and the increasing popularity of fuel-efficient, hybrid and electric cars.
Starting July 1, up to 5,000 volunteers in Oregon can sign up to drive with devices that collect data on how much they have driven and where. The volunteers will agree to pay 1.5 cents for each mile traveled on public roads within Oregon, instead of the tax now added when filling up at the pump.
Some electric and hybrid car owners, however, say the new tax would be unfair to them and would discourage purchasing of green vehicles.
"This program targets hybrid and electric vehicles, so it's discriminatory," said Patrick Connor, a Beaverton resident who has been driving an electric car since 2007.
State officials say it is only fair for owners of green vehicles to be charged for maintaining roads, just as owners of gasoline-powered vehicles do.
"We know in the future, our ability to pay for maintenance and repair… will be severely impacted if we continue to rely on the gas tax," said Shelley Snow with the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Other states are also looking at pay-per-mile as an alternative to dwindling fuel tax revenues.
Last year, California created a committee to study alternatives to the gas tax and design a pilot program; Washington state set money aside to further develop a similar program; and an Indiana bill directs the state to study alternatives and a test project.
While growing in popularity, electric vehicles and hybrids are still in the minority on American roads, even in a state as green-minded as Oregon. Of 3.3 million passenger cars registered in Oregon at the end of 2014, about 68,000 were hybrid, 3,500 electric and 620 plug-in hybrid. A decade ago, only 8,000 hybrids were registered.
However, fuel-economy for gas-powered vehicles has been increasing as technology is developed that addresses public concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil.
Oregon is the only state to actually test-drive the pay-per-mile idea.
The gas tax provides just under half of the money in Oregon's highway fund, and the majority of the money in the federal Highway Trust Fund, of which Oregon receives a portion.
Oregon's share of the fuel tax over the past two decades has been mostly flat and in some years declined, state data show. In 2009, the Legislature raised the tax from 24 cents to 30 cents per gallon, but that's not enough to avert shortfalls, state officials said, because construction costs increase with inflation.
Oregon previously held two rounds of small-scale tests involving GPS devices to track mileage.
The current program, called OreGo, will be the largest yet and will be open to all car types. Of these, no more than 1,500 participating vehicles can get less than 17 miles per gallon, and no more than 1,500 must get at least 17 miles per gallon and less than 22 miles per gallon.
Volunteers will still be paying the fuel tax if they stop for gas. But at the end of the month, depending on the type of car they drive, they will receive either a credit or a bill for the difference in gas taxes paid at the pump.
Private vendors will provide drivers with small digital devices to track miles; other services will also be offered. Volunteers can opt out of the program at any time, and they'll get a refund for miles driven on private property and out of state.
After the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon raised concerns about privacy and government surveillance, the state built protections into the program, said ACLU's interim executive director Jann Carson.
Drivers will be able to install an odometer device without GPS tracking.
For those who use the GPS, the state and private vendors will destroy records of location and daily metered use after 30 days. The program also limits how the data can be aggregated and shared. Law enforcement, for example, won't be able to access the information unless a judge says it's needed.
"This is the government collecting massive amounts of data and we want to ensure the government doesn't keep and use that data for other purposes," Carson said.
The OreGo program is projected to cost $8.4 million to implement and is aimed to gauge public acceptance of the idea of charging motorists per mile of road they travel. It will be up to the Legislature to decide whether to adopt a mandatory road usage charge.
One of the biggest concerns will be whether a program like OreGo could actually discourage people from buying electric or hybrid vehicles.
Drive Oregon, an advocacy group for the electric-vehicle industry, supports the program because every driver should pay for road repairs, executive director Jeff Allen said. Still, he said, "The last thing we need to do right now is to make buying electric cars more expensive or inconvenient."
Tags: Energy Policy, Energy Taxes, Gasoline Prices, tax revenues


Most newborn babies sleep in the same room as their mothers, at least for the first few months. However, it is not possible for moms to be physically present with their babies throughout the day as well. They need to take care of household chores and in the meantime, must also make sure their baby is well taken care of.
Here is where a baby monitor comes in handy. Even if you have a large house or your baby is in a different room, a baby monitor will let you know as soon as your baby wakes up, if she's crying or hungry or if she's fast asleep and happily dreaming.
The device generally consists of two parts – a transmitter to be kept in your baby's room and a receiver unit which can either be a portable device or any smart gadget that you own could act as a receiver. These help to keep mothers stress-free because they will know as soon as their baby needs them, even if they are far away in another corner of the house.
Baby monitors can be used for different functions. Some are primarily meant for just transmitting audio (such as baby's cries), advanced ones are capable of two-way digital communication (talking or singing to your baby) while other motion detector monitors are meant to ensure your baby's heart rate or breathing are normal.
In this article, we have provided you with a buying guide for selecting the best baby monitor. Also, we have listed the useful features of the top 3 baby monitors being sold in India today to help you make an informed choice.
Depending on their mode of functioning, baby monitors can be classified into the following 3 different types.
Audio Monitors: These are cost-effective, simple devices which are quite small in size too. If opting for this type, make sure it has good volume adjustment options and great sound quality. Voice activation feature in an audio monitor is an additional bonus.
Visual/Video Monitors: Includes a camera as well as the audio feature. It's generally equipped with extra options like zoom/pan/tilt, additional cameras, night vision and two-way speaking. Video monitors can also be sub-classified into 2 types – dedicated visual monitor (with a parent unit in your room and a camera in the baby's room) and Wi-Fi visual monitor (that can be connected to your computer, phone or tablet with the camera in your baby's room).
Movement/Sensor Monitors: These are used to keep track of your baby's movements and are generally placed under the cot or crib mattress. It can be used to keep track of your baby's heart rate, pulse or breathing and alert you if something goes wrong.
A majority of the baby monitors available today are of the digital type in which the audio and/or video transmission is encrypted or has a 'digital lock' as an extra precautionary feature to prevent misuse by a third party. Analog monitors use no encryption and are cheaper but not advisable for use, since anyone in its range may be able to listen in.
If your baby monitor comes with a receiver, make sure it is small and handy enough to carry it around in your house. Better still, try and opt for a monitor that gives you the option of working with any smart device you have as the receiver, or with more than one receiver at a time. This will make it more convenient for you to always know what your baby is up to while moving around for your daily chores.
Even if you're opting for a video monitor, it is always recommended to ensure that the sound quality, as well as the range of the receiver, is considerably good. You will probably be using it as a two-way mode of communication for your baby and she needs to be able to listen to your voice clearly. This would require the least interference as well from other nearby electronic devices. DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Communication) is a technology which offers certain monitors at a frequency different from most commonly used devices at home and hence, minimum interference.
Infrared night vision is a very useful feature in certain digital baby monitors. This enables you to clearly keep a watch on your sleeping baby even in a dark room. If your monitor has a lullaby mode as well, then in-built lullabies can be played to soothe your baby if she is awake or crying.
It is always recommended to buy a monitor which alerts you with flashing lights in case of any of the following situations – low battery which may eventually lead to the monitor switching off by itself, a sound made by your baby when some other louder sounds such as that of the TV/radio/vacuuming are on or when the temperature set in your baby's room goes over or below the set limits.
Infant optics is one of the world's leading company that offers high-quality baby products and is committed to provide strong customer support services. This infant optics baby monitor system comes with finite number of accessories to monitor the baby's activities while sleeping, playing games, etc.
It is the 1st baby monitoring system with interchangeable lens technology that streams baby video in a 3.5-inch LCD display clearly.
LED's gets activated once it hears the baby voice (crying) and alerts you by blinking though the volume is turned off. Temperate display will let you know whether the baby is in comfortable position or not. You can also rotate the camera in different directions using the remote pan or tilt control.
Once you fully charge the battery, it can last 10 hours in power saving mode and 6 hours when the screen is turned on. Moreover, it is secured with 2.4 GHz FHSS wireless transmission technology to protect the data of both audio and video.
You don't need to install anything separately as it is completely a plug and play type baby monitoring system. The baby monitor can be charged using a USB cable and is easy to set up on multiple charging stations at home.
There're other models like DXR-5 from the same brand Infant Optics that helps to monitor the baby actions using a cameo and digital monitor at affordable prices.
Can fix maximum of 4 cameras.
Features invisible IR night vision mode.
4 GHz FHSS wireless transmission technology.
Interchangeable lens technology – normal, zoom, wide options.
This hello baby wireless baby monitor comes in an attractive design to grab the customer's attention. It has a long battery life of 12 hours on power saving mode and 8 hours when screen-on. For this reason, we've given as the best baby monitors in India.
In this, the main unit is paired with 4 cameras to monitor baby in different directions or angles and thereby making it more reliable and flexible to use at anytime you want.
It uses a 2.4 GHz wireless technology to prevent against poor connections. The transmitter has a temperature sensor that displays readings at the receiver end. With this, you'll will be able to analyze the temperature in baby's room is too hot or cold and accordingly you can take the necessary actions.
This baby monitor comes with a great visual and sound quality so as to monitor baby actions by enabling the night vision mode. LED's on the receiver blinks which is a clear indication of baby crying and alerts you to take the necessary action.
Yes, this product is backed with 1 year of manufacturing warranty. If you find anything damaged or the device is not functioning well then replace with new one by visiting the nearest service center within the specified time.
Wrapping up, the performance of Hello baby monitoring system is too good and is a perfect to use in a nursery or baby bedrooms. The only thing that we did not like about the product is the manufacturer does not provide the warranty information. Other than that, it's totally a good one to purchase.
You can also go with the HB24GR1 model which senses the room temperature and monitors the children activities at night times.
8 levels of alarm settings.
Can connect maximum of 4 cameras.
2X dual zoom and night vision modes.
Being a homemaker, it's not so easy to look up to the baby activities as you may be busy with the household chores. The best affordable solution to track the baby actions is by having Motorola baby video monitoring system.
Motorola baby monitor is equipped with 2.4 GHz FHSS technology to establish a strong communication between the transmitter – camera and receiver – monitor. It is much better than cordless antenna that operates at 900 MHz frequency.
It features a 2.4 inch digital LCD display that makes you experience the real-time audio and video. IR night vision mode keeps a complete track on what's happening on baby's room without any disturbances or turning on the lights.
When you're moving out of the zone, it notifies you with the alarming sounds and you don't need to worry about that.
This product covers 1 year warranty in India and also the manufacturer's minimum suggested age to use is 5 years. Also, it is available in 21.8*21.6*10.9 cm and weighs about 490 grams.
IR night vision mode facility.
5 hours of average battery life.
Backed with 1 years of warranty services.
8*21.6*10.9 cm and weighs about 490 grams.
Finally, we end up with the iBaby Monitor system. This is the only device in the list which you can connect to a smart phone or tablets by accessing to the internet.
You can stream videos in full HD to monitor baby actions in infrared night vision mode. And hear the kid's voice clearly with the monitor's two-way audio and echo cancellation. It can turn 360° and tilt 110° to give the clear view of baby's room.
Without referring the instruction manual, you can install it in just 60 seconds. When something is happened to the baby, the sound and motion sensor alerts and gets notified in smart phone. Also, this home baby monitoring system is equipped with humidity and temperature sensor that will make you analyze the environment in baby's room.
Night vision LED's keep the view great even in the dark. You can remotely play soothing music for your little one and set up the monitor with 4 cameras at a time.
Overall, the performance of this iBaby monitoring system is good and best matches with the baby requirements. While working in office, you can simply monitor the baby's health, sleep and other actions on smart phone by interfacing with the monitor.
Item weighs about 1.04 kg.
360˚ pan and 110˚ tilt options.
Compatible with smartphones – Android, IOS, iPhone, iPad.
Bit expensive than other brands.
So far, you may come across different baby monitor models on online portals like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and much more sites. But, choosing the right one for your baby is the toughest task as your baby may experience the allergies, skin problems and other health issues.
When it comes to choosing the best baby monitors, you should always look for certain key factors like baby monitor types, analog vs digital baby monitors, baby weight and height, product dimensions, comfortable options, audio and video clarity, night vision mode and finally the price-warranty information.
Our top pick from the list is Infant Optics Baby Monitor that comes with interchangeable lens technology to stream baby HD videos in a 3.5-inch LCD display. It features 2.4 GHz FHSS wireless transmission technology to protect the data (audio and video) from misusing. On power saving mode it can last for 10 hours and 6 hours when the screen is turned on.
This Infant Optics has got 20,000+ reviews and positive ratings from the unique Amazon customers. For this reason, most of the customers choose this product without having a second thought.
Which brand baby monitor you like the most? Are you using any of the baby monitor brands? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comment section given below.


text:
Q: mysql: Descending order of dates I have a table in mysql which has value as such:
column1   column2         column3
feri      football       12-Mar-2015
feri      football       15-Nov-2017
feri      football       5-Dec-2019
feri      Volley Ball    12-Dec-2018
sugi      football       5-Dec-2018

I want to sort them in a Descending order wrt the dates
Expected Result:
column1    column2           column3
feri       football         5-Dec-2019
feri       Volley Ball      12-Dec-2018
sugi       football         5-Dec-2018
feri       football         15-Nov-2017
feri       football         12-Mar-2015

Can anyone help me out? Thanks in advance.

A: So you want to get column1 and column2 with the biggest value in column3.
SELECT column1, column2, MAX(column3)
FROM tablename
GROUP BY column1, column2

just like that.

A: try this one

SELECT * FROM table_name ORDER BY column3 DESC;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Arkansas freshman kicker Cameron Little lines up to attempt a kick in the Razorbacks' mashup with Mississippi State on Nov. 6. Little has played a key role in the Hogs' success this season.
No. 25 Arkansas set to battle LSU for Golden Boot on Saturday
Jackson McAfee // Sports Reporter // @JacksonMcAfee2
Jackson McAfee
The No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks (6-3, 2-3 SEC) will travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to take on the LSU Tigers (4-5, 2-4 SEC) Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
The Razorbacks are coming off a thrilling 31-28 victory over Mississippi State. With the win over the Bulldogs, the Hogs became bowl eligible and entered the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time since 2016.
The Tigers went up against the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide last weekend and fell 20-14 in a close loss. Despite the loss, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said he thought his squad was the better team on the field and his players were real competitors.
Orgeron, who led the Tigers to a 15-0 season and a national championship in 2019, will not return to the program after this season. Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said he thinks the LSU fans will still be serious about the rivalry game.
"It's what college football's supposed to be," Pittman said. "Lot of people. They get lathered and we're expecting a really good crowd. They support their team. They'll be there."
Arkansas sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson has found his rhythm over the past two games, throwing only 11 incompletions in 40 attempts. He has completed 64.2% of his pass attempts for 1,848 yards, 16 touchdown passes and has been intercepted three times on the year. Jefferson has compiled a QBR of 76.2, which is 18th highest in the nation.
Pittman said Monday he did not expect to be favored playing at LSU his second year at the helm of the Arkansas team.
"I've got a strong belief in Arkansas," Pittman said. "We came here to try to win football games the best we know how. Going to LSU at night and being favored in year two, I probably, honestly, didn't expect that."
The Tigers, who are 4-5 on the year, will be using a two-quarterback system, playing both sophomore Max Johnson and freshman Garrett Nussmeier. Orgeron noted there is a battle for the starting role after Johnson has had a couple of shaky weeks.
"They're competing, there's definite competition," Orgeron said. "This is gonna come down to who plays best in the game. There's an open competition and you can tell there's a competition. They're both professional about it but you can tell the intensity has been raised a little bit."
Johnson has thrown for 22 touchdowns, six interceptions and 2,169 yards this season. Nussmeier has attempted 26 passes this year, completing 11 of them for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Johnson should not be underestimated, Pittman said. His father, Brad Johnson, had success as an NFL quarterback, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory in 2003.
"He's a competitor," Pittman said. "His dad played at Florida State, I believe. He's got a really good arm and enough mobility to get away from you. He's capable of scrambling. I remember him out of high school. We tried to get him (when I was) at Georgia."
Saturday will be the 65th meeting between the two programs. The Tigers lead the all-time series 42-22-2 and have won the past five meetings.
Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. Saturday and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. Arkansas is favored by 2.5 points with the over/under at 59, according to College Football News.
Follow Jackson McAfee


text:
Photo credit: Tyler Roemer / YETI
Living the 'Cowboy Way': Tips From Jackson Hole Ski Patrol & Fishing Guide Curt Hamby
Curt Hamby knew right away that he wasn't suited for an office job.
Curt Hamby's first (and only) desk-jockey gig was working as the international logistics coordinator for Pearl Izumi, the cycling garment powerhouse out of Boulder, Colorado. His office had a door that opened out to the Flat Irons.
For most of us, that would be a pretty choice corner office. For Hamby's feral disposition? "I knew I had to get out of there!"
Hamby has always been drawn toward working outside. One part luck, two parts passion, and some 30 years after leaving Pearl Izumi, Hamby has built his own nontraditional 9-to-5 by following his heart and being stubborn about it.
These days, Hamby splits his season between working on Jackson Hole's Ski Patrol in winter and guiding fishing trips across the Western Hemisphere in summer.
Want to make it in Hamby's boardroom? Candidates looking for the status quo need not apply. To hack it the Hamby way, be prepared to bring a respectable amount of resourcefulness.
Being an outdoor professional would be a dream job for many of us. But it doesn't come easy. Follow along as we go directly to the source and learn from pros like Curt Hamby about their success, careers, families, and passion projects "In Real Life."
Resourceful Beginnings
If you listen closely, you can catch Hamby's faint Texan drawl. It's tempered from years spent in Jackson Hole. His thick, silver beard muffles what's left of it. Growing up outside of Dallas, Hamby fished, hunted, and, of course, played high school football.
"I lived the Friday night lights," he jokes.
But the mountains are a far cry from the grain towers that rocked Hamby's rural skyline outside Dallas-Fort Worth. Like many of us, his first introduction to the mountains was through his family.
"Ski vacations with the family, church trips in summer — the mountains got in my head and never left," he said. And while many of us would have been stoked for the steady salary of an outdoor industry job like Pearl Izumi, Hamby still yearned for something more … him.
When he applied to Copper Mountain's patrol, he averaged maybe 10-20 days a year on his skis — meager by any mountain town standards. His chances of getting hired on were slim. But youthful exuberance and a stubborn disposition make a strong cocktail.
So Hamby did what any cowboy would do. He didn't focus on his lack of experience; instead, he rode hard what he could bring to the job. He may not have grown up skiing, but Hamby knew how to drive heavy equipment. And that just happened to be what Copper Mountain was searching for that year — a snowcat operator to shuttle patrollers up the mountain to clear the slopes of heavy snow.
For Hamby, it was a foot in the door. He leveraged that opportunity and worked it for 5 years, developing a level of comfort with explosives, first-aid skills, and rescue techniques. And while he could have stayed at Copper Mountain, the crux of any winter work is, well, summer.
Baited & Hooked
If you want to live the ski patroller's lifestyle, your year revolves around winter. To bridge the season, patrollers roll up their sleeves and patch a summer salary in any way they can. Many take up odd jobs washing windows, painting houses, or construction. Hamby? He took up landscaping. But being an avid kayaker, he'd spend all his extra time on the water.
Maybe it was luck or maybe it was timing. But when an outfitter came looking for someone who knew how to fly fish to guide a few clients, Hamby raised his hand.
He had a boat and knew the basics, but notes he didn't know which flies to use: "The guy handed me a wad of flies and told me to just tie one on. If it works, keep using it. If it doesn't, change it."
Hamby had a great day on the river. The clients were friendly, and the conversation was great. He even netted a few fish. "At the end of the day, they gave me a big fat tip and I said to myself, 'I'm going to do this for a living!'" he told us.
It all snapped into focus then. He was going to spend the rest of his life patrolling in winter and guiding in summer. Living in Colorado, you'd think he was set. But like any do-it-yourself career, going your own way — well, it's just not that easy.
The final piece of the puzzle? He needed to find a place where he could both ski and guide clients by raft. And in Colorado, he was stuck on shore, wading in to fish the waters. That brought him to a simple choice: Jackson or Montana.
"I had already skied Jackson," he admitted. By the following summer, Hamby followed his heart once again and took another risk, this time up and moving to Jackson, Wyoming, to hunt down a job on the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol.
Let's be clear. For most, this is a moonshot. Jackson Hole Ski Patrol is widely respected as the best of the best. Fifty percent of its terrain is expert, making it one of the hardest mountains in the world to work. The positions are coveted and turnover is low. And then there's Hamby, "the Texan," who didn't come from a big ski background.
But he was stubborn!
It took him three seasons of browbeating the chief and a string of retirements before he was finally hired on. What clinched the deal? His time driving snowcats at Copper Mountain. He may not have known the mountain, but he had a compelling amount of experience managing dangerous snow with explosives.
It was a combination of skills that no other candidate could bring that year. Once just a dream of a carousel's brass ring, through sticking to his guns, Hamby had finally grasped the life he wanted.
And you can too. Here's what to expect.
Life of a Jackson Hole Ski Patrol
The life of a Jackson Hole ski patroller is both scheduled and wildly unpredictable.
To keep the skills sharp — and the general public's experience seamless — the Jackson Hole team is steeped in regular training. The policies are nationwide and consistent between resorts. Each season kicks off with "hell week," 4 days of in-class learning.
"It's the most I'll ever sit in an office all year," Hamby joked. The patrol reviews first-aid skills, gets hands-on with splints and bandaging, and gets reacquainted with defibrillators.
The education continues in the field with lift evacuation, rappelling out of chairs, transceiver drills, and running hasty search drills — a big scenario drill that practices rapid response to a potential avalanche incident.
On a normal day, the forecast comes through at 2 p.m. the afternoon before, and the weather data is analyzed and dispatched to patrollers. Hamby explained that at the beginning of the season, everyone is assigned a route. The crew deploys explosives in starting zones, clearing the mountain of heavy loads, and then heads over to their duty station for opening time.
"If it snows enough, we do avalanche mitigation," Hamby said. "If it doesn't snow, we have an 8 a.m. team meeting," where the crew is assigned to one of three stations on the mountain.
Daily duties include first-aid checks, ski run checks, or picking up jobs called in the night before. On the slopes, the crew will manage trail signs, rope lines, or maybe hosting a visiting patroller on a backcountry tour.
The most coveted station? Top of the tram at the Mountain Station, of course! End of your shift, you point the skis downhill toward home.
The Good With the Bad
Running north to south, Jackson Hole's weather funnels in from the West and Southwest. The conditions can change every day, throughout the day. But the rigorous training prepares them for almost everything.
"When the weather comes in, I already know what I'm going to do. It may change, but I know what to do to mitigate it," shares Hamby. "People? You don't know what's gonna happen."
The scariest days are those bluebird days. The days after big dumps. And with ski crowds growing inbounds, more and more skiers are flocking into the backcountry in search of that cowboy snow.
"Most of them are prepared," Hamby said. But it's not always so.
Hamby recalls getting called out to a rescue on the Jersey Shore, a deceptively tranquil slope that gently rolls out of bounds before it sucks skiers into deep couloirs that cliff out.
"We found this guy clutching to the rock, with his skis literally teetering off the edge of the 200-foot cliff," he shared. It's a good reminder to read the signs and give the mountain a healthy serving of respect. Unfortunately, not all situations have good outcomes.
"You can't always tame the white dragon — we see death every year," Hamby said soberly. He doesn't talk about it much, and when he does, he tries to keep it at work. "The camaraderie is so good, you don't have to bring it home. The other workers help you get through this stuff. Laughing at yourself, but you're crying too. You don't last if you internalize it."
Hamby's solution? He goes back to what drew him to the sport.
"I let it out on the slopes and put the ski back in the ski patrol."
Living the Mountain Town Life
It's no secret that mountain life is quickly becoming harder to afford. Fortunately, the professional ski bum is a resourceful sort.
"Probably everybody started out living in a dumpy cabin with a bunch of people," Hamby chuckles.
Jackson Hole pays its patrollers a fair wage. It provides most of the tools for the job, too, outfitting each patroller with airbags, helmets, transceivers, shovels, probes, and a vest to carry it all in.
Outside his skis, Hamby gives props to YETI's Panga bag, in which the patrol store lift evac equipment. Bonus: This bag works just as well on the river during guiding season. And the YETI Tundra 350 cooler stocks Bernie's Boom Boom Room, a space once used to assemble explosives but is now the exclusive après-patrol bar.
Of course, skiing is seasonal. While there will always be a crush of patrollers flocking to fishing and rafting during summer, many trade skis for tools of another craft. Patrollers turn to construction, painting, and landscaping during the summer to round out their year.
And with resorts pushing summer activities on the bike, both full-time seasonal (winter) and full-time (both winter and summer) work opportunities are available year-round on the Jackson Hole Mountain patrol. The pay is great, the benefits are full, and you get a nice shoulder season break in May.
Road to 'Success'
For those interested in following in Hamby's tracks, it might not be as hard as you think. Hamby recommends that candidates "show an interest, put your name out there, and get seen." He's seen folks work their way up from the lift, tuning skis in town, or even working retail.
"Just take every opportunity to get to know the patrollers," he advised.
Ski patrol can be a lifelong career (the most recent patroller retired at age 70), but it doesn't come without its bumps and bruises. Patrolling is physical and "workman's comp will eventually buy you a new pair of knees," Hamby shared jokingly. There's always the opportunity for the seasoned to transition to management.
Hamby's been presented those opportunities, but he's chosen to follow the water cycle long ago, from first flake to the tapering runoff. Like most of us, he clocks in and clocks out. With a family, a mortgage, stable employment, and following his passion, Hamby seems to have figured it out.
"I do have the perfect life, still, after 20-25 years."
Tools of the Trade: YETI Panga Duffel
The demands of the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol Team call for a "gear fortress" that you can count on to keep your gear 100% dry. The Panga Duffel is durable, adjustable, and 100% waterproof, so you're ready for anything the days on the mountains throw at you.
See the Panga Duffel
This article is sponsored by YETI as part of the brand's 'In Real Life' content series.
Topics: Lifestyle, Outdoor, Skiing, Snowboarding, Winter
Up Next: The Best Compasses of 2021
The Best Compasses of 2021
Free Gear Fridays: Sawyer Tap Water Filtration System Giveaway


We don't get to see many volcanic eruptions underwater, so to make up for that, we like them to be pretty special when we do. It's like nature making it up to you for not saying hello for a while.
It's safe to say that you don't get much more special than the eruption in the video above though. Nobody was hurt, which is always an essential first, and extraordinarily, the event caused a new island to be created in Tonga, 1.8km long by 1.5km wide.
That's Mother Nature clocking in and doing her thing right there.
According to Volcanologist Brad Scott – who has the coolest job title in the world – the volcano erupted around 56km from the country's capital, growing until it reached the surface and subsequently creating a new island.
The island has not been named yet though, because scientists reckon it may not be around for too long. After the volcano has stopped erupting, the island will most likely erode back into the sea in a couple of months, so we would recommend against buying property on the temporary haven.
New Zealand volcanologist Nico Fournier – whose job title only gets cooler every time you say it – said: "It's quite an exciting site. You get to see the birth of an island.
Perhaps, then, this is not the volcanic appearing of a new island, but the arrival of a new alien species that the American government has been shielding from us for years. Only time will tell. Or your common sense. That could probably tell too.


text:
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announces RISPERDAL® consumer protection settlement with 36 states and the District of Columbia
TITUSVILLE, N.J., Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, announced a settlement and consent decree today with 36 states and the District of Columbia regarding previously disclosed allegations related to promotional and marketing practices for its atypical antipsychotic prescription medication RISPERDAL®.
The company will pay approximately $181 million, an amount which has been previously accrued, as part of a consent decree to resolve state consumer protection law claims in the 36 states and the District of Columbia related to this matter. A designated portion of the total amount will be paid to each state participating in the settlement.
The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or violation of any law or regulation. The company agreed to the settlement to resolve the concerns of the attorneys general under state consumer protection laws and to avoid unnecessary expense and a prolonged legal process. All parties have acknowledged that the payment is not a fine or penalty.
"We have chosen this path to achieve a prompt and full resolution of these state claims and to ensure we continue to focus on our mission of providing medicines to meet the significant unmet needs of many people who suffer from mental illness," said Michael Yang, President, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
As part of the settlement, Janssen reaffirmed it would not promote any of its atypical antipsychotics for off-label uses or make any false or misleading claims related to those products. The company takes its obligation to ensure the safe and appropriate use of its medications very seriously and has a system in place to ensure that marketing and promotion policies are followed.
In addition to the District of Columbia, the 36 states participating in the settlement are: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
RISPERDAL® continues to help patients around the world who suffer from the debilitating effects of schizophrenia and bipolar mania.
This multi-state consumer fraud settlement is separate and distinct from the recent disclosure made by Johnson & Johnson concerning an agreement in principle with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to settle three civil False Claims Act matters that are pending in U.S. courts: the sales and marketing of RISPERDAL® and INVEGA®; the sales and marketing of NATRECOR®; and allegations that Omnicare, Inc. was provided with rebates and other payments regarding RISPERDAL® and other products. With this agreement in principle with the DOJ, issues remain open that must be resolved before they can be finalized.
About Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
As a member of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is dedicated to addressing and solving some of the most important unmet medical needs of our time. Driven by our commitment to patients, we work together to bring innovative ideas, products, services and solutions to individuals with serious conditions, and to physicians throughout the world.
For more information on Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or its products, visit us at www.janssenpharmaceuticalsinc.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JanssenUS.
(This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approvals; challenges to patents; significant adverse litigation or government action; impact of business combinations; financial distress and bankruptcies experienced by significant customers and suppliers; changes to governmental laws and regulations and domestic and foreign health care reforms; trends toward health care cost containment; increased scrutiny of the health care industry by government agencies; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; disruptions due to natural disasters; manufacturing difficulties or delays; and product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Exhibit 99 of Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2012. Copies of this Form 10-K, as well as subsequent filings, are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. nor Johnson & Johnson undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.)
SOURCE Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.