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ECI Online Collection Software (OCS)
eParticipation and eVoting
Policy domain: eParticipation and eVoting
About ECI Online Collection Software (OCS)
In the context of European Citizens' Initiatives (ECI), the Online Collection software (OCS) is a tool for online data collection. OCS enables citizens to support a given initiative and organizers to manage its operations. The tool also streamlines both data collection and its verification by the National Authorities.
OCS respects the Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 and Regulation (EU) No 1179/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Within ISA action 1.12, the European Commission contributes to its development with the aim to provide a generic tool available to all initiative organizers. OCS is made available under a EUPL license.
The version OCS 5.0 is the last release of the Open Source version of the Online Collection Software that the European Commission had the obligation to deliver under the previous ECI Regulation (EU) 211/2011 .
For this last release, it was decided to make it compliant with the currently applicable Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative.
Please note that the Commission will not maintain this open source version further as the new ECI regulation does not give mandate to the European Commission to do so
Instead, the Commission encourages all organisers to use the Central Online Collection System for the following reasons:
a) The Central Online Collection System that is built on the basis of this current software also offers support via eID (that is only allowed via the Central Online Collection System).
b) The Central Online Collection System will continue evolving offering new features.
c) The European Commission offers the hosting of the Central Online Collection System for free as well as guaranteeing its compliance with the Commission Decision on IT security.
d) The Central Online Collection System is hosted in European Commission premises in its secured Hosting environment dedicated to handle Sensitive data. All latest security patches on every component of the applications are applied as soon as possible.
e) The Central Online Collection System ensures end to end encryption between the moment the data enters into the application until the moment they are decrypted by the Member State's competent authority responsible for verification of statements of support .
f) The technology used to encrypt data in the Central Online Collection System is based on non-open source HSM/KMS solution that could not be offered in a context of an open source solution.
A demo version of the Central Online Collection System is available at https://webgate.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/ECI-OCS-4/public/#/screen/home
A demo version of this open source version is available at https://webgate.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/ECI-OCS-5/public/#/screen/home
Note that this open source version could be used by any developers or organisation interested in running similar activities beyond the European Citizens' Initiative (petitions, etc.).
OCS user manual translations and source code
Check for the latest version by clicking on the button Download releases.
The relevant downloads of the OCS tool are to be found under the Download releases button.
More information is available on the ECI Register.
For any questions, please liaise with DIGIT-ECI[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu
Owner/Contact Information
Supra-national authority
DIGIT ECI
DIGIT-ECI@ec.europa.eu
Interoperable European Solution Service
Only facilitators and authors can create content.


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Jack Reacher Cases Books In Order
Publication Order of Jack Reacher Cases Books
A Hard Man to Forget (2017) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Right Man for Revenge (2017) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man Made For Killing (2017) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Last Man to Murder (2018) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man with No Mercy (2018) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man Out For Blood (2018) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man Beyond The Law (2018) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Who Walks Away (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Who Strikes Fear (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Who Stands Tall (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Who Works Alone (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man Built For Justice (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man Born For Battle (2019) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Perfect Man for Payback (2020) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Whose Aim Is True (2020) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Man Who Dies Here (2021) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
A Man With Nothing To Lose (2021) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Jack Reacher Cases is a series of mystery & thriller novels by award-winning and bestselling American author Dan Ames. With permission from Lee Child, the creator of Jack Reacher, Ames wrote a series featuring detective Lauren Pauling solving cases with connection with Jack Reacher. Ames began Jack Reacher Cases in 2017 when A Hard Man to Forget was published and since more than five sequels have been released. The author is also known for more than other ten series including Circuit Rider, Garbage Collector, and Wallace Mack series.
A Hard Man to Forget
A Hard Man to Forget is the first book in the Jack Reacher Cases series by Dan Ames. The debut novel introduces us to Lauren Pauling a retired FBI agent who was first introduced in the 10th novel of the Jack Reacher books, The Hard Way by Lee Child.
In Hard Man to Forget, we meet Lauren Pauling working as a private investigator based in New York City. He comes across a mysterious letter with Jack Reachers name and a telephone number on it. When he calls the number, he is greeted by a woman who claims that her husband has gone missing.
However, what's more, confusing is that the woman claims that she did not send the mail to Pauling and had no idea who Jack is. Puzzled by this mystery, Pauling dives in to investigate, and when the mysterious woman becomes the target of the possible enemy who may have kidnapped her husband, Lauren Pauling hires Michael Tallon, a retired special ops soldier.
Pauling and his recruit soon realize that they are dealing with more than just a missing person's case and soon find themselves on a race to stop a scheme of mass murder.
The Right Man for Revenge
In the second book in the Jack Reacher series, the former FBI detective working as private investigator Pauling receives an anonymous message informing him that Jack Reacher is dead.
A man's body was discovered, and his pocket was a credit card with the name Jack Reacher. Soon Pauling finds himself on the hunt for a serial killer, and his case crosses path with Michael Talon's case who is also investigating the disappearance of a young woman.
Pauling and his friend Talon find themselves thrown into an underground world of professional killers and drug traffickers. As Lauren Pauling tries to solve the puzzle of the dead man who maybe Jack Reacher, he finds himself the main target in an intricate web of betrayal, vengeance, and murder.
A Man Made for Killing
A Man Made for Killing is a fast-paced, intense tale of murder mystery and intrigue. Dan Ames main character Lauren Pauling sinks her teeth deep into every case that comes her way like a terrier with a bone, and she doesn't let any slip away until the truth is finally revealed and justice served.
You'd be crazy to miss this fast-paced story if you are a fan of badass female main characters or Jack Reacher books.
In A Man Made for Killing, the smart, sassy to boot Lauren is called to assist one-time acquaintance Jack Reacher, but she is more than shocked, knowing well that our man Jack Reacher prefers to run his errands alone. Her client this time is a wealthy businessman whose Jack Reacher is investigating his daughter's Paige death on the small Island United States Army base in San Clemente.
Upon arriving in the small island, Lauren is more than a little puzzled by Jack Reacher's absence on the island but proceeds with her mission to The Nest, the headquarters of Bird Department where the dead girl was last seen alive. She soon discovers that the death was ruled out as accidental, despite Paige's body being torn into pieces by fish and washed to the shore. Lauren begins questioning everyone in the small island from the research crew, the locals, soldiers all who claim have no idea who or where Jack Reacher is and even deny having any involvement in Paige disappearance and death.
Where is Jack Reacher and why has he vanished into thin air? What secrets does our heroine reveal upon her investigation? Can anyone on the island be trusted and who is helping her? Is the help of a genuine offer or just a trick to put an end to her investigations?
The Last Man to Murder
Master of mystery and action Dan Ames has done it again, in The Last Man to Murder the fourth in Jack Reacher Cases series. The former FBI agent Pauling now a private investigator is on the hunt of the cunny Reacher where she is swayed into looking into a case of wife and a husband Gina and Lloyd who come to Pauling claiming that each is about to murder the other.
If it were not for Jack Reacher, Pauling would have quickly passed her new clients to other private investigators. However, before she can move them to other investigators, things get out of hand giving Pauling the incentive to proceed. The fourth in the series is a short but also fast paced and action packed novel with two compelling main characters- Lauren Pauling and Michael Tallon- who move the intricate storyline through the unending twists and turns. The main characters, the villains and the supporting characters are well crafted with personality idiosyncrasy that makes each interesting. This is not a book series for the faint hearted, their scenes of bloody murders, maiming, killing throughout the novel.
The Man with No Mercy
The former FBI agent now working as a private investigator is brought by the FBI to help them solve a complex crime: someone is abducting women who have one similarity- a connection with Jack Reacher.
Our heroine is also brought in for the sake of her safe- she has had a connection with Jack Reacher, and she might be the next victim on the killer's list. Working with the retired Special Forces commando Michael Tallon, they race against time to catch a serial killer bent on unleashing wrath on all those close to Jack Reacher.
Book Series In Order » Characters » Jack Reacher Cases

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Creo KinesisCreo Kinesis was created for patients who expect not only complex physiotherapy but prevention and also physio-prophylaxis (prevention of dysfunction).
Each patient is different and we cannot use the schematic method of his treatment. My priority is the individual approach to each patient and the attempt of physiotherapeutic treatment.We want to achieve the best results and meet the expectations of patients.


A language camp for children where they learn English, upon request also German language and get to know the various animals and life in nature.
Children from abroad also have the possibility to learn Slovene language.
The entire programme is multilingual.
The maximum number of children in the camp is 15.
Accommodation: 2 to 3 children per room in the wooden cottages, accompanied by the counsellors and teachers.


Holly's boyfriend, Adam, was killed in an accident while working on a rescue team. He was her first everything, so of course Holly is like a zombie after he's gone. It takes months for her to finally start to live again, thanks in part to the insistence of her roommate/BFF, Jenna.
Without a doubt, things are changing between us and, as much as I want more with her–as much as I want to give her what she want–I'm not sure I should. At least, not until she knows the truth.
Carter was the last person to see Adam alive, and everyone knows it–except Holly. While Carter is trying to deal with the guilt that he maybe could have done something different to save Adam, Holly deals with the grief of losing the person she'd built all of her hopes and dreams with.
I liked this story and these characters. Carter was a sweet guy who said and did some really swoony things, and Holly was a girl that I wanted to be happy. I liked their best friends and thought that the story felt authentic. I really liked the catalyst that made Holly realize she wanted more with him.
There were some things that I didn't love (besides the lack of editing, which wasn't horrible, but wasn't great). I didn't understand how Holly could barely be able to stand being in the room with with Carter, then all of a sudden can't not be around him. It wasn't insta-love, but it was insta-friendship 🙂 All in all though, this was a good story, and I think you'll like it!


Voice over IP, or VoIP, is a methodology and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. It works by taking analog audio signals and converting them into digital data that can be sent using the Internet's packet-switching capabilities. Therefore, you will need an internet connection available in order to use VoIP services.
Making the minimal investment in a hosted VoIP phone system and management service allows consumers to take advantage of new features and benefits as they are introduced, while incurring no additional costs. Celerity Telecom is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date VoIP services available to our customers.
Small business owners can now enjoy all of the features and benefits of an enterprise PBX. Realize operating savings by utilizing your business' internet connection rather than maintaining analong phone lines.
Enjoy customized appearances and the most up-to-date tools for generating visual reports or the recording and monitoring of live calls, for a fraction of the cost.
VoIP provides the ability to immediately reroute calls to an available emergency phone or cell phone with your Celerity Telecom MyPBX Control Panel, keeping your phone service running, even if disaster strikes.
Developed by Celerity Telecom, our VoIP service uses special technology to eliminate known issues with traditional calling systems such as static, echoes, and low sound quality.
Regardless of their location your telecommuters can begin a conference call, transfer a call, or answer a call.
Eliminate the need for physical phone by using softphones. Softphones are computer applications that mimic the functionality of a telephone.


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Q: Powershell Script - Reinstalling Application Hoping someone can assist, I'm trying to create a powershell script that uninstalls and then reinstalls an application, the new installer is using an executable file (.exe). I've been able to get the commands to run when opening Powershell as Admin and copying the code in there but when I'm creating a PS1 File with the expectation of being able to use it across multiple machines it fails, this looks to be down to it not being ran with administrative privileges and when it is ran with Admin privileges it seems to close without running.
Current Code:
$title    = 'application name'
$question = 'Do you require reinstallation of application?'
$choices  = '&Yes', '&No'

$decision = $Host.UI.PromptForChoice($title, $question, $choices, 1)
if ($decision -eq 0) {
    Write-Host 'confirmed'
} else {
    Write-Host 'cancelled'
}

if ($decision -eq 0){
$Main = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object{$_.Name -eq "Name of current application installed"}
$Main.Uninstall()

Start-Process -FilePath "new exe file path" -ArgumentList "/s /v/qn"
}

I have tried creating a shortcut to the ".ps1" file, the initial stumble block was not being able to select 'Run as administrator' within advanced properties, to surpass this I added in target prior to path "powershell.exe" which then allowed this option to be selected, once selected I proceed to open the shortcut which opens powershell but then immediately closing it without running the code.
I have also tried creating a batch file to open powershell initially and then open powershell with administrative permissions by using the below but this results similarly to the above whereby it closes the new powershell window without running the code.
powershell -Noprofile -Command "& {Start-process Powershell -Argumentlist '-NoProfile -File ""Path to .PS1 file""' -verb RunAs}";

Hoping someone may be able to advise where I'm going wrong.

A: If it's closing the new shell window without running the code it might be showing an error that you don't see because the window is closed after running the script.
Try adding the "-NoExit" argument in your .cmd file, which will leave the shell open so that you can see any potential errors:
powershell -noexit "& ""c:\path\to\your\script.ps1"""

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


« Technology automation for Supermarkets – for better or worse?
Microsoft has highlighted a major security flaw affecting the 900 million users of its web browser.
To make sure you are protected, please visit the news story on SMH.com.au here.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 11:57 am	and is filed under Microsoft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


Proudly Serving Western Wayne County, Southern Henry County & Centerville Area Since 1991!
The guidelines, in a booklet called "Common Prayer," provide a template for an ecumenical service, complete with suggested prayers, appropriate hymns and themes for sermons. Catholic leaders in Luther.
Edwin Hawkins, the gospel. lot of country and western when we were younger kids." In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) and won a Grammy for.
There is no such country as "Disputed Territory!!!" The only ones who call it such are the ignorant and unGodly." I'm sure you know that. Israel has been described clearly in the Word of God and it will occupy all that He has said it will.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suff'ring and shame, And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best For a world of lost sinners was slain. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it.
One of the benefits of being part of a small, acoustic band is that you can set up anywhere. This last weekend, we were at the 4 th Street Coffee House for a gospel jam featuring worship groups from several of the local churches, including a few I have never visited. It's always nice to meet new friends in the gospel world, and exchange worship tips and tricks.
Depending on the night of the week, passers-by can hear R&B, country and western. worship. Gospel quintets are an outgrowth of this, traditionally using five male singers to harmonize, with subject.
Stop Calling Ted Cruz a Dominionist. by Robert Gagnon and Edith Humphrey. Christianity Today. Apr. 6, 2016. The fact that Cruz wants Christian values to shape this country.
Even after the diagnosis, the couple continued to record, and an album of hymns topped the Billboard Top Country. smoky voice earned them a host of fans of traditional country and western music.
"And, of course, we heard from him some R&B music but also a lot of country and western when we were younger kids."In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit "Lay Down (Candles in.
Frances Jane van Alstyne (née Crosby; March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny Crosby, was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer.She was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing more than 8,000 hymns and gospel.
Matthew 3:1-12 With thanks to page sponsor: Trinity Episcopal Church, Castine, Maine. Reading the Text: NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
"And, of course, we heard from him some R&B music but also a lot of country and western when we were younger kids." In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit "Lay Down (Candles in.
(208) 819-2714 Country Western Gospel Jubilee –Entertainment by Noah and Pam Yandt. Free-will offering accepted. (208) 704-2739. Old Time Hymn Sing – Featuring Wanda Nulph Nixon on piano with.
NEW YORK (AP) – Edwin Hawkins. but also a lot of country and western when we were younger kids." In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and.
HYMN STORIES The History and Meaning of Our Hymns. Hymn stories enrich our singing as Christians. Our hymns are fundamentally poetry, a lyrical blending of devotion and doctrine.
Scriptural foundation. The roots of confirmation are found in the Church of the New Testament.In the Gospel of John 14, Christ speaks of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles (John 14:15–26).Later, after his Resurrection, Jesus breathed upon them and they received the Holy Spirit (), a process completed on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4).
"And, of course, we heard from him some R&B music but also a lot of country and western when we were younger kids." In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit "Lay Down (Candles in.
Jack loved gardening, being outdoors, loved eating fine country cuisine, and watching old western films. He also loved country music and gospel hymns. Jack had a peace of mind with his Lord and Savior.
But very few of such choirs opted to record their music and this could be mainly because they were singing church hymns which. of Western church choir music in Zimbabwe. Of late, Zimbabweans are.
NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Hawkins. also a lot of country and western when we were younger kids." In 1970, the Hawkins singers backed Melanie on her top 10 hit "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and won a.


CITY ISLAND – There may be a breath of fresh air on the red tide-stained horizon.
Mote Marine Laboratory is testing ozone as a way to kill red tide algae and remove the toxins it produces from seawater.
Red tide, an algae bloom caused by the microscopic organism Karenia brevis, can cause respiratory irritation, especially in people with asthma or COPD, and can kill fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and shorebirds.
Red tide reached Anna Maria Island shores on Aug. 3, drifting north from Southwest Florida, where it has persisted since November 2017. The bloom affects six counties, from Collier north to Pinellas, including Manatee.
Aimed at restoring canals, like those in Coral Shores recently inundated with fish killed by red tide, the method pumps red tide water into an ozone conductor, where the ozone kills the red tide and re-oxygenates the water without releasing ozone into the environment, according to Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Richard Pierce.
Mote already uses a similar patented method to filter seawater from the Gulf pumped into Mote's marine mammal and sea turtle hospital tanks and its aquarium.
Mote tested ozone in June in a 25,000-gallon saltwater pool. The results showed that, with one ozone system processing 150 gallons of water per minute, the red tide algae cells in the pool were wiped out rapidly and their toxins cleared in a day. Water quality was monitored, showing no ozone released, and other water chemistry changes returned to normal within a day.
The system is now being tested in a Boca Grande canal filled with dead fish, with two ozone systems working together to process 300 gallons of water per minute to filter out red tide algae cells and toxins. Water quality is being monitored for nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity, and suitability for sensitive marine invertebrate animals like shrimp.
While clay, copper, herbicides and other substances proven to kill red tide also kill marine life, ozone treatment does not, according to Mote.
The ozone method is not intended for large bodies of water, like the Gulf of Mexico, and is still in the research stage, according to Mote.


Checking your skin on a regular basis is important, and you should try and get into a routine of doing a thorough check every 12 weeks. An ideal time to do it is after a shower.
It is important that you have good lighting, a full length mirror (as well as a small hand mirror) can go a long way in helping you check your skin.
The simplest way to check is to work your way from the top of your body, to your feet, starting with your face, and remembering to do the front and back of your whole body.
It is important to check less visible areas like your scalp, armpits, and for women, under the breasts, and even under your nails. Skin cancers can occur anywhere on your body.
It is very important to examine your genital and buttock region (you might like to sit in a chair in front of a mirror to do this), or alternatively, get a friend of partner to check these areas for you.
When it comes to skin cancer, prevention and early detection are the key. Make sure you always cover up and check your skin regularly.
Any new or unusual freckles, moles, sores or sunspots on your skin may be cancerous. It's important to note that early detection of all forms of skin cancer leads to a cure in 95% of cases.
By regularly checking your skin you will recognise what spots are normal as well as notice any changes.
Keep an eye out for a spot that has changed colour, size, or shape over the last few weeks or months. You should also take note of a pimple or bump that does not seem to heal.
Likewise, dry, patchy skin that bleeds easily or ulcerates if left untreated can be skin cancer.
Asymmetric spots, spots with smudgy borders or spots that are more than one colour (usually black, brown but sometimes red, blue or purple) should also be checked out by your doctor.
If you have questions or concerns, you can contact us to make an appointment.


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Home » Daily Current Affairs , Free current Affairs » DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 27 JULY 2017
DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 27 JULY 2017
1. COLLECTION OF STATISTICS (AMENDMENT) BILL 2017 PASSED IN RAJYA SABHA
i. Rajya Sabha passed Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which seeks to amend the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. The amendment bill was introduced by Mr. D.V.Sadananda Gowda, the Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in Lok Sabha in March 2017 and was passed in April 2017.
ii. The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, was enacted to facilitate the collection of statistics on economics, demographics, social, scientific and environmental aspects.
iii. The Act extended to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
2. GST COUNCIL PANEL TO SELECT NATIONAL ANTI-PROFITEERING AUTHORITY
i. The Goods and Services Tax Council has formed a selection committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha to identify and recommend eligible persons for appointment as the chairman and members of the National Anti-profiteering Authority.
ii. The National Anti-profiteering Authority shall be responsible for applying anti-profiteering measures in the event of a reduction in rate of GST on supply of goods or services or, if the benefit of input tax credit is not passed on to the recipients by way of commensurate reduction in prices.
iii. The Standing Committee is empowered to refer cases requiring detailed enquiry to the Goods and Services Tax rolled out from July 1 Director General of Safeguards, Central Board of Excise and Customs who shall give his/her recommendation for consideration of the National Anti-profiteering Authority.
3. 2017 BRICS YOUTH FORUM OPENS IN BEIJING
i. 2017 BRICS Youth Forum opened in Beijing, China to discuss youth development in the BRICS member-nations viz. Brazil Russia, India, China and South Africa.
ii. Theme of 2017 BRICS Youth Forum was "Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Youth Development".
iii. Representatives will hold discussions on issues concerning youth policies and entrepreneurship, as well as the roles of BRICS youth in global governance, before formulating an action plan for the forum.
4. SIDBI STARTS MERCHANT BANKING OPERATIONS TO HELP MSMES TAP MARKET
i. Small Industries Development Bank of India has started its full-fledged merchant banking operations to help MSME's tap market.
ii. It's give benefit to the number of growth-oriented micro, small and medium enterprises, especially those with a strong technology and innovation quotient.
iii. Its main aim is to enhance the access of MSMEs to the capital markets, including the SME Trading Platform and Institutional Trading Platform. It will give beneficial to the SME exchange as well as investors seeking liquidity or exit.
iv. SIDBI has supported over 125 venture capital funds and also provides support for listing the investee companies on SME exchanges through its merchant banking operations.
5. MICROSOFT LAUNCHES 'MADE FOR INDIA' KAIZALA APP
i. Microsoft India has launched Kaizala app, a 'made in India' app. It has been designed for large group communications and work management, even for remote locations with 2G optimisation.
ii. It is powered by Azure Cloud platform. Kaizala app will help the organisations to communicate, collaborate and complete tasks in an efficient way.
iii. It bring together desktop users and mobile-only users who may be within or outside their organisations.
iv. The Redmond giant has also announced an enterprise version called 'Kaizala Pro'. It allows organisations to have full administrative control of their groups.
v. Both 'Kaizala and Kaizala Pro are integrated with Microsoft Office 365. Kaizala' is available in India as a free download on iOS and Android phones.
6. SUBHASH CHANDRA GARG APPOINTED AS INDIA'S ALTERNATE GOVERNOR ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF ADB
i. Shri Subhash Chandra Garg has appointed as India's Alternated Governor on the Board of Governors of ADB.
ii. Shri Garg has been appointed in place of Former Secretary, DEA, Shri Shaktikanta Das.
7. CENTRAL RESERVE POLICE FORCE CELEBRATES 78TH ANNIVERSARY ON JULY 26 2017
i. The Central Reserve Police Force has celebrated its 78th Anniversary at CRPF Headquarters in New Delhi.
ii. CRPF Director General , Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar had commemorated and paid homage to the Martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice by laying their lives in the cause of national security.
ii. He also spoke about the initiatives taken up by the force in different regions of the country. He mentioned that this year, there have been 424 incidents related to stone-pelting and last year, nearly 1,600 incidents were recorded so as per this data the number of incidents has been decreased.
8. NATION CELEBRATES KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS: JULY 26, 2017
i. The country is celebrating the 18th Anniversary of 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' on 26th of July. On the occasion, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and 3 Chiefs of Services paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Kargil War at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.
ii. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26 July, pay homage to India's emphatic victory against Pakistan and honors the war heroes.
iii. On this day in 1999, the Indian Army successfully took control of posts at a high altitude and glaciated terrain across the Himalayas in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, after fighting for 60 days.
iv. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley paid tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi.
Q1. WHAT WAS THE THEME OF 2017 BRICS YOUTH FORUM THAT OPENED IN BEIJING, CHINA?
a) "Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Sustainable Development"
b) "Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Youth Development"
c) "Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Youth Employment"
d) "Enhance BRICS Partnership, Promote Inclusive Growth"
Q2. 'KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS' IS CELEBRATED ON WHICH DATE IN INDIA?
a) 25th July
b) 24th July
c) 27th July
d) 26th July
Q3. RAJYA SABHA PASSED COLLECTION OF STATISTICS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2017, WHICH SEEKS TO AMEND:
a) Collection of Statistics Act, 2008
b) Collection of Statistics Act, 2006
c) Collection of Statistics Act, 2010
d) Collection of Statistics Act, 2004
Q4. THE GOODS AND SERVICES TAX COUNCIL HAS FORMED A SELECTION COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY AND RECOMMEND ELIGIBLE PERSONS FOR APPOINTMENT AS THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ANTI-PROFITEERING AUTHORITY. WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING IS THE HEAD OF THIS SELECTION COMMITTEE?
a) Arvind Panagariya
b) Hasmukh Adhia
c) Pradeep Kumar Sinha
d) Piyusg Goyal
Q5. WHICH COMPANY LAUNCHED ITS 1ST "MADE FOR INDIA" CHAT MESSAGING APPLICATION CALLED KAIZALA?
a) IBM
b) Google
c) Apple
d) Microsoft
1 - B 2 - D 3 - A 4 - C 5 - D


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Politics U.S. World
Panetta 'knew immediately' Benghazi terror attack
'When you bring grenade launchers, something else is going on'
(PJMedia) Former Obama Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has dropped what may be the biggest bombshell yet on his former boss.
The scandal may have been covered up, but the truth is revealed in "The REAL Benghazi Story: What the White House and Hillary Don't Want You to Know." Order it now at the WND Superstore!
Panetta appeared on MSNBC today and explained that he knew, from the beginning, that the attack on the U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, was a terrorist attack. President Obama did not see it that way, and his actions that night remain a mystery.


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Home/Business/Video released of moment Oregon high school football coach disarms and hugs student carrying loaded shotgun – Fox News, Fox News
Video released of moment Oregon high school football coach disarms and hugs student carrying loaded shotgun – Fox News, Fox News
admin October 20, 2019	Business Leave a comment 57 Views
A high school coach inOregonprevented a possible school shooting andsuicide attemptfive months ago, reports
Keanon Lowe, the football, track coach and security guard for Parkrose High School helped de-escalate the situation by disarming, embracing and comforting an unidentified student, who walked into school with a loaded shotgun hidden in his jacket on May 17.
In the video, Lowe, a former wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks, emerges from a classroom holding the shotgun and backpedaling student before another teacher was able to take the weapon away from the pair. In a separate video, students ran for their lives after spotting the gunman in the hallway.
WOMAN CLAIMS DAUGHTER REMAIN WERE DESECRATED AFTER OREGON CEMETERY CRACKED OPEN CASKET
"I walk in there, I get to the classroom, I'm in the classroom for 15, 20 seconds – you know, I ask the teacher, 'Is the student here?' "Lowe told (KOIN). "The door opens – I'm within arm's length of the door, about 3 feet away from the door, and there's a kid with a gun, a shotgun. In a fraction of a second, I analyzed everything really fast. "
Instead of lashing out, Lowe embraces the confused teenager and they are seen hugging in the hallway for at least a minute. The student then attempts to break from his embrace at one point before Lowe pulls him back in and continues to hold him tight.
Keanon Lowe, formerly of the Oregon Ducks (pictured in 2014 ) was seen disarming, embracing and comforting student Angel Granados-Diaz, 18, who walked into school with a loaded shotgun hidden in his jacket on May 17. (Getty)
"Then it was just me and that student. It was a real emotional time. It was emotional for him, it was emotional for me, "Lowe said back in May, according toKATU. "In that time, I felt compassion for him. A lot of times, especially when you're young, you don't realize what you're doing until it's over."
The student had been suffering from a mental health breakdown at the time and was intending on killing himself, according to the Oregonian. The teenager was distraught and lonely over a recent breakup with his girlfriend and that didn't want to kill himself at home, because he didn't want his mother finding his body, according to the outlet.
CALIFORNIA GIRL, 10, COMMITS SUICIDE; POLICE INVESTIGATING WHETHER BULLYING TO BLAME
His lawyer said that the student planned on ending his life in a school bathroom before deciding to go into a classroom with the hope it would increase the chances of someone calling 911 after he fired his shotgun.
Lowe was informed of the possible danger after a student reported the teenager had been making suicidal statements, which led Lowe to the classroom the teenager was in.
Following the incident, the student pleaded guilty to felony possession of a firearm in a public building and misdemeanor possession of a loaded firearm in public. He was sentenced to three years of probation on Oct. 17 and will receive any type of mental health treatment he needs in the future.
CLICK FOR THE ALL-NEW FOXBUSINESS.COM
Lowe played football at the University of Oregon from 2011 – 2014 as a wide receiver. He caught 68 passes for (yards and) touchdowns throughout his career.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Hotline at 1 – 800 – 273 – 8255 orvisit their website.
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It has been a while since a real good behind the scenes production photo has surfaced for the films. We are always on the lookout for these types of images as the fans are always eager to see something new from their beloved film franchise. Today we have a very special production image from Friday The 13th Part 2 featuring Jason in bed.
The infamous scene where today's photo was taken from is the aftermath of double impalement of Jeff and Sandra. Vickie enters the couple's room and is surprised by Jason Voorhees laying in the bed, under the sheets. It's a quick edit between Jason appearing and Vickie having her leg cut by a butcher knife. The image below is the first we are aware of that shows Jason Voorhees (Steve Dash) wielding the butcher knife while laying in the bed.
Notice the body of Sandra laying in the bed next to Jason. It is a very creepy scene, and one that is sure to be exciting for fans of Part 2! Thanks to Sean James for posting this in the Forum!


text:
Home - Per EV - Mercedes-Benz - B250e Electric Drive
Charge cables and charge stations for Mercedes-Benz B250e Electric Drive
The Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive is a fully electric car from the well-known German car manufacturer that has not been available within the standard range since 2018. The EQ family has replaced this. It is a car that is no different in appearance from the other B-class versions, with the major difference being the electric motor that was developed in collaboration with Tesla Motors from the United States. In particular, the limited range and high purchase price did not make this model popular with the average motorist, fewer than 3,700 units were sold in total. Are you looking for charging cables and stations for the Mercedes Benz B-Klasse Electric Drive? Then look directly in the Cable Soolutions Shop.
Specifications Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive
This model is equipped with a 132 kW electric motor delivering 180 hp. The range is 200 kilometers with an acceleration from 0 to 100 in 7.9 seconds. The torque is 340 Nm and the maximum speed is 160 km / h.
Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive charging cable
With the correct Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive charging cable, this car can be charged at a public charging station. This takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is also possible to charge the car at home via the mains. In that case, charging takes 13 hours for a full charge. You can visit the Cable Soolutions Shop for a Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive charging cable from well-known brands such as Ratio and DUOSIDA.
Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive charging station
Although it is possible to charge the car via the standard mains, this will take considerably longer compared to a Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive charging station with the appropriate cable. When the correct connection is used, this car can be charged at a charging point by a factor of four to five faster. With a completely full battery, a distance of 200 kilometers can be covered.
Order directly online at Cable Soolutions Shop
To ensure optimal charging convenience, choose a high-quality brand charging cable and charging station for your Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive in the Cable Soolutions Shop. Are you stuck? Please contact us directly for more information.


text:
Q: Why isn't my common emitter amplifier working properly? I simulated this common emitter amplifier in LTSpice:

However, instead of an amplified sine wave, the voltage at the output looks like this:

Would someone be able to explain why this is happening? Thanks.

A: You could try this.

The gain is specified for a load of 5k to cater for the possibility of a following stage having an input resistance of 5k. To increase the gain, increase the resistance value of RL.

A: Your circuit had its R3 and R4 resistances too high and with the wrong ratio.
Your frequency is 1.5MHz that is 1500 times higher than my 1kHz.
Therefore my C2 is 1500 times higher (70.5uF) than your 0.047uF.
C2 reduces the output signal to almost zero.

A: For a nominal hFE of 200 (+400% /-50%);
Rb= hFE Re = 200 * 47 = 8 k. This is in parallel with R4 = 100k so the base bias voltage is reduced by this input load.
You are only looking at the initial capacitor charging voltage step (inverted).
The problem is the base voltage bias is regulated by hFE and the low Re from "Load Regulation" error of the high bias R Values. The equivalent Rb ought to be <= 100 x Re and lower is better regulated which affects low frequency response of input RC time constant.
a far better solution is to use negative feedback to help regulate the collector voltage and current for wide tolerances on hFE yet only need to reduce the base Req to about 8k or 200x Re so you can get away with slightly lower bias as it self-regulates a bit.
Now looking like an inverting Op Amp gain defined by Rfb/Rin ratios with low open loop gain, you can use Cin as your Rin if you want but the current gain increases with collector current but the. The voltage gain Reduces with collector current using Rfb due to negative feedback, so there is a sweet spot in the 100 to 200 Re range.  The concept is far better than the classic H bridge CE amplifier taught in school because this reduces the variation in Vbe , which means the the nonlinear quadratic THD distortion on an asymmetric sine wave is significantly improved according to how much excess gain you feedback.
You can short out the 40 ohms but then you need a small pull-down R on the base to reduce the feedback bias current going into the base to raise the collector voltage to mid way.

*

*examine the Rfb/Zi Ratio and expect gain to be about half at best if you are drawing enough current. This design is good for a gain of 20 if input and output impedance safe similar and up to 50 or more if you lower the input impedance relative to output such as shorting Re)

Here is a solution with a V gain of 22 and adjustable nFE from 100 to 800 with an adjustable Vin from 100mVpp and up. The Vpp probes indicate the signal levels so it is easy to see the Voltage gain with 100mVpp input.
BTW C1 is redundant.


text:
Radio Free Sarawak anchorman, Peter John Jaban, abducted by Malaysian security forces – Police deny knowledge on the whereabouts of the popular indigenous radio presenter.
(MIRI, MALAYSIA) Peter John Jaban, a presenter of Radio Free Sarawak, an independent radio station broadasting news for Sarawak's indigenous communities, has today been abducted by unidentified Malaysian security forces who are believed to be members of the Special Branch, Malaysia's secret political police.
According to a statement by Radio Free Sarawak, the radio presenter was on his way home to spend the Gawai harvest festival with his family when he was detained and photographed prior to boarding a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia. Malaysian police officers told him that he would be arrested upon arrival in Sarawak. But when he reached Miri, despite heavy police presence, a lawyer and a local politician awaiting Peter John Jaban managed to bring him out of the airport as the police did not have immediate arrest orders.
Several minutes after leaving the airport, Peter John Jaban's car was stopped and the radio presenter was forced out of the car by plainclothes security forces who refused to identify themselves.
"To say we are worried is an understatement" Clare Rewcastle Brown, Founder of Radio Free Sarawak, has said today. We are desperately trying to find where Peter is and why he was pulled from a car without any proper reason by unidentified people."
London-based Radio Free Sarawak broadcasts a daily two-hour-show on local news in Malay and Iban, a native language spoken by longhouse communities in Sarawak's interior. The radio station aims at breaking the information monopoly held by the authoritarian Sarawak government under Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud. Recently, politicians from Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition had called on the government to clamp down on the rebel radio.
The Bruno Manser strongly condemns the Malaysian authorities' attack on press freedom and calls on Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to immediately order Peter John Jaban's release.
For updated information on this case, please check the Radio Free Sarawak website under: www.radiofreesarawak.org
Please call the police in Sarawak to protest against Peter John Jaban's abduction and ask about his whereabouts:
Sarawak Police Commissioner: +60 82 247204
Sarawak Police Headquarters Hotline: +60 82 240 800
Miri Police Station: +60 85 432 222
For more information, please contact us:
Bruno Manser Fund
4051 Basel, Switzerland
www.bmf.ch
www.twitter.com/bmfonds
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bruno-Manser-Fonds/171047506268040


text:
David R. Hamilton PhD → Messages
How Your Mind Can Impact Your Immune System
a message from David R. Hamilton PhD
Tuesday, 28 July, 2020 (posted 29 July, 2020)
PCDR stands for Placebo Controlled Dose Reduction. It is where a drug is gradually replaced by a placebo by making incremental reductions in the drug while making incremental increases in the placebo.
One of the most successful demonstrations was by Fabrizio Benedetti at the University of Turin School of Medicine. Over the period of 5 days, he was able to swap the anti-Parkinson's drug, apomorphine, for a saltwater placebo. On the first day, the placebo had no effect, as measured by tremors, changes in muscle stiffness and activation of individual neurons in the brain. But by day 5 of incremental dose reductions of apomorphine, topping up with placebo each time, the placebo on day 5 generated a clinical and neurological effect equivalent to a full dose of the drug.
What happened in those 5 days?
Each day that a patient receives their injection, they gain experience that, "When I receive this injection, the following things happen." That is, a reduction in tremors and muscle stiffness, plus the neuroscientists observe corresponding activation of neurons in the brain. Each day strengthens their experience and thus strengthens their belief.
One of the most important advances in the neuroscience of the placebo effect is that in studies so far, belief, or expectation, shifts biochemistry, causing the brain to produce what it needs to produce to deliver the result the person believes is supposed to happen. Experience strengthens beliefs, so with PCDR, the weight of their experience is enough to allow the complete replacement of the drug with the placebo.
The same kind of thing has been done with the immune system. With the goal in mind of supressing the immune system for the potential treatment of organ transplant patients or people with autoimmune conditions, scientists have been able to completely replace an immunosuppressant drug with a placebo over about 4 or 5 days.
This shows us that the mind can impact the immune system. In this case, supressing it. Can the mind also boost the immune system?
The Mother Theresa Effect is the name given to the observation where over 100 volunteers watched a video of Mother Theresa on the streets of Calcutta carrying out acts of compassion and kindness. Our state when we observe compassion and kindness is often referred to as elevation, in that compassion and kindness induce an elevated state.
Scientists measured levels of an important immune system antibody known as secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) before and after. At the end of the video, levels of s-IgA had increased by around 50% and stayed high for a time afterwards as the volunteers continued to feel elevation as they discussed what they had witnessed in the video. Feeling elevated seemed to elevate the immune system.
Research by the HeartMath Institute in Boulder, Colorado, showed something similar. Asking volunteers to generate and hold feelings of care and compassion for about 5 minutes, they found that s-IgA levels also increased significantly and stayed elevated for about 5 hours, before they gradually returned to baseline levels.
Some of the effect is due to the fact that feelings induced by compassion and kindness are opposite to those of stress, insofar as they generate many opposite psychological and physiological effects. I describe this more fully in my books, The Five Side Effects of Kindness and The Little Book of Kindness.
As we replace stress with kindness, we take some of the pressure off of the immune system, allowing it to operate more efficiently. But these positive feelings themselves may be having direct physical effects.
In a study of over 700 patients attending their doctor for symptoms of the common cold, those given an 'empathy enhanced visit', where the doctor spent more time listening to the patient, such that the patient scored the doctor 10/10 on a CARE questionnaire afterwards (Compassion and Relational Empathy), recovered almost 50% faster than those who received a 'normal' consultation, and their immune response to the cold was also significantly higher. This has been interpreted as the positive feelings the doctor induced in the patients then impacting their immune systems.
But scientists have been exploring the link between the mind and the immune system in more direct ways. People visualising increasing levels of s-IgA were found to be able to increase them quite substantially.
The visualisation involved spending 5 minutes relaxing before spending 5 minutes imagining s-IgA levels increasing, before doing another 5 minutes of relaxation. Critics suggested that the increased levels of s-IgA were not due to visualisation, but due to relaxation simply taking pressure off the immune system, as I described above.
A repeat of the experiment then compared people relaxing for the full 15 minutes with people doing the 5 minute section of visualisation embedded within the relaxation session. Levels of s-IgA increased in both groups over the first week, but then those who did the immune system visualisation started to increase their s-IgA levels at a faster rate than those only doing relaxation. At the end of 3 weeks, those who visualised their immune systems had increased their s-IgA levels significantly more than those only doing relaxation, demonstrating that while relaxation can improve s-IgA levels, visualisation is doing something differently and impacting the immune system in a different way.
There is a growing body of evidence that shows that in many different ways, the brain (and body) doesn't distinguish real from imaginary. When comparing making simple finger movements with imagined movements, scans show brain changes in the same regions and to the same extent in those who do the real movements and those who do the imagined movements. As far as the brain was concerned, real and imagined movements were the same thing.
This has now been extensively tested in mechanics and sports, where similar gains in strength have been shown when people lift real objects compared with imagining lifting them. Studies even show athletes can recover faster from injury when they visualise attending the gym while they are in recovery. When returning to training after the injury period, they have lost less muscle strength than those not visualising and so are better able to 'hit the ground running', so to speak.
Studies with stroke patients show something similar. In several studies, patients received physiotherapy for several weeks, but half were taught to imagine making repetitive movements that they are familiar with after the physio sessions, while the other half did relaxation sessions for the same duration. Those who did visualisations recovered more and faster than those who didn't visualise.
Studies on eating have even suggested that imagining eating activates part of the brain that senses when a person has eaten enough and so supresses appetite for more.
Studies have extended the idea of imagining the immune system to patients with cancer. In a randomised controlled trial (RCT) published in the journal, Breast, scientists invited women receiving treatment for newly diagnosed large or locally advanced breast cancer (chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and hormone treatment), to use visualisation as well.
Half of the women visualised their immune systems destroying cancer cells while the other half didn't. The women were shown cartoons depicting the process but were also encouraged to make up their own images. They rated the clarity of their visualisations on a 1-10 scale. Blood samples were taken 10 times over 37 weeks and several immune substances were analysed.
In the women who visualised, immune activity was elevated compared with the women who didn't visualise. Specifically, T-cells, activated T-cells, and LAK cells (lymphokine activated killer cells) were higher in the blood of those who visualised. In addition, the women who reported the highest visualisation clarity had much higher levels of NK (natural killer cells) activity during, after treatment, and again at follow up. The researchers noted that, "Guided imagery beneficially altered putative anticancer host defences during and after multimodality therapy."
This pattern of observing elevated immune system activity when visualisation has been used in addition to cancer treatment has been shown in three other studies.
To be clear, visualisation was not used instead of medical treatment, but in addition to it. Visualisation is something that we practice in addition to treatment, not instead of it, just like we don't meditate instead of sleeping, but in addition to sleeping, and the meditation tends to enhance our sleep. Similarly, in these cancer studies, visualisation seemed to be enhancing the effect of the treatment by supporting the activity of the immune system.
It may well be that visualisation can be used to positively impact a larger number of conditions, especially if we target the immune system with our visualisations. But visualisation can target other systems too. In a study of total knee replacement, visualisation of healing speeded up the healing for some patients. Similarly, asthmatics have gained benefit from imagining reduced bronchospasm and inflammation, and women with interstitial cystitis experienced reduced pain when they visualised healing the bladder, relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, and quietening the nerves.
There is no question that the mind impacts the body. Research now clearly shows that the mind can impact the immune system, in ways that increase activity and in ways that decrease activity. With more research and practice, it may be that we can learn techniques that can help us to maintain our health much better by optimising our immune systems, or develop techniques for selectively targeting different systems of the body for speeding recovery from injury, illness and disease.
All references can be found in 'How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body', by David R Hamilton PhD
Copyright 2020 David R. Hamilton PhD.
David R. Hamilton PhD
David R. Hamilton PhD is the bestselling author of 6 books that fuse science, the mind, and spiritual wisdom.
More from David R. Hamilton PhD
Channel Kindness
7 Ways to Develop Your Self Love
Counting Kindnesses
You Are Made of Stardust
Real vs Imaginary in the Brain and Body
A Cluster of Synchronicities
Don't Judge People as You Never Know What They're Going Through
A Few Healthy Thoughts
Kindness Is More Than the Things That We Do
Trust That What Happens Is for the Best
Can you visualise drugs working?
Kindness on the curriculum
My day talking kindness to young children
Books from David R. Hamilton PhD
How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body
Power of Contagious Thinking
David R. Hamilton PhD Videos
How To Not Let Fear Stop You
How To Find Happiness In 2015
Did you know (4) - You Can't Resist a Smile
David R. Hamilton PhD Archives


text:
C    Copyright(C) 1988-2017 National Technology & Engineering Solutions
C    of Sandia, LLC (NTESS).  Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with
C    NTESS, the U.S. Government retains certain rights in this software.
C
C    Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
C    modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
C    met:
C
C    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
C       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
C
C    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
C      copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
C      disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
C      with the distribution.
C
C    * Neither the name of NTESS nor the names of its
C      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
C      from this software without specific prior written permission.
C
C    THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
C    "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
C    LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
C    A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
C    OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
C    SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
C    LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
C    DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
C    THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
C    (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
C    OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

C $Id: dbielb.f,v 1.2 2004/06/29 18:05:32 gdsjaar Exp $
C=======================================================================
      SUBROUTINE DBIELB (NDB, OPTION, NELBS, NELBE, IDELB, NUMELB,
     &           NUMLNK, NUMATR, A, IA, KLINK, KATRIB, NAMELB, *)
C=======================================================================
C   --*** DBIELB *** (EXOLIB) Read database element blocks
C   --   Written by Amy Gilkey - revised 10/14/87
C   --
C   --DBIELB reads the element block information from the database.
C   --An error message is displayed if the end of file is read.
C   --
C   --The dynamic memory arrays LINK and ATRIB must be reserved
C   --if the connectivity and attributes are to be stored.  These arrays
C   --will be expanded by this routine to hold the new data.
C   --
C   --Parameters:
C   --   NDB    - IN  - the database file
C   --   OPTION - IN  - ' ' to not store, '*' to store all, else store options:
C   --                  'H' to store all header information
C   --                  'I' to store block IDs
C   --                  'C' to store connectivity (+ NUMLNK + NUMELB)
C   --                  'A' to store attributes (+ NUMATR + NUMELB)
C   --   NELBS  - IN  - the number of the first element block to read
C   --   NELBE  - IN  - the number of the last element block to read
C   --   IDELB  - OUT - the element block IDs for each block
C   --   NUMELB - OUT - the number of elements in each block
C   --   NUMLNK - OUT - the number of nodes per element in each block
C   --   NUMATR - OUT - the number of attributes in each block
C   --   A      - I/O - the dynamic memory base array for REALS
C   --   IA     - I/O - the dynamic memory base array for INTEGERS
C   --   KLINK  - OUT - pointer to the connectivity for each block
C   --   KATRIB - OUT - pointer to the attributes for each block
C   --   NAMELB - OUT - the type of element in each block
C   --   *      - OUT - return statement if end of file or read error

      include 'exodusII.inc'
      INTEGER NDB
      CHARACTER*(*) OPTION
      INTEGER NELBS, NELBE
      INTEGER IDELB(*)
      INTEGER NUMELB(*)
      INTEGER NUMLNK(*)
      INTEGER NUMATR(*)
      DIMENSION A(*), IA(*)
      INTEGER KLINK, KATRIB
      CHARACTER*(MXSTLN) NAMELB(*)

C ... Get element block ids
      call exgebi (ndb, idelb, ierr)

      IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'C') .GT. 0)) THEN
         CALL MDFIND ('LINK', KLINK, IELNK)
      ELSE
         KLINK = 0
      END IF
      IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'A') .GT. 0)) THEN
         CALL MDFIND ('ATRIB', KATRIB, IEATR)
      ELSE
         KATRIB = 0
      END IF
      CALL MDSTAT (NERR, MEM)
      IF (NERR .GT. 0) GOTO 110

      IESAV = IELNK
      IASAV = IEATR
      IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'C') .GT. 0)
     &     .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'A') .GT. 0)) THEN
      DO 90 NELB = NELBS, NELBE
         IELB = NELB-NELBS+1
         call exgelb(ndb, idelb(ielb), namelb(ielb), nel, nlnk,
     &               natr, ierr)
         IELNK = IELNK + NLNK * NEL
         IEATR = IEATR + NATR * NEL
 90    CONTINUE
       IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'C') .GT. 0)) THEN
         CALL MDLONG ('LINK', KLINK, IELNK)
       END IF
       IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'A') .GT. 0)) THEN
         CALL MDLONG ('ATRIB', KATRIB, IEATR)
       END IF
       CALL MDSTAT (NERR, MEM)
       IF (NERR .GT. 0) GOTO 110
      END IF

      IELNK = IESAV
      IEATR = IASAV
      DO 100 NELB = NELBS, NELBE
         IELB = NELB-NELBS+1
         call exgelb(ndb, idelb(ielb), namelb(ielb), nel, nlnk,
     &               natr, ierr)
         CALL EXUPCS (NAMELB(IELB))
         CALL PCKSTR (1, NAMELB(IELB))

         IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'H') .GT. 0)) THEN
            NUMELB(IELB) = NEL
            NUMLNK(IELB) = NLNK
            NUMATR(IELB) = NATR
         END IF

         IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'C') .GT. 0)) THEN
            NUMELB(IELB) = NEL
            NUMLNK(IELB) = NLNK
            ISLNK = IELNK + 1
            IELNK = IELNK + NLNK * NEL
         END IF
         IF ((OPTION .EQ. '*') .OR. (INDEX (OPTION, 'A') .GT. 0)) THEN
            NUMELB(IELB) = NEL
            NUMATR(IELB) = NATR
            ISATR = IEATR + 1
            IEATR = IEATR + NATR * NEL
         END IF

         CALL DBIEBI (NDB, OPTION, IDELB(IELB), NEL, NLNK, NATR,
     &                IA(KLINK+ISLNK-1), A(KATRIB+ISATR-1),
     &                MAX(NATR,1), MAX(NLNK,1), *130)
  100 CONTINUE

C     Store the first pointers for each element block link array
      ISIZE = 0
      DO 105 I = NELBS, NELBE
         IELB = I-NELBS+1
         ISIZE = ISIZE + NUMELB(IELB)*NUMLNK(IELB)
  105 CONTINUE
  110 CONTINUE
      RETURN

  130 CONTINUE
      RETURN 1

      END

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
A London Mosaic
June 9, 2021JPEG
This expansive view of the River Thames flowing eastward through the London metropolitan area is a mosaic of 29 overlapping photographs taken by an astronaut looking down from the International Space Station (ISS). A detailed view of London at this scale is seldom achieved from the ISS due to frequently cloudy conditions.
Recorded history along the Thames dates back to around 50 CE, when the Roman Empire invaded the region and established the settlement of Londinium on the north bank of the river. Londinium became the core financial area as the location was ideal for trade. Invasions, plagues, and fire have since shaped this area over the past several centuries.
The Greater London area is comprised of 32 boroughs, most of which are visible in this photo on both sides of the river. The original city of London continues to be the epicenter of finance and business. Westminster is the center of politics and governance, a borough that includes the Houses of Parliament, the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace.
Sections of the Thames have different historical and cultural significance. One of the most notable is the difference between the east and west ends. Since the river flows east toward the North Sea, most of the shipping and heavy industrial districts developed downstream in the East End where the river is deeper. The West End contains more open spaces with parks and royal palaces.
Bridges are prevalent along the Thames, clustered near London and Westminster. The first "London Bridge" was built by the Romans, and many more were added to the landscape over time. Major landmarks in the mosaic include Wembley Stadium, Hampstead Heath, Regent's Park, Hyde Park, London Stadium (the 2012 Olympic venue), The O2, Greenwich Park, and the London City Airport.
Astronaut photographs ISS065-E-95234 through ISS065-E-95272 were acquired on June 9, 2021, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 1150 millimeters. They are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The images were taken by a member of the Expedition 65 crew. The images have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by Laura Phoebus, Jacobs, JETS Contract at NASA-JSC.
Twenty centuries after Londinium was founded, the capital city now includes 32 boroughs, numerous parks and bridges, and a rich history.
Image of the Day for August 15, 2021
ISS — Digital Camera
Appears in this Collection:
Image of the Day Human Presence
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Palma, Mallorca
The city has a rich history that has been influenced by the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Moors.
Image of the Day Land Human Presence
The capital city is the economic and tourist hub of New Caledonia.
Kashgar, China
Uplift and erosion sculpted the landscape around an oasis city in western China.
A key city on the old Silk Road stands midway between Western Europe and China.


Manchester United are ready to drop their interest in £53m target Fred this summer, with the Brazilian considering ditching the sunny climes of Manchester for Paris.
The Metro report that the 25-year-old may have had his head turned by the big-spending Ligue 1 side ahead of a possible exit from Shakhtar Donetsk, with United having already beaten off rivals Manchester City to get into pole position for the signing of the midfielder.
Jose Mourinho wants to bring in at least one more option in midfield this summer, with Michael Carrick moving onto the club's coaching staff after confirming his retirement from playing - although the former West Ham man is unlikely to leave a big hole in the squad, having played just 24 Premier League minutes before his glorified testimonial on the last day of the season.
A disappointing season in knockout competitions has tempted Mourinho to strengthen the core of his side though, with Fred available for £53m thanks to a release clause in his Shakhtar deal.
The player himself admitted recently that he wants to wait until after this summer's World Cup to finalise his plans, a statement which set alarm bells jangling at Old Trafford as United bosses worry that they are no longer the former Internacional man's first option.
"Now I just have to wait to get through the World Cup and see which is the best destination, he said.
"I think I have to change a little. I have dreams of playing in major clubs in Europe. I made it clear that it's my moment. As soon as I come back from the World Cup we will sit down, talk and look at the options."


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You will earn 6 credits during each eight-week session. If you select the on-campus program, you will take courses one day per week on the same day each week throughout your program. Class time varies but you should be available 8.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Whether you take the program online or in class, you move through the courses with the same group of students in a supportive, cohort-style learning. Tuition rate is approximately 30% lower than the rate for traditional Felician undergraduate programs. Graduates with a GPA of 3.0 will automatically be accepted into Felician University's Master of Science in Nursing program without any further testing or admission fees.
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Andres said that he likes exploring funny things that other people can relate to. That being said, he is constantly searching for original subjects and objects for his comics.
Continue scrolling and check out his work!


ACTION NEEDED: Due Process Bill in Jeopardy!
Colleagues! We need you to send emails to state Senators ASAP telling them to support CCCI's-sponsored bill AB 1651, authored by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes. The bill will be voted on by the full Senate in either late-August or early-September.
Time to write your state senator! Pens (or keyboards), ready, set, go!
The Community College League, representing boards of trustees and chief administrators, continues to oppose the bill despite the author agreeing to numerous bill amendments that the League requested. We need to make sure our Senators know that faculty strongly support this bill.
Below are AB 1651's talking points you can choose from to cut/paste into an email to send to your state Senator. In your own words, please also include any reasons you want to share as to why the Senator should support AB 1651. We are also providing you a link to the website where you can identify who your Senator is by using your campus or home address.
Thank you for your engagement in supporting CCCI's sponsored legislation.
An increasing number of community college faculty are being investigated and even placed on involuntary leave by districts without any notification of the charges or reasons.
Many of these faculty are denied basic due process (such as the right to prepare a defense or to tell their full side of the story) because they are not provided details of the allegations or complaints.
The secretive nature of these practices place many community college faculty, and the unions that represent them, in a state of "limbo" – subject to the whims of district administrators – with little recourse outside of litigation to challenge district actions.
Community college administrators would retain the ability to immediately place a faculty member on involuntary paid administrative leave and withhold information as needed to protect campus safety.
AB 1651 also allows administrators to protect privacy rights and ensure the integrity of investigations.
AB 1651 would not establish a new precedent or prevent a district from suspending or placing a faculty member on involuntary paid administrative leave. Statutory due process rights already exist for community college faculty who are suspended with and without pay [Education Code § 87672-87643] but leaves open a loophole for faculty placed on paid administrative leave, allowing the intent of state law to be circumvented by district administrators.
AB 1651 would simply clarify that all faculty, including those placed in involuntary paid administrative leave, have the right to know what misconduct has been alleged before any formal investigatory interview.
I appreciate your consideration of this proposal and respectfully request that you vote "AYE" on this important legislation to protect the fundamental due process rights of all community college faculty.
Again, thanks for your help. Spread the word!
Read other letters CPFA sends to the capitol urging legislators to support part-time faculty across the state.
Also, find out why CPFA believes that strategic engagement with California's politicians and legislators is important for all part-time faculty, in Betting on the CPFA: A Pragmatic Solution to the "Perilous World of the Adjunct Professor", By John Martin, Chair.


Isn't she talented?!! I've learned so much from her over the years!!
Just look at this!!! Isn't it beautiful?!! My wonderfu upline, Sherrie, sent it to me!! I love her!!!
It's an altoid tin, made into a birthday calendar that you can carry in your purse!!! What a great idea!! She said she got the idea from the WOW! Swap she participated in on this year's Stampin' Up! cruise!! I love it!!
Here's the inside view!! It's it just too cute?!!! Thanks so much Sherrie--you made my day!!!
Good morning!! Here's a card I made for a swap with the Utah Divas International. You can see their blog here.
If you'd like to see the other cards from the swap, just click on the "Divas Swap" photo album in the right hand column!! There are some great cards--lot of talent in this group!!
My wonderful Mom sent me a card--just to tell me she loves me!!! I love you, too, Mom!!!
Here's a gift certificate holder I made for a customer of mine! Her birthday is today (Happy Birthday, Laura!!), and her family bought her a gift certificate!! For some reason I can't just hand anyone a plain 'ole gift certificate!! I always have to dress it up!!
I used Bashful Blue cardstock as the base, then covered it with the Le Jardin Designer Paper. The medalion is from Carte Postale. The band is So Saffron, and the scalloped edge is Always Artichoke.
Here is the inside view--you can actually see the bashful blue!! haha!!
Good morning!! I got alot of stamping done this weekend!! My house is a mess, but I'm happy!! haha!! This was the first weekend in a long time that we didn't have baseball games--now, I really do love baseball, and enjoy watching my boys play, BUT, this weekend was so nice and relaxing!! For the boys, too!! We bought a Wii for them (we decided to stimulate the economy just a bit with our Bush money!!), and they played all weekend!! It's really fun--and you really do have to be and active to play!!! So, all in all, we've had a wonderful "family" weekend!!
Back to the stamping!! I made this card for Amy's Super Sunday Sketch. I just love her blog--she has such talent!!! And, she LOVES patterned paper!! haha!! That's always a challenge! She not only gives us a sketch, but she makes us use 3 different papers!!! It's fairly simple when you use Stampin' Up!'s designer paper--all the patterns in one package coordinate!!
For this card, I used the East Coast Prep designer paper! I also used Bud Basics--it's an older set, but somehow it's the one I've been reaching for lately!! I think it works well with the bright colors of summer!
For the pearl embellishment (see below), I simply punched out three circles using the 1/2" circle punch. I then adhered the half pearls from the Pretties Kit with Mini Glue Dots!! I love the way it turned out!!!
Again, I used the Bud Basics stamp set--hey, it was just sitting there on my desk!!! This time I paired it with the Afternoon Tea Designer Paper! The colors are Soft Sky and Wild Wasabi. The three brads are from the Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit.
I punched out 3 wild wasabi circles with the 1/2" circle punch, adhered them to the paper, then punched in the center of each with the 1/8" punch. Then, just put the brads in!! Easy Peasy!!
Have a great night!! I'm going to watch a little TV with my hubbie!!!
Good morning!! Happy Memorial Day to all!! And, a big thank you to all the military personnel and their families for all the sacrifices you make for our freedom! Just about my entire family is linked to the military somehow!! Both Rich and I grew up in the military, and then served when we were younger. My brother is still in the Air Force, and is (thankfully) not overseas right now. He and his wife have done several tours of duty in the war zone. I know how hard military life can be, but I also know that it was one of my favorite times in my life, and we made lifelong friendships. Again, thanks to all who serve!!!
I was able to stamp a little this morning, and made this card for Julee's Mojo Monday sketch!
I used the "A Little Birdie Told Me" stamp set, along with the Bali Breeze Designer Paper! Colors used were Tempting Turquoise & Pumpkin Pie.
The birds were "colored" by stamping the image onto designer paper, then cutting out. I adhered the paper image onto the image I had stamped on Whisper White cardstock!
The base is Pumpkin Pie, with temptin turquoise scallops. The designer paper is from Bali Breeze. Also used: Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain, Happy Everything stamp set, Pumpkin Pie & Tempting Turquoise classic ink.
I forgot to post this card in yesterday's post!! It's basically the same, just a slightly different layout!
We're off to church now!! Have a great Sunday!!


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Reclaimed Oak and Railroad Spikes. This item is finished with satin polyurethane with no stain. Each species of wood has it's own richness and beauty, I think. This particular batch of wood has been previously infested with wood worms and has open and rust stained nail holes, which adds to the character of the piece. The spikes were cut to length, drilled, and tapped by me, as well. The rack uses a French cleat to hang on the wall.
Nice idea! I am always coming across railroad spikes when I am out hunting and fishing.
Great job!! When you say "drilled and tapped" do you mean you drilled the back end of the spike and then bolted it to the wood? What size drill and tap? Thanks!
after the drilling and tapping, are they attached with a washer behind, between the cut-off spike and the board? What type of washer matched up so well?
nice project – very nice.
Very nice! I like the spikes.
As a former Railroad Policeman I think that this is really cool.
Very neat. I like this a lot.
Very nice unique application of RR spikes, provides a great look.
drbyte – I drilled them out and tapped them with a 3/8 (18) tap. I use a slightly smaller drill bit that the tap I am using. They are bolted to the board.
jimintx – That is not a washer. I used 1-1/2" round X 1/8" thick hardwood wafer painted gunmetal black and glued into a 1/16" recess made with a 1-1/2" forestner bit.
Thank you all. I am finishing up another one, as well. Slightly different that this one.
Cool coat rack! The spikes really looks great with the beautiful reclaimed wood. The holes and the stains added great appeal to it. Great job!


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Tag: Cat
Return of the Cat.
Long time readers might remember Dom, a black & white cat who features in one of my earliest blog posts; All Creatures Great & Small.
Well, when visiting my parents today, Dom reappeared!
Author diaryofadisabledpersonPosted on April 21, 2019 April 22, 2019 Categories UncategorizedTags Animal, Cat, cute, Diary of a Disabled Person, Disability, DisabledLeave a comment on Return of the Cat.
A Trip to the Kitty Cafe.
This is Sooty. Sooty decided that my walking frame was most definitely a cat toy. Then Sooty decided that my tuna sandwich looked tasty.
10/10 would adopt him if I could.
Author diaryofadisabledpersonPosted on September 6, 2018 Categories HumourTags Animals, Cat, Cat Video, Diary, Disability, DisabledLeave a comment on A Trip to the Kitty Cafe.
Wheels of Steel: Another Short Story.
Opposite 10 Downing Street a crowd of photographers and news reporters had gathered, all hoping to get the best images of the new Prime Minister entering the house for the first time. As the police escort appeared around the corner the crowd erupted and the cameras started flashing. In place of the sleek, black car the previous Prime Minister had, she arrived in a small van which drew somewhat less gracefully to a halt outside number 10.
The chauffeur climbed out of the driving seat, ignoring the crowd completely, and opened up the back of the van. He pulled out a metal ramp, which he made sure was secure before the Prime Minister wheeled herself backwards onto the road. She made sure to wave to everyone opposite before making her way a few metres down the street to where a temporary plastic ramp had been put in place to get her onto the pavement. Once aligned perfectly she pushed herself up the ramp, and stopped to push a loose strand of hair back from her face before making her way towards her new home.
By the time she arrived at the door of the house the chauffer had cleared up the ramp and driven off, so the photographers got a clear view of her as the infamous black door slowly opened. Another plastic ramp in a garish orange that clashed with the otherwise refined scene was placed down, and the Prime Minister went indoors. When the door was closed firmly behind her she was relieved to finally be away from the prying eyes of the news corporations.
"Welcome, Prime Minister," the head of staff nodded her head politely.
"Please, call me Sarah," the Prime Minister returned equally politely, "I'm aware that it is not conventional, but then I doubt that I am going to be a conventional Prime Minister."
"Indeed, Prime Minister," the head of staff retorted somewhat more stiffly.
Sarah made her way down the wide hallway, her wheels sinking into the thick, woollen carpet leaving conspicuous tracks behind her. She was introduced to all of the senior members of staff that she would be working with, but the meeting she enjoyed the most was that of Simon the ginger cat. Being a friendly cat used to being around an ever-changing staff, Simon was more than happy to leap straight onto Sarah's lap and to be driven around the house at his leisure.
As Sarah entered her office, eyeing the large stack of paperwork already on her desk, she asked to speak to the caretaker of the house. A few minutes of fussing Simon later, Sarah heard a rough knock on the heavy door.
"Come in," she said.
"You asked to see me, Prime Minister?" the caretaker replied.
"Sarah, please. There are going to have to be a few modifications made to the house, I'm afraid," Sarah said, "If I am to live and work here in comfort, then I need full wheelchair access to all that I will use." Simon gave an affirmative meow.
"Yes, of course. There are builders booked for this afternoon to install cement ramps at the front door and also on the pavement outside," he informed her.
"Fantastic. Now, what about the stairs?" Sarah asked.
"I have a team of engineers coming out tomorrow who will be fitting special stair lifts than can take both you and your wheelchair upstairs."
"How considerate of you," Sarah said, impressed.
"A shorter lectern is being built so that you may address the reporters outside as all other Prime Ministers have done, and I was wondering if you would need some mats fitting that would make it easier for you to get over that carpet?"
"That would be ideal, yes. It seems you have everything covered," Sarah said, "Do you have experience at handling a wheelchair user?"
"My daughter uses a wheelchair, so I know the sort of thing that causes problems. She's a big fan, by the way. I'm only sorry that I've not been able to address any of these issues any sooner."
"That's perfectly understandable," Sarah said, "Now if you'll excuse me, it appears I have a lot of work to attend to."
"Yes, Pri- Sarah," the caretaker nodded and left the room.
Sarah smiled. At least she had one member of staff on her side.
Sarah's first day in the Houses of Parliament as Prime Minister was an interesting one. Although she knew her way around the Palace of Westminster very well, she was used to sitting at one of the back benches on the very top row. All of the other seats had a flight of steps down to them. She knew that over the weekend a lift had been installed that would enable her to take her proper place in parliament, but she still worried that somehow the access would go wrong.
Two guards nodded to her before opening the double doors to the House of Commons, where she was greeted with a round of applause. She was happy to see most members of her political party give a standing ovation, however ironic that may have been. Sarah moved onto the flimsy-looking platform lift that had been installed, and then began the longest and loudest descent into the House of Commons that had ever taken place. Finally she reached the bottom, and took her place opposite her counterpart in the opposition, who fixed her with a long stare.
The House was called to order and the days' debates began.
"Forgive me, Prime Minister, but I am not going to take things easy on you because of your condition," the leader of the opposition opened proceedings. Sarah would have appreciated the sentiment had it not been said in such a condescending manner.
"In fact," he continued, "I expect as much of you as I did your predecessor, although that's not a great standard to reach, I know."
Before Sarah had thought about it, she opened her mouth.
"Let me stop you there, sir," she said curtly, before leaning into the microphone to address the whole house.
"No one should expect any less of me because of my wheelchair, or because I am a woman. Do not judge me by the standards of those who came before me because I am not those people. In fact you should expect more from me than any recent Prime Minister, because instead of participating in such farcical pettiness as to continually insult each other, I intend to debate and resolve real issues. Now if you have nothing constructive to add I suggest that we start to do what we are paid to do," Sarah expected to be met with a stony silence, particularly from the opposition, but was astounded when every single politician in the room bar herself and her rival began to applaud loudly. Many even got to their feet and it was several minutes before the house was returned to order.
After what Sarah judged to be a particularly productive day in parliament, when several pressing matters had been debated in detail, she was extremely happy to find that her small speech had made headline news. Her particular favourite of all the headlines was the one that called her "Wheels of Steel".
"What's on the agenda for today?" Sarah asked her personal assistant, a stern looking woman old enough to be her mother, and a close friend of the head of staff. Her assistant looked down her nose through her spindly glasses at the papers before her.
"Your first formal meeting with the Queen since your election, Prime Minister, at Buckingham Palace," she informed the Prime Minister in a cold, clipped tone.
"Ah yes, I knew it was something significant. How silly of me to forget," Sarah flashed a smile at her assistant, which instantly died on her face on recipient of a disapproving look.
Sarah was not surprised to find a large gathering of reporters clambering up the railings surrounding Buckingham Palace as her van drove onto the grounds. Sarah, not usually one to be overly concerned with her appearance, had been patting her hair into shape and checking her teeth for lipstick stains throughout the whole journey. She was relieved that their assigned parking spot was well out of sight of the reporters.
Sarah was escorted by the palace guards to an impressive room with a ceiling that Sarah imagined must look tall even from standing height. The furniture around her was beautifully ornate and fit perfectly with the rooms' decoration. Next to it all, she imagined that her own chair looked rather shabby.
The doors opened precisely on time, and Sarah couldn't help but resist the urge to stand up even though she physically couldn't. The Queen walked slowly into the room in a delicate, baby-blue outfit, followed by a parade of lumbering corgis with tongues lolling from their mouths. The dogs were very keen to explore the new Prime Minister, particularly her chair, and Sarah decided that she definitely preferred Simons' affection.
The Queen seated herself opposite Sarah and seconds later a butler appeared with a pot of tea and some biscuits.
"There's some Yorkshire tea brewing in the pot, ma'am," he said to the Queen.
"Ah, thank you, much better than that Lancashire tea Philip bought the other week."
Sarah smiled awkwardly, her hands clasped in her lap to prevent them from being licked away by a corgi.
"Well, I must say," the Queen began, "that ever since they put all the new ramps into this section of the palace for our meetings, I've had trouble keeping Philip from skateboarding indoors. I've told him countless times that the skateboard is for the garden only but he can be ever so childish. He'll ruin the carpet."
Sarah suppressed a smile, but couldn't help but laugh when there was a well-timed thump from outside the room, followed by the crash of something valuable-sounding breaking. The Queen rolled her eyes.
"Still, it's been much easier for my darling corgis to move around, the stairs do trouble them so," she continued.
"I can only imagine the difficulties they have," Sarah returned politely.
"Now, to business-"
The following day, Sarah was booked to open a new school just a few miles from Downing Street. She couldn't help but feel that in comparison to her usual duties, this would be a breeze. As the van pulled up outside the new building, a generic cube of bricks and glass, Sarah was greeted by the usual crowds. By this point the chauffer had moving the wheelchair in and out of the van down to a fine art, and Sarah had a few minutes to pose for photographs and answer a few questions before heading to the crowd gathered on the playground, all huddled beneath umbrellas against the summer rain.
A small stage had been built on the playground by a plaque on the wall of the school, which was still covered by little velvet curtains. A rickety ramp lead onto the stage and as Sarah took her place on the stage, she said a private prayer for her own safety.
The head teacher introduced the Prime Minister to rows of bored and cold children, most of whom seemed more interested in the news reporters by the school fence than the event itself.
"Now," the head teacher said," before we open the school, the Prime Minister has very kindly agreed to answer three questions. Raise your hands if you want the chance to ask her something and be polite. You represent our school!"
A flurry of small hands immediately appeared over the children's heads and a girl in the middle of the group was chosen.
"Why are you in a wheelchair?" she asked innocently. Sarah had counted on this being one of the questions asked and was certainly not offended by it, but the teachers looked heartily embarrassed.
"I suffered a really horrible illness as a child that left permanent injuries and they mean I can't walk," Sarah answered calmly, hoping to reassure the embarrassed teachers. The girl who had asked seemed to be satisfied with this answer.
A second child, a boy this time, was chosen.
"How can you be Prime Minister from a wheelchair? My dad says its political correctness gone mad, but I don't know what he means by that," he queried. This time the teachers looked as if they wanted the ground to open up and swallow them whole where they stood.
"The job involves lots of things like sitting at a desk or table, doing paperwork, or talking to people. You'd sit in a chair to do them so the wheelchair poses no difficulty there. What your dad means is that he thinks I've been elected purely because I'm in a wheelchair and not because of other things like experience or knowledge, although I assure you that is not true."
The teachers dared not brave another question after this; ten minutes later the school building had been opened and Sarah was mingling with teachers and parents in the schools' dining hall. Sarah actually found the questions posed to her by children to be far easier to deal with than some of the adults, who ignored the wheelchair to such an extent that it became clear that the wheelchair was all they could see. She was relieved when, after half an hour or so, her staff came to escort her home to deal with some more pressing matters.
As soon as Sarah had returned to her office she switched on the small television in the corner of the room, where it was pre-programmed to a news channel. Immediately she was confronted with images of herself answering the children's' questions as the news reporters discussed the issue of political correctness in politics. Sarah rolled her eyes; she was surprised that it had taken this long for people to start such a discussion.
Author diaryofadisabledpersonPosted on May 3, 2018 March 10, 2019 Categories Short StoriesTags Cat, Diary, Disability, Disabled, Elections, Politician, Politics, WheelchairLeave a comment on Wheels of Steel: Another Short Story.
All Creatures Great and Small.
Everyone seems to take great pleasure in watching animals react to and mimic a human world, and the way in which they react to disabilities is no less charming. It never ceases to surprise me how unafraid many animals are of the large metal frame full of gliding human, and some of the best reactions have been courtesy of cats and dogs.
In my first year of university, on a warm day towards the end of April, I decided to go to the local park as a short break from my exam revision. Naturally the park was full of dogs of all kinds, but there was one Labrador puppy taken straight from an Andrex advert that stole my heart. He was very interested in what, the owner told me, was his first ever encounter with a wheelchair, so I stopped to let him explore the novelty. The excitement must have been overwhelming, because after approximately a minute or so of examining my wheels, he promptly cocked his leg against the back wheel. I have never seen the colour drain from someone's face as rapidly as the owner's face did that day; they were mortified. I, however, thought it was hilarious, and was laughing so hard that my diaphragm ached from the effort. The poor puppy looked so self-satisfied that every time I stopped laughing, I had only to look at his face again to be set into another fit of hysterics. I assured the owner that it wasn't a problem, and had actually made my day, and we continued our separate ways, with my back wheel leaving a faint trail along the dry path.
About 18 months later, I was returning home after a visit to the pharmacy to find the path obstructed by a huge dog that looked like a cross between a Saint Bernard and a husky. I bent down to fuss the dog, who was tethered to a post while the owner collected his own prescriptions, in an attempt to gently move the dog from my path. What I hadn't realised was that this dog was still a puppy, and in her excited she jumped up, placing her front paws on my lap, and putting most of her weight on my hips. Within a second of this happening the owner came rushing out of the pharmacy yelling;
"Zara, not the disabled girl, oh god not the disabled girl, down Zara, down!"
I, of course, was thoroughly amused, and after reassuring the owner that I was perfectly alright and that Zara hadn't hurt me, we managed to move her from my path and I continued home.
On the way home from the pharmacy, I travel down a quiet road set on a hill, which is guarded by a cat called Dom. Dom is a black and white short-haired moggy, who spends most of his time sitting in people's gardens, and chasing birds. Strangely, he seems to be attracted to the sound of the motors on my powered wheelchair, and whenever I travel down this road, I am soon accompanied by Dom, who trots down the pavement on my right side in a scene that makes even the toughest Bradfordians melt.
I often marvel at the ability of animals to overlook disabilities and see the organism underneath, something which some human beings often struggle with. They don't appear to view the wheelchair as something to be afraid of, and actually seem to like it, which flies in the face of expectation. Perhaps taking a more animalistic view of the world would allow us to appreciate the really important things; food, shelter, and good company.
Author diaryofadisabledpersonPosted on January 22, 2017 March 10, 2019 Categories 2, HumourTags Animal, Cat, Diary, Disability, Disabled, Dog, Lifestyle, Wheelchair2 Comments on All Creatures Great and Small.