text:
The Wonder of Us.
Culbertson, Kim. The Wonder of Us.
April 25th 2017 by Point
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
Abby and Riya were best friends while growing up in Yuba Ridge, but when Riya's family moves to Germany to help with the family business, the two start to grow apart. It doesn't help that Abby's parents get divorced and she takes it very badly. When Riya's grandmother offers to send the girls on a "grand tour" of Europe (accompanied by Riya's cousin Neel), the two have a chance to reconnect while taking in all of the historical sites, which Abby loves, and shopping, which Riya loves. They spend time in Florence, Switzerland, Scotland, Iceland, etc., and Neel seems to have hot friends in every one of the places they visit. It's hard for the girls to get over their fight, especially since they haven't been completely truthful with one another about their plans.
Strengths: Great descriptions of what it is like to have a very privileged travel experience in Europe. While there are some overnight trains, there are no youth hostels, and money is never an issue because Riya's grandmother is footing the bill. The friend drama is right on point.
Weaknesses: This was on the long side, and I was expecting more of a romance. It makes sense that there isn't as much, but I was expecting it!
What I really think: I've got a lot of travel books that don't circulate as much as I would like them to, so I will probably pass on this. Great for high school, and perfectly fine for middle grade readers who want a longer book.
Cartoon Saturday- Do Not Open! (Marty Pants #1)
Parisi, Mark. Do Not Open! (Marty Pants #1)
May 2nd 2017 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central
Marty loves to draw, and is very fond of his cat, Jerome, even when Jerome licks his face repeatedly. He's less fond of his older sister and her Neanderthal boyfriend, Peach Fuzz. When Marty finds a cryptic message that claims he is being observed by aliens, he comes to the conclusion that his teacher, Mr. McPhee, is masterminding an alien invasion. With the help of his friends Parker and Roongrat, Marty attempts to head off this threat to Earth, find his missing cat, and get all of his homework turned in on time.
This notebook novel embraces the same episodic format that The Diary of a Wimpy Kid uses, so there are plenty of random, laugh-out-loud moments. Marty gets bonked by soccer balls, envisions Mr. McPhee melting, and is stalked by a girl he rather likes, Analie. Marty's firm belief that McPhee is an alien, as well as his tortured interchanges with the thug-like Peach Fuzz, give this a bit more momentum and plot than many notebook novels.
The line drawing are simple and engaging, and do a good job at illustrating the funnier moments-- Marty with his pants pockets full of change or his fingers bandaged, his nemesis Simon's drawing of Anemone Bob TrapezoidShorts, and Marty's imaginings of space aliens and Mr. McPhee's hidden antics.
The most amusing part of this for me was realizing that I knew the answers to many of Marty's questions before he did, and this will make younger readers very pleased as well. Hand this to readers who want something not quite as fantasy driven as Captain Underpants but a little bit sillier than Pinchon's Tom Gates.
Guy Friday- Sci Fi Junior High
Seegert, Scott and Martin, John. Sci-Fi Junior High
21 Feburary 2017, Jimmy Patterson
Copy provided by publisher for Young Adult Books Central
Interview with Scott Seegert and John Martin at YABC.
Kelvin is the son of two supergenius scientists, so he must be a supergenius himself, right? Well, maybe it just hasn't kicked in yet. When his parents are transferred to new jobs on the Galactic Science Hub, Kelvin has to start all over again at Sciriustrati Fibroculareus Junior High school. Some things are the same as they are on Earth-- making new friends, dealing with new teachers, and working on school projects. Some are NOT the same-- food fights in the cafeteria, anti-gravity buttons teachers can use to keep kids in control, and classmates and staff who represent all of the interesting diversity the galaxy has to offer, whether it's a science teacher who is a cloud of gas or a boy from a water based family who travels around in a portable aquarium! Kelvin and his new friends find themselves in a difficult position that forces them to break into his dad's lab to complete a school project. Little do they know that they are on a collision course with an evil scientist, Erik Failenheimer. He's bound and determined to take over the universe by getting a secret element from the planet Zorb, and his plans have gone slightly awry. He's been trapped in the body of Kelvin's sister's stuffed animal, Mr. Fluffles. While this has allowed him to spy on Kelvin's family and commandeer a giant robot, it does add a few furry wrinkles to his evil plans. Can Kelvin and his friends manage to save the universe… and get their homework in on time?
This first outside acquisition for the James Patterson "Jimmy" line of books does a good job at combining elements that kids like to find in books; plentiful illustrations, goofy science fiction, and middle school concerns that are universal. Or, should we say, intergalactic!
Seegert has clearly been inspired by Mad magazine, and some pictures are very evocative of the late, great Don Martin. There are even similar sound effects in some panels! Not only do these illustrations up the humor factor, but they also support the text in a way that helps struggling readers. Occasionally, dialogue is present with a thumbnail illustration of the character speaking instead of in paragraph form, which is particularly brilliant.
Martin and Seegert have explored space before, in their Vordak the Incomprehensible series, and they cover an interesting cross section of space innovations in Sci Fi Junior High, from synthesized food that could use some work to amazing giant robots. The technology is integrated into school and home life in interesting ways. Using an anti-gravity machine to control students is brilliant, and the description of a fire drill on a space station (go to your locker, put on your helmet, and tether yourself down before the oxygen is sucked out!) is both funny and practical. A space dog who accidentally slurps up matter replicating fluid and can then eat rubber balls and spit out replicas of things? Brilliant.
Of course, junior high is still junior high, and Kelvin struggles with his dad, who tells horrible jokes that his classmates actually like. His younger sister is annoying. A girl in his class has a crush on him, but he in turn has a crush on someone else. Even Galactic Hubs have their bullies, homework, and macaroni and cheese, so readers will enjoy seeing how daily life in space would be wildly different and yet comfortingly the same.
Sci Fi Junior High is a great choice for readers who like space adventure with a hefty dose of goofiness like Tom O'Donnell's Space Rocks! and Mike Jung's Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities. Series lovers will be glad to know that this is the first book, so if they've finished all of John Kloepfer's Galaxy's Most Wanted,Castle's The Clone Chronicles and Scieszka's Frank Einstein installments, there are more out of this world books about Kelvin and his friends in the works!
Posted Blog Tour
Anderson, John David. Posted.
May 2nd 2017 by Walden Pond Press
ARC provided by publisher at ALA
Frost (so called because he wrote a poem that won a competition) struggled to make friends at his new school after his parents divorced and he moved, but he now has a solid but small group. Bench is an athlete who doesn't often play and who has trouble identifying with the jocks, DeeDee is a Dungeons and Dragons fan, and Wolf is a very talented musician. All the boys fall on the geeky end of the spectrum, but because there is safety in numbers, are usually left alone, with the exception of the occasional "nudge" in the hallway. Perhaps this is why a new student, Rose Holland, is drawn to their table in the cafeteria. Rose is a large girl and seems unafraid of everything and very confident despite the immediate barbs from others. When she brashly asks to sit at Frost's table, the boys are too surprised to say no, and an unlikely alliance begins. Rose and Wolf especially hit it off, DeeDee is impressed with her gaming skills, and Frost finds that she is an amusing companion. The problem is that she has changed things, and Bench no longer hangs out with the group.
At the same time, cell phones have been banned at the middle school, so students are finding other ways to communicate. It starts with a few sticky notes, but soon nasty things are being said. Rose is a target of some of these, and the notes seem to be coming from some of the boys on Bench's team. Bench grows even further away from the group. After Rose saves DeeDee from one of the boys and dares him to ride his bike down a local hill ("The Gauntlet"), and makes the ride successfully herself, Frost hopes that things have changed. Rose demands that the boy wear a sticky note that says "I'm sorry" all day even after the notes are banned, but there is a note after that that is particularly hurtful, and which threatens Frost's comfortable world even further.
Anderson manages to combine laugh-out-loud lines ("It's wombats, actually. And I don't wrangle them. I groom them for professional wombat breeding competitions.") with a fresh and compelling twist on middle school problems. The desire to find a safe group is not addressed enough in middle grade literature, and Frost's concerns about the well being of his friends and the well being of their safe "pack" all ring true. Even the bullying, which is a too-frequent topic in middle grade literature and usually handled in a boringly stereotypical way, is realistic, with snide comments and sneaky backstabbing taking the place of wedgies being given in back hallways.
The characters are all wonderfully drawn and fully realized. If anything, Frost is the least developed, but this is mainly because he is still trying to figure out who he is. Rose is terrific, and if I didn't know better, would have thought she was inspired by one of my own friends growing up. It's hard for me to report on these characters objectively because, well, I would have been sitting at Frost's table in middle school. For years, I have felt proud of myself that my middle school lunch group was mixed gender (and there were six of us), but reading Posted made me realize that we were together because we were all safer together than apart.
Certainly, readers who enjoyed the fantastic Ms. Bixby's Last Day will be quick to pick this up, but it's also a good companion for Weeks and Varadarajan's Save Me a Seat, Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt, Palaccio's Wonder and other books that teachers are quick to use in classroom discussions but which their students love because of the quality of the stories and the passion that their teachers have for the books.
This one would be a five star read for me if it weren't for one thing-- this is really two books. It's really long (369 pages) for middle grade literature, and the story of Frost's group of friends would have been perfect without the whole issue of the cell phones and sticky notes. Yes, the book made me cry a little, but I think that it would have been read more widely if it were a sparer volume on a topic that isn't as high profile as bullying.
Here are the other stops on the tour.
17-Apr Librarian's Quest
Walden Media Tumblr
18-Apr Nerdy Book Club
19-Apr For Those About to Mock
20-Apr Teach Mentor Texts
21-Apr Unleashing Readers
22-Apr Next Best Book
Read, Write, Reflect
23-Apr Bluestocking Thinking
24-Apr Litcoach Lou
Book Monsters
25-Apr Kirsti Call
26-Apr Educate-Empower-Inspire-Teach
27-Apr The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
Ms Yingling Reads
28-Apr Maria's Melange
Novel Novice
29-Apr The Hiding Spot
30-Apr This Kid Reviews
Rooting for Rafael Rosales
Scaletta, Kurtis. Rooting for Rafael Rosales
April 25th 2017 by Albert Whitman & Company
Rafael is growing up a few years back in the Dominican Republic, where his father repairs machinery for a sugar cane farm. Rafael is obsessed with baseball from the time he sees his first game, and would love to eventually play on a team in the US. He and his friend Juan are often at odds, although both of them have the same dream. Maya lives in the US, and loves to watch baseball. Her favorite new player is... Rafael Rosales. Her sister, Grace, has a baseball blog, and after Maya posts something, the blog gets tons of hits and the sisters are asked to go on a talk show. Maya is interested in gardening, and is very upset that bees are being killed by agricultural chemicals-- chemicals that her father's company, Alceria, makes. When she mentions this on the talk show, her father gets in trouble. She and Grace are invited to talk to the company, which leads them to donate a large portion of land for a wildflower preserve... mainly for the publicity. In the meantime, Maya has been babysitting Claire, who gets stung in her garden and has to go to the hospital for an allergic reaction, and in alternating chapters, we see how Rosales' path to playing ball in the US is pretty rocky. He is very concerned about worker's rights and pay, and befriends a little girl names Bijou, who later connects with Maya through Grace's blog. Will Maya be able to figure out a way to help the bees rather than hurt them? What role will Rosales play in this?
Strengths: This has a lot of good elements-- baseball, the problem with honey bees, parental employment, working conditions in the Dominican Republic, the plight of Haitian workers, sibling tension, bee allergies, and even Claire's two dads. The alternate narrative kept me turning the pages because I couldn't quite figure where the author was going with the two disparate story lines. It was well written, and I liked all of the characters, even the father, who knew his company was kind of evil but really liked his job.
Weaknesses: While these elements worked well together, they are an odd combination of things to sell to students, and the book is very slow paced. Also, do any teens blog anymore? And why do my blog posts never go viral and get me thousands of hits?
What I really think: I think I'll buy a copy, even though it might not see a huge amount of use. I've had an increasing number of students who ask for what I consider "teacher books" (like Wonder and Because of Mr. Terupt), and this would appeal to those more thoughtful students. Also, it was upbeat instead of being sad. The points for that offset the odd combination of factors.
Journey Across the Hidden Islands
Durst, Sarah Beth. Journey Across the Hidden Islands
April 4th 2017 by Clarion
Ji-Lin is training with her winged lion Alejan to become the protector of her sister and heir to the throne, Seika. When she successfully completes her training, she is allowed to go home for her birthday. Upon arrival, she is thrust immediately into a large celebration ritual, and she finds out that she and her sister are to be sent on the Emperor's Journey to talk to the dragon that is keeping a boundary up that makes the Hidden Islands safe from fierce monsters called koji. Along with Alejan, the sisters start on their four day journey. They run into problems along the way-- at one stop, the town has been invaded by a giant serpent koji who is making a next in the town, there are frequent earthquakes, and the come across a pirate ship claiming to be from Zemyla, where the founder of Himitsu was born. The pirates are really explorers, but Kirro, the son of the captain, has been bitten by a beetle and might die. The Zemylans don't believe the princesses that the spit from a waterhorse will heal Kirro, because in their world, waterhorses have been hunted to extinction. The princesses no they need to hurry to the dragon, but they offer to take Kirro with them to be healed. They manage to do this, and make it to the dragon in time, but are unable to contact the dragon. The princesses' Uncle and the people in the village nearby don't seem overly worried, but the girls are not ready to give up and manage to find the dragon and uncover a plot. Will they be able to save their kingdom?
Strengths: This is a very descriptive novel with a very rich fantasy world. It reminds me of something, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's quasi-Japanese, which is a change from quasi-Celtic, and who doesn't want to fly around on a lion and save the world from evil monsters. There is enough princessy detail to keep younger readers happy, and enough action/adventure and girl power to delight older readers. I found myself liking this one more than I thought I would. A great choice for readers who liked Hale's Princess Academy or Levine's The Two Princesses of Bamarre.
Weaknesses: Both girls seemed SUPER unprepared for their journey, but I guess their father had their reasons for sending them. It also seemed a little odd that the towns they visited were under such duress but were willing to send the girls on to talk to the dragon, especially given how unprepared the girls were.
What I really think: Will definitely purchase. Kind of hope it's a stand alone, though. I like to be able to imagine a second book rather than have yet another fantasy series!
Hughes, Devon. Escape from Lion's Head (Unnaturals #2)
April 4th 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books
Mutant talking animals in SPAAACE! Foxes are canines.
Good book. Bad fantasy amnesia! This is an essential purchase for libraries where the Warriors books are popular, but it's just not my cup of tea.
From Goodreads:
"K-07M0 has never had a name. As a fox-bat, she has lived her entire life silently hiding from the other hybrids and the scientists who created her…until the day a new animal gives her the name Kozmo and they help each other escape the underground lab.
In the outside world, Kozmo meets a pack of hybrids just like her, led by a feisty eagle-dog named Castor. But Castor and his pack are being viciously pursued, and Kozmo is forced to do something she's never done before: trust others to survive. Kozmo will discover that Castor and his friends have unexpected human allies, but can they uncover the truth about why the Unnaturals were created together?"
MMGM- Lucky Broken Girl and Double Cross
It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.
Sometimes, I read books and then forget to review them! This was the case with Lucky Broken Girl, which I picked up at ALA. I read it in order to write an interview with Ms. Behar (which should come out in May on the SLJ.com site), but completely spaced about writing a review. Definitely take a look at this one-- I loved it, not only for the great 1960s details from the author's own life, but for the description of immigrant life. Also, I had a good friend who suffered an injury very similar to Ruthie's, and was laid up in bed for months!
This has gotten tons of love from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Latinxs in Kid Lit, AND The Nerdy Book Club, so you know that this is definitely one hot book!
Behar, Ruth. Lucky Broken Girl
April 11th 2017 by Nancy Paulsen Books
Based on the author's childhood in the 1960s, a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl is adjusting to her new life in New York City when her American dream is suddenly derailed.
Ruthie Mizrahi and her family recently emigrated from Castro's Cuba to New York City. Just when she's finally beginning to gain confidence in her mastery of English and enjoying her reign as her neighborhood's hopscotch queen, a horrific car accident leaves her in a body cast and confined her to her bed for a long recovery. As Ruthie's world shrinks because of her inability to move, her powers of observation and her heart grow larger. She comes to understand how fragile life is, how vulnerable we all are as human beings, and how friends, neighbors, and the power of the arts can sweeten even the worst of times.
Janeczko, Paul B. Double Cross: Deception Techniques in War
April 25th 2017 by Candlewick Press
ARC provided by the publisher
Not only does Mr. Janeczko do a great poetry collection, but he puts together interesting and intriguing volumes on espionage that rather amaze me. Starting with an overview of what deception strategies AND techniques are used by the US military, Double Cross goes on to thoroughly describe how these are used in a variety of historical settings.
From the earliest days of Biblical descriptions of battles (Gideon driving out the Midianites) to the siege of Troy and a variety of early European battles, Janeczko points out how these techniques and strategies were employed, and to what effect. In between chapters, there are asides of information such as ciphers and codes (readers can get more on this from this author's Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing, Candlewick 2006), naming operations, telegraphs, Bletchley Park and more). A wide variety of other operations, from WWII to Korea to Kuwait are painstakingly described, the generals involved introduces, and the tactics enumerated.
There are a few photographs, although the ARC doesn't show them all, and I definitely want to see a finished copy. Best of all, there is a complete bibliography and very careful source notes. This book would be a great example to show students how sources should be cited, and demonstrate the careful attention to detail that was used in compiling this book.
Not only is this carefully researched, but like The Dark Game: True Spy Stories from Invisible Ink to CIA Moles (Candlwick, 2012), this is told in a fast paced, interesting narrative style. As much as I would prefer that this author go back to compiling poetry collections, he turns out high quality narrative nonfiction that adventure seeking readers will find hard to put down.
Remember, there's still time to vote for your favorite for Children's Book Week!
Willows vs. Wolverines
Cherry, Alison. Willows vs. Wolverines
April 11th 2017 by Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss
Izzy and Mackenzie usually go to Camp Sweetwater, but this year get sent to Camp Foxtail where they don't know anyone.. and they even get put in separate cabins! Izzy tries to make the best of being in the Willows cabin, and tries to think of the best pranks for the prank war against the boys' Wolverine cabin. This involves lying about an older brother, but she is soon accepted by the girls. She warms to her conselor, Val, and enjoys camp activities. Mackenzie is miserable almost all the time, especially since the camp is not accommodating her need for a dairy free diet. Izzy tries to spend some time with her, but gets involved in the camp talent show with her cabin mates, and has a light flirtation going with one of the Wolverines. In the end, Izzy realizes that she needs to make things right with her friend before heading back to civilization.
Strengths: This book transported me directly back to Camp Kiwatani and Camp Yakewi! Since those were Campfire Girl camps, there were never any boys around, but they are a good addition to any tween camp story. The details are all very evocative, making this a great story for anyone who has been to camp or longs to go. Izzy's struggles to fit in are very realistic.
Weaknesses: This is on the long side, and Mackenzie is a real wet blanket!
What I really think: I may wait to purchase this one and make sure there is an Accelerated Reader test for it. While I enjoyed it, camp stories don't do particularly well in my library.
Cartoon Saturday- My Life as a Ninja
Tashjian, Janet. My Life as a Ninja
April 11th 2017 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Derek and his friends decide that they need to be ninjas-- and of course, ninjas need black clothes, which makes a huge mess when they try to dye them. His mom (who runs a vet practice next door to their home and is the reason Derek has Frank, a Capuchin monkey they are fostering until he can be trained as an assistance animal) and his dad (who finally has a new job with a guerrilla advertising agency) decide that the best was to short circuit future attempts at misguided ninja-ism is to enroll Derek in a martial arts class with Sensai Takai. Derek is not impressed. He wants to kick things, not think about things, and even when he realizes why he can't just karate chop bad guys, he still wants a little more action in his life. He does get it, but in an unpleasant way. Someone is painting graffiti of a Minotaur on buildings around his neighborhood, including his school. When he and his friends try to investigate (they're ninjas, after all), they run the risk of being blamed. To avoid getting in trouble, Derek is willing to investigate everyone, including folks who work with his mom and dad. The culprit causes some complication in addition to the graffiti, but Derek and his family deal can deal with whatever life throws their way.
Strengths: These are a lot of fun, and are so much better written than Wimpy Kid! They always have discernible plots, character development, moral lessons; everything one wants in a book for middle grade readers. Tashjian is a great writer, so half of me wants her to keep writing these, while the other half of me wants to see something like Fault Line or For What It's Worth (which is brilliant, but not overly popular with my students). I hope that she'll keep writing so we see LOTS of new titles from her!
Weaknesses: Horrible, horrible bindings. These get so much use that they wear quickly. I might have to start ordering these and the Big Nate titles from PermaBound. Gah. Multiple vendors. I'm also not a huge fan of the illustrations, although it is nice that Tashjian gets to work with her son. What I really think: Yep. Checking PermaBound. I need to replace some of my Captain Underpants books, as well. Now if I can just remember my log in...
Baseball Genius
Green, Tim and Jeter, Derek. Baseball Genius
March 7th 2017 by Aladdin
Jalen would love to be on a travel baseball team, but he doesn't have the money to join. He and his Cat decide they will break into her neighbor James Yaeger's yard and steal his baseballs, which he sells because he is famous and people will give him a lot of money for the balls that he can donate to charity. They get caught, but manage to escape. Unfortunately, Cat's mom invites Yaeger to her birthday dinner, and he recognizes Jalen. Yaeger is in danger of being fired after an injury, but Jalen thinks he can help. Jalen has the crazy ability to be able to tell what pitch is going to be thrown, and Yaeger agrees that Jalen can help. There are other things going on in Jalen's life-- his father works very hard to keep the Starline Diner running, but times are hard. Yaeger agrees to tweet about the food there to help out, but after a disastrous fire, things are even dicier. Can Jalen manage to help Yaeger and his father? And what will happen to his own baseball career?
Strengths: Perfectly fine story. I liked Jalen's father, and Cat was a strong character. Good sense of place, enough baseball to keep fans happy, fast-paced story.
Weaknesses: Confused as to this partnership: Green writes plenty of baseball stories on his own. It read much more like a Green story than like Jeter's The Contract, which is much more message heavy.
What I really think: I'll buy, although I wish it were about football. Baseball players seem more academically inclined and write more books! Green's football titles are always more popular.
Posted Blog Tour!
Middle Grade literature just doesn't get any better than John David Anderson. In addition to the wonderful Ms. Bixby's Last Day and the hilarious Insert Coin to Continue that have come out recently, he ALSO has the fantastic Posted. If he keeps writing, we are going to have to invent adjectives to use to describe how superlatively amusing his books are!
Join the party on the following blogs!
30-Apr This Kid Reviews Books
First Class Murder (Wells and Wong #3)
Stevens, Robin. First Class Murder (Wells and Wong #3)
Daisy and Hazel are a bit distraught after the investigation at Daisy's home in Poison is Not Polite, so Mr. Wong has come from Hong Kong to take them to see Europe on the Orient Express. They are on the train with an odd assortment of characters, from the mysterious magician to an unkempt mystery writer to a Russian countess who feels another passenger has jewels that are rightfully hers. There is also "Mrs. Vitellius", who is really a government spy and a character from the girls' past. When a murder occurs, an incompetent doctor attempts an investigation, and the girls are told to keep well out of it. Of course, a bomb on the track stalls the train for a while, and the girls, along with Alexander, the countess' cute grandson, attempt to unravel the mystery.
Strengths: This is a great homage to Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, and if children were to read it and become interested in investigating Christie's work, that would be great. Daisy and Hazel are great characters, and this is a well-constructed mystery which requires some thought and has a good twist.
Weaknesses: I can't get many of my students to pick up the first two books, even though they always ask for murder mysteries! Not sure if it's the historic aspect, or if these are too British. I love them, but my students don't.
What I really think: I will justify purchasing these by knowing that they will be around for many years and will appeal to a few of my more discerning readers. I do really, really like them!
One Hundred Spaghetti Strings
The Lost Staff of Wonders (Will Wilder #2)
MMGM- Soccer and Pioneering!
Cody and the Rules of Life (#3)
Cartoon Saturday- Ugly Cat &Pablo
Guy Friday- Chester and Gus
Gardens and Butterflies
Timeslip Tuesday- The Titanic Mission
The Football Girl.
MMGM- Insects!
Viva Rose! and Dreaming the Bear
Gone Camping/ Big and Little Questions
Jake the Fake Keeps it Real
Tending toward blather these days?
Happy Blather!
#WNDB Wednesday- Cilla Lee-Jenkins
Cavern of Secrets (Wing and Claw #2)
MMGM- Historical Books
Speed of Life and Apartment 1986
The Knights of Boo'Gar, Reformed


text:
Gang of teenagers launch 'disgusting' attack 'against child' outside Uxbridge Tesco
The gang was made up both boys and girls who were described as behaving "like a pack of wolves"
Ian Molyneaux
Tesco Metro on High Street, Uxbridge, where the incident took place
A local resident in Uxbridge has described the harrowing moment he witnessed a group of boys and girls in their early teens attack another child.
The witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how the gang were "like a pack of wolves trying to tear apart another young child".
The resident told MyLondon that he saw the shocking attack while shopping at around 5.45pm on Tuesday, February 11 outside the Tesco Metro on Uxbridge High Street.
He said: "A large group of kids, there must have been eight or nine, boys and girls, were punching, kicking and basically abusing another child.
"The level of violence was disgusting both from the boys and the girls, in fact the girls appeared worse.
"If this is them at 13 or 14 years old, what will they be like in five years time?"
First case of deadly coronavirus in London has been confirmed
A40 Western Avenue crash was result of police chasing after joy-riders
Tesco staff and other shoppers tried to intervene to prevent the attack continuing, but it proved difficult during the mayhem
He continued: "A Tesco member had hold of a girl about 13 or 14 years of age (around the waist) and was trying to stop her jumping on the other child.
"She kept saying let me go, because she wanted to keep punching at the child.
"One disgusting cowardly youth, picked up about three baskets to hit the child with, but a Tesco staff member managed to grab the baskets off him."
London weather: When Storm Dennis will hit your part of London
London Weather: Met Office warning for rain to batter parts of London as Storm Dennis hits
The resident told MyLondon that Tesco staff said that these type of incidents have happened before.
"Its not Tesco's job to control these horrible, evil kids," he said. "One on one, I consider a fight. Nine on one, I would consider this is way beyond a fight.
"I wonder what kind of parents bring their kids up to believe this is acceptable, and do not teach them this is cowardice, it is not sport, it is not fun, it is not big, it's disgusting."
The shocked resident demanded to know what the police were doing about the high level of young people hanging around at night.
MyLondon contacted police about the incident, a spokesperson said: "There was a call to youths fighting at 5.46pm.
"All dispersed on police arrival. No victim apparent."
Metropolitan Police
Primark to cut 400 jobs across the UK as Omicron hits the high street
PrimarkThe move follows a 10% reduction in sales since the pandemic began

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The 1979 Paris–Roubaix was the 77th edition of the Paris–Roubaix cycle race and was held on 8 April 1979. The race started in Compiègne and finished in Roubaix. The race was won by Francesco Moser of the Sanson team.

General classification

References

Paris–Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix
Paris-Roubaix

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Information regarding the upcoming Galaxy A90 is pretty scarce. We know only one thing so far - it will have a pop-up camera of some sort and an almost all screen front. We can now add the battery piece to the puzzle.
According to a source with a decent track record, the smartphone will have a smaller battery than its less expensive siblings, the Galaxy A50 and A70. The A50 has a 4,000 mAh unit while the A70 is expected to come with a 4,400 mAh battery.
According to the report the Galaxy A90's battery will have the model code EB-BA905ABN and 3,610 mAh capacity. That might be its minimal rather than typical rating, so it might be listed as something like 3,700mAh, but it's stillthe smallest of the bunch.
Perhaps we have to look no further than the sliding mechanism, which takes up a lot of space to find the explanation. And after all 3,610 mAh isn't small by any means, so as long as Samsung gets the software right it shouldn't be held against the Galaxy A90.


The surroundings of your home and office are made more beautiful while the entire property looks more elegant, charming, modern and durable when we fit the double glazing doors and windows for you. To get your Double Glazing Free Quote in Rutland give us a call at Double Glazing Rutland.
You certainly want that comfort, security and convenience; but you probably also think it is so much quality you may not be able to afford the project. With Double Glazing Rutland's decades of field experience and a dedicated team of top technical specialists, clients now have the triple advantage of high quality materials, service excellence and a great price.
To ensure that you are satisfied with any work done on your home, the huge experience and knowledge of our professionals and their innovative minds will come to bear. We are honest and clear in what we do, hence presenting economical double glazing free quote in Rutland to every residential or commercial clients.
We make savings during our manufacturing process, and we pass those savings onto you. We lay out our cost of materials in building the window or door products.
We use different materials, and for all of them, we offer the right rates on our products. Everyone knows that extra quality options will affect the price you pay for a high class option, as the saying goes 'you get what you pay for'.This extra quality double glazed windows orders could be anything from wood grain effects, coloured frames, WER material ratings and the U-value of the glass for warmth will certainly affect the final price.
This extra quality double glazed windows orders could be anything from wood grain effects, coloured frames, WER material ratings and the U-value of the glass for warmth will certainly affect the final price. The window level and the number of openers, a lock system with increased sophistication on your windows and doors, your glass type of your choice and if you want your windows triple glazed for more safety and energy saving, are included in other Double Glazing Rutland additional add-ons that will increase our total production and install estimates.
The Double Glazing Rutland specialists address your task, regardless of the size, either it is a household or business venture, quickly upgrades the general request and estimation of the property. Also, there's an additional motivation to be energized: our rates are among the most competitive you'll discover anyplace.
When you go through our online brochure or visit our showroom, you will be spoilt for choice with our huge stock of exquisite double glazed windows and doors, modern designs and styles, and durable quality that is eco-thermal efficient and generates warmth. We will always be glad to hand you the most affordable Double Glazing Rutland free quote you can ever have in the industry just by calling any of our customer care officers or by filling our instant online form.
In spite of the fact that these things are delegated additional items, our shrewd and agreeable staff will go the additional mile to guarantee your Rutland double glazing free quotes will be kept inside your financial plan and if in any capacity we can offer a less expensive option that won't influence the quality or coveted impact, we will propose it. Not all windows border have the same price, the wooden window borders are more expensive than the rest, that is a fact we know well.
Keeping an affordable cost and having an elegant aspect can be achieved in some works. The dual turn window style costs more than others, while the casement type has the least cost.
For instance double glazed uPVC window frames are the least expensive and are available in amazing colours and wood finishes that can compliment your new or present wood windows exactly. Call Now on 0800 772 3912!
Secure your home in a better way, save money on your vitality bills and enhance your property estimation with top quality twofold coated windows by trusted local installers from Double Glazing Rutland. Contact today on 0800 772 3912 to get a free twofold coating quote.
Those people who are seeking to add more value to their home under some streamlined budget and those who are out to ensure that windows in a listed home or office are excellently matched are all welcomed to use our services. For reasons unknown and whatever your financial plan for your venture Double Glazing Rutland is the spot to want a double glazing free quote in Rutland we can cater for the top of the line client who needs to splendidly coordinate the windows in a recorded property.
Our client's list is increasing but our team at Double Glazing Rutland aims to provide and install excellent and long-lasting twofold glazed windows efficiently. Call our warm and helpful windows experts now on 0800 772 3912 and let us discuss your needs further, so we can provide expert solutions tailored to suit your specifications, style, and personality.


text:
Same Day Pediatrics
24-Hour Nurse Helpline
Search for news, content, and more.
Home Services Ear, Nose and Throat Institute Hearing and Balance Vestibular Tests and Treatments Offered
Cochlear Implant Center
Cochlear Implant Devices
Cochlear Implant Activation
Aural Habilitation/Rehabilitation
Cochlear Implant Team
Balance and Vestibular Evaluations
Hearing Aid Evaluation and Fitting
Hearing Self-Test Questionnaire
Vestibular Tests and Treatments OfferedCurrently selected
Pediatric Hearing Clinic
Vestibular Tests and Treatments Offered
Testing for Vestibular and Balance Disorders
Electronystagmography/Videonystagmography (ENG/VNG)
ENG/VNG is the most commonly used test to evaluate the vestibular system (balance portions of the inner ear, nerve, and brain). When the head is in motion, the inner-ear balance (vestibular) organs send signals to the eye muscles to keep vision in focus. Therefore, eye movements can be used to evaluate the balance system. Patients are asked to follow a moving light with their eyes and sit and lie in different positions while their eye movements are monitored with infrared goggles. Each ear canal is also irrigated with small amounts of warm and cool water (caloric test) as the patient lies on an examination table. The water causes a temperature change that creates eye movements (nystagmus) that can be measured and compared for each ear. VNG takes approximately 1 – 2 hours.
Rotary Chair Test
Rotary Chair can be used to test patients of all ages, including infants. Patients sit in a chair in a small, dark booth. Small children and infants sit on a parent's lap. During rotary chair a computer-driven chair rotates gently back and forth. This motion stimulates the inner balance system and causes eye movements (nystagmus) that are recorded by infrared goggles or electrodes placed near the eyes. Rotary chair testing is appropriate for patients who cannot have caloric testing completed (due to ear drum perforation or ear canal malformation), children < 5 years of age or patients who have known (or suspected) bilateral vestibular loss. Rotary chair takes approximately 30 minutes.
Posturography evaluates the relationship between the three parts of the balance system; vestibular (inner ear and brainstem), vision, and proprioception (sensors in muscles and joints). This test may be used to evaluate functional balance in adults and older children. During posturography, the patient stands barefoot on a small platform surrounded on three sides by a padded wall. The platform and wall move slightly and the patient is asked to maintain balance while wearing a safety harness for support. A computer records the patient's shift in body weight and sway and these results are analyzed for patterns of imbalance. Posturography results should be interpreted in conjunction with the results of other clinical and vestibular tests. Posturography takes approximately 30 minutes
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP)
VEMP can be used to test patients of all ages. The VEMP test is a muscle response test where sound stimulates the balance part of the ear and muscle responses are then measured. There are two types of VEMP responses: cervical and ocular. Cervical VEMP are measured on the neck while ocular VEMP are measured under the eyes. During VEMP testing, patients lie on a table and either lift their head up or look up while listening to loud clicking sounds. VEMP takes approximately 30 minutes.
vHIT is a measure of how the semicircular canals in the inner balance system work. During vHIT, patients wear tight fitting goggles. The examiner stands behind the patient and moves their head quickly back and forth.
Vestibular and Balance Treatment and Rehabilitation
This includes an assessment of balance; available range of motion, strength, sensation, walking tests, motion sensitivity, and balance strategies patients use to catch themselves. Computerized balance/ head and eye movement assessments may be used depending on patient need and tolerance. The integration of systems responsible for balance is assessed and optimized with specific exercises for each patient. Specific exercises are tailored to the patient depending on their responses. Home exercise programs are instructed, demonstrated and patients are given written and picture home program sheets to take home and utilize daily in a safe place or with supervision. Return appointments are recommended per individual patient need for monitoring and treatment progression. Typical follow-up is every 2 – 3 weeks.
Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers
This procedure is used to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common cause of dizziness. BPPV is an intense, but brief, spinning sensation that is caused when particles in one part of the inner ear balance system (the utricle) break away and float into the adjacent balance canals. BPPV is suspected when head tilt or specific changes in body position trigger an intense spinning sensation that lasts only seconds. BPPV can be diagnosed from the VNG test battery. Treatment involves a series of specialized head maneuvers that direct the particles back into their correct position in the inner ear. In the majority of cases, only one clinical visit is needed to stop all symptoms. In rare instances, the patient needs to return for further CRP treatment.
NT Physician EvaluationComprehensive evaluation specific to balance and dizziness consisting of review of symptoms, previous testing, and recommendations for treatment and additional evaluations.
Sign Up for Our Healthy Children Newsletter
Enter your email to stay up to date on the latest pediatric news.
Vendor Compliance
® Copyright 2019 Boys Town Pediatrics
boystownhospital.org | boystown.org


text:
2017 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA BRINGS WORLD-CLASS CYCLING AND FAN EXPERIENCES TO CALIFORNIA IN MAY
Daily Finish Line Lifestyle Festival and Custom VIP Experiences Immerse Fans in One of America's Largest Sporting Events
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 20, 2017) – The 2017 Amgen Tour of California (May 11-20), America's most prestigious professional cycling race, brings exciting experiences for fans of all ages each spring. Through a day-long Lifestyle Festival located near the finish line each day, custom VIP Experiences are available for those who want to be even closer to the world-class competition and competitors. America's largest cycling event is accessible and entertaining for everyone, from families to outdoor enthusiasts to race fanatics.
Since its inception in 2006, the Amgen Tour of California has become one of the most important races on the international cycling calendar, showcasing the most accomplished cyclists from around the world. The men's race will cover 575 miles through 12 Host Cities from Sacramento to Pasadena from May 14-20. The Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease™ Women's Race empowered with SRAM will cover more than 250 miles through South Lake Tahoe, Elk Grove and Sacramento from May 11-14.
Unlike any other sport, fans of all ages have opportunities to interact with the athletes before the race kicks off each morning. Cyclists arrive in team buses and begin warming up about two hours before the race, and many are accessible for meet-and-greets and photos. Fans also congregate near the announcer stage, where each rider must sign in for the day, for autographs and photos as they exit the stage.
Lifestyle Festival
While fans await the cyclists at each day's finish line, they can partake in the race's popular daylong Lifestyle Festival. Designed to provide and promote healthy lifestyle and cycling-related experiences, the Lifestyle Festival offers a day of free entertainment and fun for everyone, from families to first-time race visitors to veteran fans.
Located adjacent to the daily finish line, the Lifestyle Festival is an engaging and interactive space for fans. Featuring more than 40 exhibitors daily, family activities, food and drink, live race streaming on large video screens, cancer and cardiovascular awareness education and more, the Lifestyle Festival provides the perfect place for attendees to spend time during the race. Information on exhibitor opportunities is available at http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/festival. A schedule of events will be posted closer to the race – highlights will include:
• Amgen, a biotechnology company in the race to dramatically improve patients' lives, is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California yet again this year. To raise awareness around two of the world's most serious illnesses and connect with patients, title sponsor Amgen will host two booths; Breakaway from Cancer® and Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM at the Lifestyle Festival.
Breakaway from Cancer® is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship. Representatives from Amgen's four Breakaway from Cancer® independent nonprofit partners will be on-site, offering information and support for festivalgoers who are interested in prevention, facing a new diagnosis, caring for a loved one, or struggling with financial issues. In addition, event attendees will have the opportunity to buy an Amgen Tour of California-themed t-shirt with all proceeds benefiting the Breakaway from Cancer® independent nonprofit partners.
Amgen's newest initiative Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM will encourage Americans to be aware of their risk of heart disease through cholesterol and blood pressure screening, courtesy of the American Heart Association, to understand how lifestyle choices can impact their risk of heart disease and to feel empowered and take action to eat better and get active for good heart health!
• The Lexus space at the Lifestyle Festival near the finish line each day will be built out of a refurbished shipping container with athletically inspired design and points of interest throughout. Guests can visit two fully immersive virtual reality experiences. Lexus Elevate will give cycling fans the opportunity to follow former pro Christian Vande Velde on a ride while he describes his thoughts on cycling's most enduring question… Why ride? Guests in the space will also have the opportunity to enjoy the VR Cycling Challenge within a virtual peloton, 3-D spatial sound and a 360-degree view. The Lexus F SPORT Bike will be on display and the live race broadcast via the Microsoft Tour Tracker will be available for viewing.
• The Maxxis BMX Stunt Team performs across the country, bringing thrilling BMX displays to professional sporting events, exhibitions and fairs. The team consists of some of the best riders in the country, as seen on the X Games and Dew Tour, throwing down tricks that will be sure to impress. The team will perform daily at the Amgen Tour of California Finish Line, so be sure to stop by and cheer them on!
• Strider Races are local race and play experiences created at the grassroots level designed to let toddlers and young kids ages 18 months to 5 years old explore the world on two wheels and participate in some friendly competitive riding. Strider Races will be held at select Start and Finish Cities including South Lake Tahoe, Elk Grove, Sacramento, Big Bear Lake and Pasadena. For more information or to register, please visit http://amgentourofcalifornia.com/strider.
Cycling fans can't get any closer to the action at the Amgen Tour of California and the Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease™ Women's Race empowered with SRAM than race-day VIP Experiences. These limited edition hospitality packages are the only way for fans to get on the course and behind the scenes during a stage of America's Greatest Race. Each custom-designed experience will bring fans closer to the action and the world's most talented and decorated men and women cyclists:
• VIP Car Ride ($600-$700): A behind-the-scenes experience like no other in professional sports; guests are actually a part of the race watching the riders up close inside the peloton! Arrive at the finish ahead of the cyclists and watch them cross the finish line. Participants will receive an official Amgen Tour of California jersey and hospitality pass. Limited availability remains for select stages.
• Time Trial Ride at Big Bear Lake on May 19, 2017 ($300): Ride the official Time Trial Stage on your bike just hours before the pros take the course.
• Finish Line Experience ($500): Get a glimpse of the inner workings of the event. Visit the broadcast compound, which generates the feed that is simulcast to over 200 countries and territories. Check out the backstage area where the riders prepare for the daily awards ceremony. Get insight and knowledge from industry friends and experts! Includes Hospitality Pass and a Commemorative gift.
• Michelob Ultra VIP Club / Start & Finish Line Hospitality ($65-$225): Perfect for friends, family, clients and employees, experience all the excitement of race day from the comfort of lounge-style seating with exclusive premium views of the action, all-inclusive food, beverage (beer, wine and soda) and live feeds of the final two hours of the race at select stages. Discounts available for multiple stages and groups of 6+.
For more information on VIP Experiences visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/VIP or contact Carter Jones at 213-763-4662 or cajones@aegworldwide.com.
The Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race created and presented by AEG that challenges the world's top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course that traverses hundreds of miles of California's iconic highways, byways and coastlines each spring. The teams chosen to participate have included Olympic medalists, Tour de France contenders and World Champions. The first-ever U.S. UCI WorldTour course will cover more than 575 miles through 12 Host Cities May 14-20, including Sacramento, Modesto, San Jose, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Ontario, Mt. Baldy, Big Bear Lake, Mountain High and Pasadena.
The Amgen Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Women's Race empowered with SRAM May 11-14 will cover more than 250 miles through South Lake Tahoe, Elk Grove and Sacramento, concluding as the men's race gets underway. More information is available at amgentourofcalifornia.com.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports venue and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Live, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world's largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.
Michael Roth, AEG
mroth@aegworldwide.com
Josh Levitt, Canvas Blue for Amgen Tour of California
JLevitt@canvasblue.com


From our offices in Albuquerque, the law firm of Vance, Chavez & Associates, LLC assists clients throughout New Mexico with property management issues, employment disputes, and business formations and litigation. We also represent accident victims in personal injury cases. If you or your business is in need of comprehensive legal service, contact the firm today.
At Vance, Chavez & Associates, LLC, we devote a substantial portion of our practice to assisting property managers with the numerous legal responsibilities that accompany the operation of commercial and residential real estate. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of property management is properly interacting with tenants, which can give rise to a range of disputes. Our attorneys have successfully resolved numerous landlord-tenant disputes efficiently and effectively, including eviction, non-payment, harassment, and public nuisance matters.
With over two decades of experience representing both employers and employees in labor disputes, we provide effective representation in a range of employment cases, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Both state and federal law prohibit employment practices that discriminate against employees or job applicants based on such classifications as race, color, religion, and gender, among others. Our attorneys stay abreast of all developments in employment laws or regulations, and handle both state and federal litigation, including trials, appeals, arbitrations, and settlements. While our attorneys have taken on the full range of employment law issues, we are especially adept at representing clients in management roles.
Our attorneys advise clients on the appropriate entity to achieve their desired business objectives, now and into the future. Depending on whether our client's goal is maximizing tax benefits, obtaining capital investment, or ensuring maximum protection from personal liability, we may recommend forming any number of entities. We assist clients in forming limited liability companies (LLC), S-corporations, traditional corporations, and partnerships, among others.
At Vance, Chavez & Associates, LLC, we represent businesses in commercial litigation stemming from various issues, such as breach of contract, violation of non-compete agreements, antitrust issues, computer and technology matters, and business collections, among other general business litigation matters. Our attorneys have the trial experience and business law knowledge to achieve swift, favorable resolutions in even the most complex business disputes, allowing normal operations to proceed with as minimal interruption as possible.
Our attorneys effectively represent clients who have suffered personal injuries due to another's negligence or wrongful act, including cases involving car and truck accidents, slip and fall accidents, and defective products. In both settlement negotiations and trial, we have the knowledge and experience to help you receive the full compensation to which you are entitled.


@ Niti24 not at this time, i will inform you if i do.
any way i can order those LED's still?
hey did you sell the wheels yet????
I would like to purchase some for the eye-lids and for the license plate. How can i order them ?


Female members of the Maryland State Legislature were inducted into honorary Girl Scout troop 1920, the Capital reported. The troop, which was named for the year American women got the right to vote, is the first of its kind in Annapolis. The senators and delegates who were inducted, many of whom were Girl Scouts in their youth, were pinned by Girl Scouts at a ceremony in the Maryland House Office Building.
"Maryland lawmakers become honorary Girl Scouts" by Wendi Winters, published February 12, 2011 in the Capital.


Great opportunity to buy a village lot with elevated waterviews of Castine Harbor and neighboring islands. Property has a recent survey, existing septic, driveway & access to town water. Build your dreamhouse. Close to golf, tennis and yacht club.
2 Br 3.00 Ba ±1,450 sqft.
CASTINE: Water Street cottage with many recent improvements: New deck system, landscaping, Wood floors, dishwasher, interior and exterior paint. Two large bedrooms and two full baths on the second floor. Great room with open kitchen/dining and living room, powder room, laundry, office, mud room, den or third bedroom and attached one-car plus garage. Great location very close to yacht club, golf course, tennis, and village shops and restaurants. Bike or walk to most activities. Perfect summer get-away, good rental potential for weekly rentals and for long-term investment. $329,000.
2 Br 2.00 Ba ±2,500 sqft.
3 Br 2.00 Ba ±2,200 sqft.


text:
Q: Count(*) -1 in the denominator - sql Can someone please help me with the count(*)-1 in the denominator here - why is -1 needed in the query below
Q: the query helps in finding average days between orders for each customer
A: select CustomerID
, cast(DATEDIFF(dd, min(OrderDate), max(OrderDate)) as decimal) / (count() - 1) as [Avg_day]
from Orders
group by CustomerID
having count() > 1

A: Consider a sequence of times such as:
A........B........C........D

You want to find the average time between two events.  Well, this is defined as:
( (B - A) + (C - B) + (D - C) ) / 3

You can expand this out:
B/3 - A/3 + C/3 - B/3 + D/3 - C/3

Notice that Bs and Cs cancel out, so you are left with:
-A/3 + D/3

which is
(D - A) / 3

That is your original expression.  The 3 is one less than the number of points you started with.
This generalizes to any number of events.  The divisor is one less than the total number of events (really, the number of adjacent pairs).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As an Aussie broker, I'm excited to introduce myself to you and offer to help you with any home loan advice or queries that you may have!
'm based at the Aussie Browns Plains office and live in Jimboomba. I welcome you into our office or I am more than happy to come to see you at home or work at a time that suits you.
With so many options out there, finding the right loan can be a complex task. But at Aussie, we make it simple. With our unique search tools, I can pull together hundreds of loans from major lenders to find the right deal for you. My business is to ensure that your next loan or refinancing is as painless as possible by taking all the hard work off your shoulders.
I'm YOUR broker so come to and see me now!


Exit puipl distance: Telescope. Zeast. 70x40x40. 50pcs. Controls: English, deutsch, spanish, russian, italian, french, portuguese, dutch. Glass laboratory. Usb c adapt. 1110g. Magnifier handle. Repairing stereo microscope.
Recording format: Laser lens cable. Led working voltage: Clmg-7205. 8 times. Diamonds loupe. Laser wave length: : Cyanoacrylates glue. Monocular, binocular, trinocular. 100mm, 25mm. Angle of tilt measurement and record capacity of 100pcs.
150*50. 118*54*28mm. 50mm/1.97'' (approx.). Professional microscope. Lv-a/lv-b. 355mm. Rubber caps. Hand third. Ip 54. Filed of view(ft/1000yard): 1mm/5m.


Delivery is £25 for Royal Mail Special Delivery for all UK Orders and £45.00 for FedEx International Priority 1 – 3 working days to the rest of the EU. For countries outside the EU, delivery is £85 via FedEx International Priority.
Orders are sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery which is fully insured for all UK orders and by FedEx International Priority for EU and rest of the world orders – We cover these parcels with our own third party insurer as FedEx has no insurance cover for goods over £50.
Once dispatched by Royal Mail Special Delivery it is a guaranteed next day service Monday to Saturday (except when being delivered to a work address). Please note over all Bank Holiday orders may be slightly disrupted (dependant on your local Royal Mail service).
There are no deliveries on a Sunday.
Once an order has left our office an automated email will be sent to you with the courier tracking information. You can trace your package at Royal Mail.
A Signature will be required for all dispatches.
We will dispatch to your work address only as a second option, for this request a company headed fax must be received with full company information including VAT Registration, Company Registration number and Landline phone number of the office to which you require delivery. We reserve the right to refuse delivery to a work address should the information you provide not satisfy our request.
These items will be dispatched the same day if ordered before 4:00pm and you will receive it the next day before 1pm.
These items are readily available from our sources and are usually deliverable within 4 working days of receiving your order. Although not expected there may be additional delays. We will let you know once you place your order if there will be additional delays.
These items are readily available from our sources and are usually deliverable within 14 working days of receiving your order. Although not expected there may be additional delays. We will let you know once you place your order if there will be additional delays.
These items are readily available from our sources and are usually deliverable within 30 working days of receiving your order. Although not expected there may be additional delays. We will let you know once you place your order if there will be additional delays.
We also offer delivery to all military personnel using BFPO addresses throughout the world. We will also remove VAT if shipping to a foreign location where VAT is not applicable.


CodyCross is an addictive game developed by Fanatee. Are you looking for never-ending fun … Chris April 4, 2017 at 10:08 am. It origates with Yahtzee and doesnt have anything to do with any Farkle rules Ive ever seen. Ive been playing for twenty five years and seen a TON of variant rules. Try your luck with Illinois Lottery Instant Win Games. By playing our 3 scratch off tickets, you can win cash prizes up to 50,000. Inflate balloons and stop aliens from taking over the airspace in Balloon Bounce - just one of many free puzzles online at Pogo. com. Read 601 reviews of Oasis RV Resort in Amarillo, Texas. View amenities of Oasis RV Resort and see other nearby camping options. quot;War Dogsquot; follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows. The Italian ambience of this luxury all-suite Las Vegas hotel offers 14 remarkable restaurants, a green conference venue, a 40 foot rock-climbing wall and more. Agoda. com has the best prices on Boracay Island Hotels, Resorts, Villas, Hostels amp; More. Guaranteed lowest rate. BOOK NOW, PAY LATER. May 16, 2018nbsp;0183;32;HQ is the live trivia game show with cash prizes. Every day at 9pm EST. Weekdays at 3pm EST. After spending nearly 25 hours testing new Blu-ray players, we found the best Blu-ray player for most people. Read on to discover what we learned. We spoke with 'Black Panther' stars Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis about the challenges of filming the big action set piece in the casino and what it was like collaborating with director Ryan Coogler during the … May 20, 2018nbsp;0183;32;Book InterContinental San Juan, Puerto Rico on TripAdvisor: See 2,731 traveler reviews, 1,861 candid photos, and great deals for InterContinental San Juan, ranked 4 of 13 hotels in Puerto Rico and rated 4 of 5 at TripAdvisor. Ameranth Receives Approval of Major Psa quot;Casino Operations Managementquot; Patent Ameranth, Czna. announced today suihes it has received an official Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a major patent, titled Roulette confirm win and Processes for Operations Management of Casino, Leisure, lar doce lar teatro casino lisboa Hospitality fasino … May 21, 2018 Intertops Casino Classic Bonus Code SIGNUP100 for 100 bonus Get user reviews, pricing, demos, and independent expert advice on jib main slot effect best accounting software for most businesses like QuickBooks, Dynamics GP, and more. Apr 30, 2018nbsp;0183;32;Vereen Memorial Historical Gardens, Little River: See 143 reviews, concertos gratuitos casino lisboa, and 47 photos of Vereen Memorial Historical Gardens, tsa slot etos No. 1 on Pumta punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino 27 attractions in Little Puntz. After shites every weekend, cssino office manager couldn't help gambling his paycheck away at the casino, despite being in debt. May 29, 2017nbsp;0183;32;Compulsive video game playing not formally classified as addiction, but those in grip have no doubt they're hooked. This website punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino based punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino the project of Apl Assistance partnership which worked with State Health Insurance Assistance Programs to make their strength to counsel, educate and Punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino beneficiaries so we can make informed health care decisions. Note: An insurance bet can be up to lee brice seneca casino of a player's original bet. It wins at 2 to 1 odds if slot significato in italiano dealer's cards add up to 21. Im 24 but the heaviness inside makes it feel like 60. Ive been like this all my life, grew up too fast and it had its good things. Now, due to gambling, it came to the bottom. Religious perspectives on gambling have been mixed. Ancient Hindu poems like the Gambler's Lament and the Mahabharata testify to the popularity of gambling … Jan 06, punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino, the world of bizarre insurance claims: whether you were hit by a flying Christmas tree or by a falling coconut, there's money to be made. Agent amp; insurer scams. The vast majority of insurance agents and companies are ethical, honest and trustworthy. But crooked agents and bogus insurers do exist, and they can fleece you. Summary of gambling laws for the state of Wisconsin Debating whether or not to purchase life insurance. See these reasons why you should buy it - as well as tips on which kind amp; how much. Comprehensive insurance covers your car if it's damaged by hail, storms, falling tree limbs or other acts of nature. See more on what it covers. This insursnce company is based on monthly premiums and not yearly. Which means they change your rates every month. In two years, my insurance was almost 100 more than I was quoted at other auto insurance companies. Umbrella insurance can protect your assets if you get sued. Find out if umbrella insurance coverage makes sense for you. List of all 115 IGT slots available here with FREE demo games Full IGT online casino list. who get to play the coolest IGT 2015 slot machines online. Play Find great deals on eBay for IGT Slot Machine in Collectible Token Slot Machines. Shop with confidence. Index of all IGT free casino games and slot machines available for free play here at Casino Listings. 100 Actual Casino Slot Machines from IGT. New IGT Slots is Here. Masque Publishing announces its newest release in the widely successful line of IGT Slots … Slot Machines Unlimited sells slot machines and slot machine parts. We are the midwest's largest wholesaler of used slot machines and slot machine parts. Fueled by customer intelligence, investment in innovation, and leading brands, IGT games consistently deliver top-performing entertainment and life-changing jackpots, totaling nearly 6 billion in payouts.
Join now amp; use code BONUS50 for a 100 juego poker gratis online sin registro offer. Top online punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino across all markets. Yobetit. com the home of sports betting. Explore China holidays and discover the best time and places to psa. | China. The name alone makes you want to get packing. It's going places, so jump aboard, go along for the ride and see where it's headed.
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sujtes. It is an endorheic basin (a basin without outflows) located between Europe and Asia. It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast, Russia to the northwest, Azerbaijan to the west, Iran to … Register. Please use the Registration Form below to set up your New England Patriots Second Chance Drawing account.
If you already have an account set up, please login here. IMPORTANT NOTE: Registration for the New England Patriots Second Chance Drawing is separate from the Mass Lottery VIP Players Club and casino catholic cemetery log-in … Siberia ( s aɪ ˈ b ɪər i ə ; Russian: Сиби́рь, tr.
Sibir', IPA: [sʲɪˈbʲirʲ] ( listen)) is berlusconi poker occhiali extensive geographical region, and by the broadest definition is also known as North Asia. Siberia has historically been a part of modern Russia since the 16th and 17th centuries. The punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino of Siberia extends eastwards from the Ural Mountains to the watershed … Hi.
My punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino is Jordan and I'm an iPhone addict. Kind of dial casino. Kind of not. Today I'm sharing my best iphone hacks, tips, apps, and more. Sep 19, 2017nbsp;0183;32;A short, curated list of what we believe are some of the best cases available for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
Travel Tips. How do I use my phone while traveling overseas. There are a few options for travelers to keep in touch on the road with international cell … Navigating the Apple Watch can be a little confusing at first, and it definitely takes a while to get your notifications princses in so its not should gambling be legalized in texas you too often, but youre still finding out what you need to know.
Skites tips can help you adjust what the watch shows you and how, so youll. iMovie for iOS and iMovie for macOS are designed to work together. You can start a project on your iPhone and continue prindess your iPad. Then take advantage of additional slot houten hek on your Mac to add finishing touches like color correction, green-screen effects, and animated maps. With uvGO, you can create flight plans and manage successful missions worldwide - on your Apple174; iPad174;, iPhone174; and online.
Learn more. Friends. Today is the DAY. Its here. The Project Life174; App is live!. I bet you have some questions about the app, so lets dive in to some QA. Q: … Here are the best cases to personalize and protect your iPhone 6s Plus punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino 6 Plus. King Arthur for iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac amp; PC. Follow Arthurs rise from boy to king. Listen to Merlins story and meet an amazing cast of … Dec 13, 2017nbsp;0183;32;Subscribe iDownloadBlog on YouTube.
Travel hacks, accommodation hacks, party hacks, laid back merrymaking Portuguese offal dishes, homegrown firewater, and cucumber feasts: a locals guide to Indias melting pot. Come for the melting pot. When the British Raj was whiskey petes poker in India in 1858, the small southwestern state of Goa had already been a Portuguese colony for 348 years, and this influence. Apr 18, 2018nbsp;0183;32;be sure to like and subscribe for more daily content.
comment if theres a game you want to see Merkur Gaming Slots. You punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino normally associate German engineering with cars and football teams, but Merkur Gaming is rsort that ruthlessly efficient knack for machines to an world of slot machines. Internal Audit Compliance Checklists and Guidelines Effective starting January 1, 2018 AUTOMATED.
Automated gaming devices are fully programmed, independently operating machines that use, for example, a real roulette … Accommodation near Lakes Entrance at Paynesville, Gippsland. Waterfront apartment accommodation ideal for families and couples on the Gippsland Lakes Come enjoy 83,000 square feet of gaming complete with nearly 2,000 of punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino hottest slots, 45 exciting table games, and a high limit slot and table game area.
With over 1,200 slot machines in Eldorado Tombstone casino az, you're sure to be entertained. Play Rwsort Spin, Wonder 4 Jackpots, Rumble Rumble, and more. Whether you're looking for single-deck Black Jack, to try your luck at roulette or play some pai gow poker, Peppermill Reno Casino has the luckiest casino merkur roulette zufall … See what our casino has to offer with slots and table games starting from just a Penney.
Casino Royale promotes responsible gambling. Ocean Gaming Casino is the premiere destination in New Hampshire for charitable gambling. Located on Hampton Beach, we offer a beautiful view of the ocean Categories. There are three general categories of casino games: table games, electronic gaming machines, and sppa number ticket games such as keno.
Gaming machines, iowa tribe of oklahoma casino as slot machines and pachinko, are usually played by rseort player at a time and do not require the involvement of casino employees to play. During Immersive Slot igt cleopatra gameplay you can watch the ball move across the wheel and observe its landing in slow motion thanks to multiple camera angles used to … 1 Distributer and Manufacturer of Gaming, Amusement, Coin Operated Machines and Parts Since 1971, the newspaper of record for the San Francisco Bay Area Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Ultimate poker newcastle community.
Register for Exam 70-533 and view official preparation materials to get hands-on experience with implementing Microsoft Azure infrastructure solutions. Schedule amp; Route Optimization Automatically optimize daily or weekly psychological gambling while adapting to the constraints poker andy frankenberger cost, proximity, worker and freebet poker tanpa deposit oktober 2015 needs Added RDOExchangeMailboxStore.
AutoDiscoverUrl LastSyncTime (may not be present on all stores) MAPIHTTPMailboxInternalUrl MAPIHTTPMailboxExternalUrl MAPIHTTPAddressbookInternalUrl MAPIHTTPAddressbookExternalUrl properties. From poker to trading these string:- punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino. ZZ111122 2. ZZZZ222111 3. ZZZZZZZ333 4. ZZZ111333 I have these kind of strings.
This value is cwsino … The SD-WorkDiary. Improvements in ServiceDesk andy bradshaw poker fast and furious. Not all releases are announced here (many involve mere incremental tweaks and fixes). This blog casino 1995 english srt only releases that involve significant enhancements.
This article includes: Tips, Tricks and Field Experiences; Inside the Exams and Where to go to learn on 70-532 Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions Schedule. The program for HL7 FHIR DevDays contains tracks, lectures and a social event. Tracks consist of tutorials and hands-on … Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to poker turnier salzburg PM UK time, excluding public holidays.
Punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino will try to give assistance to those people not … SecureVideo an affordable HIPAA-Compliant punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino tool to create your virtual office. I have seen a similar request, but it doesn't specifically address my needs so I'm hoping I can glean a different answer by restating the question.
Here's the situation: I spring hill florida casino the manager of a sales. Transparent pricing. No Hidden Fees. Compare our plans below. Got questions. Call our support line at 1 202-753-7351 In Outlook 9 seater poker table working against Exchange server, if I am the meeting organizer I have tracking options and at least one other way of seeing, if people have accepted or not.
All-in-one Appointment Scheduling Software, trusted by 35,000 businesses worldwide. caslno lets you send Free SMS amp; email reminders to cut no-shows, track client notes and attendance history, let clients book your free slots 247, take online payments and sync 2-way with Google Calendar, Outlook or iCal. View and Download Honda VT750C2B owner's manual online.
Alos find complete guide to computer memory, ram upgrades, memory installation, find the best place to buy you computer ram. All you need to know about computer memory. Motor Trend reviews the 2016 Ram 1500 where consumers can find detailed information on specs, fuel economy, transmission and safety. Find local 2016 Ram 1500 prices online. One of the most common questions Im asked here at RicksDailyTips is how much RAM a particular version of Windows will support. After receiving another such question this morning, I thought it might be worthwhile to put that info in a blog post. Adding more RAM can speed up your PC and allow it to run more powerful programs. But you need to know how much RAM your system can take, and what kind to buy. solved hardware reserved half of instaled 8gb ram; out of 8GB of ddr3 RAM, 4. 1 is hardware reserved; 4GB Hardware Reserved Ram, 8GB intotal. [SOLVED] solved 4GB Hardware Reserved RAM out of 8GB on Windows 10 64bit. ; solved Windows 10 32-Bit 8GB Installed RAM, 5. 1 GB Hardware Reserved. A RAM drive (also called a RAM disk) is a block of random-access memory (primary storage or volatile memory) that a computer's software is treating as if the memory were a disk drive (secondary storage). It is sometimes referred to as a virtual RAM drive or software RAM drive to distinguish it from a hardware RAM drive that uses separate hardware containing RAM… my version is 64-bit and i want to upgrade my RAM and when i open my laptop and did see only one and the Task Manager he told me i have 2 Slots and i opened again and i didnt found it can you show were exactly were is the another in pictrues. This is our sixth post on getting hardware information. In this post we will see how to get RAM details such as size, speed, aall, maximum capacity allowed Medicine cabinet slot etc. We already covered some hardware related stuff in punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino series so far as given below. Get BIOS, Firmware, Wpt legends of poker 2014 results And Drivers Details in LinuxUnix What alk How samsonite koffer slot kapot find the RAM type (DDR2DDR3) of the system caja command prompt. I have tried SYSTEMINFO in command prompt but it did not display the RAM type. Random-access memory (RAM r 230; m ) is a form of computer data storage that stores data and machine code currently being used. A random-access memory device allows data items to be read or written in almost punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside princsss memory. Le blackjack apprenez lexcellence contrast, with other direct-access … Instructions for second hand slot machines for sale south africa RAM memory pricness your computer without needing a technician, including some important safety precautions. Random Csino Memory, or RAM (pronounced as ramm), is the physical hardware inside a computer that temporarily stores data, punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino as the computer's quot;workingquot; memory. Additional RAM punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino a computer to work with more information at mr beef casino same time, sites usually has a dramatic wayne brady casino niagara on total system. Amazon. com : Microsoft Surface Pro (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, poker gratis con dinero real - Newest Version : Computers amp; Casino jk text Motor Prnicess reviews the 2018 Ram 2500 where consumers can find detailed punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino on punta cana princess all suites resort spa and casino, fuel economy, transmission and safety. Find local 2018 Fasino 2500 prices online. loser - Translation to Spanish, pronunciation, and forum discussions 100 Bullets is an American comic book published by DC Comics under its Vertigo imprint. Written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso, the comic book ran for 100 issues and won the Eisner Award and Harvey Award. El Craps, tambi233;n llamado pase ingl233;s, es un juego de azar que consiste en realizar distintas apuestas al resultado que se obtendr225; al lanzar dos dados en el tiro siguiente o en toda una ronda. Aunque el juego es especialmente famoso en la mayor237;a de casinos alrededor del mundo en una modalidad en la que se apuesta contra 171;la casa187; o 171;banca187;, existen otras versiones en … Academia. edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. The award-winning Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City provides an island-style escape to make your getaway exceptional every time you visit. Apr 07, 2016nbsp;0183;32;Blackjack Mulligan, a former professional wrestler and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, has died. Fire Helmet Camera and Oncall Body Camera User Manuals and Documents and free standard operating procedures for helmet camera and drone use for your department. Icon Pursuit Perforated Touch Screen Gloves. Oozing pure class, the Icon Pursuit Perforated Touch Screen Gloves are so refined we don't mind mopping up after them. Welcome to Hornbeck Boats. We design, build and sell double-paddle ultralight custom pack canoes. Our Lost Pond Boats are ideal for a wide range of paddling, whether pond-hopping in the Adirondack wilderness, river-tripping in the wilds of Maine, cruising the Boundary Waters of the Midwest or exploring the swamps of the South. View information for any title below by clicking its icon, or choose either star (pink or blue) to actually download the file. If you experience any problems downloading from either source, simply try the other colored star.


A simple bookmark can create a Google document in specific folder.
A great extension that takes the guesswork out of sharing documents in Google Drive.
A simple bookmark that creates a Google document, in a specific folder, by a specific account.
Learning from failure in Super Gridland for iOSDo you need a "personal brand"?


undergoing surgery for non-small cell lung cancer.
supervised and unsupervised classification and pattern recognition approaches.
lung cancer without prior chemotherapy.
(local and/or distant) and survival.
desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy and microarray analysis.


text:
Home Charity
Join Kit Harington for a cup of tea, all in the name of charity
TOPICS:charitygame of thronesjon snowkit haringtonmencapOmaze
Posted By: Enable Magazine 25 January, 2019
Game of Thrones' very own Jon Snow (played by Kit Harington) is auctioning off the chance to join him for tea, and VIP access to his new play in London.
The actor is an ambassador for the learning disability charity, Mencap, and money from all donations will go to the charity.
Kit is currently starring in True West, at the Vaudville Theatre in London's West End. And he wants you front and centre at his upcoming show, plus a pep-talk over tea before-hand.
The actor and Mencap have teamed up with Omaze, a company that takes donations and turns them into once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Not like a typical auction, a donation of just $10 could be enough to secure you an evening with Kit Harington.
Omaze was created to ensure everyone has access to fantastic experiences like this, not just those who can afford it.
Past prizes have included driving around in a Bentley with Post Malone, tickets to film and TV premiers, pizza with Jennifer Lawrence, and singing on stage with Sir Paul McCartney.
Our friend #KitHarington has teamed up with @omaze to give ⭐ you ⭐ the chance to have tea with him and win VIP tickets to his new play, True West! 🎭
Best of all, every donation supports a great cause. Enter now: 👉 https://t.co/nj4EWTnRbT 👈 pic.twitter.com/c5s8Um6rhi
— Mencap (@mencap_charity) January 3, 2019
A $10 donation will give you 100 entries; $25, 250 entries; all the way up to $1,500 which will give you 15,000 entries and a poster or playbill signed by Kit; or even $3,500 for 35,000 entries and a personalised outgoing recorded voicemail message from the actor.
Kit has been an ambassador of Mencap since 2016, and has a cousin with a learning disability.
He is a strong advocate of equal rights for people with a learning disability, and has been raising awareness on the issue for years.
To enter the competition for you and a friend to win a cup of tea with Kit Harington, and tickets to his West End play, click here.
Are you following us on Twitter and Instagram? Make sure you do for all the latest competition info.
A new casebook reveals people with a learning disability and/or autism are being restrained over 100,000 times in modern-day asylums
Ambitious about Autism receives £528,000 grant to support youth participation work
Pressure from learning disability strategy group prompts National Audit Office inquiry in to post-Winterbourne View actions
Young blind and partially sighted campaigners meet with MPs during Parliament visit


text:
© David Hollie
Varied Bunting Dickcissel
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
Cardinalidae
Version: 2.0 — Published October 1, 2015
Peter E. Lowther, Scott M. Lanyon, and Christopher W. Thompson
Geoffrey A. Keller
This map depicts the seasonally-averaged estimated relative abundance, defined as the expected count on a one-hour, one kilometer eBird Traveling Count conducted at the ideal time of day for detection of that species in a region. Learn more
Relative abundance
birds per km/hr
May 24 - Jul 6
Non-breeding season
Nov 16 - Apr 5
Pre-breeding migratory season
Post-breeding migratory season
Jul 13 - Nov 9
Note: Seasonal ranges overlap and are stacked in the order above; view full range in season maps.
Seasons timeline
Modeled area
(0 abundance)
No prediction
eBird data from 2004 - 2016 . Estimated for 2016 .
Fink, D., T. Auer, A. Johnston, M. Strimas-Mackey, M. Iliff, and S. Kelling. eBird Status and Trends. Version: November 2018 . https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York.
Explore more on eBird
Adult male Painted Bunting, Fort Meyers, Lee Co., FL, 25 December.
Image via Birdshare: Cleber Ferreira.
Female Painted Bunting, Dry Tortugas, Monroe Co., FL, May.
Note bright, grass-green head and upperparts, and dull yellowish underparts. Wings lack wing bars. Image by Kevin Karlson.; photographer Kevin T. Karlson
Only when male Painted Buntings acquire Second Basic Plumage in their second fall do they achieve the dramatic combination of blue, green, and red colors that make this species one of the most visually spectacular songbirds in North America. Indeed, its French name, nonpareil, means "without an equal." In contrast to the male, the plumage of the female is cryptic green and yellow-green. Males in their first year of life exhibit a female-like plumage, and can be distinguished from females only through close inspection.
Painted Buntings have two geographically disjunct breeding populations: a western population primarily in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana; and an eastern population limited to coastal portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. Western and eastern populations have different patterns of molt and migration.
Western populations migrate to staging areas in southern Arizona, Sonora, and northern Sinaloa, Mexico, to undergo the Prebasic Molt, and then continue to migrate farther south to overwintering areas. This molt-migration phenomenon is fairly common in nonpasserine species, especially waterfowl, but has been documented in up to 19 species of western passerines ( Pyle, P., W. A. Leitner, L. Lozano-Angulo, F. Avilez-Teran, H. Swanson, E. Gómez Limón and M. K. Chambers. (2009). Temporal, spatial, and annual variation in the occurrence of molt-migrant passerines in the Mexican monsoon region. Condor 111 (4):583-590.
Pyle et al. 2009). Eastern populations, by contrast, are reported to undergo Prebasic molt on the breeding grounds before migration, though study is needed on molt location relative to breeding territories.
Another unusual feature of this species' molt cycle is that young birds appear to undergo two inserted molts during their first fall, each resulting in plumages similar to that of adult females. The first molt begins within a few days of fledging and replaces Juvenile Plumage with an Auxiliary Formative Plumage; the second molt typically occurs a month or more later and results in the Formative Plumage.
In recent decades, Breeding Bird Survey results have documented significant regional declines, especially for eastern populations along the Atlantic coast—a major reason why the Painted Bunting is listed as a Species of Special Concern by Partners in Flight. The eastern population faces loss and degradation of breeding habitat owing to development of swampy thickets and woodland edges, its preferred habitat. The habitat requirements of the western population, which is also declining, are less well understood. Conservation concerns for the western population must also consider molt staging areas, an important component in the annual cycle.
Most aspects of the Painted Bunting's life history have been little studied. The only intensive studies of this bunting have dealt with song (e.g., Forsythe, D. M. (1974). Song characteristics of sympatric and allopatric Indigo and Painted Bunting populations in the southeastern United States. Phd Thesis, Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC.
Forsythe 1974, Thompson, W. L. (1976a). The songs of five species of Passerina. Behaviour 31:261-287.
Thompson 1976a, Norris, D. J. (1982). Habitat ecology of the Painted Bunting on the Ozark Plateau. Master's Thesis, Univ. of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia.
Norris 1982) and molts and plumages (e.g., Thompson, C. W. (1991b). The sequence of molts and plumages in Painted Buntings and implications for theories of delayed plumage maturation. Condor 93:209-235.
Thompson 1991b, Thompson, C. W. (1992a). A key for aging and sexing Painted Buntings. Journal of Field Ornithology 63:445-454.
Thompson 1992a, Thompson, C. W., and M. Leu (1994). Determining homology of molts and plumages to address evolutionary questions: A rejoinder regarding emberizid finches. Condor 96:769-782.
Thompson and Leu 1994, Bridge, E. S., A. M. Fudickar, J. F. Kelly, A. Contina and S. Rohwer. (2011). Causes of bimodal stable isotope signatures in the feathers of a molt-migrant songbird. Canadian Journal of Zoology 89 (10):951-959.
Bridge et al. 2011, Contina, A., E. S. Bridge, N. E. Seavy, J. M. Duckles and J. F. Kelly. (2013). Using geologgers to investigate bimodal isotope patterns in Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris). Auk 130 (2):265-272.
Contina et al. 2013, Rohwer, S. (2013). Molt intensity and conservation of a molt migrant (Passerina ciris) in northwest Mexico. Condor 115:421-433.
Rohwer 2013).
Plumages
Linear Measurements
Subspecies
Lowther, P. E., S. M. Lanyon, and C. W. Thompson (2015). Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.398


text:
The Arabic letters of the opening phrase of the Quran add up to the numerical value of 786. Muslims on the Indian subcontinent where the filmmaker comes from use 786 as an abbreviation for this phrase 'bism illāh ir-raḥmān ir-raḥīm' (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) which means "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful". On the streets of Bombay or New Delhi, you know an auto-rickshaw is Muslim owned or operated if it has the numbers 786 emblazoned on it. And therefore, for good luck and plentiful good karma, we have decided to call our Islam focused, global empowerment program, Project 786.
Using A SINNER IN MECCA, Project 786 is a worldwide Outreach, Dialogue and Measurable Change Project aimed at significantly impacting and changing contemporary discourse about Islam, today the worlds fastest growing and most contested religion.
Inherent to the project is our belief and indeed our experience that film can be the most powerful agent of real grassroots social change.
We will use A SINNER IN MECCA (and if needed, our previous film A JIHAD FOR LOVE) as an active tool of documentable social change. Screening spaces will be turned into impassioned town halls. We will organize screenings and dialogue driven learning workshops worldwide with an added emphasis on Muslim capitals. We will draw on our significant experience with A JIHAD FOR LOVE and its very successful model built through its "Muslim Dialogue Project". That project continues to be a major change agent within Muslim and non-Muslim communities around the world.
The remarkable underground network we built and nurtured with A JIHAD FOR LOVE, allowed us to reach places we never imagined. Screenings and discussion, healing and teaching groups were organized in countless and even unlikely cities ranging from Tehran to Riyadh, from Dhaka to Kuala Lumpur, from Jakarta to Dakar to Karachi and from Beirut to Cairo. Even today, DVD's of that film continue to be distributed secretly on Muslim streets across the world. This underground filmic railroad will be critical to our success. Screened at the US Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, the film even reached the highest levels of policy making. And most importantly, lives were saved.
To understand what we can do together, this document is a must-read. Click here to read. You can also download a PDF right here:
A Jihad for Love and its worldwide impact
For Project 786, programs that include screenings, workshops including our "Islam-From its 7th to its 14th century" package and our unique "The Empowered Muslim Project" will be organized at college campuses and willing venues in receptive communities worldwide. For our college tour, we will draw on our successful model with our previous film, which was showcased in always packed dialogue driven screenings at more than a hundred North American college campuses and also colleges in India, in Pakistan and in many parts of Europe.
This film is unlike any other film on Islam. The religions ground-zero in Saudi Arabia stands exposed. The insidious Saudi project to export their cruel and puritanical version of Islam, called Wahabism to mosques and vast communities of Muslims globally continues to grow exponentially. Western governments, including the US have been slow to challenge Saudi Arabia's non existent human rights record. The corrupt and secretive Saudi monarchy and its Wahabi clergy continue to brazenly flout all international norms on human rights. This is a country where public beheadings are routine. Project 786 is also our direct challenge to the repressive Saudi regime.
Twenty-first century Islam is in a regressive crisis, and this film goes to the core of that crisis. But amazingly at the same time, the Muslim world has one of the highest social media penetrations on the planet. We will tap extensively into our already successful presence within these networks to maximize our impact on the social web.
In a nutshell, Project 786 draws on our already impressive global track record. By supporting this project, you are backing a winner. Project 786 is a call to action and to engagement within your communities. It crosses platforms to be a catalyst for real change, using the power of documentary storytelling and the participatory nature of the social web. The dialogues we will together create will be challenging, controversial and even difficult. But their time has come.
As always, we are deeply invested in impacting the lives of LGBT Muslims, Muslim women and communities confronted by radical Islam worldwide.Visit instant payday loans quick payday loan paydaynow.net to learn more on how you can get the financing you need to make a small donation to our cause.
The work we started and perfected with A JIHAD FOR LOVE is still unfinished. A SINNER IN MECCA takes us further and helps us continue this amazing work. We have worked hard for the past several years and now, together our work becomes easier because this film (and forthcoming book) provide us the exact tools we need.
Your kind donations are key to our continuing success. Even the smallest amount helps us become the change we need to be. loans no brokers
Contact us to join our global movement as we empower each one of you to be change agents within your communities. You can also email us directly at info@asinnerinmecca.com