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Alumni news Learning
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove '99 is on a mission to save lives
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove '99, infectious disease epidemiologist with the World Health Organization, works with colleagues on a MERS research mission in Jordan prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Linda Copman January 29, 2021
As part of her work with the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove '99 provides regular updates on the COVID-19 pandemic and routinely answers common questions about the virus for members of the press. On January 26, she shared her expert insights with members of the Cornell community.
Dr. Van Kerkhove shared her experiences working as an infectious disease epidemiologist with the WHO Health Emergencies Program to address the global pandemic. She serves as the technical lead for COVID-19 response and the head of the emerging diseases and zoonosis unit at WHO in Geneva, Switzerland. In this role, she is responsible for the guidance WHO issues to its member states.
"We coordinate the response around the world to suppress infection and save lives—that's our mission," she said, adding, "It's been quite a year."
Dr. Van Kerkhove with colleagues at a WHO press conference
An online audience of nearly 500 Cornell alumni tuned in from states across the U.S. and more than 20 nations. Alumni submitted over 100 questions in advance of the event, which was co-hosted by the Cornell Club of Chicago and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Association. Stefanie Jaron Hest '99, a friend of Dr. Van Kerkhove and board member with the Cornell Club of Chicago, moderated the event. Dr. Scott Braunstein '86 and his son, David Braunstein '21, took turns asking questions.
Looking back with gratitude
Dr. Van Kerkhove began by expressing gratitude for the learning opportunities Cornell afforded her during her undergraduate career.
"I think of Cornell often," she said. "It was the first time I really started to grow up. The classes were incredibly hard, and it instilled in me a strong work ethic."
Participants in the Lunch and Learn event included Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove '99, Stefanie Jaron Hest '99, Dr. Scott Braunstein '86, and David Braunstein '21.
She expressed gratitude for the people she met at Cornell—including her husband Neil Van Kerkhove '99, for the faculty she worked with, and for the breadth of the curriculum that allowed her to discover new interests and "fields I never knew existed."
"I appreciated that many of our classmates started out in one field and graduated in an entirely different field," Dr. Van Kerkhove said. "Cornell is part of my being. I'm so grateful to have had that opportunity—those four years."
Tracking variants of concern
We are all in the battle of our lives, not against each other, but against the virus.
—Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove
Dr. Van Kerkhove explained that most of the viruses she tracks in her work are zoonotic, meaning that they spill over from animal populations into human populations. WHO coordinates a global network of labs that help identify and test these new pathogens, which include mutations of existing viruses. For example, in December 2020, the United Kingdom noticed an increase in transmission of COVID-19 in the southeast of England. "They checked the sequence of the virus and noticed several changes," she said.
Dr. Scott Braunstein noted that many audience members had questions about the new variants of the virus that have appeared over the past few months in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and California. He asked Dr. Van Kerkhove to describe how WHO detects and monitors these variants.
Dr. Van Kerkhove explained that in order to help identify variants of interest and variants of concern, WHO is currently working with labs around the world to detect changes in the virus and is setting up a bio-hub in Switzerland. "We need to beef up our ability to do better sequencing and share the sequencing with labs and academic partners," she said. "The new bio-hub will receive voluntary samples from countries around the world, and share them with other countries [to carry out further studies] so individual countries don't have to do this."
Dr. Van Kerkhove on a MERS research mission in Qatar
According to Dr. Van Kerkhove, WHO is also working to increase global surveillance and preparedness to respond to the current pandemic, as well as to future threats. WHO currently relies on an open-source system—Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources—to troll for digital rumors and signals in order to identify emerging threats. "This is how we identified a cluster of unknown epidemiology on January 1, 2020, in Wuhan, China," she said.
Dr. Van Kerkhove and her colleagues at WHO are developing a risk assessment framework which will help them to evaluate the transmissibility, disease severity, and responsiveness to treatments for new variants of COVID-19. This risk assessment framework builds upon many existing systems globally and will allow WHO and its partners to properly assess emerging variants.
"We are going to see more of them," Dr. Van Kerkhove said. "The more this virus circulates, the more it has the opportunity to mutate and change. We are all in the battle of our lives, not against each other, but against the virus. We need to follow the science and control the spread using the tools at our disposal, including the vaccine," she added.
The timing is up to us
At WHO, we will work with anyone anywhere to keep the world safe—that's not going to change.
Dr. Van Kerkhove noted that vaccines are a "new and very powerful tool" in our arsenal to fight COVID-19. Yet, she noted that many countries have been able to control the virus without the vaccine. "Our lives will go back to normal," she said, "but when is up to us. Many countries in Asia and in the Asia-Pacific region have been able to go back to a new normal," she said.
She explained that the challenge remains how to keep transmission of the virus low, while easing interventions to allow people to work and move about. "There are still many questions about what this new normal will look like," she said.
Dr. Van Kerkhove noted that there have been hundreds of studies done around the globe that indicate that the majority of the world's population is still susceptible to COVID-19. According to these studies, "less than 10 percent of the populations studied have evidence of infection," she said.
Dr. Van Kerkhove on a WHO H5N1 research mission in Cambodia
Right now, WHO has two top priorities: to make vaccines available to both vulnerable people and to frontline workers in all countries. "Low-income healthcare workers in all countries need it before high-income less vulnerable citizens of wealthy countries," she explained.
Dr. Braunstein asked her how she felt about the recent U.S. decision to rejoin WHO. Dr. Van Kerkhove replied that she and her colleagues at WHO "are grateful that the U.S. did not follow through on their withdrawal."
She emphasized that although she and some of her colleagues are Americans, they are first and foremost scientists. "We are solely focused on the job at hand, on understanding the science and translating that into policy," she said. "At WHO, we will work with anyone anywhere to keep the world safe—that's not going to change," she added.
Being empowered, informed, and engaged
An empowered, informed, engaged population is key. At Cornell, the students took responsibility to become part of the solution.
David Braunstein, who graduated in January 2021 with a degree in Global Health, asked Dr. Van Kerkhove to talk about Cornell's successful reopening strategy and about how other universities, particularly those without a "plethora of resources," might learn from the Cornell model.
Dr. Van Kerkhove expressed that she was impressed both by Cornell's comprehensive approach to reopening and by the commitment demonstrated by Cornell students to make the reopening work.
"It's about a combination of interventions," she said, noting that, "you see this in successful reopening of universities and schools around the world." She explained that this combination includes mask wearing, physical distancing, ventilation, outdoor education when possible, and testing with rapid results and rapid interventions, she said, "so that you can successfully break chains of transmission."
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove spoke to hundreds of Cornellians via Zoom from her office in Geneva, Switzerland.
"Another thing that really impressed me at Cornell is that students were part of the solution," she added. "An empowered, informed, engaged population is key. At Cornell, the students took responsibility to become part of the solution," she said.
Braunstein asked Dr. Van Kerkhove what advice she had for the current generation of students who are looking to address global challenges. She advised them to "reach out across disciplines and seek to answer questions posed from different perspectives."
For example, she explained how making connections between animal health and human health can provide new and transformative insights to advance our understanding. This interdisciplinary approach informs the One Health initiative at Cornell, which has spawned radical new collaborations across campus.
"We need the next generation to challenge what we do and how we do it," Dr. Van Kerkhove said. "We have lots of room for improvement."
Watch the recorded event.
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My Crimson came out at 46% last night.
And my Crea Doubles came out at 30% Fire, and my Sweet Death came out at 30% Dark.
Had a Ragnus come out in the 30's, too. Good night, I'll say.
Found a [B] Hirokteri in the new Sacred Stream mission this morning. Successfully synthed it!
Also got the 9* Yohmei crossbow board (Aikasoki) in the end boxes of the same mission; just pulled the first one from my PM!
Scarlet / ID:aurly; Shock Nurse @ Ship 2!
got a [b]ridol-senba in the white beast mission. still deciding what i should do with it.
These are from yesterday but I can't post in that thread. OH WELL! Here I go!
-Sleep Resist, first Grove S2 run. Still seeking an S-rank bow.
-An athlete's foot ton of Creasaud boards. STOP TEASING ME!
-34% Lightning Sweet & Sour Death.
-Halarod. And Yue(my PM) didn't eat it!
Fecking lord. I need to get Metaresin like crazy. Got 2 Rabol Gant, 1 Rabol Rad and 1 Rabol Neda board to make.
-18% Ice Rucar. I am just happy to have these come out.
Now to make one earth!!
Does grinding success get to go in here too? Because I managed to turn out two 10/10 Serdotes, a 10/10 Geist, and a 9/9 Varista today.
No, because that 9/9 is proof that you failed, lol.


Have any of you done any stenciling before? Years ago I stenciled a border around my bathroom and I've occasionally stenciled something onto a craft, so I thought stenciling a wall in my new craft room would be pretty easy.
Well it wasn't actually hard, it just took FOREVER! I think I spent as much time stenciling this wall as I did painting the entire basement.
The question is, was it worth it?
and over again. 594 times to be exact.
I'm looking at this picture now thinking that I am crazy to have done this, but I LOVE how it turned out. It will not be painted over for a looong time, if ever. It took too much time.
1. Choose a larger stencil. Mine was only 5"x 5". I spent half my time repositioning the dang thing.
3. Use small amounts of paint and dab it on. Don't brush it on, it will get underneath the stencil and mess everything up.
4. Make sure you have lots of movies for your kids to watch while you spend hours ignoring them;) Actually my 2 year old liked to "help" me. She learned how to dip the brush into the paint, only getting a small amount on. However it was much faster and easier when she got sick of it and moved on to other things.
This is looking kind of brownish in the pictures, but it's actually green. The base color is Frosted Pine by Glidden and the stenciling was done in Prairie Sage also by Glidden. All the other walls in this room are Prairie Sage too.
So I'm dying to know what you think. Was it worth my time? Do you love it as much as I do?
I love the stencil. It looks great!
Looks great!!! I hope you will share this at The CSI Project this week. The challenge is stencil projects. You can start linking up tonight. And just might win!!!
Rachel, you did an amazing job! Way to go!
Wow, that is one fabulous-looking wall. I love it a lot. I can't believe you stenciled it, but I love it a lot, ha ha. Thanks for sharing at our party this week. (love the tip about having lots of movies, lol).
You have amazing patience--and it paid off, that wall is beautiful!!
i would LOVE for you to link this post or any other posts you want to my weekend link party http://lovenotesbylauryn.blogspot.com/2012/04/spread-love-link-party-6.html it opens at midnight tonight, hope to see you there!
I love it, Well worth all the time you put in! Thanks for linking up to Party Time at So Very Creative!
You are much more patient than I am. The wall came out fabulous. It reminds me of your background on your blog. Thanks so much for sharing at Whimsy Wednesdays.
Wow! That takes major skill! But it looks absolutely amazing!
Beautiful! I love it. I am so happy to have your advice. Great job.
Thanks for linking up. I will be tweeting your tips tomorrow night.
Well it looks freaking awesome! I don't think I would have the patience for that so I may have to have you over to my place :) Thanks for the tips and thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Looks amazing!! You did a wonderful job. Thanks for the tips and for sharing at SweetTalkin' Sunday!


Nothing says "I had a gap in my blog schedule" more than a tag. I'm joking guys, I know tags make the blogging and vlogging world go 'round. Today I thought I'd do another life update of sorts for y'all. I'm writing this in the sun underneath the windowsill and it's so peaceful.
Reading: At the moment I'm reading an uncorrected proof of The Moonlight Dreamers and am loving it. I'm also still reading Just Kids by Patti Smith because I keep picking it up and then putting it down again. There's also a few magazines on the go as well because when is there not?
Watching: My cousin and I have been binge-watching The IT Crowd. I've seen it so many times now and it's still one of my favourite shows. I can probably quote that about as much as I can quote Mean Girls. We've also been watching Parks and Recreation from the beginning which is a good time.
Buying: This phone case because I have zero shame. Tina Fey+Amy Poehler are my faves. I also got my brother a top from Redbubble for his birthday and some stickers. Yep.
Listening: To French Music! We had a Brigitte Bardot cd going earlier and it was actually really good. She has a soothing voice to listen to. I'm also listening to a lot of Amy Winehouse at the moment, partly because I've had some engaging discussions with people about her and the danger of celebrity culture lately. Mainly though it's because I love her music and voice.
Feeling: Content. Thanks mid-semester break, you gem xo.
Planning: What I'm going to get up to over my break. I have to design+make a website for my parent's business and do some admin-type things. I can't wait to catch up with my friends as well and visit some places I've wanted to get to for a while.
Wishing: That it wasn't cold. Palmy I like you and all but you're a tad chilly! Side note: I'm in Palmerston North as I type this and it's just a bit colder than Auckland.
Enjoying: Going for walks. I don't have my car down here and it's pretty easy to walk everywhere. Side note: Ditch the car more in Auckland.
Eating: A banana and a piece of shortbread. Balanced diet y'all.
Hoping: That Me Before You is just as good to watch as it is to read. I know they've cut out some plot lines so it will be interesting to see how that changes things.
Thinking: About going for a walk soon because I can. R i v e t i n g.
Lacking: Motivation to go for said walk. The struggle is real.
Trying: Food combinations that shouldn't work but do. Last night I was introduced to Weetbix with butter and Marmite. It sounds so, so wrong but it actually tastes amazing! I was skeptical and kinda still am but dang that was good.
Drinking: Water, and far too much coffee.
Wanting: At the moment I really want this book because I loved it and also I'd love, and by no means need this, Baies Room Spray. It's such a divine scent.
Deciding: Whether or not I want to go to something I was invited to. I do like going to events but things like living so far away and peak-traffic aren't as appealing.
Wearing: Topshop Jamie jeans, socks and a long-sleeved khaki green top.


A triptych showing the night attack in pouring rain by the brothers Juro Soga and Goro Soga on their father's murderer Kudo Suketsune. They had waited 18 years for the opportunity which came in 1193 when there was a hunting party held at the base of Mount Fuji by the Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo. Soga kyodai chichi no ada-uchi no zu. In the centre is Goro and on the left Juro. Above, the cloth panels with the paulownia crest of the Minamoto clan. Published by Sanoya Kihei, 1851-3.
Fine impression and colour. Slight trimming at top and residual glue at edge of centre sheet, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.


KONG Squeezz JELS are vibrant, animal-shaped characters that squeak and have a unique bounce when thrown for a game of fetch. These new KONG toys are easy to squeak and are great for indoor and outdoor use. Your dog will squeak with joy!


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Limited Release Roussanne 2018, Swartland Winery
Case of 6: £70.86
Producer: Swartland Winery
Grape Varieties: Roussanne 100%
Wine Style: Full bodied rich white
Bursting with citrus, melon and layered with enticing stone fruit aromas, follows through to the palate with peaches, stone fruit and citrus flavours, complemented by a creamy mouth feel. A full bodied style with a lingering, zesty aftertaste.
Big open skies, arid deserts, the vast flowing landscape, with its unforgiving climate and rugged bush vines, this is wild country, this is Swartland. The contrast with manicured Constantia and oh-so-cool Stellenbosch couldn't be greater. But right now, Swartland is the most exciting wine region in South Africa. A new wave of winemakers are making ground-breaking wines from Rhône varietals and it is part of a revolution that has got everybody talking. The Swartland Winery is producing iconic and award winning wines in this fashionable and dynamic region to create a unique, distinctive and expressive wine range that has been masterfully blended for the UK palate.
The Swartland name originates from a description of the indigenous "renosterbos" or rhino bush, which appears to turn black, ("Swart" in Afrikaans), during the summer months. This hot, dry climate has an average temperature range of 25°C to 35°C and an annual rainfall of 450mm and 600mm, but the altitude of these vineyards creates a cool oasis in this arid landscape. Minimal intervention and environmentally friendly farming practices are paramount. 80% of the vineyards are small bush vines with an average yield of six tonnes per hectare; the quality of fruit is exceptional. The gravel sub-structure of the soil promotes good moisture retention, essential in this hot, dry climate.
The fruit was harvested from a single vineyard at optimal phenolic ripeness. The grapes were crushed and the juice was fermented in second and third fill French oak barrels. The wine was left on the lees for 60 days, adding texture and complexity to the palate; it was then racked and transferred back to the barrels for further ageing for six months, before being filtered and bottled.
Delicious with light lunches, cheese platters or fresh shellfish and sushi.
Roussanne 100%

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fraud is any action that constitutes a willful but wrongful misrepresentation or deception with the express intent of benefitting an individual, either financially or personally. Fraud is subject to both civil and criminal prosecution. Although crimes relating to fraud are typically nonviolent, they are treated with swift and stringent consideration by the Orlando criminal justice system. An accusation or charge of fraud can be extremely damaging, and your best recourse in these cases is to consult with a qualified Orlando fraud defense attorney.
Conviction of a crime involving fraud can result in costly fines and, in more serious cases, substantive jail time. Additionally, victims of fraud may pursue civil action against an individual found guilty of fraud, sometimes resulting in astronomical judgments or settlements that can take a lifetime to pay off.
Fraud covers a wide swath of Florida criminal law, and each category of fraud requires special treatment on the part of a legal professional. At the law firm of Finebloom, Haenel & Higgins, our Orlando fraud defense attorneys have encountered every accusation of fraud out there. We know what to expect when dealing with these complex legal matters, and we know how to create a flawless defense that will comprehensively protect our clients facing fraud charges.
Our Orlando fraud defense team works with you to help you understand the charges being levied against you, and to come up with a stalwart course of action. We have decades of experience assisting clients being accused of fraud and other crimes in successfully negotiating the Florida legal system. We possess the experience required to comprehend these often technically complex legal issues.
If you have been accused of fraud, our Orlando fraud defense team is standing by to answer your questions. Call our offices today for a free consultation about your case, and let us tell you how we can provide you with the invaluable legal assistance you need.
If you have been accused by the State of committing any of the crimes under Florida Statute 817, Part I, you will need aggressive and experienced representation. Finebloom & Haenel can provide that representation. They are a phone call away at 407-218-6277.
There are several crimes listed in the fraud section of the Statutes that you can be charged with. Some of the crimes include, forgery, fraudulent use of credit card, making fake bills or notes, defrauding insurance agencies and false advertising just to name a few. Some crimes are first degree misdemeanors carrying penalties including one year in the county jail. However, some are much more serious. Some are first degree felonies. This means if you are convicted you can face up to 30 years in a Florida State Prison.
Do not waste time. Protect your rights! Fraud charges often have complex discovery materials. Some materials that may exonerate you may be time sensitive and may need to be requested right away in order to protect them from being lost or destroyed. Call an experienced and aggressive firm that has a team that will work for you.
Call 407-218-6277 and let the attorneys of Finebloom & Haenel explain how they can help fight your case for you. An attorney is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to discuss your rights. Don't wait! Call now!


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10 Reasons The Patriots Will Be In Super Bowl 50 This Season
By: Jack Sackman
Source: Thescore.com
All is right again with the New England Patriots after Tom Brady had his four game suspension vacated in court this past week. And as the saga that was Deflategate retreats into the background, and the Patriots prepare to open the 2015 NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, thoughts turn to whether the Patriots can defend their Super Bowl title from last season. While many pundits take issue with Tom Brady's poor performance during the preseason and note some key player personnel losses in the off-season, such as Darrell Revis, we here at Goliath remain optimistic that the Patriots will again make a run at a title in 2015. And here are the top 10 reasons that we will see the Patriots in Super Bowl 50 come February.
10. The Patriots Are Pissed Off
The last time the Patriots were embroiled in a national scandal was in 2007 when it was discovered that New England personnel were videotaping their opponent's practices in an effort to learn their various signals and play calls. Dubbed "Spygate" by the media, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 by the NFL—then the biggest fine ever levied by the league. And Bill Belichick was given the infamous nickname "Belicheat." And what was the fallout from the Spygate scandal? The Patriots responded by putting up a perfect regular season, becoming the first team in NFL history to record 16 wins and zero losses. The Patriots used their anger at being labeled cheaters to destroy every opponent they faced and rode their anger all the way to the Super Bowl where they lost to the New York Giants due to the now infamous David Tyree "helmet catch." But if we learned anything from the 2007 season, it is that people should piss the Patriots off at their own risk. Nobody does revenge wins better than this team.
Source: Gallerily.com
9. All of New England is Behind the Patriots
The rest of America may hate the Patriots and want to see the team brought down, but football fans in New England are squarely behind Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the entire team. And those fans, who are fiercely loyal at both the best and worst of times, are as pissed off as their team. The fan base loyalty was further cemented when the Patriots brought a Super Bowl title back to Boston this past February—the fourth championship of the Brady-Belichick era. Now, feeling vindicated in the Deflategate ordeal, these fans are going to ride a title wave of emotion all season with this team. And you can bet that the Patriots are going to feed off that energy, emotion and support from the fans. What team is going to want to go into Gillette Stadium this season and play the Patriots?
Source: Thefieldsofgreen.com
8. The Patriots Offense is the Same as Last Year
While there was some turnover with the Patriots defense this off-season, the offense has more or less remained intact from last year. Tom Brady still has his favorite receiver targets in Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola. And the Patriots acquired tight end Scott Chandler from the Buffalo Bills this off-season—giving the offence a potentially strong two tight end tandem that they haven't had since Aaron Hernandez was charged with murder. Tom Brady's offensive line also remains largely intact, and this is the same offense that the Patriots won last season's Super Bowl with. There's no reason to doubt the offense as we head into the 2015 season.
Source: Prod.www.patriots.clubs.nfl.com
7. The Patriots Defense is Not That Bad
Yes, they lost Vince Wilfork and Darrell Revis, and, yes, the Patriots secondary is not the shutdown force it was last season. But the Patriots still have a very strong defense. Their pass rushing is strong with star players such as Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, and they should have their defensive captain back this year when Jerod Mayo returns from injury. Also, the Patriots secondary is not as bad as people assume. The team locked up safety Devin McCourty to a long term deal, and the team seems to be working younger players such as cornerback Malcolm Butler into more prominent roles on the defensive side of the ball. And let's not forget that it was Malcolm Butler, an undrafted rookie free agent, who intercepted the ball in the end zone and secured the Patriots a win in Super Bowl 49. It wasn't Darrell Revis who made the biggest play in Super Bowl history.
Source: Bostonglobe.com
6. Rob Gronkowski is Healthy
As Rob Gronkowski goes, so too does the New England Patriots. And the Pro Bowl tight end is healthy heading into this season—the first time in three years he has been healthy and ready to go in September. After overcoming knee and arm injuries that required several surgeries, Rob Gronkowski returned to form by late October last season and it propelled the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl. This preseason, the Patriots wisely kept Gronk off the field, planning to preserve their offensive star for the regular season. And with Tom Brady's favorite and most reliable target on the field, you can bet the Patriots will put up some big offensive numbers this season. The addition of fellow tight end Scott Chandler could also give Tom Brady a second target that is equally large and tough on the field. No matter how the tight end situation plays out, you can bet Tom Brady will feel confident taking the field with Gronk by his side.
Source: Nflreligion.com
5. Peyton Manning is in Decline
To talk about the New England Patriots not making the Super Bowl this season, people have to look at other teams that could potentially knock off New England and win the AFC Championship. This inevitably brings people to the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning. After all, it was the Denver Broncos that beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship two seasons ago and punched a ticket to Super Bowl 48. However, by all accounts, Peyton Manning is now in serious decline and this is likely to be his last season. Now age 39, and having had several neck surgeries, Peyton Manning is having trouble throwing the ball the way he did in his prime. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Manning admitted that he has numbness in his fingers and has difficulty feeling the football. This is the reality that comes with nearly 20 seasons in the NFL. But with Peyton Manning struggling and the Denver Broncos not the threat they were, then it begs the question of which team can take down the Patriots?
Source: Huffingtonpost.com
4. The Patriots Have a Weak Schedule
Last year, the New England Patriots had one of their toughest schedules in recent memory and played difficult teams such as the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals. This season, the Patriots have one of the easiest schedules (on paper anyway) that we've seen in a long time. Their opponents this season include the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins, as well as division opponents the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. And while the Dolphins have improved this off-season, the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills still look to be lost without a reliable quarterback under center. When Patriots fans look at the team's schedule, there is certainly reason for optimism.
Source: Blog.titansonline.com
3. Andrew Luck Has Never Beaten the New England Patriots
Next to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, most sports commentators see Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts as the team that could beat the Patriots in the playoffs and win the AFC Championship. And while Andrew Luck has accomplished a lot in his short run in the NFL, the quarterback has never beaten the New England Patriots or raised the level of his game to match Tom Brady's at critical moments. To date, Andrew Luck is 0-3 against the Patriots. And he tends to turn in his worst performance of the season against the team. He has a combined six touchdown passes and eight interceptions against New England. Whatever the reason for Andrew Luck's struggles against New England, there is no reason to think this is a trend that will reverse itself this season. When it comes to the Patriots, Andrew has no luck.
2. Bill Belichick is Still the Best Coach in the NFL
Nobody game plans, tinkers and adjusts better than Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick. "The hoodie," as he's known, remains the best coach in the NFL, and he always ensures that his team peaks at the right time and plays their best football in January. No other coach in the NFL game plans for individual teams or runs situational football better than Belichick. And he shows no signs of slowing down or losing his edge as he enters his 15th season as the Patriots' head honcho. And, like Tom Brady, Bill Belichick is often at his best when he is pissed off and has something to prove, and you can count on that being the case this season after all the controversy with Deflategate.
Source: Foxsports.com
1. The Patriots Have Tom Brady for the Entire Season
With his four game suspension essentially thrown out by the courts, Tom Brady will play the entire 2015 NFL season—starting all 16 games. The Patriots and their fans do not have to worry that they will have to go with back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the first month of the regular season, when their schedule includes games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. Instead, Pats Nation can rest easy knowing that QB 12 will be under center for the whole season. And you can expect that Tom Brady will be raring to go and have something to prove after everything he's been through since Deflategate erupted in January. Tom Brady has had a chip on his shoulder his entire career—since being drafted in the sixth round. That chip has only seemed to grow during his NFL career and you can be sure that Deflategate will just add fuel to Tom Brady's legendary fire. Opposing teams had better get prepared. Tom Brady is coming for you…
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The Most Hated Teams in Professional Sports


I recently interviewed for a job that would involve some travel, and I decided if I was hired I would apply for a Known Travelers Number for TSA Pre-Check. Unfortunately, I didn't get the job but I decided to apply for a KTN anyway. Even without the job, I'll be flying at least three times this year alone (or six flights / trips through airport security) so it seemed worth it.
I wasn't really sure what was involved, and as is my nature, I was very nervous. But it was really easy. First, I filled out the pre-application on-line and then booked my in-person appointment. I'm happy to say that the staff at the Application Center could not have been nicer. We simply went over the information I had submitted and they checked my passport. Then they took my fingerprints electronically. We laughed a bit when I admitted that I had expected ink pads and paper, like in the '70s cop dramas. Maybe I need to remember it's 2016 and almost everything is done with computers these days.
Anyway, my clean, ink-free fingertips and I were finished in about 10 minutes or so. Once I paid my $85 fee, I was given a receipt with an id number so I could check on-line and see where my status stood. I was told I should see my KTN on-line in about a week and receive a confirmation in the mail in about a month. For me, who is a total goodie two shoes, my KTN was assigned by the following day!
Life with diabetes is full of hassles. For me, spending the $85 for 5 years of TSA Pre-Check is well worth the (hopefully) reduction in travel hassles it will bring. I'm excited to fly without being groped by a stranger first!
If there is one thing I know for sure about diabetes, it's that it isn't one size fits all. Some people do great on pumps, others flourish with MDIs. Foods that spike me may not necessarily spike you. I do best on Apridra, one of my friends does best on Humalog and another friend needs to use Novolog. The list goes on, but it's best summed up with the words of my wise friend Bennet, "Your Diabetes May Vary".
Lately my Facebook feed has been filled with excitement over the progress being made toward encapsulating islet cells. There were a flood of links to this article in particular and to other similar pieces. Thrilling stuff, for sure, and I'm excited to see progress toward new treatment options. But one word halts me every time I see the article. And that word is "cure".
Encapsulation, for me, is not a cure. My definition of a cure would be my body producing its own insulin again. Encapsulated cells in my body producing insulin will hopefully be a fantastic step forward in treatment, but I would still think of myself as a person with diabetes. It's my understanding the device would need to be replaced periodically. Therefore, I'd still need to undergo procedures and that isn't a cure in my mind. And what if I had an allergy to the device, or for some other reason it needed to be removed? I'd still have diabetes and I'd be right back where I am today.
Some people with diabetes may consider encapsulation devices to be a cure. And that is their right. But I wish the media wouldn't toss that word around so frequently. Because just like diabetes, Your Cure May Vary.


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Krapp's Last Tape and Other Dramatic Pieces: Includes: All That Fall; Embers; Acts Without Words, I and II; Mimes
Publisher: Grove Press
This collection of Nobel Prize winner Samuel Beckett's dramatic pieces includes a short stage play, two radio plays, and two pantomimes. The stage play,... Read more
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Belarus - Trip code MI Discovery
Belarus is a country full of intrigue, with a noticeably Soviet feel thanks to its distinctive Brutalist architecture. In stark contrast explore the flora and fauna in the Berezinsky National Park. This trip appeals to those looking to discover a different side to Europe.
Minsk - Explore the Belarusian capital and uncover its Soviet history and unique Brazilian-Belarusian fusion street art
Castles - Admire the grandeur of the UNESCO-Listed Mir Castle, Brest Fortress and Nesvizh Castle
Vitebsk - See one of Belarus's most historic and attractive towns and learn about the artist Marc Chagall
Lunch: 2
Dinner: 1
Local Guide(s)
mi-2020
Day 1 - Join trip in Minsk
Arrive in Minsk. This exciting 10-day adventure to Belarus begins in the capital city.
For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 8.30pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Minsk at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Minsk National Airport (MSQ), which is around one hours' drive. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.
If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to get a taste of the city and to sample Belarusian cuisine. Popular dishes include machanka, a hearty pork stew, and draniki, which are thick potato pancakes. For an after dinner tipple try Krambambula, a traditional Belarusian liquor, which is similar to mead and flavoured with spices and honey.
On this trip we have packed in as many highlights of Minsk as we can, but there is very little free time in the city, so if you wish to spend some time discovering more on your own then we would recommend extending your stay for a night or two. Perhaps to visit the Azgur Museum which houses numerous sculptures from the Soviet era or relax in the serene surroundings of the Sendai Japanese Garden or there's the Minsk Botanical Gardens. Please note that many of Minsk's museums are closed on a Monday or Tuesday, so if you wish to visit a particular attraction then please check that it is open on the day you wish to visit it.
Hotel Tourist (or similar)
Day 2 - Market visit and tour of Soviet Minsk; view colourful street art
Minsk is a city with a long history, set on the banks of the Svislach River. Our guided tour this morning is going to focus on its more recent history, which has largely been dominated by Soviet rule that lasted from around 1920 to 1991. The city was almost entirely destroyed during World War II and its historic centre was replaced by Stalinist architecture with grand buildings, Brutalist statues, broad avenues and imposing squares. Victory Square is the most famous part of the city and features a memorial to the fallen heroes of World War II. During the tour there will be a brief visit to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, which is the centre piece in Victory Park. This huge museum has hundreds of exhibits and two of the most poignant rooms are the Hall of Glory that celebrates the heroes of the Soviet Union and the emotive memorial found in the Hall of Remembrance and Sorrow.
This afternoon we board the metro for the city market to see the local residents out haggling for fresh fruit and vegetables that are on sale from nearby farms. You can see, and of course buy, a whole range of edible goodies here including meat, cheese, nuts, spices and more.
Belarusian politics remains controversial with Alexander Lukashenko having ruled as president since 1994. During free time for lunch you might like to dine in the Parliament's House of Representatives canteen where you may be lucky enough to spot politicians having lunch.
Next we drive to see Minsk's unusual Central Library building, with its unique architecture. In Minsk's industrial district we'll view the result of collaboration between Belarusian and Brazilian street artists that have injected some much needed colour and fun into the formerly grey and stark buildings. Old tower blocks, factories, trams and buses have been decorated with fanciful designs featuring animals, folklore creatures, cartoon people, geometrical patterns and more.
After a full day exploring, the evening is free to relax in the city before returning by metro at a time of your choosing to the hotel. Maybe take a stroll through the Trinity Suburb, which is one of oldest and most picturesque areas. There a number of Stolle Restaurants in the city, which are famous for their variety of savoury and sweet pies that can either be eaten in or taken away. Just a few of the many pie fillings include meat and egg, salmon, lemon and cabbage.
Please note that the Central Library can be closed at short notice due to events taking place and so we may be unable to go inside. The entrance to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War will be at a set time, so the order of places visited today may need to be changed to accommodate this.
Day 3 - See the Khatyn Memorial and Polotsk en route to Vitebsk
Leaving Minsk this morning the first stop will be in the emotive village of Khatyn. Back in 1943 sadly nearly the entire population of the village was killed with just eight people managing to escape before all the houses were set alight. Today there is a memorial here that includes the Cemetery of Villages with 185 grave markers - each symbolises a village in Belarus where a similar tragedy occurred during World War II.
Driving on to Polotsk, which is a cultural gem and one of the oldest Slavic towns in the region. Tracing its origins back to the 9th century, the town is home to no fewer than 130 historical and cultural monuments, including the 11th century Cathedral of Saint Sophia. A local guide takes us around the main sites before we visit the Saint Euphrosyne Monastery, where a nun will show us around. This ancient church is home to a convent and is dedicated to a female saint. A mystery of the church is around the Cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk which vanished in 1941 and hasn't been seen since.
Arriving in the picturesque city of Vitebsk later this afternoon the evening is free to have dinner and settle in to the hotel. The thriving city of Vitebsk straddles the waters of the mighty Dvina River, close to Belarus's border with neighbouring Russia and it's known to be one of the prettiest cities in the country.
Hotel Luchesa (or similar)
Day 4 - Guided tour of Vitbsk and visit to the Chagall Museum
This morning a local guide takes us on a walk to view Vitebsk's main attractions including the Uspensky Cathedral which sits on a hilltop overlooking the river, the pointed spires of the Three Bayonets Memorial Complex in the vast Victory Square, and the ornate City Hall building. In the warmer months, the city parks and squares are home to numerous fountains and the riverbanks are a pleasant location to take a stroll. In places the architecture of the city is Soviet in style with wide roads that trams and trolley buses run along and imposing squares with Brutalist monuments, but the city is also home to far older architecture with a number of white churches topped with golden onion domes. The city is the birthplace of Marc Chagall, one of the most renowned painters of the 20th century, and we will visit his former home, which now houses the Chagall Museum.
This afternoon is free to explore the city and for those that are art lovers, perhaps to visit the Chagall Art Gallery. Chagall was of born into a Jewish family in Vitebsk and spent a few years painting in Paris before ending up in Russia at the outbreak of World War I and finally settling back in Vitebsk at the end of the war. He was an early modernist painter and his artwork is colourful with some pieces featuring cubist and impressionist styles.
Day 5 - Hiking in Berezinsky National Park
This morning we drive to Berezinsky National Park, one of the largest areas of marshland left in Europe. A haven for an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, including over 50 species of mammal and an impressive list of over 200 different birds. If extremely lucky then it's possible to spot beavers, red deer, elk, bison, brown bears, wolves and lynx that all live in the forest.
We go hiking in one of the most pristine environments in the country. The walk covers around three and a half kilometres. There is the opportunity to continue the hike (the full day hike is for around seven and half kilometres in total).
The hiking is graded as Easy as the terrain is mostly flat and through areas of forest and marshland. It can be wet or muddy in places depending on the weather, so we'd recommend bringing a spare pair of socks and a change of shoes today, just in case your feet get wet.
The hotel for this evening is inside the national park and where we will have dinner together this evening.
Hotel Serguch (or similar)
Meals Provided: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 6 - Discover Lake Naroch and experience traditional folk music
Today there is quite a bit of distance to cover and so it is one of our longer driving days (spending about seven hours driving in total). Leaving Berezinsky this morning for Hrodna, after a couple of hours driving we take a break on the banks of Lake Naroch, the largest lake in Belarus. Covering nearly 80 square kilometres, the lake is home to pike, perch, eel and tench and is an ideal spot to stop for a snack and to admire the view.
The next visit is to Ales Los Farm, created by a popular Belarusian musician and artist called Ales Los. Here see how his passion for folk music and folklore meets nature and be introduced to his collection of traditional musical instruments, almost forgotten folk songs and dances, and handcrafts. All of which formed an important part of old-time Belarusian culture that were almost totally erased during the Soviet years.
From here, we will make a brief stop in the Naliboksky Forest to stretch our legs and hopfully to spot the wild horses. We will continue to Hrodna where we should arrive in the late afternoon.
Hotel Neman (or similar)
Meals Provided: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 7 - Hrodna walking tour and boat trip on the Augustow Canal; arrive in Brest
Home to one of the largest Catholic populations in the country, Hrodna is filled with a wonderful collection of medieval and Baroque architecture, including the impressive Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier and the unique Church of Saints Boris and Gleb; the only surviving example of Black Ruthenian architecture left in the area. A local guide this morning will show us the main sights including the Saint Basil's Cathedral - with its ornately decorated pink and white walls - it is definitely worth seeing. We also take a stroll along Sovetskaya Street, which is the heart of the city, go to the old Jesuit Pharmacy which now houses a museum, and the fire lookout tower, which was built in 1900 on the highest point in the city and is as tall as an eight storey building.
Leaving Hrodna this afternoon we make a stop to view the restored eastern section of the 19th century Augustow Canal and take a short boat ride along the waters to relax and see it from a different perspective.
Driving on to Brest we'll take a guided walking tour of the downtown area including the main Sovetskaya Street, the aptly named Lantern Light Boulevard, and one of the most important Catholic churches in Belarus, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. After seeing the sights we check-in to the hotel and have the evening free to explore.
Hotel Vesta (or similar)
Day 8 - Visit the Brest Fortress and stay at UNESCO-Listed Nezvizh Castle
Today we see Belarus' three most famous and impressive castles. Firstly, we'll visit the 19th century red-bricked Brest Fortress, once the largest in the old Russian Empire. It was an infamous prison during the Soviet trials of the 1930s; this immense fortress went on to achieve lasting fame when it became a symbol of Soviet resistance during the German invasion of Russia in 1941.
Next we drive to Mir Castle where we meet our local guide. Its red and white towers reflect in the surrounding water and protect an enclosed cobbled courtyard with a well in the centre. Creation of the fort began at the end of the 15th century and it is widely recognised as being one of the most splendid castles in Europe. It was reopened to the public in 2010 after being extensively restored to its former glories.
Next we drive to the impressive Nesvizh Castle, which is also UNESCO-listed and has been home to the Radswill Family for over 400 years. The fortresses construction began in 1584, but it's been extended and changed over the years and now features a mix of Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism and Neo-Gothic architecture. The estate also contains the largest landscape gardens in Europe and a number of ornamental lakes. On arrival we'll check-in to our rooms.
After checking in to our rooms, we will have a guided tour this evening. Following this you are free to stroll through the castle park, which includes English and Japanese gardens as well as the native flora, and a number of monuments and memorials such as the Wishes Stone. Alternatively walk to Nesvizh town to see the 16th century Town Hall, old city gate and the Baroque church. There are also a number of restaurants within walking distance to choose from this evening.
Please note that due to the availability of English speaking guides, the guided tour of Nesvizh Castle may take place on the morning of day nine instead of this evening.
Nesvizh Palace (or similar)
Day 9 - Discover rural Belarus at Rosy Eco Village and Dududki Museum
On our way back towards Minsk we venture into the rural Valozhyn District to experience what life is like in the Belarusian countryside. Rosy Eco Village was created by several families who decided to escape hectic city life and get back to a more traditional lifestyle where they live off the land and reconnect with nature by farming their own food. This type of settlement and country lifestyle used to be common, but was mostly lost during the many years of urbanization in Soviet Belarus. Now in this village there are 40 self-sufficient homesteads on five acres of land with cattle farms, fruit and vegetable plots, and gardens. We'll be introduced to the eco village concept by the families living here and get the chance to sample their organic tea, homemade bread, honey, and other delicacies.
After having lunch in a tavern at Martinova Gus we head to Dududki Open Air Museum. Here at this ethnographic museum we can see more traditional Belarusian crafts and historic buildings on display. They have everything from a creamery and pottery to antique cars and wooden windmills. Whilst here we'll get to taste the strong samogonka vodka which they brew on the site using traditional methods.
Tonight is for free in Minsk.
Day 10 - Trip ends in Minsk
The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Minsk.
There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Minsk at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Minsk National Airport (MSQ), which is around one hours' drive.
Belarusian climate is moderately continental, a transitional form from maritime to continental climatewith mild and humid winters, warm summers and damp autumns. Average July temperatures range from +17 C to +18.5 C, January temperatures vary from -8 C to -4.5 C. In the Naliboki Forest area temperatures in winter can fall as low as -25 C.
Vitebsk:
Entrance to Chagal Art Gallery, on day four, €1.00 per person for one hour.
Berezinsky National Park:
Museum of Nature on day five, where injured animals from the forest are rehabilitated. Entrance is €12.00 per person.
July and August are the hottest months and lightweight cotton clothing is best. During spring and autumn temperatures can be lower or drop during the evenings and there is also a stronger possibility of rain, although light rainwear and an umbrella may be needed at any time of year. Layered clothing and a warm fleece/jacket is recommended for cooler evenings. For the hiking in the national parks it's advisable to bring spare socks in case your feet get wet. Ladies should take a headscarf, as it may be required when entering some churches.
Take comfortable walking shoes for the walking tours and hiking in the national parks and also trainers or sandals for relaxing.
One main piece of baggage and a day pack. Remember you are expected to carry your own luggage so don't overload yourself.
Take a water bottle for our included walks as well as sun glasses, sunscreen and a sun hat. In case of emergency we also recommend that you carry a torch and a first aid kit. For the time spent in the countryside and national parks mosquito repellent is recommended. For the walking in the national parks you may find a walking pole useful as it can be uneven underfoot and bring binoculars for spotting wildlife.
Although voluntary, tipping is a recognised part of life in this region of the world. Some local staff will look to members of the group for personal recognition of particular services provided. Accordingly, you should allow approximately £30 of local currency for tipping.
In order to make things easier for you, the Explore Leader may organise a group's tips kitty and if this is the case, they will account for it throughout the trip.
USD or Euro
You might find it difficult to obtain money from some ATM machines using Maestro and Visa cards due to difficulties in reading the card.
Restaurants and shops in major towns.
Are difficult to cash on this tour.
Bus, Boat
The hotel in Minsk is conveniently located just a few minutes' walk from the Partyzanskaya Metro Station and it's a 15-20 minute journey into the very centre of the city. Close to the hotel is the Belarus Department Store where there are local products such as textiles on sale. The area around the hotel is dominated by locals including a large tractor manufacturing base which employs an astonishing 17,000 people. They are extremely proud of their tractor production and so there are monuments to the tractor and even children's parks with tractor shaped toys. The hotel and the surrounding area have a very Soviet layout and give us a glimpse into what normal life is like in the city. The hotel is tall and offers great views from the higher floors.
We spend a night inside the palace ensemble at Nesvizh Castle. There are only 22 rooms here so it's a very exclusive experience. Rooms are en suite and have free internet access, but aren't air-conditioned and each varies in layout and decor due to the historic nature of the building.
Belarus: All national passport holders from the UK and Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (except those entering on a diplomatic or official passport) can now enter Belarus for a maximum of 30 days without a visa. Please note that the day you arrive counts as day one, regardless of your arrival time and entry and exit will only be permitted at Minsk International Airport.
On arrival you will need to show your passport, documentation proving that you have medical insurance valid in Belarus and valued at a minimum of €10,000, and funds equivalent to €25.00 per day (so €250.00 in total for 10 days). This can be in the form of cash, credit cards or travellers cheques in any currency. You should ensure that your passport has at least three months' validity from the date of entry into Belarus.
A maximum of 90 days stay in Belarus in any one calendar year is permitted. If you wish to stay longer than 30 days then a visa is required. If you're travelling from/to any Russian airport then this visa-free arrangement doesn't apply and you'll need a visa.
There are 80 countries in total that the visa free arrangements apply to and a full list of these and further information can be found on the Belarus Embassy website: http://uk.mfa.gov.by/en/consular_issues/visas/
Other nationalities should consult their local embassy or consular office.
All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related questions with the relevant embassy prior to departure.
This trip is designed to acquaint you with Belarus's highlights and to give you the opportunity to get to know this fascinating lesser known country better. There's so much to see and do during your time in Belarus and there's a lot of ground to cover, so please be prepared for the busy nature of this enthralling holiday.
In the Berezinsky National Park the morning hike covers around three and a half kilometres or the full day hike is for around seven and half kilometres. The hiking is graded as Easy as the terrain is mostly flat but is through areas of forest and marshland, so can be uneven or muddy underfoot.
In the Naliboksky Nature Reserve we take an Easy graded walk for around an hour through the forest. The terrain is mostly flat, but can be uneven with tree branches and roots on the ground and can be muddy underfoot.
Nothing compulsory, we recommend protection against Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Tetanus, Tick-borne encephalitis, Tuberculosis and Typhoid. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at Explore Travel Health and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.
Why book this trip
This trip is perfect for anyone looking to get under the skin of Belarus. It's a country that is only a short flight away from the UK and yet feels very different from home and that few in Western Europe know much about. Belarus is however opening up more to tourism and so now is the ideal time to go and see it. On this Belarus adventure discover the Stalinist architecture, grand castles, dense forests and sprawling marshlands that it known for, as well as sampling local vodka and hearty cuisine along the way. It's now visa free! Normally to visit Belarus a visa is required but currently visitors from the UK, USA, Australia and more, can travel to Minsk International Airport without the need for a visa, so it's never been cheaper or easier to discover Belarus. See the Visa Information section of our trip notes for further details.
Fri 8 May 2020 - Sun 17 May 2020 Guaranteed departure
MI_2020
20:30 at Hotel Reception
Fri 5 Jun 2020 - Sun 14 Jun 2020
Fri 14 Aug 2020 - Sun 23 Aug 2020 Guaranteed departure
Fri 4 Sep 2020 - Sun 13 Sep 2020 Guaranteed departure


Wow.....awesome..... I didnt know that we were in 7th grade again. You know what else rules Big League Chew.
i dont think applications change much from year to year, so you could just get a hold of the 05 one if you wanted to start working on it over the summer. i think the 06 application will be available in september.
as for stats, i have a really low gpa and really high lsat. check out www.lawschoolnumbers.com for a decent picture of what miami's decision process looks like.
Over twenty people with less than a 157 were accepted on LSN.
although i cannot say for sure, i believe that timing has a lot to do with "border" admits to the university of miami, as with any other school, of course. those that were getting accepted in the beginning of the cycle with indexes of around 3 maybe would have been waitlisted or even denied a few months after. for anyone seeking admission to miami, GET YOUR APPLICATION IN EARLY!!!
Wondering what everyone thought about the job market in Miami - not only firm jobs but also consulting and in-house positions? I know the tourist/entertainment industry is fairly large for the miami area, but what about other business areas? I have only heard bad things about Miami's Career Center, so finding a job will be tough. And not everyone will graduate at the top of the class, so this is a possibility for many.
I personally am interested in i-banking and was planning on getting the MBA as well and Miami seems to be well situated for this business area (see excerpt). I am not looking for a typical firm job. I would be happy to accept an exec/mgt position.
Does anyone have any perspective/personal experiences on this?
Situated on a 260-acre tropical campus in the community of Coral Gables, the University of Miami School of Business Administration has been called the "Ivy League School of the South." Located at the gateway to Latin America, the University of Miami provides unique educational opportunities in a global community, serving as a major center for Latin American and Caribbean business studies. America's Network ranks Miami as number 5 among the world's top 20 telecom hubs, and as second in the nation, behind New York City, in international banking. Peterson's recently ranked Miami among the top five cities in America for pursuing education. With a diverse educational program and an international community, the University of Miami School of Business provides a unique opportunity to earn an MBA degree. Upon graduation, University of Miami students become a part of the sixth-largest alumni network in the country. The School of Business recently erected a $23 million facility complete with computer access at every seat, a "paperless" library with a full-time librarian, a computer lab exclusive to MBA students, and high-tech classrooms. As a "wireless" campus, the University of Miami provides remote online access.
I am headed out to check out the campus and housing market tomorrow. I will be back Thursday. Anything anybody would like me to check out for them?
but anyhow I think its an awesome idea.. you'll be working with two career services offices from the school upon graduation.. if you decide to do corporate law, most big law firms will start you off as a second year associate if you have the dual degree.. so thats a bonus...and there are sooo many international banks on brickell, I'm sure internships are plentiful there.. you'll have three summers to do cool things with, internships, summer associateship jobs, etc... so you're resume will seem more impressive too...its only an extra year or semester, depending on how many summers you do.. so its worth it..
I'm stressed about the GMAT. I haven't had a math class since high school algebra. I bought the Princeton Review GMAT study book and have been looking it over. You must complete it all on computer, with NO calculator and NO scratch papar. How the heck am I supposed to figure all the algebra and geometry out in my head?? I'm just really not a math person.
Has anyone found an apartment yet?


text:
February 3, 2016 | Victor Kotsev
An Explosive Situation Is Brewing in Turkey
Photo credit: Rebecca Harms / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Buildings are riddled with bullet holes, the sound of explosions can be heard day and night, and many residents have already packed up their belongings and fled. It sounds like war-torn Syria, but the actual location is a surprise: inside the supposedly secure borders of Turkey.
"There is constant fighting with tanks and heavy weapons in the center, and a lot of houses have been destroyed," said a teacher in Diyarbakir, the main Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. The man refused to have his name published for fear of losing his job. He told WhoWhatWhy: "It's become worse in the last three or four days."
The Turkish government claims to have "neutralized" over 3,100 Kurdish PKK militants since August. The Kurds dispute those numbers. The Turkish Human Rights Foundation says some 170 civilians have been killed, while Turkish media reports claim that over 100,000 have been displaced.
Turkey has been fighting Kurdish militants in the country's southeast for more than three decades; 40,000 people have lost their lives in the violence. But the danger of igniting a wider conflict has escalated since last summer. That's when a two-year ceasefire collapsed, partly as a spillover from the Syrian civil war next door.
What if Putin Gave Kurds Advanced Weapons?
Last November Turkey shot down a Russian bomber that apparently violated its airspace along the Syrian border. Since then, relations between the two countries have devolved into a hostile stand-off.
Russia seized on the incident to close parts of Syria's airspace to Western aircraft. Many observers believe that Putin could supply Kurdish militants along the Turkish-Syrian border with advanced arms, such as modern anti-tank missiles that could have a devastating effect on the Turkish army.
The Kornet is a Russian anti-tank guided missile Photo credit: Mike1979 Russia / Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Yet it's not World War III that analysts worry about the most — at least not in the conventional sense. The bigger danger is that the crisis could fragment NATO, where many voices have started to question Turkey's role in the alliance.
Which Side Is Turkey On?
The Kurds, who number approximately 28 million, may be the largest ethnic group in the world without its own country. What the Kurds consider their ancestral homeland is a contiguous area that runs from southeastern Turkey into parts of Syria, Iraq and Iran. In recent conflicts against jihadists, including the Islamic State, the Kurds have proved themselves the most reliable local ally for the West.
Westerners consider Turkey an ally, but many believe Turkey has aided ISIS and other extremist groups in Syria. Some observers even suggest Turkey has colluded with the extremists against the Kurds. In fact, the two-year ceasefire collapsed when Kurdish militants killed two Turkish policemen whom they accused of helping ISIS conduct an attack that killed over 30 Kurdish youth activists in July.
The Turkish government's displeasure with the Kurds is also directed at an experiment in radical local democracy that the Syrian and Turkish Kurds have been conducting in recent years.
Some see this development as a possible model for failed regional states such as Syria and Iraq. Others see it as part of the problem rather than a solution: Watchdogs such as Amnesty International have accused the Kurds in Syria of war crimes.
One thing is certain: the existence of self-governing Kurdish institutions inside Turkey has aroused the anger and fear of the Islamist-leaning government in Ankara.
For a couple of years now, explains Haydar Darici, a Kurdish anthropologist who studies the conflict, the Kurdish movement has run its own schools and neighborhood councils in the Turkish cities currently under siege. "Nobody goes to the state for anything there."
This is intolerable, Darici adds, to a government that has turned increasingly authoritarian in recent years, cracking down on critical journalists, academics, and even ordinary citizens. (Some have been charged with espionage, others with supporting terrorism, still others with insulting the Turkish president.) Darici and others believe that the curfews and the urban warfare are designed to suffocate and crush the local autonomy movement, rather than to simply reestablish a government presence there.
The problems with Turkish democracy are not new: Turkey ranks very low in a worldwide survey of media freedom — 149th out of 179 countries in 2015, according to Reporters Without Borders. Recently, the crackdown has intensified, with incidents such as police taking over opposition media mid-broadcast on the reported charges that their tax reports were too good to be true.
In the past few weeks, government suppression has approached a level many have privately compared to a witch hunt: dozens of academics who signed a letter calling for an end to the military operation were arrested in January, and over 1,100 others face dismissals, criminal investigations, and threats.
"Everyone who benefits from this state but is now an enemy of the state must be punished without further delay," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proclaimed recently. Many beleaguered academics blame Erdogan for escalating the violence in hopes of consolidating his political power.
MIT professor Noam Chomsky was among a number of Western academics who signed the letter calling for an end to the government's actions against Turkish citizens for exercising their constitutional right to peaceful dissent. "Erdogan's attack on free expression is another step in his efforts to consolidate authoritarian rule," Chomsky told WhoWhatWhy in an email.
Syrian Refugees in Turkey Photo credit: U.S. Department of State
Western Europe seems hesitant to acknowledge Turkey's repression. The European Court of Human Rights recently refused to issue an injunction against the government-imposed curfews in the Kurdish-majority cities.
Turkey Shields Europe Against Refugees
This reluctance to condemn Ankara's actions is not surprising. Turkey has turned into the European Union's shield against refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East. But the leader of the Turkish opposition had no qualms about describing the situation in the starkest terms: he said Turkey was turning into Western Europe's "concentration camp."
The US also takes care not to offend Turkey. When Vice President Joe Biden visited Ankara on January 23 to ramp up the regional alliance against ISIS, he spoke out against attempts to curtail freedom of speech, but then proceeded to parrot the Turkish government's position that the militant Kurdish People's Party (PKK) is as much a "threat" to Turkey as ISIS itself.
To be sure, the PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the US and the EU (though other Kurdish groups involved in the conflict aren't). And most analysts agree that Kurdish attacks against the Turkish army and police have contributed significantly to the spiralling violence.
Still, the US and other Western governments have long turned a blind eye to the civil and human rights abuses of their allies — Oman and Uzbekistan were most recently in the headlines, though Saudi Arabia may well be the most glaring example.
A Highly Explosive Situation
Such uncritical support for Turkey ignores a real danger: Ankara's focus on Kurdish militants may compromise its cooperation with Western efforts to defeat ISIS.
In addition, Turkey's confrontation with Russia adds another level of risk to that posed by its internal conflicts. Although Turkey has the second-largest army in NATO, few think it can prevail against the PKK by force of arms alone. Yet its military posturing could provoke Russia into some form of intervention — a frightening prospect since Turkey's NATO allies are treaty-bound to come to its aid if it suffers an "armed attack."
An alliance, experts say, is only as strong as its weakest link, and Russia stands to gain enormously from any crack in NATO.
Related front page panorama photo credit: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Kremlin.ru / Wikimedia – CC BY 3.0), Map of Kurdish Areas in Iraq and Turkey (Congressional Research Service / AINA.org), Russian President Vladimir Putin (Kremlin.ru / Wikimedia – CC BY 3.0)
5 responses to "An Explosive Situation Is Brewing in Turkey"
In the environs that is Turkey and the Middle East, there aren't enough armies or bodyguards to protect someone such as Erdogan.
Having served in Kurdistan reinforces my conviction that these people make wonderful friends and allies. To stir them up is like fighting hornets but if they're your friends and they trust you, you have an inalienable ally.
Too bad the US State Department doesn't notice, because they freely would do much dirty work for Democracies and human rights.
KYRIEleison says:
In the Western media you hardly read anything about Turkey being at war with its own Kurdish citizens – the Western media is incredibly corrupt !
garretso says:
Western governments may consider Turkey an ally, but Turkey is not a friend of Western Civilization.
Very well said !!
Lie_Buster says:
"The bigger danger is that the crisis could fragment NATO, where many voices have started to question Turkey's role in the alliance."
Excusez-moi … "starting" to question Turkey in EU & NATO at this late date? Therein lies the problem. And yes, World War III is just around the corner with such an asinine and diabolical international strategy. If so many knew that Erdogan (Gollum-the-gargoyle) was a villain, how come the thinkers-that-be are just "starting to question" the inclusion of Turkey in the Alliance of Satan ? Well, he's there now and there's nothing they can do about it. Erdogan's morality is the morality of Barak Obama, NATO and the European Union. So tell us once again who's been going around the world preaching the gospel of freedom, democracy & human rights?
Turkey's learned one thng: so long as you roll over to the USA (boss of EU & NATO) you can commit crimes against humanity and any level of atrocities from now till doomsday, and the cabal will pretend it didn't happen … erase it from history … just like the history of a million Armenian Christians mercilessly tortured and slaughtered, that just seemed to disappear somewhere in the Western air.


Pakistan upon gaining independence inherited an industrial relations system in the form of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947. This legislation provided for, amongst other rights, the establishment of works committees to remove causes of friction between workers and employers in the day-to-day operations of enterprises. This law was repealed by virtue of West Pakistan Industrial Dispute Ordinance, 1958 which was replaced thereafter by the Industrial Disputes Ordinance 1959. In 1969, the Industrial Relations Ordinance 1969 was promulgated, repealing the earlier laws. Currently the Industrial Relations Act 2012 (the "IRA 2012") is in force for 'establishments' in more than one province or in Islamabad, and the provincial Industrial Relations Acts apply to establishments restricted to one province.
Intervention by the Government by reference to the National Industrial Relations Commission ("NIRC") in matters of national importance.
Our discussion will be limited to conciliation and arbitration, and will not take account of the other modes just named for the resolution of Industrial Disputes.
If bilateral negotiations fail, the matter will be dealt with by way of conciliation. Where conciliation efforts are un-successful, the conciliator persuades the parties to agree to arbitration. The arbitration is optional and not compulsory.
Arbitration is sometimes confused with other methods for peacefully resolving labour disputes. Conciliation, mediation, and arbitration are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. Conciliation is "the act of a third party, bringing together the two parties in dispute, for negotiation and for settlement of the dispute". Mediation is "the process whereby the third party not only brings two parties together but actively participates in the negotiation, generally consulting with each of the parties separately and, by persuasion, affecting a compromise acceptable to both". Arbitration is a "judicial process." In Pakistan, a conciliator also acts as a mediator, as in the ultimate analysis, mediation by a conciliator is essential for the resolution of dispute.
In these proceedings, the conciliator or mediator does not take any decision or give any award; decision-making remains the jurisdiction of the arbitrator and/or the labour court. The arbitrator is a judge. The parties agree to accept the arbitrator's decision as final and binding. The parties are required to submit evidence, and each is permitted to cross-examine the evidence of the other. The decision of an arbitrator after the hearing is known as an award. There is no appeal against an arbitration decision in the High Court and the decision acquires finality.
The provision for the appointment of conciliators is provided in Sections 36 to 39 of the IRA 2012.
It is to be noted that at the stage of raising an industrial dispute by issuing a notice under Section 35(1) of IRA 2012, the party issuing such notice is not required to send a copy thereof to the conciliator or to any other authority. At that stage, the law presumes that parties to the dispute shall come to terms by mutual bilateral negotiations and any interference by the conciliator is not called for. If an agreement is reached, that will be the end of the matter and copies of the agreement duly signed by the parties to the dispute are required to be forwarded to the conciliator and other prescribed authorities. On the failure of bilateral negotiations, the party raising the industrial dispute can issue a notice of conciliation to the other party under Section 35(3). Likewise, it is required by Section 38 to simultaneously serve a copy thereof to the conciliator concerned and to the Labor Court. On receipt of a copy of the notice under Section 38, the conciliator initiates conciliation proceedings. At this stage, the courts i.e. the National Industrial Relations Commission ("NIRC") have no role whatsoever.
If a copy of the notice of conciliation were not delivered to the conciliator, there would be no valid commencement of the conciliation proceedings. It is the date of receipt of the conciliation notice and not the date borne by the said notice, which is material. As soon as the conciliator receives the notice, the conciliation proceedings are deemed to have commenced. The conciliator is required to call meetings between the parties to the industrial dispute with a view to bring about settlement. The parties are to be represented before the conciliator by the nominated and authorized representatives of the parties. The nominees of the parties should be fully authorized to enter into a settlement binding on the parties. The parties will not be allowed to plead that their representatives were only nominees and could not bind the principal employer in terms of a settlement signed by their duly authorized representative. If the conciliator at any stage of the conciliation proceedings feels that the presence of any particular person from the employer is necessary, he can issue a notice to the employer to appear before him at a specified date, time and place. Such person from the employer is bound to comply with the notice.
In all cases of industrial disputes in relation to an establishment notified as a public utility service or an industry other than public utility service, if the conciliation officer receives a notice of conciliation, he is under an obligation to initiate conciliation proceedings. The conciliator is bound to hold conciliation proceedings only in cases where an industrial dispute has arisen and there is a valid notice of conciliation. If any adjudication in respect of the same subject matter of the dispute is already pending, no valid conciliation notice can be served in respect of such subject matter because this would result in a multiplicity of proceedings, which is not permissible in law. The policy of the law has always been to confine parties to one process and to discourage simultaneous adjudicating in two parallel proceedings in respect of the same subject matter.
The function of the conciliator is to conciliate on the dispute between the parties and to narrow down the controversy. With this end in sight he can suggest such modifications and concessions as he feels necessary for amicable settlement of the dispute. During conciliation, a settlement may be arrived at on all demands or on any matter in dispute. To the extent of the settlement of the dispute, a memo is to be prepared, signed by the parties and shall be reported to the Government (Federal or Provincial as the case may be).
The conciliation proceedings are to be completed within 15 days or the parties by mutual consent may extend the time during which the conciliation proceedings may continue. In case the parties do not come to settlement within this 15 day period or agree to extend the period of conciliation proceedings, the conciliator is bound to declare the conciliation proceedings as having failed so as to enable the parties to pursue the industrial dispute and in the prescribed manner take further steps i.e. resort to strike or lockout, after serving due notice, as the case may be, or to file the industrial dispute in the NIRC (or Labour Court for Provincial establishment) for adjudication of the demands.
The questions of whether an industrial dispute exists, or whether a particular union of workers is competent to adjudicate the dispute on behalf of the employees and other objections, can be determined only by the courts and not by the conciliation officer. Similarly, a Labour Court can adjudicate the question of whether the signatory to the conciliation notice was competent to do so. However, a Division Bench of the Lahore High Court has held that "before holding any proceedings (the Conciliator) must satisfy himself that the notice is a valid one. If the notice is not valid, it is no notice in the eyes of law and the conciliation officer can ignore it". However, the judgment is based on the law as it then existed which specifically conferred power on the conciliation officer to determine legality or validity of the notice.
Arbitration is provided for in Section 40 of the IRA 2012. The provisions of Subsection (1) of Section 40 relating to the appointment of an arbitrator between the parties to a dispute are attracted only upon failure of the conciliation proceedings. As such, in the absence of the failure of the conciliation proceedings the provisions of the IRA 2012 do not warrant the appointment of the arbitrator. The parties by consent cannot confer jurisdiction upon an arbitrator in the absence of failure of conciliation proceedings. According to section 40(5) and (6) the award given by an arbitrator is final for a period not exceeding two years or as may be fixed by the arbitrator.
The Industrial law and Labour Laws provide for different modes for resolution or settlement of disputes. These can be divided into two main categories. One category comprises of resort to proceedings before a Labour Court set up by law for this purpose. Under this system, the entire proceedings, which are adversarial in nature, are conducted and the decision is taken in accordance with law. A prescribed procedure is required to be followed by the courts or tribunals in the conduct of cases. Decisions are then subject to appeals or revisions. All this takes time - a lot of time. Prolonged litigation is also very expensive, time consuming and usually beyond the reach of the ordinary citizen - the common man. As an alternative to litigation, the law provides for various methods for resolution of disputes, including arbitration and conciliation, which potentially provide more efficient avenues for dispute resolution.