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Sunita Rani
Volume 101 Issue 3 September 1992 pp 269-282
Static deformation of two welded half-spaces due to dip-slip faulting
Sunita Rani Sarva Jit Singh
Closed-form expressions for the displacements and stresses at any point of either of two elastic half-spaces in welded contact caused by a dip-slip line source obtained earlier are integrated analytically to derive the elastic residual field due to a long dip-slip fault of finite width. The results are valid for an arbitrary dip of the fault. The variation of the displacement field with the distance from the fault as well as with the distance from the interface is studied numerically. It is found that the displacement field is heavily dependent on the dip angle. Contour maps showing the residual elastic field in the two half-spaces caused by a vertical dip-slip fault located in one of the half-spaces are also obtained.
Volume 114 Issue 1 February 2005 pp 105-110
A note on 2-D lithospheric deformation due to a blind strike-slip fault
Analytical solution for the problem of a surface-breaking long strike-slip fault in an elastic layer overlying an elastic half-space is well known. The purpose of this note is to obtain the corresponding solution for a blind fault. Since the solution is valid for arbitrary values of the fault-depth and the dip angle, the effects of these two important fault parameters can be studied numerically. The variation of the parallel displacement and shear stress with the distance from the fault is studied numerically for different values of the fault-depth and dip angle.
Volume 115 Issue 3 June 2006 pp 277-287
2-D deformation of two welded half-spaces due to a blind dip-slip fault
Sunita Rani Neeru Bala
The solution of two-dimensional problem of an interface breaking long inclined dip-slip fault in two welded half-spaces is well known. The purpose of this note is to obtain the corresponding solution for a blind fault. The solution is valid for arbitrary values of the fault-depth and the dip angle. Graphs showing the variation of the displacement field with the distance from the fault, for different values of fault depth and dip angle are presented. Contour maps showing the stress field around a long dip-slip fault are also obtained
Volume 115 Issue 6 December 2006 pp 685-694
Plane strain deformation of a multi-layered poroelastic half-space by surface loads
Sarva Jit Singh Sunita Rani
The Biot linearized quasi-static theory of fluid-infiltrated porous materials is used to formulate the problem of the two-dimensional plane strain deformation of a multi-layered poroelastic half-space by surface loads. The Fourier-Laplace transforms of the stresses, displacements, pore pressure and fluid flux in each homogeneous layer of the multi-layered half-space are expressed in terms of six arbitrary constants. Generalized Thomson-Haskell matrix method is used to obtain the deformation field. Simplified explicit expressions for the elements of the 6 × 6 propagator matrix for the poroelastic medium are obtained. As an example of the possible applications of the analytical formulation developed, formal solution is given for normal strip loading, normal line loading and shear line loading.
Volume 116 Issue 2 April 2007 pp 99-111
Quasi-static deformation due to two-dimensional seismic sources embedded in an elastic half-space in welded contact with a poroelastic half-space
The Biot linearized theory of fluid saturated porous materials is used to study the plane strain deformation of a two-phase medium consisting of a homogeneous, isotropic, poroelastic half-space in welded contact with a homogeneous, isotropic, perfectly elastic half-space caused by a twodimensional source in the elastic half-space. The integral expressions for the displacements and stresses in the two half-spaces in welded contact are obtained from the corresponding expressions for an unbounded elastic medium by applying suitable boundary conditions at the interface. The case of a long dip-slip fault is discussed in detail. The integrals for this source are solved analytically for two limiting cases: (i) undrained conditions in the high frequency limit, and (ii) steady state drained conditions as the frequency approaches zero. It has been verified that the solution for the drained case (𝜔 → 0) coincides with the known elastic solution. The drained and undrained displacements and stresses are compared graphically. Diffusion of the pore pressure with time is also studied.
Volume 118 Issue 5 October 2009 pp 563-574
Consolidation of a poroelastic half-space with anisotropic permeability and compressible constituents by axisymmetric surface loading
Sarva Jit Singh Raman Kumar Sunita Rani
The fully coupled Biot quasi-static theory of linear poroelasticity is used to study the consolidation of a poroelastic half-space caused by axisymmetric surface loads.The fluid and solid constituents of the poroelastic medium are compressible and its permeability in the vertical direction is different from its permeability in the horizontal direction.An analytical solution of the governing equations is obtained by taking the displacements and the pore pressure as the basic state variables and using a combination of the Laplace and Hankel transforms.The problem of an axisymmetric normal load is discussed in detail.An explicit analytical solution is obtained for normal disc loading.Detailed numerical computations reveal that the anisotropy in permeability as well as the com-pressibilities of the fluid and solid constituents of the poroelastic medium have significant effects on the consolidation of the half-space.The anisotropy in permeability may accelerate the consolidation process and may lead to a dilution in the theoretical prediction of the Mandel –Cryer effect. The compressibility of the solid constituents may also accelerate the consolidation process.
Volume 122 Issue 4 August 2013 pp 1055-1063
Two-dimensional deformation of a uniform half-space due to non-uniform movement accompanying a long vertical tensile fracture
Sunita Rani Ram Chander Verma
The solution of the static deformation of a homogeneous, isotropic, perfectly elastic half-space caused by uniform movement along a long vertical tensile fracture is well known. In this paper, we study the problem of static deformation of a homogeneous, isotropic, perfectly elastic half-space caused by a nonuniform movement along a long vertical tensile fracture of infinite length and finite depth. Four movement profiles are considered: linear, parabolic, elliptic and cubic. The deformation corresponding to the four non-uniform movement profiles is compared numerically with the deformation due to a uniform case, assuming the source potency to be the same. The equality in source potency is achieved in two ways: One, by varying the depth of fracture and keeping the surface discontinuity constant and the other way, by keeping the depth of fracture constant and varying the surface discontinuity. It is found that the effect of non-uniformity in movement in the near field is noteworthy. The far field is not affected significantly by the non-uniformity in movement. In the first case, horizontal displacement is significantly affected rather than vertical displacement. In the second case, non-uniformity in movement changes the magnitude of the displacement at the surface. Also, the displacements around a long vertical tensile fracture for different movement profiles are plotted in three dimensions.


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Faculty of Agriculture teams with Ontario's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Staff - July 27, 2016
Charlie Johnstone (Royal CEO) and David Gray (dean, Faculty of Agriculture) mark their organizations' new partnership in Toronto. (Provided photo)
It's a regal affair — and the largest event in the world combining an indoor agricultural fair with an international equestrian competition.
And now, Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, better known as "The Royal," is teaming up with Dalhousie to support agricultural education.
On Tuesday, Dal's Faculty of Agriculture was announced as the official post-secondary education partner of The Royal. Together, the two partners will address educational pathways and career opportunities in agriculture and food with high school students, teachers and guidance counsellors.
The education-based partnership is a first for The Royal. Among many educational-related initiatives scheduled for the 2016 Royal this November, the Faculty of Agriculture will be the presenting sponsor of a guidance counselor symposium in association with the Ontario School Counsellors' Association. It will also host a series of fast-paced, activity-based learning seminars about food and agriculture during the fair for high school teachers and students.
"We welcome the opportunity to challenge people's understanding of modern-day agriculture," said David Gray, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and principal of the Agricultural Campus. "Agriculture is grounded in developing and sustaining life at a fundamental level, but also developing communities around our agricultural activities and responding to the health and wellbeing of such communities, locally, nationally and internationally. We look forward to partnering with The Royal on this endeavor."
"Agricultural education has been a cornerstone of The Royal's mandate for the past 94 years," said Charlie Johnstone, chief executive officer of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. "With our Dalhousie partnership, we can take our focus on education to a whole new level and in the process, help our urban visitors better understand the opportunity that agriculture represents." The Royal welcomes more than 300,000 visits annually, including more than 20,000 students and teachers — and thousands more parents and children."
For more details on the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, visit royalfair.org.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Tim and Gendle must use their knowledge and contacts to find a star athlete with the right skills to take on each challenge. Each episode is engineered around a core sport and will feature a different star from that discipline including; BMX star Bob Manchester, multiple Trails champion Chris Akrigg and Hollywood stuntman Gary Connery, who performed as the Queen's stunt double during the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. From a human marble run and Drift car racing to a loop-de-loop on a dry ski slope The Indestructibles take the audience on an explosive, hilarious journey.


She lives for the weekends when she can train on her bike. Now that she has gotten rid of her training wheels, this personalized bicycle ornament means that she is ready for the bike trails. Commemorate a girl learning how to ride a bicycle with this personalized biking ornament. Or, for a seasoned cyclist, this personalized cycling ornament makes a great gift for a bicycle racer or as a thank you gift to a fabulous spin class instructor at the gym. Wearing her pink helmet, pink shirt and bike shorts, she anxiously anticipates the warm weather when she can travel by bicycle on the roadways.
I have 5 grandchildren and over the last 10 years I have bought ornaments from OrnamentShop as each of them have come along. I usually choose something that has been significant to each of them throughout the year. They each love to find their ornaments on my tree every Christmas. I am very please with the selection and quality of the ornaments.
The ornament was wrapped securely to protect against breakage. This gift was a hit and a perfect match for the biker in our family. Quality and personalization were great.
My granddaughter loved it. A cute reminder of the year she learned to ride her bike and her favorite color is pink so she loved the shirt and helmet.
The ornament was wonderful. I got it for my niece who learned to ride a 2 wheel bike in the summer. Personalized name was beautiful.
8/24/2018 - "I love the products and would recommend. Would like to see more coupon codes. Bethany C."


Me, wearing one of my many dresses designed with my graphic art prints.
Thrilled to have 2 different prints featured in one day!
Thanking my dear friend and longtime client for allowing me to post her photo. Sarah used her UCERM curtain backdrop as her tablecloth. She looks wonderful!!
UCERM is a nonprofit organization that strengthens the ability of individuals and nonprofits to achieve their mission and impact their communities. Contact her, if you are looking for personal and professional development, coaching or a keynote speaker.


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All posts tagged: QAnon
Disinformation Expert Dave Troy Explains Big History Behind January 6th
What is the big history behind the attempted takeover of the United States government by pro-Trump supporters on January 6th? Why are so many Republican lawmakers unwilling to engage in an investigation—despite the fact that most of them were forced to hide under desks and run in fear for their lives through the halls of
Steven Hassan, July 4, 2021
Mental Health Diagnoses and QAnon: A Complicated Issue
On March 25, 2021, The Conversation published an article by Dr. Sophia Moskalenko entitled Many QAnon followers report having mental health diagnoses. According to this article, 68% of the QAnon followers arrested because of their involvement in the failed January 6th insurrection reported mental health diagnoses. (According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately
Mental Health Professionals Need to Learn How to Help People in Authoritarian Cults
Many Americans breathed a sigh of relief when Joe Biden became the 46th President on January 20, 2021. QAnon and other true believers were upset that nothing happened to change that on March 4. Over 400 people have been arrested so far and charged for their role in the failed January 6th insurrection attempt. Yet, polls indicate there are tens of millions of Americans who still believe the big lie that the election
Mental Health Issues Including Suicidal Feelings and Authoritarianism
Oprah's interview with Meghan Markle, watched by tens of millions worldwide, was riveting and upsetting. The topic of racism in the Royal Family ("The Firm") needs further in-depth discussion. However, in this blog, I want to focus on Meghan's disclosure that she felt such high levels of stress and isolation that she became suicidal. Meghan
Biden Won and Now Is the President: What Can We Do to Help Those Who Are Still Not Willing to Face It?
On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn into office, becoming the 46th president of the United States of America. Our nation is facing a very real pandemic (not a hoax) and a horrible economic situation with many millions of Americans experiencing hardship, anxiety and pain. Many are dealing with homelessness, have no income
How to Help People Involved in QAnon–A Reddit AMA: QAnonCasualties
On Sunday, January 10, 2021, I was invited to answer questions during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) for the subreddit group QAnonCasualties. This is a link to the entire thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/QAnonCasualties/comments/kukco0/ama_with_steven_hassan_phd/. Below are most of the questions, along with my answers. This blog is longer than usual, but I felt it was important to include
As I Predicted in The Cult of Trump Book, Trump Might Act to Direct Followers to Become Violent but There Is Hope
Biden is Certified the Presidential Winner and Trump Incites Crazy and Violent Armed Insurrection Attempt at Capitol Calls for Invocation of 25th Amendment and Impeachment Are Made to Remove Trump From Power Now, Despite Trump Conceding Losing the Election Trump Promised a Peaceful Transition of Power On January 6th, 2021, the seat of our federal
Strategic Plan to Heal the Country: Build Bridges, Teach Everyone About Unethical Social Influence and Stay Positive
The Electoral College vote affirms Biden's win; he is the president-elect and will be inaugurated into office January 20, 2021, along with Kamala Harris as vice-president. Republican Senate Majority leader McConnell states publicly that Joe Biden is the President Elect and disobeys Trump. Trump's Attorney General William Barr, after publicly stating there was no evidence
Starting to Question if You Are in a Controlling Group or Relationship?
Have you recently started questioning your life and how you are spending your time and money? Have you read a book or article, listened to a podcast, or watched a documentary about a cult such as NXIVM and saw parallels to your own life circumstance? What about engaging with a former member? Perhaps you have
How to Help Friends & Family Following Trump's Election Loss: False Prophecy, Mass Exodus, & Cognitive Dissonance
The year leading up to the 2020 Presidential election has been extremely divisive and stressful for most Americans, as well as, for our world allies. The results are in and show decidedly Joe Biden has won both the popular and electoral votes and will be sworn into office on January 20, 2021. Unfortunately, as
Dismantling QAnon: A TEDxMidAtlantic Must Watch Program
Assuming the predictions are accurate and there is a Biden/Harris landslide, what will happen with the millions of people who believe that President Trump is a man of God doing Apocalyptic fulfillment, especially QAnon followers? This is an important question as most of us have friends or family members that are affected. I wanted to
Steven Hassan, October 29, 2020
The QAnon Media Ecosystem Is Not Helping People to Exit
Originally published on Medium: <https://hassan-4414.medium.com/the-qanon-media-ecosystem-is-not-helping-people-to-exit-1045e0c8c8ee> Reporters covering QAnon for the past few years have over time inadvertently done more harm than good. In fact, they probably have done great damage. By amplifying the conspiracy to the level that it is now squarely in mainstream discourse is problematic. The way it is discussed and covered


The childishness of a human being is; on one hand, he is competing to take credit for success, on the other hand, he is always seeking out an opportunity to blame someone else for his failure. Consequently, he is never able to analyze any event accurately.
Once you have commenced the task, then moving your concentration and energies away, prior to its "successful completion" - is like inviting failure yourself.
Without knowing your own mind, no success can be achieved in life. But to understand the mind, neither books nor teachings are available. This is the sole reason for such a miserable failure of human beings.
The biggest reason for our failure is, we are not able to see the existence of this world in its totality. Here, neither it is possible to fulfill the personal interests of any individual nor of any group.
The one and only reason behind all the miseries and failures of our life is our selfishness and the deeds induced by our selfish nature.
Anger, worries, fear, worship, insecurity, jealousy and partiality drag you to such darker recesses of the mind from where even a blind person seems clear- sighted. When you have lost the sense to see things in their right perspective, how could you get anything but failure in life?


A zero-day local privilege escalation flaw that was disclosed on Twitter last month now has a fix by way of Microsoft's September security update rollout.
Microsoft Premier customers can now begin using the company's Project VAST security product to create data visualizations of their organization's security landscape.
A forthcoming -- and possibly final -- version of Windows Server Essentials is on tap from Microsoft later this year aimed at small businesses.
Microsoft this week put the spotlight on the software-defined networking security capabilities coming to Windows Server 2019, calling it one of the product's top 10 networking features.
Microsoft's upcoming Windows Server 2019 product is poised to lighten the configuration burden for IT pros and improve virtual workload CPU performance.


You can say that Canon PIXMA MG7500 is considered as one unique printer that can give you the nice printing result for the black and white text printing and the colorful photo printing. That is because this printer has two different ink preferences for the black color. This is not something common since many other printers are using the same black ink for text and photo printing.
You need to know that text and photo print requires different ink preferences. For example, if you want to print the crisp looking text, then you will need the pigmented ink that you can get from this Canon PIXMA MG7500. On the other hand, if you want to print the amazing color for your photos, then you will need the dyed ink from this printer. Those two preferences can be considered as something nice that you can get since you will be able to maximize the printing result for all of your needs.
For your consideration, the ink preference is not the only thing that you will get from this printer. That is because there are also some other features from Canon PIXMA MG7500 that are totally worth to consider so that you will never regret buying this printer.
The second thing that you need is the installation disc of Canon PIXMA MG7500. this can be found on the package that you get when you buy the printer.
First thing that you need to do is to turn on the PC or laptop where you want to install the Canon PIXMA MG7500 driver.
When the finish notification hays appeared, you just need to click finish and you are ready to print anything using the newly installed Canon PIXMA MG7500 printer.
If you do not have the CD driver software for the Canon PIXMA MG7500 but you want to install the printer's driver, then you just need to find the trusted download link from the official website and download the driver that you need for the installation.
The next thing that you need to do is to run the setup files to install the Canon PIXMA MG7500 driver. If you do not have the file yet, you need to download one from the trusted site or from its official website. Remember to run the setup files as the administrator since this kind of file does not have the kind of automated running system like the software CD drive that you usually get inside the package of Canon PIXMA MG7500.
First of all, you will need two things. They are the application for the printer and the setup files for the Canon PIXMA MG7500 so that you can install the printer in your PC or laptop.
You just need to follow the next instructions to finish the whole process of installing your new Canon PIXMA MG7500 driver. After that, your printer is ready to use.
Those are some options that you can simply try if you are trying to install the driver software for your Canon PIXMA MG7500 printer. Hope all of those options can be helpful for you.
Free Download Canon PIXMA MG7500 Series All-in-One Photo Printer Driver and Software for Supported Operating Systems Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/Windows Server (32-bit/64-bit), Macintosh Mac OS X, and Linux.


Do You Screen for Inter-cultural Adaptability?
Most of you are aware of how the ongoing globalization of trade, talent and culture has changed—and is continuing to change—the way we do business. It's clear that: professionals are traveling more internationally, employers are entering new global markets and we are working in an increasingly diverse environment.
This is leading to stark changes in the kind of skills that employers value in employees with a recent research report by Booz Allen Hamilton, Ipsos Public Affairs and the British Council revealing that employers are now beginning to value inter-cultural adaptability as much as experience and technical know-how. The report took into account the views of more than 360 recruitment decision makers at major organizations in 9 countries: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Jordan, South Africa, the UAE, the UK and the US. As you can see from the chart below, which is an excerpt from the report, 58 percent of US employers see cultural adaptability as very important to their organizations and 70 percent in the UK.
What they also outlined in the report was the advantages that inter-cultural adaptability bestowed on an employee and there seemed to be a consensus amongst the respondents on the three main benefits that inter-cultural adaptability brought to an organization. These were that employers with inter-cultural adaptability have a greater capacity to bring in new clients, can work more effectively in diverse teams and help to support a strong brand and reputation. Surely, music to any CEO's ears. The survey even went on to outline the risks associated with employees that lacked inter-cultural adaptability which were: loss of clients, team conflict and damage to reputation.
As we can see inter-cultural adaptability has taken up a much higher prominence as a key performance indicator, and it is therefore surprising that the survey found that most employers don't formally screen for inter-cultural adaptability in the hiring process, although some of them do make informal assessments of inter-cultural skills, based on the five following selection criteria.
It seems to me that there is a mood shift going as employers become more aware of the value of inter-cultural adaptability in new recruits. This should serve as a sign to recruiters and employers that there is huge value in screening more formally for inter-cultural adaptability and the time may be coming to start making more formal assessments of inter-cultural adaptability if you are to build an organization that is well equipped to cope and thrive within our globally integrated business world now and into the future.
In fact, arguably, companies that reflect the highest levels of inter-cultural adaptability may have an advantage on the global stage in terms of their ability to win new clients, expand into new territories and to present a customer focused, culturally sensitive global brand and reputation.


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Fall 2019 - Vol. 14, No. 3
Clinical Care and Management
of Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
Annmarie Blair, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN
Maternal Child Health Nursing Professional Development Specialist
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health
"Be the change that you want to see in the world."
There is a disturbing villain which no longer lurks in the dark shadows of a city alley or lies hidden away from our friendly neighborhoods. It lives among us in our communities, in our school systems, on our front porches, and in our hospital systems. It is the vile face of prescription drug abuse.
The opioid epidemic has been a perpetual challenge across the globe. It has infiltrated every avenue of society and leaves no one unscathed by its devastating impact on mothers and their young, even those who have not yet entered the world. Opioid dependency disorders affect every corner of society, without discrimination by race, culture, age, or gender.
We're all aware of the problem, but its staggering magnitude in the United States isn't apparent unless we look at some numbers. Although the United States has 4.6% of the world's population, it accounts for 80% of opioid drug consumption worldwide.1 In 2015, as overdose deaths from opioid pain relievers skyrocketed, an estimated 2 million U.S. women reported opioid drug overuse, of whom approximately 600,000 women admitted to heroin abuse. Opioid abuse killed an average of 31 women a day; between the years 1999-2010, women experienced a 400% increase in deaths, as opposed to an increase of 237% for their male counterparts.2 Contributing factors which complicate dependency for women are theorized to be their smaller body size and metabolic differences, which accelerate physical dependence.3
SCOPE OF THE EPIDEMIC IN PREGNANCY
It is known that opioid drugs cross the blood-brain barrier, binding to specific G-protein receptors in the brain, and potentially causing altered pain perception, decreased respirations, and other physiological effects in the pregnant mother.4 As these drugs also cross the placenta, the neonate in utero is also exposed to opioids, leading to a variety of complex developmental disorders and complications as the infant enters the world and suddenly goes through opioid withdrawal.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates that 30%–80% of neonates born after intrauterine exposure to opioids will suffer from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) as early as 72 hours after birth. Symptoms can include tremors, seizures, excessive crying, fever, diarrhea, respiratory difficulties, poor weight gain, and excessive sweating. Hospital length-of-stay increases, and readmissions are twice as common with NAS. The enormous cost of providing appropriate care has been estimated at more than $1.5 billion.5
Complications associated with NAS include low birthweight, jaundice, prolonged hospital stay and potential admission to the newborn intensive care unit, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.6
Although NAS remains the general term used in clinical practice and in the literature, a more specific term has gained popularity in an effort to differentiate infants who experience opioid withdrawal from those exposed in utero to other toxic substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and other prescription medications used throughout the pregnancy. The concept of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) is being introduced in the clinical arena to promote best practices for opioid dependent infants, who require distinctive tools for assessment and treatment.7
CARE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Despite widespread education and awareness surrounding the care and management of opioid use during pregnancy, stigma remains the most significant barrier for effective treatment. Dr. Loretta Finnegan, former medical advisor to the director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the U.S. National Institutes of Health suggests, "Rather than discouraging discussions of drug use during pregnancy, we should be looking upon this as an opportunity to bring about positive, long-lasting change in the life of the mother and the child, through effective treatment and support services." Often these women appear on the doorsteps of clinics and emergency departments seeking help, but instead are judged unfairly due to their addictions.8
Health care providers need to remain mindful of the consequences for both mother and baby if women are too fearful or embarrassed to seek treatment during pregnancy. The Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN, 2015) stresses the importance of compassionate care and transparent advocacy for females identified as opioid abusers before conception. Hospitals and birthing centers across the country are making tremendous efforts to promote safe health practices with the implementation of patient safety bundles. The identification and recognition of women at risk remains at the forefront of best practice in care and management in the antepartum and intrapartum period.
HOW IS THIS BEING ADDRESSED BY OUR HOSPITAL COMMUNITY?
As is often the case, one person's experience impelled her to act. Connie Heidig, a seasoned labor and delivery RN at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Women & Babies Hospital, recognized the need for a more detailed and comprehensive approach to patients entering the triage and the labor and delivery units with either an active opioid disorder or a history of opioid dependency. Her concern stemmed from having seen one of her own family members suffering from opioid dependency during labor:
"My family member told the providers that she was clean, when, in fact, she was not. Urine toxicology screens were not done as they were satisfied with her testimony. Prior to her delivery via cesarian section, she was using illegal pain medication, but nobody knew about it. After she delivered, she was given IV pain medication and her drug use spiraled out of control. I do not blame the OB practice, but felt that if they had more knowledge or had a screening tool, this could have been avoided."
Connie had been concerned about "knowledge deficits" regarding the opioid epidemic for this population in the community. Her passion for the safety and appropriate treatment of these patients ignited a spark which would serve as the impetus for desperately needed change. She contacted Dr. Robert Faizon, chief safety director at Women & Babies Hospital, who was excited about the idea. He developed a task force to work on the project in February 2018.
Over time, the task force grew to include anesthetists, social workers, case managers, psychiatrists, addiction counselors, perinatal safety representatives, project managers, drug and alcohol counselors, nurse leaders, and of course, Connie, the nursing representative for the team. The purpose of the task force was to properly identify and treat pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD). She would share stories or events that occurred on the units in order to support the need for an action plan and to help her colleagues on the task force become more aware of the problem. Connie took the initiative to identify the need for a screening tool that would serve as a flag to help providers recognize a patient suspected of opioid use.
With Connie's passionate persistence, the team, led by Dr. Faizon, developed a screening tool, protocol, and order panel that is currently being implemented by the labor and delivery nursing and medical staff (Fig. 1). The tool provides a platform of guidance to the provider in the care and management of opioid dependent patients, and those who are also at risk for relapsing into opioid dependence following delivery. The nursing protocol will drive best practices and help answer questions such as:
Is this patient using opioids now or do they have the potential to use? Is there a family history risk factor that could put this patient at risk for using? When the patient is discharged from our care, should they be placed on methadone or suboxone? Is the patient being managed appropriately during the labor process?
Janay DiBerardino, perinatal safety nurse at Women & Babies Hospital, collaborated with Connie and the team to successfully develop an opioid dependency screening algorithm (Fig. 2). According to Connie, "The opioid dependency task force included valuable input and work from so many different professionals." The order set and screening tool was presented by Dr. Faizon at the OB Care Management Team March of this year and was accepted unanimously by the medical staff.
The order panel provides standardization of care for antepartum and intrapartum patients with opioid use disorder, includes proper medically assisted treatment (MAT) options for patients already on MAT, and has the capacity to connect patients with appropriate external treatment centers. The order panel allows for pain management options that include higher doses during labor, and includes recommendations for lab tests and consults. The policy and algorithm for opioid use disorder is used to screen all pregnant patients using a single screening question (SSQ). Patients presenting with high-risk clinical conditions and those on MAT with a positive SSQ will receive an automatic urine toxicology screen. Additionally, drug and alcohol consults will be available on a 24/7 basis.
The team at Women & Babies Hospital came together as a united army of professionals dedicated to providing quality of care without discrimination or judgement for their patients. They are able to persevere with these difficult situations because they know what pregnant patients with OUD need, and they recognize the challenge posed by the current statistics on the devastating consequences associated with opioid use in pregnancy.
Heeding Gandhi's admonition (see beginning of article), Connie indeed became the change she wanted to see in the world of maternal child nursing at the Women & Babies Hospital.
Fig. 1. Protocol for Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
Fig. 2. Algorithm for Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
1. Terpan M. Women and the opioid crisis. Historical context and public health solutions. Fertility and Sterility. 2017; 108: 195-199.
2. Donnell JK, Gladden RM, and Seth P. Trends in deaths involving heroin and synthetic opioids excluding methadone, and law enforcement drug product reports, by census region – U.S, 2006-2015, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2017; 66: 897-903.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2016). White paper: Opioid use, misuse, and overdose in women. Retrieved from: https://www.womenshelath.gov/files/documents/white-paper-opioid-508.pdf.
4. Balacchino A, Arbuckly K, Petrie DJ et al. Neurobehavioral consequences of chronic intrauterine opioid exposure in infants and preschool children. A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psych. 2014; 14 (104). [Note: an error in the original manuscript's data was later corrected in BMC Psych. 2015;15: (134)]
5. Devlin LA, Lau T, and Radmacher PG. Decreasing total medication exposure and length of stay while completing withdrawal for neonatal abstinence syndrome during the neonatal hospital stay. Frontiers in Ped. 2017; 5:216.
6. Haycraft AL. Pregnancy and the opioid epidemic. J Psychol Nursing. 2018;56(3): 19-23.
7. Klaman SL, Isaacs K, Leopold A, et al. Treatment women who are pregnant and parenting for opioid use disorder and the concurrent care of their infants and children: Literature review to support national guidance. J Addict Med. 2017; 11(3): 178-190.
8. Finnegan L. Stigma a major barrier to treatment for pregnant women with addictions. Canad Med Assoc J. 2013; 185(18): 1592


Mattison C. (Matt) Painter is a Shareholder in the tax division of LBMC, PC, serving on the Wealth Advisors Service team.
He has over twenty-five years of experience providing estate and gift planning services.
His previous experience includes practice with Coolidge, Wall, Womsley & Lombard of Dayton, Ohio and Holton Goodman & Blackstone in Nashville, Tennessee.


Show Related Q&As What Will I Learn in a Microsoft Web Design Certification Program? Is there a Microsoft Quality Assurance (QA) Certification? Microsoft Developer: Salary and Career Facts Can I Get a Degree in Microsoft Access?
In this edition of tech tricks to being a better student, we discuss shortcuts in Microsoft Office. These tricks will help you move at a much quicker pace while you're working, so you can stay 'in the groove.' Schools offering Computer Support Technician degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
If you're the type who doesn't like to break focus once you get 'in the zone,' these keyboard shortcuts might be useful to you. They allow you to keep your focus on the document without having to reach for the mouse and click on menus or icons. If memorizing the shortcuts is going to be an issue, you can always print them out and attach them to your computer. You'll memorize them eventually, and the time-saving, focus-preserving effect will be welcome. As an added bonus, most of these shortcuts can be used elsewhere on the computer, including many Internet browsers.
This list of shortcut commands is officially connected to Microsoft Office 2010 for Windows. However, most of the commands apply in other versions of Office, including those for Mac. Give them a try - you might end up saving yourself some valuable time while completing assignments.
A little orientation to the commands: CTRL refers to the control key, and unless specified, these commands require you to press the listed keys simultaneously. For many of the commands, Mac users can replace CTRL with the command key. There are, of course, many more key commands than those listed here. This list is curated to focus on the commands that are most commonly used for academic purposes, like writing research papers.
This is the second article of a series in which the Education Techie will share some tips with students. Previously, the Techie talked about effective searching. Stay tuned for more tips this week!
Is there a Microsoft Quality Assurance (QA) Certification?


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Uci Material Transfer Agreement
Before proprietary or valuable equipment changes ownership, there should be a transfer contract. This protects the rights of both parties and ensures prior agreement on subsequent use, maintenance and distribution. The UC Irvine Research Translation Group (RTG) is responsible for helping researchers negotiate and implement these agreements on behalf of UC Irvine. MTAs are supposed to protect the distribution body from possible liability and may even limit the use and distribution of these materials. An MTA may also grant suppliers certain rights to the search results in which the material or information is to be used. The University of Houston is a signatory to the Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA), a contractual mechanism published by NIH on behalf of PHS to facilitate the transfer of biological material between academic institutions. For institutions that have accepted the terms of the UBMTA master contract, it is not necessary to negotiate individual terms for any transfer of a biological material. Instead, a letter of execution is implemented, which refers to both the biological material, the supply agency and the host institution. Where possible, UBMTA will be used to expedite the transfer of applicable biological materials If you are unsure whether or not your institution has signed the single agreement, please refer to the UBMTA list of Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) signatories to make this decision.
Below is a brief description of how outgoing and incoming transfer contracts work. RTG strives to offer a 24- to 48-hour rotation for agreements that require little or no negotiation. Stream Outsourcing (including SBIR/STTR) A formal agreement between uci and a company for UCI to serve as a subcontractor to the company for a distinction it receives from another company, including federal or regional authorities. After the approval of a proposal by the authorisation agency, a subcontract is executed between the company and the UCI in order to comply with the applicable contractual conditions and to finance the direct and indirect costs of the part of the UCI in the research project, according to a level of work and budget agreed by an agreement. Thank you for your interest in acquiring materials developed by the faculty UC Irvine and owned by the university. We are happy to share these documents that the faculty is prepared to release, provided there is an agreement before the transfer that regulates use, subsequent transfer, debts, intellectual property and, if necessary, transfer fees. Data Use Agreement A formal agreement between the UCI and a company regarding the exchange of identifiable or non-public personal data that may be covered by law for a given use or project. Data transfers can be made from (UCI data is transferred to a company) or in detail (a company`s data is transferred to the UCI).
Under the U.S. Export Control Act, a license may be required from the Bureau of Industry and Security or the Commerce Department for the export of certain materials.
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API Access – What Is API Access and how is it used?
What Is API Access?
What Is API Access and how is it used?
How do I access API Access?
Why Do We Need API Access
How to Use API Access?
What About Enterprise Usage of API Access?
APIs are the foundations of today's applications. They are tools, protocols, and programs that allow two applications or web systems to communicate. APIs also help programmers construct programs more quickly by offering important code structures that eliminate the need to repeat the same operation repeatedly.
Simply stated, API access is the process of letting mobile apps, developer frameworks, building management systems, and software programs access and utilize data from a specified API.
API administration is used in advanced applications to gain access to APIs. The API gateway is one of the fundamental operations used by API administration to authorize or reject entrance.
Gateways are used to allow API calls to be received and suitably processed. Google APIs are an excellent example of API access. Google Search, Maps, Gmail, and Translate all use APIs to access and connect with Google Services. The fact that all Google applications have permission to use Google APIs makes this possible.
An API conveys user behavior to a system if users use social media, purchase online, or book a flight. When you add an item to your digital cart, for instance, an API connects with the website, informing it that a product has been added. That's how the product gets added to the cart.
Another excellent use case of API access is when booking a flight. You must connect with an airline's database to choose and book a flight. This can help you figure out which days are available, how much flights will cost on those dates, travel schedules, and other important details that help you decide.
API access allows businesses to save expenses and enhance overall efficiency. The collaboration between banks, retailers, and fintech is another excellent example. In addition, applications can acquire the user's account information by providing APIs that allow clients to incorporate data into investment and accountancy software.
In essence, an application can access system data if the following conditions are met:
The system's API settings are activated.
The application asks for access from the system owner.
The system owner approves access to the application.
APIs allow your app or website to access information or capabilities from another application. For example, if you want to see all tweets that use a given hashtag, you don't have to ask Twitter for a spreadsheet containing all of them. Instead, you can ask for an API that will enable you to query the application for the information you require. You'll be able to access or use this data directly from your application in this manner.
APIs also keep your apps up to date with the latest technology. They can be used to teach your app robust picture recognition and language processing techniques. APIs also aid in integrating various programs, allowing them to communicate and complement one another.
According to Harvard Business Review, in today's world, a company without APIs is effectively the Internet without the World Wide Web (WWW). APIs also enable businesses to proliferate by sharing services with other businesses and companies.
APIs are "windows to new ecosystems," but access is required for apps to communicate with one another. Until another third-party program enabled access to real estate locations on a map, Google Maps was never considered a core asset. The appeal of Google Maps skyrocketed because of APIs. That is why Google expanded its API-based access to add more functionalities under its umbrella frequently.
Get an API Key
You must first authenticate your identity by entering an API key to obtain an API. An API key is a unique combination of letters and digits. Programmers must first register with the API provider to obtain an API key. They can then access the API and proceed to the next stage once they have it.
Test the Endpoints of APIs
Now that you've received your API key, it's time to double-check that your API endpoints are functioning correctly. First, you'll need to input the required endpoint and validate it to check that it works, depending on the sort of API you're using.
Make Your Very First App
After you've confirmed that the endpoints are functioning correctly, you can move on to constructing your first app, which will require making API calls. Simply go to the code snippet block on your relevant API page, select your chosen programming language (NodeJS, Python, PHP, Java, Objective-C, or Ruby), and you'll have the code you need to complete the work right away.
APIs are beneficial to both end-users and third-party developers since they handle the "heavy lifting" in the background. Giving third-party (or internal) developers access to APIs, for example, allows them to focus on generating new solutions rather than replicating work that has already been obtained.
A great example would be how the Google Maps API helped OpenTable developers save time and money. OpenTable developers didn't have to develop their map or give real-time map data because of this API. However, their version would be less thorough and trustworthy than Google's.
Whether you're making a reservation through an online travel agency or looking for information on your phone, the app you're using will need to connect with the airline's APIs. This is how you will get access to the information you need. Currency Layer can meet your API Access enterprise needs. Contact us now and unlock the potential of your organization.
Endpoint (API Endpoint)


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Home » Archive » The invisible shield: how qualified immunity prevents victims of police abuse from seeking justice, Part 2
Posted inBlacklight
The invisible shield: how qualified immunity prevents victims of police abuse from seeking justice, Part 2
by HERB BOYD and DAMASO REYES April 8, 2021 February 24, 2022
On January 8, 2014 Alexander Baxter was sitting on the basement floor of a Nashville home with his hands in the air. He had been chased by the police after committing a burglary and now he had surrendered. According to Baxter's court claims, even though he was not a threat to police, they released a police dog named Iwo on him and the K-9 proceeded to bite him. Availing himself of the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, he sued officers Brad Bracey and Spencer Harris for violating his constitutional rights. But his claim quickly ran into the buzzsaw of qualified immunity, a judicially created principle which protects government agents from being personally sued.
Qualified immunity is not a law passed by Congress and signed by a president, but a doctrine created by the Supreme Court in the 1960s and expanded in the 1980s. It began as an attempt to shield government officials who, acting in good faith, had nonetheless violated someone's rights. In less than two decades the protection expanded to protect even those who had knowingly violated someone's rights. Decade after decade the bar that a victim had to clear in order to seek relief got higher and higher, finally culminating with the idea that the constitutional violation had to be "clearly established" by another court in a previous ruling. Courts, including the Supreme Court, interpreted this to mean that in order to sue, a victim would have to point to another very similar case in which a court had ruled that someone's rights had been violated and could sue the person responsible.
In Baxter's case it seemed like even that high bar would be cleared: a precedent appeared to be in place that would allow him to sue. In a 2012 decision the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled in Campbell v. City of Springboro that a man who had lain down on the ground to surrender to police and was nonetheless attacked by their dog could sue the officers involved for excessive force. In the Campbell and Baxter cases both men had already surrendered to police; both men were on the ground and both men were attacked by police dogs. It seemed clear that these similarities would allow the high bar of qualified immunity to be overcome.
The district court agreed and said that the police officers could be sued. However, a different three-judge panel of Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that had ruled previously in the Campbell case, decided the officers involved in Baxter's case could not be sued, writing in their decision that the "officers' conduct…did not violate any clearly established right." Moreover, they wrote "we have held that officers cannot 'use an inadequately trained canine, without warning, to apprehend two suspects who were not fleeing.' But just as clearly, we have upheld the use of a well-trained canine to apprehend a fleeing suspect in a dark and unfamiliar location."
For the three judges of the Sixth Circuit who heard Baxter's appeal the differences between his case and Campbell's were significant enough to mean that Baxter did not have a clearly established constitutional right to not be bitten by a properly trained police dog after surrendering while sitting on the floor with his hands in the air.
Rather than decide if the officer's conduct was constitutional to begin with, when it comes to qualified immunity a court need only consider a different question: whether the constitutional right being violated had previously been clearly established by another court. If the answer is no, then the case is dismissed without ever answering the first question.
Through qualified immunity law enforcement officers and other government employees enjoy a kind of personal legal shield that members of the private sector do not. Even after a year of Black Lives Matter protests the doctrine of qualified immunity remains unknown to most people though it is one of the strongest protections law enforcement officers have.
In August of 2020, Baxter's case was one of seven involving qualified immunity that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear, effectively ending his search for justice. Strikingly, conservative Associate Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, stating that the court should have given Baxter his day in court. Justice Thomas noted the history of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 in his dissent, writing: "Congress sought to respond to 'the reign of terror imposed by the Klan upon Black citizens and their white sympathizers in the Southern States.'" In his dissent Thomas stated that the law "gave individuals a right to sue state officers for damages to remedy certain violations of their constitutional rights" and that "I continue to have strong doubts about our qualified immunity doctrine."
"The central problem of qualified immunity is that it allows officers to get away with violating the Constitution," said Scott Michelman, legal director the ACLU of Washington, D.C., who represented Baxter. "Because the court of appeals held that immunity applies, Mr. Baxter will get no compensation for the vicious dog attack that he experienced and that sent him to the hospital. So qualified immunity is the difference between compensation for constitutional violations leading to serious injuries and completely being shut out of court," he added.
Ignorance of law excuses no one except perhaps a police officer
It is a concept ancient enough to be enshrined in the Old Testament in Leviticus and have its own Latin catchphrase, "ignorantia juris non excusat." Just because you don't know that you are breaking a law doesn't mean that you won't be held responsible for your misdeeds. Except, perhaps, if you are a police officer accused of stealing more than $200,000. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Fresno, California police officers who were accused of stealing money while serving a search warrant, were protected by qualified immunity.
Judge Milan Smith wrote in his opinion for the three-judge panel that "At the time of the incident, there was no clearly established law holding that officers violate the Fourth or Fourteenth Amendment when they steal property seized pursuant to a warrant. For that reason, the City Officers are entitled to qualified immunity."
The court found that even though there was a previous case that ruled that theft by police officers was unconstitutional, the facts in this case differed enough that the high bar to overcome qualified immunity was not satisfied. Going further, Judge Smith wrote, "Although the City Officers ought to have recognized that the alleged theft of Appellants' money and rare coins was morally wrong, they did not have clear notice that it violated the Fourth Amendment…. Not all conduct that is improper or morally wrong, however, violates the Constitution."
"When it comes to really anybody except for government officials and law enforcement officers there's an expectation that people will follow the law," Amir Ali, deputy director of the Supreme Court and Appellate Program at the MacArthur Justice Center, said in an interview. "And you can show that a law enforcement officer violated your constitutional rights, meaning that a police officer did something that no reasonable officer would have done in the circumstances to you… and that's not going to be good enough. A court will tell you 'that's fine, but to overcome the defense of qualified immunity you've got to show something more' and governments have really been handed this powerful defense that allows them to escape accountability for even rather egregious acts," he added.
A hard fight made harder
Even when someone is allowed to sue, and a jury finds police officers liable, qualified immunity can still be used as grounds to reverse the jurors' decision.
It was a spring evening in 2015 when Matthew Jones walked down the stairwell of his East Harlem apartment building in New York City. He was meeting his uncle to return a prescription bottle and some cash that he owed him. As he met his uncle, they were stopped by officers Michael Vaccaro and Adam Muniz on suspicion of selling drugs. The officers told Jones and his uncle to step out of the stairwell and into a hallway, which they did. Jones also consented to be searched which is when the officers found the prescription bottle, and they then used this as grounds to arrest him. The uncle fled and the officers tried to handcuff Jones who began asking what he did wrong.
The officers claimed that Jones tried to turn around and swing at them which is why they swept his legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground face down. They called for backup and other officers soon arrived on the scene. At this point Jones was still face down and pinned but not fully cuffed and, according to court records, officers hit him with a metal baton on his arm and used pepper spray on him as well, claiming he was resisting arrest, which Jones claimed during the trial was false.
Sergeant Christopher Treubig (who was later promoted to lieutenant and captain) arrived on the scene and, according to court records, "Lt. Treubig announced that he was going to use his taser" which Jones said he did not hear. The lieutenant used his Taser once for five seconds, sending a powerful electric shock through Jones's body, which left him lying on the ground, helpless. Still, the lieutenant felt Jones was not sufficiently incapacitated and pressed the trigger on his Taser again, sending more electricity into the suspect. After this Jones was handcuffed but had sustained enough injuries that he was brought to the hospital. According to court documents he was charged with resisting arrest among other things, but the charges were eventually dismissed.
Jones filed a civil rights lawsuit against Lt. Treubig for excessive use of the Taser and a civil jury found in his favor, awarding him $30,000 in punitive damages. During the trial Lt. Treubig's attorneys tried to get the case dismissed under qualified immunity, but the judge denied that motion and allowed the case to go to the jury. The NYPD lieutenant then challenged the verdict against him, again claiming that he was protected by qualified immunity. The district court at this point found in his favor because, at the time of Jones' arrest, the court said there was "no clearly established law that using a Taser two times in rapid succession constituted excessive force under the particular circumstances of this case."
"If any other person had violated Mr. Jones' rights, if it were a doctor who violated the law or a construction worker who violated the law, the question in court would be: did that person violate Mr. Jones's rights? And that's what he would be expected to prove to get relief. But that's not so when it is a police officer or other public official," Amir Ali, who is representing Jones in his lawsuit, told the Amsterdam News.
"In that case, it's not enough to show that the person violated your rights. In fact, in Mr. Jones's case, a jury specifically found that his constitutional right to be free of excessive force was violated, and neither the District Court nor the city disputed that after the trial. Everybody agreed that this officer, by Tasing Mr. Jones when he was already incapacitated, violated his constitutional rights," he added.
When Jones appealed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit did something astonishing: it threw out Lt. Treubig's claim of qualified immunity and ruled in favor of Jones. The court ruled that before Lt. Treubig used his taser on Jones that "it was clearly established in this Circuit that it is a Fourth Amendment violation for a police officer to use significant force against an arrestee who is no longer resisting and poses no threat to the safety of officers or others."
The case the court cited involved the excessive use of pepper spray and not a Taser, which other courts could have used as a reason to uphold a qualified immunity defense. But the Second Circuit ruled otherwise writing "notwithstanding that the focus of this appeal is the use of a taser, not pepper spray, we have warned that '[a]n officer is not entitled to qualified immunity on the grounds that the law is not clearly established every time a novel method is used to inflict injury.'"
This is significant because the Supreme Court has essentially instructed lower courts that they need to find a nearly identical case that proved an officer's actions were already considered unconstitutional. But this court ruled that it was not the detail of pepper spray or Taser that was important, it was that excessive force was used even after the suspect was not a threat that was central to the claim.
The high bar the Supreme Court has set has been a huge obstacle to those trying to file civil rights lawsuits.
"Because courts can dismiss cases by saying the violation was not clearly established at the time the officer acted, the courts never actually get around to deciding whether what the officer did was, in fact, a violation," said Brian T. Fitzpatrick, the Milton R. Underwood chair in Free Enterprise at Vanderbilt Law School, in an interview about the challenges qualified immunity poses.
The courts "never get to the merits of the actual case. They just dismiss it at the beginning by saying 'Oh, even if this was wrong, it wasn't clearly established,' so we never get law that is clearly established that people can use to sue later, because the courts dismiss every new factual case that comes before them on qualified immunity grounds. So, it basically never allows the law to develop and never allows new things to become clearly established, and so it really puts people who have been victims of illegal conduct by government officials in a no-win situation. You can't sue because it wasn't clearly established, and you can't clearly establish it because you're not allowed to sue," he added.
In the end Jones, unlike hundreds of others, was able to hold a police officer accountable for violating his civil rights, though he is still waiting for his settlement. Treubig is now a captain in the NYPD and, according to a search of publicly available records, he was not disciplined by the NYPD for actions that a jury found were an unconstitutional violation of Jones' rights. Without the ability to sue Treubig directly it is possible that Jones would have never found even the small measure of justice his modest jury award will give him.
Cases like these, along with the continued outrage provoked by the unjustified killing of Black and Brown Americans by police officers, has led to a movement to reform or outright abolish qualified immunity as a protection. In part three of this series, we will explore the legislation that has been proposed, and in a few cases already passed, to chip away at this invisible legal shield.
This series was made possible by grants from the Fund for Investigative Journalism and the Solutions Journalism Network
The invisible shield: how activists and lawmakers are breaking down qualified immunity, Part 3
In "Blacklight"
The invisible shield: how qualified immunity was created and nearly destroyed the ability to sue police officers in America Pt. I
Report: Black motorists often target of police-related death and aggression
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The Game Awards will feature performances by CHVRCHES and Deadmau5, tickets on sale now
The Game Awards air live on Dec. 3
By Allegra Frank@LegsFrank Nov 18, 2015, 5:10pm EST
Source Geoff Keighley on Twitter
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The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley's spinoff of Spike's Video Game Awards, just gained two musical guests. The Dec. 3 event will feature performances from indie pop superstars CHVRCHES as well as DJ wünderkind Deadmau5, Keighley revealed on Twitter today.
Now in its sophomore year, the Awards will stream live in a variety of places, including here on Polygon, but if you're in Los Angeles and dying to watch the acts live or find out the winners in real-time, tickets are now on sale. Passes to the show are only $20.
You can now check out the nominees for the Awards, and winners will be deliberated upon by members of a variety of gaming publications, including our very own. The show starts at 9 p.m. ET.
The Game Awards 2015: All of the news, trailers and awards
Game Awards 2015 pulls in 2.3M people, more than 1B Twitter impressions
Here are the nominees for The Game Awards 2015


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Sports , Videos
Closing Ceremony of Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games - LIVE
The Official Closing Ceremony of the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games is being held at the Baku Olympic Stadium, Trend reports.
More than 3,000 athletes representing 54 countries competed for 269 sets of medals at the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.
Azerbaijan took the lead in medal standings at the Games on May 22. Azerbaijani athletes won 75 gold, 50 silver and 37 bronze medals. Turkey ranked second with 71 gold medals, 67 silver and 57 bronze medals. Iran ranked third with 39 gold, 26 silver and 33 bronze medals.
Coalition raid kills Daesh militants in Iraq's W. Mosul
Azerbaijani FM meets European Parliament delegation
President Ilham Aliyev meets with President and Chief Executive Officer of Carlsberg Group in Davos
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with President and Chief Executive Offi (...)
Ankara should be able to continue dialogue with Russia — defense minister
Ankara must retain the ability to have a full-fledged dialogue with Russia and play the role of medi (...)


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David Sedaris Tour Dates
David Sedaris is one of the wittiest and most original writers at work today. A Grammy Award nominated American writer and broadcaster. Much of Sedaris's humour is autobiographical and self-deprecating, often concerning his middle class upbringing, his Greek heritage and his life in France with his partner Hugh.
'Spell-binding a master at work' (The Herald)
'David Sedaris isn't a stand-up, or even much of a showman. But in his own dry and unassuming way, he's one of the finest comic talents currently living on this
planet' (The Guardian).
David Sedaris tour dates listed on Ents24.com since May 2008.
Official website davidsedarisbooks.com
Jul 04 Sun
An Evening With David Sedaris 2021
Salford, The Lowry
Jul 10 Sat
London, Royal Festival Hall
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No current tour dates
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School teacher unhappy with marital life consumes acid, pours it in 1-year-old son's mouth
Mirror Now Digital
An unemployed school teacher consumed acid in Tripura and fed it to her 1-year-old son as well.
The woman's husband was identified as Dinesh Debbarman (Representative Image). | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspiStock Images
On Sunday, a woman allegedly committed suicide in Tripura
The woman also fed acid to her 1-year-old son at her residence
Agartala: A school teacher from Tripura allegedly consumed acid and fed the same to her 1-year-old son on Sunday. The woman was upset due to marital issues and she penned down a five-page suicide note before taking the drastic step. The cops also suspect that the woman ended her life due to poverty.
The deceased woman was identified as Rumi Debbarma. Debbarma left behind a suicide note written in Kokborok. Kokborok is the main native language of the Tripuri people. In the note, the woman suggested that she was unhappy in her marital life.
Bottle of sulphuric acid recovered from woman's house
The cops also recovered a bottle of sulphuric acid from the woman's house. The woman and her son were taken to a hospital from where they were referred to the Agartala Government Medical College, The Times of India reported. The woman passed away during the treatment and her son is said to be in a critical condition.
The woman's husband was identified as Dinesh Debbarman. The man, who is also an unemployed school teacher, was not at home when the woman consumed acid. The man allegedly started working in raw latex dealing business and the couple was struggling to make both ends meet as both of them did not have jobs.
Teachers staged protest after woman's death
A group of teachers grew furious after the death of the school teacher and staged a blockade on the busy street in front of the city centre for three hours. After the blockade, the cops escorted the body of the woman to her house in Khowai.
Denied money for son's birthday gift, woman hangs self to death in Ahmedabad
Declared 'paagal' by mother-in-law, Chhattisgarh woman murders husband, jumps into well with her children
UP: Woman police officer found hanging at home in Bulandshahr; cops suspect suicide
Prashant Kishor on being ambitious in politics | Frankly Speaking


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Thanks Bill, that is helpful to have the actual recall. I want to remind folks that when you enter your vin in the the Product Safety Recall Form, it is checking for all Recall effecting your Slingshot with that Vin Number entered. I have check my a second time and Snazzy is not affected.
I am glad you reminded me, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the diagram of the Brake Peddle and Master cylinder along with the pin. Looks like something we could all check. Thanks for posting that. All members, it would not hurt to do this check on yours also. View article for a clear picture of the pin in question.
I received a notice of Recall from Polaris about the Seat Belt Guide Installation, Recall 18V531. I went to my Thread section on Recalls and entered my Vin, the results said it was unapplied to my Slingshot. Now, the recall letter tells you to contact the dealer for inspection and repair if needed. I will call my dealer and schedule an appointment. Do not skip the inspections as there may be something they find wrong and be able to correct. You just have a fore warning if you may or may not have the issue on your Slingshot. Don't want folks to think just because you find you are unaffected, you still need to schedule an appointment.
This recall is important, Failure of the Seat belt retractor mechanism may increase the risk of injury.
See if your Vin number applies. If you did not receive a Recall Notice, call your Dealer and schedule an appointment.
New Owners, Helmet Laws are in effect for the Polaris Slingshot. The classification of the Slingshot has been changed in some states to a sub classification under Motorcycle, called Autocycle. The main reason for this was to get away from requiring a Motorcycle Enforcement to legally drive the Slingshot. You should check your states requirements to drive your Slingshot and be within the law. Some states require Helmets and others, like Florida, do not. Most all states will require the Seat belt, you are much more safe in using both the Helmet and Seat belts. The Slingshot is not as stable as a 4 wheel vehicle and is subject to safety issues when driving on roads that are not dry and clear of debris like sand, gravel, dirt leaves and such. When the road conditions are not idea, slow down and be cautious. Hydroplaning is a condition that can be very dangerous and discussions have suspected that the ESP (Stability Control Program) may cause the condition to be more hazardous due to the nature of the braking control that the program administers.
Now wear your helmet and seat belts at all times and you will have a greater safety. Enjoy your Rides!
Here is some information from the NCSL about Autocycles.
Edited once, last by samowens44 ( Oct 24th 2018 ).
As you have your Slingshot for a while, you will start to become interested in changing the Headlights to LED. You may want to upgrade to the Canadian LED Headlights which require installing a new Headlight Assemble for model years 2017 and above. When you do this, there will be a requirement to check the Headlight Aiming to see if them are within proper limits. The new assemble will have to have your Adjusting screws moved from the existing headlight assembly to the new assembly. The adjust will not be totally correct until you meet the adjustment requirement in the Owners manual. I am showing the adjustments for Year 2017, if you have another year, check your year for proper adjustments. They should be about the same.
Here are some views of comparison I made with my Upgrade to the Canadian Headlights from Stock.
I did not check alignment of Headlights after the installation, but you see the LEDs fall short of going as far out as the Stock Lights. This means I needed to adjust the alignment of the new LED headlights.
New owners, new information is being discussed about the subject of Canadian Headlight Conversion Kits. I will give you the thread link here to visit for some good you to view the directions you can go with this subject. Read up on the subject and then you will be able to make a better choice for what is good for you and your Slingshot.
Full led Canadian Headlight compared to Stock Headlight.
As you get some driving time down in your new Slingshot, you will be driving in all kinds of possible conditions. One condition that is very bad for the belt drive system of the Slingshot is Dirt! Dirt roads are great for producing a fine dust that will accumulate on the belt and pulleys. When the dirt gets compressed into a glaze, you may experience noise in the way of squeals as you accelerate and let off on the gas. Here is a thread that one of our new owners created for help with his noise. The moral of the Story and ending line is Soap and water and cleaning will solve a lot of noise problems. Keep your belt and pulleys free of dirt build up for peace and quiet. Take a look at the thread for the discussion from start to finish.
Be aware, Belt Alignment, Belt Tension, and the pulleys can be a part of the problem. Cleaning is the First Step in Noise control from the belt drive system.
This will show a good example of how our experienced members will come to the aid of anyone with an issue. Now, folks some of our members have a sense of humor and will sometime play down a question as maybe you should know that. Most all of us realize that a lot of new owners do not have a lot of experience with the techs of vehicles and are truly looking for answers, please don't feel you will be asking a stupid question, some of our members are so skilled they may not be able to reach to the lower levels of knowledge. I Believe there are most of us that can work with knowledge base from flat bottom to the high reaches. You can feel comfortable asking any question of your concern. Welcome and we want to help you enjoy your Slingshot.
Edited 3 times, last by samowens44 ( Nov 1st 2018 ).
New Members, Owners, and Guest, Our Website Forum has a Calendar with photos of our Members Slingshots Feature on spaces around the Calendar. They are really great looking and a way of showing off some of the hard work that our member put into making their Slingshots Awesome for a Calendar Position. I am posting a Link to the Official Calendar Thread for the ordering information. Also will show how our 2018 Calendar looks for November. Join our Website and your Slingshot could be on a Calendar for Next year. Order your Calendar before Dec 1st and you pay only $25, after that, the price goes to $30. Worth that easy.
Click on More at the bottom of the Clock counting down for all the ordering information.
You can submit Photos of your Slingshot to Ross and he will consider the resolution and overall quality of the photo to be a part of next years calendar. The Larger the Resolution and good composition, you stand to occupy a spot as a cover photo for a month. If you go to the Thread Post link I listed above, you can look through the thread and Ross will give you the resolution and size of photo that can be produced. If you have questions, he can answer.
New Owners, you may have just bought a new Slingshot, it may be used and come from Canada or some other country where the Odometer Display is in Metric. It could have been changed in error of trying to make other setting changes to the display. Here is how you can Change that display to the Standard setting or if you need, go to Metric. Check your Owners Manual for the Mode Switch Instructions and you will find this. By the way Polaris calls this a Multi-Function Display.
This is important to know in that if you just get into the Slingshot Turn the key on and before the display has displayed anything displayed and you quickly depress the Mode switch to clear Trip A or B, you will enter the Change Display main settings for Standard or Metric. This may be why people are getting their settings messed up when they did not intend to change the Main Setting Standards. This is why they have you go through the special procedure of turning ignition off then on and quickly depress and hold Mode button. Now you know.
Edited 4 times, last by samowens44 ( Nov 25th 2018 ).
For the folks that are thinking of mounting a GPS on your Slingshot, here is an answer for the Sun Glare that you will get on the screen, making it impossible or hard to view. Take a look at my GPS Sun Shade I created to make your Screen more view-able.
As New Owners get use to their New Slingshot, one thing will come to light of importance. In States that Helmets are required, Helmet Intercom System will be nice add for communicating with your Passenger with comfort and understand. Gail and I use the Sena SMH 10 system. Works really great and we have had it for about 3 years. You can hook up with three other Riders, making for communications between Slingshots. Price range is around $250. Here is my video showing demonstrations. I am using a mic to capture the sound from the ear piece in my helmet. Does not show the real clarity we get.
This is a subject that will come to mind at some time in your Ownership of a Polaris Slingshot. This is for members with Slingshots prior to Ride Command System. The Entertainment System of the Slingshot has some basic features that work well. The FM/AM Radio is not one of them. A lot of owners want to take photos while they ride in group rides. They also want to hear music of a great selection to fit their ride mood. They want GPS to help with navigation. They would like to have a 7" display screen with a sharp image for viewing in the daylight. I hear you and have been where you are trying to get.
The Ipad and GoPro can fit the bill. Along with an Internet Hot Spot Connection to the Internet for driving conditions. My videos below will outline the steps needed to help you achieve all of these desires for your Slingshot Experience.
Important information: The GoPro and Ipad Connection will provide a driving view of the Road, when camera is in the rear direction, do not use the view for Driving decisions. The view is confusing as the image is not in reverse view as real backup cameras are displayed. Use this feature for Photography only!
To help with Bluetooth Connecting the Ipad to the Slingshot Entertainment System, video on how to connect to the Iphone. The procedure is the same. The procedure is in your Owners Manual for reference.
This will help with the Ipad Connection to the Entertainments System. Good Luck member.
As you get use to your Slingshot, you will discover you can not judge distance from the wheel Curb on Passenger side wheel when parking. I did post earlier in this thread about angle parking at curbs when parking parallel to curb.
When you install the Ipad and Gopro, here is another way of viewing the Passenger front wheel distance to the curb. Uses the same connection to Wifi as before in above post. There are other camera positions that will make this a useful addition to your driving experience. I point out a few in the video.
Folks, I am very bad about riding with my turn signal still on due to small radius turns. In the Car, there is a clicking sound that my passenger will alert me to the fact. The Slingshot has no clicking and I don't think you could hear it with the wind noise. The indicators lamps on the Instrument Panel does not get your attention as they are way down from your driving view. I mounted two small LED Lamps on the dash over the Entertainment System location for attention. It did not work. Too far out of driving view. Oznium has some ultra thin bright LED Strips that really are bright that will stick to surfaces very good. I took a 35 in strip with two connecting ends and cut at the cutting point of 15 LEDs on both ends. I attached these strips to the Driver Side Rear View Mirror support Arm with the adhesive strips. I wired the black lead to ground and the red lead to the blue wire pin 1 on the Turn Signal Lead for Driver side, and the red Lead from passenger side to the Blue with pink strip pin 1 at the Passenger side Turn Signal Plug lead. I found I need to add 75 to 100 ohms of resistance in the circult as the LEDs drew too much current and will trip the circuit breaker for the turn signals. I could not find a resistor, and had two relays that had 75 ohm coil resistance. I wired the coils into the circuit wiring and all is working great. You do not use the contacts of the relay only the coil for resistance. If you can get a 75 to 100 ohm resistor then use it.
This works great for me as both indicator lams are right were they get my eye attention and can manually cancel when needed quickly. Good Luck. Find some way not to drive with your turn signals on, I see lots of guys Slingshots doing it. If you have a indicator on the far right mirror area you may not see it while driving, that is why I mounted mine on the driver side.
I have had the Aux LED Turn Signal Indicators installed on Snazzy for a couple of months. I did a review video to show how well they light up and are in your line of sight mounted on the Driver Rear View Mirror Arm. I strongly recommend installing an Aux Turn Signal Indicator in the line of sight to give warning when your Signal did not cancel from a turn. I have found having both indicators, left and right together works best. Good luck and keep safe.
Note: I did find a place to order 75 ohm resistors that are necessary for the LEDs to blink. In my installation video, I used two relays that had the correct resistance, order the resistors from Ebay and install in series with each of the leads to the turn signal leads. It is located in the video half way.
For the folks that don't own a Slingshot, here is why you may want one. A ride for lunch becomes a real adventure. You experience a really good feeling as you ride and look at that great view through the low windshield. We love the view you get without the optional top a lot of folks opt for. You will get great comments and looks as you travel and make stops for gas. Here is a view of one of our rides on Easter Sunday. Went to St Augustine, Fl for lunch and look around. As we are leaving, I captured the view of some of the area. Full of things to see and do.


The regular opening times of WHSmith The Broadway in London are Monday to Friday 8:30AM-8PM, on Saturday 8:30AM-8PM, on Sunday 11AM-5PM. View the actual opening times of WHSmith The Broadway in London in our branch locator.
For more information about opening times on Sunday or late night shopping make sure to view the information in the designated blocks. If this WHSmith isn't nearby your location you can use the 'Map & Directions' tab to find the fastest route to The Broadway in London. This location's coordinates are specifically 51.5138 latitude, -0.303404 longitude. To contact this Bookstore by phone you can dial 02085671471 during business hours.


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Skoda has released a 22 millionth car for 124 years of history.
April 16, 2019	0	By autotimesnews
The anniversary was the crossover Skoda Kodiaq GT, painted in a stylish red color called "Velvet Red". This "historical" car produced plant in the Chinese city of Changsha.
Skoda celebrated a significant "anniversary": the 22 millionth vehicle bearing the logo of this Czech brand rolled off the assembly line of the SAIC Volkswagen enterprise in Changsha. The honorary title was awarded to the crossover Skoda Kodiaq GT. The company itself called this event a new milestone in the history of the brand, which inspires future success. So, by the end of 2022, the brand is going to expand its model line, presenting over 30 new products. It is known that at once ten of them will be either electric cars or hybrids.
It is also noted that recently the Czech brand Skoda has been developing very quickly. For example, over the past five years, the company has managed to sell over a quarter of the total number of all cars produced in its 124-year history.
During this time, the company managed to go a long way from the bicycle manufactory to one of the largest automakers in Europe. The first car was released in 1905 and was called the Voiturette.
Nissan introduced the next generation Sentra sedan
Infiniti introduced its electric sedan Qs Inspiration Concept


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Analysis of Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress
To His Coy Mistress is probably the best-known poem of Andrew Marvell. It is a love poem in which the speaker offers a strong plea for the beloved to soften towards him and to relax her rigid attitude of Puritanical reluctance to grant him sexual favours. The lover, who may be the poet himself, builds up a really strong case and supports it with arguments which no sensible woman can reject. The poem has what is known as a carpe diem theme. (Carpe diem is a Latin phrase meaning "seize the opportunity".)
Syllogistic Construction of Poem
The poem is written in the form of what is known as a syllogism. A syllogism means an argument developed in a strictly logical form and leading to a definite conclusion. In a syllogism, there are three stages which may be indicated by three words initiating each stage in the argument. These three words are: "if', "but"; "therefore". This poem is divisible into three clearly marked sections. The first section begins with "if: "Had we but world enough, and time." In this line the word "had" conveys the sense of "if", and the line means "If we had only enough space and time at our disposal." The second section of the poem begins with the word "but": "But at my back I always hear". And the third section begins with "therefore": "Now, therefore, while the youthful hue". Thus the poem begins with the statement of a condition; then reasons are given why that condition cannot be fulfilled, and finally, a conclusion is drawn. The conclusion of the poem is that the lovers should lose no time in enjoying the pleasures of love. The conclusion justifies us in saying that the theme of the poem is that of carpe diem which means that one should enjoy the present day.
Imagery and Metaphysical Conceit
There are a number of concrete pictures in the poem, and a whole series of metaphysical conceits. The very notion of the lover that, having enough space and time at their disposal, they would be able to wander as far apart as the Indian Ganges and the English Humber is fantastic. Then the lover's saying that he would love his mistress from a time ten years before the Flood and would spend hundreds and thousands of years admiring and adoring various parts of her body constitutes another metaphysical conceit. The picture of Time's winged chariot hurrying and coming closer and closer to overtake the lovers vividly brings before our minds the rapid passing of time. Here an abstract idea has been made concrete by means of a metaphor, and this is a realistic picture in contrast to the metaphysical conceits noted above, though there is conceit in the image of Time as having a winged chariot. The pictures of the woman lying in her grave and the worms attacking her long-preserved virginity and her honour turning to dust are conceits because worms are here regarded as being capable of seducing a woman, and a dead woman at that. Then we have metaphysical conceits in the concluding stanza, where the mistress's willing soul is depicted as giving out instant fires at every pore and the lovers are imagined as rolling their strength and their sweetness into one ball and tearing their pleasures with rough strife through the iron gates of life.
Wit and Irony
The witty manner in which the poet argues his case is note-worthy. In fact, the whole poem is characterized by metaphysical wit, and a streak of irony runs through it. The lover is mocking his mistress's coyness. If the lovers had enough time, the beloved would be in a position to refuse till the conversion of the Jews. This is a witty and ironic remark. Then the lover speaks of his "vegetable love" growing vaster than empires. The manner in which the lover would have spent hundreds and thousands of years to admire her beauties is also wittily described. Here we have an example of witty hyperbole.
Concentration and Compression
The style of the poem is marked by compression and economy in the use of words. There is a concentration of meaning in the lines, and the poet shows remarkable skill in compressing his ideas in the fewest possible words. The idea of time passing rapidly has admirably been compressed in four lines, and the idea of all the beauty and charm of the woman coming to nothing has also been stated in only a few words. Some of the lines have an epigrammatic quality. Here are a couple of examples of the epigrammatic manner of writing:
Thy beauty shall no more be found;
Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound
My echoing song.
The grave's a fine and private place,
But none I think do there embrace.
Even the two opening lines of the poem have an epigrammatic quality.
To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
Summary of Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress
Explanation of Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress
Analysis of Andrew Marvell's The Garden


GAZA CITY (Palestinian Territories), Oct 12: Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah reached an agreement Thursday on ending a decade-long split following talks mediated by Egypt in Cairo, with president Mahmud Abbas calling it a "final" accord, reports AFP. Details of the agreement have not yet been released and a press conference was being planned for Thursday afternoon in the Egyptian capital, where talks have been taking place since Tuesday. Abbas welcomed the deal in comments to AFP and said he considered it a "final agreement to end the division"-though many details remain to be resolved and previous reconciliation attempts have repeatedly failed. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya's office said in a statement, without giving further details, that "an agreement was reached today between Hamas and Fatah under Egyptian sponsorship." An official from Abbas's Fatah movement said the Palestinian president was now planning to travel to the Gaza Strip within a month as part of the unity bid in what would be his first visit in a decade. Sanctions taken by Abbas against Hamas-controlled Gaza will also soon be lifted, the Fatah official said. The deal includes 3,000 members of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority's police force redeploying to Gaza, a member of the negotiating team told AFP on condition of anonymity. The figure is however a fraction of the more than 20,000 police officers employed separately by Hamas. Another party to the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the agreement would see Palestinian Authority forces take control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. He added that all Palestinian factions would begin wider negotiations on the formation of a unity government in the coming two weeks. One of the key issues has been punitive measures taken by Abbas against Gaza in recent months, including reducing electricity payments that left the territory's residents with only a few hours of power a day. "All the measures taken recently will end very shortly," Zakaria al-Agha, a senior Fatah leader in the Gaza Strip, told AFP. The two sides had been meeting in the Egyptian capital this week with the aim of ending the crippling decade-old split between the rival factions. Hamas seized Gaza from Fatah in a near civil war in 2007 and the two factions have been at loggerheads ever since. Multiple previous reconciliation efforts have failed. Egypt has been keen to improve security in the Sinai Peninsula which borders Gaza and where jihadist rebels have fought a long-running insurgency. An Egyptian source close to the talks said intelligence chief Khaled Fawzi had followed the talks closely. Last month, Hamas agreed to cede civil power in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority but the fate of its vast military wing remains a significant issue for the two sides. Islamist movement Hamas is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union. It has fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and the blockaded Gaza Strip has seen deteriorating humanitarian conditions. Faced with increasing isolation and a severe electricity shortage, Hamas has reached out to Egypt for help, hoping to have the Rafah border opened. The crossing has remained largely closed in recent years. Egypt has also agreed to provide fuel to the Gaza Strip for electricity generation. In return, Cairo pressed Hamas to move forward on reconciliation with Fatah. Previous attempts at reconciliation have repeatedly failed, and many analysts are treating the latest bid with caution, waiting to see if actual change will occur on the ground. Last week, Palestinian Authority prime minister Rami Hamdallah visited Gaza for the first time since 2015 and his ministers took formal control of government departments in the territory. But the move was seen as mainly symbolic, with Hamas still effectively in charge in the Palestinian enclave of two million people bordered by Egypt, Israel and the Mediterranean Sea. One of the key sticking points will be the fate of Hamas's 25,000-strong military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Reconciliation could also pose a dilemma for international efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal since Hamas has not recognised Israel, unlike the Abbas-led Palestine Liberation Organisation.


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Ancient tea trees in Yen Bai receive recognition
Ancient shan tuyet tea trees in Sung Do commune, Van Chan district of the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai have been recognised as Vietnam's heritage trees by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE).
Ancient shan tuyet tea trees in Sung Do commune, Van Chan district of Yen Bai province have been recognised as Vietnam's heritage trees (Photo: VNA)
A ceremony to receive the recognition was held in the locality on September 23.
Sung Do tea complex is now home to over 100 ancient shan tuyet tea trees. The trees are grown in an area of 70 ha at an altitude of over 1,600m on Hoang Lien Son mountain range in the northern region.
The favourable geography, terrain and weather conditions have been the key to the development of tea trees which produce the shan tuyet variety.
The trees, along with natural landscape and cultural traits of the Mong ethnic people, are hoped to bolster ecological and exploratory tourism in Sung Do commune in the coming time, thus opening up a new development direction for locals.
At the ceremony, VACNE Vice President Prof. Dr. Dang Huy Huynh voiced his hope that local agencies will spare no efforts to conserve the local tea tree area and enhance communications to raise public awareness of the trees' significance and value.
On the occasion, relief aid were handed over to 20 disadvantaged families and students in the locality./.
Source: VNA
Hoang Su Phi terraced field culture week opens in Ha Giang (23/09/2019)
Muong Lo tourism-culture week opens in Yen Bai (23/09/2019)
Mid-Autumn Festival lights up Tuyen Quang City (16/09/2019)
Do Cong Tuong temple complex – a national relic site (03/09/2019)
A man dedicates to producing ancient Shan Tuyet tea (03/09/2019)