text:
P T. 2017;42(6): 404-405
Research Briefs June 2017
New Mobile App Helps Providers Manage MAT for Opioid Use Disorders
In 2015, nearly 2.4 million Americans had an opioid use disorder, and nearly 80% of them did not receive treatment. To help change those numbers, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has developed a free mobile application that supports medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The new app—MATx—is designed to empower health care practitioners to provide effective, evidence-based care for people with opioid use disorder. Features include:
Information on treatment approaches and medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in treating opioid use disorders.
A buprenorphine prescribing guide, including information on the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 waiver process and patient limits.
Clinical support tools, such as treatment guidelines, ICD-10 coding, and recommendations for working with special populations.
Access to critical helplines and SAMHSA's treatment locators.
For additional information or to download the free app, visit https://store.samhsa.gov/apps/mat..
Source: SAMHSA, April 2017
Monitoring Programs Reduce "Doctor Shopping" for Opioids
Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which require physicians to check drug registries before writing prescriptions, dramatically cut the odds of "doctor shopping" behavior for opioid pain relievers, according to researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
PDMPs are electronic databases that track the prescribing of controlled substances and identify people at high risk of misusing the drugs. The researchers analyzed annual nationwide surveys of drug use and health from 2004 to 2014 when 36 states implemented PDMPs. The paper, published in the June issue of Addictive Behaviors, is the first to examine the effect of PDMPs on individual-level opioid-related outcomes.
Every U.S. state except Missouri now has a PDMP. Some are mandatory; some are voluntary. In states with mandatory checking, the odds that two or more doctors would be giving pain relievers for nonmedical purposes to a single patient were reduced by 80%. In states with voluntary monitoring, the odds dropped by 56%.
PDMPs were also associated with 10 fewer days of use of painkillers for nonmedical purposes in the previous year. Mandatory PDMPs were associated with 20 fewer days.
Source: Addictive Behaviors, January 2017 (online)
Examining How the Body Responds to Ebola
National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers who analyzed daily gene activation in a single patient uncovered "unprecedented detail" about how a patient's clinical condition changes in response to Ebola virus infection, treatment, and recovery.
The patient, who was admitted to the NIH Clinical Center on day 7 of the illness, received intensive supportive care, including fluids and electrolytes, but did not receive any experimental Ebola drugs. The researchers took blood samples daily during the patient's 26-day stay to measure the rise and fall of virus replication and to track the timing, intensity, and duration of expression of numerous immune system genes. They correlated changes in gene expression with subsequent alterations in the patient's clinical condition, such as development and resolution of blood-clotting dysfunction. The patient ultimately recovered from the infection.
The researchers pinpointed "key transition points" in the response to infection, NIH says. For example, they observed a marked decline in antiviral responses that correlated with clearance of virus from white blood cells. They also found that most host responses shifted rapidly from activating genes involved in cell damage and inflammation toward those linked to promotion of cellular and organ repair—a "pivot" that came before the patient began showing signs of clinical improvement.
While the study centered on only one patient, the researchers say it may help inform the development of treatments designed to boost or accelerate host factors that counter the virus and promote healing.
Source: NIH, April 2017
Indoor Tanning: Turning First-Time Clients Into Repeat Customers
Nearly 10 million people use indoor tanning even though it increases the risk of skin cancer. Young Caucasian women are particularly at risk—almost one in three reports using indoor tanning in the past year, and nearly one in five reports regular use (that is, 10 or more times in the past year), according to researchers from Rutgers University.
Research has already shown that most people use indoor tanning to enhance their appearance. But a tan is not only seen as attractive; it "plays an important part of youth culture," the researchers note, especially when it comes to special events, such as high school proms. Still, some indoor tanning users might remain "special event" users, not regular clients. What makes the difference? To find out, the researchers conducted six interviews with a salon employee who also used tanning beds. Their purpose was not to produce "generalizable knowledge of the experiences of many users," they say, but to provide insights into the behavior and to propose working hypotheses for future examination.
They found that the incentive to use indoor tanning mostly comes down—as many health-related decisions do—to how it's advertised. The first encounter is likely to be the most important one. That's when the "sell" begins, designed to "guide" the patron into coming back again and again. For instance, the salon employee may be trained to establish rapport, to personalize the interaction, and to ask about "tan goals," setting the stage for a process, rather than a one-time purchase. The employee describes the steps of creating a "base tan," maintaining the tan, and deepening the tan. Framing tanning as a process sends the message that frequent visits are needed. (The researchers cite self-regulation theories that posit for a habit to take hold the individual must develop a mental model or plans for how to use the habitual behavior to achieve desired goals.)
The Federal Trade Commission and other agencies have enacted restrictions on indoor tanning industry advertisements, the researchers say, but the policy efforts have not addressed greater regulation at the point of purchase, other than requiring the provision of standardized risk warnings. Their interview findings suggest ways to help reduce indoor tanning use. Pricing controls, for instance: If patrons had to buy single sessions—instead of in bulk—they might feel less pressured to "get their money's worth." Restrictions on advertisements might require salon employees to also provide information on unnecessary exposure. The researchers contrast the salon employee to a convenience store clerk who "simply serves as a cashier for purchasing cigarettes or unhealthy food options."
The researchers suggest that their findings be followed up in larger, more representational samples.
Source: BMC Psychology, April 2017
Case Management Improves QOL for Cancer Survivors
After cancer treatment, a new challenge emerges as patients negotiate re-entry into their everyday lives. They often need multifaceted, simultaneous, and ongoing help with physical, emotional, and psychological issues. And they're often dealing with a multiplicity of health care providers.
Researchers from the University of Zurich saw similarities between these needs and those of patients with chronic medical conditions. They reasoned that it made sense that case management—like that used for chronic diseases—could work for cancer survivors, perhaps even better than usual care. Among other things, case managers can assess individual needs, identify barriers, ensure coordination among care providers, and—perhaps most importantly—promote empowering self-management skills and self-efficacy, all of which could help cancer survivors cope with the long-term consequences of cancer and improve health-related quality of life (QOL).
The researchers designed an intervention study in which five oncology nurse case managers met with 95 patients at least once a month for three months, then conducted telephone follow-ups for nine months. Questionnaires measured health-related QOL at 12 months via the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT–G), self-efficacy, and concordance of received care with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC).
While their study did not show a significant absolute difference between the groups in FACT–G after 12 months, all scores improved in the case management group compared with the usual care group. Overall, case management clearly boosted QOL and self-efficacy, and aligned health care with the chronic care model.
Their study is the first, to their knowledge, to examine the effect of case management on the QOL of early cancer survivors, the researchers say. Several factors help explain the intervention's success:
The case managers provided important information on long-term symptoms and available services and therapies
They offered a continuity of care when treatment appointments ceased and medical follow-up visits were less frequent.
They offered support to cope with the psychological issues of the re-entry phase.
All in all, the researchers say their findings show case management is a practical approach to bridging a "fragmented oncological health care system" and addressing the heterogenic needs of cancer survivors.
Source: BMC Cancer, April 2017
Better to Skip Bioresorbable Stents?
In a New England Journal of Medicine editorial, Debabrata Mukherjee, MD, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, encouraged cardiologists to continue using conventional drug-eluting stents instead of the newer bioresorbable option.
The first bioresorbable stent was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2016. Marketed by Abbott as the Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold System, the device dissolves in the body three years after implant, helping the artery heal more naturally. But this popular device may not live up to expectations, according to Dr. Mukherjee.
In a recent clinical study, the Absorb system was associated with an increased risk of device thrombosis—a dangerous adverse effect in which a blood clot forms on the stent itself. While thrombosis occurred in eight patients treated with a conventional drug-eluting stent, clots were observed in 31 patients receiving an Absorb implant.
In his editorial, Dr. Mukherjee wrote: "Because the current generation of metallic drug-eluting stents is associated with excellent outcomes, there is little rationale to use bioresorbable vascular scaffolds at this time."
Source: Texas Tech, April 2017


text:
Shake Shack to Open in Student Center
By Everett Kirkman|2022-01-21T16:08:26-06:00January 21st, 2022|News|
Courtesy of the Harding Bison.
Tacker's Shake Shack of Marion, Arkansas, announced plans to open a new location in the University's Student Center on their Facebook page on Dec. 22. As of Jan. 19, the Tackers plan to hold a grand opening the week of Jan. 31. The new location will replace Tu Taco in the pit of the Student Center.
Tacker's Shake Shack will work in conjunction with Chartwells and feature Searcy's own Yarnell's ice cream in milkshakes and other handmade desserts. The Student Center location will offer hand-crafted hamburgers and fries, as well, upon the installation of a new vent hood, projected for mid-February. Students will be able to spend their declining credit balance, as well as cash or card at this location.
The late John Tacker and his wife Loretta Tacker opened Tacker's Shake Shack in Marion in October 1977, after purchasing the Tastee-Freez location in town. Loretta, as well as her children, Jeff Tacker and Lisa Tacker Taylor, have continued the family business alongside their children.
Loretta was the 2019 winner of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame "Proprietor of the Year," and her peanut brittle has been featured in a Southern Living cookbook. Loretta is affectionately known as "Memaw," to her family, friends and long-time customers who have become her close friends. One of her favorite long-time customers was former University president Clifton L. Ganus. Loretta said he would stop by Tacker's Shake Shack anytime he flew out of Memphis, Tennessee, to travel to one of his overseas missions trips.
"If we were to have a picture of who the matriarch is on the restaurant, it would be Memaw," Jeff said. "She's held the family together, and her recipes have kept people coming back time and time again."
John and Loretta attended Harding from 1966-1970; Jeff began at the University in 1987, and Lisa in 1989, where both siblings graduated and met their spouses. Of Loretta's five grandchildren, four have attended Harding.
Senior Josh Tacker, the youngest Tacker grandchild, worked at his family's restaurant all through high school. During his junior year, he said he pitched the idea of opening a location on campus to his family over winter break.
"I came here and didn't really want any part of [the restaurant]," Josh said. "Which is kind of weird, because I have been a part of it my whole life — but then, I saw an opportunity for my dad right here."
Mark Tacker, Josh's older brother, has served as head chef at Tacker's Shake Shack for the past several years.
"Being a servant is a big part of how I view this business — serving people good food at a good price, and being able to make someone else's day better with a great shake or a great burger," Mark said.
Mark said that when he was 16 years old, he created the line of unique burgers that Tacker's Shake Shack is now known for — with toppings ranging anywhere from cheese sticks to hot dogs to barbeque.
"My dad has helped me out on the business side — promoting, managing, teaching me a lot of the business side," Mark said. "As far as cooking goes, I have to teach him."
Both Mark and Jeff said this new location was a great step for their overall progress as a franchise.
Jeff said the hiring process for the new location is ongoing. Applications can be found on the restaurant's website, or requested in person at either location. Mark said no experience is required to apply.
"I look at it like the movie, 'Ratatouille,'" Mark said. "Anyone can cook, it's all about just learning how."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package eu.kalodiodev.kitapi.utils;

import javafx.scene.control.Alert;
import javafx.scene.control.ButtonBar;
import javafx.scene.control.ButtonType;
import javafx.scene.control.DialogPane;
import javafx.stage.Stage;

import java.util.Optional;

/**
 * Common Alert Dialogs
 *
 * @author Raptodimos Thanos
 */
public class AlertDialog {

    private AlertDialog() {
        // Prevent instantiation - all methods are static
    }

    /**
     * Show error alert dialog
     *
     * @param title title of error dialog
     * @param header header of dialog
     * @param message message to setup
     */
    public static void showAlertError(String title, String header, String message) {
        alert(title, header, message, Alert.AlertType.ERROR).showAndWait();
    }

    /**
     * Show information alert dialog
     *
     * @param title title of information dialog
     * @param header header of dialog
     * @param message message to setup
     */
    public static void showAlertInformation(String title, String header, String message) {
        alert(title, header, message, Alert.AlertType.INFORMATION).showAndWait();
    }

    /**
     * Show confirmation alert dialog
     *
     * @param title title of confirmation dialog
     * @param header header of dialog
     * @param message message to setup
     * @return dialog result
     */
    public static Optional<ButtonType> showAlertConfirmation(String title, String header, String message) {

        ButtonType okButtonType = new ButtonType(LanguageResource.getResource().getString("action.ok"),
                ButtonBar.ButtonData.OK_DONE);
        ButtonType cancelButtonType = new ButtonType(LanguageResource.getResource().getString("action.cancel"),
                ButtonBar.ButtonData.CANCEL_CLOSE);

        Alert alert = new Alert(Alert.AlertType.CONFIRMATION, message, okButtonType, cancelButtonType);
        alert.setTitle(title);
        alert.setHeaderText(header);
        Stage stage = (Stage) alert.getDialogPane().getScene().getWindow();
        stage.getIcons().add(BuildResource.getApplicationIcon());
        alert.getDialogPane().getStylesheets().add(AlertDialog.class.getClass().getResource("/styles/style.css").toExternalForm());

        return alert.showAndWait();
    }

    /**
     * Alert dialog
     *
     * @param title title of alert dialog
     * @param header header of alert dialog
     * @param message message of alert dialog
     * @param alertType type of alert dialog
     */
    private static Alert alert(String title, String header, String message, Alert.AlertType alertType){

        ButtonType okButtonType = new ButtonType(LanguageResource.getResource().getString("action.ok"),
                ButtonBar.ButtonData.OK_DONE);
        Alert alert = new Alert(alertType, message, okButtonType);
        alert.setTitle(title);
        alert.setHeaderText(header);

        DialogPane dialogPane = alert.getDialogPane();
        Stage stage = (Stage) dialogPane.getScene().getWindow();
        stage.getIcons().add(BuildResource.getApplicationIcon());
        dialogPane.getStylesheets().add(AlertDialog.class.getResource("/styles/style.css").toExternalForm());

        return alert;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Further building on the Galleries' commitment, Pearl Lam Galleries is delighted to announce the opening of its new gallery at H Queen's, Hong Kong's latest art hub, in March 2018. The four gallery spaces of Pearl Lam Galleries in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore represent an increasingly influential roster of contemporary artists. Chinese artists Su Xiaobai and Zhu Jinshi, who synthesize Chinese sensibilities with an international visual language, are presented internationally with work now included in major private and public collections worldwide. The Galleries has also introduced leading international artists, such as Leonardo Drew, Jenny Holzer, Carlos Rolón/Dzine, and Yinka Shonibare MBE, to markets in the region, providing opportunities for new audiences in Asia to encounter their work. Pearl Lam Galleries encourages international artists to create new work which engages specifically with the region, collaborating to produce thought-provoking, culturally relevant work.
Pearl Lam Design has tirelessly promoted design as an art form in China. Pearl Lam has funded an artist-in-residence programme for artists and designers across the globe. Pearl Lam Design shows works by established and emerging international designers including André Dubreuil, Maarten Baas, Mattia Bonetti, and Studio Makkink & Bey. They are invited to push the boundaries of traditional Chinese art and craft techniques and create new works that reflect their experiences in China.


The fall season of Tuesday Text continues on Tuesday, November 13th, at 7:30 p.m. in Founders Hall. Share in a thematic exploration of sacred texts selected from Torah, New Testament, and the Holy Koran. We have a series of scripture-focused discussions highlighting the interconnections and divergences that shape our respective spiritual understandings. Our explorations will be guided by a commitment to deep ecumenism, an honoring of the One Source that reveals itself to us in countless outlets: one river, many wells. Optional donation in support of programming requested.
This month's topic is Social Justice. Download the readings here. RSVP on Meetup.


The Thanksgiving weekend--the kick-off for the holiday shopping season--started off at a strong sprint Friday, but by Sunday, sales and store traffic had slowed to a crawl.
Northbrook-based Crate & Barrel's Anna Payne, who manages the flagship Michigan Avenue Crate & Barrel store, blames the drizzly weather for sales and traffic declines on Saturday and Sunday.
But, regardless of the weather, the housewares and furniture retailer doesn't expect sales this holiday season to match last year's, which got a boost from items like martini glasses and champagne flutes to ring in the millennium.
In October, Crate & Barrel CEO Gordon Segal predicted a holiday sales gain of 6% to 8% in 2000, down from a 13% gain in 1999 (Crain's, Oct. 9).
Outlet mall retailers fared no better over the weekend. "People were in a melancholy (mood)," says Curt Morey, director of marketing at Gurnee Mills in Gurnee. He says if a light snow had fallen rather than rain, shoppers would have been "in the holiday spirit."
Gurnee Mills saw a 40% rise in visitor traffic on Friday compared with post-Thanksgiving traffic a year ago, with more than 120,000 shoppers flocking to its 220 stores. But by the end of the weekend, the total number of visitors yielded only a modest 1% uptick over 1999's figures.
Still, Mr. Morey is hopeful that this year's holiday shopping season will exceed last year's numbers. "We expect traffic and sales to be up 3% to 5% over last year," he says.
Nationally, same-store sales this past weekend rose 3.8% over the same period last year, according to TeleCheck Services Inc., a Houston-based check-acceptance service. In Illinois, the company reported, sales were up 4.1% from 1999.
Some Chicago retailers used discounts in an effort to ignite sales, with mixed results. A spokeswoman for Hoffman Estates-based Sears, Roebuck and Co. says the retailer has moved up its discounted sales schedule, and even plans to hold its traditional "after Christmas" sale early.
The spokeswoman declined to provide sales figures for the past weekend, but says Sears saw strong sales of ready-to-wear women's and men's clothing and home electronics.
"We're not going to rely on one week of sales to say the five-week season is going to be a success," the Sears spokeswoman says. "We've got a lot of hard work ahead of us. We're not ready to say we won the holiday war yet."


Between starring in Goodbye Christopher Robin as Winnie the Pooh author A.A. Milne, joining in the horror-ish fun of Darren Aronofsky's mother!, and again spearheading the First Order's charge in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Domhnall Gleeson is going to have a busy fall. And now, it's getting even busier, as he'll also be engaging in some raunchy romantic-comedy craziness in this October's Crash Pad; watch its first trailer above, debuting exclusively at Yahoo Movies.
In director Kevin Tent's film, Gleeson plays Stensland, a young man who finds himself bitterly disappointed to learn that the woman with whom he's just had a one night stand (Christina Applegate's Morgan) is, in fact, married. Moreover, she slept with him just to get revenge on her two-timing husband Grady (Thomas Haden Church). Making things far weirder, Grady responds to this situation by moving in with Stensland so the two of them can heal their equally wounded hearts by drinking booze, smoking marijuana, and bedding strangers — thus sending the proceedings into a twisted tailspin that, by the looks of the first trailer, will revolve around Gleeson's perpetual awkward befuddlement.
Co-starring Nina Dobrev (TV's The Vampire Diaries), and produced by Alexander Payne (The Descendants, the upcoming Downsizing), Crash Pad arrives on Digital HD on Sept. 26, in theaters on Oct. 27, and on DVD Dec. 5.


Caspian Sea is, in fact, the largest lake in the world (371 000 km ², maximum depth - 1025 m) called the sea because of its size. The water in the lake is salted. Kazakhstan. (裏海). See on map http://tours-tv.com/en/caspian-sea-kazakhstan .
Hello Youtubers, In this vidoe i would like to tell you about, How do we enjoy the spring in Baku Azerbaijan. As you see in the video, we were visiting Park Boulevard, it is situated in the seaside of Caspian sea, in the downtown Baku Well, yes the world is waking up from the cold winter. The flowers are flourishing, Everyone all ages seems happily enjoying the warm of the sun Oh thi is ferris wheel which is well-known in Baku Baku Eye, you can see from the top of Baku Eye the whole Baku City. The sky is getting dark, but people are still here, spending their time with family or even . And look some of them are running or having exercises . And you sport has no gender and ages, Oke, How is your spring ?
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. It is in an endorheic basin (it has no outflows) located between Europe and Asia. It is bounded to the northeast by Kazakhstan, to the northwest by Russia, to the west by Azerbaijan, to the south by Iran, and to the southeast by Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea lies to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the vast steppe of Central Asia. Its northern part, the Caspian Depression, is one of the lowest points on Earth. The ancient inhabitants of its coast perceived the Caspian Sea as an ocean, probably because of its saltiness and large size.
The sea has a surface area of 371,000 km2 (143,200 sq mi) (not including its detached lagoon of Garabogazköl Aylagy) and a volume of 78,200 km3 (18,800 cu mi). It has a salinity of approximately 1.2% (12 g/l), about a third of the salinity of most seawater.
The word Caspian is derived from the name of the Caspi, an ancient people who lived to the south-west of the sea in Transcaucasia.Strabo wrote that "to the country of the Albanians belongs also the territory called Caspiane, which was named after the Caspian tribe, as was also the sea; but the tribe has now disappeared". Moreover, the Caspian Gates, which is the name of a region in Iran's Tehran province, possibly indicates that they migrated to the south of the sea. The Iranian city of Qazvin shares the root of its name with that of the sea. In fact, the traditional Arabic name for the sea itself is Bahr al-Qazwin (Sea of Qazvin).
Russian Circles is an American three piece instrumental rock/metal band from Chicago. Mostly headlining now, in their earlier days they toured with Boris, Isis, Red Sparowes, Minus the Bear, Daughters, Coheed & Cambria, Mono, and Pelican as well as appearances at the 2006 SXSW, and 2009's Bonnaroo. They were also the opening band for Tool while playing their first tour in the United Kingdom in 2007. Their name is taken from a drill exercise used in the game of ice hockey.
Formed in late 2004 by guitarist Mike Sullivan and bassist Colin DeKuiper (both formerly of instrumental band Dakota/Dakota), they quickly recruited drummer Dave Turncrantz, formerly of St. Louis band Riddle of Steel.
In the autumn of 2007, it was announced that the band had parted ways with Colin DeKuiper. As a result, the bass tracks on their second album, titled Station, were handled by ex-Botch/These Arms Are Snakes bass player Brian Cook, who then joined the band permanently. The group's third full-length, Geneva, was released on October 20, 2009 and reached No. 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.


Самая свежая информация митинский радиорынок телефоны у нас на сайте.
Born: July 4, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont.
Died: January 5, 1933 in Northhampton, Massachusetts.
Married to Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge.
Coolidge was "distinguished for character more than for heroic achievement" wrote a Democratic admirer, Alfred E. Smith".His great task was to restore the dignity and prestige of the Presidency when it had reached the lowest ebb in our history. in a time of extravagance and waste".
He rapidly became popular. In 1924, as the beneficiary of what was becoming known as "Coolidge prosperity" he polled more than 54 percent of the popular vote.
In his Inaugural he asserted that the country had achieved "a state of contentment seldom before seen" and pledged himself to maintain the status quo. In subsequent years he twice vetoed farm relief bills, and killed a plan to produce cheap Federal electric power on the Tennessee River.
The political genius of President Coolidge, Walter Lippmann pointed out in 1926, was his talent for effectively doing nothing: "This active inactivity suits the mood and certain of the needs of the country admirably. It suits all the business interests which want to be let alone. And it suits all those who have become convinced that government in this country has become dangerously complicated and top-heavy".
Coolidge was both the most negative and remote of Presidents, and the most accessible. He once explained to Bernard Baruch why he often sat silently through interviews: "Well, Baruch, many times I say only 'yes' or 'no' to people. Even that is too much. It winds them up for twenty minutes more".
Both his dry Yankee wit and his frugality with words became legendary. His wife, Grace Goodhue Coolidge, recounted that a young woman sitting next to Coolidge at a dinner party confided to him she had bet she could get at least three words of conversation from him. Without looking at her he quietly retorted, "You lose". And in 1928, while vacationing in the Black Hills of South Dakota, he issued the most famous of his laconic statements, "I do not choose to run for President in 1928".
By the time the disaster of the Great Depression hit the country, Coolidge was in retirement. Before his death in January 1933, he confided to an old friend, "I feel I no longer fit in with these times".


text:
Sint-Defendenskerk (Agueglio)
 Sint-Defendenskerk (Clusone)
 Sint-Defendenskerk (Invorio)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: how to find length till specific value in an array in java In a number of array i need length till max value without using sort and

{6,8,2,7,10,3,1}

is it possible to return max-first minimum is that array(10-2=8)?

A: A simple solution for it is the function Array.short, you can do that:
/*Code not tested*/
Arrays.sort(array);
System.out.println(array[0]); //min value
System.out.println(array[array.length-1]); //max value

You can see more about this function here: Java: Sort an array
Edit
If you can't sort you can use a algorithm here a good example http://www.java2novice.com/java-sorting-algorithms/bubble-sort/

A: The simplest code uses IntStream#summaryStatistics():
IntSummaryStatistics stats = IntStream.of(intArray).summaryStatistics();
int maxDiff = stats.getMax() - stats.getMin();

This approach has O(n) time complexity, which is better than O(n log n) time complexity of sorting the array.
There are faster O(n) algorithms that just calculate the max diff, but this approach is probably good enough for most purposes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Are you searching for that perfect local Mountain & Lake retreat? Look no further! This spacious tri-level home is situated in the mountainous area of Lake Arrowhead. This lovely home boast over 15,000 of lot space that adds greater privacy. Conveniently located and just minutes away from the Lake (with lake rights), General Hospital, Fire Department, and Lake Arrowhead Village for all your dining and entertainment. Step inside and you'll be greeted with high vaulted ceilings and a warm cozy rock-stone fireplace for those winter snowy evenings. There are plenty of rooms for a large family and can also accommodate special guests overnight. This home is ideal for a primary home and can also serve as a second home, permanent rental, or a vacation rental (aka Airbnb).
Sold by Steven Rand of Re/Max Olson & Associates,Inc..
Listing provided courtesy of Michael Regala of Exp Realty Of Ca Inc.


text:
Die Municipality of Lane Cove ist ein lokales Verwaltungsgebiet (LGA) im australischen Bundesstaat New South Wales. Lane Cove gehört zur Metropole Sydney, der Hauptstadt von New South Wales. Das Gebiet ist 10,5 km² groß und hat etwa 39.500 Einwohner.

Lane Cove liegt etwa 6 km nordwestlich des Stadtzentrums von Sydney an der Nordseite des Hafens. Das Gebiet beinhaltet 9 Stadtteile: Greenwich, Lane Cove, Lane Cove West, Linley Point, Longuevulle, Northwood, Riverview und Teile von Lane Cove North und St Leonards. Der Sitz des Municipality Councils befindet sich im Stadtteil Lane Cove am Nordrand der LGA.

Verwaltung
Der Lane Cove Council hat neun Mitglieder, die von den Bewohnern der drei Wards gewählt werden (je drei Councillor aus Central, East und West Ward). Diese drei Bezirke sind unabhängig von den Stadtteilen festgelegt. Aus dem Kreis der Councillor rekrutiert sich auch der Mayor (Bürgermeister) des Councils.

Quellen

Weblinks
 Offizielle Seite des Lane Cove Councils

Local Government Area in Sydney


Recently, team of malware researchers have discovered a new member of ransomware family dubbed as Anatova Ransomware that targets users across the globe. The name of this ransom virus is based on ransom note because it doesn't append any file extension to locked files. First of all, it was discovered on January 16 but till now it has infected wide range of System. The attack of such a ransom virus has been reported over the entire world but of them being in US and Europe countries including Germany, UK, Belgium, France and many more. Based on its sample, researchers revealed that Anatova Ransomware includes anti-analysis routine. It supports numerous modules for performing the extra functionality.
In the peer-to-peer network, Anatova Ransomware uses an icon for an application or game in order to lure System users into downloading it. It loads two DLL files which indicates that Anatova Ransomware is prepared to be extended or modular with several functions in future. By creating the modular of this ransomware, con artist can use it for all sort of capabilities that would be take priority before executing the routine of file encryption.
By embedding the memory cleaning procedure, Anatova Ransomware tries to make it more resilient. After penetrating inside the PC, first of all it check username of logged in system user. If the username matches with one on internal list, ransomware deploys cleaning process and then after exits. Being a ransomware, it mainly performs the file encryption procedure to locks users files, make them unreadable and ask them to pay ransom fee in order to decrypt their files. On the ransomware market, Anatova Ransomware seems to be a new player but it too much dangerous.
Anatova Ransomware is identified as a notorious and dangerous ransomware infection. It mainly targets system files that are 1MB in the file size or smaller to make quick file encryption procedure. The encryption procedure of this ransom virus is similar to other one but the most noticeable fact is that it doesn't append any specific file extension. It adds only ransom note named ANATOVA.txt to every folder where at least one file is locked.
In ANATOVA.txt file, the developers of Anatova Ransomware states user that their files are locked and to decrypt files they asks victims to pay 10 DASH in provided email address including [email protected] and [email protected] But like other ransom variant, ransom note of Anatova Ransomware is also fake. Ransom note is nothing than a tricky object used by hackers to trick more and more users. By paying money, you only encourages the team of hacker to promote their evil intention. Therefore, it is highly advised to get rid of Anatova Ransomware instead of contacting with Anatova Ransomware developers or paying large sum of ransom fee.


text:
<ion-view class="maps-view">

  <ion-content>

    <map class="map" data-tap-disabled="true" center="{{position.lat}},{{position.lng}}" zoom="15" disable-default-u-i="true">
      <marker position="{{position.lat}},{{position.lng}}" visible="true"></marker>
    </map>

        <form id="form" ng-controller="mapsController">

Get Directions

        Destination
        <select name="dest"
                ng-model="formData.dest">

          <option value="" selected>None (current location)</option>

          <option value="custom">[Custom destination]</option>
        </select>

          <input type="text" ng-model="formData.custom_dest" placeholder="Enter destination"/>

        Start
        <select name="start" ng-model="formData.start">
          <option value="">None (current location)</option>

          <option value="custom">[Custom start]</option>
        </select>

          <input type="text" ng-model="formData.custom_start" placeholder="Enter start"/>

        <button class="button button-positive navigate" on-tap="navigate()">Navigate</button>

    </form>

  </ion-content>
</ion-view>


text:
HomeBusinessNHR Tax Return Service already signed up hundreds of expats
NHR Tax Return Service already signed up hundreds of expats
A month ago, Fresh Portugal, a Portuguese desk of an international law group specialising in taxation, announced FreshReturns, a tax return product designed specifically for expats benefiting from the NHR scheme.
By Advertiser, in Business, Portugal · 25 Nov 2022, 09:31 · 0 Comments
The purpose of the service was to end NHR confusion and offer expats, for the first time, a reliable solution designed specifically for NHR tax returns.
The service, still open for early access, is the first of its kind and is meant to solve many confusions and inaccurate tax reporting in the expat community.
Everyone living in Portugal with foreign income needs to file a tax return at the end of each tax year in Portugal.
However, due to the complexity of the NHR scheme, this is well beyond the abilities of most expats and high street accountants are struggling to cope with income types rarely seen before in Portugal, such as income from U.S. LLCs and S-Corps, UK Ltds, different types of savings accounts etc, as well as complex concepts such as foreign-sourced income and double taxation treaties. This led to errors in submission and overpayment of taxes.
On this backdrop, Fresh Portugal, a specialist tax advisory normally advising high-net-worth individuals moving to Portugal, decided to create a tax return service that would be affordable for any expat.
Fresh Portugal now reveals that early next year, an online service that includes a tax calculator covering typical income type of expats, will be released and made available for free to people who signed up for early access and this tax calculator will evolve, ahead of the tax season, to a fully-fledged web service where expats can enter their income in a clear interface and using plain English.
Said income will then be checked by a senior tax advisor ahead of submission.
After helping hundreds of expats, normally those with high income, Fresh Portugal has already Joana the tax bot, an automated chatbot that provides basic advice to expat on taxation in Portugal. With the launch of FreshReturns, a service at an affordable price point, Fresh Portugal is completing its offering to all expats in Portugal and aims to bring NHR confusion to an end.
The views expressed on this page are those of the author and not of The Portugal News.
Effective Ways of Shipping Pallets to Portugal From the UK
In Business, Lifestyle, Property, United Kingdom - 27 Jan 2023, 12:01
Freshlines Boards Launches A Limited Edition With Fuel TV
In Business - 19 Jan 2023, 17:01
Why picking stocks is so difficult….
In Business, Lifestyle - 13 Jan 2023, 09:01
Make your money work for you with JLL
More divorcees than widowers
As an EU, EEA non-resident, are you obliged to appoint a fiscal representative in Portugal?
In Consumer Rights, Portugal, Lifestyle - 02 Feb 2023, 12:01
Design your dream home with Susana Guerreiro
In Property, Portugal, Business - 01 Feb 2023, 18:01
State funds: a good option for your business?
In Business, Portugal, Algarve - 27 Jan 2023, 16:01
Capital Gains Portugal
In Portugal, Business - 02 Sep 2022, 09:01
Other Business Articles
Esperio: FedEx, Amazon and Chip Makers Signal Deteriorating Consumer Sentiment
In Business, World - 26 Dec 2022, 13:01
The Taxman cometh...
In Business - 16 Dec 2022, 09:01
Get Instagram views ONLY if you wanna succeed!
How to Choose a SaaS Development Company
In Business, Company News - 12 Dec 2022, 12:01
You want to study or live in Portugal?
In Business, Portugal - 09 Dec 2022, 15:01
Soul and seclusion in East Lisbon's Marvila
View all Business articles


Skirmish Wycombe is Buckinghamshire's premier paintballing and outdoor activity centre. We offer an exciting range of activities including paintballing, laser tag, mini paintbal – if you love the outdoor life, you'll find something for you at Skirmish Wycombe. Easy access from London, Oxford and Reading, just 10 minutes from junction 4 of the M40. Skirmish Wycombe operates in a 16 acre site with 10 different game fields/zones. With packages to suit all budgets, you'll find the perfect battleground for you and your friends here at Skirmish Wycombe.


The International Survey of Jewish Monuments (ISJM) is an independent, non-profit, membership based, educational organization dedicated to the documentation, study, care and conservation of historic Jewish sites throughout the world.
A primary role of ISJM is to serve as a clearing-house of information about current projects and programs that effect Jewish monuments, especially through the posting of news, photos, reports, directories and other materials on this site.
ISJM also sponsors reseach and preservation projects, and contributes technical and financial assistance to projects supervised by other organizations.
ISJM is registered as a 501 (c) 3 organization and a New York State Charity. The organization is member-based and has no regular sources of funding. The major source of ISJM funding comes from member contributions and grants for projects. Depending on the grant, up to 20% may be taken to support ISJM operations. In most cases, ISJM uses 5-10% of grants to cover administrative and other project related costs.


Erawan Thai Bistro and Takeaway are our next-door neighbours, and very fine food they serve, too. They operate a 'Bring your own' drinks policy, making us ideally placed to supply ready-chilled wines ideal for pairing with your meal.
People often ask us to recommend wines for 'next door', so here we've listed a few of our favourites. If you know you're visiting Erawan, and you know what you'd like to drink, please let us know in advance, so we can make sure we set aside a cold bottle for you.
Thai cuisine's big flavours and distinct spices demand a bold wine that can stand up alongside them. In most cases that will mean an aromatic, fruity, high-acidity white wine. Grapes like Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, and Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) are ideal. And you don't need to restrict yourself to dry wines - the spice conceals any residual sugar in an off-dry wine, allowing the fruit flavours to shine through.
With more delicate Thai dishes, a lighter wine can be ideal. The Crios Torrontes and Tiefenbrunner Sauvignon Blanc shown below are great examples. Torrontes echoes the lemongrass hints in much Thai food, while a good Sauvignon has delicate, elderflower aromas and a fresh, intriguing nettle-like quality.
Here are some wines that we recommend highly. Click on each image for further details and prices.


South Korean consumer durables firm Samsung continues to be the most trusted brand in the country followed by Sony and LG, while Tata Group, the only Indian company to feature in the top five, occupied the fourth slot, a report said.
The top three brands retained their last year's position while Tata moved up a place, The Brand Trust Report 2018 said.
US-based Apple took the fifth position, losing a spot from last year. Sportswear major Nike jumped 29 places to occupy the eighth spot.
Chinese handset maker Oppo which was ranked 29 in 2017 occupied the 11th place in 2018, Puma climbed 32 places from last year to rank 12 in 2018.
Over 2,450 respondents participated in the survey conducted by TRA Research across 16 cities and its findings have been compiled in The Brand Trust Report 2018.
Among India's 1,000 Most Trusted brands, the categories with the maximum brands were food and beverage and FMCG contributing to 25.6 per cent of the total brands in the listings. When compared to last year, 320 new brands made it to the list, 368 brands fell in rank, 307 brands rose in rank, and five brands retained their ranks, it said.
Pepsi was the leader in food and beverage category, occupying the 44th place on the list. Patanjali leads the FMCG category and is placed 13th, improving two places from last year.


"I guess you have no choice." Cutler remarked.
"BOSS! They're taking me downstairs again! TELL THEM TO LET ME GO!" Marty wailed from... somewhere... as the security detail was trying to lead him away.
Wally shouted after Security, waddling after them.
"Unhand my Man at Arms, you swine!"
"I'm a man-at-arms!?" Marty exclaimed in confusion and horror.
"Marty's a man-at-arms?" Cutler questioned in confusion and disinterest.
"He's the man-at-arms?" Jordan growled in confusion and annoyance.
"Release the captain's man-at-arms at once!" Sharpe roared at the security guards "How dare you arrest a bridge officer of such total and inescapable importance?!"
"Sounded like a good combination of words for the swine thing," the Captain shrugged as Security promptly dropped Marty on the ground and resumed their normal activities.
"Oof!" Marty grunted as he fell to the floor.
He quickly got back up and dusted himself off, wondering why he kept those dolts on the payroll.
"Thanks boss." he said gratefully.
Cutler was back to messing around on his console, when there was some additional beeping sounds coming from it that weren't from his game. After a moment of half-hearted searching for the source, he finally found what was going on.
"Huh... we're about to be fired upon." he mused.
Dr. Yankem stared at his broken mess of a console.
"This is normally where I would say something like 'Good' or, 'Excellent, more test subjects!', but there is a difference between pompous hardass talk up in the safety of space, and pompous hardass talk in the safety of a downed ship on a hostile world. This is bad, fellas. Real bad."
Captain Walls stared at Dr. Yankem for a long moment.
"What he said," he hiked a thumb in his general direction while waddling as fast as he could for the high ground, thinking they were going to be boarded.
"We have something incoming... shields are... down." Cutler reported, "There's nothing I can do."
"Wait... are we going to get blown up?" Jordan asked.
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE AGAIN!" Marty screamed.
"Impact it three... two... one..." Cutler counted down.
A single bullet bounced off the top of the hardened plexiglass viewport, landed, then rolled off and fell into the swamp water.
HAX observed the proceedings with interest.
"Compliment - You human-aliens are very proficient in fearing for your lives from the smallest of inconveniences."
"I was not afraid; I was just inconvenienced." Cutler replied.
"I was afraid..." Marty muttered.
"Anders! I want a full inspection of the ship delivered to me by 0459 today!" Sharpe demanded in the direction of Claret.
"If its already past that time, that's on you," Claret shot back as she went to work.
Sharpe ignored Claret's retort and instead took position by the captain's chair where he normally would stand while important decisions were being made by the captain... when said captain was occupying the chair of course.
"Awaiting further orders, sar!" he reported to the aforementioned Captain.
"Oh damn! The cargo!" Marty suddenly exclaimed, "Nononononononononononononono..."
He dashed off the bridge in a puff of literal smoke. Well, almost literal smoke... it was actually dust. From something. Don't ask me where it came from.
Jordan walked over to the still unconscious navigator and lightly kicked him the side to try and wake him up.
"Cargo?" the Captain repeated from his position... wherever he was, "THE CARGO!"
He quickly moderately dashed off the bridge after Marty.
Dr. Yankem, his moment passed, didn't seem to care anymore.
HAX chose to follow the two of them.
Whatever hadn't been strapped down had fallen to the ceiling when the ship flipped, then back down to the floor again when it flipped back. Several crates were broken open and the contents spilled onto the floor. Whatever was strapped down looked mostly fine, at least on the outside... but that was the outside.
"Starting to question the sanity of this crew..." Claret muttered.
"Not as bad as that one job..." Jordan muttered, kicking Mitch a little harder.
Marty began opening crates, to find that the fine china was totally okay. However, the same couldn't be said for the ionizer panels, which were damaged beyond repair. Unfortunately, said panels were owed to a particularly corrupt politician who possessed great authority in the sector. He wasn't going to like to hear that his ionizer panels had been destroyed.
"Boss! Look at this! We're ruined!" Marty wailed.
"Will our heroes be able to repair their ship and escape the alien planet before the source of the mysterious artillery finds them? Will Wally and Marty suffer the consequences for damaging the mysterious corrupt politician's illegal merchandise? Will Mitch every wake up? Tune in next week for another exciting episode of Star Pirates: Voyagers in Spaaaaaaaaaaace!"
"And now for your local news..." a different voice stated.
Aubre glared at the television, looking very disappointed at what she'd just watched.
"Eh... the movies are so much better." she muttered.


ITRA has been the specialist in both standard and customised internal conveyor systems for more than 20 years.
Our recommendations are characterised by the high-level of specialised expertise and because of our constructive approach in arriving at solutions with our customers.
ITRA builds robust top-quality conveyor systems that can be used for many years because of a well-thought out design and because we use quality components and this results in a very high operational reliability.
Innumerable integrations with conveyor belts can also be supplied.


Lunch Served Monday through Saturday 11am to 3pm.
Lunch Buffet available Tuesdays 11 am to 2 pm.
Check our Facebook for weekly Buffet options.
Our team is dedicated to raising your Turtles experience to a new standard of dining. Let our atmosphere create the comfort your family depends on and the fun your friends desire. You can be sure to receive good value and customer satisfaction. We hope you enjoy your experience.


LauraLynn, Ireland's Children's Hospice provides respite, home support, transitional, crisis and end-of-life care to children and their families with life-limiting conditions.
We provide palliative care and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. Our holistic approach to care enables us to support the whole family, allowing parents to be 'Mum and Dad' rather than full-time carers.
We offer support for children from birth to age 18.
The history of our hospice has evolved over many years from its beginnings in 1925 as a convalescence home for children from the inner city, to the opening in 2011 of LauraLynn House, a dedicated 8 bed children's palliative care unit. This award winning healthcare building and it's everyday operations are funded by the generous support of our donors.
In total it costs €5 million each year to provide LauraLynn Hospice's specialised care to 200 families. While LauraLynn receives some statutory funding, the majority of their income comes from fundraising. A massive €4.3 million must be generated through donations this year. All fund-raised money is used to support LauraLynn Hospice.
Sorry, No Events listed however take a look at our list of events. You can select LauraLynn Ireland's Children's Hospice while setting up a fundraising page for any event.


text:
'66,000 below five years die annually in Kaduna'
Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna
Every year, 66,000 children below the age of five die annually in Kaduna State, the Country Director of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria – Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health, Mr. Remi Adeseun, has said.
Adeseun said this when he led his team on advocacy visit to the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, in the state capital.
According to him, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria – Partnership For Advocacy in Child and Family Health's visit the state is aimed at addressing childhood diseases such as Pneumonia and Diarrhoea.
Adeseun said that the 2013 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey in Kaduna State showed that for every 1000 live-births, 185 die before the fifth birthday and all from preventable and treatable diseases such as Malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrheoa.
He said, "Most of the aforementioned deaths are from preventable and treatable diseases such as Malaria, Pneumonia and Diarrhoea. The Survey shows that Diarrhoea and Pneumonia account for 13 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively of the under-five mortality rate in Kaduna state.
"In the North West, Kaduna state has the second highest percentage of under-five mortality rate from Pneumonia. Kaduna State has 16 per cent under-five Diarrhoea mortality rate, a figure that is far higher than the National average of nine per cent."
He said consequently, there was an urgent need to address the problem.
"The management of childhood Pneumonia and Diarrhoea should be given high priority by the state government through the Ministry of Health. If half of the priority given to malaria is geared towards Pneumonia and Diarrhoea treatment, more innocent lives would be saved," Adeseun said.
Responding, Balarabe said that the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai was aware of the problem and had taken proactive measures towards tackling it.
She explained that it was in a bid to solve the problem that the state government overhauled the law establishing the KSPHCA.
"All the departments in the Ministry of Health that are into immunisation and dispensation of drugs and allied services have now been brought under the roof of this agency for proper coordination," she said.
"I am sure you are aware of the partnership that the governor signed with the Bill Gates and Melinda Foundation on the eradication of some of these diseases. I want to inform you that the governor has authorised the release of 100 per cent counterpart funds to this cooperation."


text:
Evaluating A New Study Claiming Teen Cannabis Use Alters Brain Structure
A new study published just last month in JAMA Psychiatry claims that teenage cannabis use can negatively alter brain structure… but how accurate is this claim and exactly what factors and variables did the researchers consider in coming to this conclusion?
Childhood and adolescence are critical times for physical and emotional development. Until we reach adulthood, our brains change considerably by growing in size, modifying number of cells and structure, and opening more connective pathways. During our late teenage years, the outer layers of the brain begin to lose some thickness and density in a process known as "cortical thinning". Cortical thinning is a completely normal part of cerebral development, but, according to the study, the rate of thinning is accelerated in cannabis-using teens. Lead researcher Matthew Albaugh, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Vermont Medical Center, says that "it is unclear what will happen" if the thinning process occurs to quickly.
Cannabis is a powerful, yet controversial, tool. Despite the drama, we know that cannabis has so much therapeutic potential and access to safe, legitimate products is of utmost importance. If you're a cannabis connoisseur and you'd like to learn more about this fascinating plant, as well as gain access to exclusive deals on flowers and other products, make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter. If legal THC is more your thing, head on over to The Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter and check out the selection of deals on Delta 8, Delta 10, THC-O, THCV, and other fun tetra products.
Teens and Cannabis
Cannabis is one of the most frequently used illicit substances by all age groups, especially youth. What's interesting, however, is that although rate of use among older adults is rising in legal states, that has not been the case with teens and young adults. As Kayla Tormohlen, Ph.D. candidate, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health stated, "Since the implementation of retail marijuana sales, we haven't seen an increase in use among youth, but we are seeing a difference in how young people are consuming."
Take a look at these stats:
6.9% of 12th graders use cannabis daily.
43.7% have tried cannabis in their lifetime.
35.2% consumed cannabis in the last year.
2.4% used synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice, in the last year.
62.8% of 12th graders who used cannabis in the last year consumed it via vaping.
12th graders are 82.1% more likely to use marijuana in their lifetime than they are to smoke a cigarette.
A growing number of adolescent cannabis users are more inclined to vape, dab, or eat edibles rather than smoking flower. A couple years ago, a survey-based study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that in Colorado, teen cannabis smoking saw a significant decrease. According to the study, from the students questioned in 2017, around 78% of teens who admitted to using cannabis said they did so by smoking. That number was down from 87% in 2015.
Colorado Teens Moving Towards Cannabis Edibles Over Smoking
In this study, Albaugh's team evaluated data from a separate study of teenage brain development, conducted over a multi-year period in Europe. A total of 799 participants had their brains scanned once at 14 years of age, and one more time when they turned 19 years old.
Lifetime cannabis use ranged from 1 to more than 40 uses, with roughly half of participants falling somewhere in between 10 and 30 estimated uses. Using this self-reported data (meaning researchers simply asked the teens about their cannabis use over the last five years), and two brain scans over the course of a half-decade, researchers concluded that there were "significant brain differences" in the teens who used cannabis and those who didn't.
"Results suggest that cannabis use during middle to late adolescence may be associated with altered cerebral cortical development, particularly in regions rich in cannabinoid 1 receptors. Cannabis-related cortical thinning in the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex accounted for unique variance in attentional impulsiveness at 5-year follow-up while controlling for sex, site, baseline age, baseline brain volume, baseline pubertal development, verbal IQ, and performance IQ. Thus, accelerated thinning in the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was associated with the transition to cannabis use as well as greater attentional impulsiveness at 5-year follow-up."
In plain English, it means that adolescent cannabis use can cause accelerated cortical thinning, which may lead to questionable impulse control in young adults. Researchers emphasized there was a direct correlation between rate of use and rate of cortical thinning, meaning those who used more pot experienced more discernable structural differences. They also stated that confounding variables like sex, age, IQ, and so forth, were accounted for, but no environmental factors were considered. Additionally, the study mentions that alcohol was controlled for as well, but tobacco use and other carcinogens were not.
California Pension Fund Invests in Cannabis While Shunning Tobacco
Personal Observations and Unanswered Questions
There are numerous aspects to this study that will naturally require some further observation, starting with the fact that it's relying entirely on the self-reported data of teenagers. Assuming that teens can remember exactly how many times they used cannabis over an extended time period of five years, is a very unlikely gamble. Also, whether the questions were answered with complete honesty is another issue. Numerous studies have found that participants often lie in surveys of counternormative behaviors, such as drug use and abortion. It's not a stretch to assume that some of the teens were concerned the results could negatively impact their futures, come back to bite them in some way, and they weren't entirely forthcoming. But again, these are just personal theories.
Of further concern to me, is how few confounding factors were actually accounted for. The study claims that controlling for sex, socioeconomic status, and IQ did not "meaningfully" alter the results (although some negligible differences were observed), but many other things can lead to rapid cortical thinning as well. Alcohol consumption was controlled for, but personally, but it's quite likely that 800 teens who experimented with cannabis use also drank occasionally. If moderate cannabis use can impact the brain, what are the effects of limited alcohol exposure on young minds?
Best THC-O Carts: Top THC-O Vape Cartridges of 2021
Tobacco/nicotine use was not controlled for during the study, and at the 5-year follow up, regular tobacco use was correlated with regular cannabis use. According to numerous medical texts on the subject, the adolescent brain is especially sensitive to the damaging effects of nicotine. Studies in human subjects have found that smoking cigarettes during teen years leads to a greatly increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and various psychiatric disorders later in life.
Researchers did mention they went back and found that, "rerunning the longitudinal analysis and including lifetime tobacco use as a covariate resulted in largely consistent findings." Based on my understanding, they just revisited the number and updated the algorithm to include possible tobacco use, but still, in the original study, it was not controlled for. Also, it is worth noting that use of other illicit drugs and prescription medications, diets, and exposure to environmental toxins were not largely considered during this research project either.
And finally, they mentioned impulsivity as the final "negative" result following varying rates of teen cannabis use. It's important to remember that the second scan was conducted when participants were only 19 years of age. The human brain is not fully developed until we reach our mid-twenties, so it is difficult to say whether the impulsive behaviors would carry over into adult years or what the actual long term (10+ years) effects of cannabis use are.
This study also doesn't fully clarify whether cannabis caused the impulsive behaviors. What parameters are used to measure impulsivity? You need to be relatively uninhibited to be willing to experiment with illegal drugs in the first place, so how likely is it that these teens were impulsive before using cannabis, and not the other way around?
Debunking Some of the Most Common Misconceptions About Cannabis
Conflicting Research
Medical research, although very important, is subjective to a degree. This is why we need repeatable results from numerous different studies looking at a diverse range of socioeconomic and geographical data. This study claims that adolescent cannabis use has negative impacts on the brain, but numerous other studies say the exact opposite. For example, a significantly larger study published just two years ago in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, spanning over an even longer period of time, claimed there were no differences at all in the brain structure of cannabis-using teens compared to their counterparts who abstained.
The study followed a group of 1000 subjects starting in the 1980s and continuing for about 15 years, with testing and brain scans performed at various points throughout the course of the research period, and found that "adolescent cannabis use is not associated with lasting structural brain differences."
What is Delta 10 THC & Does It Get You High?
As the study authors pointed out, "Even subjects with the highest level of cannabis exposure in adolescence showed subcortical brain volumes and cortical brain volumes and thickness in adulthood that were similar to boys with almost no exposure to cannabis throughout adolescence." Put simply, no matter how much cannabis was used during teenage years, there were no noticeable effects on brain formation.
Unrelated to cannabis entirely, if we're following medical literature, it's up for debate whether cortical thinning is even a bad thing or not. While this study maintains that cortical thickness has some type of relation to impulsive behaviors, others have found that cortical thickness was not related to cognitive performance at all. Better yet, this study claims that early adolescent cortical thinning actually translated to better neuropsychological outcomes.
New Study Finds No Brain Structure Changes In Teens Who Use Cannabis
Medicinal cannabis use has a long history in traditional eastern healthcare – and by long I mean centuries. It was not uncommon for cannabis, with its very mild side effects, to be used at a treatment option for numerous childhood ailments. Obviously no clinical trials have been conducted on these ancient subjects, but medical practitioners of the times did keep their own detailed records and it was never noted that any brain damage or behavioral changes occurred in people who used cannabis throughout their lives.
Of course, the westernized among us would argue that without sound scientific research, there is absolutely no way to determine whether cannabis was/is safe or not. Fair enough, but there is one considerable difference between old-school medical literature and the modern studies of today – funding. These days, there are so many conflicts of interest surrounding medical research that you really have to dig deep into who's paying for a study and what their underlying motives are.
This particular experiment was funded by numerous entities, including many big-name pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Vifor. Big Pharma is a longtime enemy of cannabis reform and the pharmaceutical industry has spent millions over the years lobbying against marijuana legalization.
Best THCV Products – Top THCV Deals – Winter 2021
Best Delta 8 + THCV Products – Summer 2021
Final Thoughts – Cannabis, Teens, and Brain Development
Point blank, brain studies are difficult because it is impossible to account for every confounding variable in someone's life. The food they eat, the area the live in, the air they breathe, toxins consumed, rate of alcohol and tobacco use, genetics, and so much more can affect the way a person's brain develops. Cannabis is popular among teens, so of course people want to know if it is safe. However, many more studies over longer periods of time are needed before we can have more clarity on this issue, and this most recent study does not suffice.
Thank you for stopping by CBD TESTERS, your hub for all the lasted in the cannabis industry. For more articles like this one, and exclusive deals on flowers and other products, don't forget to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter.
The post Evaluating A New Study Claiming Teen Cannabis Use Alters Brain Structure appeared first on Cannadelics.


IMPHAL, May 14: Former Chief Minister and NCP state unit president Radhabinod Koijam said there is no reason why people of Manipur should not sup-port calls from various section of the society to hold plebiscite as a means to re-solve the Manipur-India conflict.
Speaking at the flag hoisting ceremony of an NCP sponsored candidate from Ward No 11 for the forthcoming Imphal Municipal Council election, Radhabinod said all possible means should be adopted to find an amicable solution to the insurgency problem.
Disagreeing with the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's opinion that demand for plebiscite is unreasonable, the NCP chief suggested that doors should be kept wide open to resolve the conflict as the insurgency movement had already caused immense hardship to people of Manipur.
It is pertinent to add that in the backdrop of the jailed UNLF chairman RK Sanayaima asking the Centre to hold plebiscite to enable the people of Manipur decide their own future; several organizations have been organizing public meetings in different parts of the State to canvass support of the masses on the issue.
With regard to the ongoing dialogue between the Centre and NSCN (IM), Radhabinod cautioned that in trying to solve the vexed Naga issue interest and views of all the stakeholders should be accommodated to ensure lasting peace in the region.
Strongly advocating peoples' participation in resolving the Indo-Manipur conflict, he also called upon leaders of civil society organizations to take the initiative for bringing insurgent groups to the negotiating table.
Seeking support of IMC Ward No 11 electorates in the ensuing hustings, Radhabinod pointed out that democratic process at the grassroots level is an opportunity for the masses to determine future of Manipuri society.
Saikul AC MLA Doukhomang Khongsai, who also spoke at the flag-hoisting ceremony, said as election is an important element of democratic exercise to decide which political organization hold the reign of power, there is need for every mature citizen to take part in the electoral process. Calling upon the people to support NCP candidates in the IMC elections, he also described the forthcoming polls as a test to decide prospect of political groups and individuals for the next general elections.
Doukhomang expressed serious concerned against extravagant election-related spending.
Kshetrigao Kendra MLA Th Nandakishore and former law Minister L Ibomcha also addressed the gathering.


text:
Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, A-Rod Spring To Patriots' Defense Over Deflated Footballs
NEW YORK—Calling the recent scandal nothing more than a witch hunt, famed athletes Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez issued a joint statement Tuesday vehemently defending the New England Patriots against accusations that the team cheated by using deflated footballs in last week's AFC Championship Game. "First and foremost, it is irresponsible for anyone to lobby accusations such as these without indisputable proof," read the statement, which echoed the official stances of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Marion Jones, Ryan Braun, Luis Suarez, Ben Johnson, Tim Donaghy, and the entire roster of the 1972 U.S.S.R. Olympic basketball team, all of whom have also staunchly come out in support of the Patriots this week. "It could have been the cold weather, or it easily could have been the result of breaking the balls in during warmups. Plus, what advantage could it have possibly provided? They were heavy favorites to win in the first place. Regardless, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady gave us their word that they had no knowledge of any tampering and, quite frankly, that should be enough." The statement concluded that, should the Patriots be found guilty, one black mark would certainly not invalidate all of their past achievements.


Our BASES endorsed Performance Sailing progamme is built on strong foundations as we were one of the first institutions in the UK to develop a sports related degree programme and have a 20 year collaborative programme of research and physiological monitoring between the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
You can choose to specialise in one of the core Sport and Exercise Science disciplines alongside bespoke modules tailored towards high performance sailing and delivered by experts in their respective fields.
"Chichester provided a great location for me to continue sailing at a high level while I was studying for my degree in sports science.
Studying and sailing at the same time was a challenge, but being part of student life helped me reflect on both training and competiitons, with the added benefit that a Sports Science degree gave me insight into elements that could impact my performance positivity. To do both you need to be organised and efficient and Chichester were great in understanding the pressures and helping me to balance both.
I?t's possible to study and train at a high level at the same time with both so you don't need to put your sporting ambitions on hold while you get a degree."
Chichester provided a great location for me to continue sailing at a high level while I was studying for my degree in sports science. Studying and sailing at the same time was a challenge but being part of student life helped me reflect on both training and competitions - with the added benefit that a Sports Science degree gave me insight into elements that could impact my performance positively. To do both you need to be organised and efficient and Chichester were great in understanding the pressures and helping me to balance both. It is possible to study and train at a high level at the same time with both so you do not need to put your sporting ambitions on hold while you get a degree.
Each module is delivered differently, depending on its content and focus of study. In most modules you can expect lead lectures to introduce core content, but the majority of your time will be spent working in small groups with tutor support in seminars, workshops or laboratory sessions. Some modules will be delivered at the High Performance Sailing Centre in Portland, thus enabling access to experts delivering World Class performance programmes alongside World Class sailing facilities.


I forgot about Drew Timme. I would say at 2.5 from the list above. Below Jeremiah Robinson-Earl but above Khalid Thomas.
I don't think it is as serious as some of us are making it out to be.
I don't believe that Miller has a "plan" in place for 2019.
It seems like he wants a PG/Wing/Forward/Big, which would fill all the spots for how we believe this new offense will be run.
Mannion and Koloko fill two spots, and now he is trying to get the other two which I am going to guess and say Armstong & Timme are tops on that list.
My question is how many bodies are we trying to bring in 2019?
We have two seniors (Coleman/Luther), gave a walk-on our extra scholarship, and possibly two RS Juniors that would be graduate transfers (Smith/Jeter), I count MAYBE two possible NBA early departures (Akot/Williams).
I know we won't hit that number (7) that is how many I believe could be made available, but I think 4-5 is a realistic number.
Looks Good the Arizona uniform. He's tried on every school he's visited uniform so far.
I would really like boogie to come to Arizona but I think but we have nico an barcelo an b Williams I could b Williams having big year an being drafted which could open spot for boogie also .I think we could still use another wing or big man I think Josh green is number one but if Armstrong an one of timmie or.zeke n or another big man I'm not thinking of.
I think we bring in 4 plus the grad transfer.
Possibly someone leaving early including Randolph who has the ability to be huge.
Possibly a transfer out as well.
Boogie picks Duke. No surprise as his recruitment with Arizona was over once we got Nico Mannion.
Yea at one time miller seemed to Want both guys but then we also landed green an armstrong then I knew it was over.


MFA, Iowa State University; BFA, University of Northern Iowa. Selected Exhibitions 2014 Nelson Mandela, The Liberty Pigeon,Iran Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran. 2013 New Generation, Sangmyung University, Cheonan, Korea 2013 4th Painting & Mixed Media Competition, Lessedra Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria. 2013 United Designs, Korean Design Society, University of Missouri, St. Louis. 2012 Cross Connections International Poster Exhibition, China, USA, Mexico, Germany 2011 Arigato Project International Poster Exhibition, T Read more...okyo Design Week, Tokyo, Japan. 2010 24th International Juried Show, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, New Jersey. 2010 Der Zeitgenosse, Eastern Washington University Gallery of Art, Cheney, Washington.


DART says the proposal would give it more options to better keep pace with rising expenses while growing other funding sources.
Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority could ask the state for permission to more than double the tax rate it can levy on metro homeowners.
The agency needs more money to avoid cutting services in coming years, officials say.
The issue will be a top priority for DART during the coming legislative session, but not everyone is on board. Several city officials have expressed reluctance to put more burden on property taxpayers.
"I can't imagine our citizens paying twice as much," Ankeny Councilman Mark Holm said last week.
"They've got to think of something" other than raising property taxes, he added.
DART revenues are not keeping pace with the service's increasing expenses, according to the agency. If it's not allowed to increase the state-imposed tax rate cap — 95 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation — DART risks falling into the red by 2026.
DART wants state officials to increase the cap to $1.95.
For the owner of a $200,000 home in Des Moines that could mean an increase from about $101 per year to more than $215 per year. It could be even more in suburban communities that currently pay a lower rate than Des Moines.
But DART officials said they do not plan to raise the levy all at once. Instead, it would gradually increase as DART looks for alternative funding sources.
"What we are trying really hard to accomplish is a long-term funding mechanism that gets us out there to 2030-2040," DART Commission Chairman Tom Gayman said. "Where we go with this vote will, quite frankly, be critical."
The 14-member DART Commission, which includes an elected official from each city the transit authority serves, will meet Tuesday to vote on the proposal.
Property taxes account for the largest chunk of DART's annual budget, about 58 percent this fiscal year. Additional revenue comes from bus fares, service contracts, and state and federal sources.
The DART Commission sets the property tax rate annual for each community it serves.
Windsor Heights is the only city that pays the maximum 95-cent levy rate. Des Moines residents pay 91.5 cents. Most suburban cities, including Ankeny, Urbandale and West Des Moines have levies between 60 and 70 cents.
A funding study completed last fall showed DART's operating costs had grown 4.3 percent per year since 2014, while the taxable property values of its member cities increased 3.6 percent per year.
If DART increased each city's levy to the full 95 cents, the study said DART would still see a funding shortfall by 2026. To keep existing services, DART's tax levy would need to increase to between $1.30 and $1.71 by 2040, it showed.
DART officials say the transit system ranks well for efficiency. It has a below average operating-cost-to-passenger ratio, and more of its budget comes from fares, partnerships and advertising revenue than other city's transit systems.
"If you just start looking, DART doesn't have an expense problem," Gayman said. "We've got a revenue problem."
The proposal received a lukewarm reception from the Ankeny City Council last week.
Councilwoman Bobbi Bentz said DART should more fully consider alternate funding avenues before raising property taxes.
Mayor Gary Lorenz, who represents the city on the DART Commission, said the city needs to be mindful that it is part of a transit network. But he said the thought of Ankeny residents paying the full 95 cents, let alone $1.95, worries him.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said he's not sure whether his city will back the proposal.
"I think we're all hopeful that public transportation is well-funded," Cownie said, "but it's how you do it in the face of an awful lot of other stuff that's going on right now."
The Des Moines council is expected to discuss it Monday during a workshop.
West Des Moines City Manager Tom Hadden said some elected officials in his city showed initial "reluctance" to the idea, but the City Council had yet to discuss the issue as a group.
"It's not the easiest sale at this point," he said.
Gayman, an Urbandale council member, said his city is on board. He said he's heard some skepticism, but he believes cities will get behind the plan.
"The vote will be interesting to see how it comes out," he said.
Gayman's also optimistic the Legislature would consider the issue next year. The 95-cent cap was put in place by the state in 1991, he said, it's time lawmakers looked at it again.
"I think we have to do a good job of explaining our ask," he said. "Let's get the points out there that hopefully could turn the needle."
However, Lorenz told Ankeny's City Council last week that he's skeptical the proposal would advance.
"Personally, I don't think it's going to go anywhere in the Legislature," he said.
Iowa Senate President Charles Schneider, R-West Des Moines, said it's too early to tell how DART's proposal would fare in the Senate.
"A lot of it's going to depend on the case that DART makes," he said.


text:
La collegiata di Sant'Ambrogio è un luogo di culto cattolico situato nel comune di Alassio, in piazza Sant'Ambrogio, in provincia di Savona. La chiesa è sede dell'omonima parrocchia del vicariato di Alassio della diocesi di Albenga-Imperia.

Adiacente alla parrocchiale è ubicato l'oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria.

Storia

La chiesa di Sant'Ambrogio venne costruita tra il 1455 e il 1507 nel medesimo luogo di una precedente chiesa dell'XI secolo. Questa, in stile romanico, era caratterizzata da un alto campanile cuspidato romanico-gotico che presentava sulle quattro facce più ordini di bifore e trifore.

La nuova chiesa divenne, per volere di papa Paolo V, collegiata agli inizi del XVII secolo e, per tutto quel secolo e per quello successivo, fu oggetto di vari restauri e rifacimenti, con l'aggiunta di arredi e decorazioni in stile barocco.

Nel 1838, con bolla di papa Gregorio XVI, la collegiata acquisì il titolo di Insigne e, nel 1896, venne costruita la facciata.

Descrizione

Arte e architettura

La facciata neorinascimentale del 1896 conserva un più antico portale centrale in ardesia del 1511, a lesene scanalate, raffigurante le figure di Sant'Ambrogio, Cristo e gli apostoli e l'Eterno.

Il sagrato antistante l'entrata della chiesa è stato realizzato nel 1638 e i ciottoli bianchi e grigi - nella classica realizzazione ligure del risseu - raffigurano scene e soggetti legati alla marineria.

All'interno, decorato con elementi in stile barocco e diviso in tre navate, sono conservati i dipinti del pittore Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari (Madonna, santi e anime purganti) nella parete sinistra del presbiterio, sopra un tabernacolo marmoreo del 1470.

Altri quadri sono di Giulio Benso, come Santa Lucia da Siracusa sul secondo altare della navata sinistra, e di Bernardo Castello, come la Pentecoste sul quarto altare. La volta fu affrescata dal pittore Virgilio Grana di Albenga con la raffigurazione di scene di vita del santo titolare della parrocchia, mentre nell'altare intitolato a sant'Anna - nella navata destra - è conservata una tela del pittore di Porto Maurizio Francesco Carrega.

Organi a canne

Organo della controfacciata

Sulla cantoria in controfacciata, si trova un organo a canne costruito dal garessino Giuseppe Gandolfo nel 1855. Lo strumento, riformato da Zoccola nel 1925, è stato restaurato nel 1996 dalla ditta Zanin.

Lo strumento, a trasmissione integralmente meccanica, è racchiuso entro una cassa lignea neoclassica con cornicione sorretto da due lesene corinzie scanalate e mostra composta da tre cuspidi di canne di principale. La consolle, a finestra, ha due tastiere di 61 note ciascuna e pedaliera di 27 note.

Organo dell'abside

Nell'abside, alle spalle dell'altare maggiore, si trova un secondo organo a canne, costruito nel 1960 da Giuseppe Zanin.

Lo strumento è a trasmissione elettrica ed ha due tastiere di 61 note ciascuna e pedaliera concavo-radiale di 32 note.

Voci correlate
 Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (Alassio)
 Diocesi di Albenga-Imperia
 Sant'Ambrogio

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Ambrogio
Alassio
Ambrogio


text:
Q: C++ subscript operator about map recently, I was confused by subscript operator about map. For example
, the code looks like below
#include <map>

class A{
public:
    int a;
    A(){cout << "default constructor" <<endl;}
    A(int a){
        cout << "user_defined constructor" <<endl;
        this->a = a;
    }
    A(const A& tmp){
        cout << "copy constructor" <<endl;
        this->a = tmp.a;
    }
    A& operator= (const A& tmp){
        cout << "assign constructor" <<endl;
        this->a = tmp.a;
        return *this;
    }

};
int main(){
    std::map<int, A> m;
    m[1] = A(1);  // error occur  right?
    m.insert (make_pair(1,A(1)));   // ok
}

I want know what happened when we write the code.
m[1] = A(1); // it will first make a empty pair ? right?

m.insert (make_pair(1,A())); // here call default constructor

and then call  Assignment constructor or copy  constructor?
the output is
user_defined constructor
default constructor
copy constructor
copy constructor
assign constructor

Can you  explain to me the detail, thanks a lot.

A: When you write:
m[1] = A(1);

First the map looks for an entry with a key of 1. If it doesn't find one, it then tries to create a new entry with that key, along with a default constructed A object. Since your A class is not default constructible, this fails to compile.
But assuming that wasn't the case, a reference to this newly created A object (or a reference to the one that was already there, if the key was found) is returned. This all happens with the m[1] expression. The rest of your statement, = A(1), creates a new A object and assigns it to the reference which was returned from m[1].

A: If you want to know what functions are called, just set breakpoints on them in a debugger. You will see that m[1] = A(1); calls in order

*

*constructor A(int)

*default constructor A() (which you must add to compile)

*A& operator=(const A& other)
So what happens is pretty clear : it first constructs your A(1), then searches for key 1 in the map, fails to find it so inserts a default A on it, and finally replaces it by your A(1).
Mind this happens on a debug build. A release build can be optimized to avoid some of the operations above. Add prints in those functions to be completely sure.
If you want to minimize the number of copies, use m.emplace(1,1) instead of m[1] = A(1). It will only call the constructor A(int), neither the default constructor, nor the assignment operator.


text:
Mantic Blog
The latest going-ons from the Mantic Bunker
About Mantic Games
Contact Mantic
DreadBall Interplanetary Megabowl – semi-final 1
February 1, 2019 Rob Burman DreadBall, Gaming, General, Hobby, Mantic games, News, Offers, Uncategorized 2
It's the galaxy's biggest sporting event this weekend – the DreadBall Interplanetary MegaBowl! To celebrate we've got FREE rules to download and some incredible offers on teams, books and mats over on the Mantic website. Don't miss out.
Welcome sports fans to the Mantic Interplanetary MegaBowl. I'm your host Elmer and I'm joined by my enthusiastic co-host, Dobbs.
Thanks Elmer! The Mantic Interplanetary MegaBowl is more exciting than a happy hour on the planet Zulox 7, where an hour actually lasts for three days. The Mantic staff have been battling it out on the neodurium pitches for weeks and we're down to the final four.
That's right, Dobbs. We've got four teams left in the cup, including:
Dot Matrix (Neobots) – coached by Martin
Go, Go, Go Bots! (Neobots) – coached by Elvis
Something Fishy (Sphyr) – coached by Rob
Tsudo-Science (Tsudochan) – coached by Duncan
Ooooh boy Elmer, that's a heck of a line up. Today's semi-final is Dot Matrix versus Something Fishy. Tomorrow we'll have Go, Go, Go Bots! versus Tsudo-Science before the exciting final, broadcast (almost) live at 6pm (GMT) this Sunday on the Mantic Facebook page.
Anyway, enough chatter Dobbs. Let's meet today's teams.
Programmed by a rogue DreadBall Coach to be as violent as possible, Dot Matrix have left a trail of broken players in their wake. Star player, Alpha is a Guard to be feared after punching a goblin's head clean off in the quarters. I wouldn't want to mess with him Dobbs!
It's hard not to despise Something Fishy, Elmer. With their terrible fishy stink and tendency to whack other players over with their long tails, they've become the arch villain of this tournament. I've already seen demands to have them banned from the event. Let's hope they get punished today.
We're meant to be impartial, Dobbs.
Screw that. I hate these jerks.
RUSH ONE
Neobots win the toss and go first. As expected they've set up aggressively with the Guards leading the charge. Alpha the Guard charges straight in for Sharky the Spyhr Striker. It's a clean hit but the Striker dodges out the way. Alpha tries again but misses completely. He calls in for some help from the second Guard, Bravo, who manages four hits against the Sphyr. Sharky is knocked down hard and suffers a nasty injury – he's off for two Rushes – leaving the two-point Strike Zone open. Now the Coach is screaming at the team to actually get the ball and stop hitting everyone. Striker, Foxtrot, jogs to the ball, doubles his pick up and heads to the two-point Strike Zone. He shoots and… SCORES! Two points to Dot Matrix.
RUSH TWO
To a chorus of boos from the crowd, Something Fishy readies their team. They've left their Jacks on the bench, clearly hoping to finish this game quickly. Sensing an opportunity, Nemo the Guard slams Bravo in the back. Clearly something came lose in Bravo's wiring because he's off for a Rush. In the centre of the pitch, Blinky the Striker heads for the ball. He ducks past a Neobot guard who tries to Restrain him. "Foul!" cries Something Fishy's coach but the Refbot is too busy having her visualisers cleaned and misses the foul completely. Blinky gets the ball and just manages to pick it up. Over to his left, fellow striker Flounder sprints to the 3-point strike zone, ready to receive a pass. She screams to Blinky who runs over and fumbles the pass slightly – so Flounder will only have two dice to catch. With a spectacular flourish she leaps up and plucks the ball out of the air. She lands gracefully, and WHAMMO, hammers the ball into the Strike Zone. Three points to Something Fishy, which makes it 1-0.
RUSH THREE
The ball bounces onto the pitch and coach Martin prepares by buying a card. It's a Free Foul card, which he plays immediately. Using Linked, he takes the opportunity to bring a Jack off the bench for free and then Stomps on the downed Spyhr. But these fish are slippery and it dodges out the way. Next it's some Guard on Guard action but they both just kick each other in the knees and nothing happens. Alpha tries again and WHAM! Flipper the Sphyr Guard doubles the throw and knocks Alpha down. There are boos from the crowd. Keen to get the fans back onside, Striker Golf heads to pick up the ball and… FUMBLES. Has someone been tampering with the Dot Matrix wiring? The rush ends and the crowd is not happy. Still 1-0 to Something Fishy.
RUSH FOUR
The Sphyr can smell blood in the water. The coach buys a card (Jack Any Action). Down in the three point Strike Zone, Blinky and Flounder are making signals to each other. Blinky moves in towards the Dot Matrix Jack but he can't Slam… what's going on? Instead he purposely goes into the Jack's threat hex and evades, knocking the Jack down with his tail. The crowd is in uproar as Blinky goes back to the Four Point Hex. But there's still a Jack blocking the Strike Zone, so what will they do? The ball is behind Flounder but instead of going towards it, she Sprints at the Jack and… oh no… knocks it over with her tail. This is a most sickening display of dodgy behaviour. With the Jack down, the Four Point Strike is now possible and Flounder collects the ball, after two successful dashes. She throws it to Blinky but it's not a great throw. Blinky has one chance to catch. He does, which leaves him open for the throw. He shoots and… it looks like a miss (coach discards a card for a re-roll) but at the last minute it hits the target. 5-0 to Something Fishy and this is shaping up to be a whitewash.
Ignore the Rush marker – this was the end of Rush Four!
RUSH FIVE
Dot Matrix needs to do something special. The coach starts by buying a card (Vigilant Ref). Still keen to cause as much damage as possible, Alpha stands up and goes for revenge. Again, it's a close match and Alpha just ends up pushing Flipper back. However, that leaves the 4pts strike zone open. Seeing its chance, Golf is keen to redeem itself. It runs towards the ball, doubles the pick up and heads straight to the 4pt Strike Hex. Golf can't quite reach so will need to run and shoot (leaving just one die to score). This is a risky move but KA-BOOOM! Four points to the Dot Matrix. Taking the score to 1-0 to Something Fishy. The crowd are chanting for Dot Matrix.
RUSH SIX
Something Fishy is going to have to pull something out the bag here. Flipper, the Guard, has seen Golf is facing the opposite direction. With a wicked grin, Flipper Slams Golf in the back. What a disgusting move. Golf's circuit boards come clean out and it's been deactivated, leaving Dot Matrix short by one player. The crowd falls into a stunned silence. Back over to Blinky and he sprints to pick up the ball. He's got to push himself with two dashes… but just manages it. He clumsily picks up the ball though, so the Coach has to use his Any Player Any Action card to move Blinky back to the four point Strike Hex. Meanwhile, down towards the other end of the pitch, a Sphyr Striker comes off the bench and blocks a two point Strike Zone for Dot Matrix. Finally, Blinky smashes the ball into the Strike Zone and scores another four points. 5-0 to Something Fishy.
RUSH SEVEN
We're halfway through the game and it feels like Dot Matrix have work to do. The Ball launches and bounces off a couple of players before settling in the Dot Matrix half. Coach plays a card for a free Slam but uses the linked ability to move a Striker and pick up the ball. It doubles and charges towards the Strike Zone. Elsewhere, with the same card, Charlie the Guard comes off the bench and Slams Flounder. She stumbles and falls to the pitch. Next, Delta and Echo, the Jacks who were knocked down by a disgusting tail move, jump back up. The Coach plays a Free Run card to push Foxtrot to the four point Strike Zone. Foxtrot shoots and…. SCORES! An amazing comeback for Dot Matrix to pull the score to 1-0 to Something Fishy.
RUSH EIGHT
Not long left and Something Fishy need to try and keep the advantage. The Coach buys a card (Striker Any Action) and, oh I don't believe it, Flounder uses her tail to knock over the Dot Matrix Jack and then Sprints towards the ball. She's waving to the crowd as they boo wildly. She grabs the ball with style and casually jogs back towards the Strike Zone. Using the Striker Any Action card, she moves back towards the Strike Zone. The Four Points is blocked, so instead she slips the ball in for a cheeky three points. We're back to 4-0 for Something Fishy. Flounder raises her hand to the crowd, who are baying to turn her into fish fingers.
RUSH NINE
I know I should be impartial here, but I hope Dot Matrix pulls this out the bag. Echo, the Jack, Dodges away from Blinky before Sprinting away. Surely Echo can't be going for the ball – that would need three Dashes! No, I can't believe my eyes, Echo has Dashed once, twice, THREE times. The crowd are in hysterics. Now it will have to pick up the ball – Echo doubles the pick up and runs towards Something Fishy's half. Surely Echo's got to throw it to the waiting Striker? No, it's going for glory, and heads to the 2pt Strike Zone. This is going to be a rush to remember, Echo will go down in history as… oh, and Echo has missed. Dot Matrix get an unlucky bounce and the ball scatters back, almost to the launch zone. 4-0 to Something Fishy.
RUSH TEN
Is this the end for Dot Matrix? Flounder can sense the end. She Runs back towards the ball… but she'll have to Dash. Not a problem! She easily scoops up the ball and heads to the Strike Zone. She can't quite get there this turn but she's undeterred. Something Fishy only need three points to win but… what's this? Flounder is going to the Four Point hex. This is just showboating. The Coach throws in a couple of Coaching Dice and BOOM! Four points to Something Fishy. It's all over folks. I'm sure we can agree that the crowd favourites lost this one. Let's hope our next semi-final is a little more enjoyable folks.
Tune in tomorrow for our next semi-final folks. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the MegaBowl Sale over on the Mantic website.
Rob Burman
Brett February 1, 2019 at 9:08 pm
I enjoyed that. Thanks for the SDreadball content ,it is a great game.
DreadBall Interplanetary Megabowl – semi-final 1 - BoLS GameWire
Get the Mantic Newsletter
Archives Select Month July 2019 (10) June 2019 (13) May 2019 (7) April 2019 (12) March 2019 (5) February 2019 (8) January 2019 (13) December 2018 (15) November 2018 (13) October 2018 (22) September 2018 (21) August 2018 (21) July 2018 (18) June 2018 (13) May 2018 (6) April 2018 (19) March 2018 (15) February 2018 (18) January 2018 (17) December 2017 (9) November 2017 (8) October 2017 (20) September 2017 (13) August 2017 (27) July 2017 (35) June 2017 (8) May 2017 (9) April 2017 (12) March 2017 (25) February 2017 (22) January 2017 (17) December 2016 (13) November 2016 (11) October 2016 (12) September 2016 (15) August 2016 (8) July 2016 (21) June 2016 (16) May 2016 (29) April 2016 (14) March 2016 (24) February 2016 (25) January 2016 (27) December 2015 (12) November 2015 (8) October 2015 (17) September 2015 (21) August 2015 (21) July 2015 (32) June 2015 (26) May 2015 (29) April 2015 (18) March 2015 (25) February 2015 (25) January 2015 (22) December 2014 (16) November 2014 (21) October 2014 (15) September 2014 (23) August 2014 (20) July 2014 (27) June 2014 (18) May 2014 (19) April 2014 (18) March 2014 (26) February 2014 (32) January 2014 (26) December 2013 (23) November 2013 (22) October 2013 (26) September 2013 (22) August 2013 (28) July 2013 (31) June 2013 (28) May 2013 (37) April 2013 (25) March 2013 (17) February 2013 (24) January 2013 (26) December 2012 (13) November 2012 (18) October 2012 (18) September 2012 (26) August 2012 (14) July 2012 (19) June 2012 (13) May 2012 (24) April 2012 (26) March 2012 (37) February 2012 (35) January 2012 (25) December 2011 (27) November 2011 (37) October 2011 (33) September 2011 (19) August 2011 (23) July 2011 (22) June 2011 (28) May 2011 (18) April 2011 (25) March 2011 (21) February 2011 (25) January 2011 (22) December 2010 (26) November 2010 (31) October 2010 (10) September 2010 (14) August 2010 (20) July 2010 (20) June 2010 (24) May 2010 (18) April 2010 (12) March 2010 (10) February 2010 (9) January 2010 (5) December 2009 (4) November 2009 (4) October 2009 (7) September 2009 (4) August 2009 (4) July 2009 (5) June 2009 (1)