text:
Machete attacks and children trafficked in from big cities - the extent of Grimsby's county lines problem
The North East Lincolnshire Council Specialist Lead for Child Criminal Exploitation has issued a report on county lines drug dealing
The council's leading specialist on child criminal exploitation has highlighted the problem of county lines drug dealing in the area and how they plan to tackle the issue.
The North East Lincolnshire Council Specialist Lead for Child Criminal Exploitation, Trish Lievesley, has published a report that will be debated at the next Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny panel meeting this week.
The report explains how vulnerable children in the community are being exploited by organised criminal gangs, who use them to deal drugs and target rival gangs, often using weapons such as machetes.
The council has released a report detailing the extent of county lines drug dealing in the area. (Image: Getty Images)
There have been a number of cases reported where children have suffered machete wounds and broken arms as a result of being involved in criminal activity.
Ms Lievesley says that the issue of child criminal exploitation has been known about in the area since May 2015, and has become increasingly worse over the years, reaching a head in March 2018. This is despite "a range of developments and significant partnership working" that had been taking place since the issue first arose.
She said that it is believed that a primary driver of child exploitation amongst females, both criminal and sexual, is a result of relationships between them and members of organised criminal gangs, or those who are linked to these groups.
It is claimed gangs are using home-schooled children to deal drugs on the streets of Grimsby (Image: Getty)
She also raised concerns over the prevalence of home-schooled children who are being exploited criminally, and those who have been involved in the care system locally.
Children are being trafficked into the area by county lines gangs from large cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham, which has been linked to a number of violent offences, but the council has said that this requires "further exploration."
Ms Lievesley said that the pace in which children are recruited into crime is "concerning" and the intimidation involved reduces the likelihood of them reporting anything to the police.
Mum's torment as she reveals son was recruited by county lines drug dealers aged just 13
Modern Day Slavery legislation is to be used to combat the county lines dealers, as the authorities deem the children involved to be victims first, rather than criminals and Humberside Police has set up a dedicated child criminal exploitation unit to combat the issue.
The report is set to be debated at the next meeting of the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Panel at 4pm in Grimsby Town Hall on Thursday, January 24.
County Lines drug gangs
Firearms and cash discovered
We join police on County Lines mission
Suspected drug smuggler caught
The County Lines drug map of Grimsby


text:
Bob Hennelly
Bob Hennelly appears in the following:
Con Ed, Union Strike Deal to End Lockout
By Bob Hennelly / Kathleen Horan : Reporter, WNYC News
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says New York City utility Consolidated Edison and its union are agreeing to end a lockout and labor conflict.
Union Asks State to Step In, Force Con Ed to End Lock Out
As Consolidated Edison labor talks continue, the union that represents the utility's locked out workers is asking a state agency to investigate the impact the lock out is having on services.
Link Between '04 Killing, OWS Protest May Be NYPD Lab Error: Official
By The Associated Press / Bob Hennelly
The DNA match that linked a New York City drama student's unsolved 2004 death to a protest affiliated with Occupy Wall Street this spring came from an NYPD technician who worked on both cases, sources said.
DreamWorks Plans Theme Park for Meadowlands
By Bob Hennelly
DreamWorks announced its plans to create an indoor theme park in the New Jersey Meadowlands — the Hollywood studio's first — that would feature attractions based on its hit productions "Shrek," "Kung Fu Panda" and others.
Christie Talks Bipartisanship in Washington: A Tryout for Tampa?
In front of a standing-room-only audience, the blunt style of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie went over big at the Brookings Institute in Washington on Monday.
Spike in Number of Officers Shot, Wounded
The number of police officers shot and wounded in the line of duty has spiked from zero to nine this year compared to the same period in 2011, NYPD data shows.
Liu Wins Round in Wage Case
A state judge has ruled the Bloomberg administration over reached when it unilaterally ended a 118-year-old practice that let the city comptroller set the prevailing wage paid to carpenters, plumbers and electricians doing city work.
Football Rivals Team Up Against Possible Traffic Tie-ups from Mega-Mall
Concerns about potential traffic from the expansion of the former Xanadu mega-mall project at the Meadowland has brought together unusual allies: the Sierra Club, the New York Jets and Giants.
Christie Beats Tax Cut Drum in Trenton onto National Stage
Governor Chris Christie tried to cajole the Democratically controlled legislature on Monday to add tax cuts to their list of bipartisan accomplishments for the year. And to drive home the point, he hit the national airwaves after his address.
NJ Senate President Sweeney
Steve Sweeney, New Jersey's Democratic Senate President, discusses the NJ budget, higher education in the state, and decisions about Medicaid and health exchanges that the state will have to make following the Supreme Court's ruling on health care. Then Bob Hennelly, WNYC's contributing editor for politics and investigations, puts it all into context.
Battle Over Tax Cut Continues in Trenton
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has called a special session of the state legislature for Monday to consider his proposal to cut income taxes by 10 percent. It's a measure that has been rejected by the Democratically-controlled state Senate and Assembly.
Christie Signs Budget, But Slashes Some Items
Governor Chris Christie has signed a $31.7 billion dollar budget for the next fiscal year that starts Sunday. But he also vetoed $361 million in spending backed by Democrats that Christie said the state can't afford.
NJ Legislature Passes University Overhaul
The New Jersey Legislature has approved a bill that disbands the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and redistributes it to Rutgers and Rowan Universities in what would be a sweeping re-organization of the state's higher education system.
Christie Vows to 'Fight' for Across-the-Board Tax Cut
Governor Chris Christie said Wednesday that Democrats are holding his proposed 10 percent across-the-board income tax cut hostage as they continue to push for a hike in the state's lapsed millionaire's tax.
Chris Christie: New Jersey's Political Showman and Viral Sensation
From smalltown New Jersey Republican to the GOP's showman, could Chris Chistie be on the verge of becoming the vice presidential nominee?
As Veep Rumors Swirl, Unpacking the Chris Christie Appeal
In some ways Chris Christie's ascent is as much about his political skill and pragmatism as it is about the great national void when it comes to political leadership
NYC and NJ Budget Deals
Bob Hennelly, WNYC's contributing editor for politics and investigations, talks about the latest on the budget deals in New York City and New Jersey and reports on the grim fiscal picture facing many of the area's cities and counties.
Budget Deal Restores Fire Companies, Child-Care Programs Facing Cuts
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council have reached a deal on the city's budget for next year that includes the restoration of some 47,000 after school and child care slots and 20 fire companies slated for elimination.
NJ Assembly to Weigh Dramatic Teacher Tenure Reforms
The Assembly is expected to take up deliberations Monday on the most dramatic reforms of New Jersey's teacher tenure law since the state became the first in the nation to put K-12 tenure on the books in 1909.
In NJ Budget Battle, Dems Try to Stay in Sync
Democrats control the State Senate and Assembly in New Jersey. They are currently working on a budget proposal to counter the one put out by Republican Gov. Chris Christie. But fissur...
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Bob Hennelly Newsfeed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Clothespins were created in order to peg clothes up on a line...but they have many other uses. We use them to keep food bags clothes (such as chips) by clipping the top of the bag closed. There are many different types of clothespins ...there is the old fashioned one-piece clothespins (which come in flattened one-piece and rounded one-piece) and the spring-type clip clothespins, which is the more modern version. There are so many crafts to make out of clothespins and you should always keep some around to make crafts out of. Enjoy all the crafts we have collected for you.
There are all sorts of ways to dress clothespins up to make wonderful dolls. For the one shown in the above picture, use the clothespins with flat sides—they give more surface for the head and face. Mark in the face with ink or colored pencil. Glue some tiny bits of yarn on top for hair. For the doll's dress, fold a paper cupcake wrappers in 4. Cut a small hole at the center, just large enough to go over the head, and slash it, as shown in Figure a, for the sleeves and skirt. Use a piece of ribbon for a sash—to hold the dress in place—and tie a tiny piece at each wrist.The doll can be dressed in much the same way by using a circle of crepe paper instead of the paper cupcake wrappers. Fold and cut the crepe paper as directed above, and stretch the crepe paper around the bottom of the dress to make it ruffle and stand out. To make the dolls stand up, bend a narrow strip of cardboard, as shown in Figure b, to provide a sturdy base.
You can use wooden clothespins or platic clothespins...however the wooden clothespins are the ones that make the barrel look real.To make this craft, find a nut-sized can and some clothespins. Firstly, remove the springs from the clothespins by holding it in your hands (image a) and just twist apart. You will be using one half of a clothespin for each wooden stick you see around the can in the final picture above. Place all of the clothespins around the can (the outside of the clothespin is facing outwards) and hold it in place with 2 rubber bands...fitting one in each groove. Then when all the clothespins are covering the can, then wrap copper wire around the clothespins...again inside the grooves. Twist the wires together to hold them in place. You would use pliers to do this...you might need Mom or Dad to help you with this.
This is a great craft for Preschoolers, Kindergarteners, and Children in the Earlier grades. Firstly, print out either a color giraffe or black and white giraffe diagram. Then cut out the giraffe on the black outline (picture a). If you printed out a black and white pattern, then you might want to color it at this time. Then grab the giraffe's neck and lightly bend it forwards and backwards like you would a paper fan (it is called an accordion fold). Cut a piece of yarn or string and glue or tape it to the back of the giraffe as a tail. Then lastly, take 2 clothespins and attach them to the bottom of your giraffe. You now have a standing giraffe. A fun thing to do is to write a message on the folds of the neck...then when you pull the neck upwards, you can see the message. When you push the neck down, you no longer see the message any more.
To make these clothespin camels, just print out either a black and white diagram or a color diagram and then cut it out and hook on 2 clothespins for legs.
To make these donkeys just print out either a black and white or color pattern and then cut him out and hook on 2 clothespins for legs.
To make this clothespin airplane glider, you will need to gather up the following materials - 1 non-spring type clothespin, Scotch tape, 1 thumbtack, colored construction paper 5"x3", 2 star stickers, and scissors. To make this, first, enlarge the pattern for wings and propeller of plane or print them out here and cut them out of construction paper. Tape wings to clothespin plane. Attach propeller with thumbtack. Sticker stars may be added to wings.
How to Make a Ring Toss Throwing Game with a Box, Clothespins, and Rubber Jar Rings - Any handy boy or girl can make this game that can be played with one or more friends, either indoors or outside as well. All that you will need to make this game of skill is a few things from around the house. This is a great arts and crafts project for rainy days or for days that there doesn't seem to be anything else to do.
How to Make People Figurines with Clothespins - Learn how to use clothespins, yarn, and paint to make your own little people figurines.
How to Make a Boy Scouts Memo Holder with a Clothespin - Today we will show you today how to make something simple and fun: a memo for Boy Scouts. Now the boys can have a special place where they can write important Scout related topics down .
Make Standing Clothespin Ghosts for Halloween - This is an easy craft to make, and all you need are clothespins, tissues, markers, and a piece of cardboard.
Clothespin Donkeys - Learn how to make these donkeys easily with some cardboard, yarn, and 3 clothespins.
How to Make Clothespin Witches - This witch on a broomstich is made with a clothespin, some crafts foam or felt, paint, yarn, and a twig from outside.
How to Make Clothespin Butterflies - Learn how to make these clothespin butterflies.
Making Santa Clause Clothespin Ornaments - This tutorial shows you how to make a Santa Claus Clothespin Ornament. The craft makes a cute Santa Claus that is perfect to hang on your Christmas Tree.
Clothespin Chameleons - Make these adorable Chameleons who can open and close their mouths with the following tutorial.
Coffee Filter Butterflies - Find out how to make these adorable clothespin and coffee filter butterflies. Great for preschoolers and younger kids.
Make a Grasshopper with Clothespins - Here is a cute idea to make a grasshopper with a wooden clothespin and some pipe cleaners.
Clothespin Gumball Cars - Make a simple car out of clothespins, drinking straws, toothpicks, and gumballs.
Napkin Clips Placeholders and Recipe Clips - Learn how to use a clothespin to make recipe clips and napkin holders / placecards.
Clothespin Iguanas - Learn how to make these moving iguanas with a little help of a clothespin.


Not all dental professionals in the state of California can administer conscious IV sedation. As its name suggests, this is a "middle-of-the-road" sedative. It is also what the public typically associates with sedation dentistry.
There are four levels of sedation. Each level addresses varying severity of fear. Some patients may be uneasy or anxious about visiting a dentist. Others may be terrified or panic-stricken by the mere thought of a dental appointment. Those with dental phobia will do anything to get out of an appointment. They may live with serious pain and obviously decayed teeth after years of avoiding the dentist.
On one end of the spectrum, minimal sedation involves nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") mixed with oxygen inhaled through a mask. Patients remain awake, but calm. On the other end of the spectrum, deep sedation and general anesthesia involve medications that either almost induce unconsciousness or do induce deep sleep.
While most dentists can administer minimal sedation via either laughing gas, the administration of moderate sedation is regulated by each state. The state of California has added more regulations to address the increasing number of pharmaceuticals and techniques on the market to sedate patients.
Dr. Leif E. Löberg and his team at Löberg Professional Dental Corporation have the continuing education requirements and experience consistent with American Dental Association guidelines to offer moderate sedation as a means of relaxing patients safely. Given intravenously, the Dental Board of California notes a qualifying course in conscious sedation must span at least 60 hours.
Dr. Löberg and his team want to make even the most fearful patients feel at ease. Conscious IV sedation in Laguna Hills is another option at the Löberg Professional Dental Corporation that isn't offered at every practice, due to requirements governing the safety of the procedure. To discuss how sedation can help, call 949.586.1930.


NHS organisations should increase the professional diversity of their senior staff, by offering more strategic leadership roles to allied health professionals (AHPs) such as physiotherapists.
This is one of the messages in a new guide, Clinical leadership – a framework for action, published by NHS Improvement today.
The guide looks at how existing structures and expectations may restrict AHPs, doctors, midwives, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and other clinicians and suggests ways to make it easier for them to contribute their skills to strategic leadership.
It also aims to address one of the priorities in the NHS Long Term Plan, which highlighted a need to nurture new leaders and enable capable clinicians, from every professional background, to reach the most senior levels of leadership.
Commenting on the guide, CSP chief executive Karen Middleton said: 'In order to deliver the Long Term Plan we need greater levels of clinical leadership and a more diverse range of leaders.
'We know that professional diversity at a strategic level increases the performance of an organisation. Having leaders from a broad range of backgrounds, with varying clinical experiences, ensures a wider, more holistic perspective. It encourages innovation, enhances opportunities for collaborative working and helps organisations to avoid groupthink.
'Increasing levels of AHP leadership will also improve patient care, as it will lead to a stronger focus on rehabilitation, self-management and promoting independence.
The guide recommends practical levers for building confidence, managing talent and widening leadership opportunities for all types of clinicians.
The framework includes a series of case studies that describe the career progressions of a range of clinicians who now hold senior leadership roles.
These include Shane DeGaris, group deputy chief executive officer at Barts Health NHS Trust, who originally trained and worked as a physiotherapist.
His change of career began while he was working as a superintendent physiotherapist and was asked to take on a head of therapies role, due to a senior colleague's maternity leave.
'An opportunity then arose to cover another maternity leave role as general manager in the medical directorate. I then progressed to assistant director of operations, director of operations, chief operating officer, deputy chief executive officer and then before my current role, I was the chief executive at Hillingdon Hospitals,' he explains.
'I made decisions to move laterally, sometimes at a lower or protected grade, to continue to make a difference for many more patients than the ones I treated individually as a physiotherapist.
In the guide, Mr DeGaris offers advice for other clinicians keen to take on clinical leadership roles.
ensure you gain operational experience.


text:
film note: In the Family
August 6, 2018 In Film notes
Originally published on Letterboxd with no likes.
I haven't changed my mind in thinking that In the Family is not only one of the most powerful GTMs of the last 50 years but also deserves a place on any best-of list.
Yet it remains inexplicably underseen.
In the Family
Written and directed by Patrick Wang
2h 49 min, USA, 2011
Patrick Wang's moving nearly 3-hour film In The Family uses long takes that depict everyday life and work in a way that both reveals characters and their relationships and excavates the politics that surrounds them as each moment passes. There's time for anger, analysis, contemplation, a few laughs, grief, even heartbreak, all in one shot.
The actors within these scenes, particularly Wang as the calm, centered, Tennessee-accented Joey Williams and 6-year-old Sebastian Banes in an uncanny performance as 6-year-old Chip, inhabit these scenes so naturalistically that it's not unreasonable to wonder if the narrative was based on true events. No, they weren't based on true events, exactly, but in the way they made me think about marriage equality without ever saying the words, raising the issue specifically or even pronouncing the word, gay, then yes they are.
After Cody, Chip's father and Joey's partner, dies in a car crash Cody's sister takes custody of Chip and doesn't allow Joey to see him. How many times such a scenario has happened in real life, we don't know. But one of the challenges the film makes is to ask its audience that question, in perpetuity.
Wang's masterpiece was rejected by 30 film festivals before he decided to self-distribute. Subsequently, the film was critically lauded, by Ebert, too no less, and loved by audiences, which goes to show you how clueless the cultural gatekeepers can be, particularly in film right now.
The one film I can think of to compare In The Family to, in terms of formal discipline, cinematic achievement and political power, is Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, as both a document of the everyday and an attempt to get at "the roots of experience."
Echoing what Akerman said of her masterpiece, "I don't think woman's cinema exists" — which can be taken two ways after all — In The Family suggests that gay cinema doesn't exist, either, and then makes the strongest possible case for it anyway.
#gay marriage
film note: Wake In Fright
film note: Pit Stop
Film response: Pride
Film note: Ping Pong Summer
film note: The Canyons
Film note: Sexual Tension: Volatile


It is very evident that most of the entrepreneurs have their way of doing things. Every entrepreneur will have a unique way through which he arrives at his financial success. Since entrepreneurs are different then the success may be so quick to some in that it may take a short time to realize great success. An entrepreneur who is more versed with the learning importance and being suited to any and that desire to grow with his business will have success being experienced magically. Below are some lessons all entrepreneurs must get familiar with so as to establish that long-term as well as a healthy and a business which is sustainable.
The first lesson is that customer is not right always. The aspect that we need to bend to accommodate all customers is not good since such can be a serious disservice to us, our staff and the entire business. Your dignity is very crucial as an entrepreneur, make sure that it is not at the expense through the benefit of doubt that you have given to your customers. Not considering that your customer is right always is a very essential tip every entrepreneur must have while in his business.
Making use of every opportune moment knowing that it can offer you cash is a very crucial lesson which entrepreneurs ought to learn. Time being money then make sure that you earn from every time you have through assigning some amount of dollars to every single hour you have according to the work that you are undertaking. It is advisable to ask yourself how much you can earn as a fair wage from what you do, if you can find another person who can handle such a task with less money then consider having them in place then concentrate on higher revenue generating tasks, being an entrepreneur then make sure that you perform the tasks that it is only you who can do. Outsourcing is very crucial since it will help you share the workload and this should be when there is no staff in place for sharing. It is found that majority of the business owners consider getting an overseas virtual assistant who can help them in the routine tasks, through that he can then be free to concentrate on tasks which are more revenue generating.
The other important lesson that every entrepreneur has to learn is to hire people who are better than you, always there will be individuals who are smarter than you. Immediately you hire such individuals to give them freedom so that they can do what they can and you also do the same on the part that suits you most.


text:
Python Static website generator for Modern web

## What's different
Common static website generators, like [Jekyll](https://jekyllrb.com/), aim to transform mardowns to HTMLs.

While Jekyll is a blog-friendly generator, Jikji pursues **general purpose** static website generator, allowing a developer to write a code communicating with **DBMS** or **RESTFul API servers**.

## Getting Started

First, install Jikji using pypi.

```bash
$ pip install jikji
```

Then you can use command line interfaces of Jikji.
Try creating a new project.

```bash
$ mkdir myproj
$ cd myproj

$ jikji create .
```

Now you can find several files like below:

```
.
├── settings.py
├── pages.py
├── static
│   ├── images
│   │   ├── ...
│   └── stylesheet.css
├── templates
│   ├── gallery.html
│   └── home.html
└── views
    ├── gallery.py
    └── home.py
```

`settings.py` is the entry point of this project. You can define paths for template, static files, view files, publishers, and init scripts.

`pages.py` is the default init script for sample project. Fixed data list and sample commands are located in this file. You may understand the design patterns of Jikji by reading this file. We give the full file content here:

```python
from jikji import getview, addpage

item_list = [
	{'id': 1, 'image_url': '/images/image1.jpg', 'location': 'Paris, France', 'year': '2018'},
	{'id': 2, 'image_url': '/images/image2.jpg', 'location': 'San Francisco, CA', 'year': '2017'},
	{'id': 3, 'image_url': '/images/image3.jpg', 'location': 'Seattle, WA', 'year': '2018'},
	{'id': 4, 'image_url': '/images/image4.jpg', 'location': 'Seoul, Korea', 'year': '2018'},
	{'id': 5, 'image_url': '/images/image5.jpg', 'location': 'Venice, Italy', 'year': '2017'},
]

getview('home.index').url_rule = '/'
getview('gallery.index').url_rule = '/{id}/'

addpage(view='home.index', params=(item_list,))

for item in item_list:
	addpage(view='gallery.index', params=item)
```

As you can see in the code above, major keywords of Jikji are `view` and `pages`. Simply, `view` is an interface while `page` is an instance of a static web.

In Jikji, `views` works similar with the controller of MVC pattern. Each `view` has one 'URL rule', one 'view function', and multiple `pages`.
For example, `gallery.index` view has the url rule `/{id}/`. And the pages for `gallery.index` view  have actuall URLs like `/1/`, `/2/`, `/3/`, ... Here is the view file for `gallery.index`:

```python
from jikji import render_template, register_view

@register_view
def index(data):
	return render_template('gallery.html',
		image_url=data['image_url'],
		location=data['location'],
		year=data['year'],
	)
```

Note that Jikji uses [Jinja2](http://jinja.pocoo.org) template engine which is used in [Flask](http://flask.pocoo.org/) as well. You can see Jinja template documentation [here](http://jinja.pocoo.org/docs/dev/templates/).

`templates` and `static` directories are similar with Flask or other web frameworks. Then let's talk about the `view`.

## Generate static files

You can generate static files by simply calling command line below:

```bash
$ jikji generate <project_dir>
```

If your project is located in curreny directory, just call:

```bash
$ jikji generate .
```

Our generator uses multiprocess package of python. Thus, note that you have to design your project with side-effect free.

## Open server for testing

On developing step, you don't have to generate all the time after modifying template.
Jikji provides useful feature to develop in realtime.

Run jikji as **listening** mode:

```bash
$ jikji listen <project_dir>
$ jikji listen <project_dir> --port PORT --host HOST
```

Then you can see rendered website in your browser (default: http://localhost:7000). When you reload the website, Jikji will do re-rendering the templates.

Limitations: if you change the init scripts including `settings.py` and `pages.py`, Jikji would not reload the files. In that case, please turn off the server and restart Jikji listening mode.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
This is how the Wales Christmas Covid rules have changed ahead of level 4 lockdown
The Welsh Government have announced the whole of Wales will go into national lockdown - and changes to the rules on the Christmas relaxation period
Zara Whelan
Join the Secret Elves to get first access to our exclusive reviews of the must-have products this year.
The Welsh Government has now announced that the whole of Wales will once again be plunged into a strict national lockdown at Christmas.
The first of the new coronavirus measures are set to be imposed on Christmas Eve, First Minister Mark Drakeford announced on Wednesday.
Rules around how many people can mix during the relaxation of lockdown has now been reduced, and many businesses including non-essential shops, hospitality venues, close contact services will have to close.
There has also been a tightening of the rules around households mixing, travel and holidays which will also come into force shortly after Christmas.
Mr Drakeford said the whole of Wales would move to "alert level four" and restrictions would be tightened across the country to control the spread of coronavirus.
Two-thirds of people surveyed say Christmas lockdown relaxation is wrong
When is the tier review decision and when will any changes come into affect?
He told the Welsh Government: "The situation we are facing is extremely serious. We must move to alert level 4 and tighten the restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus and save lives."
He added that extra steps will now need to be taken in the run-up to Christmas, urging everyone who can work from home to do so. He said: "Everyone who can work from home should do so now.
"Working from home is one of the most important contributions we can make.
"Local authorities will now take decisions about the range of services they provide, such as libraries, leisure centres and recycling centres ahead of Christmas."
It comes as the First Minister revealed one in five people are currently testing positive for Covid-19.
He added: "When I spoke to you on Friday, I explained that if we didn't see a change in the current course of coronavirus in Wales, then a move to tighter restrictions would be inevitable. Since then, we have seen a sustained rise in coronavirus in our communities and in our hospitals."
These are the new Christmas rules for Wales
Households mixing during the relaxed Christmas period
Only two households should come together to form an exclusive Christmas bubble during the five-day period — a single person can join this arrangement. This is in force during the five day period between December 23-27 as originally planned.
Everyone who can work from home should do so now
Closures on Christmas Eve
All non-essential retail, including all leisure and fitness centres and all close contact services, like hairdressers, will close at the end of trading on Christmas Eve
Closures on Christmas Day
All hospitality premises will close from 6pm on Christmas Day
Level 4 lockdown from December 28
On December 28, tighter restrictions for household mixing, staying-at-home, holiday accommodation and travel will apply — in effect a full lockdown. This is likely to mean you must stay at home, mix with no other households unless they form your support or childcare bubble and travel should only be for essential journeys.
Local authority and council services
Local authorities will now take decisions about the range of services they provide, such as libraries, leisure centres and recycling centres ahead of Christmas
Mark Drakeford was asked whether changing from three to two households coming together over Christmas was a break with the four-nation approach.
He said: "The top message is as clear as it can be. Here in Wales over the Christmas period the clear message from the Welsh Government is that only two households should meet.
"That is how serious things are in Wales. Whether that is guidance, whether that is regulation, the message is the same.
"Only two households should get together. That's how serious things are. I can't go beyond that until the results of the discussions between the four governments are published later today."
This new set of higher-level restrictions applies to the whole of Wales. Further joint advice is expected to be published later on Wednesday for all of the UK.
Yesterday and again this morning, Mr Drakeford met the First Ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland and Michael Gove from the UK Government to discuss the common arrangements for the five-day Christmas period amid growing pressure, especially from within the health profession, to scrap the plans to relax rules
Minshull Street Crown CourtChurchgoing knifeman lay in wait for victim before stabbing him in the street in revenge attackHis victim, who is in his 20s, had to be airlifted to hospital after being knifed in the chest
Council sets out improvements after inspector's children's services report found youngsters at 'risk of serious harm'
Bury CouncilBury Council have promised 'swift and decisive action to address the areas for improvement identified by Ofsted'
'Mother of God': Stunned council workers spot Line Of Duty star Adrian Dunbar in Bury Town Hall
BuryThe fictional head of AC-12 was filming a new drama in Bury's civic buildings
CoronavirusBoris Johnson to make announcement to end some Plan B restrictionsBoris Johnson is meeting his Cabinet to discuss the measures this morning and will make an announcement to Parliament at lunchtime
Superworm trail coming to Delamere Forest in time for February half term
Manchester FamilyThe activity trail follows the premiere of the animated special, which aired on BBC One on Christmas Day


CAUTION, Candy Crush is addictive!
Meet Saga, half brother to our GCH Cypress Hey Jude and GCH. Cypress Hello Dolly.
Saga finished his Championship in Orlando during the National Championship week of shows.
Saga was Select Dog at the Royal Canin National Championship Show.
Meet Saga, silver half brother to our CH. Cypress Hey Jude and GCH. Cypress Hello Dolly. Pictured at 6 months, Saga is sired by GCH. Silkwind Proud To Be Armani and is a son of our silver GCH. Chudan Eye Candy Of Cypress. Pretty, sweet, showy, soon to make his debut in the ring. CAUTION, Candy Crush is addictive!


Its a great time to buy real estate in La Palya and our site is the ideal place to begin your search. You can be assured that you have the best tools available for your personalized property search. The La Palya real estate market is hot and now is the time to act. Have a great time searching for your next La Palya home!
There are currently 1 Condos for sale in La Palya. The average price for La Palya properties is $1,550,000which is 6% higher than all Condos within a 20 mile radius. The highest priced property in La Palya is $1,550,000 while the lowest priced Condo is listed at $1,550,000. Most of the properties available in La Palya are Condos . Compared to last month, the average price of real estate in the area has gone up 100%.


WIELKA PROMOCJA: -49 % w Rossman. Jakie cienie, tusze do rzęs i eyelinery warto kupić ?
Soon, there'll be long awaited sale at Rossmann, -49% for make up cosmetics. Second part starts soon->06.10.2016! We can buy various eyeshadows, mascara and eyeliners half price.
I really miss this shop! I used to buy beauty products there when I lived in Poland as well as in Hebe, and I love them! Such a pity that they don't have these shops in Spain!
Na pewno się wybiorę jednak nie na duże zakupy .
jeszcze jak bylam w Polsce uwielbialam te 50 procentowe znizki!!


text:
Q: Angular 2 - Off-clicking a component fails Using Angular 2, I have a component that has a small popup
. Off-clicking will dismiss the popup (i.e. clicking anywhere in the document except on the popup will dismiss it). I use HostListener to achieve the effect.
This works as expected when there are no interior elements. However, if the popup has an interior element (e.g.

Inside

) clicking on the popup will dismiss it. This is not the desired behavior.
This code works as expected:
@Component({
  selector: 'my-app',
  template: `

      Click to show popup that works as expected

      Click anywhere besides here to dismiss me

  `,
})
export class App {
  public showPopup = false;

  @HostListener('document:click', ['$event']) showThePopup(e: Event) {
    if (!e.target.classList.contains('example')) {
      this.showPopup = false;
    }
  }
}

However, changing the template in this way will fail:
@Component({
  selector: 'my-app',
  template: `

      Click to show popup that work incorrectly

Clicking here will dismiss me, which should not happen

  `,
})

What coding approach would make the code work correctly?
Working Plunker: http://plnkr.co/edit/7viqp6bR8LesM7lCsNQW?p=preview

A: I suggest you separate the popup into a different component, it will save you a lot of hassle by not trying to figure out if any parent of the clicked element has the  popup class.
Here is a working Plunker showing the concept

Explanation
When the popup is in a different component, you can gain access to the native element of the whole component using ElementRef, then check whether it contains the target of the click event.
We use mousedown so that it runs before a (click) event is fired.
@HostListener('document:mousedown', ['$event']) showThePopup(e: Event) {
    if(!this._eref.nativeElement.contains(e.target)){
        this.showPopup = false;
    }
}

You expose the variable _eref by adding the definition to your constructor:
constructor(private _eref: ElementRef) { }

In your parent component you can take advantage of local variables and <ng-content> to display the popup:
app.html

  Click to show popup that works as expected

<popup #mypopup>

This is a Popup

</popup>

popup html

  <ng-content></ng-content>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Comment: 'Concern' for the children of gay parents is just 2013′s acceptable face of bigotry
Christopher Gen February 21, 2013
Writing for PinkNews, Christopher Gen argues that "concern" for the children of gay parents is just 2013′s acceptable face of bigotry; he argues that this isn't a 'gay rights' issue – it's a human rights one.
Social progression is a concept lost on some people, isn't it? Equal rights for gay men and women seem like a deluded fairytale and that's all it should be – cause let's face it, them fickle gays will get bored of marriage once the novelty wears off.
Even though the equal marriage bill leisurely strolled through the House of Commons, being passed quite comfortably, there are still those that either voted against it or abstained. Personally I think abstaining is cowardly. I don't believe in this 'on the fence' malarkey. You've had decades to form an opinion, so pick a side.
Since its flamboyant conception, the gay marriage bill has sparked mixed reactions from a lot of people. The idea of a man marrying another man completely repaints this age-long image of what the union of marriage should be. Well, it's about time we moved away from that image and realised that the very foundations of normality are being reshaped and redefined, whether you're on board or not.
It's argued that by allowing homosexuals to marry, a lot of upset will be caused. Yes, it likely will provoke angry reactions from the more archaic-minded creatures of our society, as well as the prehistoric members of the Conservative Party, but that argument can be slain quite simply. Do you not think that we, the LGBT society (and friends), were a little 'upset' whilst we went through decades of prejudice and segregation? I'm sick of those who are against the gay lobby stomping around and acting like they're the solitary voice for the silent majority. People also need to be aware that this isn't a matter of gay v. straight. We're not a new, exotic breed suddenly campaigning for equal rights. This is a battle that's been waged for years and it's not just members of the gay community that are pro-equal marriage. Straight people also support it because its 2013, not the dark ages. This isn't a case of special interest group campaigning for a niche piece of regulation – if anyone is in a minority here, it's those who cite 'concerns' over 'traditional values' as an excuse for belittling and discrimination.
Something else that goes hand-in-hand with the gay marriage debate is the issue of gay couples raising children. There's a fair amount of scaremongering emerging from the mouths of some politicians in regards to this. David Jones, the adorable Welsh Secretary/stand-up comedian, recently expressed his belief that gay couples "cannot provide a warm and safe environment" in which to raise children. You leave my inability to bleed a radiator out of this, Jones.
But seriously, the idea of gay parents or equal marriage is no longer a novelty, so why the seemingly acceptable hostility? We don't merely dwell in the more cosmopolitan cities or exist only the pages of the media. Why is it perceived as 'odd' that we want to be afforded the same opportunities and rights as everyone else?
I'll admit that it is a relatively new phenomenon, but it's sweeping western society. The standard family configuration has changed, and same-sex households are common in America. Yet the mention of a child having gay parents still provokes social and political outrage. We are a slave to this idea of normality. Heterosexual families are composed of adopted children, step-children and the like – yet no one points the finger and cites the bible at them. Not to mention the countless cases of neglect and child abuse in hetro-households that seems to go overlooked. I'm sure that's a more pressing matter.
Gay couples have more than earned the right to be both married and parents, so why is this prejudice still continuing? I'm tired of hearing same-sex parents being called 'abominations', 'jokes' or worse being described as a front for paedophilia.
Going by the statistics, if I were a child and was given the choice I'd opt for gay parents – not because I think they would provide any better an upbringing, but because their track record is a lot less colourful than the heterosexual parents. Will this change in time? Maybe; but if you don't give us a chance you'll never find out. Every household goes through its ups and downs, hetro-and-homo alike. Marriage and family are about commitment, loyalty, respect and love. Just because the gender of the parents is the same, doesn't give them a handicapped.
This isn't merely a phase or something that will blow over. The gay community isn't a bratty child having a tantrum and stomping its feet – and contrary to popular belief, we don't exist in a self-imposed gay vacuum. Look at the amount of straight people joining in the call. This isn't an issue about 'gay right'; it's an issue about human rights. We are humans humbly asking to be treated like everyone else and you can fight us all you want, but you can't stop society from progressing.
As with all comment pieces the views expressed do not necessary reflect those of PinkNews.co.uk
More: Conservative Party, equal marriage, gay children, gay couples, gay marriage, gay parents, Gay rights, gay weddings, human rights, LGBT rights, marriage equality, parents, same sex couples, same sex marriage, same sex parents, same sex weddings
Remove sex from birth certificates to make trans lives easier, urge Pennsylvania Democrats
SJ Zhang - January 21, 2022
NFL files to dismiss lawsuit from disgraced coach forced to resign over homophobic emails
Nola Ojomu - January 21, 2022
Samsung pulls heartwarming advert about drag queen and his mum after homophobic backlash
Israel's LGBT+ community faces up to its 'Me Too' moment as sexual abuse survivors break silence
CBBC vet Dr James Greenwood went through 'dark times' ahead of 'life-affirming' coming out moment


text:
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900
Angus Davies reviews the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King 116900.
This detailed review of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900 includes live images, specification details and pricing.
The annual production output of Rolex, the venerable Swiss watch company, is shrouded in mystery. The company remains tight-lipped when it comes to discussing such vulgar matters. However, one thing is abundantly clear; this renowned luxury brand produces hundreds of thousands of timepieces each year.
My reason for mentioning production output is that despite the vast numbers of Rolex watches in circulation, I can never recall hearing of any problematic timepieces. It would appear the nomen, 'Rolex' is a byword for reliability.
The allure of Rolex
Reliability is merely one reason for choosing a Rolex timepiece.
The marketing of Rolex, which often involves using sport sponsorship to reinforce brand awareness, is second to none. Over the years I have spoken to various individuals who clearly lack knowledge of horology or the watch industry, however, as soon as I mention that I write about fine timepieces, they readily proffer the name,'Rolex', as the ultimate luxury watch.
While I write about many incredible timepieces, some costing significantly more than a Rolex, the brand recognition of this iconic marque surpasses all others. The perception by many that Rolex make the finest watches leads to a situation where demand invariably outstrips supply, especially for the brand's sports models. This has led to very strong residual values.
Another area which underpins the residual values of Rolex watches is the cachet of its 'vintage' models. A huge body of collectors will exhibit extreme emotions on discovering a Submariner model with red dial text, a Milgauss central sweep seconds hand, or the name of the French diving company, COMEX, positioned just above the text proclaiming the maximum water resistance. The appeal for Daytona models, especially those sporting Paul Newman dials, still shows no signs of abating.
There is also the matter of patination. The slight discolouration of dial and hands, owing to the passage of time and, in particular, exposure to UV-light, has led to grown men shedding tears of delight on discovering a well-worn example with impressive provenance. In various auction rooms around the globe, evidence of patination merely heightens public interest.
Continuous progress
I confess that I prefer the latest models to leave the Rolex facilities in Geneva and Biel/ Bienne. I do not appreciate patination, preferring the operating-theatre cleanliness conferred with showroom-fresh condition.
Over the years, Rolex has not sat back. Its models have received subtle tweaks, enhancing the ownership proposition. I purchased my first Rolex, a Submariner, in 1996. If I contrast this model with the Submariner of today, equipped with a ceramic bezel, the latest watch is constructed to a far higher standard.
The culture of continuous progress is alive and well at Rolex. Indeed, in my opinion, the finest watches Rolex has ever made probably left its Dispatch department last week.
A perfect illustration of the watch marque's continuous improvement strategy can be seen with the latest Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900, launched earlier this year at Baselworld 2016. This pilot's watch is inspired by the brand's association with aviation, dating back to the 1930s. It employs the same 'Air-King' lettering on the dial, first seen in the 1950s. However, beyond some period details, there are numerous improvements which draw on cutting-edge technology and modern-day know-how.
The black, satin finished dial provides the perfect foil for the other dial elements to shine. The 18-carat white gold 'Mercedes' hour and minute hands are lined with luminescent material, emitting a green shade in restricted light.
The green central sweep seconds hand features a green circular counterweight. Near its tip is a white luminescent circlet, augmenting the ease of read-off.
The Swiss brand has endowed the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900 with glorious, bold Arabic hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. Below noon, a triangular index, presented in 18-carat white gold, dominates the northern hemisphere of the dial. It looks resplendent and upholds the design language typical of pilots' watches of yesteryear.
All other hour indexes are set aside, deferring to minute markings, arranged at 5-minute integers. They share the same font as the hour markers but are smaller. Their simplicity of form is superb. Indeed, it is the minute markings which are one of my favourite aspects of the dial design. The only change I would suggest making would be to alter the text from '5' to '05', to match the two digit format of the other minute markings.
Two details of the dial design which I particularly like are the yellow Rolex logo and the green Rolex text. These may sound small details but, together with the central sweep seconds hand, they introduce a tasteful flourish of colour which heightens the allure of the dial.
The legibility of the dial is magnificent. Every element of the dial composition collaborates to aid ease of interpretation.
Framing the dial, a silver-toned flange repeatedly proclaims the maker's name and provides a stylish means of delineating the dial boundary.
A key benefit of Rolex ownership is the capacity to cope with minor impacts, typically encountered with daily wear. My own personal experience of the brand's satin brushed 904L stainless steel is that it shrugs off harsh treatment and delivers high levels of corrosion resistance. Quite simply, Rolex watches are very robust.
The 40mm case diameter of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900, with its middle of the road sizing, offers widespread appeal. Moreover, the bracelet (ref.71200) is highly adjustable, according an agreeable fit courtesy of the 'Rolex-patented Easylink rapid extension system'. This user-friendly facility allows the wearer to lengthen the bracelet by approximately 5mm. The bracelet also feels very sturdy and features solid links, once again illustrating Rolex's tireless pursuit of continuous improvement.
Often modern, luxury watches feature exhibition casebacks, however, this trend is something Rolex has chosen to ignore. The screw-down caseback is plain steel, save for a fluted edge, encircling its form. I personally prefer exhibition casebacks, wishing to see the value within, however, I accept that some Rolexphiles may not share my viewpoint.
The winding crown is of the screw down variety and equipped with 'Twinlock double waterproofness system', helping to deliver maximum water resistance of 100 metres.
The 'Calibre 3131 Manufacture Rolex Mechanical movement' is automatic. The frequency of the balance is 28,800 vph (4Hz) and the movement contains 31 jewels. The power reserve is approximately 48 hours.
Rolex has imbued the Calibre 3131 with a high quotient of state of the art technology. The blue Parachrom hairspring is patented and manufactured by the Swiss maison. The alloy used, exclusive to Rolex, is 'insensitive to magnetic fields' and less affected by temperature fluctuations. Moreover, the material is much more forgiving of shocks than conventional hairsprings.
The escape wheel is formed using UV-LIGA, a fabrication process employing Ultra Violet light to form intricate shapes once technically impossible to create. The nickel-phosphorus alloy shares similar attributes to the hairspring e.g. tolerance of magnetic fields.
For many years, a red tag was affixed to every new Rolex supplied, stating the watch was a chronometer. The Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, would independently test the watches, according to its specified criteria and issue certification accordingly.
COSC continue to test and certificate Rolex timepieces, however, Rolex introduced its own 'Superlative Chronometer Certification' in 2015, subjecting its watches to another raft of tests. The timepiece is evaluated once encased and fully assembled. The tests take place in Rolex's own laboratories and the brand attests to a highly impressive daily variation of just -2/+2 seconds.
The solid caseback of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900 precludes any assessment of the movement finishing, hence I feel unable to proffer any comment on this area.
When some Swiss brands suffered declining sales during the 'quartz crisis', Rolex continued to flourish. Its watches have never ceased tempting individuals seeking to acknowledge a landmark in their life whether it be a birthday, anniversary or attainment of a professional milestone.
The popularity of collecting vintage Rolex models also shows no signs of decline. The allure of investment potential and the charm of patination continues to draw a growing band of disciples eager to find their very own horological treasure. However, just as an aside, I counsel caution when procuring any Rolex model from outside authorised channels.
Nevertheless, it is the allure of modern-day Rolex watches which resonates with me. While kaizen is a Japanese business philosophy it seems to be wholeheartedly embraced at Rolex HQ, a green monolithic palace on the outskirts of Geneva. The legendary watch company makes fine watches which continue to improve with each season.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900 is one of my favourite Rolex watches to date. It is handsome, simple to read, comfortable to wear and bestows an incredible level of precision. Indeed, based on my observations, this magnificent pilot's watch shows that Rolex continues to ascend to even greater heights.
Model: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air-King 116900
Case: 904L stainless steel; diameter 40mm; water resistant to 10 bar (100 metres); sapphire crystal to front and solid caseback.
Functions: Hours; minutes; central sweep seconds.
Movement: Calibre 3131, self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz); 31 jewels; power reserve 48 hours.
Strap: Solid-link Oyster bracelet in 904L steel with a folding Oysterclasp. The bracelet also features the Easylink rapid extension system.
Price: £4,150 (RRP as at 16.8.2016)
https://www.rolex.com


text:
The Kuru Dance and Music festival is an annual celebration included in the Botswana's calendar of events marking the full moon where Khoisan communities find it very significant in their culture to interchange cultural knowledge through song and dance.

Background
The Kuru Dance and Music Festival was started in 1997 to celebrate khoisan or San culture among the Naro San at D'Kar in the Ghanzi District, Botswana to recognize the richness of San culture through song and dance. It was also meant to encourage pride in San cultural values, and art projects were developed as a larger cultural program that organizes an annual cultural festival well known in Botswana. The Festival also serves as an important and sacred healing function for San communities, as it is held every August with dates coinciding with the full moon. This festival is spearheaded by the Kuru Cultural Center with help from sponsors like Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC)  and Barclays Bank of Botswana,

Custodians & stakeholders
There are organizations that have a special interest on the festival, they come together to plan and organize for the festival to be a success. Established in 1986 The Kuru Development Trust popularly known as the Kuru Family of Organizations, is a local San Non-governmental Organization that hosts the San music and dance festival, and facilitates economic self-reliance among the San. The Trust collaborates with the Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WI MSA)-A regional organization that facilitates the development of San Communities in the region; to assist marginalized communities in Botswana with establishment of self-sustainable community self-help organizations, which will increase the capacity of these communities to gain control over their social and economic lives and which will be able to define and implement the communities' own development. The Trust is run by a board of trustees whose membership is made up of 20% representatives of the founding body-church organizations in the Netherlands, and 80% of local San representatives from village development organizations.

This festival has over the years attracted support through sponsorship by local companies and organizations like Barclays Bank of Botswana and MYSC. Barclays sponsorship of the festival aligns perfectly with its strategic ambition to foster growth as a business and communities. The Bank has sponsored the festival since 2015, it supports the conservation of Botswana's dynamic heritage, as it encourages community trade and can ultimately drive development. MYSC is a default supporter  of the festival as it was established by the government of Botswana to create an enabling environment  for youth empowerment, sport development and preservation of culture and heritage in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to enhance unity and pride of people of Botswana.

Types of dance
There are a number of dances performed during the festival. Different dances are performed to narrate the life story of the San people. These include hunting and gathering dances, rite of passage, puberty and courtship dances and the infamous trance healing dance.

Hunting and gathering dance
The San people naturally being hunters and gatherers they perform a dance to recognize this part of their identity. They perform the hunting and gathering dance to mark both the preparation of the coming hunting or gathering season and celebrating a kill after a successful hunting. Hunting dance can be performed to mark a young boy's successful first kill after an animal especially an antelope. He is secluded and later initiated  by doing markings oh his arms, the eland fat is rubbed on the scars. Hunting dances are dramatic renditions of the hunt from spoor recognition to ultimately slaughtering the animal. They celebrate a successful hunt and pay reverent to the mother nature.

Throughout the performance of this dance, female performers sits in a semi circle, orchestrating a backdrop of song, rhythmic clapping and sound percussion, while the men dramatize the hunting rite, invariably assuming the roles of hunter and prey. The males mimes the hunting of an animal such as a gemsbok, throughout the dance the hunters track the animal and stabs it with poisoned arrows. The mimed drama ends with an animal being slaughtered and women immediately prepare a feast to celebrate. At this point there is paced rhythmic hand-clapping and footsteps as they celebrate a successful hunt.

Rites of passage
As a young woman start experiencing puberty symptoms like menstrual cycle for the first time i said to be suffering from the "eland illness". The eland symbolizes femininity, fertility and good health. During this time she is secluded and ritually painted in red ochre, wood ash and charcoal, mixed together with animal fat and plant pigment. A rites of passage dance is performed to welcome a young woman into adulthood and marriage. Puberty dances are demure, flirtatious and playfully seductive, males taking part in the dances the mating behaviour of eland bulls by sniffing the female folk, grimacing in mock and emulating the mounting action of bull animals.

Trance healing dance
Performances of this dance are done at dusk and gain momentum at night as the San believe that this time is a divine time when the universe vibrates with sacred energy. The dance is performed as a way to communicate with ancestors and divine spirits and seek for their intervention during the healing ritual of the sick. There is a fire lit and women singers and male dancers sit around the fire in one accord each playing their role accordingly, as the song and dance escalates in rhythm the spiritual leader or shaman becomes possessed with spirit from the ancestral world. At this point male dancers and the shaman would collapse. They believe that at the pick of the song and dance the divine spirit lurks around and the shaman would lay hands on the sick and the dancers thereby removing sickness altogether.

References

Dance in Botswana
Tourism in Botswana
Arts in Botswana
Festivals in Botswana

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
from managers import *
from models import *
from admin import *
from cabinet_links import *
from views import *
from mock_api_tests import *


text:
The Himalayan Times > Opinion > EDITORIAL: Hold talks
EDITORIAL: Hold talks
Published: October 06, 2020 9:14 am On: Opinion
The Himalayan Times
Dr KC has sat for too many hunger strikes already, and the government should see to it that this is his last
The health of orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC, who is into his 19th hunger strike demanding reforms in the medical education sector, is fast deteriorating, and it would be prudent on the part of the government to hold talks with him at the earliest. He began his fast-onto-death on September 14 in Jumla and was flown to Kathmandu a week later, where he has been refusing treatment at the TU Teaching Hospital while continuing with his hunger strike. His demands resonate well with the aspirations of the general public because they have no self-interest of the doctor. The people apart, there is also tremendous support for the cause Dr KC has taken from the medical fraternity, human rights bodies and civil society, while being slammed hard by private business. During all of his previous hunger strikes, he had broken his fasts after receiving assurance from the government that his demands would be looked into, only to see just some of them being fulfilled. He went on his maiden hunger strike in 2012 in his bid to end political meddling in the medical education sector during the time of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. Since then he has faced the wraths of five other governments.
It is common knowledge that Nepal's health and education sector, as all other sectors, is in a shamble.
And Dr KC's lone crusade to end the irregularities in the medical education sector has paid rich dividends. Fees for general medicine and dental courses have become more affordable. The number of scholarships in government medical colleges has been increased while efforts are on to establish one government-run medical college in each of the seven provinces is ongoing.
This time around, Dr KC has demanded that the government launch the MBBS programme at Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, where he has been working following his retirement from the TU Teaching Hospital in October last year; expand the coverage of polymerase chain reaction tests for COV- ID-19; investigate corruption in the health sector; and end the prohibitory orders in the districts by making the use of face masks and physical distancing mandatory in public life.
In the last eight years, Dr KC has sat for too many hunger strikes already, and the government should see to it that this is his last. It does no good for the image of the government and the country to have this doctor go on strike time and again to bring an end to the anomalies in the medical education sector that is seeing decay due to excessive commercialisation.
But at the same time, Dr. KC would do well to stick only to those demands concerning the health and education sector and not stray into political matters.
Only this will win him kudos. His demands for action against the then chiefs of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Nepal Oil Corporation for alleged corruption during one of his hunger strikes only diluted the cause that he was championing for. He should also understand that there are limits to what the present government can do. With the country in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that has brought all sectors of the economy to a standstill, this was not the right time for Dr KC to start his latest hunger strike.
Dalits in debt
As many as 125 Dalit households in Katigaon village of Bheri Municipality in Jajarkot district have asked Minister of Forest and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet to help them write off the loans that they had taken from the local lenders. They complained that they were being displaced from their village after failing to pay back the loans they had taken at high interest rates for survival. The victims said every household has more than Rs 500,000 in debt.
Many of the youths from the underprivileged community go to India to work. But they have failed to pay back the loan with interest, which is much higher than the bank rate. If their plight is true, the government must take suitable steps to address their grievances.
Most of the Dalit families in the mid- and far-western regions do not have enough land to till.
So they have to borrow money from the local lenders, who seize whatever land they have when they fail to pay back the loans. One way to support them could be providing them with job opportunities in the agriculture, forestry and construction sectors that can easily absorb even unskilled persons.
A version of this article appears in print on October 06, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.
PM slams Dahal-Nepal faction's 'lie'
KATHMANDU, JANUARY 16 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli slammed the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar for spreading the rumour that he had met four justices of the Supreme Court. Addressing a gathering of his faction's Province 1 chapter cadres in Kath	Read More...
COVID vaccine supply, border issues discussed during FM's India visit
KATHMANDU, JANUARY 16 Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, who returned from his three-day India visit today, said that he sought supply of COVID-19 vaccines for essential sectors and India had kept Nepal on priority for supplying the vaccines. Talking to mediapersons upon arrival at Tribhu	Read More...
NC stages demonstration in all local levels
KATHMANDU, JANUARY 16 The main opposition Nepali Congress today held demonstrations in all 753 local levels across the country against the government's December 20 move to dissolve the House of Representative. Majority of senior leaders of the NC flayed the government for dissolving the Hous	Read More...
Mount strikes as Chelsea edge 10-man Fulham
LONDON: A late goal from Mason Mount gave Chelsea a laboured 1-0 win at 10-man Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, easing some of the pressure off their manager Frank Lampard. The result provisionally lifted Chelsea two places up to seventh on 29 points from 18 games, with South	Read More...
HoR dissolution anti-national, says NC leader Paudel
CHITWAN, JANUARY 16 Senior Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel today said that dissolution of the House of Representatives was a step against the nation and nationality. Addressing a mass meeting organised by Nepali Congress Bharatpur Metropolitan Committee in Bharatpur, Paudel said that Read More...
CM Raut casts doubt over apex court's role
RAJBIRAJ, JANUARY 16 Province 2 Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut today said though the Supreme Court verdict should be acceptable, circumstances in which the Parliament was dissolved were suspicious. Addressing the 10th General Assembly of Saptari chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists at Bana	Read More...
Home Minister Thapa defends dissolution of Parliament
DHANKUTA, JANUARY 16 Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that dissolution of the Parliament was an imperative for the sake of political stability. Addressing a district-level meeting of party cadres in Dhankuta today, the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader claimed that the prime minster h	Read More...
Security tightened at border points in Banke
NEPALGUNJ, JANUARY 16 District Administration Office, Banke, has tightened security to prevent the possible spread of bird flu in Banke. The DAO took the decision after bird flu was found in different states of India. The DAO has banned import of birds and poultry-related items from India. Read More...


When one becomes pregnant, regardless of the amount of trouble, one must act responsibly by giving birth to the baby and raising him or her.
Dear children: Mom is writing to you today, but I don't even know your name or gender. I can only address you as "the second child and the fifth child." All of this is your mom and dad's fault.
Forty-one years ago, I was pregnant with you, the second child, only after being married to your dad for three years. I wasn't too concerned about this pregnancy. At that time, I have yet to study the Buddhadharma and didn't understand the truth, and thus out of ignorance I committed a heavy karmic offense by having an abortion. This mistake has caused me everlasting sorrow. I was unconsciousness after the operation, and I dreamed that I died on the hospital bed. I also heard your grandmother said: "If you had known this earlier, you should not have gotten an abortion!" When I woke up, I realized that I just came back from death's door. This dream is still vivid in my mind.
Three years later, I was pregnant the fifth times with you, the fifth child. At that time, I still had not studied the Buddhadharma, and I didn't understand that when one becomes pregnant, regardless of the amount of trouble, one must act responsibly by giving birth to the baby and raising him or her. I created this karma myself, and I should have accepted the responsibility for my actions. However, being confused, I was greatly afflicted by your upcoming birth. Your two elder sisters and one elder brother were still young, and I got pregnant because of ineffective birth control. Therefore, I had another abortion, and created another karmic offense!
Later on, I was very fortunate to encounter a Good and Wise Teacher, the Venerable Master Hua, and started to study the Buddhadharma. I also drew near the monasteries that he founded, in which the proper Dharma flourished. Only then did I understand that I should cultivate every day, repent and reform, recite the Buddha's name, and dedicate the resulting merits to you. In addition, I did various wholesome acts on your behalf, such as setting up rebirth plaques and receiving the Precepts for the Deceased on your behalf. I hope both of you will quickly leave suffering and attain bliss, and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Now I am already over sixty years old. Last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I knew that the cancer was the ripening of my retribution from killing two fetuses, and I must accept it peacefully. Maybe because of my study of the Buddhadharma and the compassionate aid from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, although I had cancer, I didn't feel much pain; even the operation to remove the cancerous cells was not painful. For over a year now, I have been living a normal life. Therefore, I am very grateful to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!
However, your aunt was not as lucky as I am. Let me tell you her story. Both she and her husband had careers, and in their busy lives they didn't have time to take care of children. Her husband was not present when she was delivering their second child, a boy. She did not study the Buddhadharma, and thus without consulting her husband or thinking more about it, she told the doctor with no hesitation that she didn't want the baby. The doctor also killed the baby with no hesitation. Out of delusion, she committed a serious killing offense. When she was fifty-five years old, her retribution came -- she got cancer. Although she went through various treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, she still died in two years. Actually, your aunt was a very nice person, and many people were surprised that she had cancer. The principle of cause and effect is not something we should treat lightly!
We had another relative, who also had career. She was very gentle and good-natured, but she didn't study the Buddhadharma. I have no idea how many abortions she had. Later on, she got cancer, and there were tumors all over her body. She was very sick and in tremendous amount of pain, but her doctors could do nothing to help her. She died when she was only forty-five years old.
Talking about this relative's age reminds me of you. If you were in this world, one of you would be forty-one years old and the other thirty-eight years old. Usually by this age, you would have a career and your own family. Speaking of being married, husband and wife should respect each other and control their sexual desires; this way, they won't get into the trouble of having too many children. A Buddhists family would be the best, since they understand cause and effect, and with wisdom and the ability to distinguish the true from the false, they won't commit karmic offenses. In addition, one should be a vegetarian, because a vegetarian diet will make one's body and mind purer, and one's desires lighter. In contrast, if one eats meat, one will have stronger desires, which makes it more difficult to control one's sexual desires. If one gets pregnant, never ever shirk one's responsibility. Don't create offenses like I did; I was truly ignorant then.
I am sorry, my children! Please forgive me for my ignorance which took away your opportunity to be born as human beings. I vow that I will leave the home-life and cultivate the Bodhi Way in every life. I would not have created these karmic offenses if I were not afflicted by the burden of having a family. I also would like to dedicate the merit and virtue of my cultivation to both of you, and respectfully ask Amitabha Buddha to take care of you. Finally, I wish that the word "abortion" will disappear from this world, and all living beings can leave suffering and attain bliss!


Internet multicast is transitioning from the flat, virtual topology known as the Multicast Backbone (MBone) to a hierarchical, globally deployed service. This transition introduces a number of important management issues. In particular, it is believed that the success of multicast on a large scale partly depends on the availability of good management tools. In this paper, we address the specific management problem of monitoring multicast reachability. We first define the semantics of multicast reachability and how they differ from unicast reachability. We then motivate the importance of being able to monitor multicast reachability. Based on this discussion, we have developed a system, called sdr-monitor, to monitor reachability on a global scale. Using sdr-monitor we have collected almost a year of reachability data. In analyzing the data, we first process it to remove artifacts caused by using sdr. We then analyze the data to calculate a percentage of reachability in the multicast infrastructure. While we find that the current infrastructure is significantly unstable, the main reasons are likely the newness of inter-domain multicast and the challenge of developing "in-the-network" services on top of IP. Download a copy of this paper in either: Compressed PostScript (69K) - or - PDF (109K) format.


text:
Oscar officials sue two brokers for selling tickets
MoviesTop Story March 20, 2008 By Laurie A. Trotta
Many people dream of mingling with the stars at the annual Oscar Awards ceremony in Hollywood, but at what price? Now, the Academy of...
Many people dream of mingling with the stars at the annual Oscar Awards ceremony in Hollywood, but at what price? Now, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is suing two ticket brokers for trying to make those dreams come true for people who could pay as much as $85,000 for an unauthorized ticket to the Oscars last month.
The Academy filed suit in Los Angles Superior Court last week against Red Baron Records and Millionaire's Concierge Inc., two companies they allege sold Oscar tickets without authorization. A ticket to the Academy Awards Ceremony is a coveted commodity granted only to members of the innermost Hollywood circle. The suit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
Academy officials are seeking to recover damages for "trespass, breach of contract, and inducement to breach contract committed at or in connection with" the 80th annual awards ceremony conducted February 24, 2008, "and to recover the monetary benefit unjustly retained by the defendants, who were unjustly enriched at the Academy's expense." In addition, the Academy seeks injunctive relief to prevent similar unauthorized acts in the future.
Attempts to reach Millionaire's Concierge and Red Baron Records were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit details a "sting" operation the film organization set up to catch the unauthorized sellers, and at points the lawsuit almost reads something like a script for a film itself:
"On or about November 10, 2007, the Academy was informed that an Australian company called World Wide Ticketing, Ltd. ("Worldwide Ticketing"), advertised that it had four tickets to the 2008 Academy Awards® ceremony, two of which had already been sold. The Academy, through an investigator, contacted Worldwide Ticketing, which purported to act as a broker for clients desiring tickets to the Academy Awards® ceremony.
"Worldwide Ticketing stated in an e-mail message sent to the investigator on or about November 19, 2007, that they had tickets to the Academy Awards® available. From an employee of Worldwide Ticketing, the Academy's investigator learned that defendant Red Baron Records was the source of the tickets. The investigator learned that Red Baron Records offered for sale five (5) tickets to the 2008 Academy Awards® ceremony. Worldwide Ticketing claimed to receive the tickets for sale in late October 2007. Red Baron Records, through Worldwide Ticketing, offered to sell tickets to the Academy Awards® ceremony for $85,000 per ticket."
Another email correspondence illustrates how the Academy investigator was able to purchase two tickets to the Oscars from Florida-based Millionaire's Concierge for $23,000 apiece, according to published reports. Two additional people made it into the Oscars with tickets purchased on Craig's List for the relative bargain price of $2,500 apiece.
"…[S]ecurity experts have advised … that the public sale of such tickets poses an unacceptable risk," the suit stated. "For security reasons, the Academy must know who is in the house during its awards ceremony. As one of the most televised and glamorous events in the world, the ceremony is a potential target for terrorists, celebrity stalkers, and anyone seeking to gain attention for a cause."
The Academy provides tickets to Academy members "pursuant to an express contract" providing that such tickets may not be transferred. Invited guests are reminded that the Oscar presentation is a private invitation-only function.
(The image accompanying this story is from Current.com)


text:
writing songs
Author Topic: writing songs (Read 3200 times)
Re: writing songs
Quote from: black_devils on October 02, 2014, 09:31:11 pm
People will throw ideas to you into jam sessions that you have to work off of.
Good point, I agree. When I had my first "full band" jam it was a learning experience. When jamming along to backing tracks, etc. everything is (mostly) in time and you can expect that there will be few, if any, mistakes. But when playing with 4 or 5 other musicians - especially with some inexperienced people in the group - it's inevitable that people are going to lose their rhythm, play the wrong chord here and there or do various other unexpected things. The ability to recover from a mistake or hold things together when others mess up takes some practice, but I think it's a skill that will help multiple aspects of your playing.
oh yes, songwriting ..my love/hate relation
One time you feel all lyrical and pen down the deepest stuff but when you read it 2 days later, it is too straightforward, too descriptive, too limited, bnot suggestive, no atmosphere or you just feel like you write like an 8 year old
The lyrics that actually stick with what we play with the band are mostly the lines I made up improvising while trying other lyrics or lyrics i wrote on purpose as something brainless, straightforward.
Then the occasions I get philosophical, about a person trying to convince the other his extremism isn't the solution and start asking these retorical questions, all the public will hear is the chorus that has a line "burn you alive"
Not so long ago I wrote lyrics for a long country song that has not one but 2 semi-ironic twists in it. it is long..;I wonder i people would even sit it out if I would make a song of it...so the one time you get a beefy song ready, you might even end up worrying what to exclude... but it would hurt the story or atmosphere too much
then the band makes up a cool tune and you notice that noe of your previously writter lyrics could fit in, even with heavy modifications...and you need to write lyrics that fit in. on top of necessary inspiration, the musical scope gets to be an extra limit. It's hard to break free then AND create an interesting vocal melody while bringing a story. I always want to bring a story. Yet my favorite song form the band has no story and is just about a guy telling a woman what he wants from her. no plot, no twist, no character evolution, no clever lyrics or wordplay, lots of repetition...
"Keep it simple" often gives you the most working space to add the final details and finesse that will actually make the song unique or at least recognizeable.
illiden90
Pub Night Playa
i'd really like to throw around ideas with other people my favourite bands are bands that are actual bands were everybody throws in something in the mix and its this beautiful stew of sound and vibration, it would be an aboslute dream to play with other people and am trying to make that reality
"He said, for a nominal service charge,
I could reach Nirvana t'nite"
digger72
If you can't find anyone in the real world to jam with at the moment why not do some online collabs? Advertise yourself in that bit of the forum - what you're wanting to do, what you have to offer, what/who you're looking for. Okay, it's not quite like being in a room with someone, but it can kick start your songwriting and get you thinking in different ways.
WCAS - Shattered Matter Remix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rq6_GOo_2I
Katja & Digger
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtUtGjpwl7a5o7q0ZCg-GEg
Endureth
For me, songs just kind of write themselves. I haven't written many, but they all have some kind of meaning for me. I can't just sit down and write song after song, doesn't work that way for me. I just wait until something I see creates the spark, then I just kind of puke it out.
Resident bassist.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Endureth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Endureth
Setneck Tele USA
I've been writing songs for years. Most aren't worth the paper they're written on. But some are actually pretty/very good.
It's normal, not every song written is a hit, and not every song written by stars even makes it to a record. It's very normal to write things that only you get as well. The key to song writing is write in a way that people can listen and put themselves into the song.
I have some unfinished songs that I started years ago and just can't find the right direction to move forward on. It's frustrating when you know it can be a good song but just can't get it finished. And song writing is like playing the guitar, you get better as you gain experience.
I heard this on a Glenn Frey interview once. He was with Bob Seger and the song Hair, by the Cowsills came on and Glenn wanted to change the channel. Bob said no. For some reason that song made the top forty, now listen to it and find out why. (or something to that affect anyway) This was before they both became stars. Not long before though.
Start listening to songs and write down the theme of each one, the melody, the chords in the song, and then ask yourself why you like that song. If you don't like it, ask why someone else would.
When I grow up I'm going to be Chet Atkins or Mark Knopfler
I wrote a song called "Same Old Road" which is not the type of music I typically listen to and I don't even like the song that much. It's a hippy-type love, peace, and happiness song. But other people seem to like it.
But like Shadowscott said, I just had to get the song out of my head so I could move on to other things.
vincebrown
This is something I'm struggling with too. I tend to record little riffs or chord progressions into my phone whenever I 'hit something' of interest. I do the same with lyrics, but after that I can't seem to put a whole song together. Maybe I just can't see the bigger picture? Damn, it's tough!
My plan in the next few weeks is to try and finish one or two and record them so I have something to go off from there. Like lots of others have been saying, it seems you have to just keep writing to get to the good stuff!
No amount of darkness can hide a spark of light
I never understood the true value of team work until I jammed with others it was the most fun I've ever had in my life honestly.
Cue Zephyr
Who's picking the banjo here?
Quote from: illiden90 on October 01, 2014, 05:33:26 pm
i have been writing songs for a year and a half on guitar i think and every song i had written in that time did not satisfie me if it did it only did it for a few hours or one day does anyone ever have that feeling? do you just write songs till you hit something you like?
What you state is the exact reason why I never pursued writing. I might have a serious swing at it this year, however.
Guitar, banjo, mandolin and piano, bass and percussion only when needed
Production and mixing


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