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Chatting with Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou Council candidates
By RYAN KING
Residents across the province will choose their next Town councillors on Tuesday, Sept. 28. In Rose Blanche – Harbour Le Cou there are eight candidates on the ballot.
Gary Bateman, Craig Savoury and Frank Touchings did not respond to inquiries by press deadline.
Fred Billard
Fred Billard has been on council for the last eight years. He is running for re-election because he believes he can still be of great use to the town.
"I feel I still have a little to contribute. I'm a life long resident of Rose Blanche, I'm retired, and I enjoy trying to do something to better the community," said Billard.
He pointed out that one pressing issue to be dealt with is the water situation in Rose Blanche.
"Our main issue is still our water. We just finished up a project of half a million dollars there last year. We replaced all the pipes in the pump house and whatnot. A few years ago we put in a new reservoir, but we're still having a problem with the system that they put in," said Billard. "We're working with the government. We have another chlorinator that we're going to install at the reservoir, supplement to the one in the pump house at the source. So hopefully that'll clear that up."
Another issue for Billard is the conditions of the roads.
"We prioritize what roads need to be done, and with a small tax base, no business tax base at all, it's difficult without putting up taxes, which we don't want to do. But if people want services, somebody's got to pay for it and the government will only give you so much. So we do the best we can with what we have without trying to raise taxes, or not put it up too much, because our tax base is mostly seniors, and you can only tax them so much," said Billard.
Clayton Durnford
Clayton Durnford has been sitting on council since 2005 and is currently serving as mayor. He is grateful for the support he has received over the years.
"I will be running for Council once again as there are some major issues myself and the councillors have been working hard to fix and I would like to see it through," said Durnford.
Durnford shared that his time as mayor has been great and past councils have overcome many obstacles. He did not elaborate on any one particular issue.
"It has been an honour to be mayor of such a wonderful council who has overcame so many hurdles for our town. As there are more hurdles to come, I am asking once again for your support."
Gordon Edwards is running for a council seat for the first time. He grew up in Rose Blanche, but moved away for a number of years. He and his wife moved back last year after they retired. He spent 20 years with the Canadian Forces and worked in the private sector after that as an electrical contractor.
"I've never sat on a municipal council before, but I've worked with various levels of government right throughout both my career with the Forces and working in the private sector. You know, so dealing with those government agencies and stuff, it's not foreign," shared Edwards. "And I have a fair amount of experience, broad experience if you will, in terms of dealing with people. Not so much dealing with a community – that would possibly be a new venture – but leadership is leadership. Leadership skills are the same no matter what, you just apply them differently depending on the venue that you're sitting in."
Edwards is running because he sees there are issues for the town to deal with and he can offer a new perspective.
"You know since coming back here last year and stuff, in this community there's challenges that they are facing," said Edwards. "The other side of it is that a new set of eyes, some fresh ideas, if you will, to help the community to move forward, to continue to grow."
One of those challenges for Edwards involves the water.
"There was a waterworks project that was completed here probably about two years ago I'll say, to the tune of pretty close to three-quarters of a million dollars, and it's still not functioning as it should. So that's definitely a challenge. And how does the community move forward and get that rectified, two years on," he said. "You'd have to go back on the work documentation first to see exactly what transpired and where possibly something went wrong, or didn't get completed, or whatever the case may be. It's tough to make a statement on how you would get it rectified without knowing the facts."
Also on his agenda is growing the tourism industry in Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou.
"It is a vibrant community. There is a large draw here for tourism. That's another one. How can we as a community make it better for tourism and promote tourism even? Like in a lot of small communities in Newfoundland, the prime industry years ago, the fishery, that's on the decline, and in some cases just nonexistent in some communities. So you have to create revenue and interest in the community in other means. Tourism is one of those areas, for sure. They actually have a pretty good draw right now. The question is how do we expand on it?"
Edwards believes that one way to increase tourism will be to create an official website.
"There's no community website right now. You go on google and type in Rose Blanche, you're going to get the Rose Blanche Lighthouse come up. They have their own webpage, but there's nothing linked to the community itself."
Mona Harris
Mona Harris has been living in Rose Blanche for 22 years. She has three kids, three grandkids, and has been married for 22 years. She is new to running for council, and just wants to do her part to help out.
"Unfortunately we're a really small community. I'd just like to make sure that I am able to help the council keep running, and hopefully make our town prosperous for such a small place, help the people with anything that they may need or want a voice on the council," said Harris.
Harris noted that the primary issue right now is the water in Rose Blanche, which is being worked on, and that teamwork will be needed to get it fixed.
"I think our biggest issue right now is our water system, unfortunately. We do have a water machine where we can go and get our water, but the water that actually comes from our taps is terrible. So, that would be a big issue I think for most people here in our community," shared Harris. "I know that they are looking into getting more filter systems and chlorine in the water, but I think other than that, I don't really know. I'm hoping with the other councillors that we can come up with something."
Harris will also be making herself available to the public if they have any other pressing concerns.
"We're a really small community, so sustaining what we have is probably our biggest issue right now. Like I said, this is only new for me, so I'm hoping that the people will come forward or (with) anything they have," said Harris, "and work with the people and councillors to make our community last."
Improving tourism in the town is one of the ways Harris hopes to achieve that goal.
"That's probably one of our biggest industries right now. Unfortunately, we don't even have a store or anything here now, so anything that can improve our industry at this point is a big bonus for us," noted Harris. "My biggest thing is going to be working with the councillors that are on board and seeing what they have to offer."
Jennifer Keeping
Jennifer Keeping has been on council for 14 years and is currently serving as deputy mayor. She is passionate about her town and is focused on tourism development.
"One of my primary goals as a councilor is working together to take advantage of what our community has to offer as a tourist attraction and to attract more visitors to our community. People love our uniqueness and therefore we need to promote it and, where feasible, expand and grow. If re-elected I will continue serving as liaison with the Rose Blanche Lighthouse Inc., with hopes that this organization will flourish and expand. I strongly support and encourage growth as we have seen with the recent addition of The Shed Pottery, Katie Lew Art Studio & Gallery, Newfoundland Stained Glass, and Marine Excursions," said Keeping.
Another issue Keeping is looking to tackle as councilor is dealing with rundown buildings.
"As a council we need to encourage residents to maintain their properties and continue to move forward with our course of action in removing dilapidated properties in order to keep our community attractive and safe, rather than not."
Henry Lawrence
Henry Lawrence has been on council for two terms now and is running for his third. He owns a business in Port aux Basques and believes his business experience makes him an asset. He is running again because the town is important to him and there is more work to do.
"I feel like I'm a good asset to the town and I feel that there's a lot of things that we had done for the Council, the previous Council, and I feel that there's a lot that needs to be finished by us guys. And I feel that the town is important for me because I've lived here now for 37 years," shared Lawrence.
A pressing issue for Lawrence is also the water situation in Rose Blanche.
"We've always dealt with issues with water. That's one thing I would like to get finalized because we have been running into issues with our water not being the clearest and people have complained about the dark water. So as council, the previous Council, we are trying our best to get that settled," said Lawrence.
Resolving the issue will likely require meeting with the company that installed the system, something that has been done already.
"We met with the companies that installed it and all that stuff. So that's all being looked into now. So, like I said, a lot of people don't know yet what we're doing because we meet with the companies, and we're trying to figure it all out. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to get the water system here clear for the people for the drinking. That's our biggest concern," said Lawrence.
Also of note for Lawrence is expanding the town's tourism.
"We all know we're like a tourist community, so I'm hoping that maybe down the road we can do more things for the tourism. As you know, we've got a lot of outsiders that bought our homes in this community, which is a big asset to us," said Lawrence. "The tourism is gonna be our biggest thing too. I say, down the road, we're going to see what we can do to build the tourism more, like get more people interested in tourism. We are putting up signs, we're putting up storyboards, we're doing the trails and all that like. We are trying our best to draw people."
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A little early for this update as I recover from jet-lag. The market isn't much different to where I last left it at the start of July. The key difference is each rally peak is become more shallow as swing lows ascend; this squeeze will eventually break - most likely to the downside.
Weakness in the S&P is also showing itself in a squeeze in technical strength; the bearish cross in +DI/-DI and On-Balance-Volume with a pending 'sell' in the MACD suggest the June rally is about to come to an end.
Selling is harder in the Nasdaq as the most recent swing high was below the prior peak; the MACD is also on a 'sell' trigger as the index (so far) successfully defends the 50-day MA. There was also a rebuttal off horizontal resistance just below 3,000.
Nasdaq Breadth has also taken a hit as the Percentage of Nasdaq Stocks above their 50-day MA drops.
The smoother moving Summation Index is also in the process of rolling over in favour of Bears.
The Small Caps has taken weakness a step further by posting both a lower swing high and swing low. The converged 50-day and 200-day MAs are providing a last line of defense for Bulls.
Long-side opportunities are thin on the ground, but some may look to the semiconductor index to post a double bottom; a push above 390 is required to confirm. Bottom fishers may look to acquiring some around the 350 mark.


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HOME > Knights in the News > Del Norte's Bruce Binkley Top Boys Sport Coach of the Year
Del Norte's Bruce Binkley Top Boys Sport Coach of the Year
APS announced that Del Norte's Head Football Coach Bruce Binkley has been selected as the top boys sport coach of the year. Before becoming Del Norte's Head Coach in 2012, Coach Binkley was an assistant with La Cueva and Volcano Vista and the head track coach at Volcano Vista, as well.
See APS names its athletes of the year in the Albuquerque Journal.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Professional footballer good at football….
Can he do it on a cold night in Stoke, though?
Going forward fantastic player defence shocking!
In all the countless hours of filming him train, you have around forty seconds. Not quite unbelievable tekkers.


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Home » Looking Back and Looking Forward
Looking Back and Looking Forward
Jan 4, 2008 | AIJAC staff
Update from AIJAC
Number 01/08 #01
As this is the first Update for 2008, we decided to both review 2007 and look at the challenges 2008 might bring in the Middle East.
First, Efrat Weiss from ynet news reports on the 2007 annual security report from Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency. The report shows that while Palestinian terrorist attacks from the West Bank have greatly diminished, rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza are increasing, and Hamas continues to build up its strength. For this report, CLICK HERE.
Next Professor Barry Rubin examines the ways in which the Middle East was changed in 2007 and the questions posed by these changes that will be key issues in 2008. He argues that the most important development was clearly the takeover of Gaza by Hamas, but other notable trends include Israel's general prosperity, the US success in Iraq and the potential change of stance by the French. To read this interesting analysis, CLICK HERE.
Finally, eminent historian Proessor Efraim Karsh discusses the chances for peace in the wake of the Annapolis Conference. Professor Karsh is not optimistic, as he sees little difference between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his predecessor Yasser Arafat, or between Abbas' PLO and the terrorist Hamas. He argues that both are committed to Israel's destruction, as evidenced by the continuing calls for the "Right of Return" for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, and their continuing refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state. To read this pessimistic yet realistic appraisal of the problems likley to plague the peace process in 2008, CLICK HERE.
Readers may also be interested in:
In a worrying development for the new year, a katyusha rocket fired from Gaza struck northern Ashkelon 16 kilometres inside Israel, the furthest a rocket from Gaza has penetrated into Israel, while police warn that Ashdod, 25 kilometres inside Israel, may also be vulnerable.
Daniel Pipes reveals that, despite the rhetoric, far more Israeli Arabs want to be citizens of Israel than would opt for citizenship of a new Palestinian state.
Sever Plocker worries that Palestinians are more and more angling for a one-state "solution" rather than a two state solution, and lists the changes in Palestinian rhetoric and tactics that have convinced him that this is the case.
Dov Weisglass, a former spokesman for former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, urges Israel's current government not to talk to Hamas.
Walter Russell Mead explains that the world would be much more dangerous without the US presence in the Persian Gulf.
Raymond Ibrahim argues that, despite the findings to the contrary of the US National Intelligence Estimate, common sense dictates that Iran does want nuclear weapons.
Michael Ledeen details the improving security situation in Iraq and its implications, and explains that this is due to the increasing effectiveness of security forces there, and despite the spoiling efforts of Iran which continues to vigorously support militias there.
2007: Shin Bet sees drop in terror attacks but more use of rockets
Efrat Weiss
ynet news, January 1, 2008
Security forces say that while terror groups were only successful in carrying out one suicide bombing in 2007, they were able to fire over 1,200 Qassam rockets at Israeli targets. Gaza become the focal point of Palestinian terror this year, but organizations there are working tirelessly to aid their counterparts in the West Bank.
The annual Shin Bet security report released on Tuesday shows a continued decline in the volume of suicide bombings inside Israel during 2007 but warns of a sharp increase in rocket attacks over the course of the year.
The decrease in suicide bombings was primarily attributed to improved cooperation between the IDF and Israeli police forces.
The Shin Bet successfully thwarted 29 terror attacks in 2007; six of these were attempted suicide bombings inside Israel.
The study reported several significant changes in the region, with Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip reigning as the most influential of these.
There has also been a notable increase in incidents of smaller-scale attacks against Israelis, with more Molotov cocktails and rocks being thrown at cars traveling throughout the country.
Gaza: Hamas growing stronger
Terror organizations fired more than 1,200 rockets towards Israel this year, killing two civilians and wounding 300 more, though the majority of these were shock victims. Only 800 of the total number of rockets fired made it across the border into Israel.
Meanwhile a total of 220 Palestinians suspected of involvement in terrorism were arrested by security forces in Gaza this year. The army also uncovered 12 tunnels in Gaza – four of these leading towards Israeli territory.
The Shin Bet's analysis of the current situation indicates that Hamas has vastly improved its ability to function as a structured military outfit. This is attributed to the training undergone by its members in Iran.
Trainees are smuggled out of the Strip into Egypt and from there sent to various instructional facilities. They then return to Gaza with enhanced capabilities and expanded knowledge, which they pass on down through Hamas' ranks.
Organizations such as the Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) were also noted as being responsible for numerous terror attacks.
There has also been a rise in attempts to smuggle terrorists into Israel in comparison to 2006. The report points to an Islamic Jihad attempt to smuggle two Palestinian women into Israel to carry out suicide bombings. The women were arrested at the Erez border crossing before they could exit Gaza and confessed they had planned to carry out simultaneous attacks in Tel-Aviv and Netanya.
Israel's defense establishment maintains that terror groups are working vigorously to arm themselves following the disengagement. Hamas, in particular, has managed to smuggle some 80 tons worth of explosives across the Gaza-Egyptian border.
West Bank: 60% decline in suicide bombing attempts
Though there were no suicide attacks emanating from the West Bank in 2007, three terrorists were able to successfully infiltrate into Israel, though they were apprehended before they could carry out their intended attacks.
However, says the Shin Bet, this is not to say that terror groups are not still trying to target Israelis.
Some 4000 terror operatives were arrested in the West Bank between January and October 2007. Of these 117 were potential suicide bombers. But the triple-digit figure is somewhat encouraging as it shows a 60% decline in the number of potential bombers.
2007 – The year that was
Barry Rubin
THE JERUSALEM POST, Dec. 23, 2007
While 2007 didn't greatly change the Middle East compared to some of its predecessors, here are some of its significant trends which will continue to dominate the year to come.
Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip. This is the most important single Middle East event of 2007 because it is a clear, probably irreversible, shift in the balance of power. Four decades of a movement dominated by nationalists has come to an end. Given Fatah's continuing weaknesses it is conceivable that Hamas will take over the West Bank within a few years and marginalize its rival.
To Islamists, this is a great victory. In fact, it is a disaster for Palestinians and Arabs. It deepens divisions and destroys any real (as opposed to the silly superficial events that take up governments' time and media space) diplomatic option for them. A negotiated resolution of the Arab-Israeli or Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and with it prospects for a Palestinian state, has been set back for decades. Much Western sympathy has been lost. In years to come, struggles between Arab nationalists and Islamists, as well as between Sunnis and Shias, will dwarf the Arab-Israeli conflict.
During 2008 we will have to assess whether the Palestinian Authority still ruling the West Bank can meet the Hamas challenge. We already know it won't meet the diplomatic challenge but it will take all year for most Western politicians and much of the media to discover that.
The military success of the US surge in Iraq. US forces showed that pessimistic assessments were wrong and they were able to reduce the power of anti-government insurgents and lower the death toll in Iraq. However, this is a long way from winning the war.
During 2008 the two key questions will be whether US troop withdrawals start in earnest and whether there is any political progress in bringing together Sunni and Shia communities in that country. It is hard to imagine what might change to bring about such an agreement. And even if the insurgents can kill fewer people they are likely to do enough damage to intimidate Sunnis from making peace. Still, the Iraqi government and society could grow strong enough to dispense with US combat troops.
The Western failure to substantially tighten sanctions against Iran. It was clear in 2007 that negotiations with Teheran would fail to deter Iran from its campaign to obtain nuclear weapons. Certainly, France, Britain and Germany were more willing to take – or at least to talk about taking – action but due to their own hesitations, plus resistance from Russia and China, very little happened.
The reaction to these events in Iran was mixed. On one hand, there was more worry about the pressures facing that country plus its own economic woes. On the other hand, the regime expressed more confidence that the West was chicken and that time and tide was on Iran's side.
In 2008 we will be able to see if Teheran's drive for nuclear weapons continues without serious hindrance. Equally, it will be possible to assess whether President Mahmud Ahmadinejad is being weakened by his factional opponents – especially in the March parliamentary elections – or tightening his hold on power and holding to his reckless course.
US policy returns to its traditional stance. Whatever innovations, for better or worse, President George Bush introduced into American regional policy have vanished in 2007. He is largely back to the traditional approach as carried out by both his father and predecessor. The administration has given up on reform or backing democracy.
In 2008, a new president will be chosen but real policy shifts will not take place until the following year, of course.
Israel prospers. Despite outdated talk of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's weakness, he used 2007 to rebuild his authority. Especially interesting, Israel's economic growth has been impressive; unemployment fallen to all-time lows. Revolutionary enthusiasm and paper victories still thrill the Arab world and Iran but material gains continue to be what is important.
The demoralization of Lebanon. Worried that it is being abandoned by the West, forces supporting the moderate Lebanese government began to wonder if in fact Iran, Syria, and Hizbullah would be able to reestablish their control over the country. A key element is the identity of the country's next president.
In 2008, it will be important to watch how power shifts in Beirut and whether the investigation of Syrian involvement in terrorism against Lebanese opposition figures leads to an international tribunal.
France changes course. President Francois Sarkozy has moved France away from the nationalistic effort to undercut the United States and appease radical regimes. Sarkozy, however, has played footsie with Syria and Libya. The question for 2008: Will he implement pledges to get tougher and will French institutions follow him in changing course?
The writer is director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center (http://gloria.idc.ac.il) at IDC Herzliya and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs. His latest book is The Truth About Syria.
After Annapolis: What Chance for Agreement with Abbas and the PLO?
Efraim Karsh
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, 1 January 2008
In reality, there is no fundamental difference between the ultimate goals of Hamas and the PLO vis-à-vis Israel: Neither accepts the Jewish state's right to exist and both are committed to its eventual destruction. The only difference between the two groups lies in their preferred strategies for the attainment of this goal.
Whereas Hamas concentrates exclusively on "armed struggle," the PLO has adopted since the early 1990s a more subtle strategy, combining intricate political and diplomatic maneuvering with sustained terror attacks. In the candid words of Farouq Qaddoumi, the PLO's perpetual foreign minister: "We were never different from Hamas. Hamas is a national movement. Strategically, there is no difference between us."
Such attitudes are commonplace among supposed moderates, notably Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), Arafat's successor and perhaps the foremost symbol of supposed Palestinian moderation. For all their drastically different personalities and political style, Arafat and Abu Mazen are warp and woof of the same fabric: dogmatic PLO veterans who have never eschewed their commitment to Israel's destruction and who have viewed the "peace process" as the continuation of their lifetime war by other means.
By categorically refusing to recognize Israel's Jewishness, the Palestinian leadership has effectively rejected the two-state solution, based, in the words of the UN partition resolution of November 29, 1947, on the creation of "independent Arab and Jewish States" in Palestine.
In his Annapolis address, Abbas insisted that "the plight of Palestinian refugees…must be addressed…in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194." Yet Resolution 194 (passed on December 11, 1948) puts the return of Palestinian refugees on a par with the "resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees" in other countries; indeed, that provision made the resolution anathema to the Arab states, which opposed it vehemently and voted unanimously against it because the measure was seen, correctly, as establishing no absolute "right of return."
To deny the depth of the PLO's commitment to Israel's destruction is the height of folly, and to imagine that it can be appeased through Israeli concessions is to play into its hands. Only when Palestinians reconcile themselves to the existence of the Jewish state and eschew their genocidal hopes will the inhabitants of the Holy Land, and the rest of the world, be able to look forward to a future less burdened by Arafats and their gory dreams.
The PLO Vision of Palestine in Place of Israel
In August 1968, shortly before seizing control of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasir Arafat urged "the transfer of all resistance bases" into the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, conquered by Israel during the June 1967 war, so as to launch a sustained terrorist campaign that would undermine Israel's way of life by "preventing immigration and encouraging emigration…destroying tourism…weakening the Israeli economy and diverting the greater part of it to security requirements…[and] creating and maintaining an atmosphere of strain and anxiety that will force the Zionists to realize that it is impossible for them to live in Israel."
Forty years later, with salvos of Gaza-fired missiles raining down on Israeli towns and villages on a daily basis, Arafat's words seem prophetic. Yet his plan for victory would have remained a chimera had it not been for the Rabin government, which in 1993 invited the PLO, a group formally committed to Israel's destruction by virtue of its covenant, to establish a firm political and military presence on its doorstep.
More than this, Israel was prepared to arm thousands of (hopefully reformed) terrorists, who would be incorporated into newly established police and security forces charged with asserting the PLO's authority throughout the territories. In the words of the prominent Palestinian leader Faisal Husseini, Israel was willingly introducing into its midst a "Trojan Horse" designed to promote the PLO's strategic goal of "Palestine from the [Jordan] river to the [Mediterranean] sea" – that is, a Palestine in place of Israel.
In line with this thinking, from the moment of his arrival in Gaza in July 1994 to lay the ground for Palestinian statehood at peace with its Israeli neighbor, Arafat engaged in an intricate exercise in duplicity, speaking the language of peace to Israeli and Western audiences while building up an extensive terrorist infrastructure and backing anti-Israel terror attacks. By the time of his death in November 2004, Arafat had transformed the territories transferred to PLO control – the Gaza Strip and the West Bank's populated areas – into an effective terrorist state and had launched a vicious terror war (euphemized as the al-Aqsa intifada after the Jerusalem mosque) that plunged Israel into one of the greatest traumas in its history.
No Difference in Goals of Hamas and Fatah
One might have hoped that, eleven years and thousands of deaths after the launch of the Oslo process, the international community would pay closer attention to what the Palestinian leadership was actually saying (in Arabic) and doing. Yet such was the extent of the peace delusion that the European Union's policy chief, Javier Solana, could state upon Arafat's death that "the best tribute to President Arafat's memory will be to intensify our efforts to establish a peaceful and viable state of Palestine." When this widespread illusion of a new and more peaceful Palestinian political era failed to materialize, a handy scapegoat was found in the form of the Hamas Islamist group, which in January 2006 won a landslide victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections and replaced the PLO at the helm of the Palestinian Authority (PA), established in May 1994 as the effective government of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza.
In reality, of course, there is no fundamental difference between the ultimate goals of Hamas and the PLO vis-à-vis Israel: Neither accepts the Jewish state's right to exist and both are committed to its eventual destruction. The only difference between the two groups lies in their preferred strategies for the attainment of this goal. Whereas Hamas concentrates exclusively on "armed struggle," as its murderous terror campaign is conveniently euphemized, the PLO has adopted since the early 1990s a more subtle strategy, combining intricate political and diplomatic maneuvering with sustained terror attacks (mainly under the auspices of Tanzim, the military arm of Fatah, the PLO's largest constituent group and Arafat's alma mater). In the candid words of Farouq Qaddoumi, the PLO's perpetual foreign minister: "We were never different from Hamas. Hamas is a national movement. Strategically, there is no difference between us."
Such attitudes are by no means confined to "hard-line" elements within the PLO but are a commonplace among supposed moderates, notably Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), Arafat's successor and perhaps the foremost symbol of supposed Palestinian moderation. For all their drastically different personalities and political style, Arafat and Abu Mazen are warp and woof of the same fabric: dogmatic PLO veterans who have never eschewed their commitment to Israel's destruction and who have viewed the "peace process" as the continuation of their lifetime war by other means.
In one way, indeed, Abbas is more extreme than many of his peers. While they revert to standard talk of Israel's illegitimacy, he devoted years of his life to giving ideological firepower to the anti-Israel and anti-Jewish indictment. In a doctoral dissertation written at a Soviet university, an expanded version of which was subsequently published in book form, Abbas endeavored to prove the existence of a close ideological and political association between Zionism and Nazism. Among other things, he argued that fewer than a million Jews had been killed in the Holocaust, and that the Zionist movement was a partner to their slaughter.
In the wake of the failed Camp David summit of July 2000 and the launch of Arafat's war of terror two months later, Abbas went to great lengths to explain why the "right of return" – the standard Arab euphemism for Israel's destruction – was a non-negotiable prerequisite for any Palestinian-Israeli settlement. Those who were disposed to regard these words as lip service by a lackluster apparatchik deferring to the omnipotent and hopelessly intransigent Arafat were to be bitterly disillusioned. In an address to a special session of the Palestinian parliament shortly after Arafat's death, Abbas swore to "follow in the path of the late leader Yasir Arafat and…work toward fulfilling his dream…until the right of return for our people is achieved and the tragedy of the refugees is ended."
Six months later, in a televised speech on the occasion of Israel's Independence Day, Abbas described the proclamation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, as an unprecedented crime of history and vowed his unwavering refusal to ever "accept this injustice." "On that day, a crime was committed against a people, who were uprooted from their land and whose existence was destroyed and who were forced to flee to all areas of the world," he said. "The refugees have a full right to fulfill the right of return. We strongly object to the possibility they would become citizens of the countries they live in."
Arabs Rejected UN Resolution 194 on Refugees
Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising that the Annapolis summit not only proved little more than a photo opportunity but also underscored the pervasiveness of Palestinian recalcitrance. For one thing, by categorically refusing to recognize Israel's Jewishness (or for that matter its very existence as a Jewish state), the Palestinian leadership – from Abbas, to Ahmad Qurei (negotiator of the 1993 Oslo Accords), to Saeb Erekat, to the "moderate" prime minister Salam Fayad – has effectively rejected the two-state solution, based, in the words of the UN partition resolution of November 29, 1947, on the creation of "independent Arab and Jewish States" in Palestine. For another thing, despite the lip service paid to the two-state solution in his Annapolis address, Abbas insisted that "the plight of Palestinian refugees…must be addressed holistically – that is, in its political, human, and individual dimensions in accordance with UNGA Resolution 194."
Yet far from recommending the return of the Palestinian refugees as the only viable solution, Resolution 194 (passed on December 11, 1948) puts this particular option on a par with the "resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees" in other countries; indeed, that provision made the resolution anathema to the Arab states, which opposed it vehemently and voted unanimously against it. Equating return and resettlement as possible solutions to the refugee problem; linking resolution of this issue to the achievement of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace; placing on the Arab states some of the burden for resolving it; and above all establishing no absolute "right of return," the measure was seen, correctly, as rather less than useful for Arab purposes. This, however, did not prevent Arabs and Palestinians from transforming the resolution into the cornerstone of an utterly spurious legal claim to a "right of return," which in their internal discourse is invariably equated with the destruction of Israel through demographic subversion.
And therein, no doubt, lies the crux of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. For to refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist, sixty years after the assertion of this right by the international community, and to insist on the full implementation of the "right of return," at a time when Israel has long agreed to the creation of a Palestinian state roughly along the pre-1967 lines, indicates that, in the Palestinian perception, peace is not a matter of adjusting borders and territory but rather a euphemism for the annihilation of the Jewish state.
The Israeli government and the international community will be dangerously deluding themselves in continuing to view Abbas' adamant refusal to fight terrorism as a reflection of political weakness (as they did with Arafat in the early Oslo years) and his avowed commitment to "the right of return" as a bargaining chip or lip service. To deny the depth of the PLO's commitment to Israel's destruction is the height of folly, and to imagine that it can be appeased through Israeli concessions is to play into its hands. Only when Palestinians reconcile themselves to the existence of the Jewish state and eschew their genocidal hopes will the inhabitants of the Holy Land, and the rest of the world, be able to look forward to a future less burdened by Arafats and their gory dreams.
Professor Efraim Karsh is Head of Mediterranean Studies at King's College, University of London, and a member of the Board of International Experts of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center. His most recent book is Islamic Imperialism: A History (Yale University Press, 2007).
Tags: Afghanistan/ Pakistan
Dealing with Iran after the NIE
Previewing US President Bush's Middle East Visit
Could the Iranian protest movement succeed?
Dec 15, 2022 | Update
The politics of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Nov 22, 2022 | Update
Iran's protest wave continues
After election win, Netanyahu set to be Israeli PM again
Nov 4, 2022 | Update
Israel goes to the polls – again
Oct 28, 2022 | Update
Israel-Lebanon maritime border agreement
Israel will continue to act in self-defence against Palestinian terror


Thomas Babington. "Tom" Boulton OBE was president of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. He was appointed OBE in the 1991 New Year Honours.
Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere was a Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. Dhere was born in the small village of Nigade in Pune district. He obtained a Doctorate of Literature from Pune University.
Caroline Mary Aherne was an English comedian and BAFTA-winning writer and actress, best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host Mrs Merton, in various roles in The Fast Show, and as Denise in The Royle Family, a series which she co-wrote.
The Royle Family is a British television sitcom produced by Granada Television for the BBC, which ran for three series from 1998–2000, and specials from 2006–2012. It centres on the lives of a television-fixated Manchester family, the Royles, comprising family patriarch Jim Royle, his wife Barbara, their daughter Denise, their son Antony and Denise's fiancé David.
The Mrs Merton Show was a mock talk show starring Caroline Aherne as the elderly host Mrs Dorothy Merton.
Arturo was a polar bear living in Mendoza Zoological Park in Mendoza, Argentina, the only polar bear living in the country. He was born in the United States and transferred to Argentina in 1993. His companion, a female named Pelusa, died of cancer in 2012. The living conditions of the cage Arturo resided in were controversial, as temperatures reach up to 40 °C in Argentina, and the pool in Arturo's cage was only 20 inches deep. Animal rights activists had, in response, dubbed Arturo the "world's saddest animal" and promoted a petition to have him moved to Assiniboine Park Zoo, a zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The petition was created by Laura Morales of Hamilton, Ontario. It gained considerable attention after the hashtag #Freearturo began trending on Twitter. Supporters of the petition also noted that a polar bear died in Buenos Aires in December 2012 due to excessive heat, and argued that Arturo exhibited symptoms of depression and other mental health problems.
John Michael Beaumont was the twenty-second Seigneur of Sark in the Channel Islands. He worked as a civil engineer before succeeding his paternal grandmother, Sibyl Hathaway, the 21st Dame of Sark, in 1974. During his rule, Beaumont saw the loss of many feudal rights enjoyed by the seigneurs, and he was consequently often described as the "last feudal baron".
Romesh Chandra was an Indian leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He took part in the Indian independence struggle as student leader of CPI after joining it in 1939. He held various posts within the party. He became president of the World Peace Council in 1977.
The World Peace Council (WPC) is an international organization that advocates universal disarmament, sovereignty and independence and peaceful co-existence, and campaigns against imperialism, weapons of mass destruction and all forms of discrimination. It was founded in 1950, emerging from the policy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to promote peace campaigns around the world in order to oppose "warmongering" by the United States. Its first president was the French physicist and activist Frédéric Joliot-Curie. It was based in Helsinki, Finland from 1968 to 1999 and since in Athens, Greece.
Ronald Finley, 75, American Olympic wrestler.
Sayed Hussein Anwari was a politician in Afghanistan. He is a Shia and comes from Mohammed Asef Mohseni's Harakat-e Islami.
The House of Representatives of the People or Majles-e-Namayendagan Afghanistan in Persian and Wolesi Jirga in Pashtu and Turkic, is the lower house of the bicameral National Assembly of Afghanistan, alongside the upper House of Elders.
Herat is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the western part of the country. Together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the north-western region of Afghanistan. Its primary city and administrative capital is Herat City. The province of Herat is divided into about 17 districts and contains over 1,000 villages. It has a population of about 1,780,000, making it the second most populated province in Afghanistan behind Kabul Province. The population is multi-ethnic but largely Persian-speaking.
Geronimo Dyogi, 67, Filipino judoka.
↑ "R.C. Dhere, chronicler of Maharashtra's religious traditions, passes away". The Hindu. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
↑ Schott/EAM, 'Gladys Nordenstrom Krenek (1924-2016)'.
↑ Maralin Niska, 1926–2016: 'Formidable talent' stunned opera audiences from NYC to S.F.
↑ Attack on Nice: Who was Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel?
↑ "Denis Foreman". Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
↑ Ford Belmont Spinks, Sr.
↑ "Sheikh Mohammad Hussain Zakiri passes away". Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
↑ Thomas Edward Danson Jr.


text:
Satsback.com and Stekking.com joining forces — In retrospect, it was inevitable.
We are incredibly excited to announce that we have joined forces with Satsback.com!
Building Europe's leading bitcoin cashback platform
We will begin merging our platforms in the coming weeks and plan to relaunch as one under the Satsback.com brand with the goal to become the leading bitcoin cashback platform in Europe. The team behind Satsback.com will be joining us on our mission to onboard the next million users to bitcoin and the Lightning Network.
TLDR; "We wanted an easy way to get more bitcoin, so we built it."
Tom (the Bitcoiner behind Satsback.com) and I met in 2019, and we talked about how we wished there was an easy way to earn bitcoin in Europe. We were at a similar point in our bitcoin journey, and both so deep down the rabbit hole that we wanted nothing more than to dedicate our careers to it. We concluded that bitcoin cashback was a great way to onboard new users and perfect for Bitcoiners like ourselves to earn more of it. It was also a way for us to give back to Bitcoin that has impacted our lives so positively.
We initially decided to start to build separately and launch in our respective countries: The Netherlands and Poland and agreed to revisit joining forces later. As we got to know each other better, it became clear that our values, principles and passion for Bitcoin are so similar that it only made sense to start working together as one team. Just like Elon Musk tweeted as he recently bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin for Tesla, "In retrospect, it was inevitable."
As the world descended into chaos in 2020 we kept our heads down and continued to build tools that are now being used by thousands of people in the EU to stack sats with every online purchase. Bitcoin was born in the financial crisis of 2008 and just as expected, it thrived in COVID crisis of 2020. As everyone started waking up to its importance, business and consumers were forced to move online. We found ourselves at the intersection of two rapidly accelerating megatrends: bitcoin and eCommerce.
If bitcoin is the future of money, satsback is the future of cashback
After attending The Lightning Conference in Berlin in 2019 it became clear to us that the Lightning Network is ready for prime time. Nobody likes to wait to be able to payout their rewards and enabling payouts with no minimum amounts is a great way to teach newcomers the importance of managing their own money even with smaller amounts. It also lets new users experience the magic of instant microtransactions by doing something as simple as ordering lunch from Takeaway.com. We're proud to be a lightning-native cashback platform, and our decision to launch with payouts powered by the Lightning Network seems great in hindsight.
We couldn't be more excited about the future. As a bigger team we will be able to execute quicker on our product roadmap and enable more people in more countries to experience the future of saving and value transfer online. Together we will further accelerate bitcoin adoption in the EU by helping anyone to start saving in the best savings technology ever invented.
Onward and upward 🚀


text:
Урочище «Унава» — лісовий заказник загальнодержавного значення, який розташований на території Волицької сільської ради Фастівського районуКиївської області.

Опис

Площа заказника сягає 974 гектари. Природоохоронна територія розташована у Фастівському лісництві ДП «Фастівське лісове господарство», в кварталах 1-4, 7-9, 10-11, 17-20, 27, 29,30, 33 і 34. Об'єкт був створений згідно з Указом Президента України від 20 липня 1996 року № 751/96. Територія виконує певну роль в збереженні гідрологічного та ґрунтозахисного режиму річки Унава та територій, які прилягають до неї.

На території заказника розташовані свердловини КП "Фастівводоканал", що забезпечують місто Фастів питною водою.

Флора

Станом на 2012 рік на території кварталів 2, 3, 7—9, 17—18, 28 та 33 розташовані дубові насадження, що мають природне походження. Заплавні землі річки Унава розміщені у 11, 29—30 та 34 кварталах. Зростає на території урочища латаття біле. Дуб черешчатий, який є ботанічною пам'яткою природи, розташований у 30 кварталі. Дерево дістало назву «Дуб Палія», тому що, згідно з легендою, він був посаджений козацьким полковником Семеном Палієм. Обхват дерева становить 3,8 метра, його висота 25 метрів. Вік дерева перевищує 350 років. Є ботанічною пам'яткою природи з 1972 року, дерево огороджене. Поряд з ним встановлений охоронний знак. Вік інших дубів, які зростають на території урочища, перевищує 150—200 років.
Представники родини Зозулинцевих поширені на території Київської області, в тому числі на території урочища «Унава» представлені деякі види. У 18 та 27 кварталах урочища висаджені молоді лісові рослини. На схилах трав'яна рослинність представлена пирієм повзучим, гвоздикою, деревієм звичайним, звіробоєм та іншими видами.

Фауна
На території урочища живуть бобер, заєць сірий, лисиця, їжак та ласка. Присутні види, які занесені до Червоної книги України. На період гніздування залишається багато видів птахів. Водяться види, які занесені до Червоної книги України, наприклад, орлан-білохвіст, лелека чорний, шуліка рудий, пугач, гніздівка звичайна. Над заплавою мешкають болотні птахи, серед яких лиски, сірі чаплі, очепури білі, водяні курочки, мартини, декілька видів крячків. Водиться лунь болотний. На цій території зустрічається шуліка чорний — вид, який занесений до Червоної книги України.

Проблеми заказника
2021 р. рейдери за допомогою чорних реєстраторів захопили у Фастівського лісгоспу Київської області 1044 га лісу, у тому числі й заказник  «Урочище Унава». Вони планували вирубати ліс, а територію продати під будівництво приватних котеджів. 25.08.2022 р.  за позовом Київського еколого-культурного центру відбулося чергове засідання Господарського суду Київської області проти рейдерів-«окупантів», які захопили 1044 га лісу та заказник «Урочище Унава». У незаконному захопленні лісів у Фастівського лісгоспу звинувачуються наступні юридичні та фізичні особи - ТОВ «Вег-Торг» з м.Одеса, ТОВ «Олграунд» з м. Вишневе Київської області, приватного нотаріуса А.В.Бобкова з м. Василькова та виконавчий Комітет Броварської міської ради. Приблизна вартість вкраденої у держави території за довоєнними цінами близько 50 млн. доларів. Для своєї афери рейдери-окупанти підробили рішення Фастівської райдержадміністрації, а також бланк Київського обласного управління Держгеокадастру.

Примітки

Джерела
 Перелік територій та об'єктів природно-заповідного фонду Київської області//Державна екологічна інспекція у Київській області
 Перелік територій та об'єктів природно-заповідного фонду загальнодержавного та місцевого значення Київській області(станом на 01.10.2014 року).

Посилання
 Природно-заповідний фонд Київської області//Природно-заповідний фонд України
 Урочище Унава//Заповідники України

1996 у Київській області

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Ted Wragg Trust was established in 2010 with the aim to create an outstanding educational experience for all of Exeter's children.
I joined the Trust in 2010, as Headteacher of St James School, because I could see the huge educational benefits of working with our lead Trust education partners Exeter College and the University of Exeter. We have now grown from a 1 school Trust to a 5 school Multi-Academy Trust (in 2017) responsible for the education of over 3000 children aged between 2-16.
Our academies are driven by an absolute determination to improve life chances for every child no matter what their ability. Our academies are identified by inspirational leadership and rich learning experiences.
Currently all our academies are graded as good with improvements identified in every school since they joined the Trust. 2016 exam results saw all our secondary schools placed in the top 20% of schools nationally for progress and in the top 15% for maths attainment.
Since the inception of the Trust I can see more and more of our students achieving their very best and making aspirational life choices, which is now allowing them to flourish in any context and as a result I feel hugely proud to be the CEO of this values driven Multi-Academy Trust.
Multi Academy Trusts are governed through their Articles of Association. The Governance Structure, policies, minutes and related documentation can be found here.
Please contact us at the details below.


text:
Home Chevron down icon Behold The Man by Simon Dewey
Behold The Man by Simon Dewey
by Simon Dewey
Item # S215MCP1
Print / 2.75x4 / Loose Print - $0.50 Print / 5x7 / Loose Print - $1.99 Print / 5x7 / 5x7 print matted to 8x10 - $7.99 Print / 8x10 / Bronze Frame (Outside Dimension 12.5x14.5) - $34.99 Print / 8x10 / Cream Frame (Outside Dimension 11.25x13.25) - $34.99 Print / 8x10 / Bronze w/bead Frame (Outside Dimension 12.25x14.25) - $34.99
2.75x4
Loose Print
5x7 print matted to 8x10
Bronze Frame (Outside Dimension 12.5x14.5)
Cream Frame (Outside Dimension 11.25x13.25)
Bronze w/bead Frame (Outside Dimension 12.25x14.25)
Availability: translation missing: en.general.icons.icon_check_circle icon 2135 in stock, ready to be shipped
About this Image:
I painted this piece from the perspective of the crowd; we would be lower looking up at Christ. His hands are tied in front of Him, showing the willing sacrifice that He made—presenting His hands to be bound. As I was preparing a crown of thorns for reference, it brought me to tears to think that a man would have the brutality to actually weave the crown of thorns; it hurt my fingers as I twisted and wove it together.
Simon has quietly sought to celebrate the life and mission of Jesus Christ. His artistic journey began in London, England as a freelance illustrator. In 1997 he entered the world of fine art with the release of "He Lives". Since then, Simon has become known for his exquisitely detailed and delicate portraits capturing moments from the tender to the magnificent. Many marvel at the masterful way he portrays the love and compassion in the face of the Savior and the devotion in the eyes of the believers. Simon lives in Alberta, Canada where he continues to explore new perspectives to inspire and bear witness of eternal principles.
About Altus Fine Art:
As individuals, we are all drawn, as Paul said, to seek after that which is pure, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy. For the last 20 years, we at Altus Fine Art have been blessed to work with many artists who have bravely dedicated their talents to create artwork that lifts our hearts and souls and inspires us to live Christ-centered lives.
Our mission is to take this wonderful artwork and create affordable products for the average family or individual while still using quality materials and design. Our prices range from small prints that sell for less than a dollar up to large breathtaking masterpieces that sell for thousands of dollars and everything in between.
Altus Fine Art is a small company of individuals dedicated to making a difference in the world. We design, manufacture, and ship most of our products locally from our facility in American Fork, Utah. We welcome any feedback you have about our products or the way we do business. If any of our products have helped you in any way, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve.


text:
namespace {

const float kMaxMagnifiedScale = 4.0f;
const float kMaxMagnifiedScaleThreshold = 4.0f;
const float kMinMagnifiedScaleThreshold = 1.1f;
const float kNonMagnifiedScale = 1.0f;

const float kInitialMagnifiedScale = 2.0f;
const float kScrollScaleChangeFactor = 0.05f;

// Threadshold of panning. If the cursor moves to within pixels (in DIP) of
// |kPanningMergin| from the edge, the view-port moves.
const int kPanningMergin = 100;

void MoveCursorTo(aura::WindowTreeHost* host, const gfx::Point& root_location) {
  gfx::Point3F host_location_3f(root_location);
  host->GetRootTransform().TransformPoint(&host_location_3f);
  host->MoveCursorToHostLocation(
      gfx::ToCeiledPoint(host_location_3f.AsPointF()));
}

}  // namespace

namespace ash {

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// MagnificationControllerImpl:

class MagnificationControllerImpl : virtual public MagnificationController,
                                    public ui::EventHandler,
                                    public ui::ImplicitAnimationObserver,
                                    public aura::WindowObserver {
 public:
  MagnificationControllerImpl();
  virtual ~MagnificationControllerImpl();

  // MagnificationController overrides:
  virtual void SetEnabled(bool enabled) OVERRIDE;
  virtual bool IsEnabled() const OVERRIDE;
  virtual void SetScale(float scale, bool animate) OVERRIDE;
  virtual float GetScale() const OVERRIDE { return scale_; }
  virtual void MoveWindow(int x, int y, bool animate) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void MoveWindow(const gfx::Point& point, bool animate) OVERRIDE;
  virtual gfx::Point GetWindowPosition() const OVERRIDE {
    return gfx::ToFlooredPoint(origin_);
  }
  virtual void SetScrollDirection(ScrollDirection direction) OVERRIDE;

  // For test
  virtual gfx::Point GetPointOfInterestForTesting() OVERRIDE {
    return point_of_interest_;
  }

 private:
  // ui::ImplicitAnimationObserver overrides:
  virtual void OnImplicitAnimationsCompleted() OVERRIDE;

  // aura::WindowObserver overrides:
  virtual void OnWindowDestroying(aura::Window* root_window) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnWindowBoundsChanged(aura::Window* window,
                                     const gfx::Rect& old_bounds,
                                     const gfx::Rect& new_bounds) OVERRIDE;

  // Redraws the magnification window with the given origin position and the
  // given scale. Returns true if the window is changed; otherwise, false.
  // These methods should be called internally just after the scale and/or
  // the position are changed to redraw the window.
  bool Redraw(const gfx::PointF& position, float scale, bool animate);
  bool RedrawDIP(const gfx::PointF& position, float scale, bool animate);

  // 1) If the screen is scrolling (i.e. animating) and should scroll further,
  // it does nothing.
  // 2) If the screen is scrolling (i.e. animating) and the direction is NONE,
  // it stops the scrolling animation.
  // 3) If the direction is set to value other than NONE, it starts the
  // scrolling/ animation towards that direction.
  void StartOrStopScrollIfNecessary();

  // Redraw with the given zoom scale keeping the mouse cursor location. In
  // other words, zoom (or unzoom) centering around the cursor.
  void RedrawKeepingMousePosition(float scale, bool animate);

  void OnMouseMove(const gfx::Point& location);

  // Move the mouse cursot to the given point. Actual move will be done when
  // the animation is completed. This should be called after animation is
  // started.
  void AfterAnimationMoveCursorTo(const gfx::Point& location);

  // Switch Magnified RootWindow to |new_root_window|. This does following:
  //  - Unzoom the current root_window.
  //  - Zoom the given new root_window |new_root_window|.
  //  - Switch the target window from current window to |new_root_window|.
  void SwitchTargetRootWindow(aura::Window* new_root_window,
                              bool redraw_original_root_window);

  // Returns if the magnification scale is 1.0 or not (larger then 1.0).
  bool IsMagnified() const;

  // Returns the rect of the magnification window.
  gfx::RectF GetWindowRectDIP(float scale) const;
  // Returns the size of the root window.
  gfx::Size GetHostSizeDIP() const;

  // Correct the givin scale value if nessesary.
  void ValidateScale(float* scale);

  // ui::EventHandler overrides:
  virtual void OnMouseEvent(ui::MouseEvent* event) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnScrollEvent(ui::ScrollEvent* event) OVERRIDE;
  virtual void OnTouchEvent(ui::TouchEvent* event) OVERRIDE;

  // Target root window. This must not be NULL.
  aura::Window* root_window_;

  // True if the magnified window is currently animating a change. Otherwise,
  // false.
  bool is_on_animation_;

  bool is_enabled_;

  // True if the cursor needs to move the given position after the animation
  // will be finished. When using this, set |position_after_animation_| as well.
  bool move_cursor_after_animation_;
  // Stores the position of cursor to be moved after animation.
  gfx::Point position_after_animation_;

  // Stores the last mouse cursor (or last touched) location. This value is
  // used on zooming to keep this location visible.
  gfx::Point point_of_interest_;

  // Current scale, origin (left-top) position of the magnification window.
  float scale_;
  gfx::PointF origin_;

  ScrollDirection scroll_direction_;

  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(MagnificationControllerImpl);
};

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// MagnificationControllerImpl:

MagnificationControllerImpl::MagnificationControllerImpl()
    : root_window_(Shell::GetPrimaryRootWindow()),
      is_on_animation_(false),
      is_enabled_(false),
      move_cursor_after_animation_(false),
      scale_(kNonMagnifiedScale),
      scroll_direction_(SCROLL_NONE) {
  Shell::GetInstance()->AddPreTargetHandler(this);
  root_window_->AddObserver(this);
  point_of_interest_ = root_window_->bounds().CenterPoint();
}

MagnificationControllerImpl::~MagnificationControllerImpl() {
  root_window_->RemoveObserver(this);

  Shell::GetInstance()->RemovePreTargetHandler(this);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::RedrawKeepingMousePosition(
    float scale, bool animate) {
  gfx::Point mouse_in_root = point_of_interest_;

  // mouse_in_root is invalid value when the cursor is hidden.
  if (!root_window_->bounds().Contains(mouse_in_root))
    mouse_in_root = root_window_->bounds().CenterPoint();

  const gfx::PointF origin =
      gfx::PointF(mouse_in_root.x() -
                      (scale_ / scale) * (mouse_in_root.x() - origin_.x()),
                  mouse_in_root.y() -
                      (scale_ / scale) * (mouse_in_root.y() - origin_.y()));
  bool changed = RedrawDIP(origin, scale, animate);
  if (changed)
    AfterAnimationMoveCursorTo(mouse_in_root);
}

bool MagnificationControllerImpl::Redraw(const gfx::PointF& position,
                                         float scale,
                                         bool animate) {
  const gfx::PointF position_in_dip =
      ui::ConvertPointToDIP(root_window_->layer(), position);
  return RedrawDIP(position_in_dip, scale, animate);
}

bool MagnificationControllerImpl::RedrawDIP(const gfx::PointF& position_in_dip,
                                            float scale,
                                            bool animate) {
  DCHECK(root_window_);

  float x = position_in_dip.x();
  float y = position_in_dip.y();

  ValidateScale(&scale);

  if (x < 0)
    x = 0;
  if (y < 0)
    y = 0;

  const gfx::Size host_size_in_dip = GetHostSizeDIP();
  const gfx::SizeF window_size_in_dip = GetWindowRectDIP(scale).size();
  float max_x = host_size_in_dip.width() - window_size_in_dip.width();
  float max_y = host_size_in_dip.height() - window_size_in_dip.height();
  if (x > max_x)
    x = max_x;
  if (y > max_y)
    y = max_y;

  // Does nothing if both the origin and the scale are not changed.
  if (origin_.x() == x  &&
      origin_.y() == y &&
      scale == scale_) {
    return false;
  }

  origin_.set_x(x);
  origin_.set_y(y);
  scale_ = scale;

  // Creates transform matrix.
  gfx::Transform transform;
  // Flips the signs intentionally to convert them from the position of the
  // magnification window.
  transform.Scale(scale_, scale_);
  transform.Translate(-origin_.x(), -origin_.y());

  ui::ScopedLayerAnimationSettings settings(
      root_window_->layer()->GetAnimator());
  settings.AddObserver(this);
  settings.SetPreemptionStrategy(
      ui::LayerAnimator::IMMEDIATELY_ANIMATE_TO_NEW_TARGET);
  settings.SetTweenType(gfx::Tween::EASE_OUT);
  settings.SetTransitionDuration(
      base::TimeDelta::FromMilliseconds(animate ? 100 : 0));

  gfx::Display display =
      Shell::GetScreen()->GetDisplayNearestWindow(root_window_);
  scoped_ptr<aura::RootWindowTransformer> transformer(
      internal::CreateRootWindowTransformerForDisplay(root_window_, display));
  root_window_->GetHost()->SetRootWindowTransformer(transformer.Pass());

  if (animate)
    is_on_animation_ = true;

  return true;
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::StartOrStopScrollIfNecessary() {
  // This value controls the scrolling speed.
  const int kMoveOffset = 40;
  if (is_on_animation_) {
    if (scroll_direction_ == SCROLL_NONE)
      root_window_->layer()->GetAnimator()->StopAnimating();
    return;
  }

  gfx::PointF new_origin = origin_;
  switch (scroll_direction_) {
    case SCROLL_NONE:
      // No need to take action.
      return;
    case SCROLL_LEFT:
      new_origin.Offset(-kMoveOffset, 0);
      break;
    case SCROLL_RIGHT:
      new_origin.Offset(kMoveOffset, 0);
      break;
    case SCROLL_UP:
      new_origin.Offset(0, -kMoveOffset);
      break;
    case SCROLL_DOWN:
      new_origin.Offset(0, kMoveOffset);
      break;
  }
  RedrawDIP(new_origin, scale_, true);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnMouseMove(const gfx::Point& location) {
  DCHECK(root_window_);

  gfx::Point mouse(location);

  int x = origin_.x();
  int y = origin_.y();
  bool start_zoom = false;

  const gfx::Rect window_rect = gfx::ToEnclosingRect(GetWindowRectDIP(scale_));
  const int left = window_rect.x();
  const int right = window_rect.right();
  int margin = kPanningMergin / scale_;  // No need to consider DPI.

  int x_diff = 0;

  if (mouse.x() < left + margin) {
    // Panning left.
    x_diff = mouse.x() - (left + margin);
    start_zoom = true;
  } else if (right - margin < mouse.x()) {
    // Panning right.
    x_diff = mouse.x() - (right - margin);
    start_zoom = true;
  }
  x = left + x_diff;

  const int top = window_rect.y();
  const int bottom = window_rect.bottom();

  int y_diff = 0;
  if (mouse.y() < top + margin) {
    // Panning up.
    y_diff = mouse.y() - (top + margin);
    start_zoom = true;
  } else if (bottom - margin < mouse.y()) {
    // Panning down.
    y_diff = mouse.y() - (bottom - margin);
    start_zoom = true;
  }
  y = top + y_diff;

  if (start_zoom && !is_on_animation_) {
    // No animation on panning.
    bool animate = false;
    bool ret = RedrawDIP(gfx::Point(x, y), scale_, animate);

    if (ret) {
      // If the magnified region is moved, hides the mouse cursor and moves it.
      if (x_diff != 0 || y_diff != 0)
        MoveCursorTo(root_window_->GetHost(), mouse);
    }
  }
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::AfterAnimationMoveCursorTo(
    const gfx::Point& location) {
  DCHECK(root_window_);

  aura::client::CursorClient* cursor_client =
      aura::client::GetCursorClient(root_window_);
  if (cursor_client) {
    // When cursor is invisible, do not move or show the cursor after the
    // animation.
    if (!cursor_client->IsCursorVisible())
      return;
    cursor_client->DisableMouseEvents();
  }
  move_cursor_after_animation_ = true;
  position_after_animation_ = location;
}

gfx::Size MagnificationControllerImpl::GetHostSizeDIP() const {
  return root_window_->bounds().size();
}

gfx::RectF MagnificationControllerImpl::GetWindowRectDIP(float scale) const {
  const gfx::Size size_in_dip = root_window_->bounds().size();
  const float width = size_in_dip.width() / scale;
  const float height = size_in_dip.height() / scale;

  return gfx::RectF(origin_.x(), origin_.y(), width, height);
}

bool MagnificationControllerImpl::IsMagnified() const {
  return scale_ >= kMinMagnifiedScaleThreshold;
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::ValidateScale(float* scale) {
  // Adjust the scale to just |kNonMagnifiedScale| if scale is smaller than
  // |kMinMagnifiedScaleThreshold|;
  if (*scale < kMinMagnifiedScaleThreshold)
    *scale = kNonMagnifiedScale;

  // Adjust the scale to just |kMinMagnifiedScale| if scale is bigger than
  // |kMinMagnifiedScaleThreshold|;
  if (*scale > kMaxMagnifiedScaleThreshold)
    *scale = kMaxMagnifiedScale;

  DCHECK(kNonMagnifiedScale <= *scale && *scale <= kMaxMagnifiedScale);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnImplicitAnimationsCompleted() {
  if (!is_on_animation_)
    return;

  if (move_cursor_after_animation_) {
    MoveCursorTo(root_window_->GetHost(), position_after_animation_);
    move_cursor_after_animation_ = false;

    aura::client::CursorClient* cursor_client =
        aura::client::GetCursorClient(root_window_);
    if (cursor_client)
      cursor_client->EnableMouseEvents();
  }

  is_on_animation_ = false;

  StartOrStopScrollIfNecessary();
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnWindowDestroying(
    aura::Window* root_window) {
  if (root_window == root_window_) {
    // There must be at least one root window because this controller is
    // destroyed before the root windows get destroyed.
    DCHECK(root_window);

    aura::Window* target_root_window = Shell::GetTargetRootWindow();
    CHECK(target_root_window);

    // The destroyed root window must not be target.
    CHECK_NE(target_root_window, root_window);
    // Don't redraw the old root window as it's being destroyed.
    SwitchTargetRootWindow(target_root_window, false);
    point_of_interest_ = target_root_window->bounds().CenterPoint();
  }
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnWindowBoundsChanged(
    aura::Window* window,
    const gfx::Rect& old_bounds,
    const gfx::Rect& new_bounds) {
  // TODO(yoshiki): implement here. crbug.com/230979
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::SwitchTargetRootWindow(
    aura::Window* new_root_window,
    bool redraw_original_root_window) {
  DCHECK(new_root_window);

  if (new_root_window == root_window_)
    return;

  // Stores the previous scale.
  float scale = GetScale();

  // Unmagnify the previous root window.
  root_window_->RemoveObserver(this);
  if (redraw_original_root_window)
    RedrawKeepingMousePosition(1.0f, true);

  root_window_ = new_root_window;
  RedrawKeepingMousePosition(scale, true);
  root_window_->AddObserver(this);
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// MagnificationControllerImpl: MagnificationController implementation

void MagnificationControllerImpl::SetScale(float scale, bool animate) {
  if (!is_enabled_)
    return;

  ValidateScale(&scale);
  Shell::GetInstance()->accessibility_delegate()->
      SaveScreenMagnifierScale(scale);
  RedrawKeepingMousePosition(scale, animate);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::MoveWindow(int x, int y, bool animate) {
  if (!is_enabled_)
    return;

  Redraw(gfx::Point(x, y), scale_, animate);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::MoveWindow(const gfx::Point& point,
                                             bool animate) {
  if (!is_enabled_)
    return;

  Redraw(point, scale_, animate);
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::SetScrollDirection(
    ScrollDirection direction) {
  scroll_direction_ = direction;
  StartOrStopScrollIfNecessary();
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::SetEnabled(bool enabled) {
  Shell* shell = Shell::GetInstance();
  if (enabled) {
    float scale =
        Shell::GetInstance()->accessibility_delegate()->
        GetSavedScreenMagnifierScale();
    if (scale <= 0.0f)
      scale = kInitialMagnifiedScale;
    ValidateScale(&scale);

    // Do nothing, if already enabled with same scale.
    if (is_enabled_ && scale == scale_)
      return;

    is_enabled_ = enabled;
    RedrawKeepingMousePosition(scale, true);
    shell->accessibility_delegate()->SaveScreenMagnifierScale(scale);
  } else {
    // Do nothing, if already disabled.
    if (!is_enabled_)
      return;

    RedrawKeepingMousePosition(kNonMagnifiedScale, true);
    is_enabled_ = enabled;
  }
}

bool MagnificationControllerImpl::IsEnabled() const {
  return is_enabled_;
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// MagnificationControllerImpl: aura::EventFilter implementation

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnMouseEvent(ui::MouseEvent* event) {
  aura::Window* target = static_cast<aura::Window*>(event->target());
  aura::Window* current_root = target->GetRootWindow();
  gfx::Rect root_bounds = current_root->bounds();

  if (root_bounds.Contains(event->root_location())) {
    // This must be before |SwitchTargetRootWindow()|.
    if (event->type() != ui::ET_MOUSE_CAPTURE_CHANGED)
      point_of_interest_ = event->root_location();

    if (current_root != root_window_) {
      DCHECK(current_root);
      SwitchTargetRootWindow(current_root, true);
    }

    if (IsMagnified() && event->type() == ui::ET_MOUSE_MOVED)
      OnMouseMove(event->root_location());
  }
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnScrollEvent(ui::ScrollEvent* event) {
  if (event->IsAltDown() && event->IsControlDown()) {
    if (event->type() == ui::ET_SCROLL_FLING_START ||
        event->type() == ui::ET_SCROLL_FLING_CANCEL) {
      event->StopPropagation();
      return;
    }

    if (event->type() == ui::ET_SCROLL) {
      ui::ScrollEvent* scroll_event = static_cast<ui::ScrollEvent*>(event);
      float scale = GetScale();
      scale += scroll_event->y_offset() * kScrollScaleChangeFactor;
      SetScale(scale, true);
      event->StopPropagation();
      return;
    }
  }
}

void MagnificationControllerImpl::OnTouchEvent(ui::TouchEvent* event) {
  aura::Window* target = static_cast<aura::Window*>(event->target());
  aura::Window* current_root = target->GetRootWindow();
  if (current_root == root_window_) {
    gfx::Rect root_bounds = current_root->bounds();
    if (root_bounds.Contains(event->root_location()))
      point_of_interest_ = event->root_location();
  }
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// MagnificationController:

// static
MagnificationController* MagnificationController::CreateInstance() {
  return new MagnificationControllerImpl();
}

}  // namespace ash

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The debrief is the most difficult aspect for non-facilitators because it feels SCARY!
Look at FIMAGE and honestly assess yourself. But in truth, the debrief is the best part of the activity and what leads to a learning opportunity versus playing a silly game.
Below is some basic information about questions. If you want more structure, consider reading about different Debriefing Methods.
Remember! DO NOT ask simple answer questions. These lead to single word answers like 'Yes' or 'No'.
You will receive nods or maybe a 'Yeah'.
I guarantee you will accidentally ask the wrong questions. DO NOT panic. If you ask the first question accidentally, simply follow it up with an open ended question like the second set of better questions.
Be a guide in the process, DO NOT steer.
What do we mean by this? You have carefully selected an activity because you want them to learn to do XYZ better. But they are actually have a productive conversation about ABC. The tendency of non-facilitators is to steer them back to the topic of XYZ. This is a mistake. While they are not learning exactly what you want them to, the learning that IS accomplished will be extremely valuable because they are learning what is most important to them.
What are some tips and tricks to questions that you can add?


How did a whole party become so, well, un-American? For this story now goes far beyond Trump. In some ways conservatism is returning to its roots. Much has been made of Trump's revival of the term "America First," the name of a movement opposed to U.S. intervention in World War II. What isn't often mentioned is that many of the most prominent America-firsters weren't just isolationists; they were actively sympathetic to foreign dictators. There's a more or less straight line from Charles Lindbergh proudly wearing the medal he received from Hermann Goring to Trump's cordial relations with Rodrigo Duterte, the literally murderous president of the Philippines.


DISTANCE from airport 18 km.approx.
TRANSPORT from/to airport By taxi. The cost is € 25 approx.
PROVISIONS Supermarket inside and outside of the Marina. We can arrange your provision list.
SIGHT SEEING Old city of Rhodes.


Whose Roses Are Those, Anyway?
So (I imagine) goes the Rant of the Entitled Gardener. The rose plants she has purchased, planted in her personal patch of paradise, and nurtured lovingly have been rudely pruned by an intruding ungulate. Of course the deer should die. How dare it destroy the private property of a human being? Being trapped, immobilized, stunned with a bolt-gun and having its throat slit (humanely, of course) is too good for it.
My roses. My garden. My property. I paid a zillion dollars for this piece of land, I pay a bundle on property taxes every year, so of course it's mine. My word is law here. No deer, raccoon, bat, bug or microbe can exist here unless I permit it. Right here, where this line is drawn is my property. (Of course, it's an imaginary line, but never mind that).
Right. The soil (which took thousands of years to form), the microscopic organisms that are crucial to its formation, the sunlight, rain and vegetation are all your property, even though you could not reproduce any of them to save your life. Those rose bushes exist by favour of the elements, not because you laid out dollars to acquire them.
Last night we had temperatures of -5 C (23 F) with a fierce wind from the northeast. Tonight is calm, but a low temperature of -9 C (16 F) is predicted for our area. This unusually cold weather may kill or damage some of the many palm trees that gardeners have planted here, leaving them brown and sad-looking. Except the ones whose gardeners took the trouble to wrap them in burlap or construct windbreaks. Those things detract from the look of the winter garden, but save the palms to provide that tropicalismo effect next summer.
What is the difference between this scenario and that of shrub-nibbling deer? Merely that there is nothing one can do about weather except endure it and take measures to mitigate its effects. So why don't those gardeners outraged by deer buy some plastic mesh or chicken wire and construct deer-proof structures around vulnerable plants, exactly as the palm-loving gardeners do to get their babies through a cold snap?
The difference is attitude — on the one hand, the entitled, short-sighted, intolerant view that seems inherited from the colonial era, and on the other a realistic acceptance of the land on which one gardens.
Well, the council of the superlative suburb I call home — Oak Bay, British Columbia — just voted to spend $12,500 (Cdn) to "cull" 25 deer in a pilot project between now and 2015. This means trapping the animals in Clover traps and killing them with bolt-guns to the head.
I think this is a crude and ultimately ineffective way to deal with urban deer. This region has thirteen municipalities (13 mayors and councils, folks — think of that!). Not all have chosen this option of deer "management." Saanich, the largest municipality, adjoins Oak Bay; in fact, the boundary between the two runs through the campus of the University of Victoria. Deer live on the university grounds and in other parts of Saanich, and I doubt that they know where the border is. The 25 animals killed as part of Oak Bay's pilot project will shortly be replaced from adjoining populations.
Aside from the brutality of the methods used, the thing that bothers me is that other, creative options were not even considered. The only question was whether to have a cull. Why not spend the $12,500 on testing fertility control, monitoring deer movements or setting up a way for gardeners to share information about deer resistant plants and plant protection techniques? Why the big rush to kill, rather than taking time to observe, learn and share information?
I am a keen gardener. My garden has been visited by deer and sustained a certain amount of damage, but really, it's not the end of the world. Plants recover, or can be replaced. Paying attention and protecting susceptible plants, or setting up simple fencing can make a huge difference.
The issue of deer being hit by cars is a misleading one, as though it's better to kill the animals with bolt guns before they can be hit by cars. Oak Bay is almost 100% residential, with no high-speed roads. The maximum speed limit is 50 km/hr (30 mph), with many streets having posted speeds of 40 or even 30 km/hr (25 or 20 mph). If people insist on speeding or distracting themselves while driving, you can hardly blame deer for the subsequent collisions. Apropos of this, when a resident wanted to put up a warning sign based on her observations of deer using a certain spot to cross a road, she was told this wasn't permitted.
Then there's the trumped up safety issue — savage deer attacking children and pets. If such an incident had occurred within the borders of Oak Bay, you can be sure it would have received maximum publicity, which has not been the case. There are people (such as myself, for example) who are terrified of finding big white grubs when digging in the garden — complete with adrenaline jolt, panicky little dance and running away screaming — but I don't expect the municipality to start a grub eradication program on my behalf.
This buck used to hang out in my back garden until I put up some deer netting across his preferred point of entry. I'd rather have him around than guys with bolt guns.
Technically, I suppose midsummer is actually the second week in August, but to me August feels like late summer. Mid-July is high summer, when the ornamental garden pauses at a peak (hopefully) before starting a decline into its tired, seedy late summer state. Vegetable gardens, on the other hand, at this stage should be showing a promise of harvest.
Ha (as Henry Mitchell used to write). I no longer have a vegetable garden, and the tomato plants in their pots do not look promising. There aren't even any little green tomatoes, although the wretched plants have actually started to bloom. This is amazing when you consider that they spent the last few weeks swathed in a set of old lace curtains, looking a bit like wistful brides whose grooms have failed to show up. I resorted to this rather desperate measure after I realized that the neighbourhood buck (or some other visiting deer) has a taste for tomato foliage.
Deer, whether a single one or several, have certainly made their presence felt this summer. I don't think they come here for their main course, but definitely for dessert or appetizers. Flower buds are a favourite. Lilies were ignored until they formed visible buds, at which point "Golden Splendor" was quite thoroughly disbudded. Granted, it hadn't been as vigorous as in former years (when it had more than 30 blooms), but an early count promised about 20. Now there are only two buds left, because I swathed them in lace as well. No daylilies will bloom here this summer, or Phygelius either. Hosta buds have been nipped, and even the small, dark red flowers of Potentilla atrosanguinea have been sampled. Ditto alstroemerias. The big blue hardy geraniums, Geranium pratense, bloomed well, but have since lost most of their leaves to the visiting ungulate.
The funny thing is that a casual glance over the garden fails to reveal these losses. Because of the cool, damp spring, things still look pretty lush, and the tough plants, knowing a good season when they feel one in their tough little tissues, are revelling in it. Only the gardener knows for sure that all is not well.
The gardener, these days, is run off her feet doing things only slightly related to gardening, namely painting a new gate, an old gate and a set of refurbished porch steps. The first step, of course is priming, with an oil-based primer that has left leprous-looking spots all over my hands. But while applying this stuff to the new gate, which also includes an arch, I've been considering what clematis to plant as an arch-adornment. I'm thinking that Clematis viticella "Julia Correvon" might be the one, or perhaps some other member of the viticella group, because tree roots are a problem in this spot, and the viticella clematises are reputed to be fairly tough. But I have a few more months to think about this before planting time next spring.
Another recent worthwhile garden project was lifting a set of stepping stones from under accumulated soil. I'm still amazed that I lost sight of them to the point that they had to be dug up and reset. Now that they are visible once more, the path they demarcate looks mysterious and inviting once more.
And the weather? Well, we had a taste of summer for the last week or ten days, with temperatures in the mid-20s (mid 70s in Fahrenheit). But after a doozy of a thunderstorm on Friday night, things reverted to cool and damp — just in time for the painting project. C'est la vie.


text:
Stickler trial continues today
Martha Bellisle
Lawyers for Reno businessman Mike Stickler began the second day of his federal trail on Wednesday by telling the jury that his bookkeeper was the one who stole the grant funds that he's accused of embezzling.
But Katie Petri testified later in the day that she drew down the $500,000 faith-based initiative grant at Stickler's direction, and most of the funds went to him or were used to cover the checks his businesses were continually bouncing.
Stickler is charged with stealing $200,000 of the first installment of a three-year $1.5 million federal grant that his company, Faith Based Solutions, was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2007. The grant was designed to help community organizations provide services to people in need.
His indictment came one year after a Reno Gazette-Journal investigation revealed the problems with his grant. He first drew the RGJ's attention when churches and individuals complained about his failed Help Build Hope Haiti project.
On Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Higginbotham said he used the funds for his salary, trips and a month-long vacation in Hawaii.
He has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers blame the misuse of funds on Petri, who was given immunity by the federal government to testify against Stickler.
Stickler's trial will continue today in federal court. Reporter Martha Bellisle will continue the trial live today. Follow her on Twitter @MarthaBellisle.


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Today, under the leadership of sole owner Cathy Smith, DRSA continues to provide only the highest quality fixtures and LED products engineered for the marine environment. We offer customized solutions to assure that your goals from design and engineering to operations and logistics are achieved. We focus on stellar customer service, technical support, research and development.
Our products include a complete array of light fixtures and electrical components including transformers, bulbs, fuses, switches, dimmers, cover plates and accessories. DRSA has the ability to custom design, test and manufacture fixtures to meet your exact specifications and dacor requirements.
Our warranty policy extends to the end-user. Should any DRSA lighting fixture or electrical component fail during normal use for the life of the product, we will replace the component free of charge (certain exclusions apply). DRSA can provide you with the most innovative, up-to-date, quality marine lighting products available anywhere. No other marine lighting or electrical company can deliver the depth of knowledge, selection of products, and design capabilities, along with the personal service of your DRSA Sales and Support Team.


Holidays can be a time of great tension, especially in families. Tensions and stress is high, and old family feuds can come out. Here's my top tips on how to avoid arguments with your family at Christmas.
All families have their problems, and Christmas is an easy time for those problems to surface in the form of arguments and family drama. Some families have come to expect this happening as a matter of fact. However if you want to avoid it, there are a few ways to try and minimise the damage as well as avoid the fight all together.
There are things that you can do to prepare yourself beforehand, as well as things you can do during the occasion to calm yourself down. There are also ways for your partner to help you stay out of any fights. Finally there are ways for you to help other family members out to also reduce the risk of a fall out.
If you often find yourself in the middle of drama and fights in your family, there's a few things you can look at to try changing. It doesn't mean you're wrong, but it does mean that there are ways you can prepare yourself to not get trapped into a fight.
A core problem that causes family fights is pride. People have different opinions about different topics, and sometimes it's pride that forces us to get into fights over them. When you don't believe you're wrong a topic, your stubbornness and pride will force you to escalate the situation. Backing down seems as if you're admitting you're wrong, showing weakness and overall losing.
Except is that really the case? When you get into an argument such as this with a family member, if you're the one that "wins" does it feel good? What have you solved? Most times neither party wants to win. They just don't want to lose.
It's important then to understand that you don't need to be stubborn and proud over a topic you don't really care about. It's cliched to say "be the better person". But doing so might just save your holiday.
Some people like starting fights. They're in an aggressive mood. They'll bait you, whether they realise it or not. In this situation you need to ignore it. Getting into a fight will give them what they want. Don't give them that satisfaction.
A good way of preparing yourself for this is to recognise your own triggers. There will be topics or comments that you know will get you worked up. Realising them will help you recognise them when they are brought up. It'll give you chance to say "No, this will only lead to a fight" and you can change the topic or walk away.
Some things will be annoying. People can be dumb and mean. They will say hypocritical things. They can be passive aggressive towards you, your choices and everything else. You don't need to rise to that. Just understand that what they are doing is stupid and detach yourself from the situation.
A great way of distracting yourself is to keep yourself busy. Help out with preparations for the Christmas dinner. Play with the children. Involve yourself in various ways, but also know when to take time out for yourself. Giving yourself lots of things to do will mean less time to get into feuds.
It's important to stay nice to everyone. Being polite and pleasant, even if you don't feel like it, is a good way of keeping the situation under control. If you're feeling stressed, understand yourself and don't take it out on other people.
Avoid gossip or bad mouthing. Families always gossip, and it can be worse than outright punching fights. Don't let yourself get dragged into that drama. If you overhear it, then politely ask whoever to stop. Will they talk behind your back later? Probably. But you'll know that you didn't facilitate it.
A lot of families that fight all the time are families filled with unhappy people. You can be compassionate. If you think one person in particular is going through a hard time, it's ok to sit with them and talk to them.
Some people are just lonely. Not everyone feels they belong at a family gathering, and isolate themselves which adds to tension. If you can recognise this, then you can work on helping that person feel closer to the family. Or at the very least, closer to one other member.
An important rule is to respect people. Maybe they won't respect you back, but that's their choice. You should always treat people with respect, and that change in attitude from you will make a difference.
Another great way to defuse the family situation is to go in full of love. From the moment you arrive, give out lots of hugs and kisses. Smile and greet everyone with happiness, showing them that they are wanted. People are mirrors, so if you show them love and happiness, they'll shine it back at you. Otherwise they're a scrooge.


text:
Q: Firebase Realtime Database not being created in flutter while using firebase authentication so I was making this sign up page in flutter using firebase authentication and realtime database. authentication works fine but I have a problem with database, it just isn't being created. I tried using push() as well, after following some instructions on google but it doesnt help. there aren't enough instructions on goggle regarding firebase realtime database. Any help will be appreciated!
void main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  await Firebase.initializeApp();
  runApp(MyApp());
}

DatabaseReference usersRef = FirebaseDatabase.instance.reference().child("users");

final FirebaseAuth _firebaseAuth = FirebaseAuth.instance;

  void registerNewUser(BuildContext context) async {
    final User firebaseUser = (await _firebaseAuth
            .createUserWithEmailAndPassword(
                email: emailTextEditingController.text,
                password: passwordTextEditingController.text)
            .catchError((errMsg) {
      displayToastMessage("Error: " + errMsg.toString(), context);
    }))
        .user;

    if (firebaseUser != null) {
      Map userDataMap = {
        "name": nameTextEditingController.text.trim(),
        "email": emailTextEditingController.text.trim(),
        "phone": phoneTextEditingController.text.trim(),
      };
      usersRef.child(firebaseUser.uid).set(userDataMap);

      displayToastMessage("Account Created", context);
      Navigator.pushNamedAndRemoveUntil(
          context, MainScreen.idScreen, (route) => false);

      //here
    } else {
      displayToastMessage("Account Not Created", context);
    }
  }

debug Console
Launching lib/main.dart on M2003J15SC in debug mode...
lib/main.dart:1
✓ Built build/app/outputs/flutter-apk/app-debug.apk.
Connecting to VM Service at ws://127.0.0.1:46469/nnTIbYfPB8Q=/ws
I/GED     (24582): ged_boost_gpu_freq, level 100, eOrigin 2, final_idx 31, oppidx_max 31, oppidx_min 0
I/deu.lagdeuride(24582): ProcessProfilingInfo new_methods=1227 is saved saved_to_disk=1 resolve_classes_delay=8000
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): beginBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getTextBeforeCursor on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getTextAfterCursor on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getSelectedText on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): endBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): beginBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): endBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): beginBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getTextBeforeCursor on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getTextAfterCursor on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): getSelectedText on inactive InputConnection
W/IInputConnectionWrapper(24582): endBatchEdit on inactive InputConnection
W/System  (24582): Ignoring header X-Firebase-Locale because its value was null.
I/System.out(24582): [okhttp]:check permission begin!
W/System  (24582): ClassLoader referenced unknown path: system/framework/mediatek-cta.jar
I/System.out(24582): [okhttp] e:java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mediatek.cta.CtaUtils
I/System.out(24582): [socket]:check permission begin!
W/System  (24582): ClassLoader referenced unknown path: system/framework/mediatek-cta.jar
I/System.out(24582): [socket] e:java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mediatek.cta.CtaUtils
I/System.out(24582): [OkHttp] sendRequest<<
W/System  (24582): Ignoring header X-Firebase-Locale because its value was null.
I/System.out(24582): [okhttp]:check permission begin!
W/System  (24582): ClassLoader referenced unknown path: system/framework/mediatek-cta.jar
I/System.out(24582): [okhttp] e:java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mediatek.cta.CtaUtils
I/System.out(24582): [OkHttp] sendRequest<<
D/FirebaseAuth(24582): Notifying id token listeners about user ( hULpKuZcGNhVE45xcR5RkrlCPTl1 ).
D/FirebaseAuth(24582): Notifying auth state listeners about user ( hULpKuZcGNhVE45xcR5RkrlCPTl1 ).
D/ViewRootImpl[Toast](24582): hardware acceleration = true , fakeHwAccelerated = false, sRendererDisabled = false, forceHwAccelerated = false, sSystemRendererDisabled = false
I/Toast   (24582): Show toast from OpPackageName:com.lagdeu.lagdeurider, PackageName:com.lagdeu.lagdeurider
D/Surface (24582): Surface::connect(this=0x77eefc2000,api=1)
D/mali_winsys(24582): EGLint new_window_surface(egl_winsys_display *, void *, EGLSurface, EGLConfig, egl_winsys_surface **, EGLBoolean) returns 0x3000
D/Surface (24582): Surface::setBufferCount(this=0x77eefc2000,bufferCount=3)
D/Surface (24582): Surface::allocateBuffers(this=0x77eefc2000)
I/System.out(24582): [socket]:check permission begin!
W/System  (24582): ClassLoader referenced unknown path: system/framework/mediatek-cta.jar
I/System.out(24582): [socket] e:java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.mediatek.cta.CtaUtils
D/Surface (24582): Surface::disconnect(this=0x77eefc2000,api=1)
D/View    (24582): [Warning] assignParent to null: this = android.widget.LinearLayout{7763522 V.E...... ......ID 0,0-564,316}

output is empty.

A: This will work:
   final User? firebaseUser = (await _firebaseAuth
    .createUserWithEmailAndPassword(
        email: emailtextEditingController.text,
        password: passwordtextEditingController.text)
    .catchError((errMsg) {
  displayToastMessage(errMsg.toString(), context);
})).user;

Add a  "?" after User ..

A: So I tried the same thing with this code and got this on console:
W/PersistentConnection(17703): pc_0 - Firebase Database connection was forcefully killed by the server. Will not attempt reconnect. Reason: Database lives in a different region. Please change your database URL to https://flutter-uber-clone-220d2-default-rtdb.asia-southeast1.firebasedatabase.app
Solution:

*

*Either you change your database URL to said link, or

*Recreate your project with closer regional time

You also can check this:
Firebase Realtime Database connection killed: Different Region

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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