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Umrah Packages Give You the Chance to Visit Important Sites
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Mon, Mar 18, 19, 12:26, 11 Months ago
During your time spent in Makkah after performing your Umrah, you can explore the important Islamic sites located in and around the holy city. These sites can be reached quite easily from the hotel where you have your stay arranged.
During your time spent in Makkah after performing your Umrah, you can explore the important Islamic sites located in and around the holy city. These sites can be reached quite easily from the hotel where you have your stay arranged. Some of the hotels are located quite close to the Masjid al-Haram and most of these sites are within a short distance from the Great Mosque of Makkah. Depending on the number of days in Makkah provided in your package, you can plan your visit to these holy places.
One of the sites you can explore with your Umrah packages is Jabal al-Noor, which is a mountain located in the Hejazi region near Makkah. A cave that the mountain houses is of great significance for the Muslims worldwide as it is the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had spent a considerable amount of time in solitude and deep contemplation. It was at this place that he received the first revelation of the Holy Quran consisting of the Surah Al-Alaq's first five ayats. The name Jabal al-Noor translates as 'Mountain of Light', which refers to the state of enlightenment that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) attained in the cave.
Yet another important Islamic site you can visit with your cheap Umrah packages is Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahmah. It is located in the plain of Arafat, which is about 20 kilometres east of the central part of Makkah. The name refers to the incident mentioned in the Islamic traditions, in which, the first prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was forgiven by Allah for his sin. While exploring this place, you can find a pillar erected to mark the exact spot where this incident took place. Mount Arafat is also the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had given the famous 'Farewell Sermon'.
A unique mosque you can explore with your cheap Umrah packages is the Masjid al-Jinn. The name literally translates as 'Mosque of the Jinn'. Jinn is the Arabic word for the supernatural creatures called 'Genies'. The name of this mosque is associated with an incident mentioned in the 'al-Jinn' chapter of the Holy Quran. According to the incident, a group of genies had gathered at the place where this mosque has been built, to listen to the portion of Quran that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was reciting. After hearing his recitation, the jinn met him and embraced Islam.
Mount Abu Qubais is yet another sacred mountain you can visit while exploring the religious sites in and near Makkah. The exact origin of the mountain's name is still unknown, but the legends suggest that it was called al-Amin during the times when the region was inhabited by the pagans. It is believed that the mountain is the place where the first of men resided and were buried after their death. This is also the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had shown the pagan Arabs the miracle of splitting of the moon.
You can fulfil your dream of performing your lesser pilgrimage during the UK's Easter season with the Easter Umrah packages.
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Quality of life impact of EUS in patients at risk for developing pancreatic cancer
Irina M Cazacu1, Adriana A Luzuriaga Chavez2, Tito R Mendoza3, Wei Qiao4, Ben S Singh2, Raza H Bokhari2, Adrian Saftoiu5, Jeffrey H Lee2, Brian Weston2, John R Stroehlein2, Michael P Kim6, Matthew H G. Katz6, Anirban Maitra7, Florencia McAllister8, Manoop S Bhutani2
1 Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Gastroenterology, Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, Romania
2 Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
3 Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
4 Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
5 Department of Gastroenterology, Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, Romania
6 Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
7 Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
8 Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
Manoop S Bhutani,
Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030-4009
Background and Objectives: The current knowledge about the psychological impact of pancreatic cancer (PC) screening is limited. We aimed to assess the changes in quality of life (QOL) and level of distress after undergoing EUS in individuals with pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) and in patients at high risk for PC based on genetic and familial factors. Methods: Eighty patients with PCL and/or increased genetic or familial risk for PC who had undergone EUS were contacted. Fifty percent of those patients successfully completed the brief profile of mood states (POMS) and the linear analog scale assessment (LASA) QOL questionnaires to evaluate their pre/post-EUS overall QOL. The effect size (ES) method was used to assess clinically meaningful changes in the scores. Results: There was a significant difference in patients' overall QOL scores before and after the EUS procedure (LASA, mean difference 0.73, standard deviation (SD) 1.76, ES 0.58, P < 0.01; brief POMS, mean difference −5.46, SD −6.72, ES 0.81, P < 0.01). Conclusions: QOL of patients with PCL or increased risk factors for PC is significantly improved after a EUS/EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) negative for malignancy.
Keywords: EUS, EUS-FNA, pancreatic cancer screening, pancreatic cystic lesions, quality of life
Cazacu IM, Luzuriaga Chavez AA, Mendoza TR, Qiao W, Singh BS, Bokhari RH, Saftoiu A, Lee JH, Weston B, Stroehlein JR, Kim MP, G. Katz MH, Maitra A, McAllister F, Bhutani MS. Quality of life impact of EUS in patients at risk for developing pancreatic cancer. Endosc Ultrasound [Epub ahead of print] [cited 2020 Jan 23]. Available from: http://www.eusjournal.com/preprintarticle.asp?id=267838
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality.[1] The estimated incidence and mortality of this disease are almost equivalent, and the 5-year survival rate is <10%.[2]
There is an increasing global interest in screening programs aimed to detect precursor lesions or PC in an early and potentially curable stage. Most screening programs are currently based on EUS and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). EUS is a minimally invasive imaging technique that allows for the examination of the gastrointestinal tract and organs in its proximity, and it plays a major role in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary malignancies.[3] General population screening by any currently accessible method would imply an increased cost with a low yield. However, selective screening of high-risk individuals may be beneficial. Individuals with a family history of PC are considered at high risk for developing PC if at least two first-degree relatives (FDRs) or any three relatives (including one FDR) have a diagnosis of PC.[4] Moreover, individuals with PC-associated gene mutations (such as STK11, p16, or BRCA1/2, ATM, PALB2, and PRSS1 gene) are also considered at increased risk. An international consensus recommended that these patients should be screened for PC.[4] A recent study showed improved short-term outcomes, including increased resectability and improved survival rates for patients with screening-detected PC.[5] However, an important concern is that a long-term survival benefit of the screening programs has not yet been proven and there is a limited number of progressors in large high-risk cohorts. These programs are therefore only available in a research setting and/or in specialized centers with high-volume pancreatic surgery, multidisciplinary teams, and well-defined screening protocols.[6]
Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are being detected in higher frequency due to the technological advances and the widespread use of cross-sectional imaging. The prevalence of pancreatic cysts detected incidentally varies from 2% on computed tomography scans[7] to 9.3% on 3T MRI of the abdomen.[8] With this increased rate of detection, comes the challenge of managing incidentally discovered PCLs. There are various proposed guidelines regarding the management and surveillance of these lesions.[9],[10],[11],[12],[13] Given the lethality of PC, the detection of a pancreatic cyst and awareness of its' associated cancer risk may create a significant amount of anxiety and fear.
The reduction of cancer-mortality rate is the primary determinant of benefits for any screening test. When assessing the success of a screening program, one should not only focus on clinical results but also on psychological aspects. Although the impact of EUS screening on survival is not yet fully known, participating in a screening program may yield positive outcomes including reductions in cancer fear or increase in feelings of reassurance, well-being, and improved quality of life (QOL).
The current knowledge about the impact of PC screening on patients' QOL is limited. Our group conducted a systematic review that addressed the psychological aspects of PC screening.[14] Most of the studies have evaluated the effects of screening on cancer-related distress and cancer worry in a high-risk population.[15],[16],[17],[18] The findings indicated that the psychological burden of pancreatic surveillance is low, and participation in a PC screening program does not lead to an increase in risk perception, cancer fear, or general distress. However, some studies used study-specific, nonvalidated scales. Moreover, there is no data regarding changes in the overall QOL of the patients at high-risk for PC after undergoing invasive procedures such as EUS as a part of the screening program.
Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional survey study to clarify the psychological impact of EUS in patients with cystic lesions and individuals at risk for developing PC. We hypothesized that a benign EUS examination in these patients may result in less distress and improved QOL.
Study population/sample
This single-center, cross-sectional study was approved by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Review Board. Individuals at risk for developing PC who underwent EUS performed by a single endosonographer (Manoop S. Bhutani) at our institution between 05/2008 and 04/2018 were invited to participate in a survey study. All participants had genetic or familial factors that implicated elevated PC risk, as verified by medical records review. Specifically, asymptomatic individuals with (1) a family history of PC, (2) carriers of PC-prone germline mutations (BRCA1/2, PALB2, MMR, CDKN2A, STK11, PRSS1, TP53), and (3) EUS/EUS-FNA results negative for malignancy were included in the study.
Individuals with a known PCL who underwent EUS-FNA performed by a single endosonographer (MSB) between 01/2016 and 4/2018 were also included in the study. Eligible study participants were over the age of 18 years, did not have a previous PC diagnosis, the cystic lesions did not have any malignant features (such as mural nodules, solid component, or a dilated main pancreatic duct [PD] >10 mm) and EUS-FNA results were negative for malignancy.
Outcomes and instruments
Sociodemographic and clinical data
Data were obtained from medical records on age, sex, marital status, level of education, employment status, cancer history, family PC history, and genetic background.
Quality of life assessment
Participants were administered the brief profile of mood states (POMS) and the single-item linear analog scale assessment (LASA) QOL. The scale and questionnaire were chosen based on their known psychometric properties and clinical usefulness in evaluating distress and overall QOL.
The POMS was developed to assess affective traits, mood, and emotions. The POMS scale is the summary of 11-item questions, and each question is rated from 1 to 4. A higher score means a worse psychological output. The brief POMS-11 has demonstrated reliability and validity for assessing distress in cancer patients. There is evidence that supports the use of the brief form when general distress, an important aspect of QOL, is being investigated.[19]
Single-item questions LASA are the simplest approach to measure QOL. The LASA QOL is a single-item, subjective, and seven-point QOL measure. It is based on one item, and the score ranges from 1 to 7. The higher score means a better psychological outcome. It has been shown to be reliable and valid.[20]
Participants were contacted by phone and invited to take part in the study. After giving consent, they were asked to complete the above-mentioned measures regarding their pre- and post-EUS status for distress and QOL.
Signed-rank test (nonparametric statistical method for paired data) was used to assess differences between QOL scores before and after the EUS procedure. The difference was defined as the score after EUS subtracted by the score before the procedure. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to assess if there is any significant discrepancy between subgroups (e.g., education subgroup, gender, family history, and employment status) regarding the score difference. All tests were two-sided and P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. However, statistically significant results may not be clinically significant. In order to assess clinically meaningful changes in QOL scores, we have used the effect size (ES) method that expresses the magnitude of effect in terms of the distributional standard deviation (SD). It has been shown that a change of 0.5 of the SD of any health-related QOL tool can be considered clinically significant.[21] Statistical analysis was carried out using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA).
Characteristics of the study population
Of the 83 eligible individuals identified by reviewing medical records, only 40 individuals were successfully contacted by phone. All of them gave their consent to take part in the study.
As shown in [Table 1], the mean age of the respondents was 56.40 ( 10.91) years. Seventeen patients underwent EUS for the evaluation of a known PCL. Only one patient with a PCL had a mildly dilated main PD of the neck measuring 4.8 mm. All 17 of these patients underwent a EUS-FNA which was negative for malignancy. Twenty-three patients were at high risk for developing PC based on their familial and/or genetic background, and they underwent EUS as part of a PC screening program. No solid/cystic lesions and any potential targets for EUS-FNA were found in these patients. Most participants were female (75.7%), married (70%), employed (64.5%), and about 50% had attained a university degree.
Seventeen participants (43%) carried a proven PC-prone gene mutation and BRCA2 was the most frequently mutated gene (47%). Eighteen individuals (45%) had at least one relative who had been previously diagnosed with PC. Twenty respondents (50%) had a personal history of cancer [Table 1].
Table 1: Main characteristics of the study population
Linear analog scale assessment quality of life
There was a significant difference in patients' overall QOL assessed by the LASA QOL scale before and after the EUS procedure (mean difference 0.73, SD 1.76, P <0.01). According to our results, participants tend to have a higher score after undergoing EUS [Table 2]. The ES was 0.58 in our group of patients, suggesting that the changes in QOL score were clinically significant.
Table 2: Difference in quality of life scores before and after the EUS procedure
Subgroup analysis was also performed. Regarding patients with cystic lesions, we found a significant increase in the LASA QOL scale after EUS (mean difference 0.65, SD 0.70, P <0.01). The ES was 0.92, indicating clinically meaningful changes in the QOL for this particular group of patients. Similarly, individuals who underwent EUS as part of a PC screening program had statistically and clinically significant changes in the LASA QOL scale before and after the procedure (mean difference 0.78, SD 1.57, P = 0.02, ES = 0.5).
The brief profile of mood states
A significant difference in the brief POMS score was found before and after the EUS procedure (mean difference −5.46, SD −6.72, P <0.01). According to our results, participants tend to have a lower score after undergoing EUS [Table 2]. The ES was 0.81, indicating that there were clinically meaningful changes in brief POMS score before and after EUS.
The subgroup analysis showed that for patients with cystic lesions, the mean difference in the score before and after the EUS was −6.06, SD 6.14, P <0.01 with the ES of 0.99. In the PC screening group, the mean difference was −5.04, SD 7.22, P <0.01 with an ES of 0.70.
There was no statistically significant association between the change in QOL scores and the participant demographic- and cancer-related characteristics. For example, for individuals, who had graduated university, the average change in single-item QOL score was 0.85 (median 0), while for those with primary education the average change in scores was 0.53 (median = 0). Although participants with college degree had a higher change of scores in average, it was not statistically significant (Wilcoxon rank-sum P = 0.93).
This study aimed to examine the psychological impact of undergoing EUS in patients at risk for developing PC and in patients with known PCL. The psychological impact was evaluated in terms of QOL and distress, using two validated tools. According to our results, there was a significant difference in QOL scores before and after a benign EUS examination. Although the impact of EUS screening on survival is not yet fully known, our study showed that the participants' QOL and distress improved after the procedure.
Our results are consistent with previous reports showing that participating in a PC screening program may yield positive outcomes including reductions in cancer fear or increase in feelings of reassurance and well-being in patients who are at risk for developing PC.[15],[18],[22]
Research and scientific evidence that PC screening is worthwhile is far behind compared with screening for other types of malignancies such as prostate, colon, or breast cancer. Another approach to evaluate the benefits of PC screening would be to consider its impact on the QOL of the participants. Individuals with a family history of PC and carriers of PC-associated gene mutations may overestimate their personal cancer risk and report increased cancer-related worries, leading to a reduced QOL. Our results showed the EUS procedure had a positive impact on the QOL of these individuals. In order to assess clinically meaningful changes in QOL scores, we have used the ES method. The ES was 0.50 for the single-item QOL scale and 0.70 for brief-POMS (P = 0.04) in the group of patients who underwent EUS as part of a PC screening program. Thus, even though the impact of EUS screening on survival is not known yet, there is a psychological benefit that clinicians should be aware of when considering EUS for these patients.
The role of EUS in the evaluation of PCL remains controversial, and various experts and guidelines[9],[10],[11],[12],[13] are still debating when to perform EUS-guided FNA. The international consensus guidelines published in 2006 (Sendai)[23] and later revised in 2017 (Fukuoka)[24] recommended EUS-FNA for cystic lesions with worrisome features on imaging (cyst size >3 cm, thickened cyst walls, main PD size of 5–9 mm, abrupt change in caliber of PD with distal pancreatic atrophy, and nonenhancing mural nodule) and surgical resection for cystic lesions with high-risk stigmata on abdominal imaging (main PD >10 mm, enhancing solid component within a cyst). On the other hand, the American Gastroenterological Association guidelines[13] recommended EUS-FNA for cysts with at least two high-risk features (size >3 cm, dilated main PD and the presence of an associated solid component). European guidelines[9] and ACG clinical guidelines[11] on pancreatic cystic neoplasms recommended EUS-FNA only for cases when the results are expected to change clinical management, or the diagnosis is unclear.
Our study is the first one to assess the psychological benefit of EUS-FNA in patients with PCLs. PC is one of the most dreaded diseases and compared to most other cancers, survival rates are much lower, and death occurs at a more rapid pace. Accordingly, having a cystic lesion in the pancreas can be frightening. The possibility of a PC diagnosis can cause significant emotional burden with a detrimental effect on individuals' QOL. Shieh et al.[25] investigated the cancer risk perception and anxiety levels in patients undergoing EUS evaluation of PCLs. They showed that 40% of these patients perceive a higher than expected risk of developing PC. Moreover, females and individuals who were highly concerned about their cystic lesion had increased anxiety scores. However, we could not find any prior study assessing the changes in the QOL of patients after undergoing EUS.
Our study found statistically and clinically significant changes in the QOL scores before and after the EUS-FNA, indicating that negative EUS-FNA results have led to an improved QOL and less distress for patients with PCLs undergoing the procedure. This is likely due to the widespread belief in the general and lays community that biopsy is the gold standard to rule out or diagnose malignancy when a lesion is detected.
Several limitations of this study are to be noted. First, the time between the EUS procedure and the date of filling in the questionnaire varied considerably in this study population. Second, the psychological background of the participants is unknown. Furthermore, the majority of participants were well-educated or females who may have more resources to cope with their high-risk status. Therefore, we cannot estimate the psychological impact in a lower educational attainment population. Finally, given the cross-sectional design of the study, the results should be interpreted with caution. However, we have conducted this study as a proof of concept and a starting point for prospective and longitudinal studies.
A particular strength of this study is the use of validated questionnaires to assess the overall QOL of patients at risk for developing PC who underwent a EUS procedure. Furthermore, this is the first study which evaluated the impact of EUS on the QOL of patients with PCLs. PCLs can generate patients' anxiety due to the potential risk of developing PC, perceived as a lethal condition in the general population. Our study has shown the negative EUS-FNA results in patients with PCLs have improved their overall QOL, which was affected by the fear of cancer and the anxiety caused by the cyst.
Our study showed that the EUS procedure with negative EUS/EUS-FNA results had a positive psychological impact in patients at high risk of developing PC or with PCLs, leading to an improved QOL. Psychological aspects such as fear, anxiety, and decreased QOL of these patients are probably not appreciated by physicians taking care of these patients. Our prospective study is expected to shed further light on the psychological benefit of EUS as a screening and diagnostic test in these groups of patients.
Rahib L, Smith BD, Aizenberg R, et al. Projecting cancer incidence and deaths to 2030: The unexpected burden of thyroid, liver, and pancreas cancers in the United States. Cancer Res 2014;74:2913-21.
SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Pancreas Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Available from: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/pancreas.html. [Last accessed on 2018 Mar 13].
Cazacu IM, Luzuriaga Chavez AA, Saftoiu A, et al. A quarter century of EUS-FNA: Progress, milestones, and future directions. Endosc Ultrasound 2018;7:141-60.
Canto MI, Harinck F, Hruban RH, et al. International cancer of the pancreas screening (CAPS) consortium summit on the management of patients with increased risk for familial pancreatic cancer. Gut 2013;62:339-47.
Canto MI, Almario JA, Schulick RD, et al. Risk of neoplastic progression in individuals at high risk for pancreatic cancer undergoing long-term surveillance. Gastroenterology 2018;155:740-51.e2.
Vasen HF. The importance of a well-structured pancreatic screening program for familial and hereditary pancreatic cancer. Fam Cancer 2018;17:1-3.
Laffan TA, Horton KM, Klein AP, et al. Prevalence of unsuspected pancreatic cysts on MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2008;191:802-7.
de Oliveira PB, Puchnick A, Szejnfeld J, et al. Prevalence of incidental pancreatic cysts on 3 tesla magnetic resonance. PLoS One 2015;10:e0121317.
European Study Group on Cystic Tumours of the Pancreas. European evidence-based guidelines on pancreatic cystic neoplasms. Gut 2018;67:789-804.
Tanaka M, Fernández-Del Castillo C, Kamisawa T, et al. Revisions of international consensus Fukuoka guidelines for the management of IPMN of the pancreas. Pancreatology 2017;17:738-53.
Elta GH, Enestvedt BK, Sauer BG, et al. ACG clinical guideline: Diagnosis and management of pancreatic cysts. Am J Gastroenterol 2018;113:464-79.
Megibow AJ, Baker ME, Morgan DE, et al. Management of incidental pancreatic cysts: A white paper of the ACR incidental findings committee. J Am Coll Radiol 2017;14:911-23.
Vege SS, Ziring B, Jain R, et al. American gastroenterological association institute guideline on the diagnosis and management of asymptomatic neoplastic pancreatic cysts. Gastroenterology 2015;148:819-22.
Cazacu IM, Luzuriaga Chavez AA, Saftoiu A, et al. Psychological impact of pancreatic cancer screening by EUS or magnetic resonance imaging in high-risk individuals: A systematic review. Endosc Ultrasound 2019;8:17-24.
Konings IC, Sidharta GN, Harinck F, et al. Repeated participation in pancreatic cancer surveillance by high-risk individuals imposes low psychological burden. Psychooncology 2016;25:971-8.
Hart SL, Torbit LA, Crangle CJ, et al. Moderators of cancer-related distress and worry after a pancreatic cancer genetic counseling and screening intervention. Psychooncology 2012;21:1324-30.
Maheu C, Vodermaier A, Rothenmund H, et al. Pancreatic cancer risk counselling and screening: Impact on perceived risk and psychological functioning. Fam Cancer 2010;9:617-24.
Harinck F, Nagtegaal T, Kluijt I, et al. Feasibility of a pancreatic cancer surveillance program from a psychological point of view. Genet Med 2011;13:1015-24.
Cella DF, Jacobsen PB, Orav EJ, et al. A brief POMS measure of distress for cancer patients. J Chronic Dis 1987;40:939-42.
Siebens HC, Tsukerman D, Adkins RH, et al. Correlates of a single-item quality-of-life measure in people aging with disabilities. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2015;94:1065-74.
Sloan JA, Dueck A. Issues for statisticians in conducting analyses and translating results for quality of life end points in clinical trials. J Biopharm Stat 2004;14:73-96.
Mckay S, Gunasingam N, Meiser B, et al. Pancreatic cancer screening in high risk individuals does not have negative psychological impact in the short or long term. Gastroenterology 2017;152:S277.
Tanaka M, Chari S, Adsay V, et al. International consensus guidelines for management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. Pancreatology 2006;6:17-32.
Shieh FK, Siddiqui UD, Rossi F, et al. Mo1398 anxiety and perception of cancer risk in patients undergoing EUS for pancreatic cystic lesions. Gastrointest Endosc 2011;73:AB331-2.
- Cazacu IM
- Luzuriaga Chavez AA
- Mendoza TR
- Qiao W
- Singh BS
- Bokhari RH
- Saftoiu A
- Lee JH
- Weston B
- Stroehlein JR
- Kim MP
- G. Katz MH
- Maitra A
- McAllister F
- Bhutani MS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Sorry, you missed 2019 Essence Festival - Sat... at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
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text:
Six students of TISS Hyderabad campus go on hunger strike
Continue protest against 'administration's negligent attitude'
February 28, 2018 12:04 am | Updated 12:04 am IST - Mumbai
Ajeet Mahale
Six students of the Hyderabad campus of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) went on an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday to protest against the administration's "negligent attitude".
Among the issues raised by students is the deputy director of the campus not making proper communication with students admitted under the Government of India-Post Matriculation Scheme (GoI-PMS).
Pallavi Partibha, an MA student at TISS Hyderabad, said, "There are several issues that need to be resolved. We have been writing letters to Mumbai, but to no avail. We won't be holding dialogue with them until an official plan of action is issued to us. We are not interested in vague assurances. More students will join the hunger strike on Wednesday if the registrar does not to come to our campus by 9 a.m. to address the issues."
The students of the 2016-18 batch were given a document which said that they had been exempted from paying the dining hall, hostel and tuition fees. The acting director is currently in Hyderabad and holding talks with the deputy director.
In Mumbai, students resumed their blockade of the front gate but their demands remained unmet. Parents and students, who arrived for admissions for the 2018-20 batch, which began on Tuesday, were asked to enter through the back gate. The students' union even prepared a pamphlet to circulate among the potential students explaining the reasons behind the strike.
Prof. Partha Sarathi Mondol, speaking in his capacity as a senior faculty member, addressed the students at the main gate and highlighted the key issues affecting the institute. Prof. Mondol said, "There is no clear cut answer as to who owns the institute. The administration claims that it is owned and controlled by the government. However, the institute does not mention that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has no legal obligation to give more money. The institute expanded on no basis while destroying scholarships of all students."
Prof. Mondol is also the president of the SC/ST Employees' Welfare Association at TISS, which expressed solidarity with the agitating students on February 23.
Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Shah Jahan said the UGC only pays for salaries of faculty and general maintenance of the campus.


Celebrating relationships of every kind. From newborn to high school senior to weddings to 50th anniversaries, we capture the moments that you want to cherish forever.
We can digitally restore you old, faded or even damaged prints with no risk. We can also provide brand-name portrait frame or now a custom shaped fame to protect your cherished memories.


The Senate Passed a Property Tax Reform!
In an amazing plot twist, the Texas Senate passed a real property tax reform bill yesterday.
We spoke with Conroe Representative Brandon Creighton, the chair of the Select Committee of State Sovereignty, about the committee's mission, its relationship with the federal government, and its response to federal health care mandates.


The Lake View Presbyterian Church congregation began in 1884 as an alternative to the churches in Chicago and Township of Evanston, which were difficult to reach in bad weather. After meeting in tents and other makeshift facilities for four years, the congregation built the church in 1888 at the cost of $14,257 at the corner of Evanston (Broadway) and Addison Avenues. The photograph image below is embedded within the wall Belmont Bridge Underpass.
The building is well known due to the partnership between Daniel Burnham and John Root who designed some of Chicago's most famous commercial buildings, such as the Rookery and the Monadnock building.
'shingle-style'. Typically, Root used brick, steel, terra cotta & other sturdier materials, said Pauline Saliga, executive director of the Chicago-based Society of Architectural Historians. Renovation of this 'cornerstone of the community' started in 2004. Of the $1.23 million cost, $500,000 was donated by the Presbytery congregations and the rest was raised through secular (private) donations. During the renovation workers found the original cedar shingles underneath with white shingles. A paint historian helped them determine the shingles' exact color. This time, the church was insulated and fireproofed with sheathing underneath the shingles. Most of the complete renovation was completed by 2007.
Lake View Academy since 1972. Read more about this alternate high school either on their website or Facebook.
This congregation was founded as Gross Park Presbyterian Church in 1891; currently called Cornelia Avenue Baptist Church. The building above was constructed in 1905.
The Ravenswood Presbyterian Church was organized in 1902. Services were held in 'Library Hall' at the corner of Hermitage and Montrose, until a chapel was built on Cullom & Hermitage in 1907. The chimes for the organ in the 1915 building were given by the Deagan Company located a few blocks away on Ravenswood East Avenue.
Known today as the Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church . This house of worship was a popular town-hall meeting place for citizens of the City of Lake View prior to the city annexation to the City of Chicago in 1889. The original building was located at Halsted and Fullerton Avenues and built in 1864. According to a Chicago Daily News article the church had a congregation population of 190 by 1867.
The church building of Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church was built in 1888 as the second edifice of the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church which had been founded in 1864. In 1932, the Fullerton Avenue Church merged with the Covenant Presbyterian Church.
This pdf from the Presbyterian Office has listing of all Chicagoland churches ending in 1994. Also, this post is part of a 7 part series of blog posts about 'Houses of Worship' according to faith. Most Houses of Worship have attached schools on their private property that I may or may not be highlight in any of these posts. These following posts only briefly narrate a particular institution and 'pray' I did not forget any of one them.
Read the earliest accounts of the churches of old Lake View 1884 from historian Theodore Andreas that is not covered in this series of posts about the 'Houses of Worship' from page 722.


Can we have a HELLZ YEAH!?
First announcement for the Big Day Out was released today.
Muse, Powderfinger, Lilly Allen, Eskimo Joe, Groove Armada, Grinspoon, The Mars Volta, Ladyhawke, Dizzee Rascal, Karnivool, Peaches, The Temper Trap, Kasabian, Midnight Juggernauts, Rise Against, Magic Dirt, Mastodon, Lisa Mitchell, The Horrors, Bluejuice, Calvin Harris, Kisschasy, The Decemberists, Tame Impala and Girl Talk.
How exciting is that? I'm totally for Muse, Rise Against, Mars Volta, Grinspoon, Powderfinger and Eskimo Joe.
It is a much better line up than this year. Bring on January 15!


Community Blog by Roager // Kingdom Hearts 2 is the best 3d Shmup I've ever played. I mean, I haven't played many, but... Damn, the gummi levels are really underappreciated.
Kingdom Hearts 2 is the best 3d Shmup I've ever played. I mean, I haven't played many, but... Damn, the gummi levels are really underappreciated.


This is my house, or the side of it, in Portola Hills California. Even the locals don't know where Portola Hills is, so: Portola hills is up the hill from Foothill Ranch, which is up the hill from Lake Forest. It's the hilly region north of El Toro road between Santa Marguita Parkway and Cooks Corner.
I bought the house in late November, 2002, at which time there was very little wrong with it, but that won't keep me from fixing things!
The computer cabinet, in it's new home. I ran a seperate 20 amp circuit for [My AT&T UPS//the UPS], and gave it a twist-lock socket and plug. This arangement, unlike in the old apartment, where I had all the cables going out the bottom, allows me to put an air filter across the big lower ventilation opening. I think the computers actually get dustier in the cabinet, than on the floor.
2002/12/30: I ran CAT-5 cable from the computer cabinet, up into the attic, and to the kitchen and garage, so that I could install my two [Open WiFi Network//access points] for front-to-back wireless ethernet coverage.
2003/01/04: This weekend's task: Improve drainage for the side lawn, and back-yard garden.
The whole side lawn stays a muddy mess, due to the original drain system's vertical drains. These drains were at or above the level of the ground, and not in the low-points. So, I'm replacing the original system with a perforated drain pipe, in a gravel ditch, just below the sod. Water will drain into the V shaped gravel filled-ditch, and once the water level reaches the bottom of the perforated pipe, it'll be whisked away to the street. The gravel keeps the pipe from becomming clogged with mud.
2003/01/04: We just got some rain here, and the new side-yard drainage works great. Too bad that's not the end of it. The back-yard planter needs much better drainage, and the entire drainage system is blocked from exiting to the street.
2003/01/22: I have a mountain of dirt that I have excavated from the side-yard drainage project and the back-yard drainage project about eight feet wide and four feet tall. It's presently holding down a big chunk of my back porch, and making an eye-sore. So, it's off to the dump it goes. But how? Well, I had a brainstorm (sarcasm) and thought up the plan of lugging it to the dump in large plastic garbage cans in the back of My Truck.
Do you know how much dirt weighs? I guess I didn't. First of all, I could only barely roll half-filled cans down my driveway, let alone heft them up into my truck. I had to empty the cans about 1/4 of the way to heft them up, then bail from one on the ground to one in the truck in order to get the rest in. All told, I have three half-filled 44 gallon trash cans of dirt in the back of my truck, and my hands and back are screaming at me!
The plan is to take them to the dump tomorrow morning, and simply push them out the back. I hope that works, or I'll look awfully silly.
Worst of all... Three half-filled cans is only about 1/3 of the pile.
2003/01/24: Three trips to the dump later, the dirt pile is gone, and I'm sure the rear springs in my truck are a bit shorter. Well, at least the back-porch has somewhere to drain now, and I got all those bits of old drain pipe off the lawn.
2003/02/05:The next stage in drainage control: Where does the water go?
Now that I have these nifty new drain systems, which very effectively collect the overflow of the yard rain and irrigation water, some more problems arise. The exit pipe of the drain system is blocked, and no amount of roto-rootering has gotten it un-blocked. So, the drain water sits in the pipes, and keeps the yard muddy.
The last access point in the drain system is in the far corner of the front yard, and is always filled with water. However, if I put my sump pump down in there and pump the entire system dry, then the yard dries up a little. So, the task is to get water out of the drain system.
Step 1: Let the water collect somewhere other than the pipes. To acheive this, I removed the 8 inch drain access point, and dug a big hole. Into this I poured a layer of gravel, and inserted a large plastic pot, upside down. I then put holes in the side of the pot for the drain pipes to enter. The idea is that this will be a water collection reservoir. I estimate that there is about five cubic feet of space for the water to collect before it reaches the bottom of the drain pipe, and starts backing up.
Step 2 will be to run power out to the reservoir, and install a submersible pump with automatic switch. Once a few inches collect in the hole, the pump will kick on, and do something useful with the water. One thought is to run it out to the street. Another idea is to possibly re-use it to water the yard. We sill have two large trees without any automatic watering, and it would be easy to run small pipes from the pump to the base of these trees.
2003/02/06: I have to admit, I didn't know how much water really needed to be accomidated in the above drain reservioir. I was just guessing at the size of the plastic container I needed. Well, I set my irrigation computer to do all of it's work at 10:00pm and midnight, so I was able to check the level of the reservioir this morning. Two inches to go before the level of the water reached the bottom of the drain pipe. So, it works, but is only good for one day's normal watering of runoff.
This means that I must put an automatic pump in there, since even a short bit of rain would overflow the system now. I could dig a bigger reservoir, but to even double the storage space means so much more digging, I don't think my wrists (or my truck, hauling it away) could take it!
So, I vote the water gets used for re-irrigation, with a shunt valve to dump it to the street in overflow conditions.
2003/02/11: We just got some more rain here. Enough to keep my poor little pump busy pumping it out to the street.
The interesting thing is that this morning, I went out to check things out, and found large pools of water right on top of my nifty new drain system. Bah! I exclaimed. Failure! No, not failure, just crappy soil. I went and got a big pole, and poked some holes through the sod into the gravel of the drain. SLURP! Water all gone. Who knew topsoil could be so uncoperative?! So, I went down to Home Depot and got a lawn airator. A couple of hours and a couple of blisters later, the lawn "breathes" just fine. Both air and water. Now it's just wet, instead of underwater. And, of course, the poor little pump has to work even harder.
Lastly, I think it would be really nice to have a larger resevoir. At least one that I can bury a bit deeper, so as to not have as great an impact on the surface asthetics. I still can't think of a good container though! The perfect dimentions would be a cylinder 36" wide by 48" deep, with at least one end capped off.
Here's a picture of how the drainage system ended up. I put in two submerged control boxes. One for the valves, and one to access the underground reservoir. Both have small green covers, that make for a very clean look. On the right is a electrical box I installed to deliver power to the pump.
There are three of these boxes in the front yard, which I ran along the lawn edge. They are connected via waterproof conduit burried a few inches underground. This conduit goes under the front walkway, and up to the main circuit breaker panel. I gave it it's own 15 amp circuit.
The drain system works great, as long as I remember to turn the shunt valve when it looks like it's going to rain. However, after about two straight days of rain, the pump gets overwhelmed. I'm not too worried about that though, since it just overflows onto the driveway anyway.
All-in-all I'm very happy with the system. I still need to integrate a drainage system for the driveway, but that won't be too hard.
I dicided to tackle rain gutters this weekend, as the splashing outside the garage door was causing leakage into the garage, and getting stuff wet. I ended up doing two segments, one around the master bedroom patio, and one along the front walkway. It took me some time to figure out how the pices go together, but I did both installations in about four hours. Pictured to the left is the installation around the master bedroom patio. It's a wierd roof shape, but this captures all the runoff, and sends it straight into the dranage system.
Along the entire 50 foot long front walkway runs another gutter that drains to the lawn, and into a drain vent.
I'll probably do the back-yard next weekend.
Last weekend I installed three long-thin drains along the side of the driveway where water from the roof and the driveway itself ends up. These drains flow into the underground resevoir, and drain quite nicely. Doing the digging for these drains also allowed me to hide the outflow pipe from the pump, which I did by running it inside the drain pipe, and installing a little elbow right at the end of the driveway to let the water out into the street. Very clean.
Tee hee! 1 year after buying the house, I looked into refinancing. I got a loan at 1% less, and the house appreciated 13%!!! Finally, after making $200 against the principal per month out of my massive mortgage payments, I have some equity!
I really like this setup. It was a HUGE amount of work, and ended up costing me about $300 all told, (not including the rest of the drainage system around the yard) but well worth it. If I had to do it again, there is only one thing I would change: Use non-quick-set concrete. It just sets up too fast for molded concrete. I ended up with a few un-filled holes in one wall, which I had to patch. If I had used normal concrete, it wouldn't have been so rapidly stiffening, and it would have flowed into the form much better.
RedBeard (2003-12-21): This page has given me quite a few ideas for fixing the drainage problems in my own back yard. I bought a house in the first part of September, and I love it! The back yard, however, needs some attention. It's almost completely flat, being in a valley that was a riverbed when our ancestors were still killing their dinners with stone-tipped spears and learning about the latest technology, fire. The soil is made up of infamous Georgia Red Clay, which is virtually impervious to water. Normally, earthworms help to aerate most soil, but they don't like clay, so there's almost no aeration of the soil. Needless to say, my back yard has a few medium-sized, shallow ponds in it for up to a week after any rain - and from November to April hardly a week goes by without a healthy rain here.
Of particular annoyance is the area immediately in front of my toolshed, which faces north. One of my hobbies is woodworking, so I spend a lot of time out there. Lots of traffic, lack of sunshine due to the shed's shadow, plenty of rain, and poor drainage turned that area into a mud pit. Last week I bought a ton or so (2480 pounds to be exact) of 1/2" aggregate gravel and brought it home. By the way, a 1996 F-150 longbed with the towing package is just barely able to haul about 2500 pounds in the bed, and I don't recommend over 1500 pounds if you have to traverse steep hills or windy roads - I have both of these between my house and the quarry. When I got home, I shovelled the gravel out of the truck into an area 10 feet wide (the width of the shed) by about 6 feet deep. I then poured out two 80-pound bags of "just add water" concrete mix and raked it into the gravel. This should settle by spring, when I plan to pour a concrete slab and put a paving-stone walkway from there to the door of my screened-in patio. Then I tried to move my pickup truck from that spot back to the driveway, got stuck, and ended up digging deep ruts in the yard when I finally got unstuck. Definitely must improve drainage for the back yard overall.
I intend to try to remedy the overall drainage situation in late spring, once things dry out a little. Since the entire neighborhood is flat, there's not much I can do in the way of draining the water downhill unless I pipe it to the ditch out by the road. This means I'll have to dig a trench, about 100 feet or so long, with a continuous slope. Then I'll put down filter cloth, pour aggregate, put down more filter cloth, and spread topsoil on top of that. Needless to say, I'm checking on backhoe rental prices now.
I'll try to remember to document the work on my website (www.techdudez.com) when I finally get "a round tooit" (I already have a square tooit *grin*).
RedBeard (2003-12-21): er...I said "windy roads" in that last comment - meant "winding roads" or even "very curvy mountain roads that Porsche drivers live for"
NN (2004-10-13): I have a drainage problem in Australia. Thank;s for the ideas!!!


You know the one. The friend who's constantly bit by the travel bug; who you see more on your Instagram feed than you do in real life, and the one who's always searching for ways to make trotting the globe a little easier. Gift her one of these 15 options that do just that and put a luxe, beauty-forward spin on jet-setting.
When a full-size blow-dryer is taking up too much room and the hotel dryer is out of the question (so, always), this compact, high-powered option is the answer. It's lightweight, powerful and delivers countless good hair days even on the road.
Traveling with a lint roller doesn't have to be a nightmare. These retractable rollers are equally as fashion-forward as they are dainty (they're small enough to throw in a clutch), and keep the sheets from sticking to things they shouldn't.
Dubbed the "world's most comfortable shoe" this versatile pair is a must for anyone whose second job seems to be trekking through cities and airports. Incredibly lightweight, these pack down to almost nothing and are naturally odor-resistant (hello, painless packing). And because it's made out of super fine merino wool, they can be washed if they ever look muggy for a brand-new, fresh-looking pair.
Jet-setting doesn't have to mean leaving your favorite skin care tools behind. This miniature-size version of the classic NuFACE delivers the same face-sculpting results (it emits the same microcurrent output) for a mini-facial in a flash.
Why is it that travel-size skin care is easier to come across than high-quality bath and body products that will make it past TSA? This chic set (it's housed in a cosmetic bag she'll want to save) includes body wash, lotion, scrub and oil in a yummy brown sugar vanilla scent to keep your skin soft and supple from head to toe.
The latest launch from the popular bottle brand is made for folks who are always on the go. The bottles are sleek enough to keep in your purse and still smart enough to keep your beverage hot or cold for a full 24 hours, while the new design is available in 12-, 16- and 20-ounce sizes, each featuring a wide mouth shape that that makes stirring a cup of coffee or sipping water easy and comfortable.
Different time zones and lack of sleep can do a number on sleep cycles and complexions. Keep this must-have aromatherapy-driven duo nearby (it includes a mini Deep Pillow Spray and Stress Check Breathe In Aromatherapy Roller) to help calm down a stressed-out mind for a deeper night's sleep.
Give the gift of portable blackout shades with this luxe, 100-percent silk eye mask anyone would love. Leave it as-is or add the recipient's (or your!) monogram for an extra $5.
Lined with a heat-resistant interior lining, now you don't have to wait for your curling iron or flat iron to cool down before packing it up again. Plus, it's thin design takes up minimal space in your suitcase, which is always a win.
Nobody should have to choose between their favorite lipsticks when packing a makeup bag. This miniature, matchbox-style lip set contains four miniature long-lasting shades to make touch-ups—and only bringing one shade—an afterthought.
There's nothing worse than finding your jewelry tangled up into one large ball while unpacking. This luxe organizer features an interior magnetic bar to organize your rings and earrings while multiple zippered pockets keep bracelets and necklaces separate.
Don't skimp out on your usual supplements because packing medicine bottles is a hassle. This chic pillbox is about the size of an iPhone, makes stowing meds easy, and houses an extra mirror inside.
Travel-size skin care doesn't have to be mediocre. This high-end set includes everything you need to give skin the care it needs—even at 39,000 feet. You'll receive a miniature Softening Cleansing Foam, Hydro-Softening Lotion, Protective Fortifying Emulsion (day moisturizer with SPF) and Intensive Fortifying Emulsion for nighttime.
Designed to fit in your hand or pocket, this sleek, portable aromatherapy pod lets your essential oils travel wherever you do. Pick your favorite fragrance, remove the pod's cap, breathe in and relax.
From woody florals to musky citruses (trust us), this year's wardrobe collection features eight TSA-approved sizes of new and classic fragrances that are about to become your new favorites.
To make your holiday shopping just a little bit easier.


text:
// Copyright (c) .NET Foundation. All rights reserved.
// Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.

using System;
using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Host.Bindings;
using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Host.Storage.Blob;

namespace Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Host.Blobs
{
    internal sealed class BlobWatchableDisposableValueProvider : IValueProvider, IWatchable, IDisposable
    {
        private readonly IStorageBlob _blob;
        private readonly object _value;
        private readonly Type _valueType;
        private readonly IWatcher _watcher;
        private readonly IDisposable _disposable;

        private bool _disposed;

        public BlobWatchableDisposableValueProvider(IStorageBlob blob, object value, Type valueType, IWatcher watcher,
            IDisposable disposable)
        {
            if (value != null && !valueType.IsAssignableFrom(value.GetType()))
            {
                throw new InvalidOperationException("value is not of the correct type.");
            }

            _blob = blob;
            _value = value;
            _valueType = valueType;
            _watcher = watcher;
            _disposable = disposable;
        }

        public Type Type
        {
            get { return _valueType; }
        }

        public IWatcher Watcher
        {
            get { return _watcher; }
        }

        public object GetValue()
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        public string ToInvokeString()
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            return _blob.GetBlobPath();
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        public void Dispose()
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                _disposable.Dispose();
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Katy mom run over while pushing baby in stroller has died
By Damali Keith, FOX 26 News
KATY, Texas (FOX 26) - A woman who was run over by a neighbor on Friday has now died. Elizabeth Lugo was pushing her baby in a stroller when a man lost control of his car and slammed into the young mother. She was pinned to the vehicle as it smashed into another neighbor's house there in Katy.
Lugo was headed to the neighborhood park with her 11-month-old daughter and their dog. She was just steps from the playground when a car jumped the curb, smashed into Lugo and went crashing through this house. It's a day Gabriel Lugo says is his worse nightmare come true.
"We've talked about this many times. So I followed her wishes and removed her from the machine," explains Mr. Lugo. His wife had been clinging to life from Friday to early Sunday after she was hit by a driver who investigators say suffered a seizure behind the wheel. "She lost function of the brain, no activity, no reaction last night. Around 1 a.m. we stopped the ventilator and she couldn't breathe on her own. I told her all my plans for taking care of our daughter. I kissed her on her forehead. She liked when I did that. I said my last goodbyes. Then everyone came in and we prayed together," explains Mr. Lugo who says his wife was an amazing mother.
"She had all these plans for her to go to college. She was looking forward to all her milestones and now she's not going to be around for those".
We caught up with Mr. Lugo as he returned from the store buying baby formula for the first time. "Because my wife was giving her breast milk and we just ran out of the last bit."
Lugo actually knew something was wrong Friday when his dog returned home without his wife and baby and he jumped in his car, finding the horrible scene around the corner. "The injuries weren't so severe to my daughter, that I can be thankful for. My wife was behind the stroller and the car clipped the stroller a little bit and broke the stroller's tire from behind. All I can imagine is she pushed my daughter out of the way as best she could and took the full impact herself."
The Taylor family, whose home was severely damaged in the crash, had actually just finished rebuilding after their house was destroyed by flood waters after Hurricane Harvey.


text:
Sithathoriunet (S3t Ḥwt Ḥr Jwnt, "filla d'Hathor de Dendera") va ser una princesa egípcia de la XII Dinastia. És especialment coneguda pel tresor de joies trobat a la seva tomba a El-Lahun. Possiblement era filla del rei Senusret II, ja que el seu lloc d'enterrament era al costat de la seva piràmide. Si fos així, això la convertiria en un dels cinc fills coneguts de Senusret II; els altres fills van ser Senusret III, Senusretseneb, Itakait i Nofret.

Sithathoriunet va ser enterrada al complex piramidal de Lahun. Segurament va morir mentre Amenemhet III encara era faraó, ja que es van trobar objectes amb el seu nom a la seva tomba. El seu nom i els seus títols van sobreviure en els vasos canopis i en un vas d'alabastre trobats a la seva tomba.

La tomba va ser excavada el 1914 per Flinders Petrie i Guy Brunton. Havia estat saquejada a l'antiguitat, però un nínxol al lloc d'enterrament va escapar de l'atenció dels saquejadors. En aquest nínxol s'hi van trobar restes de diverses caixes plenes de joies i objectes cosmètics, com ara navalles, un mirall i gerros. Les joies que s'hi van trobar (braçalets, cadenes, una corona d'or, dos pectorals...) es consideren uns dels exemples de joies de més qualitat dels s'han trobat mai a les tombes de l'antic Egipte. També s'hi van trobar dos cofres, un amb el nom de Senusret II, l'altre amb el nom d'Amenemhet III. També hi havia una corona i diverses polseres inscrites amb el nom d'Amenemhet III. La majoria dels objectes estan fets d'or amb incrustacions de pedres precioses (cloisonné). Avui la majoria de les troballes es troben al Museu Metropolità de Nova York, tot i que la corona no es va moure d'Egipte i avui es pot contemplar al Museu Egipci del Caire.

Referències

Vegeu també
 La dona a l'Antic Egipte.

Bibliografia

Princeses de la dinastia XII d'Egipte

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


San Francisco is the second largest city in the state of California – it also happens to be one of the most famous cities on earth. While it doesn't have the same sunny weather as Los Angeles, this tech hotspot is one of the nation's most popular tourist destinations. The technology industry is rampant in San Francisco, which has caused the city to expand rapidly in the past few decades. While the city has great public transport infrastructure, there are still plenty of people that own vehicles in the city.
If you're a car owned in San Francisco, you know how important it is to have a great auto insurance plan. An accident can get expensive, so you don't want to leave yourself overly exposed to risks that you can't handle. Our company's main priority is connecting individuals with the best insurance policies on the market. We also advise our readers on local laws and driving regulations in an effort to prevent issues on the roads. Check out our suggestions and content below!
How Helpful was this Article on San Francisco?
You don't have to worry about too many problems from weather in San Francisco. This being said, visibility can get quite bad when it's foggy or rainy, so be careful when the roads are wet. Keep an eye on local weather alerts if you're trying to reduce your chances of an accident. San Francisco is also prone to natural disasters – while you can't do much to prepare for this, earthquakes can occur in San Francisco.
Traffic is an issue, as it is in most major American cities. With a densely-situated population and plenty of tourism in the city, you'll have to contend with congestion while driving in certain areas. Keep your eye on a traffic app or warning system if you want to avoid high levels of congestion while on the roads in San Francisco.
Each state and city has their own laws to prevent issues on the roads. While some states are very relaxed about road rules and enforcement, others are much stricter. California has some of the strictest road rules in the world – you have to be extremely careful when driving anywhere in the state. In this section of our article, we're going to look at these specific rules to help you avoid trouble while driving in San Francisco.
Check out the most common road rules and regulations below!
You are not allowed to use any cell phones or personal devices while operating a vehicle in California. This law is in place to prevent people from driving while distracted. California is one of the strictest states in terms of distracted driving laws. As people obtain more and more smartphones, there is a growing problem with accidents caused by distracted drivers. It's important to avoid using your phone while operating a vehicle on any type of road.
California has strict seat belt laws that require you to wear a seat belt at all times while in a vehicle – age is irrelevant, all passengers must use a proper seat belt. In addition, as the driver of the vehicle, you are responsible for those under the age of 16 – if you have any passengers under the age of 16 that are not wearing a seat belt, you can be punished according to state law.
If you live in California, you're required to wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle. Many motorcyclists do not like this law, but it does a great job at preventing further damage to individuals who experience accidents. Helmets can greatly reduce your chances of death or head injuries, make sure to wear one if you're planning on operating a motorcycle anywhere in California.
As everyone in the state is mandated to wear a helmet, not doing so will make you stick out easily – police will fine you for the infraction.
If you're under the age of 21 in California, there is a zero-tolerance law for drinking and driving. If you have any alcohol in your system, you will face a DUI charge or have your license revoked immediately.
For those over the age of 21, the BAC limit is .08. If you want to avoid any issues with the law, make sure to avoid drinking alcohol before you head out on the road – punishments for intoxicated driving can be severe. For a first-time offense, you may receive up to six months in jail, a six month license suspension, an interlock system on your vehicle ignition, and 30 days of vehicle impoundment. As you can see, a DUI is costly in California.
San Francisco is often considered much safer than Los Angeles, but there are still a number of crimes that cause problems in the area. Auto theft is one of the more prominent issues in San Francisco. In fact, 2017 saw an increase of 26 percent in auto theft from the year previous. If you want to avoid problems associated with theft or vandalism, make sure that these issues are covered by your insurance plan. Most comprehensive insurance plans include auto theft protection.
If you want to protect yourself against financial risks and the associated costs of owning a vehicle, an auto insurance policy is a great starting point. Purchasing an auto insurance policy can help you hedge the risks associated with owning a vehicle. If you're having trouble choosing the right insurance company, make sure to have a look at some of the insurance companies that we recommend!


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